JonnyF

Oh dear, not another one hopefully.

https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-prosecutor-seize-170000-euro-italy-far-right-league-party-mep-fraud-probe-stefania-zambelli/

11 hours ago, placeholder said:

Another version of the arithmetically challenged arguments offered by Brexiters. I remember before Brexit actually occurred that Brexiters were claiming that Brexit was going to hurt the EU worse than the UK.  This seems to be just another case of this kind of thinking. What don't Brexiters understand about the fact that the EU's economy is over 5 times as big as the UK's. Yet somehow to them this means the EU needs the UK more than the UK needs the EU.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impact_of_Brexit_on_the_European_Union

10 hours ago, RayC said:

You seen to be lapsing into the world of conspiracy theories (cabals and traitors), so I guess that I shouldn't be surprised that - despite all the evidence which clearly shows the detrimental economic effects of leaving the Single Market and Customs Union on the UK - you cling to the belief that we would have been better off going even further and leaving the EU with no deal and no plan for life post-Brexit. (Unfortunately Johnson demonstrated that he shared your view on the planning aspect).

Johnson had some good ideas. Did some good work. 

That's why his political rivals and the MSM had him removed for having a slice of cake during lockdown or whatever it was... 

Fortunately Sunak has done a better job with the outstanding Brexit issues than I had expected. Like I said, if we keep chipping away at those corrupt EU tentacles we will eventually be 100% free from them. It took decades to be ensnared, a few more years to escape isn't too bad.

19 hours ago, superal said:

Thanks to you and Paulbrow . I would like to try to do the same . I know that the vape holder can be bought here in Thailand but what concerns me is the vape liquid , inasmuch as who made it and where was it made ( Chineses back street tin shack ?) .  I believe that vaping in the UK and other countries will be safer , with licenced vape liquid manufacturers . Can a vape company be recommended to sourse the vape in Thailand ?

Unfortunately I wouldn't know.

I quit when it was still semi-legal/undecided, there were lots of online sellers back then with recognized brands. I'm still not sure you could guarantee the quality back then TBH, could have been fake.

That's the problem with banning things, it just continues, but unregulated.  

3 hours ago, RayC said:

This is where this new Agreement might fail. According to the BBC if the UK and EU cannot reach an agreement on a proposed new law, then the matter goes to an independent arbiter. But does this independent arbiter rank higher than the ECJ? It's hard to believe that the EU would agree to that possibility.  (I assume that both the EU and UK are hoping that this independent arbiter is never called into action?).

 

The other inconsistency is that the NI assembly has 90 members but only 30 MLAs are required to initiative the Stormont brake. Therefore, it is possible to have the bizarre situation whereby the NI Assembly passes a motion whilst at the same time refers the same motion to Westminster for possible further negotiation with the EU!

 

BBC News - Brexit: What is the Stormont brake?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-64795902

A great example of why we should have broken free from the cabal with no deal.

Like any abusive relationship it is best to make a clean break and sever all ties. Let the corrupt EU come crawling back over time.

Unfortunately we had a traitor amongst our ranks. Theresa May will not be remembered fondly. Lucky for her it's the 21st century.

3 minutes ago, chilly07 said:

Farmers in the UK have shotguns to discourage  such behaviour!

Luckily I was working in BKK at the time as I might have got myself into a sticky situation had I been there.

3 minutes ago, chilly07 said:

In Thailand land owners rent out their land to share croppers so the line of legal responsibility is broken.  Just look at the Nos of fires around Phitsalok on on airiq   Unbelievable! And it's all blowing SW to Chonburi and BKK

The owner was present and it was his crop. My gf filmed it all and ripped him to pieces (verbally). Apparently the little scrote was on his knees begging us not to report it to the authorities or put in on social media. We're still discussing the next steps as she doesn't want to create a lifelong fued with him. He's promised not to do it again and cut it instead of burn it next time but I highly doubt he is believable. It would be great if they would just enforce the law but no, they just pontificate and "urge".

Just now, Jingthing said:

Keep to the topic.

Your personal advice is exceedingly unwelcome.

I am keeping on topic.

You keep using the word fascistic. I am saying it is totally inappropriate in the context you are using it. 

2 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

You're wrong.

Their rhetoric is often identical. 

They actively mirror each other..

This is related to why many American fascists support Putin and don't want to help Ukraine.

Throwing the word fascist around for everyone you disagree with just dilutes the effect.

You really should stop that.

6 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Well the Republican party which controls the house of representatives has an LGBT legislative agenda quite similar to fascist Putin. They have been very successful in state legislatures across the country in republican controlled states. Fascist demagogues need scapegoats.

 

https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2022/06/texas-gop-adopts-shockingly-explicit-anti-lgbtq-party-platform/

 

 

Texas GOP adopts shockingly explicit anti-LGBTQ party platform

The state party calls homosexuality “an abnormal lifestyle choice" and accuses LGBTQ people of "grooming" children.

