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Interestingly, the levels of Govt debt are excessive in many developed countries (as well as the well-known undeveloped ones). America's debt level, measured by debt-to-GDP ratio is 125%. The U.K. stands at 115%, while France stands at 101%. However, Japans debt-to-GDP ratio is 230% It is the most indebted country in the world. But .... drilling down into the figures, the debt owed by America, the U.K. and France, is to many and varied global lenders - including other countries. However, the largest proportion of Japans debt is to its own banks. They don't owe a huge amount to overseas investors. So the problem is, when global investors start withdrawing support for your country and your Govt, by moving their funds elsewhere, the amount of overseas debt your country owes is going to be the major item affecting whether your countrys economy goes into a slump - or into the sh****r. Japan can conveniently ignore a lot of its debt because their lenders are their own people and institutions. At worst, in Japan, when debt repayments fail to be made, the worst that can happen is few Japanese banks go bust, or are forced to amalgamate - and their economy slows down. That's what happened in the 1997 Japanese/Asian recession, which was largely caused by excessive property price increases - a property bubble - however poor Japanese Govt decisions also led to the economic collapse.

And I thought I was grumpy.

A World Recession Probably. Like the Others Wall St Started. Who gets hurt Most in Those? The Poor. Nev

No surprise there. One of his big promises (trumpet promise = lies) was that he would fix their debt problem. If the rest of the world asks US to settle the debt, what happens? Bankruptcy? The orange clown has some experience with that kind of policy.

I think that I have found an indication that Trump's policies are starting to effect the strength of the US dollar. For quite some time, the Australian dollar was buying about 65 to 66 US cents. Over the past month or so, I have noticed that the AUD has been buying more US cents. Today, 29/1/26, I heard the AUD quoted at 70 US cents. The increase in value of the AUD is not likely to be the result of a strengthening Australian economy. Is it a sign of a weakening US economy? I throw the discussion over to Jerry.

Very adaptable people. It's quite a sight in Indonesia and Malaysia to see the Muslim female pillion passengers riding sidesaddle on the back of a bike. Amazing sense of balance when you see them swaying back and forth as hubby weaves in and out of the traffic. They've been doing it since they were kids so I guess it comes natural after a while. I've seen a family of five on a bike; hubby riding with a toddler on the tank, wife behind holding a baby and a little kid hanging on behind her, but I've heard stories of bigger numbers on bikes over there.

Tis guy knows a bit about Donald- Trump is such your stereotypical bully. China pushed back - Trump backs down. Canada pushed back - Trump backs down. Europe pushed back - Trump backs down. Minnesota pushes back - Trump backs down. Denmark pushed back - Trump backs down. New York pushed back - Trump backs down. He is the absolute poster boy for every single character defect that makes somebody so insecure and spineless that they need to create an illusion of toughness. But look harder and a little closer and you see Trump for the weak pathetic little insecure man he has been his whole sad loveless miserable life. Trump is a man with real "Daddy issues" who knew his own father had no respect for him. A father who detested the stupidity and weakness he saw in his son. As Trump's own niece said. Fred knew his son was a habitual liar! Fred knew his son was weak! Fred knew his son's character was pathetically flawed. And Fred knew! That Trump knew! That he knew, and what really hurt young Donald was that Fred didn't care that his son knew how much he despised Donalds weakness of character. It was said that Fred (who himself was a loveless cruel husk of a man) wanted Trump to actually do his "military service" to toughen him up and install some fiber and backbone in him. But Trump begged and pleaded with his mother to speak to Fred on his behalf to help him dodge the draft. Trump was scared to death of even the thought he may go near any sort of fight. A Dr who was a personal friend of Fred Trump and even lived in one of Fred's buildings, diagnosed "bone spurs" as a deferment for Donald to dodge the draft. It was said that Fred paid for that diagnosis and Trump has no medical record before or since of EVER being treated for "bone spurs." Trump is only tough when you allow him to be tough. When you pander to him and massage his ego and let him feel like he is intimidating you. That is why Trump lies about everything and anything. Trump literally cannot complete a sentence without lying, because Trump fears that truth and reality exposes him for what he is. So he has to make everything bigger and better and the greatest that anyone has ever seen! and the more he does this the more pathetic he actually looks to normal minded folks who are not buying into his non stop bullshit. Like all of history's really weak men Trump will run from anyone or anything that can stand its ground and has the power to hit back. That is why so many of his victims are women or old men battling cancer or they are actually already dead or they are countries that can only throw rocks back as he bombs them. That is why he wont stand up to Putin and craves recognition from other authoritarian leaders. Trump will only ever pick fights with people or things he feels he can dominate and push around. But the first time they make a stand and push back he whimpers off to find another new less threatening victim. Trump is that kid that used to call you names! But as soon as you took your jacket off and raised your fists. He would be telling you he was "only joking" as he is running down the road. Trump is a gobshite bully who writes big cheques with his mouth that his arse can't cash and the world is slowly waking up to the fact they need to give him a bloody nose every now and then when he goes off on one of his threat sprees and runs his mouth. Being a billionaire is the only thing that has saved Trump from being punched in the face every single day of his life and twice on a Sunday.... The only thing.

