well millions of Americans are losing there house. and gas prices keep going up. our member of the house go home for vacation. now that's care don't you think.

It will not get better in the next 8 years. I am moving back in Europe

Take me with you! I love Europeon accents

been to eorope they dont like us americans to much.

They will like me, i'm too cool to not like

yeah right keep dreaming.

First of all they passed a mortgage rescue bill already.

As far as energy,
with the Republicans tying up any compromise towards effective energy legislation, with their constant insistence to lift the offshore oil drilling moratorium, what can they do?

Lifting the moratorium wont show any results for at least 5-10 yrs, and the Republicans refuse to sign anything unless it includes offshore drilling. Its not like there isnt areas that they can but aren't drilling, or that there aren't other forms of energy. They just refuse to compromise.
Another month either way isnt going to help Americans or lower the price of gasoline.
The Republicans just want to spout Rhetoric. Its the only campaign strategy they know or have!

The situation is worse in Europe.

its always funny how the republican claim Democrats have not done anything yet, but they fail to mention they had control of house for 6 years, we see what a great job they done, they gave bush a blank check to attack other countries, to all republicans. people in glass houses should not throw stones.

Absolute rubbish.

Europeans dont dislike Americans .. who told you that?

I find the majority of Americans pretty cool - and Im European

... and Allen, you are more than welcome.

So, when you coming?

You would know, would you?

When was the last time you were in Europe?

Some examples of Europeans' pain from rising energy and food costs:

- French truckers, farmers and fishermen are staging protests over high fuel prices.

- One of Spain's biggest real estate developers files for protection from creditors, with $7.9 billion in debt, as once-hot Spanish housing market slumps in credit crunch stemming from U.S. subprime crisis.

- German exports, mainstay of growth in Europe's biggest economy, fell 3.2 percent in May, the biggest drop in three years.

- Inflation is running at annual rate of 4 percent in the 15 countries that use the euro, well above the European Central Bank's goal of just under 2 percent

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-7661809,00.html

Here's some more,


It took a few months. But the economic woes touched off by soaring oil prices and the subprime mortgage crisis in the United States are finally engulfing Europe.

While each country has written its own recipe for what appears to be a looming slowdown, they all have one key ingredient in common: "Inflation, inflation, inflation," said economist Gilles Moec of the Bank of America in London.

Pinched by higher prices, consumers aren't spending _ and polls find confidence levels are falling in most of Europe's big economies.

Marie-Charlotte Robin, 23, a communications student who drives every day through Paris for her summer internship, says she has to devote more and more of her budget to gasoline. Recently, she has spent about 70 euros ($110) a week at the pump.

"I don't even fill up my whole tank anymore because the price makes me sick to my stomach," Robin said, while taking a lunch break on a park bench on a street just off the Champs-Elysee.

Inflation could well be the bugbear that defines what might otherwise have been a normal, cyclical slowdown after two or three years of strong growth in Europe. Unusually, it is food and oil prices that have risen without driving up core inflation. But many worry it is just a matter of time before prices for other goods begin rising as well.

"Overall, inflation is at 4 percent, twice the target of the European Central Bank," said Marco Annunziata, chief economist of UniCredit Markets and Investment Banking in London.

"If you look at core inflation _ if you ignore the prices of food and energy _ it is less than 2 percent. That shows the prices of everything else except food and energy are quite stable. The question is: How long can it last?"

A stronger euro had buffered Europeans somewhat from the early rise in oil prices, since crude is priced in dollars, and for a while their economies rolled on. But soaring energy costs are starting to bite, and there is growing pessimism about the impact here from the economic troubles in the U.S. _ a top export market.

Kabir Siyar, who owns a mobile phone and electronics business, said business has slowed at his store on Hauptwache square, one of the busiest shopping areas in Frankfurt, Germany.

"For the past year or year-and-a-half, for things that cost as little as five euros ($7.90) people are asking if they can have it for three euros ($4.75) instead. You never used to see haggling," he said. "People used to just hand over the money; now they're trying to get a better price."

The dynamics of slowdown vary greatly from country to country, creating a complex scenario that is exacerbating worries about how bad it will get _ and making it harder for the European Central Bank to conduct its one-size-fits-all interest rate policy. Stressing the need to fight inflation, the bank raised rates earlier this month despite fears that might weigh on growth.

