A respectful request from the UK

[Troubador]

If you are in broad agreement with the choice we made re: the E.U. can afford it, and have anything like a passing affection for Britain and our culture. Add us into the mix for choices for your next vacation destination. That is all, and thank you.

[aviet]

This isn't a bad destination:

http://tinyurl.com/zww3x8m

[regevdl]

Congrats!  Man....I never wake up wondering what's on the news or want to check the news or updates first thing. but this morning I sprung out of bed and anxiously searched if you exited and you did!  I was sooo happy!  There is not a lot of news that actually gets me excited and hopeful.  I think it's so awesome for you guys and the hater.....screw them for now. ....they'll soon feel what it's like not to have the shakles of the EU on.....slowly slowly....

[zoomharp]

Hey Troubadour! Will do!  And I buy from the UK as well. I have a harp made in Surrey (Pilgrim Harps in Godstone) And I buy about $500 in harp strings every year from Bow Brand of the UK. 

 

I must tell you, my husband and I were dancing around for joy last night (way out here on the west coast of the US). Well done!! Hang in there; the tough times that might be ahead during the break will be temporary. Think cotton prices in the USA when slavery ended.  We are so happy for you, and so full of admiration for your courage! 

[Troubador]

Thank you ever so much for the moral support. It has been an absolute nightmare! This situation has deeply divided friends, colleagues and circles of friends. The standard of political debate has been quite frankly atrocious too. Both sides lied and misrepresented the issues and has made the whole endeavour like wading through crude oil. I don't think I've researched and worked on understanding anything like this for awhile. However it has accomplished two very important things:

 

We have had it laid completely bare how out of alignment the political class has been with the genuine views of the people. This is now undeniable.

 

Other European populations are now seeing the situation with Brussels more clearly, and similar sentiments will grow.

 

Still we have a lot of hard work to do in the future, but I am encouraged and look towards it eagerly.

[shirgall]

Fans of Number Six will enjoy Portmeirion! http://www.portmeirion-village.com/

 

Be seeing you!

[Somewhere]

Judging by the widespread distress and anger on Facebook today, you would think that rather than being a referendum on whether laws should be made in Brussels or Westminster, it was in fact a vote between good and evil, and the box that should have been marked "thick xenøphobe" was only marked "leave" because of a printing error

[treecher]

I will certainly holiday there again (been there twice and want to go again). To be honest, if the stay vote had won, it's unlikely I would have gone to back. Regardless of what ultimately happens, you reaffirmed my faith in the English people.

[aviet]

Judging by the widespread distress and anger on Facebook today, you would think that rather than being a referendum on whether laws should be made in Brussels or Westminster, it was in fact a vote between good and evil, and the box that should have been marked "thick xenøphobe" was only marked "leave" because of a printing error

 

I'm pleased to see that the most violent, vitriolic Marxist I know has began seriously preparing to emigrate to Canada. Unfortunately for him his destructive and lack of providing value nature will likely lead to his rejection. He has a degree is music and has spent his life loafing around, working bit jobs for min. wage, using the cash to spend on travelling in Europe. This is the mould of the remainians and another reason why the completely unfunded government pensions system will not work.

 

Percentage of government budget spent on pensions:

 

1906: 0.26%

1916: 0.05%

1926: 5.41%

1936: 3.21%

1946: 0.64%

1956: 6.65%

1966: 9.31%

1976: 10.34%

1986: 11.90%

1996: 14.92%

2006: 17.17%

2016: 20.19%

 

Those 3 million migrants failed to reduce pension contributions, the main reason we are told we need an open door to 440+ million people.

[RichardY]

 

I'm pleased to see that the most violent, vitriolic Marxist I know has began seriously preparing to emigrate to Canada. Unfortunately for him his destructive and lack of providing value nature will likely lead to his rejection. He has a degree is music and has spent his life loafing around, working bit jobs for min. wage, using the cash to spend on travelling in Europe. This is the mould of the remainians and another reason why the completely unfunded government pensions system will not work.

 

To be honest that sounds a lot like me. Excluding the Violent vitriolic Marxist, Music Degree and voting Remain.

 

Based on my experience of backpacking in Canada, the person you know probably has a good chance of getting into Canada. Their pension system is even more insane with teachers retiring on final salary pensions in their mid-50's. Quebec from what I have heard is a basket case, as well as many of the fishing villages along the east coast. I travelled to the west, Alberta and BC; Alberta was better Oil and Mineral wealth, but devastated logging industry (Quota system), lot of Philipinoes working in sawmills from what I heard though. BC had a lot of homeless people, drug addicts and skyhigh housing prices like $1,000,000 average house price in Vancouver, Kelowna and Vancouver Island were expensive as well, though Vancouver Island was like some country club. In the countryside state enforced monopolies on utility hook-up, drive-up house prices quite a bit.

