Rabbie

So did the voters in Scotland. Are you really saying that voters in Scotland are worth less than voters in other parts of the UK. Surely all MPs should have some influence or what is the point of electing and paying them regardless of where they represent.

The difference is you actually get the sausage roll. No guarantee the other promises will be kept

[quote user="Benjamin"][quote user="Rabbie"]  What did surprise me was the number of voters in England asking how they could vote SNP after the leadership debate. [/quote] Do you have a source for that statement Rabbie? [/quote]I think it could have been on the BBC website where they were analysing google searches during and just after the first debate. I am sorry but I do not have a precise reference. It just stuck in my memory as it seemed bizarre

The UKIP vote seems to be sinking in the polls and they on present showing will be lucky to have more than 4 MPs and possibly only one. time will tell. In Scotland the SNP seems to be picking up the protest vote as well as their core support. Sturgeon seems to be more of an electoral asset than Salmond. What did surprise me was the number of voters in England asking how they could vote SNP after the leadership debate. If Labour can actually get more MPs than the Conservatives then I think we will see a minority Labour Government getting support on an issue by issue basis from the rump of the Lib Dems and the SNP. Of course they won't need SNP support for Trident because the Conservatives would have to support that on the basis of present statements. Of course with approx 2.5 weeks to go a lot could change so we will have to wait and see.    NickP[:D][B][B]

NickP, sorry if your humour escaped me. I have not been well for the last four/five weeks and it has somewhat blunted my perception of subtle humour.  We do have some common ground however because I agree with you that the present division of assets is a) unjust and b) unsustainable in the medium/long term. Why Cameron made the concessions to the SNP immediately after the referendum result still baffles me especially when even Darling had advised against it. I also agree that if Scotland does ever vote to leave the UK then it should be a clean break but the terms should be spelled out before the vote and not after to avoid potential dishonest statements as were made last time. Personally I have never made a secret of my view that we are better together but everyone is entitled to their own views on that. It still puzzles me that the SNP seem to be going from strength to strength electorally despite what should have been a  major setback in the referendum. If the polls are correct then the Scottish electors seem to think their government is doing a fantastic job - not a sentiment I hear from my friends who live there. Nick, can we please bury the hatchet from our past clashes and continue to debate these points robustly and without personal rancour. I apologise if I have been guilty of this in the past but lets start afresh

[quote user="Keith"]Thinking of buying a new car with LED headlights. Have been told conflicting things by different dealers. Some say you need to divert LED and xenon headlights for driving on the continent others say you do not. HELP! Many thanks for help.[/quote]Our Volvo XC70 has Xenon headlamps and the handbook has full instructions for diverting the beams for left hand and right hand traffic. As most main beams are asymmetric and designed for the vehicle's normal driving I would think you have to switch this when you move from driving on the left to driving on the right or vice versa.

[quote user="NickP"][quote user="Rabbie"] I also get the impression that there is a time bomb ticking under London where more and more lower paid people can no longer afford to live near where they work.  The ordinary people that I meet have concerns about the future. they worry about the future of the NHS and old age care. They are concerned because their children cant afford to get on the housing ladder. .   [/quote] Nothing new there then, they were saying the same when I started work. Still when the the pip squeak north of the border gets independence, and all of at those oil rich Scots come south to escape the draconian Scottish tax laws. London will have loads of workers to fill the gap. [:D] [/quote] Not quite sure why mass immigration from Scotland will help the London housing shortage. Anyway isn't UKIP opposed to immigration even from Scotland. It has been said a country gets the government it deserves so perhaps this is a mass judgement on the British people.

[quote user="Hoddy"]The trouble with being English is that we haven't another country to blame. As it is we have to take the blame for what is wrong in the other countries in the UK and half of the rest of the world. Like you Idun, I don't know who to vote for. In some ways I understand the Scots discontent, London seems much more remote from us here in the Midlands than it used to so I can see that it would seem much worse the further away you get. As for Cameron, Milliband and Clegg I just see a set of blokes dressed in suits the quality of which I never see in real life. My reason tells me that it shouldn't interfere with my political feelings about them, but it does all the same. Hoddy[/quote] A perceptive analysis, Hoddy. The problem seems to be that the present government seem to be very London centric and do not seem to realise that the recovery seems to be limited to the South East. Unemployment may be going down but how much of that is due to zero hours contracts. I also get the impression that there is a time bomb ticking under London where more and more lower paid people can no longer afford to live near where they work. The ordinary people that I meet have concerns about the future. they worry about the future of the NHS and old age care. They are concerned because their children cant afford to get on the housing ladder.  

The latest reports suggesting the  plane was deliberately crashed by the co-pilot who had locked the captain out of the cockpit. This calls into question the strategy of  not having anyway to gain entry to the  cockpit from the rest of the plane x  

[quote user="Quillan"]Anyway having done to death 'gay' and moving along I wonder how many of us Brits take our 'trash' to the 'garbage bin' today (or any other day come to that)?[/quote][:D] And in the UK the |Royal Mail delivers the post while in the USA the Postal Service delivers the mail. But it is the regional variations that make English the fascinating language it is today.

Some thoughts now the tournament has ended in splendid style Congratulations to Ireland who were IMO the best team in the tournament. England must be regretting the chances they didn't take especially against Scotland. Wales  again must be regretting the late try scored by Italy which would have put much more pressure on Ireland and England.   Personally I think it would be nice if the referees could remember and enforce the rule about straight out-ins at the scrum and also not always favour the stronger team

[quote user="PaulT"]Think it must have been in the 80s when there was a full eclipse in the part of the UK where I was and a very surreal experience it was of rapidly going from daylight to pitch black and back to daylight. Some of the beliefs of various civilizations was interesting. Apparently, there is a book listing all the eclipses and where they are visible for the next 400 odd years - could be a good investment.[/quote]There were no full eclipses visible in the UK in the 1980s. You must be thinking of the one in 1999. Mint, round us even though it was not a full eclipse the birds did fall silent. This is a common phenomenon so your OH is quite right.

