Morality.
A word sadly misused these days, along with the phrase '..for the common good..'
We have Barack telling the UN General Assembly that while there were ' many nations who condemned the United States' unilateral action in.. say the Middle East.. did not preclude the obligations of those who would now see the US take on the cost of reconstruction alone..
Must admit there were a few raised eyebrows at that comment around the pub.. The unspoken question being what we, as a country, bear as a 'moral obligation' to putting the pieces back together, if any at all..
Isn't that the very point of having the hostilities taking place someplace other than home..?
At any rate.. Barack's thrust was that the US is going to expect at least the G8 countries to dig deep..

Ahh.. Yet another warning from the CBI that while we're 'creeping' out of the recession.. the public should not expect things to get easier..not yet..
It is baffling how stupid.. lethargic.. uninformed..incapable of extrapolation the average Briton is.
Where are the plans for the repayment of the £280 billion printed to preserve the British Banking system and thus, British manufacturing, and thus, jobs?
When will this injection of cash into the system begin to filter down to the small manufacturers.. the downstream of those larger concerns which are themselves, folding daily?
When will we see our transportation system is in dire straits.. that fuel costs are, while for the moment relatively static.. breaking the back of many trucking companies servicing off the track places, of which there are many, around this country.. That our rail systems are working with equipment verging on the obsolete on track that should, in some cases be restricted to cargo haulage..?
But, the price of steel.. of skilled workers.. the downtime..
When will any of our choices for Prime Minister say "I have a plan, and this is what is required of the government, and here is what will be demanded of the British public. Don't look for a quick fix, because there isn't one. But, I have a plan.."

But, it was morals we started on..
Morals we ended on, too..

It occurred during an impromptu discussion of 'moral responsibility.. the parameters of personal morality as opposed to legal responsibility.The question was posed,'when did we become such a pliant and complacent society..'
Many views we expressed, from the virtues of 'Objectivism' to the plausibility of a fulfilling life under pure Leninism..
We are in deep trouble here, and if this seem to be of late a pessimistic view of our immediate..well.. don't let it put you out.. it's mere reflection..
The consensus, by the way, was that no form of government has succeed so far.. Human nature has determined throughout history..continues to do so today.. our natural, perhaps genetic need for some to float to power.. others to trades.. and others who fall by the way..
But we are promulgating our basic inability to solve the problems facing us by an odd malaise.. Almost an indifference to 'bloody society on the whole..My plant's shutting in 9 months..'
Now had our various governments not splashed out so much saving the markets, and concentrated more intently on internal issues the likes of the NHS..agriculture.. industry.. we may have been looking at a shorter recovery and indeed, a better prognosis..
Perhaps fewer concerns about dropping final exams before entering high school is..besides being risible.. and more dedicated, both morally and financially towards the recruitment of new teaching staff..
MG Rover..
Gone.
What comfort can those newly unemployed take when the High Street reported a point seven percent rise in retail sales last month..
One wonders what odds Ladbrokes would give on their be food kitchens on a large scale within.. say..three years..

Interesting.
Allan Greenspan, speaking to the BBC, has said, to paraphrase, that there will be another recession, and that basically we're caught in a consumer crisis ccycle dependant on the man on the street's view, that 'it'll all work out in the end'..
The entire article.. which in itself is worthy of a bookmark if for no other reason than keeping a reference point, can be found at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8244600.stm..
Now.. don't forget to read what Allan doesn't say..

We've been warned.. al Q'aida will likely be considering using commercial aircraft at instruments of terror..
Jaysus wept..

The Summer Hol's appear to at and end..
Tomorrow might be interesting, when Barak's set to address Congress to try and sell his Health care for the nation..
Might be stating the obvious here.. but would seem he's soon going to be bailing the boat with a teaspoon.. Might be round one between Utopia vs the Lobby's and Vested Interest..
Worth a scan if nothing else.. might define this ambiguous 'public option'..

If one was forced to define the general mood on these islands.. surly would perhaps be the winner..
It's been a poor summer as far as the weather is concerned..and that does have an effect on the national mindset..
Unemployment is still growing, and that's led to some familiar faces disappearing from the pub..
The BBC.. our national dispensary for reliable news, is lying to us if not in fact, then by editorial content..
It doesn't help that while we're sure there will be a change in government coming, if we know the damage has already been done, and the face to the right of the Dispatch Box will have no option to tell us we're hip deep in offal, wearing an old pair of wellies..

Ahhh.. what a noise an economic and social collapse does make.. silence as the factories close, and an anguished outcry from those who're told they're redundant.
History tells us 'bread and circus' can only amuse for so long..