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View Poll Results: Should Britain leave the E.U. ?
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Yes
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109 |
50.00% |
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No
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46 |
21.10% |
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No.. But things MUST change
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38 |
17.43% |
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I don't care
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14 |
6.42% |
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Undecided
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11 |
5.05% |
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22 Jan 2016
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Cameron has turned his back on almost every other pre-election promise so why would the referendum be any different.
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22 Jan 2016
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In rough figures
Japan has about 1 lawyer per 4000 head of population.
Too many lawyers in Japan, says Ministry of Internal Affairs | Majirox News
For the UK, we have about 10 times more per head of population (ie about 1 per 400), and, for comparison, the USA has 1 lawyer per 250 citizens.
(Mr Cameron was talking about another subject today, related to these statistics and mentioned earlier in a broad description of the UK - the compensation culture).
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Last edited by Walkabout; 22 Jan 2016 at 20:34.
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22 Jan 2016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by *Touring Ted*
Cameron has turned his back on almost every other pre-election promise so why would the referendum be any different.
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So you are saying that he won't hold a referendum???
I'm no dyed-in-the-wool Tory, so I had to google this for you, but here's a helpful link to the Conservative Manifesto so you can check the accuracy of what you just wrote...
(I did the link in Cameron Blue rather than my normal Corbyn red) 
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22 Jan 2016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Walkabout
(I mentioned the Japanese work ethic which means a lot more than simply being prepared to undertake hands on work - it was the Japanese who took on the principle of Quality Control and developed it to the status of a semi-religion which may be in accord with their own "Zen").
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Another very good observation, in the uk sector too much emphasis is put on quantity and efficiency over quality.
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22 Jan 2016
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5-11 year old statistics
Reference the title I mean the statistics published by the junior school in my link above - a teacher produced them for the pupils use; let's assume they are correct, for these purposes at least.
Health figures: The Japanese spend 3 times more on their health than we do in the UK. (3% to 1%).
Alcohol consumption: we drink a bit more, but hey, that's not excessive. 
Savings: private savings rates are extremely different - 3% UK to 13% for Japan.
Land under agriculture: How does Japan feed it's population??
Other:
To match the head of population per land area of Japan, the UK would need to increase the current population by about 20m people.
Each of the 4 named cities outside of London (Sheffield, Glasgow, Birmingham, Leeds) should about triple in size, assuming that enough meaningful employment would be developed to support such increases.
These stats probably identify some key differences between the two countries and why Japan can make a living in the world via its manufacturing capability, including the export of motorcycles of course.
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Last edited by Walkabout; 23 Jan 2016 at 00:15.
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22 Jan 2016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim Cullis
So you are saying that he won't hold a referendum???
I'm no dyed-in-the-wool Tory, so I had to google this for you, but here's a helpful link to the Conservative Manifesto so you can check the accuracy of what you just wrote...
(I did the link in Cameron Blue rather than my normal Corbyn red) |
I certainly hope he does. But it's not beyond comprehension that it will be delayed or cancelled with some bullsh*t reason. Or perhaps severely watered down in some way.
A manifesto pledge is just a half arsed promise to gain votes in my opinion. There is no legal obligation for them to hold a referendum is there ? He's not going to be re-elected so he's got nothing to loose. He's got 500 Million in the bank to ease his conscience.
But please correct me if I'm wrong. I'm the first to admit that I'm no political guru.
There is no doubt in my mind that there is already a contingency plan with a room full of spin doctors already in full preparation for that scenario.
Here's a link for some other broken pledges.
[url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/yvette-cooper/election-promises-broken_b_7949232.html]Nine Broken Promises From the First 100 Days of This Conservative Government
I haven't checked it's accuracy. You're doing such a good job of that. I don't want to ruin your fun 
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22 Jan 2016
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Politicians lied? You'll be telling me next BMWs aren't the ultimate ( as in last ) and I shouldn't eat yellow snow. 
This one is too big to avoid. The con will be pictures of princess Charlotte and a puppy the day they announce it, the repeat votes in2018, 19 & 20 until we get it right etc.
The Euro trough is too big for them to avoid. Heck it's even managed to keep our rejects like Kinnock, etc. in luncheon vouchers when even the UN wouldn't have them. They aren't going to set their pension pot on fire when the only alternative is waiting for God in the House of Lords.
Andy
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23 Jan 2016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by *Touring Ted*
There is no legal obligation for them to hold a referendum is there
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For sure, politicos lie through their teeth - it is in the job description and their training - but in this case I seem to recall that a bill went through parliament for this one, some time ago perhaps??
Isn't that why it is constantly said that the referendum must occur by the end of 2017? 'Cos that is what the law says at present.
Anyone see a pattern appearing in the Jap statistics by the way??
A couple of more stats from the original link:
Japan has about twice the population, in rounded figures, but 3 times as many privately owned vehicles.
Their built up areas are 20% of land use, but ours is only 13%.
So, we might only have to build on another 7% of the UK to accommodate another 20 million workers (the earlier figure to match Japans' head of population to the total land area).
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23 Jan 2016
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Slightly off topic but this is to do with helping mitigate the housing crisis brought on by EU and non-EU migration.
