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Post by ozneil on Oct 31, 2014 23:27:27 GMT -1
Scotland isnt a separate country .....yet Iceland you are kidding Norway is using oil revenue successfully thats 1
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Post by ozneil on Oct 31, 2014 23:33:27 GMT -1
Stop grasping at straws These countries have been centralist for yonks.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 4, 2014 0:07:59 GMT -1
Such is the utter disarray and outright lies told over the 'new powers' promised by Lab/Lib/Con, (that swayed many a NO voter), multiple polls carried out in the past two weeks are saying that now, 52% of Scots would vote for independence.
DOH.
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Post by notanimby on Nov 4, 2014 5:13:07 GMT -1
Really Name 3 economical successful socialist regimes I can only think of one and thats an oil based economy That would depend on how you define "socialist"........ But a bash at it would do Sweden Denmark - as an example, Denmark's "tory" party makes our liboor party look and sound extremely right wing Finland Norway Iceland Greenland Looks like the Scandinavian based countries seem to be ahead in not only the quality of life race but also in the equality and social democratic stakes too
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Post by ozneil on Nov 4, 2014 19:05:48 GMT -1
Such is the utter disarray and outright lies told over the 'new powers' promised by Lab/Lib/Con, (that swayed many a NO voter), multiple polls carried out in the past two weeks are saying that now, 52% of Scots would vote for independence. DOH. Just keep working on "rusted-on" labour voters dont let momentum drop. Your best hope for immediate future is a large solid Scottish vote in Westminster. Dont believe polls taken so soon after the referendum always a bit of knee jerk reaction At least always is here after an election
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Post by Deleted on Nov 5, 2014 23:25:48 GMT -1
Labour are pretty much dead in the water in Scotland. There's a sentence I thought I'd never type! Three polls this past week indicate that of the 59 seats at Westminster, SNP (currently on 6) will take 40+. This will mean that Labour have little hope of an outright majority in May 2015. Such is their reliance on the Scottish seats they have taken for granted for generations. They will never be forgiven for siding with the Tories and other Unionist parties, for outright lying to the Scottish people and for failing to stand up for their Scottish voters' best interests. They lost the plot 15 years ago. They're paying for it now. Meanwhile *we* will very likely hold the balance of power come May. THAT is going to be very interesting indeed In other news, voting intentions for Scotland 2016 show a whopping 57% for SNP, 23% Labour. For a government that's been in power 7 years, that's an almighty good endorsement. PS, Oz, the boy's very cognisant of Aussie politics and I'm getting a whole other view of Tony Abbott et al. Interesting!
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Post by ozneil on Nov 6, 2014 1:17:28 GMT -1
Sounds promising... to me best way to go hope it works out Rolo wrote Not in least surprised; young man, inner city suburb, going to Uni, would have been really really surprised if any other opinion than its "all Abbot's fault!!" Would he prefer Bill "I dont know what she said but I'm sure she's shes right" Shorten? Was it Churchill that said "If at 20 you dont vote socialist you havent a heart if you still vote socialist at 40 you havent a brain" either him or Mark Twain
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2014 0:13:29 GMT -1
No, the boy's view's pretty sanguine, actually. For a 19 year old he's remarkably sussed, maybe because he's doing a degree in Economics and mixing with some very rich students whose parents live in 'rich' Sydney, it was good to hear his view on 'privilege' and 'divides' in modern Australia. He's paying £5000 a year tuition fees for three years, on a student loan but fortunately living at home. Was incredulous that Scottish students don't pay fees if they study here. And that he'd taken ill in Europe with severe tonsillitis but the hospital he attended never charged him for a day's care. We are agreed that Norway is expensive but that tax payers get a very good return, socially speaking. That the food is generally heavy going in Germany. That Belgium is fairly dull. That Holland is slightly less dull and great in places. That Eastern Europe is stunning yet unequal in the EU, that Italy is completely bonkers, and that Spain, particularly Catalunya, is the only 'other' country we'd live in. If I were First Minister I'd give every young person a grant to travel, and I don't mean holidays to Ibiza, Ayia Napa, Magaluf et al. And pay for it by ensuring no big companies evaded paying their taxes. Oh yes.
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Post by notanimby on Nov 7, 2014 5:08:52 GMT -1
No, the boy's view's pretty sanguine, actually. For a 19 year old he's remarkably sussed, maybe because he's doing a degree in Economics and mixing with some very rich students whose parents live in 'rich' Sydney, it was good to hear his view on 'privilege' and 'divides' in modern Australia. He's paying £5000 a year tuition fees for three years, on a student loan but fortunately living at home. Was incredulous that Scottish students don't pay fees if they study here. And that he'd taken ill in Europe with severe tonsillitis but the hospital he attended never charged him for a day's care. We are agreed that Norway is expensive but that tax payers get a very good return, socially speaking. That the food is generally heavy going in Germany. That Belgium is fairly dull. That Holland is slightly less dull and great in places. That Eastern Europe is stunning yet unequal in the EU, that Italy is completely bonkers, and that Spain, particularly Catalunya, is the only 'other' country we'd live in. If I were First Minister I'd give every young person a grant to travel, and I don't mean holidays to Ibiza, Ayia Napa, Magaluf et al. And pay for it by ensuring no big companies evaded paying their taxes. Oh yes. Shirley not - I always thought it was described as "plucky little" as in "plucky little Belgium stood against the nazi hordes" - not quite as juicy as dull belgium...........
