Across the Pond from America

[stickygirl]

"We going to get a great deal..." Boris Johnson
The Conservative party - the gift that just keeps taking and taking ( the piss )

 

[bodysong]

Springtime in Paris Suburbs

RAMBOUILLET, France —

French prosecutors opened a terrorism investigation into the fatal stabbing Friday
of a police official inside a police station near the historic Rambouillet chateau
outside Paris. Police shot and killed the attacker at the scene, authorities said.

Antiterrorism prosecutor Jean-Francois Ricard told reporters that his office
took over the probe because the attacker had staked out the station ahead of time,
because of statements he made during the attack, and because he targeted a
police official.

Ricard did not provide details on the attacker’s identity or motive. French media
reports identified him as a 37-year-old French resident with no criminal record or
record of radicalization.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2021/04/23/world/french-prosecutors-open-terror-probe-officials-killing/

The stabbing took place in the secure entrance to the police station in the commuter
town of Rambouillet, as the unarmed administrative officer was returning from her
break at 14:20 (12:20 GMT).

Witnesses said the man had been seen walking around while on his mobile phone
outside the police station and seized his chance to go in as the woman went through
the security doors.

He reportedly lunged at the officer, stabbing her in the neck. Her colleagues then
opened fire on him.

Anti-terrorism prosecutors said they took over the investigation because of the way
the attack had unfolded, remarks made by the attacker and the fact that he targeted
a police official.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-56862436

 

[bodysong]

Hoping that this sort of crazy does not cross the pond and enter the US.

America has enough crazy, as it is. Then, again, the interwebs do not have
much of a border.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-somerset-57022269

 

[domroger]

Hoping that this sort of crazy does not cross the pond and enter the US.

America has enough crazy, as it is. Then, again, the interwebs do not have
much of a border.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-somerset-57022269

Charlottesville .

 

[bodysong]

The level of racism, sexism, and bigotry, is horrifying, on both sides of the pond.

Andrew Dymock has taken the war tactic of rape in a direction I did not expect.

https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/05/07/andrew-dymock-neo-nazi-bisexual-homophobic-terrorism-trial/

 

[Dribble]

Early results have gone to the Scottish Independence Party 40 out of 49 called races. Done deal

Scotland will be free from tyranny in less than a decade. Followed by N. Ireland...followed by Wales in the next 2 decades. How you liking Brexit now dumbasses?

 

[oggbashan]

Dribble? How will an independent Scotland fund itself? That is the elephant in the room that the SNP will NOT discuss.

At present Scotland receives substantial financial support from Westminster. Even if they try to join the EU, the EU wants contributors, not more liabilities.

As for Wales and Northern Ireland? Both economies would collapse without Westminster's support.

Vote to impoverish yourself? I don't think so. The Scots are not that stupid. Supporting the SNP and having a romantic view of Scottishness is one thing. Voting for massive increases in taxes? When, ever, has that been popular?

 

[Dribble]

Dribble? How will an independent Scotland fund itself? That is the elephant in the room that the SNP will NOT discuss.

At present Scotland receives substantial financial support from Westminster. Even if they try to join the EU, the EU wants contributors, not more liabilities.

As for Wales and Northern Ireland? Both economies would collapse without Westminster's support.

Vote to impoverish yourself? I don't think so. The Scots are not that stupid. Supporting the SNP and having a romantic view of Scottishness is one thing. Voting for massive increases in taxes? When, ever, has that been popular?

Lol. That is EXACTLY what the UK did isn't it? Vote to harm themselves for the hope of being free. Look in the mirror chap

 

[CornusKousa]

Early results have gone to the Scottish Independence Party 40 out of 49 called races. Done deal

Scotland will be free from tyranny in less than a decade. Followed by N. Ireland...followed by Wales in the next 2 decades. How you liking Brexit now dumbasses?

Freedom is dumb???

OHh that's right, you hate freedom and liberty.

Explains your love of hard authoritarian leftist politics and hatred of liberalism.

Dribble? How will an independent Scotland fund itself? That is the elephant in the room that the SNP will NOT discuss.

Because it's unimportant to the issue, licking the boots of English authority just isn't palatable to the Scottish anymore.

Clearly.....it's an unacceptable (to them) status that British welfare just can't afford anymore. It seems they would rather make their own choices for themselves and their community that be your handout slaves.

As an American I can 100% understand that.

They should copy our Declaration of Independence and mail it to your parliament....signed by theirs and sealed with a Micky Mouse cartoon.

 

[oggbashan]

But the Brexit effect doesn't seem to have done what the opponents said it would. Yes, there has been some temporary troubles, and some continue with Northern Ireland., but the effect in the UK's economy has been minimal and is much outweighed by Covid - but we are on schedule to bounce back strongly from that.

Those predicting doom and disaster have been proved wrong and the EU has made itself even more unpopular with those still remaining in it.

