Mr. B2, the Rhine and Danube are also nice examples for the shift of practical power in the Empire from Trajan's time (he had the Rhine legions on-side) to the Danubian soldier-generals that eventually resolved the crisis of the Third Century (most notably, Claudius, Aurelian and Diocletian).
That, along with most of your arcane Roman-era knowledge, I will have to take your word for.
The fact remains, as any ambitious raindrop knows all too well, the peak of their aspiration is to be falling from the sky somewhere near Basle in Switzerland and wondering whether they are destined for the North or Black Sea. When, prior to young Herdson's attempt to re-write the geographical syllabus, did you ever hear a raindrop so excited to be falling over the Pennines?
''Merkel isn't minded to do that as it would be domestically tough to cut Britain out of the single market given that 2m German jobs depend on our trade deficit with them.''
Sounds like its going to be a bit of a tough meeting, then.
Hmmm... 2 million? That sounds like the 3m Clegg number.
We're not even a top three export market for Germany; and I believe we account for just under 2% of German value add.
It depends how you calculate it.
If you argue, say, that German auto exports to the UK provide the economies of scale that then enable them to achieve a better cost quality ratio that gives them a competitive advantage in domestic and other foreign markets, then you could make the argument that many more jobs than those just needed to build cars for export to the UK depend on those UK exports.
PS That sort of calculation must be relatively more important for products which require highly expensive R&D which must be amortized over large numbers of units produced.
As an aside, if that's true of the German car industry, then it must be an order of magnitude more true for the UK's car industry. If WTO tariffs existed between the UK and the EEA (which I do not believe will happen), it would result in components for Nissan's being subject to import tariffs are they entered the UK, and then tariffs on Nissan's going to ultimate customers in the EEA. That would not be an optimal outcome for the UK.
Nissan might become a more popular car if we get into a tarriff cat ad mouse game given they're made in Sunderland..
I don't think any other country spent £4bn on sports in the last 20 years from lottery funding, which is, effectively, a tax on poor people.
You missed out the word voluntary.
VAT is also voluntary. You don't have to spend your money. Income tax is also voluntary, you don't have to earn.
Arguably you don't pay VAT on essentials (I know the definition of essential is contested) and you don't pay income tax on the first £10,000 of income (I think). Nobody has to play the Lottery.
As an aside, the sort of gambling discussed on here is, of course, tax free. Something that I don't think Gordon Brown gets enough credit for.
Mr. B2, it doesn't matter if I'm black or white. I have a dream, where splendid authors are judged by the content of their books and not the colour of their name.
[For the avoidance of doubt, Thaddeus White is a pen name].
I don't think any other country spent £4bn on sports in the last 20 years from lottery funding, which is, effectively, a tax on poor people.
You missed out the word voluntary.
VAT is also voluntary. You don't have to spend your money. Income tax is also voluntary, you don't have to earn.
Arguably you don't pay VAT on essentials (I know the definition of essential is contested) and you don't pay income tax on the first £10,000 of income (I think). Nobody has to play the Lottery.
Something that Labour have to be continually reminded of!
Fascinating. Presumably Drunker will start by removing all security around the EU buildings, and allowing anyone to go into his office, any time they like?
Mr. B2, it doesn't matter if I'm black or white. I have a dream, where splendid authors are judged by the content of their books and not the colour of their name.
[For the avoidance of doubt, Thaddeus White is a pen name].
''Merkel isn't minded to do that as it would be domestically tough to cut Britain out of the single market given that 2m German jobs depend on our trade deficit with them.''
Sounds like its going to be a bit of a tough meeting, then.
Hmmm... 2 million? That sounds like the 3m Clegg number.
We're not even a top three export market for Germany; and I believe we account for just under 2% of German value add.
It depends how you calculate it.
If you argue, say, that German auto exports to the UK provide the economies of scale that then enable them to achieve a better cost quality ratio that gives them a competitive advantage in domestic and other foreign markets, then you could make the argument that many more jobs than those just needed to build cars for export to the UK depend on those UK exports.
PS That sort of calculation must be relatively more important for products which require highly expensive R&D which must be amortized over large numbers of units produced.
As an aside, if that's true of the German car industry, then it must be an order of magnitude more true for the UK's car industry. If WTO tariffs existed between the UK and the EEA (which I do not believe will happen), it would result in components for Nissan's being subject to import tariffs are they entered the UK, and then tariffs on Nissan's going to ultimate customers in the EEA. That would not be an optimal outcome for the UK.
Yes, precisely. Of all UK sectors, the car industry is almost certainly the one which potentially has most to lose from Brexit. Like you, I think it's very unlikely that there won't be a tariff-free deal on manufactured goods - it's in neither side's interests - but there's always a risk that some political obstacle will screw things up.
''That would not be an optimal outcome for the UK. ''
As I understand it there is not one single tariff across the region between Iceland and Turkey.
Subjecting the UK to the arrangement you describe would be an act of clear and outright hostility to a key and much needed ally, and would be seen as so by the electorates of Europe,.
And that would not be an optimal outcome for the EU.
''Merkel isn't minded to do that as it would be domestically tough to cut Britain out of the single market given that 2m German jobs depend on our trade deficit with them.''
Sounds like its going to be a bit of a tough meeting, then.
Hmmm... 2 million? That sounds like the 3m Clegg number.
We're not even a top three export market for Germany; and I believe we account for just under 2% of German value add.
It depends how you calculate it.
If you argue, say, that German auto exports to the UK provide the economies of scale that then enable them to achieve a better cost quality ratio that gives them a competitive advantage in domestic and other foreign markets, then you could make the argument that many more jobs than those just needed to build cars for export to the UK depend on those UK exports.
PS That sort of calculation must be relatively more important for products which require highly expensive R&D which must be amortized over large numbers of units produced.
As an aside, if that's true of the German car industry, then it must be an order of magnitude more true for the UK's car industry. If WTO tariffs existed between the UK and the EEA (which I do not believe will happen), it would result in components for Nissan's being subject to import tariffs are they entered the UK, and then tariffs on Nissan's going to ultimate customers in the EEA. That would not be an optimal outcome for the UK.
Indeed. I am more and more convinced we'll end up with something between the Canadian and Swiss options, with a general model supplemented with specific deals to address issues such as this.
''Merkel isn't minded to do that as it would be domestically tough to cut Britain out of the single market given that 2m German jobs depend on our trade deficit with them.''
Sounds like its going to be a bit of a tough meeting, then.
Hmmm... 2 million? That sounds like the 3m Clegg number.
We're not even a top three export market for Germany; and I believe we account for just under 2% of German value add.
It depends how you calculate it.
If you argue, say, that German auto exports to the UK provide the economies of scale that then enable them to achieve a better cost quality ratio that gives them a competitive advantage in domestic and other foreign markets, then you could make the argument that many more jobs than those just needed to build cars for export to the UK depend on those UK exports.
PS That sort of calculation must be relatively more important for products which require highly expensive R&D which must be amortized over large numbers of units produced.
As an aside, if that's true of the German car industry, then it must be an order of magnitude more true for the UK's car industry. If WTO tariffs existed between the UK and the EEA (which I do not believe will happen), it would result in components for Nissan's being subject to import tariffs are they entered the UK, and then tariffs on Nissan's going to ultimate customers in the EEA. That would not be an optimal outcome for the UK.
Indeed, we have no middle manufacturing. The 2m figure is a back of the fag packet calculation btw, it's something like that. Given that they export £80bn in goods and services to the UK. A free trade deal for goods and services will be done, of that I'm sure. The question is what the price will be, I expect free movement with some minor qualifier, the Swiss solution to not paying membership fees and a three to five year transitional period of staying in the customs union while we figure out where we stand with WTO membership and our other trading partners.
''Merkel isn't minded to do that as it would be domestically tough to cut Britain out of the single market given that 2m German jobs depend on our trade deficit with them.''
Sounds like its going to be a bit of a tough meeting, then.
Hmmm... 2 million? That sounds like the 3m Clegg number.
We're not even a top three export market for Germany; and I believe we account for just under 2% of German value add.
It depends how you calculate it.
If you argue, say, that German auto exports to the UK provide the economies of scale that then enable them to achieve a better cost quality ratio that gives them a competitive advantage in domestic and other foreign markets, then you could make the argument that many more jobs than those just needed to build cars for export to the UK depend on those UK exports.
PS That sort of calculation must be relatively more important for products which require highly expensive R&D which must be amortized over large numbers of units produced.
