Xircal

1 hour ago, Grouse said:

I'm just explaining what was observed during the referendum.

 

Take a town like Boston in Lincolnshire. The percentage of migrants was not excessive but the number had increased rapidly over a short period. That seemed to turn the local population against migrants more than some other areas with a much higher immigrant population. I understand your logic but that is what happened.

I don't think it's the actual number of migrants, but rather that they're foreigners as opposed to Englishmen (an women). According to this BBC report, local residents object to living next door to migrants from another country even though the city has prospered from the influx: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36258541

I think that's called xenophobia isn't it?

Actually I just don't understand why they don't extend the light rail system from Swampy all the way to Don Mueang. The bus journey from one airport to the other is tedious at the best of times and taking a taxi is just asking to be ripped off.

On 10/20/2016 at 11:09 PM, jerojero said:

Where are all these billions coming from to pay for these mega-projects on which this government keeps splurging?

Yingluck. She's just received the demand for the first instalment.

1 hour ago, Grouse said:

You are absolutely correct. I certainly have no problem with free movement within the EU except when economic conditions mean that very large numbers have to be accommodated over a short period. One of the points that came up with Brexit was not so much the level of migration  but the rate of migration. I believe some kind of regulation of flow must be possible. Sadly, many confuse the the refugee problem and the economic migrant problem with the free flow within Europe. EU countries with which I am very familiar have been severely affected by immigrant flows and this does affect the judgement of the population. What to do ?

Rate of migration? Why does it matter if migrants are contributing to the country's economy? The more people in work the more revenue for the Exchequer. It would be perplexing if a country were to curb immigration purely to reduce numbers while there's still a need for workers in many industries which can't be fulfilled by the local population.

Also many of immigrants set up their own businesses and become employers themselves. Look at all the Polish delicatessens which have sprung up around the UK for example. Are they a bad thing d'you think and if so, why?

8 hours ago, Strange said:

 

What if it isn't?

 

What if its found to be legit?

Why wait until after the election if he has evidence that a number of women are making false accusations against him? Revealing the evidence now would help his campaign immensively.

Personally though I think he's lost the plot completely. He seems to have forgotten that he's on the world stage now not in the boardroom in one of his businesses where he can shout and scream all he likes. He's running for President of the United States, the highest office in the country yet he's demonstrating daily how he's utterly incapable of handling a crisis.

Doesn't the guy have any spin doctors? Or if he has does he ever listen to any of them?

As for the Republican party, somebody needs to look into their electoral process and determine how they allowed a loose cannon like Trump to become their prime candidate in this election. The man just doesn't have any humility and thinks that attack is the best way to resolve a problem. If it ever came to a standoff between Russia and the US, Trump's finger will be on the nuclear missile launcher button before any attempt can be made to resolve the conflict diplomatically you can be sure of that.

19 hours ago, Grouse said:

 

If Schengen borders were secure, I don't think there is a major problem. But in the current febrile environment there are problems in several northern EU states which require attention. How to deal with the specific UK issue is a bit different. Maybe the collapsing pound will produce its own solution.

What do Schengen borders have to do with the free movement of people? Britain isn't part of the Schengen agreement but still has to allow freedom of movement while it remains a part of the EU.

And what do you mean by "problems in several northern EU states which require attention"? It sounds like you're confusing free movement of EU-migrants with those from other countries which has caused Denmark, Germany and Austria to introduce border controls. Merkel created the problem by inviting Syrian refugees to Germany but was overwhelmed by the numbers that took the invitation at face value. That problem has been compounded by gangs smuggling economic migrants looking for a better life in Europe.

Border controls have now been introduced to stem the flow. But that has nothing to do with EU-migrants who are entitled to live and work in any of the 28 (soon to be 27 when the UK leaves) member states. For example, Danish citizens can move to and work in Germany or the Netherlands. Italians can go work in Austria or Hungary. But Moroccans or Turks are considered economic migrants and cannot move or work in any EU member state because neither Morocco or Turkey is a member of the EU.

As for the UK, it looks like bankers aren't going to hang around until March next year and will be making arrangements to move to an EU location sooner rather than later: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-37743700

2 hours ago, Grouse said:

 

Powerfully put!

 

I wonder whether there is a possibility of adjusting the free movement of workers regulation to tamp down the growing unease about this across much of the EU now?

 

I agree with your economic case.

There's no growing unease about free movement of workers across the rest of the EU as far as I'm aware. Why would you think that there was?

9 hours ago, Yann55 said:

 

Exactly, but ... the situation you're refering to is the one we're already in, don't you think ?

 

Sure, in our democracies, it looks like we elect people, but in order to be elected these people must campaign, and  to campaign they must turn to where the money is, because campaigning has become ridiculously expensive. Also, these campaigns are now totally and blatantly about manipulating the voters rather than informing them about a political program, because no ones believes in these programs any more, anyway.

 

In his book called 'The Assault on Reason' (2007), Al Gore paints a rather gloomy and distressing picture of his presidential campaign (in 2000), and admits that the whole 'democratic' system, including of course the elections, is in effect manipulated by big corporations, which are in the hands of a small number of people. He hasn't changed his stance. If you Google 'democracy has been hacked', you will find a very interesting speech he made in April 2015 in front of 400 Berkeley students. Will these young people understand what is at stake here ? Will they try to do something about it, and more importantly, can they do something about it ?

 

I personnally doubt it, unfortunately, because the system has reached a point where it is so deeply and irreversably rigged that many people have begun to see it as normal.

