You could run through services from Dublin to Brussels. A proper EU gravy train.
Rail TUNNEL, surely! A northerly counterpart to the Channel Tunnel.
You might want to study the seabed in that area. It is anything but flat...
You wouldn't run it that way.
Despite it being a lot further, it would make more sense - and may even be cheaper - if you're going to do a GB-Ireland physical link at all, to run it from Anglesea to Dublin and then upgrade the north Welsh routes. A Scotland-NI link is no use to the vast majority of people on either side of the Irish Sea.
But really, there's little justification spending that amount of money on a link to an island where so few people live, where most of them are in a foreign country (unless that foreign country, which were the prime beneficiary were to stump up most of the cash), and when there's plenty of intra-GB infrastructure that it could be spent on.
Spot on.
Anglesea to Dublin, combined with massive infrastructure upgrades to North Wales rail, might make economic sense. It would link two major urban conurbations (Northwest England and Dublin), and could potentially take a lot of trucks off the road.
But it still probably doesn't make economic sense.
The quoted Tweeter is wrong about at least one thing - because the bridge is over the sea, numerous expenses relating to properties, villages, areas of outstanding beauty etc. that have been part of HS2 won't happen here.
Buying off Tory voters in the leafy counties of Brexitshire would be a bargain compared to sinking pillars to an average depth of 150 metres in a seaway with immensely strong tides and frequent Force 7 wind whipping the sea up.
If the phrase "Wind over tide" means nothing to you, maybe you had better go and look it up because it happens twice a day out there.
BTW - do not forget to add another 50 to 100 metres of height to allow shipping UNDER the bridge.
Except, of course, Brexit has only just started. But you knew that ....
Indeed so. Brexit the Event is over but Brexit the Process has yet to begin. Where it will go and how it will feel along the way nobody knows. Will we see a big drop in foreigners coming to live here? Will our economy prosper on the back of new trade deals with exotic, far flung places? Will the natives step up and do the jobs that the foreigners who are no longer coming used to do? Will we have more international clout as Global Britain than we did as EU Britain? And above all - will the day to day reality of being once again a fully independent Island Nation in charge of our own Everything satisfy the yearnings of the neglected people in neglected places who have placed their faith in Brexit and its affable frontman - the politician known to all as "Boris". We will see.
Is it just me or are the number of reported cases in the US incredibly low for a country that has a very high population (including a very large Chinese community, who I am sure many visited the homeland for new year) and many international hub airports?
How much would patients get charged in America?
American patients may find it easier to self-isolate than seek treatment.
Is it just me or are the number of reported cases in the US incredibly low for a country that has a very high population (including a very large Chinese community, who I am sure many visited the homeland for new year) and many international hub airports?
Coronavirus is a Chinese import and is thus banned from entering the US
Is it just me or are the number of reported cases in the US incredibly low for a country that has a very high population (including a very large Chinese community, who I am sure many visited the homeland for new year) and many international hub airports?
You do wonder how many cases might be going undiagnosed because a lot of people don't go near the healthcare system unless they have to - and having the symptoms of a cold isn't a good enough reason.
I am surprised some celeb at the Oscars didn't use their award speech to claim we wouldn't have this virus problem if the world just went vegan and we didn't fly so often.
Well, he'd be wrong about the flying. But only about the flying.
Apparently, if you only fly private, then the coronavirus is much less likely to be spread.
If this is intended as gesture politics, it's not well thought-through. With the public on balance hostile to HS2, which does at least have some kind of theoretical justification, it's not going to take kindly to money being spaffed up a bridge to nowhere.
Mr. Borough, there's work being done on a modern type of airship (borrows from hovercraft type tech as well, I think). Can land on water, could be great for disaster rescue and relief.
We recently invented the flying bum didn't we? I think airships are great.
Except, of course, Brexit has only just started. But you knew that ....
Indeed so. Brexit the Event is over but Brexit the Process has yet to begin. Where it will go and how it will feel along the way nobody knows. Will we see a big drop in foreigners coming to live here? Will our economy prosper on the back of new trade deals with exotic, far flung places? Will the natives step up and do the jobs that the foreigners who are no longer coming used to do? Will we have more international clout as Global Britain than we did as EU Britain? And above all - will the day to day reality of being once again a fully independent Island Nation in charge of our own Everything satisfy the yearnings of the neglected people in neglected places who have placed their faith in Brexit and its affable frontman - the politician known to all as "Boris". We will see.
That's all issues for the future and is not Brexit which is over.
If this is intended as gesture politics, it's not well thought-through. With the public on balance hostile to HS2, which does at least have some kind of theoretical justification, it's not going to take kindly to money being spaffed up a bridge to nowhere.
"Bridge to nowhere"
Nice to know what you think about about NI and Scotland.
You could run through services from Dublin to Brussels. A proper EU gravy train.
Rail TUNNEL, surely! A northerly counterpart to the Channel Tunnel.
You might want to study the seabed in that area. It is anything but flat...
You wouldn't run it that way.
Despite it being a lot further, it would make more sense - and may even be cheaper - if you're going to do a GB-Ireland physical link at all, to run it from Anglesea to Dublin and then upgrade the north Welsh routes. A Scotland-NI link is no use to the vast majority of people on either side of the Irish Sea.
But really, there's little justification spending that amount of money on a link to an island where so few people live, where most of them are in a foreign country (unless that foreign country, which were the prime beneficiary were to stump up most of the cash), and when there's plenty of intra-GB infrastructure that it could be spent on.
Spot on.
