Brexit, for once some facts.

[OxygenJames]

Trump is quite obviously a loose cannon, now spending billions on armaments to frighten miniscule enemies, while cutting services and damaging the enironment.
This sums up his support
"“I read in the newspapers they are going to have 30 minutes of intellectual stuff on television every Monday from 7:30 to 8. to educate America. They couldn't educate America if they started at 6:30.”
― Groucho Marx, The Groucho Letters

Have you watched his speech to congress yet? I've not but I have it on my list of things to do today. I like to hear stuff like that first hand not via the media - so I can form my own opinion of it rather than somebody elses - sometimes I wonder if we even listened to the same speech when I read later the commentaries. From my brief look at Twitter it seems he's done a good job - but I will watch myself and get to see.

 

[OxygenJames]

From the Independent
"
Donald Trump has completed his first ever speech to Congress as President. And almost every major claim made in it appeared to be false.

He appeared to wrongly claim that he was responsible for a vast reduction in the price of the F-35 jet, as well as falsely characterising a report into the problems of immigration.

The President's speech made contested claims about the value of immigration, his success in office, his plans for tax reform, and healthcare coverage."

Just a liar, but dangerous

'From the Independent'? There's your first mistake.

 

[OxygenJames]

This from an American friend:

An Israeli doctor says: "In Israel, medicine is so advanced that we cut off a man's liver put them on another man, and in 6 weeks, he is looking for work."

The German doctor says: "That's nothing,

in Germany we take part of a brain, put it in another man, and in 4 weeks he is looking for work."

The Russian doctor says: "Gentlemen, we take half a heart from a man, put it in another's chest, and in 2 weeks he is looking for work."

The American doctor laughs: "You all are behind us. One week ago, we took a man with no brains, no heart, and no liver and made him President.

Now, the whole country is looking for work!"

Tom

Isn't that racist?

 

[OxygenJames]

old groaner is the main act on this thread. old tom is the side-show and old groaner's fluffer.

They're working as a team huh? That usually doesn't last with those types. Their idea of team work is something along the lines of 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend'.

 

[OxygenJames]

Actually not making sense?

I'll try harder.

 

[OxygenJames]

Thatcher said? Cheerio as you would say, humour only goes so far, the woman was a menace

Sent from my XT1032 using Tapatalk

Thatcher was a menace? Yup - to the idea that socialism has anything at heart to offer other than good intentions she was.

Take a look at Venezuela if you need proof.

Thatcher was great. Her and Reagan. What a team! Shame she didn't manage to get her way on Europe or we'd have not had to put up with the current situation. At the time I hated her though. But I was 18 and everybody is a socialist at 18. Now that I'm all growed-up though - now that I know what it takes to hold a job down - now that I know where money actually comes from - now that I know about trade and all that good stuff. Well. We live and we learn.

 

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

I think these comments were made before he was appointed by Trump. The Donald is in charge now, he will keep him on a tight leash.

your blind optimism really does know no bounds....

I'm intrigued, by it.

I'm quite happy to admit that if Trump / Brexit turns out to be for the good of the US / UK, then I'll support it. I'll happily back down if I'm wrong.

Is there anything that anyone could show you that would make you think Trump or Brexit is a negative thing? Where is your red line, when if crossed you admit it might have been a bad idea?

 

[oldtom]

The media hasn't had much to say recently about the breaches of election rules by the tories in 2015 but it hasn't just slipped away.

The liars, cheats and rule-breakers who are trying to railroad 'Brexit' through parliament may still be found guilty of serious election crimes.

Mike Sivier draws attention to the matters that the tories would prefer you didn't hear any more about:

http://voxpoliticalonline.com/2017/03/01/this-is-why-the-tory-election-expenses-investigation-is-taking-so-long/

Tom

 

[oldtom]

[QUOTE="OxygenJames, post: 360894, member: 6677"
Thatcher was great. Her and Reagan. What a team! [/QUOTE]

So, you're a fan of the 'Greed is good' type of politics.....I'd never have guessed! Why didn't you say sooner?

