That's about the first bit of even vague rumour or briefing in almost two days. Either they're running a very tight ship, as Boris johnson's new favourite phrase goes , or there's nothing in the box.
I don't think it's going to happen.
Both Macron and Boris (for it is they) both believe theu have more to gain from No Deal than lose.
I don't think it is Macron. It's the EU as a whole. They are agreed that breaching the single market rules isn't worth the candle of a deal with UK.
I think it is Macron. And I think it's all about the fish. And he wants (for domestic consumption) to score a big victory over the Brits.
That's about the first bit of even vague rumour or briefing in almost two days. Either they're running a very tight ship, as Boris johnson's new favourite phrase goes , or there's nothing in the box.
I don't think it's going to happen.
Both Macron and Boris (for it is they) both believe theu have more to gain from No Deal than lose.
I don't think it is Macron. It's the EU as a whole. They are agreed that breaching the single market rules isn't worth the candle of a deal with UK.
This is palpable bullshit. A trade deal does not breach the Single Market rules because the UK is not in the Single Market. Any more than a trade deal between the EU and Canada breaches the Single Market rules. This is the lie that keeps being spread by he EU and their useful idiot supporters. We don't want to be in the Single Market. We just want a trade deal like any other third country. It is the EU who keep insisting we have to have some special arrangement.
It takes two to tango. We do not get to set the counterpartys terms.
Oh agreed. But we do get to reject them if we think they are being unreasonable. That is the way these things work. What is ludicrous is seeing all the Euroloons in the UK trying to justify the EU action as reasonable when it clearly is not.
That is not for a minute to excuse the idiocy of our own negotiating side and the duplicity of Johnson but this is very much a case of both sides being as bad as each other.
If it were not for the fact that we all suffer the consequences, this is another one of those all too common situations where you wish both sides could suffer a humiliating defeat.
That's about the first bit of even vague rumour or briefing in almost two days. Either they're running a very tight ship, as Boris johnson's new favourite phrase goes , or there's nothing in the box.
I don't think it's going to happen.
Both Macron and Boris (for it is they) both believe theu have more to gain from No Deal than lose.
I don't think it is Macron. It's the EU as a whole. They are agreed that breaching the single market rules isn't worth the candle of a deal with UK.
This whole Macron thing is an easy scapegoat for the UKs right wing press . He isn’t going to crash the chances of a deal against the other 26 members . The EU position hasn’t changed in 4 years , the more access you want the more you have to give in return . At the end of the day the EU feel pretty good at the moment , they’ve got the budget agreed , the recovery fund , rule of law mechanism and new emissions targets. A no deal will hurt them but they’re not going to put the single market at risk.
Perhaps the last few days is just theatrics and there still might be a deal , very hard to really know what’s going on and if any progress has been made .
Macron's hard-line has been reported in many outlets and by many reporters, including the BBC.
That's about the first bit of even vague rumour or briefing in almost two days. Either they're running a very tight ship, as Boris johnson's new favourite phrase goes , or there's nothing in the box.
I don't think it's going to happen.
Both Macron and Boris (for it is they) both believe theu have more to gain from No Deal than lose.
I don't think it is Macron. It's the EU as a whole. They are agreed that breaching the single market rules isn't worth the candle of a deal with UK.
I think it is Macron. And I think it's all about the fish.
Oh dear all these endless references to the war - really is time that France moved on At any rate some calm will no doubt be very welcome in Paris - a nice change from their weekly riots.
I don't disagree about anger at no deal Brexit, but is Heseltine really the best figure they could find to quote in criticism of it? The impact of him doing so as Tory grandee is somewhat reduced given his support for the LDs last year. I'm not going HYUFD on party loyalty or anything, it's just that a man who was so against any Brexit in any form may not be the best person to symbolise new concerns about no deal Brexit.
Beyond the headline they did get Elwood and Green. That’s two serving MPs, making them marginally more significant than Heslitine, as acting together they would reduce the PM’s majority to a wafer thin squeaky bum time 76.
Seriously though, at what point do MPs not on the payroll, with no chance of ever getting on the payroll, turn round and look at the blank cheques being thrown around or promised,and say “this isn’t conservatism”? I don’t think, on balance, the party will have a Peelite type split - but significantly there is no “Johnsonite” wing of the party so it’s not impossible.
There is no Johnsonite. Because there is only Johnson. Himself, his friends and their interests. That is his philosophy. It is entirely transactional.
Email from a relative a few minutes ago: "I'm in two minds if [Covid] is real or not".
Maybe it's a good thing we won't be gathering for Christmas now.
What do they think all these people are dying of?
I suspect they don't think people are, as they 'only know 1 person that's had it' (which is a bit weird to then doubt it's real, but perhaps they mean they doubt the extent is real).
Bit worried to be honest - last 5 years they've been getting more and more conspiracy minded, including anti semitic ones, out of nowhere. Never shown a hint of such thinking to my knowledge beforehand.
