Member Info for Birdsong

I guess that is what he is counting on, but as with the protests in China, a swift brutal action by those expecting insurrection prevents less brave or foolish attempting such a move.

Read 'upped the percentage of GDP spent on weapons'

Watching tv and typing, I must be bi something.

Harley, anyone and everyone can see that President Trump isn't a great speaker, has little diplomacy, and is far far from faultless. But because his mouth says what he thinks, even if its wrong, people know it is not some polished, pre rehearsed, woke narrative to appease the naive.

Sure he changes his mind, so that is a normal action if Stammer is anything to judge by. But I admire the fact that he doesn't just sit back, take the money, as he could, he puts his life, his kith and kins lives at a greater risk than most others to do what he thinks is right. Whilst it may well not be, doing nothing is the easy option, but not always the best, especially for the long term view.

We are so used to everyone being seemingly 'nice', that anyone who sees that being so isn't always the best way for the long term is deemed nasty and selfish.

NO politician can ever do right for doing wrong in the electorates eyes when it is the opposition party in control. Imagine IF the Tories had upped the amount of GDP PRE the Ukraine invasion and now this M.E skirmish.

The labour lovies would have accused them of wasting billions on war when there was no know risk of such especially when people were waiting for operations and so called single mothers were claiming free food etc Then they would accuse the money spent on arming the country as to the REASON why our perceived enemies then accelerated their spending on a new arms race, whilst linking arms singing 'Give peace a chance' .

Leaders were chosen once for their strength and love of their country and their own people .

IMO President Trump has such qualities but unfortunately has issues where anyone who disagrees is quickly removed. NOW, where have I seen other people with such a trait on here?

One way might be to see just how many people risk life and limb to enter a country, or, alternatively just how many risk to same from people try[ng to leave a country.

T, it is most fortunate that humans aren't as yet, on the endangered species list, mind if less stable minded nations gain nuclear weapons that may change for a few nations.

I expect it will all blow over, the war, not the nuclear radiation cloud!

Lloyds as expected, ebbing away nice and slow so as not to cause a panic. Lucky we are so UK based and more immune from world events.... aren't we?

Harley, unless you kill everyone, then reprisal attacks with widely scattered weapon, in a huge country when America and it's few allies have not 'boots on the ground' are a given.

Even the Germans were attacked constantly by the French resistance and no doubt by members of any occupied country by the brave. Even when the Germans shot many innocent for the reprisals it never stopped it happening. So with those who truly, not half arsed' believe in doing such they will have several virgins etc, it was likely a very well know side effect to be expected by the Americans, and clearly a price worth paying to avoid countless numbers of innocent Americas dying in any future WMD attack.

See the bigger picture, easy to snipe at problems now, but we will never know what such horrific news the President is avoiding a few years down the line.

Of course they will hit back and no doubt do serious damage but luckily the POTUS will hit them back harder. The appease, be ever kinder only works with individuals, and then only to a point. Not only can you not educate pork, but some won't even eat it.

Thanks Pokerchip for reply

The strait of Hormuz is to be controlled by Iran, then surely it would be wise for the USA to drop it's own mines into it, to prevent Iran using it to gain wealth, if allied ships are to be prevented from using such.

There must be mines which can be selectively controlled remotely to be able to disable, or self explode, or explode when require remotely should the Iranian people eventually be rendered a minor threat.

Pointless letting them have use and gaining, better being the dog in the manger and have the US have some control.

T,

Re: "The Iranian regime is abhorrent but the bombing is just strengthening the ideology against American Imperialism."

Perhaps as with the Japanese, who would have been hard to force surrender upon, President Trump may have to use a few nuclear devices to break their ideology, or forever be expecting tit for tat reprisals.

Capturing a few top religious persons and using such on each ship passing through the strait may be another less destructive option to ease our energy prices.

Poison in water supplies, destroying food supplies and crops, totally destroying electricity grids and other utilities may be other grim options if they attack innocent American people. Whilst many innocent will sadly pay the price, it must be remembered we are all born innocent, and many innocent now, won't be so in a few short years as the current evil regime once were innocent children.

I feel President Trump should just have bombed with the largest force possible, but not nuclear, the sites that spies and spy planes etc could identify where the nuclear future weapons were based and told them, that we will be back in the near future if or more likely when you start the processing again.

So maybe limited nuclear strikes would prevent a longer world war, and kill more of the evil, sadly along with many innocents, rather than a longer conflict killing many many more innocents.

