Brexit, for once some facts.

[oyster]

If you really want to increase your "personal space" the cigarette of choice has to be a "Balkan Sobranie" I recall that the taste was superb, but the smell wasn't all that popular.
But the worst cigarette competition for me was between British Wodbines AKA Coffin Nails, and the French cigarettes made from discarded and used linings of Viking Helmets, the dreaded Gauloises Caporal

Yes, the old Balkans were something else. As were Sullivan and Powell Number One Turkish.

But the really worst were Kensitas Guards, Pall Mall and Park Drive. Yes, even more foul than Sovvies.

Quite likely all of these are a major reason that I need an ebike now.

 

[oldgroaner]

Fun from the BBC
"
Trump attacks Michael Cohen over 'Playboy model payment tape'

What is the tape said to reveal?
The New York Times reports that in the recording, Mr Trump and Mr Cohen discuss paying Ms McDougal, who says she had a 10-month affair with Mr Trump in 2006, a year after he married his current wife Melania.

The tape was reportedly made two months before the November 2016 election that saw Mr Trump become president.


Why is this an issue?
The Department of Justice is looking into alleged hush money paid to women who claim they had a relationship with Mr Trump.

It is suggested that such payments, if proved, would amount to an election expense.

Failing to declare election expenses is a crime.

Apparently Erection expenses are too in America?

 

[oyster]

Brexit campaign chief must be hauled before Commons, say MPs
Anger grows over refusal of Vote Leave’s Dominic Cummings to answer questions

A cross-party group of MPs is demanding new powers that would force witnesses to give evidence before parliament or face possible imprisonment, as anger grows over the refusal of the former Vote Leave director, Dominic Cummings, to answer claims that the organisation that helped to deliver Brexit broke electoral law.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jul/21/brexit-campaign-chief-dominic-cummings-should-be-forced-to-give-evidence-to-commons

Did you all a favour, did not copy and paste picture of Cummings.

Can't help feeling that being summoned by parliament should be treated like a court summons. Yes, imprisonment should be possible. Yes, it should be possible directly when someone refuses or fails to turn up without further process. (Of course, there might be grounds for saying you don't want to or cannot attend. That is something else.)

Further down the article:

Sarah Wollaston, who chairs both the health and social care select committee and the liaison committee, which comprises all chairs of select committees, said: “It is the height of hypocrisy that someone who ran a campaign that emphasised returning powers to parliament now refuses to appear before MPs. Now that there is a judgment [from the Electoral Commission] against Vote Leave it is even more important that he appears to explain what was going on.”

 

[Danidl]

Brexit campaign chief must be hauled before Commons, say MPs
Anger grows over refusal of Vote Leave’s Dominic Cummings to answer questions

A cross-party group of MPs is demanding new powers that would force witnesses to give evidence before parliament or face possible imprisonment, as anger grows over the refusal of the former Vote Leave director, Dominic Cummings, to answer claims that the organisation that helped to deliver Brexit broke electoral law.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jul/21/brexit-campaign-chief-dominic-cummings-should-be-forced-to-give-evidence-to-commons

Did you all a favour, did not copy and paste picture of Cummings.

Can't help feeling that being summoned by parliament should be treated like a court summons. Yes, imprisonment should be possible. Yes, it should be possible directly when someone refuses or fails to turn up without further process. (Of course, there might be grounds for saying you don't want to or cannot attend. That is something else.)

Further down the article:

Sarah Wollaston, who chairs both the health and social care select committee and the liaison committee, which comprises all chairs of select committees, said: “It is the height of hypocrisy that someone who ran a campaign that emphasised returning powers to parliament now refuses to appear before MPs. Now that there is a judgment [from the Electoral Commission] against Vote Leave it is even more important that he appears to explain what was going on.”