Tom

 

[OxygenJames]

I've not noticed this. If I think something doesn't represent value for money, I either don't buy it or I make an offer of what I perceive the true value to be. If the offer isn't accepted, the goods stay on the shelf.

But to answer your question again, I have not noticed any significant price rises.

Dave - me neither. Not significant. Petrol is up around 124p here when it was almost at one pound a year back - food is the main thing and that's not changed much. Energy is going up but I found this tiny energy company in Birmingham who were 30% cheaper than E-on - though their customer service is diabolical but so far the gas and electricity remain switched on. I get my kicks walking the dog and my personal break even is about as low as its been all my life - no debts other than the mortgage - cook our own food - don't drink much or go to pubs (where they charge the same price for one glass of wine as a whole bottle costs at home).

From the time I was 14 getting up at 4.30am to do a paper round so I could have more pocket money than my parents would give me - I've never had much of an issue with money. Learned the hard way in my 20s not to use credit cards if you're not paying them back every month in full. Etc.

But prices going up? Oh they will. They always do. But then so can your wages. I had 3 jobs at once before - other times I lived off my savings for almost a year doing almost nothing. And I know some people need help. Its making sure only the genuine ones get it thats the challenge. Otherwise we're back to the Socialism idea.

 

[OxygenJames]

[QUOTE="OxygenJames, post: 360894, member: 6677"
Thatcher was great. Her and Reagan. What a team!

So, you're a fan of the 'Greed is good' type of politics.....I'd never have guessed! Why didn't you say sooner?

Tom[/QUOTE]

I think I'm seeing who the troll is here....

 

[oldtom]

I know some people need help. Its making sure only the genuine ones get it thats the challenge. Otherwise we're back to the Socialism idea.

Of course, you'd know exactly how to determine who is genuinely in need of help. Maybe you'd like to explain the appropriate methodology to the rest of us - if it's a genuinely good idea, there will be plenty of support for you, make no mistake about that!

I'm sorry if that's too onerous a task to put before you, especially as you may still be working hard to construct an answer to the question I asked of you in post #12508 which I repeat here for you:

I'd be delighted if you could point me in the direction of where, when and how the nation and in particular, working people, the disabled, the unemployed, pensioners and school-leavers might be better off than today. If you can provide some detail there, I shall be ever so grateful.

Now, I will freely admit that there are some, possibly many thousands out there, who claim benefits to which they ought not to be in receipt. For me, while that is always unacceptable, I cannot see how the cruel system introduced by the tory apology for a government whereby everyone on benefit is regarded as a cheat, is anything other than a breach of both human rights and common decency.

In any event, the monies wrongly claimed/paid pale into insignificance when considered next to the sums in unpaid tax by multi-millionaires and billionaires in the UK. The greed of large global corporations equates to a loss to the exchequer, reckoned by some to be in the billions rather than millions of pounds annually.

I can't speak for every 'remainer' in the land but I know many and, like me, they are open-minded to the possibilities which may exist were the UK to secede from the EU. Sadly, having asked the question repeatedly in a variety of places, no-one has yet been able to provide any coherent answer which might persuade 'remainers' to agree 'Brexit' is a risk worth taking.

Take as long as you need as I know it's a big ask but I'm sure you'll agree it's really important that we get this right for our children and grandchildren.

Tom

 

[Woosh]

Sadly, having asked the question repeatedly in a variety of places, no-one has yet been able to provide any coherent answer which might persuade 'remainers' to agree 'Brexit' is a risk worth taking.

There are a lot of unknowns in brexit, that is why not many have changed their mind beside our MPs. Whenever someone gives you a reason why brexit is good for some, you jump at their throat.

