Hearts of Darkness:

quote:

Originally posted by Fredrik_Fiske:



When we have eliminated our dairy industry, we can import it from France at their price, like Gas from Russia, at their price, but the infrastructure to produce will have been lost.

If this is clever then I am a Dutchman, but it will happen, through appathy, and ignorance on the part of the careless consumer, who will no longer have any conception of what fresh milk is. The same happened with eggs, and most people now don't know what a fresh egg is in UK. It is mad, and ppeople do not care, so I wonder whether it matters. Probably not, except to a few old fashioned ones like me!


All the best from Fredrik

Never mind Our Fredders; when the new 1200KM long (world's longest) new pipeline from er, Norway to er, England is completed perhaps they can bung a bit of milk and cheese in with a few dozen farm-fresh eggs too, along with the Gas, innit* (now they're not in Europe you understand)


Fritz von A life on the ocean wave*

Dear Fritz,

Given the catastrophic mess European Union really is, then can you blame the Norse for whole heartedly (unlike the Danes for example) rejecting it!? Well not the real Cental Europens in fairness, but the peoples on the outside edge could quite reasonably look to bigger fields of view, as the Norwegians have consistently shown for over a thousand years. Indeed the most terrible parts of Norse history have involved Europe and not the wider world. Who needs the other most? Europe or Norway? I think the answer there is clear. And is born out by events.

To get out of the EU, I shall, within the next six months, be making practical steps to go to Norway on a one way ticket, and good luck to the rest of the EU from me if the possiblilty becomes reality.

I can still be a World Citizen from without the confines (stifling confines) of petty Europeanism.

There is no common sense left in Europe as defined by the EU... Fredrik

I didn't know that you'd ever lived here Our Fredders so how do you know old Son?


Fritz von I suspect Norway will join the EU in the not too distant future so don't waste the effort*

Dear Fritz,

I have never spent longer than six weeks in Norways, so live there, the answer is no! Living in UK, yes, and for 44 years, and for most of which I can only see a downhill run, as posts here will attest to in some deatil.

But I am vitally connected with Norway. It is not a perfect place, and there are flawed people there, as elsewhere. I would not argue otherwise. But what the furure brings for EU memebrship is another question entirely. If it becomes in the interest of Norway to join I am sure the country will. It has felt the need in the past and was rebuffed, and when the tables turned it was still keen to join, but a single historical event changed that, and that was the fall of the Berlin Wall, which was one step too much for Norway which having previously been keen to join in felt its interests were better served by wider links, and their own natural independance.

Things can change, but lets hope we can agree that Norway's interests are those its own people deem fit rather than some overwheening beaurocrasy intent on gaining access to Norwegian wealth and expertise, (hard gained if we are honest) which gives them not just the right, but the practical authority to keep their policies those they choose for themselves!

Neither an empire builder nor ultimately a nation dominated by others, Norway has fewer blood stains on its hand than any other major Europeam nation in my view.

All the best to you dear Fritz, from Fredrik

PS: I suspect this is an issue we not be able to find agreement on!

That was my point Fredders, England is, and never has been European orientated (probably never will be either)*


Fritz von You've gotta be a hustler if yer wanna get on, innit.

Dear Fritz,

A sort of agreement then! I have the greatest admiration for what is good in Europe, but I have never felt any wish to become an integral part of it. If we were really a set of peoples that made an integral whole such as China or India are, then we would have joined together a thousand years ago, and not be quibbling over the details today!

Fred

Just think Our Fredders when all the Chinese speak English too with the Indians, they'll all speak the same language, though I hear the Yanks will soon be making Spanish an 'official' language there as well, as rather a lot of folk speak it as a first speakeasy, innit*

Fritz von It's those smug Swiss that get me, worse than the bloody Romans, what did they ever do us then?*

Dear Fritz,

The three major powers will be China, India, and possibly Brazil, as far as I can see. The US is a declining empire, and that may well be dangerous for us all, but I hope very much not. The Greek hegemony colapsed, the Roman Empire fell, the British Empire fell, and the US is going down the same road.

