Gluestick

[quote user="andyh4"] In 2 years time the UK will almost certainly exit the EU without any agreements on trading with EU countries and as far as I can see the only rules that could apply are WTO rules - even though the UK is not currently a member. So car imports to the EU for example will be subject to a 10% import tax.[/quote] Now where did this little gem arrive from, pray?? See here: scroll down........(To nation States beginning with the letter "U". [Www] ) Britain was a member of GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) since 1948. And GATT was the precursor to WTO.

Coops was an excellent photog; and we shared a common love - affliction? - motor racing. I nicknamed her John-Eric? Anyone ever wonder why? Coops understood this instantly: her full username was Cooper Lola. Two racing car marques. The founder of cooper Cars was one John Cooper; and the founder of Lola Racing cars was Eric Broadley. Hence John Eric! Deb wanted to live near the Sarthe circuit; the home of the famed 24 Hour le Mans race, which dated back to the early 1900s. She attended as many memorial meetings as she was able and took copious wondrous photographs. I well remember when she suffered her horrendous car crash when returning from UK, how her precious and valuable camera was damaged; she was perhaps more concerned over this than much else....... Brave and lovely lady: and Ian was and I am sure remains a tower of strength. R.I.P John-Eric.

Mac: The economic metrics, thus far, would indicate no justification is needed. The doom and gloom of "Project Fear" has proven not to have actually happened... OK the pound sterling has dropped; however, this is the result of pure currency speculation, since if one examines and drills-down into the core stats, the Eurozone has serious deficit problems, Italian banks are bankrupt, technically, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain et al are economic and fiscal basket cases; and France has recently announced their intention to dispense with the annual budget cap on public debt borrowing and spending! Germany - the economic and monetary powerhouse - is now struggling to deal with Mad Mutti Merkel's folly de grandjeure over migrants, in terms of holistic fiscal costs...... Etc. Thus I fail to see the rationale of your comment? [8-)] Steve (Power Diesel) is absolutely correct. It was a democratic vote: the remainers lost. They must accept this, until and unless they can find a parliamentary or statutory justification to legally and from precedent challenge the conclusion.

No doubt Dave will be off to such as Goldman Sachs, or J P Morgan or similar, to sell his inside influence, as many of his colleagues and predecessors. Interesting how Jose Manuel Barroso has now also joined the Vampire Squid. What's his expertise? Bankrupting Portugal when Finance Minster and then PM? Useful, I guess if one's corporate aim is to destroy things......... [:-))]

Very trite; and amusing, cajal. [:D]

[quote user="BJSLIV"]The decheterie is the collection service![/quote] No it is not: it is a receiving for re-cycling service. I checked; as I stated. The local tax payer must themselves (or their contractors) deliver the waste to the decheterie.