It's nothing like Putin's.

Stop being so dramatic.

1 hour ago, Jingthing said:

Well such big events are great for tourism and the economy so it's a no brainer for all levels of Australian government to support them.

 

Also in the wake of a global fascistic backlash against LGBT civil rights in such places as Russia, Hungary, and the USA Australia is projecting good will soft power with such a parade. Similar to what Tel Aviv has been doing.

A fascistic backlash against LGBT civil rights in the USA? ????

Hyperbolic much?

Let's hope they do.

They appeared at the land next to our place at 10pm the other day. Scurried in like a load of rats and set fire to the field next to our house. No warning for us to move our cars, motorbikes, tractor, gasoline canisters etc. You can see how close it is as there is part of the garage roof in the photo. Lucky the wind direction didn't change. Deeply irresponsible.

10 minutes ago, transam said:

"Deliberately antagonising the EU", are you one of those Sovereign Citizen types, you always knock your country, government, Royalty etc..?

 

An avid Guardian reader. So yes, always contempt for the Country, the Tories, the Working Classes, the Royal Family etc.

It comes with the territory.

I attended this in '98.

It was OK for 20 minutes. Got a bit bored of all the attention seekers. I ended up going to the pub and betting on the horses for the rest of the afternoon, won a couple of hundred bucks. It was a good afternoon.

8 hours ago, placeholder said:

From the NYTimes

Ms. von der Leyen reiterated that the European Court of Justice “is the sole and ultimate arbiter of E.U. law.” She added that the court “will have the final say on E.U. law and single market issues.”

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/02/27/world/northern-ireland-brexit-trade-deal

 

I guess Britons ever ever ever shall be slaves.

Of course the ECJ is the sole arbiter of EU law. Kind of stating the obvious isn't it?

I'm not sure how you deduced from that statement that Britons ever shall be slaves, I guess you are unaware that Britain left the EU and is therefore no longer subject to the ECJ.

Of course, that's assuming you are aware that NI is not in Britain...????

3 hours ago, ChipButty said:

I see they give Rashford that goal 

Definitely an own goal. The view from behind the far post (at 0:15) clearly shows it was going a couple of metres wide.

3 hours ago, ChipButty said:

Not a great performance but the win was comfortable. Never been a lover of the league cup, more an opportunity to show the Geordies whose boss!

Yeah, a bit fortunate with the goals I thought. Casemiro's looked like he pushed the Newcastle defender in the back (also touch and go on the offside) and Rashford's was a fortunate deflection but despite that, they probably deserved to win it overall.

I go to Cowboy sometimes. It's a good people watching spot and can be quite entertaining. I've been doing so for over a decade. 

Never had serious issues like this. I've had girls buy themselves 2 drinks when I told them to get one, but that's about it. Nothing serious. When I tell them to take it off the bill, they sheepishly do.

I heard Patpong is worse, but I rarely go there so couldn't confirm. Never had issues there on the occasions I've been though...

6 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Cisgender gay Boomer here.

I really don't understand those very high numbers.

They sound incredible.

I am very skeptical of them.

Bill Maher who is often obnoxious but also often right talks about the power of being trendy in youth.

I bet in 20 years that the Z LGBTQ numbers will be much lower.

The way its going gay bars will need to rebrand as just bars.

Pretty much what I said above. It's a bit of a trend.

I do understand why people such as yourself find it annoying. It's a bit like when that super cool band that only you and your mates knew about ends up on Top of the Pops with a load of chavs dancing to it. 

Plus, the more LGBTQ there are, the less "special" it is.

If the trend continues then as a straight white male maybe I can be special by the age of 70? That would be awesome. I wouldn't even need to do anything. Just be special by the way i was born, same as the LGBTQ crew.

Ok maybe I wouldn't be special. But at least I wouldn't have all 3 of the cardinal sins. Straight, white AND male.????

4 minutes ago, RuamRudy said:

But you can see the trend - in fewer than 10 years, support for the monarchy amongst 18-24 year olds has halved. That should worry even the most positive of monarchists.

 

But already a third of the UK either supports the abolition of the monarchy or is nonplussed. Hardly a tiny minority. I wonder what Wills has planned to ensure that his life of privilege at the tax payers' expense continues. 

It's the least bad option IMO, and it would be churlish to ignore the money they bring in via tourism, the soft power around the world, the charity work etc.

The problem with it is that Harry could have been first and then we'd be facing a future with a complete plank as head of state. Fortunately, William was born first but I don't like the idea that we essentially rely on luck in terms of who gets the position. Having said that, if Harry was first born he might not have turned out to be such a jealous, spiteful, vindictive brat. He'd still have been intellectually challenged though.