I don't disagree about anger at no deal Brexit, but is Heseltine really the best figure they could find to quote in criticism of it? The impact of him doing so as Tory grandee is somewhat reduced given his support for the LDs last year. I'm not going HYUFD on party loyalty or anything, it's just that a man who was so against any Brexit in any form may not be the best person to symbolise new concerns about no deal Brexit.
Beyond the headline they did get Elwood and Green. That’s two serving MPs, making them marginally more significant than Heslitine, as acting together they would reduce the PM’s majority to a wafer thin squeaky bum time 76.
Seriously though, at what point do MPs not on the payroll, with no chance of ever getting on the payroll, turn round and look at the blank cheques being thrown around or promised,and say “this isn’t conservatism”? I don’t think, on balance, the party will have a Peelite type split - but significantly there is no “Johnsonite” wing of the party so it’s not impossible.
There is no Johnsonite. Because there is only Johnson. Himself, his friends and their interests. That is his philosophy. It is entirely transactional.
I don’t think he has any friends even. I don’t know anyone who has met him who exactly warmed to the guy.
I don't disagree about anger at no deal Brexit, but is Heseltine really the best figure they could find to quote in criticism of it? The impact of him doing so as Tory grandee is somewhat reduced given his support for the LDs last year. I'm not going HYUFD on party loyalty or anything, it's just that a man who was so against any Brexit in any form may not be the best person to symbolise new concerns about no deal Brexit.
Beyond the headline they did get Elwood and Green. That’s two serving MPs, making them marginally more significant than Heslitine, as acting together they would reduce the PM’s majority to a wafer thin squeaky bum time 76.
Seriously though, at what point do MPs not on the payroll, with no chance of ever getting on the payroll, turn round and look at the blank cheques being thrown around or promised,and say “this isn’t conservatism”? I don’t think, on balance, the party will have a Peelite type split - but significantly there is no “Johnsonite” wing of the party so it’s not impossible.
They had the split and Johnson got his 80 seat majority when the centrists 'peeled off' so to speak. Leaving the big tent rarely works in practice - ask ChangeUK.
I think the Poles only arrived in 1941-42 to form the Polish Army, coming out via Iran and Kenya after Barbarossa started.
In London, there was an active Polish community in the west of the capital. The Czechoslovaks settled in NW London (I once ate at the Czech & Slovak Club in West End Lane, quite an experience).
As someone else said, there were some soldiers from the various occupied countries who managed to effect an escape to Britain and would doubtless have tried to stop the invading Germans had they landed. There were various Governments-in-exile as well as King Haakon of Norway, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands and other foreign royalty.
I remember that Czech club! A very unusual experience, a high ceilinged house, like eating in the front room of a seaside B&B. A rather subdued and formal atmosphere, with some aged Czech regulars in their Sunday best. A good preparation for visiting just after the iron curtain fell; if it’s still the same, today not so much.
We have a Ukrainian club in Leicester (founded by Ukranians from the prewar Polish part of Ukraine around Lviv). Excellent Ukrainian beer, and good hosts for functions.
Back when I was a kid there was a pretty active Polish club in Newark and a prominent Polish community centred around the Catholic church of which my Mum was and is a Lay Assistant. I have noticed over the years that whilst there are still plenty of people of Polish descent in the town, the community has faded as they have become more integrated into the general population. This is, in some ways at least, a shame I think as I did like the distinctness of their community and absolutely loved going to the club as a kid.
That's about the first bit of even vague rumour or briefing in almost two days. Either they're running a very tight ship, as Boris johnson's new favourite phrase goes , or there's nothing in the box.
I don't think it's going to happen.
Both Macron and Boris (for it is they) both believe theu have more to gain from No Deal than lose.
I don't think it is Macron. It's the EU as a whole. They are agreed that breaching the single market rules isn't worth the candle of a deal with UK.
I think it is Macron. And I think it's all about the fish. And he wants (for domestic consumption) to score a big victory over the Brits.
Yep. The De Gaullist veto will undoubtedly go down well in France, where they love a hard line against Les Rosbifs.
Email from a relative a few minutes ago: "I'm in two minds if [Covid] is real or not".
Maybe it's a good thing we won't be gathering for Christmas now.
What do they think all these people are dying of?
I suspect they don't think people are, as they 'only know 1 person that's had it' (which is a bit weird to then doubt it's real, but perhaps they mean they doubt the extent is real).
Bit worried to be honest - last 5 years they've been getting more and more conspiracy minded, including anti semitic ones, out of nowhere. Never shown a hint of such thinking to my knowledge beforehand.
Email from a relative a few minutes ago: "I'm in two minds if [Covid] is real or not".
Maybe it's a good thing we won't be gathering for Christmas now.
What do they think all these people are dying of?
