When people write "EPL", what do they mean? English Premier League?
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When people write "EPL", what do they mean? English Premier League?
You guys are so barbaric they should ban football in the EU and other parts of the world too.
It is crazy how people in EU go crazy over a sport, especially a crappy one like soccer :shock:Quote:
Originally Posted by Roamy
It's just a game gentlemen :)
yes they make the Oakland Raiders look like choir boysQuote:
Originally Posted by 555-04Q2
Yep, we poor Euros don't live in paradise countries like SA and the U.S. We don't have such beautiful women, excellent beer and great music on radio. All we can do is go to crappy soccer games and vent our frustration. And now I'm going to eat worms...
Yes that is correct. SPL is Scottish Premier League too. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by D-Type
I believe Scottish independence will boost further ethnic segregation movements throughout Europe. Catalonia comes to mind first, but many more parts of European sovereign states would want to follow Scotland's footsteps. Perhaps it's a counter-reaction to the EU enlargement. You don't find that many links to your fellow European citizens, so you turn back to your core ethnic group as a recluse.
Though I think reason will prevail in the Scottish referendum, that is staying within the UK. At least opening embassies all over the world doesn't come cheap for the proverbial Scots. ;)
The Balkanization of many parts of the world has been going on for some time. It may be a reaction to the last century of increasing consolidation of political/national/religious boundaries. While there are many benefits to centralization, the down side is a loss of "community" and the feeling that, as an individual, you have some sort of identity and control over your surroundings.
I agree with you here. As you pointed out vs-a-vie the Balkans the USSR has had a similar fate. Then we have Germany and the Czech Republic and Sovakia.Quote:
Originally Posted by Starter
Is Catalonia unstable? The Basque region with the ETA groups are quite fanatical. Northern Ireland is now starting a new area of debate in it's loyalist groups wanting/desiring through force to fly the Union Jack wherever they please. It is seen as an attempt to reengage the Provisional IRA. That would be madness.
The big difference is that the UK government has always said that if any part of the UK wishes to leave, then it may do so. A very different situation to Spain which is doing all it can to stop a referendum in Catalonia; to the extent of trying to scupper Scottish Independence lest it set a precedent.
The history of Europe has been one of redrawing borders on a regular basis, sometimes as the result of violence, sometimes not. States seperate but they often come together too. Although we now have more countries, they are bound closer together through the European Union than some seemingly singular states did in the past - Austria-Hungary comes to mind.
donkey Mariano and his corrupt accolites are doing all they can to stop it... while donkey Mas is doing all he can to keep attention on the referendum and bickering with Madrid, and away from his own corrupt catalan donkey scandals...Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark
bunch of donkeys the lot of them ! :dozey:
I have been watching the news this evening and they keep on saying that Scottish want to share the British Pound.
Can someone explain to me why it would benefit either to share a currency with a foreign nation. Once Independent you are alone, I would have thought that means if an economic disaster happens to your country that you shouldn't have to put responsibility onto another nation.
For me if this all goes ahead, the British Government would surely not want to have to run all actions and dealings past Scotland?
I would prefer personally if Scotland become independent then it is completely independent and thus has to use an independent currency. Independence should mean independence. Not have protection from someone else.
All this by the way is the same the other way round.
I totally agree Steve, its not independence until they actually go independent and go it completely alone.
Nationalism seems OK so long as only certain countries promote it and I don't feel comfortable with that.
They want to keep the pound for the same reason EU countries wanted to adopt the Euro, as it makes trade between the two countries much easier. Having to change currency on crossing the border would be a major headache, that and given that the currency can vary in price with respect to each other it can mean that, for example if you're a manufacturing company based in Scotland and so want to pay your workforce in Scottish pounds, but your main market is in England so the money you get for your goods will vary. Better to have this fixed.Quote:
Originally Posted by steveaki13
Of course it had disadvantages, namely the same ones the Euro has faced in recent years.