There is often a degree of misconception about Americanisms. Many people regard the use of "gotten" rather than "got" as a typical example but in fact this an old English usage that has survived  across the Atlantic. "Normalcy" is also originally English even  though it is regularly quoted as an Americanism.  

[quote user="Pickles"]I have a strong suspicion (and I think Chancer hinted at this way back) that this all comes down to restrictive "non-competition" clauses in Clarkson's contract: if he leaves of his own volition, he may not be allowed to present a similar show for a couple of years, whereas if he is pushed, then he may be able to go straight to another channel. [/quote]It all depends on the exact wording of theses clauses if they exist. It is quite likely that they would be binding even if he is sacked otherwise it would be an open invitation to misbehave and so avoid the restriction. As none of us know the facts it may be best to wait to see what emerges from the BBC inquiry if that is ever published.

[quote user="Gluestick"][quote user="Rabbie"] Glue, with your talent for making allegations and your ability for not answering the question you should be a politician[:D][/quote] Not very accurate, Rabbie: I always try to back up my statements with researched and considered facts. [/quote]The Smiley should have been a slight hint I was not being literal. I was merely commenting on the fact that you were not on this particular occasion backing up your argument with any facts. In fact you seemed to be doing exactly the same as you were accusing Mr Brown of doing.

[quote user="Gluestick"][quote user="Rabbie"] Perhaps you could enlighten us as to which of Mr Brown's statistics are incorrect and what the truth really is. It is certainly a fact that the Norwegian Minister for Europe was very critical recently of the lack of influence that Norway has on EU policies that directly affect it.[/quote] When the other thread concerning the EU commenced, I did start to assemble quite a detailed response, Rabbie: however pressure of work and etc, precluded my finishing this. If I can find the time, then I will try and finalise over the next few days. Alternatively, of course, you could try researching the relevant data: it is all easily sourced via Google. The trick is to avoid the expanded half-truths and outright spin of political parties and members and supporters, thereof. [/quote]Glue, with your talent for making allegations and your ability for not answering the question you should be a politician[:D]

No Top Gear this week. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-31824040

[quote user="Gluestick"][quote]Of course, we must tell the truth about the 3 million jobs, 25,000 companies, £200bn of annual exports and £​450bn of inward investment linked to Europe; and how the “Britzerland” or Norwegian alternatives (even Norwegians oppose the Norwegian option) leave us subject to EU rules, but denied a vote in shaping them.[/quote] And, of course, Mr Brown's statistics must be taken as utter, absolute facts...............from the man who drove Britain to the edge of fiscal disaster and sovereign borrowing levels never ever seen before! Remember, this is the very same man who promised to "create" over 300,00 new jobs "At a stroke!". Still, I needed a good larf after today, Norman. Thanks for bringing this to my attention! Finally, I would point you towards your own posting signature comment, viz: [quote] The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd; indeed in view of the silliness of the majority of mankind, a widespread belief is more likely to be foolish than sensible. - Bertrand Russell[/quote] [/quote]Perhaps you could enlighten us as to which of Mr Brown's statistics are incorrect and what the truth really is. It is certainly a fact that the Norwegian Minister for Europe was very critical recently of the lack of influence that Norway has on EU policies that directly affect it.

Q, why confuse the argument with the facts. It is so much more interesting to discuss the issue based on perceptions and prejudices. The facts only confuse the issue.

[quote user="idun"]and then ????? Yes, that question of where to live. IF the UK leaves the EU then I have a very grotty looking village in Brittany in mind, or maybe Ireland. Don't know. Certainly not so bad where we are at the moment, but I am very flexible as to where I live, however, there are limits, and not Essex, by the sounds of it, although surely there are some lovely parts of Essex? [/quote]As I gather you are happy living in the NE of England I am puzzled why you would vote for the UK to leave the EU when it would mean you would either have to move to Ireland or back to France in which case why leave France in the first place

I am proud of my country especially because we don't turn away people who need medical care from the hospital. I believe it is everyone's duty to help those who need it. I am assured by a friend who works for the NHS that they could not provide the service they do without immigrant workers at all levels. When you listen to Nigel Farage, he seems to be hedging his bets on a ban on immigration. I think that if  UKIP holds the balance of power after the election many of those who voted for it will be disappointed. Hopefully there will be significant reforms of the EU. There are many over the whole of the EU that realise that it is far from perfect and needs to be changed. But to leave the EU without a clear strategy would be a disaster. UKIP and other Euro-sceptics owe it to the electorate to spell out exactly what they would do if the UK leaves the EU

[quote user="PaulT"]Could one alternate use of the information be for the government to establish those who spend in excess of 183 days a year out of the UK that they are no longer UK resident and hence deny those services, such as NHS, to those people?[/quote]Or the opposite. Checking on those who are spending more than 183 days in the UK and so liable toUK tax

Perhaps iif we reduced MPs salaries we might attract more altruistic people. After all there is no shortage of applicants for the job every time there is a vacancy.

Given the number of drivers who either ignore the requests to turn off their car alarms during the voyage or do not know how to do it even the car decks on the conventional ferries can be very noisy and would certainly stress nervous dogs. Why can't people think of the animals that are travelling. In most cars it's just a question of using your key to lock the car to avoid setting the alarm

I have heard them described as "vomit comets". Enough said