European Union "Divorce" case coming soon,. . .

[old man emu]

Surely the majority of Americans cannot be so gullible as to be deceived by such an overtly shallow, self serving blowhard. Can they?

This is the quandary that the people of the US have created. Are they all to be painted with the same brush, and depicted as the Ugly American? Are they all really the God-fearing church goers that they depict themselves as? Are they really social pariahs, seeking to gain advantage over their fellow countrymen by hook or by crook? Or is the average Yank the same as the average Aussie, Pom or Kiwi, whose main concerns are meeting Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs?

 

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OME

 

[dutchroll]

Surely the majority of Americans cannot be so gullible as to be deceived by such an overtly shallow, self serving blowhard. Can they?

Actually many of them could.

 

Are they all really the God-fearing church goers that they depict themselves as?OME

Pretty much.

 

Are they really social pariahs, seeking to gain advantage over their fellow countrymen by hook or by crook?

No I don't think so. Just that many are inspired by tough talk.....even if it's bs.

 

 

[Marty_d]

This is the quandary that the people of the US have created. Are they all to be painted with the same brush, and depicted as the Ugly American? Are they all really the God-fearing church goers that they depict themselves as? Are they really social pariahs, seeking to gain advantage over their fellow countrymen by hook or by crook? Or is the average Yank the same as the average Aussie, Pom or Kiwi, whose main concerns are meeting Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs?

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OME

Interesting hierarchy of needs, OME, but I'm not sure where the "do I vote for Trump or Clinton" falls on it.

 

I was listening to some analysis of the first debate today. Apparently Trump tells so many lies that the fact checking organisations can't keep up. By the time they come back and say "hold on, you said x and that's just wrong", he's already told another dozen porkies.

 

But people being people, his rusted-on supporters treat all this fact checking as just more "bias in the medya".

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Harrison Ford did NOT endorse Trump

Photo of Harrison Ford holding a Trump sign - FAKE

 

Photoshop is such a wonderful thing.......

 

C'mon Phil. It took me literally 60 seconds to check this. Harrison Ford actually let fly on Donald Trump when he was visiting Australia a little while back. Ford is a lifelong Democrat and opposes almost everything Trump says he stands for.

 

Clint Eastwood does endorse Trump but Clint Eastwood has always been a die-hard Republican supporter. He idolised George W Bush, Reagan, etc. What that says about Clint Eastwood's judgement - that's up to you to decide.

 

The Clinton Foundation has been getting mud thrown at it by Republicans for almost as long, yet strangely has never been charged with any wrongdoing or fraud. Republicans have control of both houses of Congress, they have Governors in various states, Republican supporting law enforcement, but still no charges. I don't know whether the Clinton Foundation has committed fraud or not, but they've never been charged with anything. Maybe they just haven't actually done anything?

Yes I know ! Good stir though. . . . I've emailed it to his agent and told her it's doing the rounds on antisocial media in the UK. . . When I met him briefly at a canalside pub a mile from our airfield some years ago, when he was on a narrowboat vaccation with the family ( I've posted about that hereinbefore ) He came over as a a really nice bloke very 'Into' flying.

 

Showing support for Trumpy is career suicide if you want to continue working in Hollywood I gather. . . so says James Woods, he seems very bitter about the whole thing, but has been sending twitter messages for ages trashing the Dems, Perhaps it is a good idea to keep schtum about one's politics when you're in the public eye, as you're bound to upset half your fanbase in a two party country. . .

 

On Clinton Industries etc, I've no doubt that if some reading was done re the Bush presidential dynasty, then there would quite possibly be some interesting things in that box as well. . .

 

Phil.

 

 

[Phil Perry]

That's absolute gold. Anyone who thinks Trump is qualified for the post of dog catcher, let alone POTUS, should watch it.

I watched it on catch-up this morning Marty. Trumpy looked nothing like he does if you see any segments of his rallies, where he is merely talking in an echo chamber; his words punctuated by riotous applause every few seconds.

 

He's also up against a highly experienced, polished politician and it shows. If he really wants to make any significant progress, he is going to have to take some presentational advice. He came over as a pathetic amateur indeed. ( Wifey's words too )

 

 

[Yenn]

Soleair said.Surely the majority of Americans cannot be so gullible as to be deceived by such an overtly shallow, self serving blowhard. Can they?

 

Next time will not be the first and as I see it they are all believers, as in religion, politics and needing an enemy. Don't truat them, they may be nice individually, but collectively they are bad news.

 

 

[Phil Perry]

I have a cousin who moved to upstate New York 15 years ago. She always had a bizarre sense of humour ( like me ) but the local bloke she married over there simply doesn't 'Get' the humour we exhange via email. Goes right over his head, not only that he is a bloody miserable Git too. They came to visit around 2 years back and I was Really Glad when they left. In a quiet moment, I asked her if all his friends back home were like him. . .she said, .. yes, they are, ALL of them !

 

Strange bunch, some Yanks. . . insufficiently large control group to extrapolate an overall opinion though of course Mr.Yenn Sir. . .