I suspect they don't think people are, as they 'only know 1 person that's had it' (which is a bit weird to then doubt it's real, but perhaps they mean they doubt the extent is real).
Bit worried to be honest - last 5 years they've been getting more and more conspiracy minded, including anti semitic ones, out of nowhere. Never shown a hint of such thinking to my knowledge beforehand.
The internet is wonderful in so many ways and bloody awful in others.
I have been reading Callum Douglas's The Secret Horsepower War, which covers aircraft engine development in Britain, Germany and The USA. It is an exceptional book, though the technical side can be hard going for a non engineer.
Do you mean the Sectet Horsepower Race? It hjas been duly noted, thank you.
One of the most interesting pieces I ever read on engineering was a discussion of riveting technology in the 1930s and 1940s - also very important in increasing speed at the time ...
While we are hacing a Saturday evening chat, this is also to be recommended for a slightly later generation, as quite a classic sui generis (though some chemical knowledge is useful): Ignition!: An Informal History of Liquid Rocket Propellants (Rutgers University Press Classics) by John Drury Clark
Where as we are only a few days from opening up....
I'm surprised it's taken the Germans to realise how bad things are.
A few people on here talking about cancelling plans for meeting up; I'm slowly chipping away at my lot, but it would be nice if the government could put a stop to what is bound to be a disaster.
Where as we are only a few days from opening up....
I'm surprised it's taken the Germans to realise how bad things are.
A few people on here talking about cancelling plans for meeting up; I'm slowly chipping away at my lot, but it would be nice if the government could put a stop to what is bound to be a disaster.
The government really need to put a kibosh on it. Just say sorry, we can't risk it, we really can't. Instead, it will go ahead, then we will be back in total lockdown come Jan / Feb.
Can I just say that the cartoon on the Telegraph front page at the moment showing Macron as a mermaid in the desert is perhaps one of the most bizarre I have ever seen. I have tried to work it out but it is just plain crazy and a bit unsettling.
Where as we are only a few days from opening up....
We are about to stick two fingers up at the Krauts and the Frogs. We know we are right and they are wrong. Because this is England.
I would not be surprised if middle of next week we have one of Johnson's doom press evenings in which it is announced that there will be no xmas relaxation after all.
Email from a relative a few minutes ago: "I'm in two minds if [Covid] is real or not".
Maybe it's a good thing we won't be gathering for Christmas now.
What do they think all these people are dying of?
I suspect they don't think people are, as they 'only know 1 person that's had it' (which is a bit weird to then doubt it's real, but perhaps they mean they doubt the extent is real).
Bit worried to be honest - last 5 years they've been getting more and more conspiracy minded, including anti semitic ones, out of nowhere. Never shown a hint of such thinking to my knowledge beforehand.
When did they join Facebook?
It...might actually be about 5 years, now you mention it. Certainly not much longer (hard for me to be sure, as I am not on it). Damn it.
I don't disagree about anger at no deal Brexit, but is Heseltine really the best figure they could find to quote in criticism of it? The impact of him doing so as Tory grandee is somewhat reduced given his support for the LDs last year. I'm not going HYUFD on party loyalty or anything, it's just that a man who was so against any Brexit in any form may not be the best person to symbolise new concerns about no deal Brexit.
Beyond the headline they did get Elwood and Green. That’s two serving MPs, making them marginally more significant than Heslitine, as acting together they would reduce the PM’s majority to a wafer thin squeaky bum time 76.
Seriously though, at what point do MPs not on the payroll, with no chance of ever getting on the payroll, turn round and look at the blank cheques being thrown around or promised,and say “this isn’t conservatism”? I don’t think, on balance, the party will have a Peelite type split - but significantly there is no “Johnsonite” wing of the party so it’s not impossible.
They had the split and Johnson got his 80 seat majority when the centrists 'peeled off' so to speak. Leaving the big tent rarely works in practice - ask ChangeUK.
You are quite right - it’s very unlikely. But are in a very different environment, including 2 full blown crises, to this time last year.
Email from a relative a few minutes ago: "I'm in two minds if [Covid] is real or not".
Maybe it's a good thing we won't be gathering for Christmas now.
What do they think all these people are dying of?
I suspect they don't think people are, as they 'only know 1 person that's had it' (which is a bit weird to then doubt it's real, but perhaps they mean they doubt the extent is real).
Bit worried to be honest - last 5 years they've been getting more and more conspiracy minded, including anti semitic ones, out of nowhere. Never shown a hint of such thinking to my knowledge beforehand.
The internet is wonderful in so many ways and bloody awful in others.
It was safest when the only thing people argued about was whether vi or emacs was better.
Perhaps those days should have been a warning as to what would happen if anyone other than geeks got access to message boards (or the modern equivalent).
Where as we are only a few days from opening up....
I'm surprised it's taken the Germans to realise how bad things are.
