That would really upset the Cymri, though. They'd have to take the Balkans out of balkanisation.
]]>(Okay, I know, horribly expensive. Upside - so much tax, if you put twice the money into making it, it hardly affects the final price, so I've a high opinion of them. Well, maybe not Ringnes.)
We were there about three weeks back, disembarking. As my previous experience was arriving from the airport to the Hurtigruten terminal well after dark on a cold January evening, having to worry about whether I'd applied enough suntan lotion was a bit of a shock.
We have tentative plans to return to Bergen in 2018. We have somewhat more solid ones to revisit Stavanger this December. (We're at the point we've walked most of the centre and know how to get from the main cinema to our friends' house. We've a few things we'd like to see we've not managed yet.)
]]>The argument was based on innumeracy (i.e., it was a Leave argument. It also ignored the likelihood that the UK govt would spend at least that much recreating more barriers and borders.
In addition we now know where some of that will be going - with the fall of the pound sterling, everything imported into the UK just got - 10%? - more expensive.
]]>I don't drink beer, but I can show you stuff in 2018, if we're all still here.
In Stavanger, try to get up to the TV mast at Ullandshaug for the panorama.
]]>IMHO, no:
1) The EU leadership is not going to let the UK play games which amount to 'we are in when we say so, and out when we want to. In fact, there was an announcement by the EU leadership yesterday which amounted to 'Article 50 has been invoked'.
2) We have already seen the Brexit leadership backtrack on promises, within 24 hours of winning - there will be no more money for the NHS, and this incredibly important salvation of the sacred British isles can now allegedly be put on indefinite hold. It's clear that this was a 100% fraudulent campaign by UKIP and their sympathizers to gain more power within UK politicis. They literally have no fikkin' clue
3) There is now a massive uncertainty between the UK and the EU. If you want to do business with the EU, the UK is no longer the 'English-speaking gateway to Europe' - Ireland is. Inside the EU - well, it's unclear of whether or not the UK will be in the EU in two years, so playing it safe means avoiding the UK.
4) There are a lot of EU players who might want to punish the UK: the government of France might want to take the wind out of Le Pen's sails, Germany undoubtedly would like to inflict some discipline, and there are a lot of cities who'd love a nice slice of the (currently in) London financial sector.
]]>Which is wrong. Don't believe everything a politician may say - they may be mistaken in law, or actually lying.
Article 50 requires the decision to be made according to the constitution of the state concerned. In the case of the UK, that means the government must decide. A non-binding referendum is not a government decision.
It's an interesting feature of this referendum that it was set up to be non-binding. It could have been done otherwise, and had it been binding, then there'd have been an argument that it would have been tantamount to invocation.
]]>Just finished "The Annihilation Score". Isn't it a lovely coincidence that Article 50 shares its operating verb with demons and eldritch horrors?
]]>Greg, you argued for Leave; you presented a large number of bad arguments for Leave; when they were rebutted you remained (!!) for Leave.
This is your flustercluck.
]]>Well, it looks like 52% of the people who voted swallowed everything that the Austerians told them about Evil Furriners being the cause of their problems, so don't hold your breath.........
]]>The dew had not yet dried on the morning of the not-so-glorious Leave Day when the leaders of the movement pretty much said that it was all a lie.
]]>I don't believe any genuine refugees would commit such heinous acts, as it is obviously an act of treachery against both their host country and against their fellow refugees. It is also clear that these crimes greatly stoked hatred of refugees (along with more general xenophobia) and strengthened the extreme right across Europe.
Given that Putin is clearly aiming to undermine the EU and has been bankrolling Europe's far-right parties (including the Front National) with this in mind, how likely is it the rapes were perpetrated by Shabiha masquerading as refugees, who were sent to Europe by Assad on Putin's instructions?
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