Even President Macron is facing a serious challenge from anti-EU people.

Brexit is working for the UK. Scottish independence would be a far bigger blow to Scotland than ever Brexit has been for the UK - but the SNP won't acknowledge the real cost. And if they go non-nuclear and kick out the Faslane base? They will lose thousands of well-paid jobs in an impoverished area. But do they care? Not a fuck!

PS: If the French try to escalate the fishing dispute by cutting Jersey's electricity? They would be in breach of international law and Jersey has the capacity, albeit nongreen diesel, to cover its own needs as has the UK if the French stopped power exchanges across the Channel.


If all UK fishing boats were stopped from selling fish to the EU and all EU boats were stopped from fishing in British waters? The UK could subsidise UK fishermen indefinitely because the UK fishing industry is so relatively small.


But for the French government, it would be a political catastrophe because French fishermen have political clout that resonates with French EU-subsidised farmers. President Macron could be replaced by a far-right anti-immigrant and anti-EU candidate. The dispute could cause the collapse of the French government while Boris Johnston rubs his hand in glee...

 

[CornusKousa]

But the Brexit effect doesn't seem to have done what the opponents said it would. Yes, there has been some temporary troubles, and some continue with Northern Ireland., but the effect in the UK's economy has been minimal and is much outweighed by Covid - but we are on schedule to bounce back strongly from that.

Those predicting doom and disaster have been proved wrong and the EU has made itself even more unpopular with those still remaining in it.

It's amazing how well people do when they manage their own affairs for themselves isn't it??

Drives the control freaks absolutely NUTS.

Even President Macron is facing a serious challenge from anti-EU people.

Yea....people are starting to figure out bureaucrats hundreds if not thousands of miles away from where they live and or who aren't from where they live, don't treat them all that well.

They realize they're getting FUCKED.

And they're sick and GD tired of it.

This happens to centralized authority every fuckin' time it gets too big for it's britches, from Rome all the way to the modern US and EU.

It always falls apart when the local/regional people start giving "Rome" the finger.

Every time.

Brexit is working for the UK.

Brexit is working for a lot of people, for a rather long time.

USA has done very well since our Brexit.

Again, it's amazing how well people can do when they are to care for their own well being isn't it??

In fact it's some of the best humanity has ever achieved is when people take care of their own shit.

It seems the Scottish would like the same.

Scottish independence would be a far bigger blow to Scotland than ever Brexit has been for the UK - but the SNP won't acknowledge the real cost. And if they go non-nuclear and kick out the Faslane base? They will lose thousands of well-paid jobs in an impoverished area. But do they care? Not a fuck!

Some things are worth more than a few jobs....like the freedom to create their own jobs

 

[oggbashan]

Cornus, you lack historical depth again.

Apart from HATED taxation to fund a war against the French, the 13 colonies before US independence ran THEMSELVES.

British Bureaucrats in London didn't interfere. At the height of the British Empire, the number of London civil servants running the Empire for everything was minimal, fewer than a single US City Hall has now.

 

[CornusKousa]

Cornus, you lack historical depth again.

Apart from HATED taxation to fund a war against the French, the 13 colonies before US independence ran THEMSELVES. British Bureaucrats in London didn't interfere.

The highly authoritarian, abusive and wildly exploitative brand of English colonialism is well documented history my friend.

You'll need to sell that lie to some ignorant fool.... cuz I ain't the one bubba.

If you genuinely think Great Britain didn't interfere and let the 13 colonies run independently, you are the one who lacks historical depth.

At the height of the British Empire, the number of London civil servants running everything was minimal, less than a single US City Hall has now.

And????

Ya think they might have been involved in the governing of their mighty empire of colonies??

Let's see Ogg try to deny and downplay British colonialism some more.....

 

[oggbashan]

It must be tough shit to be such an idiot, Cornus.

Can you tell me, in detail, how a handful of colonial administrators based in London (and it was no more than a handful) with communications taking a couple of weeks either way micromanaged vast territories of sparsely settled places?

The answer is they didn't and didn't even try. Decisions were taken IN the colonies by people based IN the colonies, with local administrations running their own affairs.

That is one reason why the American Revolution was successful. They already had their own governmental systems. They interpreted London directions to suit their own needs (and ignored them if they felt fit).

And don't tell me the British Army ran things. Again they had local control and made their own decisions (and classic errors) partly because they were run by incompetent officers and general staffs.

 

[DeYaKen]

Cornus, you lack historical depth again.

Apart from HATED taxation to fund a war against the French, the 13 colonies before US independence ran THEMSELVES.

British Bureaucrats in London didn't interfere. At the height of the British Empire, the number of London civil servants running the Empire for everything was minimal, fewer than a single US City Hall has now.