 

 

[Marty_d]

Trooble at mill, Phil?

 

Problems and a punch-up: What the hell is happening to UKIP?

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Trooble at mill, Phil?

Problems and a punch-up: What the hell is happening to UKIP?

Good question Marty. . . . So far I've heard / read 15 different stories about the UKIP Self Destruct sequence, which has now been going on since the day following the referendum. . .Brand new lady leader,. .. campaigns vociferously for the job. . .resigns 18 days later. . .and that ain't the half of it ! I think I'll stick with Labour,. . .at least they are funnier, and one hasn't punched anyone's lights out recently, since deputy PM John Prescott floored a bloke who threw an egg at him at a rally ! !

 

You gotta love 'Full Contact' politics. . . .

 

 

[Yenn]

Phil, didn't you hear of the Pommie polly who got in a fight the other day and was seriously ikk in hospital?

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Phil, didn't you hear of the Pommie polly who got in a fight the other day and was seriously ikk in hospital?

Yes Sir, that is what the above post was in response to; Marty's 'Trouble at T' Mill' query. Bloke called Steve Woolfe banged his head on a handrail and collapsed two hours later. that's story 1.

 

Story 2 is that another bloke hit him, causing him to fall over and bang his head and collpse 2 hours later ( Collapse caught on HD cctv cam ) Either way, I'm sure the full story will come out. Strange way for M.E.Ps to behave if it WAS fisticuffs though. . .Ocurred in the Strasbourg branch of the EU Parliament. Woolfe was pictured in his hospital bed yesterday, all smiles, he had got most of the feeling in his left side back apparently.

 

 

[Marty_d]

I wouldn't disagree with fisticuffs in the Parliament if it was done properly. At times if opposing MP's are getting a bit rowdy, and they're in the same weight and gender class, the Speaker should be able to say "Right! You two - coats off, boxing gloves on, get yourselves down here on the floor of the House and get stuck in for 3 minutes."

 

There's a few "honourable members" I'd like to see smacked in the head...

 

 

[Phil Perry]

I wouldn't disagree with fisticuffs in the Parliament if it was done properly. At times if opposing MP's are getting a bit rowdy, and they're in the same weight and gender class, the Speaker should be able to say "Right! You two - coats off, boxing gloves on, get yourselves down here on the floor of the House and get stuck in for 3 minutes."There's a few "honourable members" I'd like to see smacked in the head...

Yes, there are a few in the UK Parliament who could benefit from that. . . this 'Incident' ? didn't happen inside an EU parliamentary chamber, but somewhere else in the building. The bloke collapsed on his way out,. . . starfished on a walkway complete with his coat and briefcase, caught on the cameras, no one around anywhere. Still too many completely different stories being circulated at the moment. Most odd. . .

 

 

[old man emu]

Coward's punch???

 

 

[Phil Perry]

On a slightly different tack. . . .

 

It strikes me that Obama is a piece of useless jelly. Apparently the world is closer to nuclear war than ever before (Gorbachev) and what is he doing?.....Clinton's bidding. Speechifying. . . . . As President of the United States he should be talking directly with Russia and China, seeking to devise a plan for Syria that is acceptable to all parties.

 

Surely, when balanced against the potential of complete planetary destruction, compromise and co-operation provide a wiser and safer option than glum sulking and catcalling. It seems we are led by a gang of non too bright sixth formers.

 

 

[Marty_d]

One could argue that ensuring the next president is not Donald Trump is doing far more for foreign policy that attempting to talk to Russia (who don't seem to have any desire to have constructive dialog).

 

 

[spacesailor]

Donald Trump talk's to Putin Or at least admires him.

 

spacesailor

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

That's a good sign, Clinton just takes his money. Might need it to make bail.

 

But no current leader reaches the level of Ridrigo Duterte, what a legend with his actual war on drugs.

 

 

[Phil Perry]

One could argue that ensuring the next president is not Donald Trump is doing far more for foreign policy that attempting to talk to Russia (who don't seem to have any desire to have constructive dialog).

Marty, please forgive the 'Devil's Advocacy here for a moment, . . . but the total disasters called Afghanistan, Iraq ( TWICE ) Libya and finally Syria, with untold numbers killed and displaced, and the same bloody nonsense STILL ongoing and getting nowhere. . . surely can't be described by any reasonably sensible thinking person as a history of good American policy governance surely ? Will this change with the re-election of the same motley crew do you imagine ?

 

I'm of the distinct opinion that if the yanks elected a bloody donkey as a leader, ( And they may yet do ! ) it could hardly do a worse job of destabilizing the world. . . .

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Oh dear. . .here we go again with the Brexit Negotiation Moaners'

 

People complain that if we don't get a "deal" with the EU, we will have to trade under WTO rules and will have tariffs. . . .

 

They argue that to get a deal we should continue to pay the EU, accept freedom of movement, accept shared fishing rights and accept ECJ/EHCR jurisdiction. They say that this is because the tariffs will be so high that they will damage the economy ( ? ) Utter garbage. . .KEEP EVERYTHING we voted against in the referendum. ? ? ? Jeeze. . .

