General / Off-Topic Scotland suddenly becomes even more expensive.
- Thread starter Surfinjo
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Yaffle
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Not the best reference, but you get the picture - http://www.dw.com/en/a-free-and-independent-free-state-of-bavaria/a-17932583
That is the way of capitalism.
I am a middleaged dutch guy and I can't remember our government saying anything else than that the common people need to tighten their belts.
At the same time I see the elite getting richer and even our royals get more and more money and tax discounts.
Our poor and disabled elderly now lie in their feces for hours and get less and less help.
10% of our children now live below poverty levels.
More and more people have debts they will never be able to pay off and more and more people need to make use of foodbanks.
But the good news is that the rich become richer.
They even announce this in the news without even a trace of shame.
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The result of the Scottish referendum was caused by fear of change. I'm sure the European referendum is going to have the same outcome as well.
The Scottish Referendum was before the General Election. We never thought it possible that the #Respectful Interspecies Face Lover would ever manage another term. There must've been a lot of Scots kicking themselves after the results of that General Election.
Yes, we didn't know how much Cameron enjoyed pork before we voted, but we did know about the Bullingdon Club's penchant for teasing homeless people by burning money in front of them, and I personally find that much more obscene.
But at what point is "optimum democracy" achieved? Democracy, inevitably, means some people get disappointed. My village is thrashing out it's village planning document. Wherever the new houses go, someone will be disappointed. Even the discussion about how many houses we need building isn't straight forward, with dome (the retired ones with big houses) saying we don't need any and others (the families who are struggling to find a place to live) saying we need houses. At meetings tempers fray, people accuse each other of vested interests and being in some way corrupt. It's like a mini version of county and national politics. There is no "everyone wins" solution, and a village is about the smallest democratic unit possible.
And pig screwing jokes? Really? Use that and you immediately weaken your argument. The pig thing was pretty much debunked. A single anonymous source who might have remembers an incident that probably never happened (the Piers Galveston society, despite it's name, wasn't a "society" and held no "initiation ceremonies".
There are many things you can criticise David Cameron over, why not try picking one that actually happened.
And yeah, the Burlington thing would be one of them, even if the money burning thing didn't happen they did act like a bunch of obnoxious idiots.
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Would anyone in Scotland vote for anybody in this picture? Why are we being ruled by them?
Please. This is a family friendly website. Be careful how you refer to this allegation. And it is just an allegation, but it was one that Lord Ashcroft thought could secure him a place on the Cabinet. It is also telling that with the other information that came out about the Bullington Club, nobody batted an eyelid when this little snippet of gossip came out. Most people will assume that such actions are well in keeping with the mannerisms of such a club.
There's also something I find a little more worrying than Ashcroft's tax evasion. I'm not saying that Cameron's encounter with a dead pig happened, but if it did happen, is there a photograph? And if there's a photograph is it possible that it might be in the possession of Rupert Murdoch? The possession of such a photo could explain the following quote...
They do look a right bunch in that photo don't they.
Mind you that was the 80's, lots of people did things in the 80's that they would rather forget.
Things that were alright in the 80's, racism, homophobia, sexism, conspicuous consumption, tanning beds, mullets.
Mind you that was the 80's, lots of people did things in the 80's that they would rather forget.
Things that were alright in the 80's, racism, homophobia, sexism, conspicuous consumption, tanning beds, mullets.
Optimum would be when government is no longer necessary and each of us is willing to live with consideration for each other.
That may be a pipe dream. But there was a time, not that long ago, when the very idea of consulting peasants about government was seen as preposterous. When women were viewed as too weak and unstable.
Times change.
Once the UK was necessary and it served us all well. I would argue that, in the greater scheme of things, it has done good by the world. India might rue the day when the British began running things, but before them were the Moguls. The British gave them a civil service that still works in one of the most complicated societies ever to have existed. It gave them education and democracy. It can be rightly argued that it gave them the foundations that are about to make India one of the most powerful economies in history.
We can't change the past and we shouldn't try. Mistakes were made and those are sad. But I suggest, the sum total of the UK has been for good.
But that is over. The 4 countries of the UK are now split. The economy no longer runs the world from London. National economies are now about the economy of England, (or more precisely, N and S England), Scotland and Wales.
The UK only real purpose now is to maintain the military. Experience has shown that that means it will be used by the likes of Blair, to kill innocent people and take their property.
It's time for the anachronism to stop. The UK is over because all it can do now is kill people.
The more I read your posts, the more I am convinced about what a good conservative you are. Your last two sentences above, are a case in point. Total denial and total dismissal of any suggestion that may stain those nice white, starched collars; worn by the little boys in that photo.
Respectfully, I think it's about persuasion. I've met many who claim solid adherence to what they see as established notions. In reality they are probably responding to the instilled fears of the past than the realities of what is to come.
Socialism is a case in point. Many will associate socialism with disaster of the Wilson era Labour party. The reality is, socialism is about creating a basis in which business can thrive, an educated, healthy, socially secure workforce. Having a job isn't a right, it's an obligation.
The ending of the UK union is another. It has to end because it's need has past. In its death throws it has thrown up the likes of Blair, talking about Saddam's WMD missiles being 5 mins away from London or Cameron going on about bombing Syria to save it from IS. (Burning Mi Li to save it from Communism.) So the UK is defended with notions such as Scotland is unique in the world as being the only country with a highly educated workforce, huge potential for industrial expansion and enormous natural resources that couldn't possibly survive financially without its purse strings being held by people who think spending on Trident is a good idea.