As an aside, if that's true of the German car industry, then it must be an order of magnitude more true for the UK's car industry. If WTO tariffs existed between the UK and the EEA (which I do not believe will happen), it would result in components for Nissan's being subject to import tariffs are they entered the UK, and then tariffs on Nissan's going to ultimate customers in the EEA. That would not be an optimal outcome for the UK.
Nissan might become a more popular car if we get into a tarriff cat ad mouse game given they're made in Sunderland..
The issue for the UK, in the car manufacturing game, is that supply chains are long. So, a mill will buy iron ore, make steel, sell it to a firm that makes a sproket, that sproket will then be used in a gearbox, and that gearbox will then be used in a car, which will be sold across the continent.
The supply chains are long. And car companies are obsessed with keeping inventory levels at the lowest possible levels. Between the Canada and the US, trucks with automobile parts are specially precleared, so they aren't held up with customs checks between component suppliers in Ontario and car plants in Michigan.
Neither us nor the EU will want to disrupt those supply chains, and for this reason I would be extremely surprised if we did not come to an FTA for goods in short order. That being said, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that - should we go to WTO - it would be the UK, which would suffer the most.
''I expect free movement with some minor qualifier, the Swiss solution to not paying membership fees and a three to five year transitional period of staying in the customs union while we figure out where we stand with WTO membership and our other trading partners. ''
''Merkel isn't minded to do that as it would be domestically tough to cut Britain out of the single market given that 2m German jobs depend on our trade deficit with them.''
Sounds like its going to be a bit of a tough meeting, then.
Hmmm... 2 million? That sounds like the 3m Clegg number.
We're not even a top three export market for Germany; and I believe we account for just under 2% of German value add.
It depends how you calculate it.
If you argue, say, that German auto exports to the UK provide the economies of scale that then enable them to achieve a better cost quality ratio that gives them a competitive advantage in domestic and other foreign markets, then you could make the argument that many more jobs than those just needed to build cars for export to the UK depend on those UK exports.
PS That sort of calculation must be relatively more important for products which require highly expensive R&D which must be amortized over large numbers of units produced.
As an aside, if that's true of the German car industry, then it must be an order of magnitude more true for the UK's car industry. If WTO tariffs existed between the UK and the EEA (which I do not believe will happen), it would result in components for Nissan's being subject to import tariffs are they entered the UK, and then tariffs on Nissan's going to ultimate customers in the EEA. That would not be an optimal outcome for the UK.
Nissan might become a more popular car if we get into a tarriff cat ad mouse game given they're made in Sunderland..
The problem is that Nissan's supply chain is highly integrated with the rest of Europe. They source parts from Germany, France and Spain. At the last count over 40% of components for consumer grade cars were imported from Europe. Replacing that supply chain with UK made parts may not be possible due to a lack of scale in UK assembly which means that assembly may have to move closer to where the parts are manufactured. As I said, we will have a free trade deal for both goods and services, it is up to the government to decide how much of a political cost it is willing to accept.
Mr. B2, it doesn't matter if I'm black or white. I have a dream, where splendid authors are judged by the content of their books and not the colour of their name.
[For the avoidance of doubt, Thaddeus White is a pen name].
I wonder if the Olympics will mark a watershed in the prospects of GB. As we enter the uncertainties of Brexit negotiations and then life isolated outside the world's greatest trading block I couldn't help but think that our decline will be slow and unrelenting.
It is wonderful to enter a thread without a cartoon character in sight.
Watershed ?
Sure you don't mean zenith ?
As a metaphor, isn't that more or less the same thing - the highest point before an implicit decline?
I think high water mark is what tyson meant to say.
Watershed generally implies some break or turning point - pretty sure there is no implicit value judgement.
A watershed in geography is that point that divides the catchment area of one river / river-system from that of another; invariably a ridge or other high plateau. In other words, where both sides are downwards (although walking along a watershed can still be in an upwards direction).
Interestingly (for me at least), watershed is derived from the German "Wasserscheide" (literally "water divide").
Presumably the bodies of water on either side of a watershed are at approximately the same level?
No, the term's relating to the land. The 'divide' in question is the peak, ridge or the like in the topography that causes water on one side to flow into (say) the Aire and the other side to flow into the Calder.
Thank you. So, in that sense, tyson was correct in his figurative use of the term (although I disagree with his analysis!).
"catchment" is the term you are looking for here, I think (quals: Cambridge Geography grad)
The USGS is one US government entity which should know better but uses 'watershed' in the lazy sense I described - not only uses it that way, but defines it that way!
''I expect free movement with some minor qualifier, the Swiss solution to not paying membership fees and a three to five year transitional period of staying in the customs union while we figure out where we stand with WTO membership and our other trading partners. ''
Otherwise known as the 'save UKIP' solution....
In the short term UKIP might prosper, but over the longer term we'll still be out of the EU and our relationship with them will continue to loosen to a point where we may cut the final ties of free movement in a trade deal which is slightly less favourable for EU trade but gives us full control over immigration. We can't do that today, firstly because it takes a lot of time to achieve that and secondly because putting up trade barriers to a region where ca. 40% of our goods and services are exported seems like a mad policy without having new markets to trade with freely to replace the lost market.
Mr. B2, it doesn't matter if I'm black or white. I have a dream, where splendid authors are judged by the content of their books and not the colour of their name.
[For the avoidance of doubt, Thaddeus White is a pen name].
Ah so "Morris Dancer" is your REAL name
I thought he started with Wolseley Dancer, then worked through Riley Dancer, MG Dancer, then Morris Dancer as the first name that wasn't exclusively the name of a simply dreadful UK made car
Besides - who in hell would call a pen "Thaddeus White"? 'Parker', like Lady Penelope's chauffeur, that makes sense.
I wonder if the Olympics will mark a watershed in the prospects of GB. As we enter the uncertainties of Brexit negotiations and then life isolated outside the world's greatest trading block I couldn't help but think that our decline will be slow and unrelenting.
It is wonderful to enter a thread without a cartoon character in sight.
Watershed ?
Sure you don't mean zenith ?
As a metaphor, isn't that more or less the same thing - the highest point before an implicit decline?
I think high water mark is what tyson meant to say.
Watershed generally implies some break or turning point - pretty sure there is no implicit value judgement.
A watershed in geography is that point that divides the catchment area of one river / river-system from that of another; invariably a ridge or other high plateau. In other words, where both sides are downwards (although walking along a watershed can still be in an upwards direction).
Interestingly (for me at least), watershed is derived from the German "Wasserscheide" (literally "water divide").
Presumably the bodies of water on either side of a watershed are at approximately the same level?
No, the term's relating to the land. The 'divide' in question is the peak, ridge or the like in the topography that causes water on one side to flow into (say) the Aire and the other side to flow into the Calder.
Thank you. So, in that sense, tyson was correct in his figurative use of the term (although I disagree with his analysis!).
"catchment" is the term you are looking for here, I think (quals: Cambridge Geography grad)
The USGS is one US government entity which should know better but uses 'watershed' in the lazy sense I described - not only uses it that way, but defines it that way!
Here we have the 'Continental Divide' both eastern somewhere in the appalachians, and the western one in the Rockies. You know when you get there because there are road signs!
''Merkel isn't minded to do that as it would be domestically tough to cut Britain out of the single market given that 2m German jobs depend on our trade deficit with them.''
Sounds like its going to be a bit of a tough meeting, then.
Hmmm... 2 million? That sounds like the 3m Clegg number.
We're not even a top three export market for Germany; and I believe we account for just under 2% of German value add.
It depends how you calculate it.
If you argue, say, that German auto exports to the UK provide the economies of scale that then enable them to achieve a better cost quality ratio that gives them a competitive advantage in domestic and other foreign markets, then you could make the argument that many more jobs than those just needed to build cars for export to the UK depend on those UK exports.
PS That sort of calculation must be relatively more important for products which require highly expensive R&D which must be amortized over large numbers of units produced.
As an aside, if that's true of the German car industry, then it must be an order of magnitude more true for the UK's car industry. If WTO tariffs existed between the UK and the EEA (which I do not believe will happen), it would result in components for Nissan's being subject to import tariffs are they entered the UK, and then tariffs on Nissan's going to ultimate customers in the EEA. That would not be an optimal outcome for the UK.
Nissan might become a more popular car if we get into a tarriff cat ad mouse game given they're made in Sunderland..