Anglesea to Dublin, combined with massive infrastructure upgrades to North Wales rail, might make economic sense. It would link two major urban conurbations (Northwest England and Dublin), and could potentially take a lot of trucks off the road.
But it still probably doesn't make economic sense.
I seem to remember when this plan was last reported someone said that the cost of tunnelling is currently getting way cheaper as new advances are made.
You could run through services from Dublin to Brussels. A proper EU gravy train.
Rail TUNNEL, surely! A northerly counterpart to the Channel Tunnel.
You might want to study the seabed in that area. It is anything but flat...
You wouldn't run it that way.
Despite it being a lot further, it would make more sense - and may even be cheaper - if you're going to do a GB-Ireland physical link at all, to run it from Anglesea to Dublin and then upgrade the north Welsh routes. A Scotland-NI link is no use to the vast majority of people on either side of the Irish Sea.
But really, there's little justification spending that amount of money on a link to an island where so few people live, where most of them are in a foreign country (unless that foreign country, which were the prime beneficiary were to stump up most of the cash), and when there's plenty of intra-GB infrastructure that it could be spent on.
If we were in Europe, it might be a possibility, but we have thrown that away. The Irish have been putting extra capacity into Rosslare so they can go direct to Europe and bypass that troublesome island to their east.
The Rosslare effect is pretty minimal. When I checked for an article I wrote last year, there were more sailings connecting Holyhead alone per day with Ireland than there were between the continent and Ireland per week.
But the whole thing is a non-starter because so few people live in Ireland as to kill any business case.
You could run through services from Dublin to Brussels. A proper EU gravy train.
Rail TUNNEL, surely! A northerly counterpart to the Channel Tunnel.
You might want to study the seabed in that area. It is anything but flat...
You wouldn't run it that way.
Despite it being a lot further, it would make more sense - and may even be cheaper - if you're going to do a GB-Ireland physical link at all, to run it from Anglesea to Dublin and then upgrade the north Welsh routes. A Scotland-NI link is no use to the vast majority of people on either side of the Irish Sea.
But really, there's little justification spending that amount of money on a link to an island where so few people live, where most of them are in a foreign country (unless that foreign country, which were the prime beneficiary were to stump up most of the cash), and when there's plenty of intra-GB infrastructure that it could be spent on.
Spot on.
Anglesea to Dublin, combined with massive infrastructure upgrades to North Wales rail, might make economic sense. It would link two major urban conurbations (Northwest England and Dublin), and could potentially take a lot of trucks off the road.
But it still probably doesn't make economic sense.
I seem to remember when this plan was last reported someone said that the cost of tunnelling is currently getting way cheaper as new advances are made.
If this is intended as gesture politics, it's not well thought-through. With the public on balance hostile to HS2, which does at least have some kind of theoretical justification, it's not going to take kindly to money being spaffed up a bridge to nowhere.
Sky News had an opinion poll recently that actually had marginally more in favour of the scheme than opposed.
So I guess on balance the public is supportive of HS2.
You could run through services from Dublin to Brussels. A proper EU gravy train.
Rail TUNNEL, surely! A northerly counterpart to the Channel Tunnel.
You might want to study the seabed in that area. It is anything but flat...
You wouldn't run it that way.
Despite it being a lot further, it would make more sense - and may even be cheaper - if you're going to do a GB-Ireland physical link at all, to run it from Anglesea to Dublin and then upgrade the north Welsh routes. A Scotland-NI link is no use to the vast majority of people on either side of the Irish Sea.
But really, there's little justification spending that amount of money on a link to an island where so few people live, where most of them are in a foreign country (unless that foreign country, which were the prime beneficiary were to stump up most of the cash), and when there's plenty of intra-GB infrastructure that it could be spent on.
Spot on.
Anglesea to Dublin, combined with massive infrastructure upgrades to North Wales rail, might make economic sense. It would link two major urban conurbations (Northwest England and Dublin), and could potentially take a lot of trucks off the road.
But it still probably doesn't make economic sense.
I seem to remember when this plan was last reported someone said that the cost of tunnelling is currently getting way cheaper as new advances are made.
You could run through services from Dublin to Brussels. A proper EU gravy train.
Rail TUNNEL, surely! A northerly counterpart to the Channel Tunnel.
You might want to study the seabed in that area. It is anything but flat...
You wouldn't run it that way.
Despite it being a lot further, it would make more sense - and may even be cheaper - if you're going to do a GB-Ireland physical link at all, to run it from Anglesea to Dublin and then upgrade the north Welsh routes. A Scotland-NI link is no use to the vast majority of people on either side of the Irish Sea.
But really, there's little justification spending that amount of money on a link to an island where so few people live, where most of them are in a foreign country (unless that foreign country, which were the prime beneficiary were to stump up most of the cash), and when there's plenty of intra-GB infrastructure that it could be spent on.
Spot on.
Anglesea to Dublin, combined with massive infrastructure upgrades to North Wales rail, might make economic sense. It would link two major urban conurbations (Northwest England and Dublin), and could potentially take a lot of trucks off the road.
But it still probably doesn't make economic sense.
I seem to remember when this plan was last reported someone said that the cost of tunnelling is currently getting way cheaper as new advances are made.
Is it just me or are the number of reported cases in the US incredibly low for a country that has a very high population (including a very large Chinese community, who I am sure many visited the homeland for new year) and many international hub airports?
You do wonder how many cases might be going undiagnosed because a lot of people don't go near the healthcare system unless they have to - and having the symptoms of a cold isn't a good enough reason.
Well that would be fear. Especially as there is a large Chinese migrant community of which a proportion aren't there fully legally, so even less likely to want to go anywhere the authorities (especially with Orange Man Bad reputation).
