Off Topic The "Discuss Anything Else" Thread

Seems the European Commission has come to the conclusion the Cologne sex attacks are not linked to the refugee crisis.

 

The one thing that we know from history is that we never learn from history and continually make the same mistakes. We spent the best part of 1,500 years of our history squabbling with our continental neighbours and now we are a member of their club even though the rules are increasingly detrimental to our national interest.

On the Master Investor Brexit column, I read a synopsis of ‘Beyond The Ghost’, a paper written for the Historians For Britain campaign – a group of eminent historians who argue that it is time to reclaim our national sovereignty.

Professor Gwythian Prins essay is eighteen pages of historical critique of a number of tenets of the European Union. Halfway through, the identities of the ghosts becomes sharply apparent.

Starting with defence and security, he is quick to criticise weakness from the United States (Obama’s “limp leadership”) causing us to look more to our European allies. Cameron’s negotiation, he argues, has started badly because he should have declared an intention to leave if he did not get substantial reform. Instead he has made four minimal demands (that may not be granted) and our national security could still be subject to the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy, a supranational authority.

Not surprisingly, there is an excellent analysis of the history of the European Project, to which we were signed up by self-confessed federalist Edward Heath. Cameron wants to stop “Ever Closer Union” but we signed up to that at Maastricht, so surely the only way out is to tear up that Treaty.

Churchill wrote in 1930 “we are with Europe but not of it” and history takes us back to Lord Castlereagh in 1820, Liverpool’s Foreign Secretary less than complimentary about alliances with Europe, five years after Waterloo.

What he has to say about the failing Euro currency straitjacket ought to be freely quoted by the Brexit campaign. Little analysis is needed to show how Germany put down Greece despite the democratic will of the people.

The section entitled “The flaw in Europeanism” would probably not meet with much agreement in France, where Human Rights is “quasi-religious dogma”.

In the European Union we do have “a protected sphere in which policy-making can evade the constraints imposed by representative government.”

 

Well, the chairman of Historians For Britain is Cambridge University Professor David Abulafia. I think it is the accepted norm these days that top academics have names that score well at Scrabble but have everybody wondering about their ethnicity.

Who knows, one day Gwyneth Paltrow’s daughter Apple Martin might be Professor of Music at Oxford, if she can beat Peaches Honeyblossom Geldof to the job.

 

Wouldn't worry about things so much, old chap. Trying to understand it all will drive you bonkers in the end. On the Stock Market, it's not so terribly difficult, if someone like me can do well at it, anyone can. After you've checked-out a company thoroughly (even better if you know something about its business) buy on a medium-term basis. Then forget about it for a couple of years or more. Patience is the key. Lastly, it really doesn't matter a damn whether you understand binary or not to be a successful investor.

I'm tired, off to bed early. Night!

 

Just read that Terry Wogan has passed away. He was pretty special. Long-time UK presenter of the Eurovision Song Contest, which I don't think he liked very much?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/p...ision-song-contest-quotes-funny-a6844651.html

Many agree with you there, Terry. RIP

 

When it comes to the European Referendum, we know that Labour leader Comrade Corbyn has expressed a degree of ambivalence, so we are not actually sure what the Party position will be.

Interviewed on Sunday Politics this morning, Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell (who was on to discuss the feeble Google tax deal) suggested that by the end of the Century (when most of us will be pushing up the daisies) it will be a borderless World. Forget the Schengen Agreement, he thinks that we should do away with border controls altogether because people are already finding ways around them (except at Calais and Dunkirk).

It is difficult to know whether to take Mr McDonnell seriously since the crackpot policies that are espoused by him and Jezza are clearly intended to make them unelectable because that is how it works on the hard Left, the global home of protest politics.

 

He was like part of the furniture when I was a kid - the breakfast show was on every morning and then you had all the various TV shows. And who can forget the interview with George Best?

 

It is indeed a sad day to learn of the passing of a true broadcasting legend, Sir Terry Wogan; surely the greatest export from Limerick since humorous five-line poetry. The BBC News website front page is dominated by the loss of our adopted Irish genius.

He retired from his annual Eurovision Song Contest commentary a few years back (replaced by Graham Norton) but listening to his contemptuous ridicule of the spectacle was always a good reason to watch, with a bottle of something at hand to dull the senses!

Sadly he had to miss last year’s Children In Need telethon due to ill health, breaking a hosting stint of over thirty years since the fundraiser’s inception. His genial manner was perfect for such an occasion and his network of industry friends always guaranteed fun in a good cause.

His BBC Radio Two Breakfast Show was a staple of my life (and eight million others) for more years than I care to remember until he retired from regular broadcasting. I cannot claim to be one of the TOGs because I do not consider myself Old as both of my parents are still knocking around!

And I have not even mentioned Blankety Blank or his BBC1 chat show (with its legendary guest calamities)...

 

This Kevin Abosch photo just sold for a million euros. It's titled "Potato 345 (2010)". Time to break out my BoxBrownie.

please log in to view this image

 

I'm certainly not blue, but it is Monday, so what better time to bring back the Fat man. 59 years since the clip was made and it's still as fresh as ever.

 

You would imagine all us Irish would be filthy rich by now if we took a photo of one instead of eating them for breakfast/lunch/dinner and the 8 o clock snack!

What next, someone displaying a messed up bed that will fetch millions too...oh, wait!

 

Back in the UK permanently.....how do I feel?

Time for some Ozarks

excuse the visuals

 

We may find out a bit more about Daves sham EU talks today - Rumours are that he will trumpet a 'red card' system that would let Westminster block 'unnecessary or unwanted' EU legislation, provided it can find at least 14 (yes 14) allies in Europe.
hahaha what a joke! any real person would not be courting that as any kind of "negotiation" success.

 

Desperate Dave.

 

British Politics shining bright again I see.

Daves "we are useless but so were Labour" propaganda has worn deeply thin on me and his unforgivable scaremongering and bullying on the Syrian air strike issue made me feel sick. "Terrorist sympathisers"- the term he tarnished those with thoughtful, moral arguments against his proposed actions.

But don't worry, the watered down electorate lapped up the comments as usual. Beating their proud British chests as Hilary Benn put the final nail in with his 1945 rhetoric.

One of the most disappointing political events of my life.

 

Anyway, back on topic- the Eurozone negotiations

That red card system is really going to work, isn't it? There's more chance of me bagging 14 supermodels than us gaining agreement of 14 EU allies.

Isn't that the ****ing point of these negotiations? No one listens to him now, and he has renegotiated terms to require 14 allies to listen?!

But don't worry, he'll stand on a stage somewhere and the British flag will be there so that Joe Bloggs who catches 8 or 9 seconds of the ITV News can hail the success and the new found British power.

 

Well I'm a Cameron fan but that is pathetic. He would be better off telling them they can **** off then if that's the best they can do.

 

I don't know anything about this ****, but can the UK say. "**** you guys, we're out of here?" Is the UK legally bound in such a way that it can't opt out? And if it could, what would the repercussions be? Would the EU be capable of cutting the UK's financial throat?

 

BBC -The document says Mr Cameron's proposed four year ban on in-work benefits for EU migrant workers could come into force immediately after the UK votes to remain in the Union. But it would have to be agreed by other EU nations and it would be "graduated", with more money from tax credits paid to migrants the longer they remain in the UK.
Can everyone else see this means nil/nada/zero/nowt! It is 100% worthless, and children abroad will still get child benefit no matter what.