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More => Music, Movies, Politics, and Other Cheap Thrills => Topic started by: marko on June 24, 2016, 01:04:47 am

Title: Scary times ahead in the UK
Post by: marko on June 24, 2016, 01:04:47 am
We're out...

What comes next. Should have bought some Euros last night :)

I do NOT want another Scottish Independence referendum. I wish Ms. Sturgeon would just let it go and get on with it.
Title: Re: Scary times ahead in the UK
Post by: jmone on June 24, 2016, 04:36:11 am
... interesting times, UK votes to leave and we (Australia) joined (well EuroVision!)

Seriously, good luck to the UK and Europe, and I think we will see more exit the EU. Seems to me voters in many countries are expressing their distaste for big government.  Lets see how the US election goes next.
Title: Re: Scary times ahead in the UK
Post by: JimH on June 24, 2016, 07:10:22 am
You were OK before the EU.  You'll be OK after.  It's the uncertainty that creates the wobbly markets.

The polls and the press had it all wrong!  Surprise!

It is interesting to watch.  Good luck.
Title: Re: Scary times ahead in the UK
Post by: DarkPenguin on June 24, 2016, 09:08:40 am
I hear the Greeks are lining up for an affordable British vacation this year.
Title: Re: Scary times ahead in the UK
Post by: BillT on June 24, 2016, 12:06:12 pm
You were OK before the EU.  You'll be OK after.

For some value of OK. The world was very different 45 years ago.

Those who voted to leave seem to be under the impression that they will be able to stop immigration, stop paying the EU and dismantle all the EU derived legislation whilst continuing to trade with the world under similar terms that they have as a member of the EU.

They are in for a rude awakening.
Title: Re: Scary times ahead in the UK
Post by: JimH on June 24, 2016, 06:51:25 pm
I hear the Greeks are lining up for an affordable British vacation this year.
You're going to get arrested some day.
Title: Re: Scary times ahead in the UK
Post by: astromo on June 24, 2016, 09:34:40 pm
Putting the financial effects to one side, the concern for me is the fragmented, self-centred, insular message this sends. It's a bit of a political trend at the moment (viz. the guy who wants to make America "great" again and round down under way the budgie smuggler - who's now on the sideline - wanting to "turn back the boats").

As a general principle I think the world is generally a better place when there's a sense of unity about.

Can't say I'm impressed with David Cameron's form. He gets a letter signed by key players in his party voting support no matter what. Then when the brexit vote came in, he cashes in his chips. We'll see if Boris takes the reins. He's not noted for his inclusive political platform.

The world will survive for sure. My vote is for a silver lining. I'm just struggling to see its glimmer at the moment.
Title: Re: Scary times ahead in the UK
Post by: marko on June 25, 2016, 12:53:58 am
Morning everyone...

See Nicola's going for the independence referendum, I suppose she doesn't really have any choice since Scotland voted in it's entirety to remain. I just don't see how Scotland could wield any clout on its own, and, I agree with astromo, together is better, or should be if we could all just behave in a grown up civilised manner about it.

There is no way that I see that Scotland could effectively defend itself as an independent nation, and Putin worries me...
In or out, we're better as a united island as far as I'm concerned. The thought of having to go through border control to visit England is just ridiculous. Sick to the back teeth doesn't even come close to how I feel about poiliticians and their politicing right now.

If the rain stops for long enough, I think I'll take my camera out for a ramble this morning. Need to get away from this conveyer belt of pundits and correspondants and their endless appeals for calm and their pointless opinions and predictions about this, that and the next thing.

Whether we like it or not, we're being taken on a ride now, and there's nothing we can do or say about it. Just hang on tight and pray eveything's the right way up when the shaking stops.

I hear the Greeks are lining up for an affordable British vacation this year.
You're going to get arrested some day.
I chuckled. Love DP's one liners. The markets ended the day well though, according to this morning's news.
Title: Re: Scary times ahead in the UK
Post by: DarkPenguin on June 25, 2016, 09:48:08 am
You're going to get arrested some day.
Only if Trump gets in office.
Title: Re: Scary times ahead in the UK
Post by: JimH on June 25, 2016, 11:07:22 am
That will be a cold day in winter.
Title: Re: Scary times ahead in the UK
Post by: KingSparta on June 25, 2016, 03:57:34 pm
I think the Idea of a "Euro" is rather dumb

the UK will be just fine without being in the EU, better, more likely.
Title: Re: Scary times ahead in the UK
Post by: BillT on June 26, 2016, 07:37:06 am
The idea of the Euro is quite good. How would you like it if you had to use New York dollars in NY and Texas dollars in Texas with a constantly varying exchange rate? Of course the EU cocked up the implementation by not abiding by their own rules and letting in countries with economies that didn't match their requirements in their desperation to get it going.