You could run through services from Dublin to Brussels. A proper EU gravy train.
Rail TUNNEL, surely! A northerly counterpart to the Channel Tunnel.
You might want to study the seabed in that area. It is anything but flat...
You wouldn't run it that way.
Despite it being a lot further, it would make more sense - and may even be cheaper - if you're going to do a GB-Ireland physical link at all, to run it from Anglesea to Dublin and then upgrade the north Welsh routes. A Scotland-NI link is no use to the vast majority of people on either side of the Irish Sea.
But really, there's little justification spending that amount of money on a link to an island where so few people live, where most of them are in a foreign country (unless that foreign country, which were the prime beneficiary were to stump up most of the cash), and when there's plenty of intra-GB infrastructure that it could be spent on.
Spot on.
Anglesea to Dublin, combined with massive infrastructure upgrades to North Wales rail, might make economic sense. It would link two major urban conurbations (Northwest England and Dublin), and could potentially take a lot of trucks off the road.
But it still probably doesn't make economic sense.
I seem to remember when this plan was last reported someone said that the cost of tunnelling is currently getting way cheaper as new advances are made.
Its boring though.
True but it's slightly more practical than a bridge which has to be closed due to wind all the time.
And I was hoping for some reports that weren't based on Elon Musk's Boring company...
If this is intended as gesture politics, it's not well thought-through. With the public on balance hostile to HS2, which does at least have some kind of theoretical justification, it's not going to take kindly to money being spaffed up a bridge to nowhere.
"Bridge to nowhere"
Nice to know what you think about about NI and Scotland.
It´s not going to Scotland. We, in England, are already connected to Scotland - and vice versa, of course. It is attempting to connect us to NI. Another short-sighted Conservative folly, which we cannot afford.
Mr. Borough, there's work being done on a modern type of airship (borrows from hovercraft type tech as well, I think). Can land on water, could be great for disaster rescue and relief.
We recently invented the flying bum didn't we? I think airships are great.
Is it just me or are the number of reported cases in the US incredibly low for a country that has a very high population (including a very large Chinese community, who I am sure many visited the homeland for new year) and many international hub airports?
You do wonder how many cases might be going undiagnosed because a lot of people don't go near the healthcare system unless they have to - and having the symptoms of a cold isn't a good enough reason.
Well that would be fear. Especially as there is a large Chinese migrant community of which a proportion aren't there fully legally, so even less likely to want to go anywhere the authorities (especially with Orange Man Bad reputation).
Illegals are less likely to have recently been overseas though surely? Those who'd have been most recently to China on holiday for the New Year will be those who could easily get back in.
Mr. Borough, there's work being done on a modern type of airship (borrows from hovercraft type tech as well, I think). Can land on water, could be great for disaster rescue and relief.
We recently invented the flying bum didn't we? I think airships are great.
You could run through services from Dublin to Brussels. A proper EU gravy train.
Rail TUNNEL, surely! A northerly counterpart to the Channel Tunnel.
You might want to study the seabed in that area. It is anything but flat...
You wouldn't run it that way.
Despite it being a lot further, it would make more sense - and may even be cheaper - if you're going to do a GB-Ireland physical link at all, to run it from Anglesea to Dublin and then upgrade the north Welsh routes. A Scotland-NI link is no use to the vast majority of people on either side of the Irish Sea.
But really, there's little justification spending that amount of money on a link to an island where so few people live, where most of them are in a foreign country (unless that foreign country, which were the prime beneficiary were to stump up most of the cash), and when there's plenty of intra-GB infrastructure that it could be spent on.
Spot on.
Anglesea to Dublin, combined with massive infrastructure upgrades to North Wales rail, might make economic sense. It would link two major urban conurbations (Northwest England and Dublin), and could potentially take a lot of trucks off the road.
But it still probably doesn't make economic sense.
I seem to remember when this plan was last reported someone said that the cost of tunnelling is currently getting way cheaper as new advances are made.
It is. But it is still eye-wateringly expensive. Of an order of magnitude of around £100m per km.
Is it just me or are the number of reported cases in the US incredibly low for a country that has a very high population (including a very large Chinese community, who I am sure many visited the homeland for new year) and many international hub airports?
How much would patients get charged in America?
American patients may find it easier to self-isolate than seek treatment.
Self-isolation and seeking treatment aren't mutually exclusive.
Under the circumstances, it would not be in the US government's interests to refuse treatment without payment. As it puts them back into society while they are still infectious.
Is it just me or are the number of reported cases in the US incredibly low for a country that has a very high population (including a very large Chinese community, who I am sure many visited the homeland for new year) and many international hub airports?
You do wonder how many cases might be going undiagnosed because a lot of people don't go near the healthcare system unless they have to - and having the symptoms of a cold isn't a good enough reason.
Well that would be fear. Especially as there is a large Chinese migrant community of which a proportion aren't there fully legally, so even less likely to want to go anywhere the authorities (especially with Orange Man Bad reputation).
Illegals are less likely to have recently been overseas though surely? Those who'd have been most recently to China on holiday for the New Year will be those who could easily get back in.
I meant if somebody brings it back and it starts to spread.
If this is intended as gesture politics, it's not well thought-through. With the public on balance hostile to HS2, which does at least have some kind of theoretical justification, it's not going to take kindly to money being spaffed up a bridge to nowhere.
Imagine if it gets half built. Johnson and Cummings would look a real pair of charlies then.
What do the numbskulls want in place of democracy?
Presumably, and I am not sure the linked article makes it clear, the question is satisfaction with your particular system of democracy.
