Category: Competition

The ritual dance

It is now a couple of days since Ms May filed for divorce. And it is still ‘news’, so the esteemed (and other) meeja seem determined to comment on every jot and tittle, nay every molecule of the first exchanges between the combatants. But boredom will soon set in – cf. a ‘nine-day wonder’ – and remember a week is a long time in politics.

Few commentators wish to recognise (at least in public) that there is a standard procedure when any negotiation starts. I recall life in several craft-based industries which reviewed their pay-and-benefits-scales every year. The protagonist stepped up, all mouth and trousers, with a proposal he knew was unacceptable. The antagonist objected with thunderous determination never to accept it. Neither was real life. It took days or sometimes weeks or months to ‘come together’.

So when the UK and EU have marked each other’s cards and the meeja have gone into the extreme boredom mode, the real work will begin. Patience, everyone.

K.I.S.S.

Justin Welby

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/feb/13/archbishop-suggests-brexit-fascist-tradition

I beg to differ, Justin. And I offer the K.I.S.S. mantra in celebration both of today’s romantic tradition and of common sense. The British attitude (yes, a generalisation, I know, but a well-documented one) to European unity post WWII was always to welcome uncomplicated trade ties but to be suspicious of political links. We were gradually entangled in the tentacles of a growing monster, allowing ambitious politicians too much rope and suffering the consequences. And voting to leave cannot be called a fascist act! If it can be termed a revolution , then it’s against the abuse of unelected power and the loss of British sovereignty, and in support of real democracy.

The EUroprats will seek to over-complicate Brexit, believing erroneously that procrastination will serve their cause, while many of the individual member states will wish to hasten a solution, to avoid disruption of bilateral relations with the UK.

Simples.

Lookin’ good, Ms May

may-eu

The meeja clever dicks are already up in arms about the PM’s priorities for Brexit, kick-off timed for the end March BST. But the ever-fickle markets for money seem to approve and have swiftly reversed the Brexit discount they applied yesterday before she spoke.  So I approve too, given the sterling nature of my pensions.

Being British but not being liberal or elite, I applaud the idea of explaining slowly and loudly to the Continentals in English that there’s more than one way to trade together, to deal with immigration and to subsidise worthwhile activities – none of them involving the EU, its legal set-up and its federal ambitions. And more fool the Europrats if they can’t follow the logic or see the light.

Keep calm and carry the day, Ms May.

Edgukayshun

There’s a lot of noise about further education, its price and its value. Let’s not question the principle that studying a subject after school will be valuable, not as a substitute for eventual on-the-job training but as an intellectual challenge by way of preparation for work. Its price varies from country to country. Here in high-tax DK it’s free, as it was for Brits when I were a lad. Now in England somebody has to find £9k p.a. in fees (or thereabouts) and the cost of living on top. Loans, bursaries, etc. are available but it ain’t cheap for the average family to deal with.

But the meeja bang on about the demographic bias in universities – as if it’s a surprise. But have you looked at the mix in fee-paying schools? A lot of non-local children from the nations of the world.

So not surprisingly the top universities appear to be biassed towards the ‘home counties’. Sorry to say it but that’s because they and many of the top schools are there. Not all of course, before there’s an outbreak of under-collar heat! The brightest kids can be found everywhere but life is not an ‘equal opportunity’ experience.

Naturally, if you don’t believe in further education this whole issue is meaningless. But I do and it means  lot.

 

It’s getting darker

We are all ‘acclimating’ (Am.) to Trump’s regime. The twitting, undiplomatic rookie marches on, in anticipation of his inauguration. But soft! What darkness intrudes, stage left? It is the Prince of Darkness himself, the CIA chief! Even before the new Pres is in res (c Backside 2016) the Dark Side is warning him to play their game, not to upset their apple-cart.

Excuse me, but don’t the numerous security services report to the White House?