People thought that was crazy. A coat on a fence would make them balk, shadows would make them balk, a hose on the floor ...

Then as much as he'll balk, we must insist my animal...

Finland Ilkka Ristimaki, Birgitta Stenius Mladenov, Taisto Huimasalo, Markku Aho, Leena Karjalainen Balk, Erja Fagerlund, Heikki Granholm, Soili Kangaskorpi

In my work with cattle, I noticed a lot of little things that most people don't notice would make the cattle balk. Like, for example, this flag waving, right in front of the veterinary facility.

Unfortunately, a group of countries that are united above all by a common denial of their global responsibilities is unlikely to reach such a conclusion. Indeed, most emerging countries would balk at the idea of coming to Europe s financial rescue for several reasons.

Some people will balk at the idea of putting a price tag on biodiversity, viewing its protection as an obvious imperative. But they would undoubtedly also agree that preventing human death and suffering, while providing food, water, and an education to all, is vital.

German voters balk at any suggestion that we should limit the environmental damage caused by big and expensive cars. British voters line up behind the truck drivers when protests are launched against hikes in the price of petrol, not least through the introduction of higher energy taxes.

For example, after spending decades encouraging developing countries to integrate their economies into the global market, advanced countries now balk at trade openness. Indeed, despite pledges not to erect trade barriers after the global economic crisis, more than 800 new protectionist measures were introduced from late 2008 through 2010.

Still, with the amount of real resources transferred to their governments already high, Europeans might balk at a further increase. That is why the energy tax must be imposed as a tax substitution, with income or payroll taxes simultaneously reduced to keep real resource transfers to government at a constant level.

Some participants in the TPP may indeed balk at being required to raise labor or environmental standards in such case, however, policymakers need to ask whether these countries should get easier access to the US market. Similarly, access to affordable medicines is something other countries desperately need it is large pharmaceutical companies that are not entirely enthusiastic.

The essential responsibility for this state of affairs lies with Europe s ruling class and policymakers. As a recent assessment by former Dutch prime minister Wim Kok pointed out, the EU s member states generally have not made the Lisbon Strategy a high priority, and they balk at giving the EU the means to pursue more ambitious policies to offset this neglect.