The issue is not democracy vs something else, but whether you are confident that democratic institutions in your country will make a fair fist of reflecting the wishes of the electorate, and behaving with a fair degree of competency and integrity.
Personally, despite being a supporter of PR, I doubt it's that relevant to this sort of finding. I suspect high satisfaction ratings are more to do with countries being reasonably small and homogenous. A degree of consensus is simply easier to find. I think UK satisfaction ratings relative to Ireland or Norway are much less informative than those relative to France or Italy.
Mr. Borough, there's work being done on a modern type of airship (borrows from hovercraft type tech as well, I think). Can land on water, could be great for disaster rescue and relief.
We recently invented the flying bum didn't we? I think airships are great.
You could run through services from Dublin to Brussels. A proper EU gravy train.
Rail TUNNEL, surely! A northerly counterpart to the Channel Tunnel.
You might want to study the seabed in that area. It is anything but flat...
You wouldn't run it that way.
Despite it being a lot further, it would make more sense - and may even be cheaper - if you're going to do a GB-Ireland physical link at all, to run it from Anglesea to Dublin and then upgrade the north Welsh routes. A Scotland-NI link is no use to the vast majority of people on either side of the Irish Sea.
But really, there's little justification spending that amount of money on a link to an island where so few people live, where most of them are in a foreign country (unless that foreign country, which were the prime beneficiary were to stump up most of the cash), and when there's plenty of intra-GB infrastructure that it could be spent on.
Spot on.
Anglesea to Dublin, combined with massive infrastructure upgrades to North Wales rail, might make economic sense. It would link two major urban conurbations (Northwest England and Dublin), and could potentially take a lot of trucks off the road.
But it still probably doesn't make economic sense.
I seem to remember when this plan was last reported someone said that the cost of tunnelling is currently getting way cheaper as new advances are made.
It is. But it is still eye-wateringly expensive. Of an order of magnitude of around £100m per km.
That doesn't sound expensive to me. If that was the price then a 21 mile tunnel could theoretically be done for £2.1 billion which sounds quite cheap compared to other suggestions.
That's all issues for the future and is not Brexit which is over.
I see you are not buying the distinction between The Event (over) and The Process (not over). I thought that was uncontroversial. Hope you're not doing one of your 'argument for argument's sake" numbers on me. You know how I feel about that.
That's all issues for the future and is not Brexit which is over.
I see you are not buying the distinction between The Event (over) and The Process (not over). I thought that was uncontroversial. Hope you're not doing one of your 'argument for argument's sake" numbers on me. You know how I feel about that.
No I'm not buying the distinction. It is over.
The things that people are claiming are not over, like negotiating trade deals, are things independent countries do all the time. They will never be over, unless we cease to be an independent country in which case Brexit has been cancelled.
You could run through services from Dublin to Brussels. A proper EU gravy train.
Rail TUNNEL, surely! A northerly counterpart to the Channel Tunnel.
You might want to study the seabed in that area. It is anything but flat...
You wouldn't run it that way.
Despite it being a lot further, it would make more sense - and may even be cheaper - if you're going to do a GB-Ireland physical link at all, to run it from Anglesea to Dublin and then upgrade the north Welsh routes. A Scotland-NI link is no use to the vast majority of people on either side of the Irish Sea.
But really, there's little justification spending that amount of money on a link to an island where so few people live, where most of them are in a foreign country (unless that foreign country, which were the prime beneficiary were to stump up most of the cash), and when there's plenty of intra-GB infrastructure that it could be spent on.
Spot on.
Anglesea to Dublin, combined with massive infrastructure upgrades to North Wales rail, might make economic sense. It would link two major urban conurbations (Northwest England and Dublin), and could potentially take a lot of trucks off the road.
But it still probably doesn't make economic sense.
I seem to remember when this plan was last reported someone said that the cost of tunnelling is currently getting way cheaper as new advances are made.
Doesn't it rather depends on what you're timeline through?
You could run through services from Dublin to Brussels. A proper EU gravy train.
Rail TUNNEL, surely! A northerly counterpart to the Channel Tunnel.
You might want to study the seabed in that area. It is anything but flat...
You wouldn't run it that way.
Despite it being a lot further, it would make more sense - and may even be cheaper - if you're going to do a GB-Ireland physical link at all, to run it from Anglesea to Dublin and then upgrade the north Welsh routes. A Scotland-NI link is no use to the vast majority of people on either side of the Irish Sea.
But really, there's little justification spending that amount of money on a link to an island where so few people live, where most of them are in a foreign country (unless that foreign country, which were the prime beneficiary were to stump up most of the cash), and when there's plenty of intra-GB infrastructure that it could be spent on.
Spot on.
Anglesea to Dublin, combined with massive infrastructure upgrades to North Wales rail, might make economic sense. It would link two major urban conurbations (Northwest England and Dublin), and could potentially take a lot of trucks off the road.
But it still probably doesn't make economic sense.
I seem to remember when this plan was last reported someone said that the cost of tunnelling is currently getting way cheaper as new advances are made.
You could run through services from Dublin to Brussels. A proper EU gravy train.
Rail TUNNEL, surely! A northerly counterpart to the Channel Tunnel.
You might want to study the seabed in that area. It is anything but flat...
You wouldn't run it that way.
Despite it being a lot further, it would make more sense - and may even be cheaper - if you're going to do a GB-Ireland physical link at all, to run it from Anglesea to Dublin and then upgrade the north Welsh routes. A Scotland-NI link is no use to the vast majority of people on either side of the Irish Sea.