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Post by ozneil on Nov 7, 2014 7:35:03 GMT -1
Yes our countries are more different than most people realise, not better or worse just different. There are some extremely rich people in Sydney suburbs like Vaucluse, Point Piper and Double Bay all on the Harbour shore are extremely affluent with house prices bring in multi-millions. The opposite is also true some being very poor but the vast majority of people are within about +/- 5% -10% of the average wage. My favourite European country, apart from UK, was Denmark, loved the people, though I have only been to a few, never Spain
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2014 18:40:41 GMT -1
Yes, we had a long conversation into the wee small hours about how things are in Australia. Of course Sydney, like any capital, has its share of ridiculously expensive properties but the boy reckoned exactly what you say, that there are extremes at both ends of the scale but generally, most people are fairly equal. A helluva lot better than the UKE, the 4th most unequal country in the world--and getting worse by the minute I was only in Denmark briefly for a weekend festival at Roskilde, though we were staying in Copenhagen. A lovely city, people-friendly, it felt safe and civilised and the Tivoli Gardens tremendous fun of an evening. A few fell victim to Elefant beer but not me of course, oh no.
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Post by notanimby on Nov 7, 2014 19:06:05 GMT -1
Yes, we had a long conversation into the wee small hours about how things are in Australia. Of course Sydney, like any capital, has its share of ridiculously expensive properties but the boy reckoned exactly what you say, that there are extremes at both ends of the scale but generally, most people are fairly equal. A helluva lot better than the UKE, the 4th most unequal country in the world--and getting worse by the minute I was only in Denmark briefly for a weekend festival at Roskilde, though we were staying in Copenhagen. A lovely city, people-friendly, it felt safe and civilised and the Tivoli Gardens tremendous fun of an evening. A few fell victim to Elefant beer but not me of course, oh no. I visited denmark during one of my Interrail sojourns - loved it, clean, cosmopolitan in that scandinavian way - almost hippyish in a clean and not boggin way Copenhagen was very friendly and small for a capital city, which for me made it more interesting then it was on to Esbjerg and the boat back to newcastle, Esbjerg was as friendly as everywhere else and spotlessly clean too
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Post by ozneil on Nov 7, 2014 19:25:15 GMT -1
we stayed with a Danish family there... long story. It was a time of laughter and fun ... While daughter could accept nuns lived in a nunnery she didnt believe monks lived in a Monkery ...daft but thats my main memory I had a feeling we got a ferry to Leith but that could be my memory playing up. Elephant brewery had or has a huge neon sign that could be read in Sweden or was that Tuborg? At a rough guess I would say about 90% feel "equal" here equal being wrong word as we dont even think of class. One of the good things the State government is doing is splitting up the 1950 welfare housing areas and spreading welfare housing throughout. One large block of flats near the bridge with magnificent harbour views is welfare houses where tenants pay bout $70- $100 a week. The more enterprising sub let to yuppies for about $700 a week which pays off their mortgage on their house.. Several have been caught and prosecuted. Others rent out car space they are harder to catch.... good luck to the latter Hell mrnd the former Only drawback is trains crossing the bridge make the hell of a noise
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Post by Deleted on Nov 12, 2014 19:24:50 GMT -1
we stayed with a Danish family there... long story. It was a time of laughter and fun ... While daughter could accept nuns lived in a nunnery she didnt believe monks lived in a Monkery ...daft but thats my main memory I had a feeling we got a ferry to Leith but that could be my memory playing up. Elephant brewery had or has a huge neon sign that could be read in Sweden or was that Tuborg? At a rough guess I would say about 90% feel "equal" here equal being wrong word as we dont even think of class. One of the good things the State government is doing is splitting up the 1950 welfare housing areas and spreading welfare housing throughout. One large block of flats near the bridge with magnificent harbour views is welfare houses where tenants pay bout $70- $100 a week. The more enterprising sub let to yuppies for about $700 a week which pays off their mortgage on their house.. Several have been caught and prosecuted. Others rent out car space they are harder to catch.... good luck to the latter Hell mrnd the former Only drawback is trains crossing the bridge make the hell of a noise Elefant factory I saw was slap bang in the middle of Copenhagen but maybe there's more than one! Re equalities and "class", Oz. One of the things that most impressed me about Australia was the feeling that, in such a 'new' country, everyone, more or less, had similar opportunities. Now that might be a broad brushstroke of course. But the difference here is, with a few notable exceptions, the class system is still evidently in play. And the disadvantages start at a very early age, partly to do with relative poverty and differences in state education and indeed, health, diet and all those things affected by income. For example there are over 700 foodbanks in the UKE, six times more than when the Tories took power just a few years ago. Partly due to recession but mainly because of their swingeing benefit cuts that see the most vulnerable suffering. I am truly ashamed of the divides and inequalities in Britain in 2014.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 12, 2014 19:40:50 GMT -1
OK, things are hotting up nicely! Two polls today: the first is the state of the parties for the General Election in May 2015. Con – 32% Lab – 29% UKIP – 14% LD – 9% SNP – 8% SNP poll at 8%. The Scottish population is 9% of the UKE's. This is the state of the Parties in Scotland only: SNP: 59% (+21) Lab: 14% (-19) Con: 12% (-5) Green: 8% (+6) Lib: 4% (-1) Looking like Scotland's parliament will be overwhelmingly social democrat SNP compared to WM likely overwhelmingly right-wing. (btw, had that been the Indyref vote, result would have been 67% YES and 33% NO....) Labour dead in the water, and rightly so. They will not be forgiven for siding with the Unionist parties, for outright lying, and for decades, failing to represent the best interests of the Scots. VERY interesting times ahead.
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