ARmy Rumour SErvice

I liked you better when you asked easy questions.

I'm probably going to get shot down in flames for this but the EU seemed to work quite well, the Euro currency maybe not, when everyone wasi n just the EU they still had they're own currency and could adjust as and when needed, possibly switching to the the Euro buggered a lot up, given that an awful lot of rules were bent a bit for integration. You have have to excuse me I think I have bronchitis and if you don't believe me come and have a look at what I cough up in the morning

Originally Posted by dhobidust

I'm probably going to get shot down in flames for this but the EU seemed to work quite well, the Euro currency maybe not, when everyone wasi n just the EU they still had they're own currency and could adjust as and when needed, possibly switching to the the Euro buggered a lot up, given that an awful lot of rules were bent a bit for integration. You have have to excuse me I think I have bronchitis and if you don't believe me come and have a look at what I cough up in the morning

I could make you cough up worse judging by that avatar...

And Shandy, that is a lucid, coherent and well thought out post. Good luck on getting a reasonable response!

possibly mate but I'm a bloke so no favours from me

The point at which it ceased to be a simple trade agreement was the point at which we should have been on the way out hailing a taxi. So early '90's or possibly even earlier.

The boat has been missed somewhat.

Originally Posted by Shandy123

Roger so far?

no, that was just dull, now pull up a chair and let me tell you what I think of europe, I think the european governments are just like kayaks, but overloaded. and dependent on commerce at the expense of the societal needs of the common european plebeians.. just like most kayaks reallly. though one has less of a say, as to what one should 'do' with a feking kayak out of water.

Originally Posted by dhobidust

possibly mate but I'm a bloke so no favours from me

Fair one.

Originally Posted by Shandy123

I'm not looking for knee-jerk, blindly-nationalistic ['xenophobic' even better as its a Greek-rooted word, I believe] chorus of Sunheadlineesque responses here, but an informed opinion from someone who understands the economics, macroeconomics even.
I've never been particularly europhobic, although i do worry a little about the transfer of aspects our national sovereignty to a badly executed and ill-designed system in Brussels.
I recognise that europhiles insist that there are trade benefits to be had by being 'in the club', but is it possible to have a real-time analysis of the cost/benefit of being in/out?
Don't we have to conform to free trade principles worldwide anyway for fear of upsetting our septic friends?
I am a bear of little brain and so I use analogy far too much, but here's how i see it:
All the countries in the world are like kayaks on the lake.
At the moment, we are 'rafted-up' with the other eu countries, riding out the squall.
Roger so far?
Some of the kayaks are looking a bit unsteady, top-heavy or too narrow, perhaps. If a few at the periphery are swamped and go down, won't the whole raft follow?
At what point should we take an axe to our lashings and move away, lest we too are dragged under, or overloaded by survivors from the other boats? Can we remain afloat by ourselves anyway?
Did I take it too far?

In other words your foreign policy in regards to Europe can be summed up as "fuck you Jack. I'm alright".?

Originally Posted by House Sparrow

no, that was just dull, now pull up a chair and let me tell you what I think of europe, I think the european governments are just like kayaks, but overloaded. and dependent on commerce at the expense of the societal needs of the common european plebeians.. just like most kayaks reallly. though one has less of a say, as to what one should 'do' with a feking kayak out of water.

.

True, true, you cant have your kayak and eat it.................Ah! my bus, must dash.