The problem is that Nissan's supply chain is highly integrated with the rest of Europe. They source parts from Germany, France and Spain. At the last count over 40% of components for consumer grade cars were imported from Europe. Replacing that supply chain with UK made parts may not be possible due to a lack of scale in UK assembly which means that assembly may have to move closer to where the parts are manufactured. As I said, we will have a free trade deal for both goods and services, it is up to the government to decide how much of a political cost it is willing to accept.
Yes. Let's have the Single Market and Freedom of Movement. Perfect solution. Wait........
''Merkel isn't minded to do that as it would be domestically tough to cut Britain out of the single market given that 2m German jobs depend on our trade deficit with them.''
Sounds like its going to be a bit of a tough meeting, then.
Hmmm... 2 million? That sounds like the 3m Clegg number.
We're not even a top three export market for Germany; and I believe we account for just under 2% of German value add.
It depends how you calculate it.
If you argue, say, that German auto exports to the UK provide the economies of scale that then enable them to achieve a better cost quality ratio that gives them a competitive advantage in domestic and other foreign markets, then you could make the argument that many more jobs than those just needed to build cars for export to the UK depend on those UK exports.
PS That sort of calculation must be relatively more important for products which require highly expensive R&D which must be amortized over large numbers of units produced.
As an aside, if that's true of the German car industry, then it must be an order of magnitude more true for the UK's car industry. If WTO tariffs existed between the UK and the EEA (which I do not believe will happen), it would result in components for Nissan's being subject to import tariffs are they entered the UK, and then tariffs on Nissan's going to ultimate customers in the EEA. That would not be an optimal outcome for the UK.
Nissan might become a more popular car if we get into a tarriff cat ad mouse game given they're made in Sunderland..
The issue for the UK, in the car manufacturing game, is that supply chains are long. So, a mill will buy iron ore, make steel, sell it to a firm that makes a sproket, that sproket will then be used in a gearbox, and that gearbox will then be used in a car, which will be sold across the continent.
The supply chains are long. And car companies are obsessed with keeping inventory levels at the lowest possible levels. Between the Canada and the US, trucks with automobile parts are specially precleared, so they aren't held up with customs checks between component suppliers in Ontario and car plants in Michigan.
Neither us nor the EU will want to disrupt those supply chains, and for this reason I would be extremely surprised if we did not come to an FTA for goods in short order. That being said, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that - should we go to WTO - it would be the UK, which would suffer the most.
I wonder if the Olympics will mark a watershed in the prospects of GB. As we enter the uncertainties of Brexit negotiations and then life isolated outside the world's greatest trading block I couldn't help but think that our decline will be slow and unrelenting.
It is wonderful to enter a thread without a cartoon character in sight.
Watershed ?
Sure you don't mean zenith ?
As a metaphor, isn't that more or less the same thing - the highest point before an implicit decline?
I think high water mark is what tyson meant to say.
Watershed generally implies some break or turning point - pretty sure there is no implicit value judgement.
A watershed in geography is that point that divides the catchment area of one river / river-system from that of another; invariably a ridge or other high plateau. In other words, where both sides are downwards (although walking along a watershed can still be in an upwards direction).
Interestingly (for me at least), watershed is derived from the German "Wasserscheide" (literally "water divide").
Presumably the bodies of water on either side of a watershed are at approximately the same level?
No, the term's relating to the land. The 'divide' in question is the peak, ridge or the like in the topography that causes water on one side to flow into (say) the Aire and the other side to flow into the Calder.
Thank you. So, in that sense, tyson was correct in his figurative use of the term (although I disagree with his analysis!).
"catchment" is the term you are looking for here, I think (quals: Cambridge Geography grad)
The USGS is one US government entity which should know better but uses 'watershed' in the lazy sense I described - not only uses it that way, but defines it that way!
Here we have the 'Continental Divide' both eastern somewhere in the appalachians, and the western one in the Rockies. You know when you get there because there are road signs!
But didn't things get buggered up when they reversed the flow in the Chicago River?
''Merkel isn't minded to do that as it would be domestically tough to cut Britain out of the single market given that 2m German jobs depend on our trade deficit with them.''
Sounds like its going to be a bit of a tough meeting, then.
Hmmm... 2 million? That sounds like the 3m Clegg number.
We're not even a top three export market for Germany; and I believe we account for just under 2% of German value add.
It depends how you calculate it.
If you argue, say, that German auto exports to the UK provide the economies of scale that then enable them to achieve a better cost quality ratio that gives them a competitive advantage in domestic and other foreign markets, then you could make the argument that many more jobs than those just needed to build cars for export to the UK depend on those UK exports.
PS That sort of calculation must be relatively more important for products which require highly expensive R&D which must be amortized over large numbers of units produced.
As an aside, if that's true of the German car industry, then it must be an order of magnitude more true for the UK's car industry. If WTO tariffs existed between the UK and the EEA (which I do not believe will happen), it would result in components for Nissan's being subject to import tariffs are they entered the UK, and then tariffs on Nissan's going to ultimate customers in the EEA. That would not be an optimal outcome for the UK.
Indeed, we have no middle manufacturing. The 2m figure is a back of the fag packet calculation btw, it's something like that. Given that they export £80bn in goods and services to the UK. A free trade deal for goods and services will be done, of that I'm sure. The question is what the price will be, I expect free movement with some minor qualifier, the Swiss solution to not paying membership fees and a three to five year transitional period of staying in the customs union while we figure out where we stand with WTO membership and our other trading partners.
So, you still think it will be Britain who will dictate the policies. Dream on.......
Hungary go to the head of the heap marked "Hmmmmmm......." Along with Russia.
Two Hungarian women picked up three gold medals each. Both have been at the top of their respective sports for some years (the Iron Lady in particular is a Hungarian superstar). Hungary is very focused in the sports it pursues for the Olympics: all of their golds were accounted for by swimming, canoeing and fencing. I don't see especial grounds for doubting the integrity of their winners.
Hungary go to the head of the heap marked "Hmmmmmm......." Along with Russia.
Two Hungarian women picked up three gold medals each. Both have been at the top of their respective sports for some years (the Iron Lady in particular is a Hungarian superstar). Hungary is very focused in the sports it pursues for the Olympics: all of their golds were accounted for by swimming, canoeing and fencing. I don't see especial grounds for doubting the integrity of their winners.
Cast out a little ground-bait...and up the fishes come....
Mr. Surbiton, whilst a persuasive argument, I must confess to remain unconvinced dwelling in frigid darkness is comparable to not buying a lottery ticket.
I don't think any other country spent £4bn on sports in the last 20 years from lottery funding, which is, effectively, a tax on poor people.
You missed out the word voluntary.
VAT is also voluntary. You don't have to spend your money. Income tax is also voluntary, you don't have to earn.
Arguably you don't pay VAT on essentials (I know the definition of essential is contested) and you don't pay income tax on the first £10,000 of income (I think). Nobody has to play the Lottery.
As an aside, the sort of gambling discussed on here is, of course, tax free. Something that I don't think Gordon Brown gets enough credit for.
I don’t think .... could be wrong.... that Gordon Brown has ever had any credit for anything on PB>
I don't think any other country spent £4bn on sports in the last 20 years from lottery funding, which is, effectively, a tax on poor people.
You missed out the word voluntary.
VAT is also voluntary. You don't have to spend your money. Income tax is also voluntary, you don't have to earn.
Arguably you don't pay VAT on essentials (I know the definition of essential is contested) and you don't pay income tax on the first £10,000 of income (I think). Nobody has to play the Lottery.
As an aside, the sort of gambling discussed on here is, of course, tax free. Something that I don't think Gordon Brown gets enough credit for.
I don’t think .... could be wrong.... that Gordon Brown has ever had any credit for anything on PB>
Hard to remember now, but I think in the early days he was universally called the "greatest chancellor of modern times".
I don't think any other country spent £4bn on sports in the last 20 years from lottery funding, which is, effectively, a tax on poor people.
You missed out the word voluntary.
VAT is also voluntary. You don't have to spend your money. Income tax is also voluntary, you don't have to earn.
Arguably you don't pay VAT on essentials (I know the definition of essential is contested) and you don't pay income tax on the first £10,000 of income (I think). Nobody has to play the Lottery.
As an aside, the sort of gambling discussed on here is, of course, tax free. Something that I don't think Gordon Brown gets enough credit for.
I don’t think .... could be wrong.... that Gordon Brown has ever had any credit for anything on PB>
ISTR that Mr Brown was given credit on PB (by some) for keeping us out of the Euro.