Spain, Ireland and Britain suffer from burst housing bubbles like the one in the United States. Germany's export motor, running strongly for several years, is suddenly sputtering. Italy, Europe's perennial underperformer, limps along, burdened by chronic structural problems.

Denmark is already in a technical recession _ two consecutive quarters of decreasing economic output. According to many economists, the list of suspects for second-quarter contraction is growing: Spain, Italy and Ireland and possibly France and even Germany.

Gross domestic product in the 15 countries that use the euro currency _ which excludes Britain _ grew 2.2 percent on an annual basis in the first three months, according to Eurostat. But that may be the last bit of good news for a while.

"The big news is that the euro zone itself may contract in the second quarter," said Edward Hughes, an economist in Barcelona, Spain.

The crisis has already claimed a casualty in Spain, with the collapse of the big construction company Matinsa-Fadesa under $7.9 billion in debt. The firm suffered the effects of higher interest rates and tighter lending conditions by banks spooked by the U.S. subprime troubles even though not directly affected.

Bad news keeps rolling out of Germany, Europe's biggest economy. Exports fell 3.2 percent in May, the biggest drop in more than three years. The private research firm ZEW says its index of German investor confidence is the lowest since it began in 1991. Growth appears to have slowed dramatically in the second quarter _ to just 0.2 percent, according to the DIW think tank.

Still, many economists believe Germany may escape a big hit, following healthy 1.5 percent first quarter growth.

That may not be enough to improve the picture for Europe overall. Bank of America forecasts stagnation in the euro zone for the rest of the year.

At Barclays Capital, Frankfurt-based economist Thorsten Polleit said, "We haven't penciled in a doomsday scenario in terms of economic growth."

Barclays forecasts a slight 0.1 percent contraction for the euro zone in the second quarter, followed by 0.3 percent growth in each of the third and fourth quarters, Polleit said. For the year, Barclays growth forecast is 1.6 percent in 2008 and 2 percent in 2009.

"Inflation is a societal evil. It starts biting into consumer spending," Polleit said.

While that's the picture in Europe and North America, Polleit said pricing power has shifted to countries that export commodities.

"It is always the same story. We are happy with rising prices of goods we already own," Polleit said. "We hate rising prices for goods we would like to buy. ... We don't appreciate it if others are getting better off while we are getting less well off."

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/jul/18/economies-slow-as-inflation-catches-up-with-europe/

What a *****!!!!

A policeman who was bitten, kicked and punched by a 30-strong mob after asking a 15-year-old girl to pick up her litter today spoke of how he feared for his life and had to call for emergency backup.

The constable - one of two officers attacked by the crowd - gave the interview as he recovered at home from his injuries.

The unnamed policeman was bitten and suffered bruising and other minor injuries in the melee on a busy shopping street in Croydon, south London, on Wednesday afternoon.

The two male officers, aged 34 and 29, were on patrol in Northend, a pedestrianised street in the centre of Croydon, when they saw a teenage girl drop a piece of litter. They asked her to pick it up, which she did, but immediately dropped it on the ground again.

When the officers again asked the teenager to pick up the item, the girl's friend became aggressive and an argument broke out with the police. The constable said a crowd gathered and the incident quickly escalated out of control.

He said: "They swarmed at the start. They feel they can overcome you like a gang. It was a good 30-plus youths.

"It is the behaviour. It is unbelievable. I find it amazing that someone could bite another human being like that. They were acting like animals, but I hate using the term 'animals' because they would not do that. Animals have a reason for doing something.

"This is just nonsense violence. It is difficult to think that they could do something like this - and to a policeman."

Speaking about the attack in an interview with BBC Radio London, the officer added: "They did not want her to get arrested, so they were trying to prevent us detaining her. She was never going to get arrested for dropping litter, but it is a fact there is no respect.

"I seriously think the parents of this child should be fined. We have to put out some sort of message and the only way is to get parents to take responsibility for their children."

The officer said he feared for his life and called for urgent assistance as the violence broke out.

He said: "She just threw litter on the floor and we asked if she could pick that up. As we walked away, she threw it at us.

"Then we went back to talk to her. You don't arrest these people for such a minor offence, it is a complete waste of time.

"It is just amazing and it depresses you the state of children today, the disrespect, not only for people who might not be in the police but anyone who is older.

"They think 'I want respect, I want respect'. They keep going on about it. Telling people 'I am going to **** you up' is a favourite saying. It is dreadful."