[quote user="andyh4"] No No No Schengen (and it has lots of faults) has not allowed any terrorist to carry anything into the EU nor allowed any migrant to arrive in Europe. [/quote] Really? Schengen area:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_Area  Reference: http://time.com/how-europes-terrorists-get-their-guns/  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/11351855/How-did-the-Paris-terrorists-get-hold-of-their-weapons.html   http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/following-the-path-of-the-paris-terror-weapons-a-1083461.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/12006892/International-manhunt-underway-after-French-police-let-Paris-attacks-suspect-slip-through-their-fingers.html One wonders why, if Schengen is so wonderful, what has galvanized this Trusk statement... http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2016/09/09-tusk-meeting-lofven-stockholm/ Any container is only as strong as its constituent parts and expecting ex Marxist collective states to exercise the same level of border controls as the core group is ludicrous. As it has been with Italy and Greece: two basket case nation states where resources lie between scarce to non-existent and bribery is a natural part of their nature and expectation. Setting up a statutory system is fine: however, only when and if good when administration and regulation and close control follow. Otherwise it would be rather like a government passing a law that states “As from next Monday, all crime is now illegal and banned!” And thereafter sacking all the police officers... The fat cats of the EU apparat have f0ollowed this dismal path since the get go: lots of nice speeches and high-sounding rhetoric, nice lunches and dinners; lovely salaries pensions and fat expense accounts, however, when it comes to actually performing, then they fail, dismally. Time and time again.  [quote]Gluestick also wrote: Well before the EU, the EEC allowed customs-free movement of goods between member states. and the customs tariffs between the UK and the rest of the core EEC members were gradually phased out from 1973 during the run-in period. I studied the Brussels Nomenclature back in 1976 and and am still recovering! Additionally, the TIR system is still extant.  TIR is indeed still extant, but I fear you do not understand what it does. [/quote]  I fear I do rather!  [quote]TIR is a transit (I stress transit) arrangement that simplifies border controls while passing though (again stress on passing through) Intermediate countries. Critically this means if the UK is the final destination of goods TIR arrangements stop at the exit of the EU and entry to the UK. Similarly a UK export to an EU country - or others covered by free movement ( CH, N, et al) is not and cannot be covered by TIR. TIR is designed for exports from the UK to for example Serbia, Turkey, Iraq and beyond. Simply put TIR cannot apply to imports to the UK and TIR cannot apply to exports from the UK to the EU. Once Brexit is in place TIR will apply to Irish exports to the EU via the UK (and vice versa). Unless we negotiate a free movement of goods arrangement, the border controls for goods into the UK (and to a lesser extent perhaps into the EU ferry ports) are going to be a real bu@@ers muddle.[/quote]  Quote: “The TIR Convention establishes an international customs transit system with maximum facility to move goods: in sealed vehicles or containers;from a customs office of departure in one country to a customs office of destination in another country;without requiring extensive and time-consuming border checks at intermediate borders;while, at the same time, providing customs authorities with the required security and guarantees. The TIR system not only covers customs transit by road but a combination is possible with other modes of transport (e.g., rail, inland waterway, and even maritime transport), as long as at least one part of the total transport is made by road.” Now; if goods leave the UK by RoRo, destined for say Germany , then they must travel thru France, Belgium and Holland, before they reach the consignee in Germany. One might believe they are “Cleared” in France; in which case they would be, in EU parlance , “Goods in Free Circulation”. Any customs duty and VAT must be paid (TVA). However, the consignee would have to claim back the TVA suffered; a long, tortuous and clumsy bureaucratic process. And then charge German VAT when sold on. Far simpler to consign the goods under carnet whereupon they can be cleared into Germany, at an ICD (Inland Clearing Depot) which saves port congestion. And this, in itself, is going to be one mother of a problem! The other problem, of course, is the differential VAT between member states. Brings to mind the words of Traitor Heath, when he announced VAT; “One simple tax; one low rate!” Yeah right........... VAT Rates Pan Europe http://www.vatlive.com/vat-rates/european-vat-rates/eu-vat-rates/

@PaulT Nice idea...................but... The "Refugees", read Economic Migrants, are meant to apply for asylum the moment they hit a "safe" country; i.e. Spain, Italy, or Greece. Alternatively, people who seek to migrate, legally, to another nation state are required to register for a temporary visa at the consular office or embassy of their own nation state and once they have received permission and the necessary documents can then make their way. Another nice idea! [:D] Unfortunately, people smugglers have brainwashed them into believing that the streets of the UK Germany et al are paved with gold. Thanks to BLiar and his chums, Britain operated a sort of "Open Door" policy, as revealed by one of the architects of NuLab's notorious and highly illegal and undemocratic social engineering experiment (Andrew Neather) which was aimed at simply "Breaking the power of the right for all time!". See here: Today, no one, (least of all the Home Office!), knows quite how many illegals sneaked into Britain: estimated at between 1 to 2+ million. The Sainted EU has failed utterly to adequately police Schengen, which is precisely how and why illegals have been wandering around Greece, Italy and France for so long. Interestingly, just prior to Mrs Gluey and I returning to Blighty for a short spell, the ports and Eurotunnel were blockaded by routiers and local residents, who formed a human  (plus tracteur) chain across the A16 autoroute to prevent access. The truck drivers have had enough of the danger and the residents, enough of the crime and violence in Calais; which includes garden shed being broken into and tools stolen. Local traders have watched their revenues drop, significantly, particularly, restaurateurs.