Doubt China or Russia would do owt, as few sane leaders would want to be drawn into a nuclear conflict. With Iran, as with the Japanese suicide attackers, the shock and devastation may just ease future reprisals, for IF America waits too long, then they may be able to return the kiss, thus far they can't, and neither will their so called allies.

Just another option. Hope it doesn't come to such, but better than plunging the world into warfare imo.

Won't the fact that interest rates are more likely to rise for the foreseeable rather than fall be a negative to LGEN which I assume holds many bonds at low yields

T, there is an old country saying "When gorse is not in flower, kissing is out of season" or similar. As Gorse or Furze in many places is rarely out of flower, Seen some huge flower spikes in May, and smells of coconut even from a distance.

Many flowers waiting for the cold gloom to go, blackthorn especially. End of May, first couple of weeks in June nicest time here imo, lots of things freshly out in bloom, leaves bright and green, not too hot, few flies no wasps or too many mosquitos etc.

However I feel that by having so many diverse arrivals in large number in recent times, unlike the former days when arrivals were dribs and drabs, the conglomeration of misfits, is more likely to be a problem for the Brits than any in Reform.

Personally I think Nige is too normal to wish to be PM for very long, if at all, as he loves life, and unlike most PM's or Presidents, wants to make the most of his life before it is too late, and is wise enough to realise that the damage is too deep to save the UK from future self implosion. The war mongering mix living here will one day be at each others throats, whereas when we had mostly indigenous Brits, few can be bothered to squabble over religion, so nothing to have civil war about.

Can't see the advantage of filling your country with such different mindsets. Don't you enjoy travel and going to places where people are different, I do, and have no issue with anyone unless they are a cost, or threat to me, which when arriving here in vast numbers I feel too many will eventually become.

Hardly ray cyst. I am sure if our populations poor all arrived anywhere else, we too would be most unwelcome.

When people can't see that, then people get frustrated and use offensive words which they ought not, but doesn't mean they hate anyone different, just anyone who is a threat. People dislike Brits who are a threat, but they ARE our responsibility not so the worlds illegals coming here.

Do try to see others points of view even if not agreeing.

Perhaps the USA, should have taken top ranking Iran officials and placed several on each Oil tanker to ensure they were not attacked. Rinse and repeat.

Joking aside, if Iran stops allied ships passing, then it should be the USA planting mines to prevent Iran gaining from the expensive oil it will send through.

Dog in a manger technique.

Perhaps poison their water supplies, destroy all food production and electricity supplies and take out all Mosques when filled. If you are going to be hated forever with reprisal attacks, just as well get in first. The great President is a brave man, as he could have done like all others POTUS's and sat back, took the money, but he is trying to protect the country he loves, not from the odd terror attack but from being under serious threat from WMD in the future, at great risk to himself and his loved ones. Hardly doing it for the money, he is old and will have enough to last him and his children and children's children for the rest of time without any risk. Long live the President.

.... least the Americans seem to as markets rise.

But Lloyds share holders are a more canny bunch, and have seen many false dawns before.

Re all the numbers of deaths from various wars etc, it must always be remembered that we all will be dead one day. As will everyone else. So it is more about ensuring that our lives, and the lives of those we love and cherish are as safe from premature death, pain, hunger and attack as is feasible, not just day to day but into the future.

I truly believe that President Trump is doing what all elected leaders should do, and put their electorate first.

Even airlines tell you to put on your mask before helping others.

No one person can, or will ever solve all the worlds woes, and would die of stress and misery if they tried to do so.

No one person owes the world a nice life.

The debt the US faces and is no small doubt smirked about by those hating, needs to be addressed for when the West's main protector is bust, don't expect those we have been oh so kind to, to do us any favours. President Trump was elected by his putting America first call out there, he sees the US used by Europe, by illegal immigrants and many others all too keen for them to foot the bill for the worlds nere do wells, or just unfortunate, but America is not a charity, and now the Golden Goose is only laying in it's own back yard, let us see how many other wealthy nations aid the needy.

America will now only help those IF it is a benefit for America to do so. Charity is where it ought to be, left for all the bleeding heart individuals to fund. Such are more than happy to spend others money, whilst criticising the rich Americans every move, and watching with glee them getting deeper into debt, lets watch how many wealthy now jump in to save the worlds unfortunate, and freeloaders. A few coppers in an Oxfam tin won't be enough.

