Absolute *** of our time Pt.MXXVI

[Guest MattP]

We are in recession, the figures of 1% growth in the last quarter are hugely misleading as they are based on comparing the last quarter, which contained the big money spinner the Olympics, with the previous quarter which had an extra bank holiday for old queeny, the real figure growth with those taken into account is 0.2% we will be back in recession when the next figures come out.

I thought the 0.2% was responsible from the Olympics and the growth without it would have been 0.8%?

I would be surprised to see us drop back into recession now, the amount of emails I'm getting coming from finance agencies etc is the highest for a few years, unemployment is down and job creation is stedily going up, the Olympics helped no doubt, but we might just be over the worst of it.

[MooseBreath]

We are in recession, the figures of 1% growth in the last quarter are hugely misleading as they are based on comparing the last quarter, which contained the big money spinner the Olympics, with the previous quarter which had an extra bank holiday for old queeny, the real figure growth with those taken into account is 0.2% we will be back in recession when the next figures come out.

When it comes to whether or not we're in recession, it doesn't matter how or why we got to a certain percentage, all that matters is that we did. Recession is two quarters of negative growth, so whatever happens next quarter, we won't be back in recession.

[Captain...]

When it comes to whether or not we're in recession, it doesn't matter how or why we got to a certain percentage, all that matters is that we did. Recession is two quarters of negative growth, so whatever happens next quarter, we won't be back in recession.

Exactly my point, we are "not in a recession" on technicality, not because we have made significant progress, if we have another quarter of negative growth, very likely without the Olympic boost, then that will be 3 out of 4 negative quarters, not really a great cause for celebration, but at least we are not technically in a recession.

Anyway, the point I was making is made much better here (and no it is not a Guardian source)

Today’s third-quarter economic data, on the face of it would suggest that the UK is motoring back to prosperity. But the underlying picture is clear. The economy is flatlining, and has been for a couple of years.

The Coalition will enjoy its day in the sun, and why not – it has had to endure nine months in which the economy has shrunk by 1.1pc. But the real story is that there is no growth. The second quarter figures were artificially depressed by the extra bank holiday for the Queen’s Jubilee. This set of numbers is boosted by the automatic rebound as well as the recognition of Olympic ticket sales made last year.

In reality, the economy is inching along at maybe 0.2pc a quarter – way below the 0.5pc-0.6pc that is considered the stable, trend growth rate.

Underlying the weak growth is a chronic lack of demand. The Government is cutting back. Our key export markets in the eurozone are flailing. And consumers have suffered a massive squeeze on their incomes.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/9632229/UK-out-of-recession-This-is-not-a-spectacular-recovery-for-Britain-but-there-are-reasons-to-be-cheerful.html

It does conclude to say there is some reasons for optimism, but we are a long way off yet.

[MooseBreath]

I don't doubt it. I was just being a pedant.

[Guest MattP]

4 years for this, good job the neighbour called by.

I don't know how solicitors keep a straight face in court when you read the last line.

A petrified man was tied to his bed, gagged and sadistically tortured with weapons, including a home-made flame thrower.

Leicester Crown Court was told the victim was beaten with a hammer and had bleach tipped over his head.

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He feared he was going to be burnt alive by his two tormentors – Daniel Spong (18) and Matthew Russell (23) – who were yesterday each jailed for four years.

They admitted falsely imprisoning the man in his flat in Tuckers Road, Loughborough, and causing actual bodily harm, on the night of July 22.

Alan Murphy, prosecuting, said the victim formerly lodged at the home of Russell's mother and had moved out three weeks earlier, owing £70 rent.

Russell was angered and recruited Spong to go with him to confront the man.

On opening his flat door, Russell punched the victim three times.

His flat was then searched and a mattress removed from a bed, to which the victim was bound by his hands and feet, with a duster stuck in his mouth.

Spong used a deodorant spray with a cigarette lighter as a flame-thrower on his feet and arms. The defendants discussed setting the bed alight before the victim was hit with a hammer on his knee, left hand and ribs.

Russell poured bleach on the bed and Spong tried to light it.

Bleach splashed into his eyes as it was poured over his head.

The 25-minute ordeal ended by chance, when a neighbour called by.

To his horror, he saw through a gap in the curtains that the victim was being held captive and raised the alarm.

Spong, of no fixed address, and Russell, of Wordsworth Road, Loughborough, realised the police were outside and quickly untied the victim.

