The not so short lived non argumentative political thread.

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Comments

  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 22,430MI6 Agent
    Polls can be manipulated in clever ways, but this one seems legit.
    They can also be wrong (as we have seen several times lately), but not by that much. On average 13% replied the EU is a bad thing. I bet this number can be a lot higher in some countries.
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 22,430MI6 Agent
    I just heard on the news that 1/3 Londoners are considered poor. I don't think this is happening more and more places. The middle class, the glue of any society, are getting smaller. This is a recipe to conflict.
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,866MI6 Agent
    Barbel wrote:
    why respect any majority ( In a poll or otherwise) as
    if it doesn't go the way you want, You simply make the people have another one.

    Could you tell that to Nicola Sturgeon, please? :#

    Yes, and if she succeeds in having Scotland break away from the Union and become an independent state she still wants to hold onto the pound as the new nation's currency for at least 10 years! If I was the Chancellor I'd be telling the little witch to get stuffed! There's no way that the UK government should stand for that. X-(

    If they're out, they're out for good and they're not taking anything to do with the Union with them. If they think they're big enough to break away let them stand (or more likely fall) on their own two feet. It's an outrageous suggestion on the part of the SNP, but one has come to expect such things of nationalists (cf. Sinn Féin in NI) across the constituent parts of the UK.
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 38,093Chief of Staff
    I'm hoping it doesn't happen in my lifetime.
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,866MI6 Agent
    Barbel wrote:
    I'm hoping it doesn't happen in my lifetime.

    As a unionist I'm hoping the same of course, but devolution has sadly put the Union at more of a threat than ever before. The Tories warned of this in the late 1990s but the Blair government went ahead with the devolution project anyhow.
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • always shakenalways shaken LondonPosts: 6,287MI6 Agent
    We should all stick together on this . Those damm Ruskies can't be trusted , they are continually probing Britains defences with their armed forces .As soon as Scotland goes it alone battleship Mockba will sail straight up the Clyde .They have never been a trustworthy country ,the wall never should have come down , God knows how many reds are living here already in disguise as plumbers and sparkles etc , Scotland stay in the Union for gods sake
    By the way, did I tell you, I was "Mad"?
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 22,430MI6 Agent
    I'm very happy the Iron Curtain came down. I remember the cold war, I was part of the West's first line of defence when the Soviet Union collapsed. I don't want that back. Modern Russia is sneakier than the USSR was, but it's better now. No-one is seriously expecting armoured divisions to start rolling over the border and ballistic missiles raining on the great cities.

    The Russians are testing our defences too, both the technological and physical infrastructure. This must be taken more seriously. But we still have NATO. For all of his talk of America first and distrust of international commitments, Trump is actually commiting US forces in allied countries more than Obama did. The biggest NATO exercise in Norway will happen this fall.
    If Scotland becomes independent they will be welcome in NATO. I wouldn't worry about that.
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 38,093Chief of Staff
    As soon as Scotland goes it alone battleship Mockba will sail straight up the Clyde .They have never been a trustworthy country ,the wall never should have come down

    I do hope you're talking about the Russians and the Berlin Wall here, always shaken, and not Scotland and Hadrian's Wall.... :D
  • danjaq_0ffdanjaq_0ff The SwampsPosts: 7,283MI6 Agent
    Barbel wrote:
    As soon as Scotland goes it alone battleship Mockba will sail straight up the Clyde .They have never been a trustworthy country ,the wall never should have come down

    I do hope you're talking about the Russians and the Berlin Wall here, always shaken, and not Scotland and Hadrian's Wall.... :D

    Here is a new Avatar for you Chas....
    22519315_123898364994714_3604288756452288392_n.jpg

    Quite suited or should I say skirted :)) :D :v
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    He'll be blue in the face with that ! :p :D
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 38,093Chief of Staff
    danjaq_0ff wrote:
    22519315_123898364994714_3604288756452288392_n.jpg

    :D :D :D The resemblance is striking!
  • always shakenalways shaken LondonPosts: 6,287MI6 Agent
    Barbel wrote:
    As soon as Scotland goes it alone battleship Mockba will sail straight up the Clyde .They have never been a trustworthy country ,the wall never should have come down

    I do hope you're talking about the Russians and the Berlin Wall here, always shaken, and not Scotland and Hadrian's Wall.... :D



    Well. Now you mention it Barbel
    By the way, did I tell you, I was "Mad"?
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 22,430MI6 Agent
    Yes, I see Hadrian's wall and the Berlin wall in very differently :v