I want to make the distnction between governments making trade arrangements - government to government - and the actions of corporate giants like Nestle, the motor industries, the oil companies. Those entities have no respect for what governments do. They just go on their machiavellian way enhancing their bottom lines.

The problem is that the US debt is owed to the rest of the global economy. If the US goes bust, then the global economy goes bust. While corporate America is a major player in the global economy, don't forget the corporate giants of the EU and Asia.

USA has a HUGE debt. Nev

The clever thing about this study is that it was able to analyse NO2 levels on a suburban basis. "The researchers also confirmed that neighborhoods that added more gas-powered cars saw the expected rise in pollution. Finally, they replicated their results using updated data from ground-level monitors from 2012 to 2023. “We tested our analysis in many different ways, and the results consistently support our main finding,” Whilst improved emission standards feed into the overall results they do not account for local differences. "

The air quality improvement wasn't due to a virus. We got a similar result the week after the twin towers attack in US. Anyway, just you wait 'till the next pandemic! Or maybe we should ban all those nasty airplanes! (American aircraft) Or at least ban air travel by attendees to climate crisis conferences? They can all arrive by EV.

Major global investors are fleeing from investing in the U.S. dollar, thanks to Trumps erratic and inflation-causing trade policies. Those major global investors are countries as well as financial institutions. They are all concerned that Trumps policies will lead to the U.S. dollar losing its place as the premium financial investment choice. Trump is doing nothing to address America's constantly-ballooning Govt debt level - as with all U.S. Presidents and senators, they continue to keep kicking the can down the road. Sooner, rather than later, they will run out of road to kick the can down.

COVID also produced measurable decreases in atomospheric pollutants.

Marty, I used to be able to pull wheelstands on that Suzuki 50 stepthrough before I put the sidecar on it. It didn't have it's own power to do it, so you had to stand up on the pegs and start bouncing the weight over the bars a couple of times and on the right bounce, heave back on the handlebars while you gave it a handful. Once up on the back wheel, it was all balance.

You should see what they do with a scooter here in Vietnam. Not unusual to see 2 blokes on a tiny ancient single cylinder rustbucket, with the guy on the back holding on to a homemade trailer with a load of bricks or 6m lengths of steel. Lucky it's so flat. I don't think they'd make it up a hill.

I have some experience; I once built a sidecar using an upside down tin bathtub for the body and connected it to a Suzuki 50 stepthrough. It was slightly underpowered.

Who knows; the start of a rat bike maybe. I've got plenty of rusty steel and heaps of weird and wonderful bits and pieces. I just don't have the starting point of a motor.

We can only live in our own times and deal with the evil that exists today.

Maybe they are "the worst of them" at teh present time, but go back through history and there are any number of human groups that have done the same things to others in their own eras. Humans are a nasty bit of work.

Protestant , catholic, budhist,Sikh,Jehovahs, Brethren, dont go around cuitting heads of,raping ,killing babies,mutalating people(mostly Muslims) only the radical muslims do, say what you want but they are worst of them

Don't worry, I'm an electric vehicle supporter. the NOX problem is only in cities. In sparsely settled places it's not a problem. Lightning also causes it.. One of the reasons RAIN makes things grow better than water from the Mains or Creeks and rivers. Nev

ADBLUE reduces Nitrous Oxides. CO2 is the Bigger Problem. Nev

I guess it is lucky for you that you don't live in a country where you can be bailed up by thugs who demand you produce proof of citizenship.

Adoption of electric vehicles tied to real-world reductions in air pollution, study finds "Using satellite data, Keck School of Medicine of USC researchers reported the first statistically significant decrease in nitrogen dioxide linked to zero-emissions vehicles."

I believe Albo has invited Carney to address the parliament in March. That won't go down well with Trump. Canada is a lot like us in many ways, and Trump will probably see the invitation as Albo undermining the US.

And have LESS Whacky People at the Helm. Trump takes the cake for Ignorance and vanity. He's becoming a Joke in the eyes of the World, but the damage he's doing is NO JOKE. Nev.

AdBlue is only used in diesel vehicles. The main source of NO2 is petrol vehicles. Replacing petrol vehicles that produce NO2 with EVs that don't is beneficial to public health. Yes, CO2 is a bigger problem, but NO2 is also a significant health problem, especially in cities. The article does discuss this. "While the shift to electric vehicles is largely aimed at curbing climate change in the future, it is also expected to improve air quality and benefit public health in the near term." My point was that reducing CO2 is not the only benefit of EVs "Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) primarily harms the respiratory system, causing airway inflammation, coughing, wheezing, and increased asthma attacks, especially in children, the elderly, and those with existing heart/lung conditions. Both short-term and long-term exposure can worsen asthma, increase susceptibility to infections like bronchitis, and potentially contribute to developing asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other cardiovascular/neurological issues. NO2 also forms secondary pollutants like ozone and fine particulate matter, which add to overall air pollution risks."

You get charged when there's sufficient evidence of you Behaviour Being Criminal and likely to win for the Crown in a Court of Law. You have "Your Day in Court" and if you get a lawyer that won't be cheap. You might get costs IF the case brought by the Crown Prosecutor falls apart.. The Ordinary Person cannot afford to go to Court. Nev