England (if this goes ahead the UK will probably disintegrate) will survive of course, but it will be worse off, probably much worse off.

Read this if you want a reasonable forecast of what will probably happen https://www.berenberg.de/uploads/tx_news/Economics_03-2016-14_Brexit.pdf
Title: Re: Scary times ahead in the UK
Post by: Hendrik on June 26, 2016, 09:51:22 am
Some sad facts:
- The demographic of the vote has mostly old people voting to leave, those that don't have to work in the "new world" anymore, while young people voted for stay (maybe such votes should be weighted towards the average time you have to live with the decision)
- After the results were announced last friday, google questions from UK citizens regarding the EU have spiked substantially (https://twitter.com/GoogleTrends/status/746303118820937728) ... good that they are trying to inform themself, just much too late.

Anyway, this whole thing is nothing but bad populism, taking advantage of the immigration and refugee crisis to push peoples buttons, no matter the consequences.
Its quite likely that britain will fall apart if they actually leave. Scottland really wants to stay in the EU, and if they can't stop the Brexit, they'll quite definitely go for independence again. And North Ireland might just join them.
Title: Re: Scary times ahead in the UK
Post by: DJLegba on June 26, 2016, 12:17:15 pm
@BillT your analogy is off. A more appropriate question would be how would Canada, the US, and Mexico work out a North American Union? I can tell you right now the idea would have almost no support.
Title: Re: Scary times ahead in the UK
Post by: BillT on June 26, 2016, 01:26:19 pm
FYI, the Euro is a currency, so not directly related to political union.

The EU has an area of 4.4 million sq km, the US 9.9 million sq. km. The EU has a population of 507 million, the US a population of 331 million. Hence the areas and populations are similar. Individual US states have areas and populations that are comparable to EU countries, so I think the analogy is a good one.

In previous centuries when populations were relatively immobile multiple currencies weren't much of an issue. With modern freedom of movement, in a small area they are.
Title: Re: Scary times ahead in the UK
Post by: DJLegba on June 26, 2016, 02:38:06 pm
FYI the currency in the UK is the pound sterling, not the Euro.
Title: Re: Scary times ahead in the UK
Post by: KingSparta on June 26, 2016, 06:32:54 pm
A Bit Of Reading about Member state of the European Union

the UK Opted-out of the "euro"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Member_state_of_the_European_Union (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Member_state_of_the_European_Union)
Title: Re: Scary times ahead in the UK
Post by: KingSparta on June 27, 2016, 07:48:07 am
It seems 5 more countries in the EU may leave.
Title: Re: Scary times ahead in the UK
Post by: DarkPenguin on June 27, 2016, 05:16:35 pm
Looks like the English Men's National Team invoked Article 50. (Not my joke.)
Title: Re: Scary times ahead in the UK
Post by: jmone on June 27, 2016, 06:18:40 pm
But how excited have the Icelandic Fans been.  Seems that 1/2 the country has travelled to see them play.
Title: Re: Scary times ahead in the UK
Post by: KingSparta on June 28, 2016, 06:55:56 pm
Looks like the English Men's National Team invoked Article 50. (Not my joke.)

I don't get it.
Title: Re: Scary times ahead in the UK
Post by: DarkPenguin on June 28, 2016, 07:05:51 pm
I don't get it.
I'm sorry.
Title: Re: Scary times ahead in the UK
Post by: JimH on June 28, 2016, 07:13:14 pm
You're not.
Title: Re: Scary times ahead in the UK
Post by: ferday on June 28, 2016, 10:03:29 pm
Looks like the English Men's National Team invoked Article 50. (Not my joke.)

Ha ha ha

That one tickled
Title: Re: Scary times ahead in the UK
Post by: AndrewFG on June 29, 2016, 06:19:11 am

Hey guys, just remember that a while ago, a bunch of "crazy" guys in North America "elected" to leave the BU (British Union). It took them a while to sort things out. But in the end it worked out alright. (Er, well, more-or-less, that is ..)