    Would anyone like to guess how many Italian governments there's been since 1945? :D
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 22,430MI6 Agent
    There is a lot of talk here in this country about a new poll by Pew Research Center. The statement was: "Our country isn't perfect, but our culture is better than others." People in 13 countries in Western Europe were asked. 46% in the UK said yes. So did 25% of Swedes, 20% in Spain, 50% in Switzerland and 58% in Norway. Norwegians were the only people where more than fifty per cent said yes.
    Let me say that I may have gotten details wrong. I also think the statement in the poll isn't good. What type of culture are we talking about? Culinary, the arts, institutions, traditions?
    And what is "others"? Everyone else, the rest of Europe.... the Swedes? :v
    Anyway I find it interesting that the two countries with the highest Yes scores are non-EU members. What came first, the chicken or the egg?
    It's also interesting to me that Norway and Sweden, neighbours with very much in common, different by 33%.
  • always shakenalways shaken LondonPosts: 6,287MI6 Agent
    Number24 wrote:
    Yes, I see Hadrian's wall and the Berlin wall in very differently :v

    Would anyone like to guess how many Italian governments there's been since 1945? :D
    Their country may not be politically perfect but who's is ?
    I would live there tomorrow and
    By the way, did I tell you, I was "Mad"?
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 38,093Chief of Staff
    ..and...?
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 22,430MI6 Agent
    While AS gathers his thoughts, let me say this:
    There is much to admire about Italy: their opera, their ice cream, Ferrari, Sofia Loren etc.
    How their political system works is not one of those things.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Italy is proof that people just won't vote the right way ! :)) They keep
    having their own opinions.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 22,430MI6 Agent
    Voters having their own opinions isn't really the problem. Believe it or not, this happens in other democracies too. But in other countries one assumes the leaders of the party you voted for agree on many issues and are reasonably loyal to the party and their own party or program. In Italy a party meeting is just an opurtunity for a good quarrel. Those meeting often end with someone getting up, waving their arms about a lot, shouting and starting a new party. The new party will then leave the government and..... viola! Italy has a new political crisis anda new election. Then someone does it again next year :))
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,866MI6 Agent
    Barbel wrote:

    I'm sure that that was very enlightening for him! :))

    Prison reform indeed! :p
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • Number24Number24 NorwayPosts: 22,430MI6 Agent
    I don't follow the gossip press very closely. Does Kim Kardashian have any experience with the US prison system? :))
  • Silhouette ManSilhouette Man The last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,866MI6 Agent
    Number24 wrote:
    I don't follow the gossip press very closely. Does Kim Kardashian have any experience with the US prison system? :))

    No, but she should be in prison for crimes to celebrity. :D
    "The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
  • always shakenalways shaken LondonPosts: 6,287MI6 Agent
    Number24 wrote:
    I don't follow the gossip press very closely. Does Kim Kardashian have any experience with the US prison system? :))

    No, but she should be in prison for crimes to celebrity. :D

    I heard from some one (so keep it to yourselves) that KK lavatory bowl etc is black , and I don't mean dirty
    By the way, did I tell you, I was "Mad"?
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    Simon Cowell uses Black toilet paper.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 38,093Chief of Staff
    For non-British members, Richard Madeley has been a fixture of UK TV for ? the last 30 years, often with his wife Judy Finnegan, and is generally regarded as lightweight (comedians have enjoyed poking fun at him for decades).

    Here, standing in for the frequently despised Piers Morgan, he cuts off a Government Minister for not giving a straight answer to a question (alas, an all-too-frequent phenomenon):

    https://www.expressandstar.com/news/politics/2018/05/31/madeley-cutting-short-minister-was-the-best-thing-i-have-ever-done/

    For perhaps the first time, I have some respect for Mr Madeley and would like to see more TV/radio interviewers do the exact same when a politician avoids a question. IMHO, ignore the text and just watch the video.
  • Sir MilesSir Miles The Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,927Chief of Staff
    Barbel wrote:
    For non-British members, Richard Madeley has been a fixture of UK TV for ? the last 30 years, often with his wife Judy Finnegan, and is generally regarded as lightweight (comedians have enjoyed poking fun at him for decades).

    Here, standing in for the frequently despised Piers Morgan, he cuts off a Government Minister for not giving a straight answer to a question (alas, an all-too-frequent phenomenon):

    https://www.expressandstar.com/news/politics/2018/05/31/madeley-cutting-short-minister-was-the-best-thing-i-have-ever-done/

    For perhaps the first time, I have some respect for Mr Madeley and would like to see more TV/radio interviewers do the exact same when a politician avoids a question. IMHO, ignore the text and just watch the video.

    Excellent -{
    I see Richard has gone for the full Alan Partridge technique there :))
    YNWA 97
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    I love it when politicians use the phrase " I think the real question here is ..... " and
    go on to answer their own question and not the one asked.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
  • BarbelBarbel ScotlandPosts: 38,093Chief of Staff
    There was a good moment in Question Time last night when an audience member asked why politicians can't give a straight answer- it's near the end if you want to look it up. Having said that, the bunch who were on last night weren't the worst at that particular issue.
  • ThunderpussyThunderpussy Behind you !Posts: 63,792MI6 Agent
    I think that's why Trump and Farage sound so fresh, as they don't sound like politicians.
    With Many people sick of the same old answer, of not giving an answer.
    "I've been informed that there ARE a couple of QAnon supporters who are fairly regular posters in AJB."
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