 

As for the 3 Million migrants, feels like most of them came to live where I am, albeit with much thanks going to the Labour Government. South Holland the district where I live was No1 in being the most Eurosceptic in the country. Boston a local town is 50% Polish speaking (Government figures), Spalding another town feels like just under 50% English Speaking. A lot of the new contracts for lorry drivers are at the same wage as factory cleaners and unionised management( supported by huge loans some from the Icelandic crisis) is a lot of people from the former textile industry. The best paid local jobs to me seem to be, 1. Government sponsored theft. 2. Merchants 3. Skilled Software Developers.

 

The actual bloodshed though, I think is when people in the major cities in Europe mass riot or join one side on a civil war, probably when the currency collapse and China and Russia benefit IMO. London is a country unto it's self. Saying that though London is probably the best for museums and history in the World. Places like Dorset, Somerset, Cornwall, Yorkshire Dales are probably quite nice.

[aviet]

Based on my experience of backpacking in Canada, the person you know probably has a good chance of getting into Canada.

 

Good to hear   My town has a set of people who are a mixture of people like him, the vitriolic and others who are so weak that they feel the need to surround you in a damp cloud, in an attempt to inhabit your body, change your values and views and use your body as a vehicle to read The Guardian.

 

I didn't know Canada was that bad. At $1 million for a house, you may as well go an live in Lichtenstein with direct democracy and average salaries double that in the UK.

 

Nor did I know that Lincolnshire had been that saturated by Eastern Europeans. I wouldn't be surprised if nothing is done about the immigration situation. Who knows what deal will be cooked up. If free movement is not ended, that issue will continue to rage until it is addressed.

 

The true undoing of the EU is - once the EU has made a decision, its almost practically irreversible. As a nation the only choice you have to do anything about aspects you do not like is leave it entirely. If they do not address this, other departures seem inevitable.

 

Do you have a timeline for financial collapse? In 2008 I thought it might happen by 2013. As things panned out I realised that the desire of people with assets will be to roll it over as long as it can be. If you look at Japan, they show that rolling over can go on for along time. So I thought it might carry on to about 2060, at which pension schemes may explode. However, now looking at the level of instability, I have no idea.

[RichardY]

I didn't know Canada was that bad. At $1 million for a house, you may as well go an live in Lichtenstein with direct democracy and average salaries double that in the UK.

The Million is for Vancouver (West Coast) 5 years a go when I was there, Kelowna and Vancouver Island aren't probably far behind. Probably a lot cheaper on the East coast, but from what I've heard their industry is devastated. A lot cheaper in the country side/wilds, but then quotas have killed local logging a major employer.

 

Nor did I know that Lincolnshire had been that saturated by Eastern Europeans. I wouldn't be surprised if nothing is done about the immigration situation. Who knows what deal will be cooked up. If free movement is not ended, that issue will continue to rage until it is addressed.

 

Yeah, when Poland joined the EU Sweden and the UK put no limits on immigration, initially estimated to be 10K from Poland. So had over a Million Polish, plus Lithuanians and other Eastern Europeans (but at least their not sharpening their knives). Most of Lincolnshire seems pretty resigned to Eastern European migration, there was initially a lot of talk of too many new people moving in such a short time frame, lot of propaganda on the BBC. Real problem though is probably gong to be riots in some of the cities, London already rioted a few years a go. 

 

Do you have a timeline for financial collapse? In 2008 I thought it might happen by 2013. As things panned out I realised that the desire of people with assets will be to roll it over as long as it can be. If you look at Japan, they show that rolling over can go on for along time. So I thought it might carry on to about 2060, at which pension schemes may explode. However, now looking at the level of instability, I have no idea.

 

IMO as economics is about social cooperation. The shit will really hit the fan when people stop cooperating with the government(albeit with the implicit threat of violence) or the tax base is nearly totally destroyed. If new people are not being trained up with the sufficient ability physical and or mental to keep capital maintained then eventually companies and gov's are going to run out of capital to reinvest or redistribute. Japan to me seems to be pretty compliant within the country ("the nail that sticks out gets hammered down"), a bit like the UK in various times in the past perhaps. So the answer is no to be honest. N Korea probably only keeps going as it is with money/credit from China. As well as China lending to a lot of western countries. If you did know however what would you do?

 

Not much of a happy thread anymore  , maybe someone has some more positive things to say about the UK.

[aviet]

Not much of a happy thread anymore  , maybe someone has some more positive things to say about the UK.

 

In terms of positive things, in terms of EU countries, I think the UK is probably the best in terms of rule of law, skills, business environment and the taxes are lower than other Western European counties. Estonia has some better characteristics. The government there has made a lot of good decisions and it's arguably the most libertarian country in the world.

 

So long as the UK can actually get out of the EU, given the decline of Labour and the Illiberal Autocrats, becoming more Swiss seems more likely than more German (regulation) or French (reckless spending).

 

[markj]

I intend to head to Liverpool this year to catch a game at Anfield (lifelong dream).

Very proud of you, Britain.  So very proud.

 

mj

[Somewhere]

UK tourism up around 20% after Brexit; the good weather this year hasn't hurt.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/695015/Seaside-has-high-hopes-after-Brexit-tourism-boom