Does anyone have any hard information on this topic, please? Last time I checked, bonfires were prohibited, all provided one's commune enjoyed a collection service. In which case they were permitted, al provided they were not a regular nuisance. Mine does not: I checked last week. Whilst the decheterie have a dedicated area for garden organic waste (along with everything else), they definitively do not offer any form of collection.

Well before the EU, the EEC allowed customs-free movement of goods between member states. and the customs tariffs between the UK and the rest of the core EEC members were gradually phased out from 1973 during the run-in period. I studied the Brussels Nomenclature back in 1976 and and am still recovering! Additionally, the TIR system is still extant. Superseded does not necessarily mean repealed or abandoned. For example, does the existence of the EU mean the Treaty of Vienna is obsolete? Far from it...  

@ Wooly and Rabbie. Agree completely. Thus speaks an ex Secondary School Guv, of quite a few years back. It's far worse now, I understand. Mainly since society has become far too litigious, plus the left wing Liberal mindset proscribes proper discipline and ensuing sanction. School annual meeting (a statutory requirement): it was normal to see perhaps ten parents at this meeting when the school had upwards of 800 pupils. Says it all.

Interesting experience of which I am just recovering........ Having returned from a two+ week sojourn in la belle just late yesterday, Ms G and I picked a large quantity of ripe damsons from our garden. Destined for jam and damson and apple pies etc. Quelle horreure! Needed sugar. Thus I volunteered to visit the local Chavda store. What an amazing contrast between our local Carrefour and Chavda!! The great unwashed were wobbling (literally; great bobs of adipose tissue bulging out in all directions. Yuk! [:'(] ) into the place, replete with copious tattoos and tribes of nasty kids; these kids were even roller skating in the store! Running around screaming and shouting (that was just the damned parents!) etc etc. Delightful experience. Not. Leaving the car park was fun, too, Cars simply reversing from bays without looking. Still, returning to relative peace and tranquillity in early October, thank goodness,

Schengen is simply an artificial construct, which by all the empirical evidence has failed. Dreadfully. Namely since it has allowed terrorists to carry arms and munitions into the EU without let of hindrance and worse, has allowed tens of thousands of illegal migrants to filter thru Europe into France, in particular. The core Schengen principal was based upon "intelligence": which has again itself, failed, miserably. What is being conveniently forgotten, here, are the multitude of previous treaties and agreements, pre-EEC and EU and Schengen. More critically, such childish actions invite reciprocity: think Soviet Union expelling UK and US diplomats and the UK and US engaging in a tit-for-tat. Think further: on the sheer volume of EU registered trucks entering Britain each year: will they all need upgraded documents, visas, carnets etc?

Excellent and pragmatic analysis, Chancer. ALL kids behave very badly indeed, lacking parental or other close supervision. Once returned from France with my son on a P and O ferry, years back. The boat was alive with unsupervised French youngsters, running amok. Despite not needing any, nor the attendant cost, we repaired to Langham's Restaurant for a decent luncheon for peace of mind. In our local Carrefour, nearly all the French children are well behaved and any deviance is slapped down immediately, by their parent/s. In the UK, however, in particularly Chavda, Tesco, Aldi and Lidl, the damned kids are an utter nightmare. Yet so are the adults below 50 years old.........