I would have thought those arguments though would be a case for staying united. If you vote to be independent you cant just choose easy bits to be independent at. You have to stand alone and except it becomes more difficult to trade. That's all part of what you need to consider before voting for or against the split surely?
Its interesting to consider other difficulties. (i.e travel - You should need a passport to move from Scotland to England/Wales or Northern Ireland as its a foreign nation) Will this ever happen?
Well yes that's one thing the Scottish electorate need to consider. However currency union is very possible and should not be dismissed. Remember despite the difficulties many European countries use the same currency.Quote:
Originally Posted by steveaki13
No.Quote:
Its interesting to consider other difficulties. (i.e travel - You should need a passport to move from Scotland to England/Wales or Northern Ireland as its a foreign nation) Will this ever happen?
True but as you state its not been a great success. Would the rest of Britain want the risk of the issues that arise with a common currency shared between nations. If one or other nation has a collapse or crisis does the other want to basically be responsible for rescuing another country?Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark
That's why its as much Britain's decision as Scotlands. I fail to see that Scotland can vote for independence and then demand to use the same currency. The rest of Britain has to have a say and may not want that.
Another reason this is such a big and tough decision.
I don't see a problem with calling rhe Scottish currency the pound. The important thing is what it's based on. For instance, the US dollar used to be backed by gold (priced in ounces). I'd suggest that the value of the Scottish pound be based on the price of a pound of haggis.Quote:
Originally Posted by steveaki13
Or a measurement of whiskey
Again I ask why the Scottish Nationalists seem so determined to have a common currency.
Scotland are an industrious people and will prove that I am sure if they become independent, so why don't the Scottish Leaders do what would be best for Scotland and start afresh and properly go it alone.
Its better for both parties if they have their own currency. Why this determination to stick to the rest of the UK.
Plus as George Osbourne says its not feasible and the rest of the UK wont want it. Its as much about the rest of Britain as it is about Scotland
Pound Sterling is the British currency, so if you leave Britain then you lose the currency surely.
Currency Risk always a problem for trans-nationals but with electronic banking, funds can be settled immediately. Besides which, this issue already exists when Scottish manufacturers deal with Europe, or China, or the United States, or Japan or... (ad nauseum).Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark
Again, you could always set up hedge funds to migigate currency risk, which major firms already do.
Scotland having it's own currency would indeed be the most sensible solution. However I think they went with the 'keep the pound' situation because the electorate won't like the idea of having to change their money when dealing with rUK businesses, and such would be much less likely to vote 'Yes' in any case.
Latest results are that No is still in the lead, but all the negativity that has come out of London recently is tipping many into the Yes camp.
I agree Mark.
I know its a pain to change currency, but there are going to be many tricky issues to overcome. I think the vote will probably be NO, but as you say its currently beginning to lean more towards Yes.
*By the way I may have asked this before so sorry if I have.
But would Scotland lose all connection to BBC and start there own Broadcasting company?
That's one of the details which would have to be worked out. Certainliy Scotland could continue to contribute and keep the licence fee etc, equally it could decide to walk away. Notably you can watch the BBC in most of Ireland.Quote:
Originally Posted by steveaki13
Ah thanks Mark. Never been to Ireland for more than a day, so I didn't know that. So yes that could be the answer to that question then.
There is a wider question of course, that while viewers in parts of Scotland may be able to receive the BBC, would it still have Scottish programming, news etc. No doubt an independent Scotland would wish to set up it's own broadcasting.