A few people on here talking about cancelling plans for meeting up; I'm slowly chipping away at my lot, but it would be nice if the government could put a stop to what is bound to be a disaster.
The government really need to put a kibosh on it. Just say sorry, we can't risk it, we really can't. Instead, it will go ahead, then we will be back in total lockdown come Jan / Feb.
I took the decision that xmas wasn't worth the risk a few weeks ago. Now that a vaccine is only weeks away for large numbers it seems bonkers to me for people to press on.
I keep telling people that this is October 1918. You are in the trenches and to be shot now would be a bloody shame.
Can I just say that the cartoon on the Telegraph front page at the moment showing Macron as a mermaid in the desert is perhaps one of the most bizarre I have ever seen. I have tried to work it out but it is just plain crazy and a bit unsettling.
Where as we are only a few days from opening up....
We are about to stick two fingers up at the Krauts and the Frogs. We know we are right and they are wrong. Because this is England.
I would not be surprised if middle of next week we have one of Johnson's doom press evenings in which it is announced that there will be no xmas relaxation after all.
I'd be delighted if he does and if Spain does the same. Sadly I doubt if either will happen - the press and probably the people would simply not wear it.
Can I just say that the cartoon on the Telegraph front page at the moment showing Macron as a mermaid in the desert is perhaps one of the most bizarre I have ever seen. I have tried to work it out but it is just plain crazy and a bit unsettling.
Where as we are only a few days from opening up....
I'm surprised it's taken the Germans to realise how bad things are.
A few people on here talking about cancelling plans for meeting up; I'm slowly chipping away at my lot, but it would be nice if the government could put a stop to what is bound to be a disaster.
The government really need to put a kibosh on it. Just say sorry, we can't risk it, we really can't. Instead, it will go ahead, then we will be back in total lockdown come Jan / Feb.
I took the decision that xmas wasn't worth the risk a few weeks ago. Now that a vaccine is only weeks away for large numbers it seems bonkers to me for people to press on.
I keep telling people that this is October 1918. You are in the trenches and to be shot now would be a bloody shame.
That's my elderly folks take, have done 9 months, we can do another 10 weeks.
I think the Covid crisis is real and permeates the public mood. Brexit - I'm much less sure how much salience that has at ground level. You probably won't agree but outside the 'bubble' most folk don't really engage.
Can I just say that the cartoon on the Telegraph front page at the moment showing Macron as a mermaid in the desert is perhaps one of the most bizarre I have ever seen. I have tried to work it out but it is just plain crazy and a bit unsettling.
Many of the best political cartoons are extremely simple stock images with a pithy line and that's it. You don't need to get high concept with this stuff.
Can I just say that the cartoon on the Telegraph front page at the moment showing Macron as a mermaid in the desert is perhaps one of the most bizarre I have ever seen. I have tried to work it out but it is just plain crazy and a bit unsettling.
I think the Covid crisis is real and permeates the public mood. Brexit - I'm much less sure how much salience that has at ground level. You probably won't agree but outside the 'bubble' most folk don't really engage.
Can I just say that the cartoon on the Telegraph front page at the moment showing Macron as a mermaid in the desert is perhaps one of the most bizarre I have ever seen. I have tried to work it out but it is just plain crazy and a bit unsettling.
Many of the best political cartoons are extremely simple stock images with a pithy line and that's it. You don't need to get high concept with this stuff.
I have been told that the French equivalent of "Oh my God!" is "Ah! La vache! which has left me extremely puzzled unless the almighty is a bovine. Perhaps Brian Aldiss knew more than we realised.
I think the Covid crisis is real and permeates the public mood. Brexit - I'm much less sure how much salience that has at ground level. You probably won't agree but outside the 'bubble' most folk don't really engage.
Exactly. Brexit is "done" as far as most people are concerned. Nobody expects anything to change at the end of the year, at least in a way that affects their everyday lives.
Can I just say that the cartoon on the Telegraph front page at the moment showing Macron as a mermaid in the desert is perhaps one of the most bizarre I have ever seen. I have tried to work it out but it is just plain crazy and a bit unsettling.
Many of the best political cartoons are extremely simple stock images with a pithy line and that's it. You don't need to get high concept with this stuff.
I have been told that the French equivalent of "Oh my God!" is "Ah! La vache! which has left me extremely puzzled unless the almighty is a bovine. Perhaps Brian Aldiss knew more than we realised.
Indicates a government that has totally lost the plot.
If the UK government subsidised these companies to the extent that they overcame the effect of tariffs, the EU will slap countervailing duties on UK goods. Which they are perfectly entitled to do under WTO rules.
The EU's "talk to the hand" choreography makes it all the more bizarre since everyone knows that the solution to this is political and the blockage is bilateral between Macron and Boris. So those talks needed to take place.
And yet for appearances sake they maintain this façade of absolute Spartan-like unity commanded by the hive mind in Brussels.