The lunatics are now demanding all visitors to Euroland Disneyworld must have a new form of temporary visa, costing £10 per trip. Neatly ignoring, of course, in their delusional myopia, how many foreign visitors visit France, Spain, Greece, Portugal, Italy et al each year; and that same tourists have already been hard-hit, by the forex market... British visitors to France, for example, have not needed a visa since 1946. See Here: Well prior to Schengen, I travelled all around Europe with no visa needed. These fools are behaving rather like jilted lovers. [:P]

[quote user="mint"] With regard to the media, it's not only manipulating and misinforming, though there is a lot of that, but the difficult-to-dig out "leaving out of information".  Who is the gatekeeper and who is the regulator of those who set out the protocols and rules of what can and cannot be published or broadcast? Then there is the vast, not-completely-understood area of the "language" that is used, the political bias of proprietors and editors, not to mention the whole tone and ethos of the mass media corporations and authorities. I am sure a certain infamous North Korean gentleman have made quite a close study of the media!  [/quote] Today, Mint, using the MSM (Main Stream Media) is a complete waste of time. For those who seek cogent factoids which may be cross-checked against other sources, then News Agglomerators are a much more useful source. As you say and I quite agree, it is invariably what is left out which is often critical. As well as Agglomerators, new wave news and current affairs websites offer much more value and direction than the MSM. A certain Dr Joseph Goebbels wrote the book on fact distortion, bias and what was effective brain washing of the masses. Soviet Russia and China didn't do so badly, either! Back to Mark Twain. "The man who does not read a newspaper is ill-informed: the man who does read a newspaper is misinformed!" Interesting admission since he was a journalist!

Hoddy: As with wine, there is good wine and bad wine. Same with schools. A very dear and close friend (from motor racing) was Head of Department, CDT, at the first and largest major comp in Essex. It was a very troubled area. He was a very tall (6!6") Yorkshireman and an excellent rugby player: and took no prisoners! 99% of the kids loved him to bits, since he led from the front. He also set up extra-curricular clubs for both woodwork and metal work and even set up a Cart Racing Club, which naturally all the kids wanted desperately to belong to. No work; no club. He taught them so very much; craft skills for a lifetime. He himself was a brilliant engineer. So sadly, he collapsed and passed away almost instantly at 50. I still miss him.

[quote user="mint"]But, ALBF and id, a degree in the UK has, AFAIK, NEVER equipped anyone to do anything unless they are skills related, eg, a nursing or teaching degree. A degree is meant to set you up to do other things, learn to think, argue your corner, sort out the grain (as it were) from the the rest, relate to people, be articulate and literate and at least, I suppose SOUND as though you know what you are talking about. There are many degrees, and I can think of architecture, accountancy, design, nursing where your degree is remote from your field of work.  So, after the degree, you still need to gain practical experience before you can go into a "proper" job and be able to be a safe and knowledgeable practitioner of whatever it is that you have studied to do!   [/quote] ALL degrees, Mint, are "remote from work". All a degree does is hopefully, provide the student grad with the ability to apply the owner of logical deduction; hopefully, in a way that is aligned to the work tasks involved. Unfortunately, in certain knowledge-specific areas specialism and focus are equally and perhaps more essential: for example (Clumsy perhaps yet apt) a skilled master butcher knows how, where and why to slice up a carcass. However a good surgeon (And today this is more specialised than ever before) has knowledge of bio-chemistry, and micro and macro biology too, as well as pharmacology etc. We had a sign hanging in the office in London: "Quick! Ask the graduate to do it, before they forget how to do everything!" A degree, Masters, or even Doctorate are precursors: thereafter they must learn the nuances and idiosyncrasies of specific occupations. This is why so many seek to remain in the sheltered, secluded groves of academe and avoid the real World outside. I researched and wrote a research paper in the early 1990s, which evaluated and considered the UK Venture Capital; and the frightening number of leading University discoveries and inventions and process concepts, had been hoovered up and licensed by Japan, Korea, The USA. Part of the research meant visiting the Patent Office in London. Which was infested by little Korean and Japanese guys... In the USA, however, Stanford, CalTech, MIT, GIT et al, self-manage in a majority of cases and assist their grads and post-grads to actualise and commercialise their brain waves. Which has spawned many multiple billionaires, who then endow their alma mata: quid pro quo.