Good to see India stay on the path of credibility today by putting a monetary hawk in charge of the RBI. It does mean that Raghuram Rajan is available for when Carney's governorship comes to an end.
I don't think any other country spent £4bn on sports in the last 20 years from lottery funding, which is, effectively, a tax on poor people.
You missed out the word voluntary.
VAT is also voluntary. You don't have to spend your money. Income tax is also voluntary, you don't have to earn.
Arguably you don't pay VAT on essentials (I know the definition of essential is contested) and you don't pay income tax on the first £10,000 of income (I think). Nobody has to play the Lottery.
As an aside, the sort of gambling discussed on here is, of course, tax free. Something that I don't think Gordon Brown gets enough credit for.
I don’t think .... could be wrong.... that Gordon Brown has ever had any credit for anything on PB>
Hard to remember now, but I think in the early days he was universally called the "greatest chancellor of modern times".
Incidentally, as people have pondered the deep mystery that is Thaddeus White, I have heard he has a new story in an anthology due out on 2 September, entitled Explorations: Through the Wormhole. [The story is called Dead Weight].
It's the best Chinese sci-fi short story I have ever written.
I have just come back from three weeks in Tuscany with my children and grandchildren having endured daily temperatures of 35+ with high humidity and lots of mosquitoes and only bottled drinking water but it is a magnificent country with lovely people who adore families and children. However it really does look impoverished and while staying a couple of nights at a Rome airport hotel before flying home the hotel lost it's internet connection. It was a four star hotel and the staff were excellent but said that this was happening on a daily basis causing chaos as they couldn't input credit cards for payment, receive or deal with reservations or print boarding passes for guests. Indeed Rome airport had lost all it's internet one day the previous week.
They were furious with their Government saying that Italy was a third world country. Their frustration was palpable and I ventured to suggest they should follow the UK out of Europe and regain their sovereignty. The receptionist, who had worked in London, said that the UK is a strong country and has the 'balls' (her words) to leave. She seemed quite proud of the UK and at the same day the headlines showed the UK flag being flown alongside the Italian flag on the Genoa beaches in solidarity with the UK and the euro flag being removed. All the staff said they would vote out Renzie in October.
The EU is a complete failure and we need to Brexit asap
Incidentally, as people have pondered the deep mystery that is Thaddeus White, I have heard he has a new story in an anthology due out on 2 September, entitled Explorations: Through the Wormhole. [The story is called Dead Weight].
It's the best Chinese sci-fi short story I have ever written.
Is it true that you were heavily influenced by Sonic the Hedgehog?
I have just come back from three weeks in Tuscany with my children and grandchildren having endured daily temperatures of 35+ with high humidity and lots of mosquitoes and only bottled drinking water but it is a magnificent country with lovely people who adore families and children. However it really does look impoverished and while staying a couple of nights at a Rome airport hotel before flying home the hotel lost it's internet connection. It was a four star hotel and the staff were excellent but said that this was happening on a daily basis causing chaos as they couldn't input credit cards for payment, receive or deal with reservations or print boarding passes for guests. Indeed Rome airport had lost all it's internet one day the previous week.
They were furious with their Government saying that Italy was a third world country. Their frustration was palpable and I ventured to suggest they should follow the UK out of Europe and regain their sovereignty. The receptionist, who had worked in London, said that the UK is a strong country and has the 'balls' (her words) to leave. She seemed quite proud of the UK and at the same day the headlines showed the UK flag being flown alongside the Italian flag on the Genoa beaches in solidarity with the UK and the euro flag being removed. All the staff said they would vote out Renzie in October.
The EU is a complete failure and we need to Brexit asap
I'm not sure the EU is to blame for Italy's endemic corruption and poor infrastructure.
I don't think any other country spent £4bn on sports in the last 20 years from lottery funding, which is, effectively, a tax on poor people.
You missed out the word voluntary.
VAT is also voluntary. You don't have to spend your money. Income tax is also voluntary, you don't have to earn.
Arguably you don't pay VAT on essentials (I know the definition of essential is contested) and you don't pay income tax on the first £10,000 of income (I think). Nobody has to play the Lottery.
As an aside, the sort of gambling discussed on here is, of course, tax free. Something that I don't think Gordon Brown gets enough credit for.
I don’t think .... could be wrong.... that Gordon Brown has ever had any credit for anything on PB>
Hard to remember now, but I think in the early days he was universally called the "greatest chancellor of modern times".
Is 'greatest' better than 'near perfect'?
On the grounds that "Great Scot!" sounds better than "Near Perfect Scot!" (a hard thing to envision) I would have to say Prossibly (a combination of possibly and probably).
Of course neither compares favorably to reversing the flow of the Chicago River, even though they forgot to tell anybody.
Unless you've got a good memory and recalled me praising the excellent quartet of Sonic books I had as a child, which introduced me to concepts such as transmogrification and the Grandmother Paradox in time travel.
In those terms, there is not a Sonic influence, for this short story.
Edited extra bit: I only had 5-10k words to play with, so I don't want to over-egg the cake, but there is a mild Alien/Wrath of Khan influence.
''The EU is a complete failure and we need to Brexit asap ''
Mr G - Born Again Brexiteer!
Never thought I'd see the day.
I was born again at 5.00am on the morning after the referendum. But it should be said I was an avid eurosceptic all along but I am very much a Brexiteer now even promoting it Internationally !!
I have just come back from three weeks in Tuscany with my children and grandchildren having endured daily temperatures of 35+ with high humidity and lots of mosquitoes and only bottled drinking water but it is a magnificent country with lovely people who adore families and children. However it really does look impoverished and while staying a couple of nights at a Rome airport hotel before flying home the hotel lost it's internet connection. It was a four star hotel and the staff were excellent but said that this was happening on a daily basis causing chaos as they couldn't input credit cards for payment, receive or deal with reservations or print boarding passes for guests. Indeed Rome airport had lost all it's internet one day the previous week.
They were furious with their Government saying that Italy was a third world country. Their frustration was palpable and I ventured to suggest they should follow the UK out of Europe and regain their sovereignty. The receptionist, who had worked in London, said that the UK is a strong country and has the 'balls' (her words) to leave. She seemed quite proud of the UK and at the same day the headlines showed the UK flag being flown alongside the Italian flag on the Genoa beaches in solidarity with the UK and the euro flag being removed. All the staff said they would vote out Renzie in October.
The EU is a complete failure and we need to Brexit asap
I'm not sure the EU is to blame for Italy's endemic corruption and poor infrastructure.
One hell of a handy (and currently high profile) scapegoat though.
I have just come back from three weeks in Tuscany with my children and grandchildren having endured daily temperatures of 35+ with high humidity and lots of mosquitoes and only bottled drinking water but it is a magnificent country with lovely people who adore families and children. However it really does look impoverished and while staying a couple of nights at a Rome airport hotel before flying home the hotel lost it's internet connection. It was a four star hotel and the staff were excellent but said that this was happening on a daily basis causing chaos as they couldn't input credit cards for payment, receive or deal with reservations or print boarding passes for guests. Indeed Rome airport had lost all it's internet one day the previous week.
They were furious with their Government saying that Italy was a third world country. Their frustration was palpable and I ventured to suggest they should follow the UK out of Europe and regain their sovereignty. The receptionist, who had worked in London, said that the UK is a strong country and has the 'balls' (her words) to leave. She seemed quite proud of the UK and at the same day the headlines showed the UK flag being flown alongside the Italian flag on the Genoa beaches in solidarity with the UK and the euro flag being removed. All the staff said they would vote out Renzie in October.
The EU is a complete failure and we need to Brexit asap
I'm not sure the EU is to blame for Italy's endemic corruption and poor infrastructure.
Maybe but they are the target of the people as is happening throughout Europe. UK voting out has had a big effect on the rest of Europe
Unless you've got a good memory and recalled me praising the excellent quartet of Sonic books I had as a child, which introduced me to concepts such as transmogrification and the Grandmother Paradox in time travel.
In those terms, there is not a Sonic influence, for this short story.
Edited extra bit: I only had 5-10k words to play with, so I don't want to over-egg the cake, but there is a mild Alien/Wrath of Khan influence.
A surprising influence on me was some Sonic the Hedgehog books which I absolutely loved. As well as liking them, they introduced me to the concepts of time paradoxes, the fourth and fifth dimensions, and transmogrification (no, really).
''The EU is a complete failure and we need to Brexit asap ''
Mr G - Born Again Brexiteer!
Never thought I'd see the day.
