The UN peacekeeping forces, the IAEA, and many other organizations have won it before.

And rightly so. I’m usually quite pro Europe, but I don’t really feel that the EU warrants being collectively honoured in this way. IMO, this award has to be one of the Nobel Foundations less auspicious decisions, its right up there with their awards to the likes of Barak Obama.

To my eyes, they both have their appeal. The B/W image seems to give a slightly stark, aggressive tinge to the lion, but it accentuates the old and wise look in its eyes. The colour image makes the lion appear softer, and the eyes seem as though their owner is miles away. Just the opinions of the untrained eye;)

I had a few of the Dinky aircraft. When I was very young, I was given a Bristol Britannia, a Caravelle, and a Viscount. A few years later, I think I was about 11 or 12, I received a Beechcraft Baron, a Beechcraft Bonanza, complete with baggage! I can remember also one Xmas, receiving the Dinky HS125, A Spitfire, Bf109, and a Lufthansa 737. I should emphasise, that these planes were given to me over a period of several years, I am in no way related to Santa Claus;)

Last night, I was talking by phone to my sister in Canada. She reminded me of the huge Britain’s build your own garden set, that she got one Xmas. I’d forgotten all about that, but I can now picture this huge garden, complete with trees, lawns, fencing, flower beds, a greenhouse, paving etc. There were even little plants to put in the flower beds, gardener figures, tools and a lawn mower. I had no idea that she still had it, along with the ‘add on’ items that she saved her pocket money to buy. She presently lives in a leafy suburb of Toronto, with her garden set stowed in her attic. I suggested that she could make a few bob, by putting the set on eBay, I should have known better;)

I used to like seeing the Union Flag, with the words, “Made in Great Britain”, on many items, once upon a time.Now it’s made in Japan, China, India, etc.
Jim.
Lincoln .7

I rest my case.;)

Wether the UK stays in or ops out of the EU, in the grand scheme of things, it makes very little difference. In this age of globalisation, the day of the nation state having the last word in its economic policies is virtually over. Their economies have been, and always will be, subordinate to the policies of the banks, various global financial institutions, and multi national business. On the good days, we’ll benefit from when these faceless ‘grey suited wizz kids’ get it right, and on the days when they don’t, we’ll be reeling from the results of it, and they’ll walk away to have a go another day. Faceless apparatchiks are not unique to the dear ‘ol EU I’m afraid. IMO, in the real world, nation states no longer have a real last word in formulating their own fiscal/economic policy, no matter what the governments may claim, more’s the pity.

Never mind the EU, the larger issue is the fact that there are the beginnings of a seismic economic shift to the East, China, India and Latin America. In the future, their economic policies will have a far greater impact on the ailing economies of Europe, be they in the EU or not. As the economic clout of the new emerging economic powers grow, and it will, there can be no argument about that, they will eventually eclipse even the US, in both the economic and ideological fields.

In the context of the present world economic order, and the new one looming on the horizon, does anyone seriously think that the pronouncements of a certain Mr Cameron or any other PM or President for that matter, are going to concern or infuence the worlds real economic decision makers? Somehow, doubt it.

Yikes!:eek: But I do agree with you.

Never understood why they do not simply develop somewhere like Lynham as a civil airport etc, I know it’s future is still up in the air, but it would make sense.. There are plenty of ex military airfields that could be used, with transport these days a hour away from London is no hardship.

I am surprised that Manston has never been publicly touted for development. It has one hell of a runway, and is not a million miles from London. Would it be feasible from an infrastructure point of view, I wonder

I have to admit that this whole thing does concern me, and I’m sure most of us. Im 52 yrs young, and within the last 2 years I have sustained significant vision loss, courtesy of a stroke, and have what I now know to be a debilitating and progressive back problem. I’m now not able work, due to a combination of the problems I’ve already mentioned. I’m looking at trying to put together some kind of health insurance, but as has been said already, they don’t want to know if there are previous health conditions. Whilst I was employed in aviation, I had a very good BUPA policy thru them, but of course, that has now gone, along with most of my savings. This is a good lesson to all, that we never know what’s around the corner, and how it can turn your world upside down. I’m very aware there are very many worse of than. Hindsight shows, that for many years, we have not paid enough into ‘the kitty’ to ensure the continuation of the NHS as we know it. The consequences of this underinvestmen by most of us, I guess was always going to come, and now it has.