The Chinese and Indians are on the up, as may well be the Brazilians, so I am not worried what language the US American deem suitable! All this is unlikely to affect what is my language, though it me affect later generations. Humans adapt. It may be good for Europe that the central focus of world affairs moves away from the old world towards a Pacific[Ocean] sphere of influence...

Germany can be the home of Music, Britain the home of English Literature, and so on with out worrying too much about where the kettles and pots come from. And them maybe we can start to produce food within the county, let alone country, it is consumed in again as well. That last only a thought!

Fred

I'm afraid you forgot the EU and Russia old bean. The €uro will very soon overtake the Yankee Dollar as the main world currency, which the Indians & Chinese will gladly trade in, as well as I suspect Brazil and Argentina etc too*


Fritz von We all know it makes sense, that's why patriotic financially successful folk like Our Mick are leaving town, because they want to remain financially successful, no rocket science there really Old bean*

I wonder why London doesn't get pea soupers anymore then?

Dear Fritz,

It would be nice to think that Europe and its currency will have any long term (decades I mean) influence on the affairs of the world, but I don't think 300 miliion disparate Europeans are going to look very relivant in histroic sense for long now beside the Indians or Chinese! Yes, if the Euro becomes a better bet than the USD it will be used, but then I doubt that will last any longer than the Gold Standard for Sterling after the 1914-1918 war!

So no, I doubt if Europe has a premier place at the table of world power in a few years. Or Russia, which will have to go some to catch up to being as powerful as its population might make it if it were more successfully governed in the interests of its peoples rather than its government. Do you see any magnificent changes there? I do not...

I think we have alreadsy covered the doom of the US! Apparent before our very eyes, and governed as badly as Russia, I would think, now.

No the furure is wider than old Europe, or even a united Europe, (which has not yet been made to work), or even a rejuvenated Russia.

One only has to ask one's self where to jobs are going - China and india - to see that there is no chance of gaining influence for Europe or Russia, and that the US influence can only carry on declining, at least in my view, as long as it coninues to downsize and export jobs.

Manufacturing is what makes a country powerful, and not simply importing things at the expence of past glories and previously earned wealth, which is the common fate and doom of mature economies so far...

All the best from Fredrik

Fredders, God only knows where you got that lot from, but it's interesting all the same if it's your original thought? I refer to economic power not military might, Germany is today's largest exporter of qualty goods in the world, (despite its unemployment and small growth rate) Japan is tiny compared to Europe and the States, but mighty (once) all the same (Yen-Wise). The €uropean powerhouse will indeed be a world power house for trade and China & India etc, will indeed trade with it eventually to the US's disadvantage, and that's the real crux of future Atlantic problems as far as I can see old bean, but there again as Our Andy points out where is Our evidence? and we're not qualified economists are we!


Fritz von Good try though, let's stick to being artists, I'm certainly no business mind either*



Bon Soir again, as they say in Italy*

Dear Frirz,

So long as Germany sticks to manufacturing very high qulity exports, it stands a chance of maintining its high wage economy, but it is still on a hiding to nothing in the long term on the truly massive scale such as China is already making progress towards. It may well continue to punch above it weight indefinately of course.

As for the US, its whole economy is on very shaky ground. How long can the big motor manufacturers continue when they are so indebted. Ford's Pension gap is more than the company can ever pay back, but the fiction goes on. The question is if but when such companirs succumb to economic reality. The US is more or less where Britain was fifty years ago, industrially, and over that time scale we have gone from being a nation of some importance to one of far less significance in world affairs. Before 1918 we were arguably the most powerful nation on earth, though just when our grip on world affairs started to slip is a debatable one...


Anyhoo, it hardly matters, so long as neither of us starves to death in the next year or two, which seems unlikely! Fred

I read somewhere quite recently, that China was deliberately slowing down it's economic growth, as per the recent World stockmarket wobble.

Or was this wobble just a "knocking the froth of the top of the pint exercise"? And nothing to do with China.
Have we any stockbrokers, or someone with further knowledge in this field, who is prepared to chip-in with their point of view?