I was born again at 5.00am on the morning after the referendum. But it should be said I was an avid eurosceptic all along but I am very much a Brexiteer now even promoting it Internationally !!
Northern Italy is very successful. Sadly it is attached to Southern Italy. This is to be regretted and responsibility must ultimately lie at Charles Albert's door.
Mr. B, ah, well, it's crammed full of interesting information, free stories, and the odd piece of artwork (do check for the Greek/Egyptian style picture of Dog fighting a monster, if you haven't seen it yet).
I have just come back from three weeks in Tuscany with my children and grandchildren having endured daily temperatures of 35+ with high humidity and lots of mosquitoes and only bottled drinking water but it is a magnificent country with lovely people who adore families and children. However it really does look impoverished and while staying a couple of nights at a Rome airport hotel before flying home the hotel lost it's internet connection. It was a four star hotel and the staff were excellent but said that this was happening on a daily basis causing chaos as they couldn't input credit cards for payment, receive or deal with reservations or print boarding passes for guests. Indeed Rome airport had lost all it's internet one day the previous week.
They were furious with their Government saying that Italy was a third world country. Their frustration was palpable and I ventured to suggest they should follow the UK out of Europe and regain their sovereignty. The receptionist, who had worked in London, said that the UK is a strong country and has the 'balls' (her words) to leave. She seemed quite proud of the UK and at the same day the headlines showed the UK flag being flown alongside the Italian flag on the Genoa beaches in solidarity with the UK and the euro flag being removed. All the staff said they would vote out Renzie in October.
The EU is a complete failure and we need to Brexit asap
I'm not sure the EU is to blame for Italy's endemic corruption and poor infrastructure.
One hell of a handy (and currently high profile) scapegoat though.
There's no doubt that the euro has done Italy a power of no good.
The EU's man in Rome, Matteo Renzi, is going to lose his referendum, upholding the EU's near 100% defeat rate when it comes to plebiscites on its ideas.
Incidentally, the proper map for Kingdom Asunder is too big to include in the book, so I'll be putting that up on my website (http://thaddeuswhite.weebly.com/) either just before or just after it's released.
The EU's man in Rome, Matteo Renzi, is going to lose his referendum, upholding the EU's near 100% defeat rate when it comes to plebiscites on its ideas.
I have just come back from three weeks in Tuscany with my children and grandchildren having endured daily temperatures of 35+ with high humidity and lots of mosquitoes and only bottled drinking water but it is a magnificent country with lovely people who adore families and children. However it really does look impoverished and while staying a couple of nights at a Rome airport hotel before flying home the hotel lost it's internet connection. It was a four star hotel and the staff were excellent but said that this was happening on a daily basis causing chaos as they couldn't input credit cards for payment, receive or deal with reservations or print boarding passes for guests. Indeed Rome airport had lost all it's internet one day the previous week.
They were furious with their Government saying that Italy was a third world country. Their frustration was palpable and I ventured to suggest they should follow the UK out of Europe and regain their sovereignty. The receptionist, who had worked in London, said that the UK is a strong country and has the 'balls' (her words) to leave. She seemed quite proud of the UK and at the same day the headlines showed the UK flag being flown alongside the Italian flag on the Genoa beaches in solidarity with the UK and the euro flag being removed. All the staff said they would vote out Renzie in October.
The EU is a complete failure and we need to Brexit asap
I'm not sure the EU is to blame for Italy's endemic corruption and poor infrastructure.
Indeed. With our particular history we do find it so difficult to empathise with our European neighbours. For centuries Italy was ruled by, and fought over by, foreign powers. With the native population surviving by trying to outwit their foreign landlords (hence the persisting mistrust of authority, culture of 'furbo' and tax evasion, and ultimately the mafia). They have just over a century of independence to look back on, which of course includes the Mussolini era. Italy embraced the EU out of hope that Brussels had surely to offer better governance than home grown politicians. For more understanding of the modern perspective of what Italian politics had become, the '1992' DVD box set is recommended.
Do you approve the constitutional bill concerning the dispositions to overcome the perfect bicameralism, the reduction of the number of members of the Parliament, the restraint of the institutions' operating costs, the abolition of CNEL and the revision of Titolo V of the 2nd part of the Constitution, which was approved by the Parliament and publicated on the Gazzetta Ufficiale n. 88, on April 15, 2016?
I'm very much of the view the Party Conference and the Autumn Statement will tell us a lot more about the kind of Government May will be leading. At the moment, everyone can focus their own aspirations/hopes/prejudices and expect them to be met as, to be honest, we've gone through the summer without any Government at all.
So what of our future economic direction notwithstanding Brexit ? As everyone seems to have stopped caring about the deficit or the debt, I presume a healthy dose of good old-fashioned reflation is on the cards or perhaps the euphemism of "supply side reforms" which we all know means tax cuts for businesses and higher earners and nothing but platitudes for the rest of us.
Best not to think about the QE....
On a tangent, I was musing about the unexpected (to some) Conservative majority last year. I think if he had come up 20 seats short, we'd have seen Coalition 2.0 but not with the LDs but with the SNP. A Conservative-SNP Coalition was always an option with Cameron giving a virtual free hand to Sturgeon (everything but independence) and, with no majority, he would have been off the EU Referendum hook and even if Peter Bone and 50 of the Tory "awkward squad" had put down a motion calling for a vote, the SNP and Labour would have voted against and Cameron would have won comfortably.
The "threat" might have been Ed M in Sturgeon's pocket - the reality might have been Sturgeon in Cameron's.
''There's no doubt that the euro has done Italy a power of no good. ''
I feel sorry for Italy. They thought joining meant thousands of stern, muscular Northern European policemen with barking alsatians would come south to rescue them from corruption and organised crime.
Am I alone in wishing our EU27 neighbours a resoundingly successful conclusion to EMU, a thriving economy and healthy markets? I'm jolly keen on trading with them.
Hungary go to the head of the heap marked "Hmmmmmm......." Along with Russia.
Two Hungarian women picked up three gold medals each. Both have been at the top of their respective sports for some years (the Iron Lady in particular is a Hungarian superstar). Hungary is very focused in the sports it pursues for the Olympics: all of their golds were accounted for by swimming, canoeing and fencing. I don't see especial grounds for doubting the integrity of their winners.
Cast out a little ground-bait...and up the fishes come....
Hungary is a wonderful country with a distinctive culture and history. FPT Budapest would be far the most interesting choice from the 2024 host cities on offer.
I don't think any other country spent £4bn on sports in the last 20 years from lottery funding, which is, effectively, a tax on poor people.
You missed out the word voluntary.
VAT is also voluntary. You don't have to spend your money. Income tax is also voluntary, you don't have to earn.
Arguably you don't pay VAT on essentials (I know the definition of essential is contested) and you don't pay income tax on the first £10,000 of income (I think). Nobody has to play the Lottery.
As an aside, the sort of gambling discussed on here is, of course, tax free. Something that I don't think Gordon Brown gets enough credit for.
I don’t think .... could be wrong.... that Gordon Brown has ever had any credit for anything on PB>
ISTR that Mr Brown was given credit on PB (by some) for keeping us out of the Euro.
A happy circumstance, but surely only fought for so Brown could keep a conspicuous area of control over financial affairs away from Blair?
I'm very much of the view the Party Conference and the Autumn Statement will tell us a lot more about the kind of Government May will be leading. At the moment, everyone can focus their own aspirations/hopes/prejudices and expect them to be met as, to be honest, we've gone through the summer without any Government at all.
So what of our future economic direction notwithstanding Brexit ? As everyone seems to have stopped caring about the deficit or the debt, I presume a healthy dose of good old-fashioned reflation is on the cards or perhaps the euphemism of "supply side reforms" which we all know means tax cuts for businesses and higher earners and nothing but platitudes for the rest of us.
Best not to think about the QE....
On a tangent, I was musing about the unexpected (to some) Conservative majority last year. I think if he had come up 20 seats short, we'd have seen Coalition 2.0 but not with the LDs but with the SNP. A Conservative-SNP Coalition was always an option with Cameron giving a virtual free hand to Sturgeon (everything but independence) and, with no majority, he would have been off the EU Referendum hook and even if Peter Bone and 50 of the Tory "awkward squad" had put down a motion calling for a vote, the SNP and Labour would have voted against and Cameron would have won comfortably.
The "threat" might have been Ed M in Sturgeon's pocket - the reality might have been Sturgeon in Cameron's.
QE is basically chemotherapy that fails to cure the patient.