But really, there's little justification spending that amount of money on a link to an island where so few people live, where most of them are in a foreign country (unless that foreign country, which were the prime beneficiary were to stump up most of the cash), and when there's plenty of intra-GB infrastructure that it could be spent on.
Spot on.
Anglesea to Dublin, combined with massive infrastructure upgrades to North Wales rail, might make economic sense. It would link two major urban conurbations (Northwest England and Dublin), and could potentially take a lot of trucks off the road.
But it still probably doesn't make economic sense.
I seem to remember when this plan was last reported someone said that the cost of tunnelling is currently getting way cheaper as new advances are made.
It is. But it is still eye-wateringly expensive. Of an order of magnitude of around £100m per km.
That doesn't sound expensive to me. If that was the price then a 21 mile tunnel could theoretically be done for £2.1 billion which sounds quite cheap compared to other suggestions.
Per km, not per mile. Though as I'm talking about orders of magnitude it doesn't change your argument. Although I thought we had strayed into the 150km stretch between Hilyhead and Dublin.
All sorts of vagaries to consider of course. Geology, bore width, portals, means of escape. Not to mention transport economics. Boring is fascinating.
You could run through services from Dublin to Brussels. A proper EU gravy train.
Rail TUNNEL, surely! A northerly counterpart to the Channel Tunnel.
You might want to study the seabed in that area. It is anything but flat...
You wouldn't run it that way.
Despite it being a lot further, it would make more sense - and may even be cheaper - if you're going to do a GB-Ireland physical link at all, to run it from Anglesea to Dublin and then upgrade the north Welsh routes. A Scotland-NI link is no use to the vast majority of people on either side of the Irish Sea.
But really, there's little justification spending that amount of money on a link to an island where so few people live, where most of them are in a foreign country (unless that foreign country, which were the prime beneficiary were to stump up most of the cash), and when there's plenty of intra-GB infrastructure that it could be spent on.
Spot on.
Anglesea to Dublin, combined with massive infrastructure upgrades to North Wales rail, might make economic sense. It would link two major urban conurbations (Northwest England and Dublin), and could potentially take a lot of trucks off the road.
But it still probably doesn't make economic sense.
I seem to remember when this plan was last reported someone said that the cost of tunnelling is currently getting way cheaper as new advances are made.
It is. But it is still eye-wateringly expensive. Of an order of magnitude of around £100m per km.
To come back to my earlier question, doesn't that rather depend on what is being tunneled through?
If this is intended as gesture politics, it's not well thought-through. With the public on balance hostile to HS2, which does at least have some kind of theoretical justification, it's not going to take kindly to money being spaffed up a bridge to nowhere.
Imagine if it gets half built. Johnson and Cummings would look a real pair of charlies then.
Well they could always build it as far as the UK / NI border ...
This is incredible... let off after brandishing a sword outside Buckingham Palace shouting ‘Allahu Alhbar’... oh wait he was blagging it all along, what a surprise
WE are not in any of those and what you are talking about are states , not countries. Totally different situation. PS: Who do you think should decide if Scotland wants to be an independent country , people of Scotland or England. Why does England want to deny Scotland its democratic rights under International Law.
Sorry I hit reply early so you only got half of my response.
England doesn't want to deny Scotland its democratic rights under International Law. Firstly England isn't making a decision here, England rnational Law which is why Catalans can't appeal to the Hague etc to assert their rights under International Law.
That is just bollox The right of a people to self-determination is a cardinal recognized as an international legal right after it was explicitly listed as a right in the UN Charter.
I'm on your side. I want you to determine this and I want you to go independent. I'm of the view its the best outcome for Scotland as it will make Scottish MSPs responsible for Scottish decisions without the excuse of blaming England. Identical logic to Brexit.
However international law doesn't dictate this. As far as I'm aware (IANAL) this right applies to colonised peoples and not constituent parts of a country. So if Falklands or Gibraltar wanted independence they could get it, but not Scotland or Catalonia.
Otherwise the Catalans could take their case to the Hague and demand their rights.
In realpolitik terms the UK government if it wanted and with a Commons majority could repeal or amend the NI Act 1998 to ensure a border poll could never be held (even with a nationalist majority at Stormont) and could abolish Holyrood and ban indyref2 and there is little the international community could do about it short of invasion of the UK. Of course that is unlikely to happen as it would in effect require a costly military presence in Scotland and the Irish border with the risk of terrorism again but a hard edged British nationalist Government could do it.
Catalonia is a similar situation, the international community is not going to invade Spain to ensure Catalonia gets an independence referendum.
The Falklands and Gibraltar are slightly different as the UK government would have to send a task force to defend them from Argentine or Spanish invasion but as Thatcher showed in 1981 that could be done with enough will. However even though most of the Hong Kong population wanted to stay a British territory we handed them back to China as realistically we could not defend it against Chinese invasion.
International law and consent of the governed is a nice concept but ultimately realpolitik and the military strength to protect it or enforce control and the will to do so is important too
One think I don't think has been mentioned about this Union-strengthening proposal is whether it will actually do much strengthening, in Scotland at least. We already have very regular visitations of a specific NI demographic in the West of Scotland, I can't really see most folk (including mild Unionists) being overjoyed at the prospect of these 'cultural' events being further facilitated.
What do the numbskulls want in place of democracy?
Well, you elected Boris........
I'd have stuck with democracy even if the numbskulls had elected Ooooh Jeremy Corbyn. What system do the idiots who want rid of it want instead?
Calm down, dear, it is entirely possible to be thoroughly fed up with something without wanting to change it for something else. Also note that it is an iron law that a PB poster's intelligence varies inversely with his propensity to call other people numbskulls, morons, idiots and so on.