I know the green belt is supposed to be sacrosanct and I appreciate there's some way to go with redeveloping brownfield sites, but I can't help thinking we need something really big to kickstart the solution to the housing crisis. There's no point building houses where there's no jobs, so in my mind one part of the solution is to move tens of thousands of government and other jobs out of London to new cities built on the green belt.
One site could be the fenland farmland south of Peterborough between Yaxley and Sawtry. It's on the main east coast rail line from London to Edinburgh and is next to the A1(M) so the complex transport infrastructure is already in place. There's even a small airfield at Connington (ex RAF Glatton) that could be extended back to its wartime runway lengths.
What government departments could be moved? How's about the Ministry of Defence in Whitehall for starters?
A similar suggestion from an MP for the Birmingham area: Move Government departments out of London and into the Midlands
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23 Jan 2016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tim Cullis
Cameron knows full well that both France and Germany have stated they do NOT want the Brexit referendum held in 2017 as it will interfere with their own elections.
Until now Cameron has helpfully—and in my view, rather optimistically—suggested the UK referendum will be in 2016, so long as an early agreement with EU leaders can be achieved. But today Cameron is saying, "I'm not in a hurry, I can hold my referendum at any time up until the end of 2017."
The other EU leaders realise that Cameron has a recent mandate from the British electorate (i.e. the renegotiation was in the Conservative manifesto and the party got elected). I think Cameron is in a fairly strong position and what he's asked for isn't outrageous. And that's unfortunate because if he achieves his demands it weakens the exit campaign.
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I think that was said because he want Europe to except the British interests and that he was telling Europe that he has a long time to get it before he has to have the referendum
Wayne
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23 Jan 2016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lonerider
1. Freedom to make stronger trade deals with other nations.
2. Freedom to spend UK resources presently through EU membership in the UK to the advantage of our citizens.
3. Freedom to control our national borders.
4. Freedom to restore Britain’s special legal system.
5. Freedom to deregulate the EU’s costly mass of laws.
6. Freedom to make major savings for British consumers.
7. Freedom to improve the British economy and generate more jobs.
8. Freedom to regenerate Britain’s fisheries.
9. Freedom to save the NHS from EU threats to undermine it by harmonising healthcare across the EU, and to reduce welfare payments to non-UK EU citizens.
10. Freedom to restore British customs and traditions.
Wayne
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Funny.
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23 Jan 2016
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Japanese Productivity
Quote:
Originally Posted by XS904
Another very good observation, in the uk sector too much emphasis is put on quantity and efficiency over quality.
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Thanks.
I have been reading this observation about the Japanese economy, which is quite astounding when considered fully:-
"it is not remarked often enough that, in terms of its working age population, Japan's growth has outpaced that of many of its advanced economy peers, not least the United States. On that basis, in 2000-07, Japan grew at a cumulative rate of 15%, almost twice as fast as the United States (8%) - the reverse of what headline growth rates show (10% and 18%). The difference is even bigger if the post-crisis years are also considered."
The "crisis" referenced therein is also called the "Great Financial Crisis" in the source document (below) i.e. that which occured in 2007-08.
Abstracted from: Is the unthinkable becoming routine?
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23 Jan 2016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith1954
I absolutely agree. In a cashless society, 'they' have complete and ultimate control over nearly all aspects of your life. When this happens, the government will be able to track every transaction, which should send shivers down the spines of most people. The death of cash will kill a lot of small businesses - in short, supreme centralised power!
You only need to look at what happened in Cyprus to see why a cashless society, where people have to keep money in a bank account, would appeal to the authorities in highly-indebted countries in particular.
I re-call reading about an online ".gov" petition against all this nonsense. I'll try and track it down. |
In an earlier post, about two days ago, there was mention of the concept of "bail ins" rather than bail outs of the banks.
The cashless society idea is also very handy for the imposition of negative rates of interest.
This does not get a lot of discussion in the public theatre, but it is already in use in, say, Switzerland, which continues to have a very strong economy.
So far, the national bank of Switzerland has only used negative interest rates in dealing with external banks to deter them from parking money in the Swiss domain; thereby the concept is both trialled and becomes an acceptable policy instrument for future use.
Some would say that the monetary raid on the Cypriot banks - the "haircut" - was intended to hit the Russian oligarchs who had, indeed, parked large amounts of cash in that country.
Again, the trial has been conducted and found to be successful.
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23 Jan 2016
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Walkabout
In an earlier post, about two days ago, there was mention of the concept of "bail ins" rather than bail outs of the banks.
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Among others, that's the main purpose of this crazy idea of cashless societies although the official retoric goes by the lines of fighting dirty money flows.
Many, many banks around the world along with many, many countries are virtually bankrupt. Warren Buffet once said that it's only when the tide goes that we see who's been swimming naked. Soon will come the day when the tide goes, this being, when interest rates start going back to more usual levels. Then, many banks and governments won't be able to refinance their current debt so this thing of the cashless comes very handy. It becomes easy to just do a haircut on depositors or even confiscate money directly from people's bank accounts effectivelly bailing-in banks and countries. The owners of the money won't have a say in the subject, at all.
It's one of the issues which concerns me most in the last year or so.
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