That's because it was given to private companies to run. (somethings never change) The East India Company and Hudson bay trading come to mind. And these companies ran the empire with the British armed forces providing their Muscle. In the latter days they were even allowed to recruit their own armies. However, the companies were licensed by the crown and had to pay for all assistance. Then as now these licenses were given out to political friends.

 

[bodysong]

yikes!

How many hand guns do you have in the UK ?

 

[CornusKousa]

The answer is they didn't and didn't even try. Decisions were taken IN the colonies by people based IN the colonies, with local administrations running their own affairs.

At the behest of the crown, that's why they weren't running their own affairs and decided to just shoot you totalitarian shits instead of doing what you told us.

You're still a culture and people of absolute control freaks.

But keep pretending we risked everything to fight you off because colonial England was just SOOOOOO unbelievably liberal and just let the colonies do their own thing TOTALLY free of any oppression.

 

[CornusKousa]

Then as now these licenses were given out to political friends.

Which is why they aren't private companies...but pets of the state.

 

[bodysong]

America's golden retriever of a President has ventured a visit
to Queen Elizabeth. Perhaps he is safer at the palace, than he
is at home.

The Bidens are set to meet with Queen Elizabeth II on Sunday at Windsor Castle.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...4c81a2-ca12-11eb-8708-64991f2acf28_story.html

 

[pecksniff]

"We going to get a great deal..." Boris Johnson
The Conservative party - the gift that just keeps taking and taking ( the piss )

Then why do they keep winning? Why hasn't there been a Labour government since Blair?

 

[oggbashan]

Then why do they keep winning? Why hasn't there been a Labour government since Blair?

Simple - Labour has moved far too far to the left to be electable. Blair was a centrist. Corbyn and his supporters were extreme (in UK terms) socialists, and they never understood those who had supported Labour but voted for Brexit. They alienated many who had voted Labour for generations.

 

[pecksniff]

Simple - Labour has moved far too far to the left to be electable.

From what I know of British political history, that's where Labour started -- it was the Blair period that was anomalous. I recall one comic remarked that since Labour wasn't standing that year, he was voting for something called the Tony Party.

 

[oggbashan]

From what I know of British political history, that's where Labour started -- it was the Blair period that was anomalous. I recall one comic remarked that since Labour wasn't standing that year, he was voting for something called the Tony Party.

Yes, when Labour started they were socialist. In the 1945 election, they introduced the NHS, the Welfare State and nationalisation.

But since then? What they stood for had been achieved and they wanted to go much, further - too far for many.

 

[colddiesel]

The highly authoritarian, abusive and wildly exploitative brand of English colonialism is well documented history my friend.

If you genuinely think Great Britain didn't interfere and let the 13 colonies run independently, you are the one who lacks historical depth.

British colonialism was not governmentally authoritative. In fact it was largely delegated to private companies. India - the Jewel in the Crown, was run very successfully by a private company for 260 years. Hong Kong was run by a small group of largely Scottish Trading Companies. South Africa by mineral interests and Australia by mineral and pastoral investors.

The 13 colonies were an economic pain in the ass to UK, the financial remittances from Carribbean sugar to the UK in 1775 far exceeded any contribution the 13 colonies made. The US economy was of little significance to the UK except as a cotton supplier, until US industry started to get going in the second half of the 19th century.

British Colonialism ran off the tracks initially in the 'scramble for(worthless) colonies in Africa' and particularly after the government started to get directly involved in the 1870's.

I was born and brought up in Scotland and am quite certain that Scotland will not vote for independence. If we did it would be a vote to return to the impoverishment of the past. The present Scottish assembly is rampantly Socialist and rampant with corruption, but we like the fact that they are a pain to the English, and the English pay for them!

You mentioned somewhere that the Scots should adopt the American Independence documents. Americans are brought up to revere their Constitution but the rest of the world does not; in fact most of us think that it's 200 years past its use by date and apart from being a lawyers picnic is almost completely dis-functional in the 21st century.

I have lived in many countries but particularly UK and Australia and am confident that the citizens of those nations and many other first world economies have more day to day freedom than Americans. Doubtless you may differ but make no mistake, much of the world thinks America needs to change for the future, not to keep looking back to the past.

 

[pecksniff]

Britain's American colonies thought they could govern themselves because by the time of Independence they had already for the most part been doing that for decades, under British "benign neglect." Most colonies at most periods had no royal governors. (There was once an effort to organize everything from New York to Maine as "the Dominion of New England," under a governor-general, but the colonists resisted it and the idea was dropped.) After the Seven Years' War/French and Indian War, the British, having spent a lot of money to defend the colonies, decided it was time for the colonies to be properly organized under Crown rule and start paying for themselves -- but that was just when the Americans realized that with the French threat gone, they no longer needed British military protection.

There was another factor: When the Scots and the Irish lost their political independence, they soon lost their economic independence as well, and were reduced to the status of tenant farmers for English absentee landlords. The Americans did not want anything like that to happen here.