When officers forced their way in they found the defendants sitting on the sofa as if nothing had happened.

The injured victim went to hospital suffering from multiple bruising, cuts, swelling, burn marks and sore eyes from the bleach.

Sentencing, Judge Simon Hammond said: "It was sadistic torture. It was pitiless, brutal and merciless.

"It happened in the sanctuary of this man's home."

Judge Hammond commended the police for their fast response to save the victim, as well as the neighbour who raised the alarm.

He said Spong's pre-sentence report quoted him telling a probation officer the victim deserved to "lose a finger to teach him a lesson."

Paul Prior, defending Spong, said he had an unstable personality disorder sometimes causing challenging behaviour.

Shital Modhwadia, for Russell, said: "He's usually a calm person. He went there with a view to being threatening.

"Things got well out of hand."

[Guest]

Why are foreign immigrants allowed to receive child benefit for children that do not live in this country? A nurse my wife works with gets it for her kids in India.

Then she needs reporting, as you can only claim Child Benefit or Child Tax Credits if the child is either resident with you, or lives in the EU or EEA, and is dependent upon your support.

I don't know how solicitors keep a straight face in court when you read the last line.

Firstly, she's a barrister, not a solicitor.

Secondly, she's been told to say that by her client.

[Guest MattP]

Firstly, she's a barrister, not a solicitor.

Secondly, she's been told to say that by her client.

Fair play, barrister.

I realise the client tells her to say that, I was just saying I find it amazing how they manage to keep straight faces when people who have been caught torturing fellow humans red handed say "they aren't usually violent" and it "just got a bit out of hand".

[ADK]

Its to do with people being allowed legal representation.

[Guest]

Fair play, barrister.

I realise the client tells her to say that, I was just saying I find it amazing how they manage to keep straight faces when people who have been caught torturing fellow humans red handed say "they aren't usually violent" and it "just got a bit out of hand".

Because it might just actually be the case? I know, a little bit crazy, but it does sometimes happen, and without actually speaking to the person myself, or knowing them, I would hate to jump to conclusions.

Spare me the "duck" argument. It was meaningless last time.

[Guest MattP]

Yeah fair enough, could happen to anyone, walking along having always been a good guy then an afternoon gets a bit out of hand and you end up hammering someone's knees and pouring bleach on them for a few hours over £70.

Quack quack.

Edited 2 November 2012 by MattP

[Daggers]

That's great, it's saved you from looking ignorant.

You now come over as funny and original.

You'd be so much better off by putting the ignorant pr1ck on ignore.

You can shout at SEN kids, in their special hats, until you're blue in the face, but they just won't get it.

Edited 2 November 2012 by Daggers

[Nick]

Yeah fair enough, could happen to anyone, walking along having always been a good guy then an afternoon gets a bit out of hand and you end up hammering someone's knees and pouring bleach on them for a few hours over £70.

Quack quack.

I dunno - sometimes people just snap.

You'd be so much better off by putting the ignorant pr1ck on ignore.

You can shout at SEN kids, in their special hats, until you're blue in the face, but they just won't get it.

[Carl the Llama]

You'd be so much better off by putting the ignorant pr1ck on ignore.

You can shout at SEN kids, in their special hats, until you're blue in the face, but they just won't get it.

Sure, but then you'll never read an opinion opposing your own. It might make everything sunshine and gumdrops but it's hardly healthy for reasoned discussion/thought-procession. Occasionally he may even come up with a POV that never occurred to you... But then I'm just a fence sitter who likes looking at all the neighbouring gardens to ascertain which is the more lovely one.

Besides, that pancake face is hilarious.

[Daggers]

Sure, but then you'll never read an opinion opposing your own. It might make everything sunshine and gumdrops but it's hardly healthy for reasoned discussion/thought-procession. Occasionally he may even come up with a POV that never occurred to you... But then I'm just a fence sitter who likes looking at all the neighbouring gardens to ascertain which is the more lovely one.

Besides, that pancake face is hilarious.

I'll read the opinions of people who don't need to move their lips when reading.

[Carl the Llama]

I'll read the opinions of people who don't need to move their lips when reading.

Watching the news must be hard.

[Rincewind]

However there are some posters that you can have a pretty accurate guess on their post replies even if you set them on ignore. You just need to see if anyone has been kind enough to quote them for you to confirm your guess.

