THE BRITISH THREAD II

@georgeob1,

That's an easy question George--

Quote:

As a byproduct of all this, the structure is growing in complexity with some nations in or out of this or that part of the structure (or for those who wish to view it differently, one involving multiple distinct structures or agreements, for the movement of people, monetary currence, free trade, etc.)

If somebody said that in the pub we would all fall about laughing. If he was serious or if he was being ironic in an American accent.

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Bang the side of the box Dad.

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@spendius,

That's better.

I thought the "etc" pretty witty.

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Well, it does appear than PM Cameron has taken an unambiguous position with respect to greater political union within the EU. This puts him directly at odds with other EU leaders who seek a way out of their current financial difficulties through additional power transfers to the EU, perhaps including fiscal policy and spending. I suspect there are other sympathizers out there among EU political leaders, who are perhaps happy to stand in his shadow for the moment.

This is a truly challenging situation, now that the core issue of political union is squarely on the table, involving nations with long histories and well-established national identities.

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@georgeob1,

I got the impression that his speech (better: speeches) were more "iron" than those of Thatcher.

Britannia rules the waves and leads the Commonwealth of Nations. Not only centuries ago but today, too ....

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@georgeob1,

georgeob1 wrote:

I suspect there are other sympathizers out there among EU political leaders, who are perhaps happy to stand in his shadow for the moment.

Indeed: the Austrian and Italian far right parties are already following ...

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The British, the British, the British are best
I wouldn't give tuppence for all of the rest.....

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@georgeob1,

That maybe how it appears to you George.

Here, Mr Cameron has taken such an ambiguous position that nobody knows what it stands for.

I think it is merely a position he thinks will win him the next election and the one after that and the one after that. I'm inclined to think he will be successful in attaining those objectives. He has already expressed his desire to "go on and on" as Mrs Thatcher once put it.

Unforeseen events might intervene of course.

Becoming the most experienced survivor of a British/ German axis in a USE might well be thought, de facto if not de jure, to be tantamount to becoming the leader of the western world if the USA does self-destruct as many say it is in the process of doing.

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@spendius,

spendius wrote:

Becoming the most experienced survivor of a British/ German axis in a USE might well be thought, de facto if not de jure, to be tantamount to becoming the leader of the western world if the USA does self-destruct as many say it is in the process of doing.

"Self-destruct"? If it didn't self-destruct after the Civil War, it won't happen due to a less than dynamic economy, or a balkanization of society. The U.S. strength is in its size that allows for a great diversity of people, and ideas/beliefs. Three Europe's can fit into the U.S. borders, and still not be a tight fit.

But, for those that resent the U.S., as a world leader, continue hoping (for naught).

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@spendius,

Indeed. The Spectator is already speculating about the situation in 2017 ... (Btw: Merkel's reaction are here seen totally different to those in that blog entry)

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@Foofie,

Foofie wrote:

Three Europe's can fit into the U.S. borders, and still not be a tight fit.

Europe has an area of 10,180,000 km² (3,930,000 sq mi) and a population of (roughly) 739,165,000 inhabitants.
The USA's area is 9,826,675 km² (3,794,101 sq mi), the population 315,209,000 inhabitants.

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@Foofie,

Quote:

But, for those that resent the U.S., as a world leader, continue hoping (for naught).

I don't resent the US as world leader. As long as it leads.

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Cameron is becoming very vocal now on the problem of the rich avoiding taxes in this country, and international companies not paying taxes in countries where they make their profits.

Am I right in saying that this is the same man whose family's considerable fortune was built up by his father who was a leading banker specialising in the use of off-shore tax havens?

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@Walter Hinteler,

Walter Hinteler wrote:

Foofie wrote:
Three Europe's can fit into the U.S. borders, and still not be a tight fit.

Europe has an area of 10,180,000 km² (3,930,000 sq mi) and a population of (roughly) 739,165,000 inhabitants.
The USA's area is 9,826,675 km² (3,794,101 sq mi), the population 315,209,000 inhabitants.

Western Europe. I am not including Eastern Europe, and Iceland in my post. You know, the Europe that basically reflects the history U.S. kids learn in school. That is basically the old Roman Empire and Greece, as I remember.

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@Foofie,

Foofie wrote:

Western Europe. I am not including Eastern Europe, and Iceland in my post. You know, the Europe that basically reflects the history U.S. kids learn in school. That is basically the old Roman Empire and Greece, as I remember.

Sorry. I had no idea that you were referring to Western Europe. As someone living here, I do know that there's Central Europe, North Europe, South Europe and Eastern Europe as well - we learn such here in geography and not in history.

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@Walter Hinteler,

Foofie's definition of everything changes on a day to day basis, it all depends on how much of his nonsense is challenged.

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I thought Foofie was female. Good morning.

I see that the new line for the HST, the proposed new train line linking Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham and London will approach Manchester in a seven-mile tunnel under the southern suburbs.

That will be interesting. I wonder if the new station will be underground too.
Up until the 1970s there was a proposal to link Victoria station with Piccadilly (Manchester) in an underground railway, the Picc-Vic scheme, which never got funded.
All over bar the shouting now, although there will still be plenty of that.

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@McTag,

from the BBC website, photo taken on 26 January

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/65579000/jpg/_65579489_uksnow_976.jpg

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@McTag,

It's winter, so you could expect such a view. Wink

From the BBC as well: Cancer fight 'hampered in UK by stiff upper lip':

Quote:

The UK's "stiff upper lip" culture may explain why it lags behind other countries when it comes to beating cancer, say experts

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@Walter Hinteler,

If 5000 "could be saved" (according to estimates) it is a marginal thing out of half a million deaths per year.

Obviously the medical profession wants more of us to see our doctors more often which, of course, foots up to spending more money on medical services.

If 5000 of us (0.01%) are more stoical, less hypochondriacal, fearful of higher taxes and more easily embarrassed by bodily malfunction, it might be the Rider Haggard fans who know that there are "plenty more where I came from". The 99.99% are shown to be no different than the populations of other countries in the survey.

You can rely on the BBC to stoke up demand for medical services. It is in a cosy relationship with the medical profession and it provides more problems to discuss on Newsnight.

And there is a pressing need for Lindsay to find something dramatic to witter on about and have the BMA approve of her. They are probably working towards compulsory annual medical checks.

It's a pity Lindsay doesn't remind us that going into doctor's surgeries and hospitals is pretty risky these days.

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THE BRITISH THREAD II

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