I don't think any other country spent £4bn on sports in the last 20 years from lottery funding, which is, effectively, a tax on poor people.
You missed out the word voluntary.
VAT is also voluntary. You don't have to spend your money. Income tax is also voluntary, you don't have to earn.
Arguably you don't pay VAT on essentials (I know the definition of essential is contested) and you don't pay income tax on the first £10,000 of income (I think). Nobody has to play the Lottery.
As an aside, the sort of gambling discussed on here is, of course, tax free. Something that I don't think Gordon Brown gets enough credit for.
I don’t think .... could be wrong.... that Gordon Brown has ever had any credit for anything on PB>
ISTR that Mr Brown was given credit on PB (by some) for keeping us out of the Euro.
A happy circumstance, but surely only fought for so Brown keep a conspicuous area of control over financial affairs away from Blair?
The right thing done for the wrong reasons is still the right thing.
Though I'm not sure "to piss Blair off" was necessarily the wrong reasons.
Am I alone in wishing our EU27 neighbours a resoundingly successful conclusion to EMU, a thriving economy and healthy markets? I'm jolly keen on trading with them.
No - but wishing won't change the facts on the ground (Unless you are a Corbyn Supporter)
Am I alone in wishing our EU27 neighbours a resoundingly successful conclusion to EMU, a thriving economy and healthy markets? I'm jolly keen on trading with them.
And they need to trade with us, hence a deal will happen
Am I alone in wishing our EU27 neighbours a resoundingly successful conclusion to EMU, a thriving economy and healthy markets? I'm jolly keen on trading with them.
No - but wishing won't change the facts on the ground (Unless you are a Corbyn Supporter)
I think I'd rather be right than happy any day. Sadly, I fear the EU27 are only locking themselves into an every tighter spiral of endless crisis and decline.
Hungary go to the head of the heap marked "Hmmmmmm......." Along with Russia.
Two Hungarian women picked up three gold medals each. Both have been at the top of their respective sports for some years (the Iron Lady in particular is a Hungarian superstar). Hungary is very focused in the sports it pursues for the Olympics: all of their golds were accounted for by swimming, canoeing and fencing. I don't see especial grounds for doubting the integrity of their winners.
Cast out a little ground-bait...and up the fishes come....
Hungary is a wonderful country with a distinctive culture and history. FPT Budapest would be far the most interesting choice from the 2024 host cities on offer.
I have nothing against Hungary, other than remembering that the place was fry-an-egg-on-the-pavements hot in the middle of August. But TeamGB seemed to cope with the heat of Rio, so not a bar to giving it a thumbs up. It's just that Paris would be head and shoulders above the rest as a venue.
''Merkel isn't minded to do that as it would be domestically tough to cut Britain out of the single market given that 2m German jobs depend on our trade deficit with them.''
Sounds like its going to be a bit of a tough meeting, then.
Hmmm... 2 million? That sounds like the 3m Clegg number.
We're not even a top three export market for Germany; and I believe we account for just under 2% of German value add.
No, we are the 3rd largest export market for Germany, and only just behind their top two export markets. In terms of the balance of trade, Germany's largest net trade surplus is with the US (£54 bn) followed closely by the UK (£50bn). We really do hold all the cards with the Germans, cards that until the Brexit vote we were forbidden to play.
Incidentally, as people have pondered the deep mystery that is Thaddeus White, I have heard he has a new story in an anthology due out on 2 September, entitled Explorations: Through the Wormhole. [The story is called Dead Weight].
It's the best Chinese sci-fi short story I have ever written.
I have just come back from three weeks in Tuscany with my children and grandchildren having endured daily temperatures of 35+ with high humidity and lots of mosquitoes and only bottled drinking water but it is a magnificent country with lovely people who adore families and children. However it really does look impoverished and while staying a couple of nights at a Rome airport hotel before flying home the hotel lost it's internet connection. It was a four star hotel and the staff were excellent but said that this was happening on a daily basis causing chaos as they couldn't input credit cards for payment, receive or deal with reservations or print boarding passes for guests. Indeed Rome airport had lost all it's internet one day the previous week.
They were furious with their Government saying that Italy was a third world country. Their frustration was palpable and I ventured to suggest they should follow the UK out of Europe and regain their sovereignty. The receptionist, who had worked in London, said that the UK is a strong country and has the 'balls' (her words) to leave. She seemed quite proud of the UK and at the same day the headlines showed the UK flag being flown alongside the Italian flag on the Genoa beaches in solidarity with the UK and the euro flag being removed. All the staff said they would vote out Renzie in October.
The EU is a complete failure and we need to Brexit asap
I'm not sure the EU is to blame for Italy's endemic corruption and poor infrastructure.
One hell of a handy (and currently high profile) scapegoat though.
There's no doubt that the euro has done Italy a power of no good.
I think that's right. It's the country in the Eurozone which i think would benefit most from a return to the Lira.
But, and it's a big but, Italy has many problems that are nothing to do with the EU or the Euro. Its demographics are absolutely appalling. Its labour market is among the least flexible in Europe. Its banks are subscale and have too many non performing loans. Corruption is endemic. There is an appalling north south divide. Government debt to GDP is second only behind Greece.
Italian politicians of all colours have refused to recognise the depth of its problems. Leaving the EU might help as regards the currency, but most of Italy's problems are theirs and theirs alone.
Am I alone in wishing our EU27 neighbours a resoundingly successful conclusion to EMU, a thriving economy and healthy markets? I'm jolly keen on trading with them.
For it to work, they really have to make the European Parliament sovereign. Voters don;t like ceding power to politicians who don;t have to campaign to them. We would then see cross border parties develop and politicians of one country campaigning in others.
Hungary go to the head of the heap marked "Hmmmmmm......." Along with Russia.
Two Hungarian women picked up three gold medals each. Both have been at the top of their respective sports for some years (the Iron Lady in particular is a Hungarian superstar). Hungary is very focused in the sports it pursues for the Olympics: all of their golds were accounted for by swimming, canoeing and fencing. I don't see especial grounds for doubting the integrity of their winners.
Cast out a little ground-bait...and up the fishes come....
Hungary is a wonderful country with a distinctive culture and history. FPT Budapest would be far the most interesting choice from the 2024 host cities on offer.
I have nothing against Hungary, other than remembering that the place was fry-an-egg-on-the-pavements hot in the middle of August. But TeamGB seemed to cope with the heat of Rio, so not a bar to giving it a thumbs up. It's just that Paris would be head and shoulders above the rest as a venue.
''Italian politicians of all colours have refused to recognise the depth of its problems. Leaving the EU might help as regards the currency, but most of Italy's problems are theirs and theirs alone. ''
Isn;t that why the Italian voters joined the EU though? they wanted politicians from outside Italy to get a grip on endemic problems their own were incapable of solving.
I have just come back from three weeks in Tuscany with my children and grandchildren having endured daily temperatures of 35+ with high humidity and lots of mosquitoes and only bottled drinking water but it is a magnificent country with lovely people who adore families and children. However it really does look impoverished and while staying a couple of nights at a Rome airport hotel before flying home the hotel lost it's internet connection. It was a four star hotel and the staff were excellent but said that this was happening on a daily basis causing chaos as they couldn't input credit cards for payment, receive or deal with reservations or print boarding passes for guests. Indeed Rome airport had lost all it's internet one day the previous week.
The EU is a complete failure and we need to Brexit asap
I'm not sure the EU is to blame for Italy's endemic corruption and poor infrastructure.
One hell of a handy (and currently high profile) scapegoat though.
There's no doubt that the euro has done Italy a power of no good.
I think that's right. It's the country in the Eurozone which i think would benefit most from a return to the Lira.
But, and it's a big but, Italy has many problems that are nothing to do with the EU or the Euro. Its demographics are absolutely appalling. Its labour market is among the least flexible in Europe. Its banks are subscale and have too many non performing loans. Corruption is endemic. There is an appalling north south divide. Government debt to GDP is second only behind Greece.
Italian politicians of all colours have refused to recognise the depth of its problems. Leaving the EU might help as regards the currency, but most of Italy's problems are theirs and theirs alone.
Oh yes, I do agree. The EU is a handy whipping boy for domestic politicians. Membership of the single market does not automatically translate into economic growth. By some measures the Italian economy was #4 in 1991. It's had almost no growth since the introduction of the euro.
Thinking about it, this is why I'm fairly relaxed about our prospects. You can't point at the EU27 overall and say, "Look how much trend growth has improved since Maastricht and then the Euro".