[Daggers]

Watching the news must be hard.

[flowwolf]

Well I won't go into detail but maybe it wasn't combat that lead me to become ill , and maybe the people I thought would protect me and help me turned a blind eye and maybe then I thought I never had anyone to turn to, not even my family (actually they have only just found out what went on as after the Army didn't bother I kept it a secret and it become normal to me) and definitely not the Army.

Think more along the lines of Deepcut.

Ok mate now I understand. My heart goes out to you. I know all about what went on in most regiments in reference to Deepcut I have personal experience of that going on in my battalion and know where you are coming from. If you want to meet up for a beer just pm me I would be more than happy to meet up for a chat.

[Guest Basildon Fox]

Ok mate now I understand. My heart goes out to you. I know all about what went on in most regiments in reference to Deepcut I have personal experience of that going on in my battalion and know where you are coming from. If you want to meet up for a beer just pm me I would be more than happy to meet up for a chat.

Nice gesture mate.

Edited 2 November 2012 by Zaphod Beeblebrox

[Guest Bilo]

You can shout at SEN kids, in their special hats, until you're blue in the face, but they just won't get it.

Deliciously un PC.

[flowwolf]

I'm sure he does know what you are talking about. You however dont know what he is talking about. You are a bloke who thinks that all homeless ex military choose to be homeless. And you think PTSD is all about your mindset and how tough or mentally robust you are. You only see it from your own perspective. You lack critical applied thinking, knowledge and empathy as you do with most subjects on here.

Spouting about 'big boys rules' and people who go through PTSD knowing what they signed up for and insinuating that they are not 'man' enough to cope with their experiences (like you have obviously been) seems to me like you are the troll as usual.

You see everything in black or white then call me naive.

Hmm.

Never thought I would say this about you but I am so let down by your lack of knowledge and your assumptions. Spouting ? your terminology to try to denigrate another's way of putting things to gain some sort of personal kudos and make you feel superior to the rest of the posters. Fail on epic scale.

You assume that I have not gone through trauma during my service. I was shot and seriously injured during a I.R.A attack , I was lucky that I did have the mental strength ( pre tuned ) to see me through that time in my life. But you are so of the mark in terms of how I see others who did not and are still suffering. You need to look up what P.T.S.D is really about . You are that typical naive erk who thinks he knows the answer to every thing what ever subject.

You come across as a spotty want to be intellectual who sits on his own in the pub observing and criticising the society your are not actually capable of joining. Not man enough to actually say those things face to face but hide on sites like this as I don't see you actually talking much about football in the first place.

[Guest Col city fan]

Never thought I would say this about you but I am so let down by your lack of knowledge and your assumptions. Spouting ? your terminology to try to denigrate another's way of putting things to gain some sort of personal kudos and make you feel superior to the rest of the posters. Fail on epic scale.

You assume that I have not gone through trauma during my service. I was shot and seriously injured during a I.R.A attack , I was lucky that I did have the mental strength ( pre tuned ) to see me through that time in my life. But you are so of the mark in terms of how I see others who did not and are still suffering. You need to look up what P.T.S.D is really about . You are that typical naive erk who thinks he knows the answer to every thing what ever subject.

You come across as a spotty want to be intellectual who sits on his own in the pub observing and criticising the society your are not actually capable of joining. Not man enough to actually say those things face to face but hide on sites like this as I don't see you actually talking much about football in the first place.

[Daggers]

Not man enough to actually say those things face to face but hide on sites like this as I don't see you actually talking much about football in the first place.

I've not seen you at any previously public FT outing, or any of the hideaway +1ers.

I have, on the other hand, seen Nick, Spericals and shedloads of other people.

So, who is it who hides away on sites like these?

[FoxesAreBlue]

Just out of interest, how to you put somebody on ignore? Never thought it would come to it but fvck me there is one particular poster on here who does my head in!

[Captain...]

Just out of interest, how to you put somebody on ignore? Never thought it would come to it but fvck me there is one particular poster on here who does my head in!

Click on the drop down box next to your name in pick in the top right of the screen and you have an option to mange ignore prefs, then you can add users there.

I did it to someone once though and you can still see they have posted, just can't see what, but you have the option to view post, and you always succumb and have a look, especially if it looks like a response to you.

Edited 3 November 2012 by Captain Shrapnel