.. again and from a different jurisdiction. But I do have a difficulty in having members of the public accountable to government committees. We have legal systems in place,and people trained to ask the questions. Public representatives are illequipped to do so. The temptation for grandstanding is just to great.
Parliament sets up commissions of inquiry ,sets the ground rules and then needs to walk away. If malfiesance is suspected, then it is for a court of law to adjudicate. If there is seen to be as loophole in the law, then the guy gets off, and the parliament plugs that loophole for the next time...

 

[oldgroaner]

We have legal systems in place,and people trained to ask the questions. Public representatives are illequipped to do so. The temptation for grandstanding is just to great.

You are of course correct, we must stick to tried and tested methods
Unfortunately the Dungeon is now a Disco, the Manageress moonlighting as a Dominatrix and the Rack used only for recreational purposes,

I suspect that Tory Mp's will know where this Lady of Negotiable and Versatile affections resides who "inherited" the Cat O nine Tails and the Iron Maiden.

A few minutes with her undivided attention will sort this miscreant out, and he'll be happy to admit to anything she fancies to ask.

Who knows? it might make his Day too!

 

[oldgroaner]

Fun in the Telegraph

And the latest Cannon Fodder is being diplomatic
"
Dominic Raab: Britain will refuse to pay £39 billion divorce bill to Brussels if the EU fails to agree trade deal

My goodness this one has original ideas! (No not really)

 

[oldgroaner]

And the Express, comedy from Lord Nigel
"
Farage WARNS 'dishonest' May: Brexit betrayal to spark backlash ‘like nothing before'
NIGEL Farage has launched a scathing attack against Theresa May, warning she should not “underestimate the passion” of Brexiteers as a betrayal of the referendum vote will spark a “backlash unlike anything we have seen in the country”."

My goodness, there could be TWO DOZEN PROTESTERS this time!

 

[oldgroaner]

What are the Daily Mail up to?
"
How a no-deal Brexit could cause 17 mile tailbacks at ports, increase the price of wine and affect everything from medicine, alcohol, pets to restaurants and even orchestras

• David Lidington will be mobilised to carve a Brexit deal with the European Union
• Theresa May could drive Britain into a 'cliff edge' position if there is 'no deal'
• Failure to come up with a deal would impact roads, rail, medicine and even farms, with some predictions saying the price of wine could rise by a quarter

And this too
"


We're the only ones who can sort this mess out: DAN HODGES says Brexit must be handed back to the British people

 

[Woosh]

this comment from a reader at the bottom of the article sums up our current situation;

"The question was, do you wish to stay in the EU or leave, that was all that was asked. For the simple reason that very few voters had the first clue how the EU works and now we know that the government does not appear to know either.
...
The EU is ready for a no deal exit, the UK will still be making plans for another two years hence. The UK decline will be a steady one, no Armageddon and in the next five years millions who voted for this will be dead or incarcerated in care homes unaware of the consequences. When you look at today's Britain, people working and cannot afford rent, food banks and other outlets dispensing food from supermarket waste, many parts of the country in a state of lawlessness, private debt at an alarmingly high rate and the NHS and education systems failing and all this before UK leaves the 75 trade deals it already has whilst in the EU."

 

[Woosh]

was it Polly Toynbee? who pointed out that the root of the current conservative split is down to conservative candidates are usually chosen by a small number of very old (aged) tory members who tend to be naturally eurosceptic rather than pragmatic. Over time, the number of eurosceptic conservative MP grows to dominate the party. Their plan is to get to brexit, replace TM and reverse the concessions made in the course of negotiation by TM and all this before the next GE.
I must say I am surprised that Labour does not have anything to say at the moment.

 

[oyster]

.. again and from a different jurisdiction. But I do have a difficulty in having members of the public accountable to government committees. We have legal systems in place,and people trained to ask the questions. Public representatives are illequipped to do so. The temptation for grandstanding is just to great.
Parliament sets up commissions of inquiry ,sets the ground rules and then needs to walk away. If malfiesance is suspected, then it is for a court of law to adjudicate. If there is seen to be as loophole in the law, then the guy gets off, and the parliament plugs that loophole for the next time...

When it comes to handling the fact or suspicion of malfeasance, I agree. But they need to be able to get the people in to ask the questions.