 

Of course, before the "free trade" (ho ho) agreement with the EU and the WTO, import/export tariffs were a large part of any government's revenue. With the fall in revenue from tariffs, we got VAT.

 

Tariffs apply to anything exported/imported and VAT applies to everything (even domestically produced). So pray tell why we cannot offset any "cost" from tariffs by a reduction in VAT. We could, alternatively, unilaterally elect to levy no import/export tariffs at all.

 

Bloody 'Negotiators' ?

 

Braindead philosophers more like. . . For heaven's sake,. . Why not send some BUSINESS people to do the 'Negotiating' ? Science ? . .Rockets ? . . .We have a £12Bn trade deficit with the EU, meaning WE buy a crapload more from them, than they buy from US. . . .we hold ALL the cards.

 

 

[Phil Perry]

MORE You ask Sir. . .?

 

Ok, I've looked at some statistics relating to this . . . .

 

Per annum, imports to the UK are £50 billion and exports are £45 billion (£95 billion total). Even if everything is done at a 10% tariff (high, even under WTO rules), that figure (£9.5 billion) is around the same as we pay directly to the EU under the current budget . . .! ( BUT - the WTO do NOT hang a load of ridiculous 'Open Borders' and other unwanted rules along with it )

 

So I can't see how the "Tariff Free" EU is actually beneficial to us in any way shape nor form. . .( Especially when it mandates things like continued loss of our fishing rights, ECJ jurisdictions )

 

Import / Export is dwarfed by GDP at around £1.9 trillion. . .( Only 5% of GDP )

 

 

[Marty_d]

Marty, please forgive the 'Devil's Advocacy here for a moment, . . . but the total disasters called Afghanistan, Iraq ( TWICE ) Libya and finally Syria, with untold numbers killed and displaced, and the same bloody nonsense STILL ongoing and getting nowhere. . . surely can't be described by any reasonably sensible thinking person as a history of good American policy governance surely ? Will this change with the re-election of the same motley crew do you imagine ?

I'm of the distinct opinion that if the yanks elected a bloody donkey as a leader, ( And they may yet do ! ) it could hardly do a worse job of destabilizing the world. . . .

... and Vietnam, Korea, Cuba, a bunch of others - US foreign policy has a heap of ups and downs but they have some absolutely spectacular failures too. Under presidents of both persuasions. Hillary may not be any different but she is a known quantity.

 

Trump's "policies", as he humorously calls them, are widely predicted by economists to f*ck the US economy beyond recognition. You won't have to worry about their foreign policy because he'll be Making America Broke Again.

 

That's a good sign, Clinton just takes his money. Might need it to make bail.

But no current leader reaches the level of Ridrigo Duterte, what a legend with his actual war on drugs.

Admiring mass murderers now Gnu?

 

Noticed today that Corey Bernardi has come out in support of Trump. That's enough to make any thinking person vote against him, right there.

 

 

[Gnarly Gnu]

Other way around, Rodrigo is ridding the country of the mass murderers by declaring them outlaws. You seem to get many things ass about.

 

I'm enjoying this Marty. The media is toast also, their influence is gone, as is much of their income.

 

 

[Spooks]

Brexit court defeat for UK government - BBC News

 

So they're now saying that the will of the British people needs a further vote by MPs to be legally binding.

 

So much effort was put into trying to scare the populace that I imagine they thought a 'remain' vote was a certainty.

 

Let's face it, did anyone ever really think the UK would be allowed to leave the EU?

 

 

[willedoo]

One could argue that ensuring the next president is not Donald Trump is doing far more for foreign policy that attempting to talk to Russia (who don't seem to have any desire to have constructive dialog).

Marty, just curious as to how often you read or watch Putin's speeches on domestic and international forums.

 

There's a big difference between what our media dishes up compared to what he actually says.

 

Russia has extended their hand continually over the years to the U.S.A. and it just gets smacked away every time. All they want is to be treated as equal partners with respect. Something that Uncle Sam has not got a very good track record on.

 

The things Putin has been saying over the last few years are not just weasel words. He backs them with action and a lot of diplomacy behind the scenes. On a diplomatic level, things are as normal as they can be. The POTUS is always under a lot of pressure to stick to the script, hence the sabre rattling. It's all up to people whether they want to fall for it or not.

 

A good example is the calm, logical, respectful relationship between Secretary of State John Kerry, and RF Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov. That's the real story, not the c*rap we read in the Murdoch media about what the President or some crazy General says..

 

The point I'm making is that Russia has actively pushed for constructive dialog on a lot of conflicting geopolitical issues for a long time. After years of rejection, they've had enough and have decided to do their own thing. Who can really blame them for that. The theory is, if they stop bashing their heads against a brick wall, sooner or later the pain will go away.

 

Apologies for getting off topic, but I've followed the politics of this for years and haven't seen too many examples of the Russians not having any desire to have constructive dialog. Some could argue that it's the other way around.