This is incredible... let off after brandishing a sword outside Buckingham Palace shouting ‘Allahu Alhbar’... oh wait he was blagging it all along, what a surprise
One think I don't think has been mentioned about this Union-strengthening proposal is whether it will actually do much strengthening, in Scotland at least. We already have very regular visitations of a specific NI demographic in the West of Scotland, I can't really see most folk (including mild Unionists) being overjoyed at the prospect of these 'cultural' events being further facilitated.
"No surrender to the IRA" themed stag parties, that sort of thing?
This is incredible... let off after brandishing a sword outside Buckingham Palace shouting ‘Allahu Alhbar’... oh wait he was blagging it all along, what a surprise
The article only covers democracy. The countries most content with government are those with STV, Scandinavia, Ireland and New Zealand.
Certainly I do not feel adequately represented by my FPTP government.
Scandinavia doesn't have STV - it has list system PR based on d'Hondt. The main difference in philosophy is that the Scandi systems give a virtually precise reflection in Parliament of the votes cast (albeit with a cutoff to avoid trivial parties - 2 to 4%), while STV introduces a deliberate bias to transfer-friendly candidates. The argument for the former is that it's more democratic; for the latter that it promotes moderation/centrism. The former does work well in Scandinavia IMO, but it helps that most voters tend to opt for cooperative parties who are willing to work well afterwards (so you don't need to rig the system to make that happen).
Mr. Borough, there's work being done on a modern type of airship (borrows from hovercraft type tech as well, I think). Can land on water, could be great for disaster rescue and relief.
We recently invented the flying bum didn't we? I think airships are great.
I’m working on the assumption that everyone is going to get Coronavirus at some point. I just hope I get it mild.
Mucking out the horses will be "fun" if it's universal.
Bloke on the radio who sounds sensible says that pandemic is the most likely outcome, if so 65%+ of the UK population get it, there being no likely immunity, of which perhaps 1% would not survive. Which would be over 400,000 deaths. UK deaths usually are a little over 600,000 per year.
The article only covers democracy. The countries most content with government are those with STV, Scandinavia, Ireland and New Zealand.
Certainly I do not feel adequately represented by my FPTP government.
Scandinavia doesn't have STV - it has list system PR based on d'Hondt. The main difference in philosophy is that the Scandi systems give a virtually precise reflection in Parliament of the votes cast (albeit with a cutoff to avoid trivial parties - 2 to 4%), while STV introduces a deliberate bias to transfer-friendly candidates. The argument for the former is that it's more democratic; for the latter that it promotes moderation/centrism. The former does work well in Scandinavia IMO, but it helps that most voters tend to opt for cooperative parties who are willing to work well afterwards (so you don't need to rig the system to make that happen).
My mistake, personally I would quite like almost any PR system over what we currently have.
This is incredible... let off after brandishing a sword outside Buckingham Palace shouting ‘Allahu Alhbar’... oh wait he was blagging it all along, what a surprise
It would provide a very precise number on how many asymptomatic infected are to be expected - something quite hard to do out in the wider world.
The priority is finding and isolating the infected, not using the passengers as Guinea pigs. If you test before symptoms show it may come back negative because the virus has yet to sufficiently replicate.
I have just voted in the Jewish Labour Movement nomination ballot forLeader /Deputy Leader. For Leader I went 1. Thornberry 2.Starmer 3.Nandy 4. RLB. I did so in hope of getting Thornberry on the Ballot - but unlikely to succeed. For Deputy I went 1.Murray 2.Allin-Khan 3.Rayner.4 . Butler 5. Burgon.
This is incredible... let off after brandishing a sword outside Buckingham Palace shouting ‘Allahu Alhbar’... oh wait he was blagging it all along, what a surprise
One think I don't think has been mentioned about this Union-strengthening proposal is whether it will actually do much strengthening, in Scotland at least. We already have very regular visitations of a specific NI demographic in the West of Scotland, I can't really see most folk (including mild Unionists) being overjoyed at the prospect of these 'cultural' events being further facilitated.
Well actually it could mean those people just head to Belfast for the real deal. So it could be win win.
The article only covers democracy. The countries most content with government are those with STV, Scandinavia, Ireland and New Zealand.
Certainly I do not feel adequately represented by my FPTP government.
Scandinavia doesn't have STV - it has list system PR based on d'Hondt. The main difference in philosophy is that the Scandi systems give a virtually precise reflection in Parliament of the votes cast (albeit with a cutoff to avoid trivial parties - 2 to 4%), while STV introduces a deliberate bias to transfer-friendly candidates. The argument for the former is that it's more democratic; for the latter that it promotes moderation/centrism. The former does work well in Scandinavia IMO, but it helps that most voters tend to opt for cooperative parties who are willing to work well afterwards (so you don't need to rig the system to make that happen).
My mistake, personally I would quite like almost any PR system over what we currently have.
Oh, I agree. An elegant feature of the Scandi system is that you can select which candidates you like without it costing the party votes. So you could vote Labour if you have no preference between different Labour candidates, or you could vote (say) Starmer or Long-Bailey. In all three cases it would count as a Labour vote, which is what decides how many seats the party gets, but the personal votes will decide who gets those seats, so a popular candidate far down the list may grab a seat which the party had really intended to go to someone else.
Parties vary in whether the votes cast for the party with no personal preference are allocated to the top of the list - smaller parties simply ignore them, but the large parties tend to want to make sure their leaders actually get in.