Regards,

Beano

After watching BBC's Hardtalk programme each day last week with a different point of view from Indian professionals it's pretty certain that with present government policy (inclining to be home-protectionist, plus the population soon being higher than that of China) they have a good chance of succeeding so long as the wealth is rapidly spread throughout the ever growing middle-classess and further. Quality goods to export is the key for smaller countries as Our Fredders says, though like the US, UK is up to its eyeballs in (PFI etc 30% over next 30 years) debt, as are most of the population, unlike here for instance.

Britain earlier had cheap labour (like China today) India has cheap highly educated labour (on a par with world standards which makes a lot of difference). One thing that was very noticable when I first came here was how Germany doesn't play the 'risk' stockmarket on anywhere near the same scale as other lands (UK for instance) and believes more in slow growth long-term investment than fast in and out quick buck like Our Mick and his level playing field brigade (Like Bush constantly moving the goal posts to suit there needs). With the US and UK'Lacky's foreign policies of late being aggressive to say the least in the name of 9/11 (nothing else) I don't se a happy future.*


Fritz von It'll be a last attempt at the strong arm tactics I feel, risking everybody's security through their greed & selfishness, I didn't know that foreign nationals could own property in their or their company's name in Bulgaria (must be brand new that one, or made up)?*

Fritz,

here's a lighter tale for ya...

having awoke yesterday at around 11.30am, got up for me bran flakes, returned to bed to put the cricket on, to find out that England had not yet got a wicket. 5 mins later, they started rolling over the opposition.

This was a follow on from the Arsenal game t'other week. I was late in from work, switched TV on, just in time to se sol score.

This seems to happen to me all the time - just get in from work and phone rings, or switch tv on just in time to see summat significant happen.

spooky or what?

One of these'll organise your roster and timing far more betterer Our Andy, you know it makes sense*


Fritz von Nice to see Our Adam enjoying Pensions 7 then*


I ain't sayin nuffink*

quote:

Originally posted by jcs_smith:
Working on doors. Doing event security, close protection, teaching self defense to security staff, prison and police personnel, that sort of thing. Basically having to deal with drunk jossers with too much testosterone, too little self-control and a glass in their hand

What's the pension like I wonder?



Fritz von Don't tell me you're the quietest bloke in England too*

Good wages to afford Naim Kit though, innit*

P.S.
Mind you with your obvious talents and qualifications/experience you should do something far more usefull like becoming the new Home Secretary or similar John!

I see the British Army team trying to climb the West face of Everest (2 Hammers fans amongs't them, so they can't be all bad innit) have had a visit earlier from two (barefoot) Japanese housewives on a hobby jaunt "Let us know if you need any help lads wont you?" they gleefully sang as they sauntered by*

I wonder how Reidy boy's French is coming along?



Fritz von I'll stay here till this mess is sorted, three days later he goes on fucking holiday*

There is no holding him back.

quote:

Originally posted by Rasher:
Mick
One place that I think is fascinating is Churchill's cabinet war rooms at the corner of St James's Park. If you haven't been, you should go.

They were changed years back to the Parry War Rooms*


Fritz von I expect the Royal Mail miniature train tunnel would be too scary for clean handed white collar bods anyway, especially if yer don't appen t'speak French, innit*

Has anybody on here (irrespective of where you're from) ever heard of (when wishing to make a purchase order over the phone/online with a reputable company for the first time) instead of waiting for the goods (low value)+ an invoice to arrive, or paying a deposit, actually giving private bank details (not credit card) ie, number, code, name, address etc, and the firm being able to debit it on the basis of that? (no pin number naturally)


Fritz von Sounds well Iffy² to me, but apparently it's kosher, an IFA's dream I thought to mesen, buggered it I'd do it though*

If this forum still had the Star votes out of 5 for quality thread spin, I'd give the following 10, innit

"The Countdown from 500..How Long?"

Fritz von Brilliantly taking the piss out of yourselves in such a subtle hilariously funny way, not too mention the endless larfs² you'll have at the next barbie together too*


Thank You again Pentagon for inventing the internet so that people don't actually have to interact personally in the real world, innit*

9

quote:

Originally posted by Jim Lawson:
9

Ritchie Havens Wiseguy! in case you didn't know; this is a Music Forum, how often do I keep having to tell people this?*

Fritz von Parry's Sunday Shoppin in Arrods***