What a Great week this has been in the world

[ebaynut]

On Tuesday we had an excellent speech

from Mrs May, confirming what Dave had promised us if we dare to vote to leave

the EU. What is all this ‘hard Brexit’ and soft Brexit nonsense.

Out means out, we did not vote to stay in the single market, we voted OUT,

and to control our borders.

 

Then onto today, the great man Mr T becomes the most powerful man in the

world.   The Muslim son of a Kenyan goat herder will be flushed down the U bend

of history at last. 

And what a great new first family the US will have now, and also some

serious eye candy for sure.   No more frumpy old Michelle.  You could say the

Trumps are replacing the frumps.

 

And the sun is shining here in the UK,   Happy days............[:D] [:D]

[idun]

Never ceases to amaze me as to how differently I see the world to others. I never minded Michelle, whereas Mrs T, looks as cold as Posh Spice, neither of whom I consider stunning, or is it that I find great beauty in an easy smile. So if Michelle is a frump then give me that over an the cold woman with the, I believe the expression is, stripper's heels!

Interesting times ahead, that is for sure!

[woolybanana]

What are stripper's heels?

[idun]

Well there are lewder expressions for those super high styletto heels that are so 'popular' these days, but stripper's heels covers it without being too rude!!!

[Cendrillon]

[quote user="idun"]Never ceases to amaze me as to how differently I see the world to others. I never minded Michelle, whereas Mrs T, looks as cold as Posh Spice, neither of whom I consider stunning, or is it that I find great beauty in an easy smile. So if Michelle is a frump then give me that over an the cold woman with the, I believe the expression is, stripper's heels!

Interesting times ahead, that is for sure![/quote]

Another expression is

"All fur and no kn++++rs "

[woolybanana]

So, Trump heels, then!

[Cathar Tours]

The joke here in Germany this week was about the train that went from China (via a few countries) to the UK. They called it the "Aid Train" i.e. China sending aid to the UK in the form of cheap goods but the biggest question was what was going to be send back from the UK? Many predicated that it would leave the UK empty as there is nothing that China wants or needs from the UK (apart from control of its new nuclear reactors).

As to Trump and him "staying at home" well America has not really done much good in Europe since the end of WW2, certainly not in the last 50 years except cause trouble.

Got my new car last weekend under my companies discount scheme. I was amazed how much cheaper the list price of a Ford (Merc, Audi and VW) is in Germany than in the UK. You would think it would be the other way round with the collapse of sterling. Our workers have been told not to worry about the free trade agreement when the UK leaves the EU and that the company will absorb any tariffs so the price in the UK won't change.

I was reading about how much electricity the UK imports from France and Holland and how much Gas the UK imports from Norway, all EU controlled. I don't think, from what I have read, that the UK wants to start any trade war. Energy is the new gold these days. Putin knows this, he who controls the energy tap is the boss.

[lindal1000]

Very true CT.

One positive thing this week is that people seem to have rediscovered the power of protest and regained an interest in politics. That has got to be a good thing. Role on the women's march today.

As to Melena and Trump, whenever I see them together I think of Richard Roper and his token wife in The Night Manager. I wonder whether, when she first fell for the super rich elderly tycoon, whether she envisaged this as part of her job description.? Looking at the expression on her face for most of yesterday I would say not.

[woolybanana]

It seems that Obamacare is gonna be the first victim of this political thug; is there any criminal law that could make him responsible for the people who depend on the care and who will start dying when they cant get it any more or are they just collateral damage?

[Cathar Tours]

America first......... only if your not poor.

[Lehaut]

Read an interesting discussion on Quora on health care in the US. The opinion being if you don't work, you are not entitled to health care. Those that do work object to paying for those that don't. If you do get fixed, the hospitals will chase you for the money regardless. They don't like the european model, funded by (they say) us spending less on Defence as the US is protecting us (NATO). Some believe that the UK health service should take account of an individuals commitment to their own health before offering blanket cover. Something in the middle perhaps?

[Cathar Tours]

I think Trump will be able to get more done than Obama mainly because congress has remained under republican control. Somebody explained Obama's problem as being like if we had no queen, Corbyn was president and the Tories had the majority in parliament, he would never get anything passed. Probably a bit naive but basically gets the point over.

I see Trump has started disassembling Obama Care already. I cannot believe that 15% of the American population have no healthcare cover at all, not even Medicare. That does not happen in Europe and seems rather selfish.