Legal proceedings often take years. We all too often need the legislature to progress more immediately than that. As now.

 

[Zlatan]

https://m.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2149668/will-italy-and-its-ailing-banks-trigger-next-global?amp=1

Must admit the previous links conclusions were rather pessimistic. (,ie collapse of Euro inevitable) However, the mathematics behind the listed problems can not be ignored.
The EU will be facing unprecedented problems over next few years. This link is only one of such.

 

[Woosh]

However, the mathematics behind the listed problems can not be ignored.

"Will Italy and its ailing banks trigger the next global financial crisis?"
the short answer is no. The world GDP is 78 trillion dollars, the Eurozone GDP is 17 trillion dollars. Most of Italy's public debt (2 trillion euros) is owned by Italians. There is no need to be alarmed because it is not contagious by default swaps or adverse change in balance of payments.
If you say 'China domestic loans' made by foreign banks then there may be some possible contagion but the risk is quite small.

 

[flecc]

Was also the name of one of the nastiest, extreme downmarket cigarettes ever. B&H for the poor.

I did the Publicity photo's for a Caravan company called "Sovereign "
They went bust the year after that
Can't think why.....

But both of those were before the referendum and before people knew they wanted sovereignty.

They had to be told they needed it by Boris and Co.
.

 

[flecc]

the dreaded Gauloises Caporal

I used to smoke Gauloises when I was living in France, up to three packs a day, yet I'm still here over 50 years later.

Must have been good for me.
.

 

[Danidl]

https://m.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/2149668/will-italy-and-its-ailing-banks-trigger-next-global?amp=1

Must admit the previous links conclusions were rather pessimistic. (,ie collapse of Euro inevitable) However, the mathematics behind the listed problems can not be ignored.
The EU will be facing unprecedented problems over next few years. This link is only one of such.

"The EU will be facing unprecedented problems over next few years. This link is only one of such.".... And BREXIt is the first of those... It is unprecedented, because it's the first time a member ,who had all the benefits of membership, has in a fit of pique, walks out the door. All the other problems are precedent, debt, increased membership, external threats,and the EU has found ways of dealing with them...

 

[Danidl]

What are the Daily Mail up to?
"
How a no-deal Brexit could cause 17 mile tailbacks at ports, increase the price of wine and affect everything from medicine, alcohol, pets to restaurants and even orchestras

• David Lidington will be mobilised to carve a Brexit deal with the European Union
• Theresa May could drive Britain into a 'cliff edge' position if there is 'no deal'
• Failure to come up with a deal would impact roads, rail, medicine and even farms, with some predictions saying the price of wine could rise by a quarter

And this too
"


We're the only ones who can sort this mess out: DAN HODGES says Brexit must be handed back to the British people

.. penny dropping time?. Maybe the senior editorial board on their holliers, and the younger generation don't know how to lie?.

 

[Woosh]

interesting YouGov poll for the Sunday Times: if a second referendum is called:

1. No deal brexit: 46%
2. Remain: 54%

 

[Danidl]

When it comes to handling the fact or suspicion of malfeasance, I agree. But they need to be able to get the people in to ask the questions.

Legal proceedings often take years. We all too often need the legislature to progress more immediately than that. As now.

.. That is why a modern state has a police service, a civil service and dare i suggest an intelligence service and various state laboratories and think tanks. It is very appropriate that the leaders of these public bodies be invited, or carpeted by the representatives of their employers and questioned.. either and preferably in public session,but perhaps in camera where necessary. .. They are not in the same position as general members of the public.

 

[oyster]

.. That is why a modern state has a police service, a civil service and dare i suggest an intelligence service and various state laboratories and think tanks. It is very appropriate that the leaders of these public bodies be invited, or carpeted by the representatives of their employers and questioned.. either and preferably in public session,but perhaps in camera where necessary. .. They are not in the same position as general members of the public.

I do not regard Dominic Cummings as a general member of the public. So I do think he should be compelled to attend.