Off Topic Thread 4.0

sydthebeat

Slightly weird question, but I'm needing up to Ashbourne from laois soon and I'm wondering is the popes visit is causing any extra traffic on the m7 and m50??

Is it with my while going cross country I wonder

Neil3030

Neil3030 wrote: »

This interview is great, very clearly (and bleakly) explains how f**ked the UK will be if they leave the EU without a deal, and why:

https://soundcloud.com/bbcradiokent/nodealbrexit-heated-debate

That Jason J Hunter guy is one to watch; you'll see him on major panel discussions before long: https://twitter.com/JasonJHunter

P.S., lol at the awkward silence at 8:40. Completely obliterated the Brexiteer guy.

It's telling, he clearly understands at that 8:40 moment of silence that his entire concept of independence and sovereignty is nonsense as any trade agreement is going to have conditions which you have to comply with and integrate into your laws.

And does he moderate his position as a result? No, he doubles down with more bullshít. Brexit in a nutshell.

bilston

Deleted User wrote: »

Neil3030 wrote: »

This interview is great, very clearly (and bleakly) explains how f**ked the UK will be if they leave the EU without a deal, and why:

https://soundcloud.com/bbcradiokent/nodealbrexit-heated-debate

That Jason J Hunter guy is one to watch; you'll see him on major panel discussions before long: https://twitter.com/JasonJHunter

P.S., lol at the awkward silence at 8:40. Completely obliterated the Brexiteer guy.

It's telling, he clearly understands at that 8:40 moment of silence that his entire concept of independence and sovereignty is nonsense as any trade agreement is going to have conditions which you have to comply with and integrate into your laws.

And does he moderate his position as a result? No, he doubles down with more bullshít. Brexit in a nutshell.

The more I think about it the more I reckon it is a disgrace that 16 and 17 year olds weren't allowed to vote in the referendum. They have a lot more at stake than anyone over the age of 65.

Virtually every other day there is another poll which suggests the UK public are turning against Brexit. Basically the UK govt is pushing through with a disaster that arguably most people don't even want anymore. It's car crash stuff.

Even in the 2 years since the referendum the number of Brexit voters compared to Remainers that have croaked it will probably have had an impact on the gap between the two sides in 2016.

Neil3030

bilston wrote: »

The more I think about it the more I reckon it is a disgrace that 16 and 17 year olds weren't allowed to vote in the referendum. They have a lot more at stake than anyone over the age of 65.

Virtually every other day there is another poll which suggests the UK public are turning against Brexit. Basically the UK govt is pushing through with a disaster that arguably most people don't even want anymore. It's car crash stuff.

Even in the 2 years since the referendum the number of Brexit voters compared to Remainers that have croaked it will probably have had an impact on the gap between the two sides in 2016.

Interesting idea re: 16/17 year olds. Is there any precedent for them suing the government?

On the demographic churn idea - they need to get an extension on Article 50 amd pray for a few cold winters.

CatFromHue

I don't see an extension really doing anything.

Frankly until the **** hits the fan I don't think anything will happen politically.

Though it'll be spun as Europe punishing them so they're better off out and plenty will believe it.

they voted to leave so now they can **** off

stephen_n

CatFromHue wrote: »

Though it'll be spun as Europe punishing them so they're better off out and plenty will believe it.

Theresa May has already started spinning that line, she came out with again the other day. After they released the latest clusterf@*k statement about what might happen in the UNLIKELY event of a no deal Brexit.

It’s strange to think that all these highly paid politicians expected the EU to roll over and give them exactly what they want.

Interested Observer

DGRulz wrote: »

Tax system definitely needs changing. When I got my rise this year I went about 6k over the higher threshold but because I'm not earning 'enough' over the threshold I get murdered by tax and what was a significant raise isn't a whole lot in net pay.

Is this in Ireland? The marginal rate is about 50% when you're in the higher bracket so yeah, you lose a big chunk. Think it's one of the big complaints vs our neighbours, how quickly you ramp up from paying almost nothing to proportionally paying huge amounts of tax.

bilston

CatFromHue wrote: »

I don't see an extension really doing anything.