This is incredible... let off after brandishing a sword outside Buckingham Palace shouting ‘Allahu Alhbar’... oh wait he was blagging it all along, what a surprise
Mr. Borough, there's work being done on a modern type of airship (borrows from hovercraft type tech as well, I think). Can land on water, could be great for disaster rescue and relief.
We recently invented the flying bum didn't we? I think airships are great.
To be adopted widely, they will have to do something about the bumness. Or just own it and make it pink with painted on yellow polka dot knickers.
Holy God, I have only just looked at it. Must be an Austin Powers spoof, surely?
The bumness is actually key to its buoyancy. I kid you not. For me it's the way the passenger cabin is wedged into the crevice that is just very special.
One think I don't think has been mentioned about this Union-strengthening proposal is whether it will actually do much strengthening, in Scotland at least. We already have very regular visitations of a specific NI demographic in the West of Scotland, I can't really see most folk (including mild Unionists) being overjoyed at the prospect of these 'cultural' events being further facilitated.
"No surrender to the IRA" themed stag parties, that sort of thing?
Stags, weddings, marches, football, protests against the EssEnnPee, general bevvying with like minded folk; it's a way of life. There were even a few over for the Brexit celebration in George Square a couple of Fridays ago.
This is incredible... let off after brandishing a sword outside Buckingham Palace shouting ‘Allahu Alhbar’... oh wait he was blagging it all along, what a surprise
This is incredible... let off after brandishing a sword outside Buckingham Palace shouting ‘Allahu Alhbar’... oh wait he was blagging it all along, what a surprise
This is incredible... let off after brandishing a sword outside Buckingham Palace shouting ‘Allahu Alhbar’... oh wait he was blagging it all along, what a surprise
This is incredible... let off after brandishing a sword outside Buckingham Palace shouting ‘Allahu Alhbar’... oh wait he was blagging it all along, what a surprise
This is incredible... let off after brandishing a sword outside Buckingham Palace shouting ‘Allahu Alhbar’... oh wait he was blagging it all along, what a surprise
Do you support the early release from prison of convicted terrorists, Mr Corbyn?
Or more pertinently, Sir Kier.
It's too obvious a trap - while rushed laws always cause problems the various terrorist incidents this year make this unavoidably necessary but more further legalisation with proper due diligence is required in the longer term.
One think I don't think has been mentioned about this Union-strengthening proposal is whether it will actually do much strengthening, in Scotland at least. We already have very regular visitations of a specific NI demographic in the West of Scotland, I can't really see most folk (including mild Unionists) being overjoyed at the prospect of these 'cultural' events being further facilitated.
Well actually it could mean those people just head to Belfast for the real deal. So it could be win win.
The Famous Glasgow Rangers is part of the deal, though if they were to re-locate also..
I think there have been more Orange marches in the West of Scotland than in NI for several years now, they seem to have their own fan base.
This is incredible... let off after brandishing a sword outside Buckingham Palace shouting ‘Allahu Alhbar’... oh wait he was blagging it all along, what a surprise
Who seriously thinks this guy should not be locked up for a life sentence?
It gets better. See the BBC's report which includes his martyrdom list. He'd collected knives for an attack, looked into firearms training and even made a list of what he was going to do when he got to heaven.
Top of the list wasn't meeting his maker, though. It was a tour of the palace he assumed he would be given.
Second on the unmarried chicken shop worker's list was to meet and consummate his relationship with 72 wives.
Only later - seventh on the list - would he find time to meet God; and his 10th task of life in the hereafter was "choose quests to embark on". https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51449757
But this points to the danger of the police tactic of killing these terrorists. It encourages the next lot to believe they too will be promptly despatched to paradise.
This is incredible... let off after brandishing a sword outside Buckingham Palace shouting ‘Allahu Alhbar’... oh wait he was blagging it all along, what a surprise
This is incredible... let off after brandishing a sword outside Buckingham Palace shouting ‘Allahu Alhbar’... oh wait he was blagging it all along, what a surprise
Who seriously thinks this guy should not be locked up for a life sentence?
It gets better. See the BBC's report which includes his martyrdom list. He'd collected knives for an attack, looked into firearms training and even made a list of what he was going to do when he got to heaven.
Top of the list wasn't meeting his maker, though. It was a tour of the palace he assumed he would be given.
Second on the unmarried chicken shop worker's list was to meet and consummate his relationship with 72 wives.
Only later - seventh on the list - would he find time to meet God; and his 10th task of life in the hereafter was "choose quests to embark on". https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51449757
But this points to the danger of the police tactic of killing these terrorists. It encourages the next lot to believe they too will be promptly despatched to paradise.
True. But the current lot have a lower recidivism rate.
This is incredible... let off after brandishing a sword outside Buckingham Palace shouting ‘Allahu Alhbar’... oh wait he was blagging it all along, what a surprise
This is incredible... let off after brandishing a sword outside Buckingham Palace shouting ‘Allahu Alhbar’... oh wait he was blagging it all along, what a surprise
This is incredible... let off after brandishing a sword outside Buckingham Palace shouting ‘Allahu Alhbar’... oh wait he was blagging it all along, what a surprise
Who seriously thinks this guy should not be locked up for a life sentence?
It gets better. See the BBC's report which includes his martyrdom list. He'd collected knives for an attack, looked into firearms training and even made a list of what he was going to do when he got to heaven.
Top of the list wasn't meeting his maker, though. It was a tour of the palace he assumed he would be given.
Second on the unmarried chicken shop worker's list was to meet and consummate his relationship with 72 wives.
Only later - seventh on the list - would he find time to meet God; and his 10th task of life in the hereafter was "choose quests to embark on". https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51449757
But this points to the danger of the police tactic of killing these terrorists. It encourages the next lot to believe they too will be promptly despatched to paradise.