However, I refuse to make the EU a bogeyman. It's been a boon to the A8 and A2, an improvement for Portugal, Spain and Greece, and obviously has done Germany and its satellites a power of good.
I have just come back from three weeks in Tuscany with my children and grandchildren having endured daily temperatures of 35+ with high humidity and lots of mosquitoes and only bottled drinking water but it is a magnificent country with lovely people who adore families and children. However it really does look impoverished and while staying a couple of nights at a Rome airport hotel before flying home the hotel lost it's internet connection. It was a four star hotel and the staff were excellent but said that this was happening on a daily basis causing chaos as they couldn't input credit cards for payment, receive or deal with reservations or print boarding passes for guests. Indeed Rome airport had lost all it's internet one day the previous week.
They were furious with their Government saying that Italy was a third world country. Their frustration was palpable and I ventured to suggest they should follow the UK out of Europe and regain their sovereignty. The receptionist, who had worked in London, said that the UK is a strong country and has the 'balls' (her words) to leave. She seemed quite proud of the UK and at the same day the headlines showed the UK flag being flown alongside the Italian flag on the Genoa beaches in solidarity with the UK and the euro flag being removed. All the staff said they would vote out Renzie in October.
The EU is a complete failure and we need to Brexit asap
I'm not sure the EU is to blame for Italy's endemic corruption and poor infrastructure.
Maybe but they are the target of the people as is happening throughout Europe. UK voting out has had a big effect on the rest of Europe
So your holiday anecdotes versus polling showing almost every EU country more strongly in favour of the EU than before the referendum. What to believe.
I have just come back from three weeks in Tuscany with my children and grandchildren having endured daily temperatures of 35+ with high humidity and lots of mosquitoes and only bottled drinking water but it is a magnificent country with lovely people who adore families and children. However it really does look impoverished and while staying a couple of nights at a Rome airport hotel before flying home the hotel lost it's internet connection. It was a four star hotel and the staff were excellent but said that this was happening on a daily basis causing chaos as they couldn't input credit cards for payment, receive or deal with reservations or print boarding passes for guests. Indeed Rome airport had lost all it's internet one day the previous week.
They were furious with their Government saying that Italy was a third world country. Their frustration was palpable and I ventured to suggest they should follow the UK out of Europe and regain their sovereignty. The receptionist, who had worked in London, said that the UK is a strong country and has the 'balls' (her words) to leave. She seemed quite proud of the UK and at the same day the headlines showed the UK flag being flown alongside the Italian flag on the Genoa beaches in solidarity with the UK and the euro flag being removed. All the staff said they would vote out Renzie in October.
The EU is a complete failure and we need to Brexit asap
I'm not sure the EU is to blame for Italy's endemic corruption and poor infrastructure.
Maybe but they are the target of the people as is happening throughout Europe. UK voting out has had a big effect on the rest of Europe
So your holiday anecdotes versus polling showing almost every EU country more strongly in favour of the EU than before the referendum. What to believe.
The same polls, presumably, that showed UK electorates hardening in favour of the EU as well..?
At room temperature, holding your nose (or not often), I would bet good money on no one being able to tell the difference between red or white wine; or whisky or brandy.
It's quite a good party trick. Especially if there is a "wine expert" there...
On topic...I think Lab need a good 10-15 years to work this socialism will work if only the people are given a chance stuff out of their system.
Not as effective as a six-month campaign and then referendum for the Tories & the EU but it seems nothing else is going to work.
Not being able to tell the difference between whisky and brandy? That sounds a little unlikely, Mr. Topping. Perhaps if the contestants have already had a few and you are using low quality (i.e. near raw spirit blends) for the materials, I might, possibly, confuse the two. But stone cold sober, I am sure I could tell the difference and if you used say an Islay whisky such as Laphroaig up against, well, just about any brandy you care to name I am dead certain I could.
Perhaps we could try this at the meeting with young AlanBrooke.
Deprived of smell, I think quite a lot of people would struggle to tell the difference between Whisky and Brandy. Nose is around 90 percent of tasting. Brandy (to me) has a bit more of a metallic taste. Obviously if you're talking about something heavily peated, that would change things.
I have just come back from three weeks in Tuscany with my children and grandchildren having endured daily temperatures of 35+ with high humidity and lots of mosquitoes and only bottled drinking water but it is a magnificent country with lovely people who adore families and children. However it really does look impoverished and while staying a couple of nights at a Rome airport hotel before flying home the hotel lost it's internet connection. It was a four star hotel and the staff were excellent but said that this was happening on a daily basis causing chaos as they couldn't input credit cards for payment, receive or deal with reservations or print boarding passes for guests. Indeed Rome airport had lost all it's internet one day the previous week.
They were furious with their Government saying that Italy was a third world country. Their frustration was palpable and I ventured to suggest they should follow the UK out of Europe and regain their sovereignty. The receptionist, who had worked in London, said that the UK is a strong country and has the 'balls' (her words) to leave. She seemed quite proud of the UK and at the same day the headlines showed the UK flag being flown alongside the Italian flag on the Genoa beaches in solidarity with the UK and the euro flag being removed. All the staff said they would vote out Renzie in October.
The EU is a complete failure and we need to Brexit asap
I'm not sure the EU is to blame for Italy's endemic corruption and poor infrastructure.
Maybe but they are the target of the people as is happening throughout Europe. UK voting out has had a big effect on the rest of Europe
So your holiday anecdotes versus polling showing almost every EU country more strongly in favour of the EU than before the referendum. What to believe.
The same polls, presumably, that showed UK electorates hardening in favour of the EU as well..?
The answer might be to introduce a handicapping system. Every athlete gets a DNA and hormone test, and are assigned a Natural Advantage Indicator. Then they have different weights to slow them down, the higher their NAI is. The athletes that train and work hardest will then win, so matter how they are born.
Am I alone in wishing our EU27 neighbours a resoundingly successful conclusion to EMU, a thriving economy and healthy markets? I'm jolly keen on trading with them.
I have just come back from three weeks in Tuscany with my children and grandchildren having endured daily temperatures of 35+ with high humidity and lots of mosquitoes and only bottled drinking water but it is a magnificent country with lovely people who adore families and children. However it really does look impoverished and while staying a couple of nights at a Rome airport hotel before flying home the hotel lost it's internet connection. It was a four star hotel and the staff were excellent but said that this was happening on a daily basis causing chaos as they couldn't input credit cards for payment, receive or deal with reservations or print boarding passes for guests. Indeed Rome airport had lost all it's internet one day the previous week.
They were furious with their Government saying that Italy was a third world country. Their frustration was palpable and I ventured to suggest they should follow the UK out of Europe and regain their sovereignty. The receptionist, who had worked in London, said that the UK is a strong country and has the 'balls' (her words) to leave. She seemed quite proud of the UK and at the same day the headlines showed the UK flag being flown alongside the Italian flag on the Genoa beaches in solidarity with the UK and the euro flag being removed. All the staff said they would vote out Renzie in October.
The EU is a complete failure and we need to Brexit asap
I'm not sure the EU is to blame for Italy's endemic corruption and poor infrastructure.
Maybe but they are the target of the people as is happening throughout Europe. UK voting out has had a big effect on the rest of Europe
So your holiday anecdotes versus polling showing almost every EU country more strongly in favour of the EU than before the referendum. What to believe.
I'm going to be interested in seeing more of those polls. The only one I saw was taken just as the £ and FTSE went into the shitter and before Nice etc.
I have just come back from three weeks in Tuscany with my children and grandchildren having endured daily temperatures of 35+ with high humidity and lots of mosquitoes and only bottled drinking water but it is a magnificent country with lovely people who adore families and children. However it really does look impoverished and while staying a couple of nights at a Rome airport hotel before flying home the hotel lost it's internet connection. It was a four star hotel and the staff were excellent but said that this was happening on a daily basis causing chaos as they couldn't input credit cards for payment, receive or deal with reservations or print boarding passes for guests. Indeed Rome airport had lost all it's internet one day the previous week.
They were furious with their Government saying that Italy was a third world country. Their frustration was palpable and I ventured to suggest they should follow the UK out of Europe and regain their sovereignty. The receptionist, who had worked in London, said that the UK is a strong country and has the 'balls' (her words) to leave. She seemed quite proud of the UK and at the same day the headlines showed the UK flag being flown alongside the Italian flag on the Genoa beaches in solidarity with the UK and the euro flag being removed. All the staff said they would vote out Renzie in October.