Intractable and insecure, which will ultimately result in a lose-lose.
The EU's "talk to the hand" choreography makes it all the more bizarre since everyone knows that the solution to this is political and the blockage is bilateral between Macron and Boris. So those talks needed to take place.
And yet for appearances sake they maintain this façade of absolute Spartan-like unity commanded by the hive mind in Brussels.
Intractable and insecure, which will ultimately result in a lose-lose.
Mail reporting it is now Merkel that is pissed with Boris and won't budge.
I think now would be a good time to revive my plan of breaking the deadlock by gifting the EU one of the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.
Macron would love that, and the rest of the EU. They could ponce around and send their shiny new carrier everywhere to 'project naval power', we'd cut our losses and not have to buy aircraft for the thing. It was clearly intended for a nascent EU Navy anyway - they might as well have the thing.
Can I just say that the cartoon on the Telegraph front page at the moment showing Macron as a mermaid in the desert is perhaps one of the most bizarre I have ever seen. I have tried to work it out but it is just plain crazy and a bit unsettling.
Can I just say that the cartoon on the Telegraph front page at the moment showing Macron as a mermaid in the desert is perhaps one of the most bizarre I have ever seen. I have tried to work it out but it is just plain crazy and a bit unsettling.
Many of the best political cartoons are extremely simple stock images with a pithy line and that's it. You don't need to get high concept with this stuff.
I have been told that the French equivalent of "Oh my God!" is "Ah! La vache! which has left me extremely puzzled unless the almighty is a bovine. Perhaps Brian Aldiss knew more than we realised.
Mon dieu surely? Or Putain (ruder).
I know "merde" is the equivalent of "oh bother" rather than the direct translation.
Can I just say that the cartoon on the Telegraph front page at the moment showing Macron as a mermaid in the desert is perhaps one of the most bizarre I have ever seen. I have tried to work it out but it is just plain crazy and a bit unsettling.
Many of the best political cartoons are extremely simple stock images with a pithy line and that's it. You don't need to get high concept with this stuff.
I have been told that the French equivalent of "Oh my God!" is "Ah! La vache! which has left me extremely puzzled unless the almighty is a bovine. Perhaps Brian Aldiss knew more than we realised.
Mon dieu surely? Or Putain (ruder).
Mon Dieu certainly. Perhaps it is an equivalent of OMG! ?
I think now would be a good time to revive my plan of breaking the deadlock by gifting the EU one of the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.
Macron would love that, and the rest of the EU. They could ponce around and send their shiny new carrier everywhere to 'project naval power', we'd cut our losses and not have to buy aircraft for the thing. It was clearly intended for a nascent EU Navy anyway - they might as well have the thing.
Even better, don't need to gift it, just offer it at a cut down price, so we get something back for it while they still get a bargin, and unlock a deal too.
The EU's "talk to the hand" choreography makes it all the more bizarre since everyone knows that the solution to this is political and the blockage is bilateral between Macron and Boris. So those talks needed to take place.
And yet for appearances sake they maintain this façade of absolute Spartan-like unity commanded by the hive mind in Brussels.
Intractable and insecure, which will ultimately result in a lose-lose.
No, the EU27 have had a consistent position all along, and that is the one that Barnier negotiates. Going round to Merkel or Macron fundamentally misunderstands how a union works. A union stands together, and has an appointed negotiator.
Can I just say that the cartoon on the Telegraph front page at the moment showing Macron as a mermaid in the desert is perhaps one of the most bizarre I have ever seen. I have tried to work it out but it is just plain crazy and a bit unsettling.
Email from a relative a few minutes ago: "I'm in two minds if [Covid] is real or not".
Maybe it's a good thing we won't be gathering for Christmas now.
What do they think all these people are dying of?
I suspect they don't think people are, as they 'only know 1 person that's had it' (which is a bit weird to then doubt it's real, but perhaps they mean they doubt the extent is real).
Bit worried to be honest - last 5 years they've been getting more and more conspiracy minded, including anti semitic ones, out of nowhere. Never shown a hint of such thinking to my knowledge beforehand.
The internet is wonderful in so many ways and bloody awful in others.
It was safest when the only thing people argued about was whether vi or emacs was better.
Perhaps those days should have been a warning as to what would happen if anyone other than geeks got access to message boards (or the modern equivalent).
Vi? Is that thing still around? I thought everyone had moved to Nano? (Or Pico depending on distro)
I think now would be a good time to revive my plan of breaking the deadlock by gifting the EU one of the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.
Macron would love that, and the rest of the EU. They could ponce around and send their shiny new carrier everywhere to 'project naval power', we'd cut our losses and not have to buy aircraft for the thing. It was clearly intended for a nascent EU Navy anyway - they might as well have the thing.
I think now would be a good time to revive my plan of breaking the deadlock by gifting the EU one of the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.