God bless the undercover officers getting info on these maniacs.
This is incredible... let off after brandishing a sword outside Buckingham Palace shouting ‘Allahu Alhbar’... oh wait he was blagging it all along, what a surprise
This is incredible... let off after brandishing a sword outside Buckingham Palace shouting ‘Allahu Alhbar’... oh wait he was blagging it all along, what a surprise
Who seriously thinks this guy should not be locked up for a life sentence?
And what about the Jury that unanimously acquitted him?
Did you miss the line that he's just been convicted?
No, but he was acquitted the first time after waving a sword outside Buckingham Palace and injuring a police officer seeking to disarm him. I mean, what were they on?
Mr. Borough, there's work being done on a modern type of airship (borrows from hovercraft type tech as well, I think). Can land on water, could be great for disaster rescue and relief.
We recently invented the flying bum didn't we? I think airships are great.
Comments
https://twitter.com/electoralreform/status/1226856042589511682?s=19
Anglesea to Dublin, combined with massive infrastructure upgrades to North Wales rail, might make economic sense. It would link two major urban conurbations (Northwest England and Dublin), and could potentially take a lot of trucks off the road.
But it still probably doesn't make economic sense.
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/10/politics/equifax-chinese-military-justice-department/index.html
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/p/AF1QipNunGjxB_4xUcoaxRcUQsBgj56iOKp_jCMT2wMG=h1440
American patients may find it easier to self-isolate than seek treatment.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hybrid_Air_Vehicles_HAV_304/Airlander_10
Nice to know what you think about about NI and Scotland.
But the whole thing is a non-starter because so few people live in Ireland as to kill any business case.
So I guess on balance the public is supportive of HS2.
And I was hoping for some reports that weren't based on Elon Musk's Boring company...
Under the circumstances, it would not be in the US government's interests to refuse treatment without payment. As it puts them back into society while they are still infectious.
Which isn't to say they won't do that...
The issue is not democracy vs something else, but whether you are confident that democratic institutions in your country will make a fair fist of reflecting the wishes of the electorate, and behaving with a fair degree of competency and integrity.
Personally, despite being a supporter of PR, I doubt it's that relevant to this sort of finding. I suspect high satisfaction ratings are more to do with countries being reasonably small and homogenous. A degree of consensus is simply easier to find. I think UK satisfaction ratings relative to Ireland or Norway are much less informative than those relative to France or Italy.
https://twitter.com/telefootball/status/1226913104837173249?s=21
https://twitter.com/Politics_Polls/status/1226888282275024896?s=20
https://twitter.com/mrjamesob/status/1226856262261977088?s=21
Certainly I do not feel adequately represented by my FPTP government.
But it's looking like a reasonably comfortable win for Sanders in NH, albeit on a vote share half what he got in 2016.
The things that people are claiming are not over, like negotiating trade deals, are things independent countries do all the time. They will never be over, unless we cease to be an independent country in which case Brexit has been cancelled.
All sorts of vagaries to consider of course. Geology, bore width, portals, means of escape. Not to mention transport economics.
Boring is fascinating.
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/02/10/national/japan-test-all-passengers-diamond-princess-cruise-ship-coronavirus/
It would provide a very precise number on how many asymptomatic infected are to be expected - something quite hard to do out in the wider world.
https://twitter.com/skynews/status/1226889030211702784?s=21
Catalonia is a similar situation, the international community is not going to invade Spain to ensure Catalonia gets an independence referendum.
The Falklands and Gibraltar are slightly different as the UK government would have to send a task force to defend them from Argentine or Spanish invasion but as Thatcher showed in 1981 that could be done with enough will. However even though most of the Hong Kong population wanted to stay a British territory we handed them back to China as realistically we could not defend it against Chinese invasion.
International law and consent of the governed is a nice concept but ultimately realpolitik and the military strength to protect it or enforce control and the will to do so is important too
https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/10/super-spreader-brought-coronavirus-from-singapore-to-sussex-via-france?CMP=share_btn_tw&__twitter_impression=true
https://twitter.com/RBReich/status/1226875243895062529
For Deputy I went 1.Murray 2.Allin-Khan 3.Rayner.4 . Butler 5. Burgon.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7987873/Emergency-anti-terror-laws-presented-MPs-TOMORROW.html
Parties vary in whether the votes cast for the party with no personal preference are allocated to the top of the list - smaller parties simply ignore them, but the large parties tend to want to make sure their leaders actually get in.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJDCHnl2yQQ
Jeremy Corbyn intervenes to secure bail for fraudster accused of conning elderly in scam to raise funds for jihadists in Syria
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/12044641/Jeremy-Corbyn-writes-letter-pleading-for-fraudster-Mohamed-Dahir-to-be-freed-for-Christmas.html
I think there have been more Orange marches in the West of Scotland than in NI for several years now, they seem to have their own fan base.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thames_Gateway_Bridge
He'd collected knives for an attack, looked into firearms training and even made a list of what he was going to do when he got to heaven.
Top of the list wasn't meeting his maker, though. It was a tour of the palace he assumed he would be given.
Second on the unmarried chicken shop worker's list was to meet and consummate his relationship with 72 wives.
Only later - seventh on the list - would he find time to meet God; and his 10th task of life in the hereafter was "choose quests to embark on".
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51449757
But this points to the danger of the police tactic of killing these terrorists. It encourages the next lot to believe they too will be promptly despatched to paradise.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-51443195
Isn't the retrospectoscope a wonderful thing?
It is not Islamophobic to think convicted terrorists should be locked up for life.