The EU is a complete failure and we need to Brexit asap
I'm not sure the EU is to blame for Italy's endemic corruption and poor infrastructure.
One hell of a handy (and currently high profile) scapegoat though.
There's no doubt that the euro has done Italy a power of no good.
I think that's right. It's the country in the Eurozone which i think would benefit most from a return to the Lira.
But, and it's a big but, Italy has many problems that are nothing to do with the EU or the Euro. Its demographics are absolutely appalling. Its labour market is among the least flexible in Europe. Its banks are subscale and have too many non performing loans. Corruption is endemic. There is an appalling north south divide. Government debt to GDP is second only behind Greece.
Italian politicians of all colours have refused to recognise the depth of its problems. Leaving the EU might help as regards the currency, but most of Italy's problems are theirs and theirs alone.
Maybe most of Italy's problems are theirs alone, but nonetheless the whole point of a separate currency is that it would allow a devaluation to reduce costs across the board in recognition of those very same problems. As it is, in 10 years time and possibly much sooner Italy will have gone the way of Greece barring an end to the single currency.
Am I alone in wishing our EU27 neighbours a resoundingly successful conclusion to EMU, a thriving economy and healthy markets? I'm jolly keen on trading with them.
For it to work, they really have to make the European Parliament sovereign. Voters don;t like ceding power to politicians who don;t have to campaign to them. We would then see cross border parties develop and politicians of one country campaigning in others.
I am sure that statements like "High unemployment in Italy is a price worth paying to keep down inflation in Germany." (C) E George - would go down well.
You could take all the UK medals off that figure and the EU would still be top and the UK not showing in the top 3.
Not that it isn't a ridiculous tweet.
Ignoring the inclusion of the UK, I think the bigggest and most idiotic mistake was that IF the EU was a single country they would not be able to field anyway near the number of candidates the member states fielded. It would be safe to assume the total medal count would be significantly less.
Incidentally, the proper map for Kingdom Asunder is too big to include in the book, so I'll be putting that up on my website (http://thaddeuswhite.weebly.com/) either just before or just after it's released.
Noooooooo! A terrible idea! When I am reading the book in bed and you make a reference to a town/city/route and I wonder where the feck is that again I will have to get up turn on my computer wait for it warm up and then log and navigate to the map. During which time I will have gone from comfortable, toasty-warm to wide awake and cursing with the old BP pumping up.
My only sensible solution would be to print out the map and blue-tack it onto the ceiling above my bed. Herself might have something to say about that but needs must when the devil drives. Just how big is this map? My printer can deal with A3 but the nice chaps at the design studio in the village can print up to A0, for a fee.
Comments
Good afternoon, everybody.
As an aside, the sort of gambling discussed on here is, of course, tax free. Something that I don't think Gordon Brown gets enough credit for.
[For the avoidance of doubt, Thaddeus White is a pen name].
Fascinating. Presumably Drunker will start by removing all security around the EU buildings, and allowing anyone to go into his office, any time they like?
As I understand it there is not one single tariff across the region between Iceland and Turkey.
Subjecting the UK to the arrangement you describe would be an act of clear and outright hostility to a key and much needed ally, and would be seen as so by the electorates of Europe,.
And that would not be an optimal outcome for the EU.
Hungary go to the head of the heap marked "Hmmmmmm......." Along with Russia.
The supply chains are long. And car companies are obsessed with keeping inventory levels at the lowest possible levels. Between the Canada and the US, trucks with automobile parts are specially precleared, so they aren't held up with customs checks between component suppliers in Ontario and car plants in Michigan.
Neither us nor the EU will want to disrupt those supply chains, and for this reason I would be extremely surprised if we did not come to an FTA for goods in short order. That being said, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that - should we go to WTO - it would be the UK, which would suffer the most.
Otherwise known as the 'save UKIP' solution....
http://water.usgs.gov/edu/watershed.html
"He responds to the name of "Mister Phelps"...."
Edited extra bit: Mr. Mark, the enormo-haddock make Phelps look like a sea horse.
Besides - who in hell would call a pen "Thaddeus White"? 'Parker', like Lady Penelope's chauffeur, that makes sense.
It's the best Chinese sci-fi short story I have ever written.
They were furious with their Government saying that Italy was a third world country. Their frustration was palpable and I ventured to suggest they should follow the UK out of Europe and regain their sovereignty. The receptionist, who had worked in London, said that the UK is a strong country and has the 'balls' (her words) to leave. She seemed quite proud of the UK and at the same day the headlines showed the UK flag being flown alongside the Italian flag on the Genoa beaches in solidarity with the UK and the euro flag being removed. All the staff said they would vote out Renzie in October.
The EU is a complete failure and we need to Brexit asap
Mr G - Born Again Brexiteer!
Never thought I'd see the day.
Of course neither compares favorably to reversing the flow of the Chicago River, even though they forgot to tell anybody.
Unless you've got a good memory and recalled me praising the excellent quartet of Sonic books I had as a child, which introduced me to concepts such as transmogrification and the Grandmother Paradox in time travel.
In those terms, there is not a Sonic influence, for this short story.
Edited extra bit: I only had 5-10k words to play with, so I don't want to over-egg the cake, but there is a mild Alien/Wrath of Khan influence.
I checked your website
I hope they answer the question at hand
I'm very much of the view the Party Conference and the Autumn Statement will tell us a lot more about the kind of Government May will be leading. At the moment, everyone can focus their own aspirations/hopes/prejudices and expect them to be met as, to be honest, we've gone through the summer without any Government at all.
So what of our future economic direction notwithstanding Brexit ? As everyone seems to have stopped caring about the deficit or the debt, I presume a healthy dose of good old-fashioned reflation is on the cards or perhaps the euphemism of "supply side reforms" which we all know means tax cuts for businesses and higher earners and nothing but platitudes for the rest of us.
Best not to think about the QE....
On a tangent, I was musing about the unexpected (to some) Conservative majority last year. I think if he had come up 20 seats short, we'd have seen Coalition 2.0 but not with the LDs but with the SNP. A Conservative-SNP Coalition was always an option with Cameron giving a virtual free hand to Sturgeon (everything but independence) and, with no majority, he would have been off the EU Referendum hook and even if Peter Bone and 50 of the Tory "awkward squad" had put down a motion calling for a vote, the SNP and Labour would have voted against and Cameron would have won comfortably.
The "threat" might have been Ed M in Sturgeon's pocket - the reality might have been Sturgeon in Cameron's.
I feel sorry for Italy. They thought joining meant thousands of stern, muscular Northern European policemen with barking alsatians would come south to rescue them from corruption and organised crime.
Sadly, it never happened.
Though I'm not sure "to piss Blair off" was necessarily the wrong reasons.
https://www.destatis.de/EN/FactsFigures/NationalEconomyEnvironment/ForeignTrade/TradingPartners/Tables/OrderRankGermanyTradingPartners.pdf?__blob=publicationFile
As for the Italian position, who knows whether it will be Renzi or M5S calling the shots by May 2018.
But, and it's a big but, Italy has many problems that are nothing to do with the EU or the Euro. Its demographics are absolutely appalling. Its labour market is among the least flexible in Europe. Its banks are subscale and have too many non performing loans. Corruption is endemic. There is an appalling north south divide. Government debt to GDP is second only behind Greece.
Italian politicians of all colours have refused to recognise the depth of its problems. Leaving the EU might help as regards the currency, but most of Italy's problems are theirs and theirs alone.
For it to work, they really have to make the European Parliament sovereign. Voters don;t like ceding power to politicians who don;t have to campaign to them. We would then see cross border parties develop and politicians of one country campaigning in others.
Isn;t that why the Italian voters joined the EU though? they wanted politicians from outside Italy to get a grip on endemic problems their own were incapable of solving.
It just hasn't happened, sadly.
https://twitter.com/EuroGuido/status/767705150723063809
Thinking about it, this is why I'm fairly relaxed about our prospects. You can't point at the EU27 overall and say, "Look how much trend growth has improved since Maastricht and then the Euro".
However, I refuse to make the EU a bogeyman. It's been a boon to the A8 and A2, an improvement for Portugal, Spain and Greece, and obviously has done Germany and its satellites a power of good.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrison_Bergeron
Not that it isn't a ridiculous tweet.
My only sensible solution would be to print out the map and blue-tack it onto the ceiling above my bed. Herself might have something to say about that but needs must when the devil drives. Just how big is this map? My printer can deal with A3 but the nice chaps at the design studio in the village can print up to A0, for a fee.