Macron would love that, and the rest of the EU. They could ponce around and send their shiny new carrier everywhere to 'project naval power', we'd cut our losses and not have to buy aircraft for the thing. It was clearly intended for a nascent EU Navy anyway - they might as well have the thing.
Even better, don't need to gift it, just offer it at a cut down price, so we get something back for it while they still get a bargin, and unlock a deal too.
At this point (for the sake of everyone's sanity - more than for the actual ramifications of no deal) I'd give it gratis it to seal the deal, and for them to back the fuck off our fish. If the French fishermen are unhappy, Macron can menace them with his new aircraft carrier.
I think now would be a good time to revive my plan of breaking the deadlock by gifting the EU one of the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.
Macron would love that, and the rest of the EU. They could ponce around and send their shiny new carrier everywhere to 'project naval power', we'd cut our losses and not have to buy aircraft for the thing. It was clearly intended for a nascent EU Navy anyway - they might as well have the thing.
You wanna give them the (currently) working one, or the broken one?
Can I just say that the cartoon on the Telegraph front page at the moment showing Macron as a mermaid in the desert is perhaps one of the most bizarre I have ever seen. I have tried to work it out but it is just plain crazy and a bit unsettling.
Many of the best political cartoons are extremely simple stock images with a pithy line and that's it. You don't need to get high concept with this stuff.
I have been told that the French equivalent of "Oh my God!" is "Ah! La vache! which has left me extremely puzzled unless the almighty is a bovine. Perhaps Brian Aldiss knew more than we realised.
Mon dieu surely? Or Putain (ruder).
My favourite French curse as taught to me by a very old friend from Nantes is
"Putain de nom de dieu de bon dieu de cent million pompes a merde".
I think now would be a good time to revive my plan of breaking the deadlock by gifting the EU one of the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.
Macron would love that, and the rest of the EU. They could ponce around and send their shiny new carrier everywhere to 'project naval power', we'd cut our losses and not have to buy aircraft for the thing. It was clearly intended for a nascent EU Navy anyway - they might as well have the thing.
Why would they want that white elephant?
People like big things, especially if they don't have to pay for them (or not full price).
I think now would be a good time to revive my plan of breaking the deadlock by gifting the EU one of the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.
Macron would love that, and the rest of the EU. They could ponce around and send their shiny new carrier everywhere to 'project naval power', we'd cut our losses and not have to buy aircraft for the thing. It was clearly intended for a nascent EU Navy anyway - they might as well have the thing.
You wanna give them the (currently) working one, or the broken one?
If they'd take the broken one, that obvs. but I wouldn't really care if they want the one that floats.
The EU's "talk to the hand" choreography makes it all the more bizarre since everyone knows that the solution to this is political and the blockage is bilateral between Macron and Boris. So those talks needed to take place.
And yet for appearances sake they maintain this façade of absolute Spartan-like unity commanded by the hive mind in Brussels.
Intractable and insecure, which will ultimately result in a lose-lose.
No, the EU27 have had a consistent position all along, and that is the one that Barnier negotiates. Going round to Merkel or Macron fundamentally misunderstands how a union works. A union stands together, and has an appointed negotiator.
That only works if the negotiator has the authority to negotiate, to change positions. It doesn't work if they're stuck to a mandate.
I think now would be a good time to revive my plan of breaking the deadlock by gifting the EU one of the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.
Macron would love that, and the rest of the EU. They could ponce around and send their shiny new carrier everywhere to 'project naval power', we'd cut our losses and not have to buy aircraft for the thing. It was clearly intended for a nascent EU Navy anyway - they might as well have the thing.
You wanna give them the (currently) working one, or the broken one?
@HYUFD wouldn't be happy. It is a key part of his invasion force for the Spanish campaign.
Can I just say that the cartoon on the Telegraph front page at the moment showing Macron as a mermaid in the desert is perhaps one of the most bizarre I have ever seen. I have tried to work it out but it is just plain crazy and a bit unsettling.
Many of the best political cartoons are extremely simple stock images with a pithy line and that's it. You don't need to get high concept with this stuff.
I have been told that the French equivalent of "Oh my God!" is "Ah! La vache! which has left me extremely puzzled unless the almighty is a bovine. Perhaps Brian Aldiss knew more than we realised.
Mon dieu surely? Or Putain (ruder).
Mon Dieu certainly. Perhaps it is an equivalent of OMG! ?
Can I just say that the cartoon on the Telegraph front page at the moment showing Macron as a mermaid in the desert is perhaps one of the most bizarre I have ever seen. I have tried to work it out but it is just plain crazy and a bit unsettling.
Many of the best political cartoons are extremely simple stock images with a pithy line and that's it. You don't need to get high concept with this stuff.
I have been told that the French equivalent of "Oh my God!" is "Ah! La vache! which has left me extremely puzzled unless the almighty is a bovine. Perhaps Brian Aldiss knew more than we realised.
