chris25

Brent at 115.26. It keeps going for higher, drops back for a few days then gets higher and higher. Supposedly spare capacity is low and a lot of the current shale oil requires a high price as EROEI is horrific. I expect it will reach a level at $120 even if things stabilize in Syria. Lets face it $120 is dangerous territory for the world economy, but it could become the new norm.

I work in the motor sector and can confirm sales are well and truly booming at the moment, especially luxury cars. The reasons for this I believe are: - There are lots of foreigners who have bought a property in London who are looking to buy a car to go with it. Often these people are extremely dubious, however they pay cash and aren't fussy. Many are corrupt foreign oligarchs, banksters, royalty and fraudsters from all over the globe. - There are also a lot of 20 and 30 somethings still living at home, who are buying new and used cars. Most buy on lease deals. These people have probably given up saving for property and just think "what the hell I'll buy a new car" - As people have said the cost of new cars on lease is so cheap that it is almost cheaper than buying a banger and running it into the ground. Although a lot of bangers are still quite reliable, often tyres, batteries and exhausts will need replacing which can give you a hefty bill. Also a lot of bangers now are early 2000 cars, which is when electrics really started to kick off. So electronic faults can be rife and can cost a fortune to fix. - A lot of buy to let slumlords have never been better and can afford to splash out on the latest beemer. - Also the UK population is still growing by at least 250,000 people per annum, so sales will go up even if the percentage of population purchasing a car stays the same.

I find it truly remarkable how low they are. How in Gods name are they this low? I understand you have QE, government manipulation and smoke and mirrors but they've managed to maintain it for years and years. Perhaps you can defy gravity?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jun/05/digital-economy-work-for-free Spot on. Are they finally starting to get it in the graundian, even if their beloved Labour get in power the cosy middle class liberal dream is over?

Max Kieser said there would be a major bond crisis before April 2013 and we'd all be living in the stone age. Sorry but Kieser is a fool. RT love him because he tears into this country. I agree what he says about the BOE, gold and the banks but the guy is so clearly anti-British. Frankie Boyle is a vile chippy Scottish socialist. I have no time for him.

That photo has made me like Farage even more.

I know several people who work in the car industry and who are saying to me that sales are phenomenal at the moment. I don't understand it. Large scale unemployment. Inflation wiping out purchasing power. Job cuts everywhere. Yet record car sales and record share prices. It's all a bit 2007. A bit unbelievable. I know there are finance deals where any man and his dog can "buy" (rent) a new car. But as people said on here, often people on quite low salaries are forking out £400+ a month for a brand new car. £400 a month is a ridiculous amount of money!

London will only crash when the markets do a U-turn and realise that this triple-A, safe-haven UK nonsense is a complete farce. UK has the one of the highest government deficits in the world, has the highest personal debt in the world and one of the highest foreign liability overall debts. It also has massive social and cultural problems. Look at the London Riots. Lots of ticking time bombs. When the markets turn on the UK, London property will collapse.

So let me get this straight. They are going to build flats on a heavily contaminated, industrial wasteland, which is surrounded by four huge, giant chimneys which could fall over at any time, and will require rebuilding (costing hundreds of £millions) and subsequent maintenance (costing £millions) as they are protected by law. They have no idea about the structural stability of the site,it is highly likely water has ingressed into the masonry and damaged/corroded the internal framing (considering the roof has been off the site for a few decades). I am no structural engineer, but sounds like a can of worms to me. Can't they just leave it be? Why does every old building have to be converted into luxury flats for foreign gangsters or foreign warlords in this country? As it is, I find it an alluring remnant of old London. Call me strange, but it has a kind of magic about it.

I used to be a peak oil doomer up until about 2008, after the oil bubble collapse. I do believe in peak oil but I think it will be an extremely gradual process considering there is literally billions of tonnes of tar sands. Fair enough EROEI will diminish year-after-year and the price will gradually increase (as it has done in real terms over the past 20 years) but there is still huge slack in the system. Considering sales of big SUV's and luxury cars are at an all time high we still have a long way to go. As oil goes up-and-up people will buy smaller and efficient cars, and generally consume less-and-less. It certainly won't be good for the economy, especially when combined with the sucidal economic policies The West has adopted over 40 years, and it will put us into lost decades and continous depression. As a result people will start to think differently about having children (especially once the child-benefit gravy train crashes, as government's default). So I am actually expecting a natural depopulation as the birth rate goes to negative, like it does in most countries stuck in economic depression).

The trouble with HS2 is: 1) It will undoubtedly be built entirely by foreign companies, with foreign workers, foreign track and signalling and foreign rolling stock. Nothing will benefit UK companies. 2) The final price will be at least double if not treble the estimated price 3) The tickets for the train will be totally unaffordable for the average person. In an ideal world HS2 would be a brilliant idea, but in modern Britain forget it. Invest the money in manufacturing. Jaguar Land Rover desperately need more investment for new models, the government should agree to a share investment deal with TATA. That would really benefit UK workers.

I would much rather look over rolling fields rather than Barratt slave boxes. All that is needed in the country is to control immigration and the population will begin to shrink quite considerably. But bizarrely, the nutters in power and in Common Purpose, seem to think it is a brilliant idea to continue mass, virtually unchecked immigration at a population increase of 250k+ per year. Year after year after year. Until that problem is sorted things will get worse.

Exactly. And the same thing is happening here. Openly state you believe in conservative values and you are treated like some sub-human vile piece of scum, especially amongst the brainwashed younger generations. People believe they are entitled to everything from the government. The concept of "self reliance" is non-existent. It terrifies me to think what these people will do, when TSHTF, and big government will leave them fending for themselves.

I don't know if your right. I mentioned yesterday how Amazon were selling a digital camera £300 cheaper on the net than on the highstreet. Presume I was restricted to the highstreet and had to buy that camera, I would be £300 poorer. That £300 I saved I can now spend on anything I want. Perhaps I can buy more tat I don't need. The money has not been lost, I have just got richer. I can buy more bang for my buck. If a newspaper is digitised and I don't have to spend £1 a day buying it, then that £1 I will spend on something else. The internet has made people a lot more "wealthy", despite static wage rises, because it delivers goods and services at such exceptional value.

Yes but in the world of widescreen TV's with crystal clear definition, ultra-realistic computer games, Facebook, endless TV programmes and films at the touch of a button etc you are only going to be appealing to a limited audience. Most people I know probably couldn't remember the last time they went to a museum. It's not that their stupid, just that you can watch about history on the History channel or read about it on the web.