[quote user="nomoss"] Strange country. Hitchens missed out texting as an Olympic sport.[/quote]. [:D] [quote]One of the (many) reasons we left the UK was that our two children, who previously had sporting activities as part of their daily life, found that the only activity in the huge comprehensive school we sent them to was gang warfare.[/quote] Brilliantly funny, nomoss! [quote]Previously a famous grammar school, the huge playing fields were unused except for a ridiculous sports day once a year where kids were liable to injury through lack of practice, and the tennis courts were locked and out of bounds because no teachers would supervise them. Before we bought the house and moved there we met the headmaster, but did not realise he thought it was still the grammar school, and described everything to us as it had been 5 years before. We realised later that he was deluded and unfortunately it was during the holidays so we didn't see the real situation until too late. Our options were to sell up and move where there was a better school, or send them to boarding schools, as there were no private schools near enough. As we had temporarily experienced another quite bad comprehensive school we were not sure any good ones existed. Both children had already had two years as boarders and we all wanted nothing more than for them to live at home again. The final straw was when the school told us that our daughter was only capable of doing two GCSEs, Art and English, and that our son also had problems. We are so glad we left the UK and the awful system there. Both offspring have degrees as well as being fluent in Spanish and French. [/quote] Sadly, all so familiar. I had dreadful rows concerning the school's plans to sell off the large sports field; the objection being they had to walk to the bottom of the road. Poor dears and poor staff. All of 500 yards... So naturally, they sold it off for housing, planning all sorts of joyful and wholly pointless profligacy, whereupon the LEA nicked the lot. As I forecast at the time, demographics showed growing unfitness and obesity and a forward rise in demand for school places. Shortly after I had walked out with a departing and acerbic "You are all fools and charlatans!" their next wondrous plan was to flog off one building (The school was a split-site): whereupon the LEA nicked all that money, too. Now, of course, pupils are crammed 40 to a class etc. Glad they have have achieved well. The World is now their oyster.

Interesting stats here on grads and work. Here: Here:

[quote user="Hoddy"]So in the light of all this analysis what advice would you offer to today's teenagers ? This question is close to my heart I have two teenage grandchildren; one who has just completed GCSEs and one who is just choosing their subjects.[/quote] May I start, Hoddy, by providing two real life examples? One of my closest friends has three kids. Lovely people, all of them. The eldest, originally read chemistry at Durham: excellent first degree. Moved horses and joined PwC and qualified as an FCA (Chartered Accountant). Now very successful and making bundles. The second eldest, took a good first degree and moved into banking to "Make myself really wealthy!" The youngest, my favourite is utterly charming and is managing a pub and doing quite well. He is very happy. If I had a child of school age, then I would steer him/her into (probably) economics, ensuring they had excellent maths skills. Plus languages. And advise them to leave Europe and move abroad. If they do wish to stay, then banking or trading for a while, make some serious money and depart these shores...... Now, anyone with a real engineering bent, then no contest: Loughborough, but specialising, not generalising. I have met loads of youngsters with a "Degree" in IT; whatever that means. But only a few who actually knew their subject; the very best came from Loughborough. Britain only had two ICT stars: Dr Mike Lynch (Alchemy) and Herman Houser et al who founded Arm Holdings. Hauser of course was the man who led the team to create the BBC Micro, then the Archimedes, then Arm which, of course has nearly now been sold, to Japan... What is left in terms of ICT Hi Tech?. Silicon Roundabout! Here: Alchemy was sold to HP for billions; they were whining again as they do, afterwards. There are far too many accountants, lawyers et al fighting for good diminishing job opportunities.