Mon dieu surely? Or Putain (ruder).
Mon Dieu certainly. Perhaps it is an equivalent of OMG! ?
The EU's "talk to the hand" choreography makes it all the more bizarre since everyone knows that the solution to this is political and the blockage is bilateral between Macron and Boris. So those talks needed to take place.
And yet for appearances sake they maintain this façade of absolute Spartan-like unity commanded by the hive mind in Brussels.
Intractable and insecure, which will ultimately result in a lose-lose.
No, the EU27 have had a consistent position all along, and that is the one that Barnier negotiates. Going round to Merkel or Macron fundamentally misunderstands how a union works. A union stands together, and has an appointed negotiator.
Yes, but the point being the pretence it is not individual nations and individual concerns which hold things up. Yes they will stand together and that's only right, but that doesn't mean leader X or Y is not the problem that causes progress to stick and when it gets widely reported, likely as a result of leaks or official statements from those leaders, it is insulting to act as though they are not the ones who need persuading, following which the others will fall in line.
It's phoney choreography, as much as when the negotiators on both sides pretend after each talk they need to go back and ask for more instructions, as though none of them had ever considered what the other side might ask for, and that they don't have instructions on how to respond to most scenarios.
The EU's "talk to the hand" choreography makes it all the more bizarre since everyone knows that the solution to this is political and the blockage is bilateral between Macron and Boris. So those talks needed to take place.
And yet for appearances sake they maintain this façade of absolute Spartan-like unity commanded by the hive mind in Brussels.
Intractable and insecure, which will ultimately result in a lose-lose.
No, the EU27 have had a consistent position all along, and that is the one that Barnier negotiates. Going round to Merkel or Macron fundamentally misunderstands how a union works. A union stands together, and has an appointed negotiator.
That only works if the negotiator has the authority to negotiate, to change positions. It doesn't work if they're stuck to a mandate.
I think now would be a good time to revive my plan of breaking the deadlock by gifting the EU one of the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.
Macron would love that, and the rest of the EU. They could ponce around and send their shiny new carrier everywhere to 'project naval power', we'd cut our losses and not have to buy aircraft for the thing. It was clearly intended for a nascent EU Navy anyway - they might as well have the thing.
You wanna give them the (currently) working one, or the broken one?
@HYUFD wouldn't be happy. It is a key part of his invasion force for the Spanish campaign.
I think now would be a good time to revive my plan of breaking the deadlock by gifting the EU one of the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.
Macron would love that, and the rest of the EU. They could ponce around and send their shiny new carrier everywhere to 'project naval power', we'd cut our losses and not have to buy aircraft for the thing. It was clearly intended for a nascent EU Navy anyway - they might as well have the thing.
I think now would be a good time to revive my plan of breaking the deadlock by gifting the EU one of the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.
Macron would love that, and the rest of the EU. They could ponce around and send their shiny new carrier everywhere to 'project naval power', we'd cut our losses and not have to buy aircraft for the thing. It was clearly intended for a nascent EU Navy anyway - they might as well have the thing.
You wanna give them the (currently) working one, or the broken one?
@HYUFD wouldn't be happy. It is a key part of his invasion force for the Spanish campaign.
I am quite looking forward to the PB Tories chasing French fishing boats with the aircraft carriers. Bigger is better...
Can I just say that the cartoon on the Telegraph front page at the moment showing Macron as a mermaid in the desert is perhaps one of the most bizarre I have ever seen. I have tried to work it out but it is just plain crazy and a bit unsettling.
Many of the best political cartoons are extremely simple stock images with a pithy line and that's it. You don't need to get high concept with this stuff.
I have been told that the French equivalent of "Oh my God!" is "Ah! La vache! which has left me extremely puzzled unless the almighty is a bovine. Perhaps Brian Aldiss knew more than we realised.
Mon dieu surely? Or Putain (ruder).
Mon Dieu certainly. Perhaps it is an equivalent of OMG! ?
It could be a Holy cow, though?
Yes, the French had Indian colonies too, for a while at least.
The EU's "talk to the hand" choreography makes it all the more bizarre since everyone knows that the solution to this is political and the blockage is bilateral between Macron and Boris. So those talks needed to take place.
And yet for appearances sake they maintain this façade of absolute Spartan-like unity commanded by the hive mind in Brussels.
Intractable and insecure, which will ultimately result in a lose-lose.
No, the EU27 have had a consistent position all along, and that is the one that Barnier negotiates. Going round to Merkel or Macron fundamentally misunderstands how a union works. A union stands together, and has an appointed negotiator.
One of the constants on PB is reading that the UK is talking to the wrong people.
If its talking to Macron or Merkel then we're told it would be better to talk to the EU.
If its talking to the EU then we're told it would be better to talk to Macron and Merkel.