Frankly until the **** hits the fan I don't think anything will happen politically.

Though it'll be spun as Europe punishing them so they're better off out and plenty will believe it.

they voted to leave so now they can **** off

I didn't vote to leave, nor over 16 million others..but thanks for the sentiment...

irishbucsfan

CatFromHue wrote: »

they voted to leave so now they can **** off

Yeah... nah

It'd be monstrously stupid for any Irish person not to give them every single chance possible to stay. There's no way our politicans could say that publically without being turned into targets, but it's exactly what they should be doing behind closed doors. Regardless of its effects on Britain, the effect on Ireland is going to be awful.

stephen_n

bilston wrote: »

I didn't vote to leave, nor over 16 million others..but thanks for the sentiment...

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Yeah... nah

It'd be monstrously stupid for any Irish person not to give them every single chance possible to stay. There's no way our politicans could say that publically without being turned into targets, but it's exactly what they should be doing behind closed doors. Regardless of its effects on Britain, the effect on Ireland is going to be awful.

I assume he was referring to Brexiters more so than the population as a whole. If Britain decided to stop this madness, I’m sure we would collectively let out a huge sigh of relief. Though watching the hardline Brexiters have to go through the **** show that will be a no deal Brexit. Or even go through a controlled one, where they had to sign up to all the things that they hated about the EU, to get the trade deals. Would I’m sure be an interesting prospect for most people. Unfortunately either of those outcomes are still likely to badly impact certain sections vital to our economy.

irishbucsfan

The hardline Brexiters will suffer far less from Brexit than normal Irish people will. Rees-Mogg will have shorted it with all he's worth I'm sure (especially given what he's been telling his investors), so while Irish farmers are first against the wall, he'll be richer than ever before AND he'll have the opportunity to claim it only didn't work because no one listened to him, and he probably even believes that.

These guys are disaster capitalists. Nothing interesting to me about watching them profit even further from this thing.

stephen_n

irishbucsfan wrote: »

The hardline Brexiters will suffer far less from Brexit than normal Irish people will. Rees-Mogg will have shorted it with all he's worth I'm sure (especially given what he's been telling his investors), so while Irish farmers are first against the wall, he'll be richer than ever before AND he'll have the opportunity to claim it only didn't work because no one listened to him, and he probably even believes that.

These guys are disaster capitalists. Nothing interesting to me about watching them profit even further from this thing.

I was more referring to the rank and file who voted for this. It’s fairly clear a lot of Tories will benefit financially out of this. The same can not be said for the voters.

awec

For about the 15th time, politics is against the charter.

awec

awec wrote: »

For about the 15th time, politics is against the charter.

I've just realised how well being a moderator on here has prepared you for being a parent.

stephen_n

So 1 million down to 130,000. Don’t think it’s accurate to say anymore that Ireland is a catholic country.

Elvisjuice

stephen_n wrote: »

So 1 million down to 130,000. Don’t think it’s accurate to say anymore that Ireland is a catholic country.

who gives a ****

stephen_n

Elvisjuice wrote: »

who gives a ****

Clearly not as many as did in 1979

bilston

Deleted User wrote: »

I've just realised how well being a moderator on here has prepared you for being a parent.

It takes a lot more than 15 times to get anything ascross to my kids

Zzippy

bilston wrote: »

It takes a lot more than 15 times to get anything ascross to my kids

Oh you get it across to them alright. They just don't care... my 16 month old just looks at me with disdain when I remind him he can't do something. Your kids have presumably had even more practice...

Neil3030

stephen_n wrote: »

So 1 million down to 130,000. Don’t think it’s accurate to say anymore that Ireland is a catholic country.

Many of whom traveled to Ireland for the event.

bilston

Zzippy wrote: »

bilston wrote: »

It takes a lot more than 15 times to get anything ascross to my kids

Oh you get it across to them alright. They just don't care... my 16 month old just looks at me with disdain when I remind him he can't do something. Your kids have presumably had even more practice...

