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Of the top 10 world economies with the highest prospects for commerce growth in 2013, the U.S. is noticeable for its absence. Based on Grant Thornton's 2013 Global Dynamism Index (GDI) involving 50 countries, the U.S. slid down from No. 10 last year, to No. 11 in 2013. And to make it worse, its stats for indicators such as financing and labor markets, sank from a collective 64.1 in 2012 to 60.5 in 2013. Yet, it is not that bad. U.S. left behind the Japanese (15) and the South Koreans (13). It also crushed the U.K., which ranked 34 overall, scoring only 51.5 out of a perfect 100. So, things in the U.S. are far from being that bad. "I believe the U.S. is playing out almost exactly the way we expected," said Marc Tommasi, a managing director at investment company Manning & Napier. "It is neither bright nor that terribly bad." Grant Thornton's index provides insights into which of the 50 nations evaluated presents the best ecosystem for investment growth. The U.S. has dropped from the charts. But it has some company. Only a few nations have scaled the charts, and among the most stellar performers is China. It joined the top 10 this year after having placed No. 17 in 2012. Rankings are according to performance in five main areas - business working environment, economics & growth, science & technology, labor & human capital and the lending conditions. The obvious news from this year's index: Asia is a powerhouse for investment growth. And even with the Nordic nations sliding, government policies there make it one of the most ideal areas in the globe to nurture a business. Even more so than the center of capitalism, Uncle Sam. For China, the business working environment and financing were both graded badly, close to the base of the stack. However, nothing defeats the Chinese labor market. Not merely is it cheap, but on the East Coast especially, they are exceedingly skilled as well. In addition, in terms of holistic outlook there, China is No. 2 for general

Approximately 26 million Britons are presently having money problems because the economic slump has induced a "live for the moment" mentality, based on a major report on the wellbeing of the country's finances. Over fifty percent of UK adults stated that they were struggling with their finances, the government-sponsored body, Money Advice Service (MAS), bared. This is a sudden increase from 35 percent of people who were undergoing a hard time paying their bills compared to the previous time a similar study was conducted in 2006. Hourly salary has plummeted by 6 percent in real value since the previous research was carried out, making it more difficult for people to eke out a living. A "live for the moment" culture and lack of financial smarts were also discovered to be possible reasons. Twenty percent of those polled stated that they would prefer to have £200 at present than £400 after four months, with twenty-five percent of people replying they choose to live for the present rather than plan for the future. The report also showed that a disturbing number of Britons are deficient in financial awareness. About 12 percent of those asked believed the Bank of England's base rate, which has been at a remarkable 0.5 percent low for over four years, was over 10 percent. Over one third of the people asked did not comprehend the great effect that inflation has on their savings and 16 percent could not tell the right balance on a bank statement. Nevertheless, more encouraging result from the survey revealed that the number of people checking their bank account statements had grown since 2006 and almost 84 percent of people said they constantly monitored their finances. 40 percent of those questioned said they stay clear of doubtful dealings and 85 percent said they were laying aside some money in savings. Caroline Rookes, chief executive of the MAS, said: "In

A couple years back, GCHQ held its yearly sports fest on Wednesday, 15 June at London's Civil Service Sports Club. A gender-friendly, six-a-side football match was the main event of the activity, with games kicking off at exactly 11 A.M.. The day was a cheerful experience for those normally ensconced in the agency's unique doughnut-shaped command centre in Cheltenham. Participants were given a six-page list of rules and regulations to ascertain that people played fair. "Each team MUST field at least ONE lady player at all times," the note said. "Proper footwear shall be worn. Crocs, sandals or flip-flops are not allowed. The wearing of shin-pads is REQUIRED." Among all the extremely confidential papers about GCHQ exposed by the whistleblower, Edward Snowden, this has to be one of the least delicate. But it provides a peek into the world of the 6,100 people packed into the open-plan and underground GCHQ offices; that there is a sports activity at all shows something about the agency which many people outside their world could not appreciate. Last year, GCHQ also made trips to the Paris Disneyland, and its sailing club participated in an offshore regatta at Cowes. The agency also has a chess club, regular pub quiz nights, cake bazaars and an in-house puzzle newsletter named Kryptos. A member of Stonewall beginning last year, GCHQ has its own Pride group for employees who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. There is also a paranormal group that describes itself as "GCHQ's ghost-hunting group". It is open to staff and their partners either "sceptics or believers" who want to explore "supposedly haunted properties". Employees reckon their age on the internal directory, "GCWiki", by their "internet age", a gage of how long they have been experts on the web. They meet friends during yearly family open-days, or through messages on the agency's own version of MySpace, aptly titles SpySpace. Colleagues are bound to meet others cut from the same fabric. The agenc

http://www.economist.com/blogs/blighty/2013/03/iraq-war?zid=309&ah=80dcf288b8561b012f603b9fd9577f0e ON MARCH 20th 2003 Britons woke to footage of fireballs over Baghdad. The first cruise missiles, launched from American ships in the Persian Gulf, had hit the city some five hours before. Tony Blair, the prime minister, addressed the nation: "The threat to Britain today is not that of my father's generation.

Not often carry out nuclear industry executives and hardline activists who be against them agree on anything. Mutually the two hates the thought of continuing to stockpile highly radioactive waste the reactor cores of nuclear power plants on the site of each power-generating station. An hour-long hearing held December 2, 2013 drew almost 200 people from Ohio and Michigan to the Hilton Garden Inn in Perrysburg's Levis Commons was a reminder that both sides are still far apart on what the government's next step should be. Although it would mean putting up with the waste decades longer than expected, industry and trade unions eventually want a single, national repository. Failure to develop a solution is reason enough to shut down the industry; this is the antinuclear activists claim to the government. Nuclear power provides 20 percent of America's electricity. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the government agency that oversees the nuclear industry, learned a lot of information, the 11th stop on the agency's 12-city tour in which it ought to do just that: Get a cross section of opinions. As an answer to the government's decision to unfinished plans for a national repository in Nevada's Yucca Mountain, the NRC has been asking Americans about their thoughts regarding the agency's proposed "waste confidence" rule and its affiliated environmental impact statement,. As a consequence, the NRC is inquiring what the public's thoughts concerning leaving the waste where it is, at least for the time being.