I have little experience so far of the German system but for me it is cheaper than the UK. Everyone has to have insurance. It is collected by private not for profit insurance companies yet I only pay 7.5% of my salary gross yet the SHI receives 15% with the rest being paid by my employer. I pay for prescriptions which was just under 10 Euros. I get 75% of my salary paid if "signed off" by the insurance company and the rest is made up by my employer. During the time I am off work I don't pay insurance. This lasts for a maximum of 72 continuous weeks.

Like my dad in France you have a healthcard which you have to produce and it contains basic information like any long term illness and what drugs you take. You must carry it with you at all times (in case of accident I suppose). Other than these two payments everything else is "free" unlike France.

Your guaranteed (by law) to see your GP within 24 hours although phone in the morning and you get to see them the same day. You don't register with a doctor and although it is advised you don't need GP referrals to a specialist you can go directly.

Apparently the flu jab this year was the wrong one so we have had a lot of people off work. Big news this year and has resulted in hospitals being over run and struggling to cope. Not to different to the UK and my dad said France has not been much different either with in some cases doctors actually walking out because they can't cope.

[Jonzjob]

I think that the bloke in the vatiquan is going to be popular when Donald Duck hears this

And I can sense all the toys being chucked out of the cot in this too

He really must get a sense of humour because a clown like him does need one me-thinks.

Should he really tweet or quack [8-)]

[Hoddy]

My biggest worry about Trump is his ignorance which will lead him to incompetence.

I read this morning that he has sacked all USA ambassadors immediately. It will take him ages to replace them and in the meantime the USA is virtually unrepresented in the rest of world.

[idun]

I am sure that some can see their GP's in France within 24 hours, and 'I' could always see mine the same day. But it is far from that where I used to live these days, as a good friend has been lamenting recently that appointments, unless absolute emergencies are unavailable immediately and she has appointments all too often the following week, never within a day.

Laws don't work if there is not a GP available, and I know that there are far more in France than the UK, but there is an insufficiency of GP's in some parts of France, it has been on french news often enough.

And France used to be shockingly bad for health care. I remember it well, so France had the good sense to change, although I do think in some parts, they have over done it. A friend in my village with two young daughters had no health care at all, nothing, and could not afford to pay into the system. I used to worry a lot about her and her family. I remember a bloke we knew being made redundant and had not found another job as his health care was running out, so nothing for him and his family. We were lucky in that there was a Red Cross clinic in the local city. Fortunately he got a new job more or less at the time it ran out.

[andyh4]

CT wrote:

I have little experience so far of the German system but for me it is cheaper than the UK. (1)

Everyone has to have insurance. It is collected by private not for profit insurance companies yet I only pay 7.5% of my salary gross yet the SHI receives 15% with the rest being paid by my employer.(2)

I pay for prescriptions which was just under 10 Euros. I get 75% of my salary paid if "signed off" by the insurance company and the rest is made up by my employer. During the time I am off work I don't pay insurance. This lasts for a maximum of 72 continuous weeks.

Other than these two payments everything else is "free" unlike France. (3)

Although I broadly agree some comments about your German experience so far.

1) I am not sure how you can gauge whether the UK health system is cheaper or more expensive than Germany since the UK costs come out of the general taxation pot. Nevertheless I too had an impression of the system operating more cheaply - but I stress impression. Other than these two payments everything else is "free" unlike France.

2) Despite these contributions most if not all health insurance groups run at a deficit and this has to be made up from time to time - by the tax payer generally. The 7.5% seems low but with your employer contribution does come up to typical levels.

3) You should pay 10€ per quarter for visiting a doctor/specialist etc.. This can be a pain if your first appointment for the quarter is in the last week of the quarter and the doctor asks to see you again in a weeks time = 2 quarters = 20€. If you need to see someone else then you get an Ueberweisung from the first person you have visited. Dental and medical services operate independently so you might have two sets of charges.

Nevertheless this is not expensive for someone in a good position in a middle to large company. That however is not the case for someone who is on a low wage working for example as an assistant in the bakers shop, where the monthly salary might be 600€ gross.

[Cathar Tours]

Andy - I am not implying that your wrong but was your experience before the changes in 2013? I say this because during our induction none of this was implied and I paid nothing to see the GP. I do understand that GP's are effectively private and sign contracts with different insurance companies who pay them which might explain why my company has it's own (although I saw one where I live and not the company GP) for employees and their families.

My reference to cheap was more along the lines of what I paid in NI contributions back in the UK.

Yes I understand that the German government invests heavily in the public health service facilities, some 11+ percent of GDP I believe.

Fortunately I have only had to experience a GP so far so in reality I can only rely on what I am told rather than my experience.