Can I just say that the cartoon on the Telegraph front page at the moment showing Macron as a mermaid in the desert is perhaps one of the most bizarre I have ever seen. I have tried to work it out but it is just plain crazy and a bit unsettling.
Many of the best political cartoons are extremely simple stock images with a pithy line and that's it. You don't need to get high concept with this stuff.
I have been told that the French equivalent of "Oh my God!" is "Ah! La vache! which has left me extremely puzzled unless the almighty is a bovine. Perhaps Brian Aldiss knew more than we realised.
Mon dieu surely? Or Putain (ruder).
My favourite French curse as taught to me by a very old friend from Nantes is
"Putain de nom de dieu de bon dieu de cent million pompes a merde".
A very detailed curse. I can see why Anglo-Saxon expletives are so popular given their small, compact, and efficient format
I think now would be a good time to revive my plan of breaking the deadlock by gifting the EU one of the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers.
Macron would love that, and the rest of the EU. They could ponce around and send their shiny new carrier everywhere to 'project naval power', we'd cut our losses and not have to buy aircraft for the thing. It was clearly intended for a nascent EU Navy anyway - they might as well have the thing.
You wanna give them the (currently) working one, or the broken one?
@HYUFD wouldn't be happy. It is a key part of his invasion force for the Spanish campaign.
One of them is. The other is for Scotland.
Um, that's the liberation of Scotland from the secessionist forces, thank you very much, in no way similar to the invasion of Spain.
Can I just say that the cartoon on the Telegraph front page at the moment showing Macron as a mermaid in the desert is perhaps one of the most bizarre I have ever seen. I have tried to work it out but it is just plain crazy and a bit unsettling.
Many of the best political cartoons are extremely simple stock images with a pithy line and that's it. You don't need to get high concept with this stuff.
I have been told that the French equivalent of "Oh my God!" is "Ah! La vache! which has left me extremely puzzled unless the almighty is a bovine. Perhaps Brian Aldiss knew more than we realised.
Mon dieu surely? Or Putain (ruder).
My favourite French curse as taught to me by a very old friend from Nantes is
"Putain de nom de dieu de bon dieu de cent million pompes a merde".
Not as 'good' as the Spanish (I don't know how to spell the Spanish, so I'll translate) 'I shit on the beach' - or for really extreme situations 'I shit on God'.
Comments
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Some-Unusual-Engines-by-L-J-K-Setright-1975/401779574173
Maybe it's a good thing we won't be gathering for Christmas now.
That is not for a minute to excuse the idiocy of our own negotiating side and the duplicity of Johnson but this is very much a case of both sides being as bad as each other.
If it were not for the fact that we all suffer the consequences, this is another one of those all too common situations where you wish both sides could suffer a humiliating defeat.
It can't just be dismissed.
That is his philosophy. It is entirely transactional.
Bit worried to be honest - last 5 years they've been getting more and more conspiracy minded, including anti semitic ones, out of nowhere. Never shown a hint of such thinking to my knowledge beforehand.
Where as we are only a few days from opening up....
A few people on here talking about cancelling plans for meeting up; I'm slowly chipping away at my lot, but it would be nice if the government could put a stop to what is bound to be a disaster.
https://twitter.com/Maomentum_/status/1337863677341544448
Perhaps those days should have been a warning as to what would happen if anyone other than geeks got access to message boards (or the modern equivalent).
I keep telling people that this is October 1918. You are in the trenches and to be shot now would be a bloody shame.
As leader of the opposition's he was probably part of the 1%
Just saying...
Beyond belief. An absolute disaster of a decision.
I keep hoping I will come across it in a village hall book sale for a fiver!
This is No Deal
Emacs is the socialist's choice.
If it does...
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9047017/How-Kay-Burley-nailed-Sky-News-colleagues-Resentful-junior-producers-alerted-media.html
If the UK government subsidised these companies to the extent that they overcame the effect of tariffs, the EU will slap countervailing duties on UK goods. Which they are perfectly entitled to do under WTO rules.
And yet for appearances sake they maintain this façade of absolute Spartan-like unity commanded by the hive mind in Brussels.
Intractable and insecure, which will ultimately result in a lose-lose.
Macron would love that, and the rest of the EU. They could ponce around and send their shiny new carrier everywhere to 'project naval power', we'd cut our losses and not have to buy aircraft for the thing. It was clearly intended for a nascent EU Navy anyway - they might as well have the thing.
"Putain de nom de dieu
de bon dieu
de cent million pompes a merde".
It's phoney choreography, as much as when the negotiators on both sides pretend after each talk they need to go back and ask for more instructions, as though none of them had ever considered what the other side might ask for, and that they don't have instructions on how to respond to most scenarios.
For day to day stuff I tend to use Geany, Kate or Eclipse
If its talking to Macron or Merkel then we're told it would be better to talk to the EU.
If its talking to the EU then we're told it would be better to talk to Macron and Merkel.