I think if enough people protest the tide can be  turned and the protest blocking the Canadian deal is a good start: https://ttip-leaks.org/

6 hours ago, ilostmypassword said:

Even Canada - and who is there who does not love Canada?- is having a very hard time concluding a free trade agreement with the EU. All this thanks to the recalcitrance of one province in Belgium. Somehow, I think that there will be more just one province in the EU resentful of Britain. Remember that approval of any treaty in the EU has to be unanimous.

I think Wallonia (the Belgium province you referred to) has every right to oppose the trade agreement with Canada because if it were ratified it would place too much power in the hands of investors which could act to the detriment of the actual people who live in a given EU member state.

It seems quite ridiculous to me and probably to many others that an investor in Canada would be given the right to decide the nationality of top management in an EU company under the terms of the EU-Canada deal.

Do we really want a situation arising whereby multinationals have more power over our lives than the people we elect to run our respective countries? I don't think so.

9 hours ago, elgordo38 said:

Going out in a blaze of glory headed for the trough of big business. Its a right of passage for a  politician. I think in the end the EU needs the UK more than the other way around. The EU is on its last legs as right wingers are popping up all over thanks to the avalanche of refugees. This is the last straw that RW's needed. Talk about a self induced collapse thanks Angela. 

You have an overactive imagination Elgordo. The EU was alive and well before Britain joined and will remain so after the UK leaves.

You talk of the EU as if it's just a collection of bureaucrats located in Brussels. It isn't: it's a area comprising of 27 individual countries which have joined together to form the world's largest trading block of 500 million consumers. These member states are not just going to give up on the project just because one of their number decides to do a runner especially when the errant country goes down the tubes. 

It should also be noted that leaving the bloc isn't just a case of negotiating a new trade deal: that will come after Britain leaves and has fallen back on WTO rules: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-36678222

Having to fall back on WTO rules will also mean that Britain will lose its treasured passporting rights to the single market which represents a significant proportion of its financial services trade; one even larger than that in goods. Also, the derivatives market which is priced in Euros but handled by the City at the moment will have to move to EU shores since the ECB won't allow the market to remain in the City once Britain has left. That alone will cause a significant loss of prestige together with a large number of job losses.

We're already seeing a number of firms moving to the EU even before Britain has left and that number will undoubtedly accelerate when it becomes clear what a insignificant little island drifting around the North Atlantic the UK has become.

And now it looks like English will soon be dropped as a common language in the EU. Better start brushing up on your knowledge of French.

13 hours ago, oldlakey said:

OK I concede defeat, I have struck my colours you can now board me and claim me as a prize

Have a nice weekend

Gracious in defeat oldlakey

On 10/17/2016 at 3:07 PM, Khun Han said:

Correct, Xircal. I'm thrusting real time data forward (and plenty of it) to support my position. Remainers such as yourself thrust speculation and forecasts. On the subject of which:

 

The think tank report that forms the Beeb article has it's own thread in this section where it is being discussed at length. The think tank that produced it got their last major forecast (in July) hopelessly wrong.

 

I'll stick with real time data and on-the-ground facts thankyou.

Since you aspire to real time data Han I think you might be interested in this titbit: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/brexit-smiffys-business-moves-leaves-uk-europe-hq-exodus-a7371956.html

Get a peregrine falcon which is a pidgeon's natural predator: http://www.pigeoncontrolresourcecentre.org/html/amazing-pigeon-facts.html#predator

2 hours ago, stevenl said:

What I was told is that the original owner died, and his daughter now wants her hands free to sell the place.

I think the employees are damn right to try and 'hama' it out the Dhamronghama Center.

Well, they overcharge everyone else so why not the Chinese as well?

3 hours ago, Lannig said:

Checked in on Oct 29th? Huh? 

Just a typo. In the link it says September 29.

Thailand should follow Indonesia's example on how to deal with child rapists: http://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/2016-05-26/indonesia-approves-chemical-castration-as-punishment-for-sexual-abuse-of-children

8 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

I'm not sure that the original warnings of bombs in BKK were legitimate.....so much propaganda nowadays, much is fiction.

"Everything you read in the newspapers is absolutely true except for the rare story of which you happen to have firsthand knowledge" as "Knoll's Law of Media Accuracy".

- Erwin Knoll 1931 – November 2, 1994

15 hours ago, katana said:

"...The Home Office has been forced to confirm the unnamed asylum seeker from Afghanistan, aged by face recognition software as being 38, was a migrant and not an employee..."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3854888/Charity-FALSELY-claims-38-year-old-child-asylum-seeker-actually-interpreter-one-migrant-Calais-confesses-course-majority-lie-age-UK.html

Makes you wonder why these charities are being funded by tax payers money when they don't even know who's working for them.

Sadly, one of the police officers has since died. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-37713209

A measly 5-10 baht a day extra for the peasants, but no expense spared when it comes to trips abroad for the PM's cronies: http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2016/10/03/junta-leaders-blew-thb21-million-taxpayer-cash-fancy-flight-honolulu

I noticed in Tech News that Tesla is equipping cars to drive completely on their own but what are you supposed to do if the car wants to drive somewhere you don't want to go?

10 hours ago, webfact said:

These were an Iranian over-stayer arrested while eating a burger, while a group of Cambodians were arrested in a separate case.

How did the Cambodians get into a case?

14 minutes ago, i claudius said:

It has now been reported that he is Not an interpreter ,by the refuge council but one of the "children"
I notice that the BBC has gone very quiet about it as have the Guardian etc those saying he was an interpreter were lying

Sent from my ASUS_T00J using Tapatalk
 

Yeah, I thought as much.

It's probably down to all those anarchists who arrived in the Calais jungle camp telling the migrants what to say when they go to register which has led to the current problem. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/no-borders-calais-violence-stirred-up-by-british-anarchists-say-french-politicians-a6832076.html