's funny, people who are anti conservative think I'm a conservative and conservatives think I'm some kind of left wing nut.
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I surprised myself when I tried the political compass test (https://www.politicalcompass.org) when I ended up next to Ghandi. Never thought that!
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My background is in engineering and I've by training and inclination I try to get to the base facts to form logical and consistent conclusions.
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I dislike "personal" attacks on politicians as much as I dislike hero worshiping of politicians. They are all humans with flaws and virtues. What is important are their actions and intent.
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With regards to the pig story, it came from a single anonymous source who admits they may be mistaken. I happen to know the society in question (Piers Gaveston) does not hold initiation ceremonies meaning the single anonymous possibly misremembered tale already has one element of untruth to begin with.
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But lets, for a moment pretend its true and on video, how does that have any bearing on matters today? "Drunk student does stupid thing", hardly a unique story.
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Now the bullingdon thing is more relevant as it speaks of a potential attitude to class. However it was as a student and many peoples political views change after university to become more balanced and rounded. There's a reason "student politics" can be an insult.
As I said, there are many reasons to dislike the conservatives, so invent pig molestation as a reason? Why not bring up their mania for privatisation or their preference for ideology over pragmatism and evidence. Its, as the military might say, a target rich environment.
What about northern Ireland?
While I do appreciate that we may be a small part of the UK (approximately 3% of the population with about 2% of the seats... seems fair to me... not), and I also appreciate the fact that some of us prefer to not be a part of the UK, but we are still a part of the UK...
You have been told once, dont make us send big sean round to tell you again (gotta love troubles related jokes).
Seriously though, democracy in the UK is appauling. We need a system where by people are educated about the issues before asking them to vote on the issues. I certainly wouldnt respect anything I have to say on the rights and wrongs of fishing quotas as I know little to nothing about it other than over fishing is bad for my fish and chips enjoyment factor. Similarly, asking someone to vote on something purely based off of what they have read in the Daily Mail is an entirely absurd and disgusting idea.
Then again, Im in favor of me being made supreme ruller of the universe... I dont want to be greedy and say the multiverse, just the universe is enough for me.
While I agree whole heartedly with the sentiment, I still feel that poking fun at our polititians is an important and vital role as a populace. Political satire is an essential part of the democratic process. If people dont make fun of politics, and the people that preach it, they may begin to think we agree with them.
Politics is all about twisting the facts to suit your own needs and agenda. The argument the tories make about imigration costing us all too much, despite the fact that the average immigrant pays more in taxes, and claims less in benefits than the avarage joe who is born here. Or the fact that privitisation is a good thing, despite the fact that historical proof states that companies will go where the profits are, and leave the UK for countries like India and China, leaving us with no steel industry, no produciton facilities, and no future. A country cannot survive on imports alone. The UK is, and always has been, better off for diversity. We are a melting pot of cultures and nations. I would like to see us embrase this diversity, push it forward, and espue its virtues to the rest of the world. Specialise and die and all that.
I believe firmly in the power of Love... wait, I dont know where that came from... sorry about that, I will immediately chastise my self and go to the corner (of the galaxy) and contemplate (how to get back with limited repairs) and hope that you can all forgive me (And bring me fuel as my feul scoop is not working)...
Just incase your wondering, thats code... for playing Elite....
Northern Ireland isn't a country.
Apart from that I take the approach that I hope most will, to leave the problems of N Ireland to the people who live there.
Hope. The saddest sin. We keep the nuke subs in Scotland and hope that we never have to use them. We see a new face and hear a new voice, saying something; we can believe in and we vote. In hope. Of a better tomorrow. We also listen to others, about what tomorrow should be. I digress.While I agree whole heartedly with the sentiment, I still feel that poking fun at our polititians is an important and vital role as a populace. Political satire is an essential part of the democratic process. If people dont make fun of politics, and the people that preach it, they may begin to think we agree with them.
Politics is all about twisting the facts to suit your own needs and agenda. The argument the tories make about imigration costing us all too much, despite the fact that the average immigrant pays more in taxes, and claims less in benefits than the avarage joe who is born here. Or the fact that privitisation is a good thing, despite the fact that historical proof states that companies will go where the profits are, and leave the UK for countries like India and China, leaving us with no steel industry, no produciton facilities, and no future. A country cannot survive on imports alone. The UK is, and always has been, better off for diversity. We are a melting pot of cultures and nations. I would like to see us embrase this diversity, push it forward, and espue its virtues to the rest of the world. Specialise and die and all that.
I believe firmly in the power of Love... wait, I dont know where that came from... sorry about that, I will immediately chastise my self and go to the corner (of the galaxy) and contemplate (how to get back with limited repairs) and hope that you can all forgive me (And bring me fuel as my feul scoop is not working)...
Just incase your wondering, thats code... for playing Elite....
The lads, in the photo. Some I would say, were groomed for their position in life today, or maybe tomorrow. That said, If we think about those starched collars|: I doubt any of them ever starched a collar in their lives, and if they have, it was whilst being someone's errand boy. Most of the lads in that photo, if they had to live in reality street, they wouldn't last a month.
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Oh yeah, and with Scotlands main source of income now at $30 per barrel and set to stay there or lower for years to come how long before Scotland would be in bail out territory. The Scottish economy simply isn't diverse enough.
Lets see how the public spending would be managed then.
That nonsense was thoroughly debunked during our independence referendum campaign.