Idun - My dad tells me the French healthcare system has gone down the tube over the last few years. Two days wait for a doctors appointment and longer in big cities. Long wait's for specialist visits, x-rays etc. He said it was really good when he got there, same day GP etc. but not anymore. Between Christmas and the New Year my mother took a turn at home and the doctor couldn't come for two days. He said he would leave a note or something with his receptionist so my dad could take her to hospital. Doesn't sound very good to me.

[woolybanana]

The quality of the French system varies considerably depending on where you are; in this part of the Pas de Calais my doctor's appointments have usually been the same day but occasionally the next day if I phone in late but there is a three month wait for the cardio.

However in other areas there is a penury of doctors; those who are retiring are not being replaced and the new ones will not work in certain areas.

Locals say that A n E is being overwhelmed, particularly at weekends and partly due to the flu epidemic. Waiting times can be for many hours

Costs are being cut to the bone in hospitals with, as usual, the front line staff being the hardest hit and worst treated.

It is not generally known that the specialist doctor's who work in hospitals and who are foreign receive a substantially smaller pay packet than their French trained collegues, even though the former staff the tough jobs like A n E and do the night shifts.

Costs are being pushed over to the health insurers who must be passing that on to their customers.

In addition, the present health minister is talking of making many ALD patients pay their wack as there are far too many of them.

Of course, many FRench people no longer have insurance because it is too expensive.

But the President has a hairdresser who is paid 10000 euros a month to monitor and trim his hair as often as possible and even travels abroad with him. Pity about his tailor though.

[andyh4]

CT

mea culpa

I meant to say that my experience was from 3 years ago, but it sounds as if you have some special circumstances supported by Henry and his company, which may mean that you are not in a typical situation.

Back to France and as we know those without cover from elsewhere have to pay 8% - and the state then heavily subventions the system.

It is time that throughout Europe we woke up and realised that health cover probably costs from between 15 and 25% of total income. Cover for old age support is probably on top of that - and in Germany I was also paying a separate insurance to cover that as well.

[Jonzjob]

An there were eye thinkin thas this were a post about wot did 'appen thjis week in the world, an all of a sudden it's a 'istorie of the  social and 'elf of the various countries around?

If there's a need to discuss this social 'istorie then why not start another thread on it and not hyjaque this one?

Donal Ducque is throwing all sorts of toys out of 'is newely aquired Bath stone house nursery cot because he's just found out that people, the majority of voters, don't actually like him, or his mate and helper in that big place that used to the RULED by Uncle Joe, 'our ex friend' ????

Wine's very good an it cheep ere init though [8-|]

[lindal1000]

The Donald (aged 13) was upset because he didn't get as many friends turning up to his party as his friend did so had a bit of a tantrum..or rather told his mate to have a tantrum on his behalf. Fortunately the nice Kellyanne lady soothed him by telling him, never mind, it wasn't really that bad as everyone was just making up stories about him, and she would make up some alternative stories so he would feel better.

[ebaynut]

Idun wrote,

I never minded Michelle, whereas Mrs T, looks as cold as Posh Spice,

neither of whom I consider stunning, or is it that I find great beauty

in an easy smile.

For me, it was an easy choice between these two.

 

[Cathar Tours]

[quote user="lindal1000"]The Donald (aged 13) was upset because he didn't get as many friends turning up to his party as his friend did so had a bit of a tantrum..or rather told his mate to have a tantrum on his behalf. Fortunately the nice Kellyanne lady soothed him by telling him, never mind, it wasn't really that bad as everyone was just making up stories about him, and she would make up some alternative stories so he would feel better.[/quote]

If you talking about the number of attendees to his inauguration it's a bit difficult to argue when the broadcasting camera pulls back from the zoom of him on the podium to show the lack of people. More women by far attended the demonstration the following day.

I was thinking about Mays meeting on the 27th. I can just see Trump making a grab for her and trying to stick his tongue down her throat. It's enough to put anyone off their cornflakes.

[nomoss]

[quote user="Cathar Tours"] .........................I was thinking about Mays meeting on the 27th. I can just see Trump making a grab for her and trying to stick his tongue down her throat. It's enough to put anyone off their cornflakes.[/quote]

I was more surprised at her rushing off to meet him when summoned.

[ebaynut]

W/B wrote,   It seems that Obamacare is gonna be the first victim of this political thug; is there any criminal law that could make him responsible for the people who depend on the care and who will start dying when they cant get it any more or are they just collateral damage?       You seem surprised he is doing this, pay attention, he did mention it in the campaign once or twice.  Or is it you are amazed that a politician is keeping to his pledges??   Is there are law to stop him ? , No, he can pretty much do as he wants now. [:D]