 

[tillson]

From the Independent
"
Donald Trump has completed his first ever speech to Congress as President. And almost every major claim made in it appeared to be false.

He appeared to wrongly claim that he was responsible for a vast reduction in the price of the F-35 jet, as well as falsely characterising a report into the problems of immigration.

The President's speech made contested claims about the value of immigration, his success in office, his plans for tax reform, and healthcare coverage."

Just a liar, but dangerous

Sour and spiteful media representation again. You can safely disregard it.

Listen to the speech, it was full of good stuff and he sounded very different to a few weeks ago. The Donald is doing ok and will be good for both America, and the U.K.

I hear that Obama is writing a book. He may as well get Andrex to publish it in the UK.

 

[flecc]

Yes its been a while since I was posting here. Feels like quite a few years. I've not had a proper look around to see who's still here - a few characters I remember but I'll see.

You're not riding much? Me neither - knee went then my hip. Plus in London I had to use the bike because the traffic was so bad - here the traffic is fine so I can drive places and then walk - and the roads here tend to be narrow lanes and not really things to cycle on. But I still intend to get out and do some cycling.

Is Martin around? I remember all the arguments about the dongle's allowing unlimited speeds - no doubt that is rumbling along somewhere - though I have enough on my plate with Tom thinking I am the next incarnation of some horrific Xenophobic Troll he has nightmares about.... but I will be good and try not to wind him up too much - though he does seem rather easy to provoke.

Anyhow. You were very into the whole legal side of things - I take it thats still the case - so Brexit will impact all that for sure. Its a brave new world.

Yes, I knew you hadn't been around for a long time, the forum's active membership continues to churn all the time with past names occasionally returning as you have now. Martin seems to have largely dropped out of active posting, his policy of only servicing the Bosch equipped bikes he sells being unpopular and also a war of words with KTM's Col who is very anti dongles and derestriction.

My winter riding disappeared due to worsening Raynauds syndrome, hand circulation ceasing at increasingly higher temperatures, regardless of any type of gloves. During the better months I'm busy with various wildlife interests meaning more countryside walking than riding, and being over 80 with some intermittent heart problems doesn't help. So cycling has almost disappeared and I'll probably not bother at all shortly, since it would need a new battery to continue.

My legal interest has always mainly concerned e-bike and associated laws, but now we are settled on the well understood EU rules since April 2015, not much crops up about that now.
.

 

[flecc]

We have to be more competitive, that means good education and training.

Plus higher productivity and lower wages.
.

 

[flecc]

From the time I was 14 getting up at 4.30am to do a paper round so I could have more pocket money than my parents would give me - I've never had much of an issue with money. Learned the hard way in my 20s not to use credit cards if you're not paying them back every month in full. Etc.

We seem to be carbon copies in these respects, except that at age 11 I started the paper rounds and a Saturday butchers round plus working in the shop in the afternoons. Like you since then I've never needed for money, except one brief period at the start of National Service before getting rapid promotions.
.

 

[Woosh]

Plus higher productivity and lower wages.
.

higher productivity usually means more robots.
Although we are one of the richest countries, the percentage of economically inactive population is already too high (I think it's about 45% for British citizens) and keeps rising, in or out of the EU.
The rise of inactive population may be less outside the EU because we can have an immigration policy that favours the young.

 

[flecc]

higher productivity usually means more robots.
Although we are one of the richest countries, the percentage of economically inactive population is already too high (I think it's about 45% for British citizens) and keeps rising, in or out of the EU.

Very true.

The rise of inactive population may be less outside the EU because we can have an immigration policy that favours the young.

But don't tell the Brexiters, the last thing most of them want to hear is an immigration solution!
.

 

[oldgroaner]

There is no guarantee either way, in or out. You could as well say good jobs move to Eastern Europe and we get low skilled EU immigrants in return.
We have to be more competitive, that means good education and training.

No, it means we need factories with jobs then need workers, otherwise what are you going to train people to do?