Although it is not thought any weapons were used in the affray, both officers needed medical treatment and are both currently on sick leave.

Officers believe five young women were involved at the start of the incident. They were joined by a number of men in their 30s and 40s. Investigators believe a number of older women also joined in. All of those involved were black.

Today, witnesses described how the fracas unfolded. One 27-year-old shop worker, who declined to give his name, said: "I noticed that there were a group of girls sitting on the benches.

"Two police officers approached one of them, I don't know what it was over, but I think they were trying to arrest her.

"The other girls were trying to stop her being arrested, and then about half of Croydon turned up to see what was going on.

"There were at least 100 people out there, which made it difficult to see what was going on. At one point I could see the girl was handcuffed and on the floor.

"I think only about four or five girls were involved in the incident, trying to stop the arrest. It was quite a bad incident, but I'm not surprised, because it's Croydon."

Another onlooker Neil Sullivan, 34, who saw the aftermath of the incident from a window, said: "There were a mixture of seven or eight police cars and vans, plus officers on foot.

"There were so many people congregated that you couldn't see what the focus of it all was. From about three in the afternoon you see large gangs of 30 or 40 kids on North End, and it is daunting for local shopkeepers and shoppers."

A 15-year-old local girl was arrested at the scene on suspicion of assault. She has been released on police bail. Police said that when the girl's parents arrived at the police station they complained that the start of her summer holiday had been disrupted.

Yesterday, Croydon CID officers arrested a 34-year-old man and a 38-year-old man, both from South Norwood, on suspicion of assault and violent disorder. Detectives are examining CCTV footage from the area in an effort to identify more individuals.

The local Metropolitan police inspector Simon Ellingham said: "We have heard from several retailers in the area who were horrified at the level of violence used by the crowd against the officers


http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/jul/18/ukcrime.youthjustice

Saturday 2nd August, 2008

Mohammed cartoons spark fires in Denmark
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Big News Network.com Friday 15th February, 2008

Danish Justice Minister Lene Espersen has blamed a a recent wave of fires on a row over cartoons of the prophet Mohammed.

He said it was unacceptable that fires had been deliberately lit in several cities.

During the past week, cars and rubbish containers have been set on fire in Copenhagen, Aarhus and several other places.

The authorities blamed mainly juveniles from Muslim immigrant families for the attacks, and welcomed efforts by parents and volunteers who have patrolled the streets trying to calm youths.

Danish police have arrested six youths on suspicion of arson and other crimes.

A year ago, parts of Copenhagen were impacted by rioting when a building that housed an independent youth centre was evicted and torn down, triggering massive protests.

A Copenhagen University sociologist Rene Karpantschof said the unrest could be linked to growing social and economic inequality.

Karpantschof did not rule out a link to the recent arrests of three men suspected of plotting to murder a Danish newspaper cartoonist. Two of the men were Tunisian nationals and face deportation.

Kurt Westergaard, 73, who drew the cartoon that depicted Mohammed wearing a bomb as a turban, said an interview late Thursday that he did not regret his work.

Westergaard said he had been threatened by fanatics.

He said the cartoon was aimed at illustrating how some groups get 'spiritual dynamite' from Islam.

The cartoon was one of 12 published in newspapers that sparked violent protests in 2006 by Muslims around in the world.

Leading Danish newspapers said they had republished the cartoon after police uncovered an alleged plot to murder Westergaard.

The publication was said to be a stand for freedom of expression.

http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/index.php?sid=327995

I have more!
When was the last time you were there?

Actually about 4 months ago.

I believe that the last time you were there was 20 years ago ... of course you would be right up to date with what is going on.

Most of those articles you have used before. got a little library of them, have you? They must be a little worn and dog-eared now.

So, because you are scared to leave you hut in the woods, you believe that all Americans should be afraid to come to Europe?

I also think that the majority of financial troubles in Europe stem from your inability to control your own budget.

Would you like me to start googling American deficits, american reposessions, the homeless, the immigrants?

Go back to your hut in the woods and let the real people live

Nope,

I think they should all go and see for themselves what the millions of the rest of us Americans, who have already been to Europe, have seen.
Its a nice place to visit, but there's nothing finer than to be right here in the world.
The World, that's what we called the States. You know, AMERICA!!

Europe is OK, but its far far from utopia!!