This reminds me a story. Back in -97 I was studying in Edinburgh for couple of months. I lived in this dorm (which looked like a ship). One day I was heading in the dorm's kitchen room with frozen pizza and wondered why the hallways are totally empty? Usually they were packed with teenagers. I saw one student and asked where is everybody? He said try the tv-rooms, there is a football game going on. I cooked my pizza and on the way to my room, I looked one of the tv-rooms and it was full of people watching a football game. I couldn't care less about it so I continued to my room. A little bit later I heard yelling and shouting from the hallway, just outside of my room. I opened the door and saw about a dozen teenagers literally fighting in the hallway. There were guys fighting against each others I saw a couple of days earlier spending time together? I yelled;"STOP!!" And they did. For about a second. Then I went to the janitors and they came and stopped the brawl. Later I heard that the football game was Glasgow Rangers vs. Celtics and it ended nil-nil. :mark:
Looks like Scotland will be switching to driving on the right
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/...ce-road-scheme ;)
Teehee :D
will this lower the price of single malt scotch ?? if so I'm in!!!
Based soley on what I see and experience with my particular line of work supporting the welfare system in Scotland and dealing with a large percentage of the unemployed who have never worked a day in their lives, nor ever have had any intention to, I have real concerns that an independent Scotland would very quickly descend into a downward spiral and the cost of living would escalate through the roof. Why? Because other than some poxy short term North see oil we literally have nothing, no solid core base of industry on which to build. How would/could we support ourselves with the way things are currently? On one hand this would give this country the kick in the @rse it needs but it would bring it to its knees in the process.
It pains me to say this but for such a long time through rife unemployment and the labour government scottish vote winning welfare system, we have to a very large extent become a nation of welfare supported work dodgers, who to a large extent have been living out of Englands pockets... no wonder they want shot of us!
Maybe it's time I changed my job as dealing with scum who incidentally are largely better off than I am, scum who sit on their butts all day receiving handouts that are expected and they "have rights" to receive, that all of us (Working Brits) have to pay for in extortionate taxes has left me with a bitter taste in my mouth.
I consider myself more of a realist than nationalist and sadly have very little pride in my country any more. I'll be voting 'No' at the referendum and if in the unlikely event we do win independance, I'll emigrate.. to England.
I take it you've never been to Larkhall then?...
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...le-981747.html
Maybe you and Spafranco are right then, we have another Northern Ireland style situation brewing.
Reading that article about calls for shops to change the colours of their logos to suit the beliefs of religious fundamentalists is just outrageous. I can't believe people are so primitive that they find offence in a colour just because a rival religion uses something similar. I think Scottish people should be more concerned they may potentially be isolated in a country with these morons who could cause some instability more than anything else. Reading on in that article there are suggestions green traffic lights, and even grass has been destroyed because of its colour! If that article hadn't been from November 2008 I would have said it was an April fool!!!
If independence is voted in I am starting to think it will be best for everybody. I think England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be better off financially without the added drain of the benefits culture in some of Scotland's poorer areas. I just feel for some of my Scottish buddies who are dead against it and might end up living in a society they haven't voted for, but that is democracy.
PS: Mark should be careful with the Blue and Green header on this website lol.. Its got community war written all over it :p
It is outrageous. The part about the grass being set on fire because of its colour sounds a bit dubious and was probably just general vandalism that developed into a Larkhall urban myth but other than that I can assure you that the article paints a fairly realistic picture of the extent of the bigotry in Larkhall.
It is true that in 2007, green traffic lights in Larkhalls main street had to be fitted with wire grilles after a staggering 200 of them were vandalised or removed over a three-year period.
Some areas of Larkhall share a lot of similarities with some areas in NI with Rangers flags and Union Jags adorning houses and lamp posts, fences and kerbs painted Red white and blue... and the Subway shop front shown in the earlier link being coloured black instead of the usual green sadly is no photoshop!
Walking through the town wearing a Celtic top on a Friday or Saturday night would be suicidal for sure.
I wonder how many people in that community believe in this garbage. Every Scot I have met, and there are many , can't stand the division and visceral hatred being elicited by these fringe troglodytes.
please correct me when I say that these same friends stated that Rangers fans, in order to see games at he weekend instead of having to go to Timbuktu in order to see Rangers play Raith Rover (div 1?) are traveling to Dundee
Hey, who owns the Shetland Islands?
Iona is also Scottish?