[quote user="nomoss"][quote user="Gluestick"] Problem is, far too many ersatz universities, are turning out so-called graduates with Mickey Mouse degrees in silly lightweight made up subjects: meeja studies is now it seems to equivalent of Sociology back in the 1980s. [/quote] Not to worry. I just heard on BBC News that Britain is now an "Olympic Superpower", so who needs education? They have masses of, mainly, poorly educated kids who can run faster, jump higher and further, paddle a canoe quicker, etc. etc., than anyone else. [/quote] Couldn't agree more, nomoss. Read the only person on the Mail (Mail on Sunday) with any nous. On this very topic, last Sunday: Peter Hitchens: Here:

[quote user="woolybanana"]Gooliestick, so much common sense which should have penetrated to the powers that be so long ago. Would you be an advisor to Mrs May, who is now the PM, I understand, or is such too much for our sterile political class? I taught at one of those Mickey Mouse institutions for a while, the one and only time in my career, and left with a sense of deep shame. What worries me is that some of the staff are still around, though in the Corbyn camp. RIP UK?[/quote] Woolie: Most of my Bschool work was at MBA level. Now, as you know, the essential precursor screening for a good MBA (and an AMBA requirement) is for a student to pass the GMAT. I waxed lyrical, when foreign students whose English was, shall we say rudimentary, were pushed onto MBA courses. No GMAT  and not a hope in hell of them passing one! Sadly, the days are past when an Indian gentleman perceived value in having his business card state: Mustapha Patel BSc, (London Econ- failed). e.g. Prior to my BSchool stint, I was recruited to act as a governor of a troubled and failing secondary school, by the County Council. This was at the time of the introduction of LMS (Local Management of Schools) and they needed finance input. To my horror, I discovered, when a charming and very capable remedial teacher addressed the Board, 90% of the pupils commencing their first year had a reading, writing, comprehension and arithmetic age of circa 7+ 90 PERCENT!! Obviously, there was simply no way these kids could understand the first year's study. However, this amazing lady taught the same kids for just two two hour sessions per week, for their first six months, and had 90% of the 90% up to 12+. Naturally, the Area Education Office cancelled the funding and stated unequivocally it was not necessary! The same LEA cancelled any remedial funding for Dyslexia; "Since there was no such thing!" Right. The only possible conclusion one could reach was primary and junior schools had failed; and failed, utterly, completely and appallingly. Luckily after a short time the dedicated half-mad fervent Lefty Liberal head took early retirement and we all heaved a sigh of relief, and recruited a new young charging vital head teacher, the school was turned around, became GMS and from a place where if the local selection process decided to send their kids to the old school, they would sell up and move into a caravan miles away, first: to a school now where parents are queuing up to secure a place. It made and still makes me very angry indeed!  [:@] To take young minds and spirits when they might achieve so much in life for themselves and for others and for society and consign them to the academic dustbin purely as a political football in a spavined cause of the illusion of egalitarianism is nothing more than child abuse. Sorry and apols. rant over.

Grads with good degrees in areas where such are sought have no problem. See here: Problem is, far too many ersatz universities, are turning out so-called graduates with Mickey Mouse degrees in silly lightweight made up subjects: meeja studies is now it seems to equivalent of Sociology back in the 1980s... My office used to receive endless "over the transom" letters from kids obviously desperate for a real job. No chance when they couldn't actually write properly. Almost daily, I receive "letters" from major UK companies which are embarrassing; English? I fear not. In circa 1990, I was asked to act as a Moderator, for a London University BSchool: mature MBA students, on exchange from Heidelberg for a residential. The last day were the summing up and presentations of their group project for assessment. The leader of the winning team was Chinese; her mother tongue was Mandarin; she was studying in German in Germany and presented the 30 minute introduction, content and analysis and finally, pertinent conclusions in fluent English! Sorry lindal, Britain can no longer compete, globally and create and maintain competitive advantage. Which is why the economy is based on house price boom-busts and debt manufacturing. One only needs to study and evaluate the speed at which China and India are turning out science and engineering graduates and the numbers. Meanwhile:

UK universities are awash with foreign students, most of whom emanate from non-EU nations. Furthermore, certain European students will have far better academic skills than most of the UK schools products, who tend to finish up as Tesco shelf-stackers with a err, "Degree" from supposed universities.... (Ex External University BSchool examiner and moderator)