Yeah...about 4 or 5 years

wp_rathead

Awh man i accidently watched the video of the shooting from the Madden Tournament ...

errlloyd

wp_rathead wrote: »

Awh man i accidently watched the video of the shooting from the Madden Tournament ...

It's ****ing tragic. This has to help change the debate. It's the third serious mass shooting in Florida in a short time. The state with the most pro gun gun laws in America. If you've got time for a long read the New Yorker profiled the NRA lobbiest in Florida and showed the power down they wield down there, but I hope its waning.

https://www.google.ie/amp/s/www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/03/05/the-nra-lobbyist-behind-floridas-pro-gun-policies/amp

Neil3030

Nah, Sandy Hook didn't lead to any change, very unlikely this will.

NRA already claiming it happened because of "gun free zones". Seems to be their most common play these days.

As to what constitutes a "gun free zone" is unclear: if they can't blame state law (e.g. illegal to conceal carry), they'll blame local law (no guns in schools/state buildings) or even just behavioural patterns (happened in a place where nobody else had a gun).

In their mind, the only solution to a bad guy with a gun, is a good* guy with a gun, and absolutely nothing will shift that. Nothing.

(*ideally white, christian).

P.S., a buddy of mine lives in North Carolina and claims the local shooting range doesn't allow people on the premises if they are carrying a concealed weapon.

awec

Sandy Hook was the point of no return. When dead children doesn't change things then nothing will.

Buer

stephen_n wrote: »

So 1 million down to 130,000. Don’t think it’s accurate to say anymore that Ireland is a catholic country.

Not sure that figure is accurate. The Journal is the only place I saw it reported and I wouldn't exactly regard them as even handed on the topic. They don't have any official source either.

With that said, it was clearly miles below the capacity. I'd be surprised if it was much more than 200k. The Vatican are reporting 300k which is wildly optimistic. The whole set up was a sham. Bussing elderly people to sites 3-4km away and expecting them to walk in the p*ssing rain.

I can understand why the event was where it was but it would have surely been easier for many if they had it at a central green field site like they have for the ploughing championships which has a proper park and ride set up that genuinely works and they're well experienced at dealing with tens of thousands.

With all that said, I think the trip really underlined where the Catholic church is in Ireland now i.e. dying a death and not as slow a death as we had thought. Unfortunately, they're so entrenched in aspects of our society such as education and healthcare, it's going to be decades before we manage to fully disentangle their influence from our society.

stephen_n

The journal are claiming the Garda were keeping count of people entering and leaving. If that’s the case I’m sure the actual figure will come to light. Looking at the aerial photos though it wouldn’t be that far wrong.

Even the ploughing championship doesn’t get anything near the expected 500,000 in one day. If they got a million in the park in 1979, surely it could accommodate 500k today.

irishbucsfan

stephen_n wrote: »

The journal are claiming the Garda were keeping count of people entering and leaving. If that’s the case I’m sure the actual figure will come to light. Looking at the aerial photos though it wouldn’t be that far wrong.

Even the ploughing championship doesn’t get anything near the expected 500,000 in one day. If they got a million in the park in 1979, surely it could accommodate 500k today.

I wouldn't be the best judge of the size of crowds but judging by the aerial photos I'd say there was about 6 people there

Squidgy Black

stephen_n wrote: »

The journal are claiming the Garda were keeping count of people entering and leaving. If that’s the case I’m sure the actual figure will come to light. Looking at the aerial photos though it wouldn’t be that far wrong.

Even the ploughing championship doesn’t get anything near the expected 500,000 in one day. If they got a million in the park in 1979, surely it could accommodate 500k today.

Ah yes, the Gardai have a history of providing accurate and truthful figures!

mfceiling

Wife's mother went. Delighted to hear the mass. She said it wasn't particularly busy at all.
I wonder how long it will take for it to "die out"?
Mass numbers must be dwindling and there's very few young people bothering with faith anymore.
20 years, 30 years?