America has sent aid all over the world for decades, never had too, so if truly evil they would have done as many recipients of handouts do, just take, never give, see it as their right, and that the world owes them a life, it doesn't, no matter what may or may not have occurred in the past. Now is now.

Which 'madman' are we referring too? Presumably as it's you, it's likely to be President Trump, it for sure won't be the new Iran ,Ayatollah. Perhaps you meant the slightly lesser hated by the wokes than the POTUS, President Putin, or maybe Kim Jong, or even Xi Jinping. All referred to as mad, odd that they have all gained the most powerful position in their lands.

I thought that President Putin was going to act as some sort of mediator in this, IF so, then will this remove his madman label, or more likely in blinkered eyes, just add it to the POTUS title.

The woke BBC delight in focusing the misery re the tragic bombing of the girls school, but never ask why a school was located next to a hi risk command centre, either idiotic planning, or more likely the 'mad' leaders of Iran know such accidents are worth more to them in propaganda that the lives of girls, who they have little time for, but again never spoken too much about, for only the West is truly evil, the rest of the minorities are just naive, or need treating more kindly to show them to way and benefits of equality. Whilst here, where equality and in the US , is fulfilled people complain over having too few on maternity ward posters, whilst even our history now is being twisted to be inclusive.

Perhaps a few years living in Iran would be good for the soul of many who feel the West is still too harsh.

Anyway the blip up imo, is merely a delayed dead Ayatollah bounce and come the weekend Lloyds will be lower than at the start of the week.

... it seems, not unsurprisingly also on other share bb's.

This posted by stanleyb on BP. chat, could and will be argued to have equal merit:

"why do you think the West cannot confront Putin's Russia head on? It's because he has thousands of Nuclear weapons pointing at the US, UK and Europe. Imagine waking up one day to find Iran has the same capability...that's why Iran has been attacked before they obtain any such capability, but socialist thinkers believe you can negotiate with Iran, well look how that is working out with Putin. A staggering 50 MILLION people were killed in WW2 because apologist like you supported a negotiated settlement with the Nazis, look how that worked out! Be careful what you wish for otherwise you Children and Grandchildren will have Iranian Nuclear missiles pointing at them! Oh but really you are just thinking about the price of a barrel of oil! "

Easy for all of us now to sit and type our opinions, and judge those decisions of past key personal in wars. But different times had different mindsets, and of course there is always suffering for the innocent, with the left highlighting such, as almost a reason to never declare war, but as the post above suggests, doing nothing and thus making no wrong move, can end up being worse for suffering than trying to do something to prevent the latter.

Only with hindsight can armchair experts decide whether war was justified.

I know I would rather thousands of potential enemies were destroyed than hundreds of thousands of my own peoples lives taken at some point in the future. Of course the enemy feels the same, hence war. Just a shame it is often more ordinary people rather than those who have the issues pay the price by dying or being injured in larger numbers. But unlike Hollywood films, that is unavoidable unless we do nothing, and await our, or our childrens, or their children's future fate.

Easiest thing in the world is to find fault, but give no real better alternatives bearing in mind the future, not just today.

Was doing well but now down over 2%, not too sure why the drop. Expect it will be mirrored here, and some. Bed now.

STP, cant argue with that. Mind the USA can float away, knowing that their own oil will see them ok, whilst Stammer is more concerned about his grass being greener than anyone else's first.

All for looking after the planet, but slowly, and surely, not a vote creating gimmick to the woke young dreamers at the cost to every households living standards, especially when it puts us at a severe disadvantage to those countries who are the main polluters, ironically making the green energy products to sell to us.

Lti, thanks for info, must admit not read much on here lately.

Chand 76, are those spikes and dips not the buyback 'machine' buying large amounts on dips? Notice the same sort of thing on Lloyds and they too are doing buybacks.

Re: "The push comes as CEO at Lloyds Banking Group Charlie Nunn prepares to outline Lloyds’ new five-year strategy, which also includes expanding services for financial institutions and increasing lending to large corporates."

Shame the board by selling over a million pounds worth of their holdings, didn't share the faith.

Usual Monday, a false lift, and ebb away daily, growing more rapidly as the weekend nears.

Trend is down, as the month graph will show check it this time next month.

No doubt a little false blip up when this years isa's are filled with what peeps assume are bargain basement share prices, but the basement may have a larger cellar underneath.

Judge then.