Off Topic Thread too point uh

mfceiling wrote: »

get your suit dry cleaned

Hang er up in the shower, turn it on full blast as hot as it goes and close the door.

Basically the same thing!

pickarooney

Why do people still do this communion craic?

mfceiling

pickarooney wrote: »

Why do people still do this communion craic?

Stupid school nonsense. We have no non denominational school near us so we're stuck with this crap.
The sooner the church takes a back seat in this country the better.

Scythica

What do y'all think about the Brexit situation?

I'm aware this could end in dodgy territory regarding border control etc if UK votes out but its a worthwhile discussion to have I think.

Just living over on the mainland everyones talking about Brexit but I've heard very little said about implications to NI/ROI. Apart from EU subsidies to NI farms stopping.

b.gud

Don't have any kids myself but was chatting to someone at work this week about communions. He was saying that at the school his kids go to they proposed having the kids make their communion in their school uniforms to avoid the expense and one upmanship of the dresses. All the mothers were having none of it they wanted there little princess to have their day out

Scythica wrote: »

What do y'all think about the Brexit situation?

I'm aware this could end in dodgy territory regarding border control etc if UK votes out but its a worthwhile discussion to have I think.

Just living over on the mainland everyones talking about Brexit but I've heard very little said about implications to NI/ROI. Apart from EU subsidies to NI farms stopping.

The general feeling seems to be it would be quite bad for Irish business but I'm not sure I've seen any hard facts on it.

They'd have to set up customs checkpoints on the NI/ROI borders, I presume. Not sure what impact that would have on cross border business.

I've yet to hear a single concrete reason for it (just some ephemeral "sovereignty" nonsense).

Bit harder to know how it will affect Ireland. You would think there is a possibility of some benefit from being the sole primarily anglophone country in the EU but the whole thing will get so complicated. **** knows what will happen with the Common Travel Area and Northern Ireland, but it won't be good or easy.

I'm fairly sure Scotland would demand another referendum given the fear of being turfed out of the EU was one of the major points used to scaremonger a No vote the last time. The UK could fall apart.

Teferi

Don't worry lads, I'm voting to stay.

I'll be voting to stay in too but I've generally been dumbfounded at the level of the debate. I know that I probably shouldn't be so naive but so far as I can see it's largely being used as a proxy battle for control of the conservative party.

It would probably have a negative impact on Ireland in the short term as despite the assurances otherwise I would be afraid that France in particular would want to bloody les rosbif's nose to try and dissuade others from following their example. Ireland obviously does a lot of trading with the UK but I'd be surprised if anyone else in Europe would be hit to nearly the same extent and we simply don't have the influence to determine the outcome of trade negotiations with the UK should a decision be taken to leave the EU.

In the longer term I would speculate that you might see a shift in multi-national HQ's not so much current ones leaving the UK but new ones and new sites for existing ones opening up in Ireland with perhaps a shift in some back office function. The common travel area could well remain especially given that we're not part of Schengen. Again though if some countries in the EU felt like being vindictive this could be made awkward.

I'm just hoping that the speculation remains theoretical and doesn't have to be acted upon.

Clearlier wrote: »

I'll be voting to stay in too but I've generally been dumbfounded at the level of the debate. I know that I probably shouldn't be so naive but so far as I can see it's largely being used as a proxy battle for control of the conservative party.

It's a fight between Johnson and Cameron and it's a bit of a joke (I find it particularly odious because a lot of people don't think Johnson is even anti-EU, he's just a complete opportunist for power). It's not helped by Corbyn being head of Labour so they're taking a bit of a back seat.

The whole thing is a mess. Though I don't think we're in much position to complain about the level of debate considering what passed for debate (on both sides) for our various referenda on the EU treaties.

Zzippy

I was fishing with two older Welshmen yesterday, great conversation - fishing, rugby, fishing, women, fishing, jokes, fishing, politics. Both said they were voting to stay in although they had reservations about the EU. Both adamant it would pass (staying in) - apparently the bookies have a Brexit at 3.5 or thereabouts, Remain at 1.4. Would take a big turnaround in the next few weeks to change that.

Zzippy wrote: »

I was fishing with two older Welshmen yesterday, great conversation - fishing, rugby, fishing, women, fishing, jokes, fishing, politics. Both said they were voting to stay in although they had reservations about the EU. Both adamant it would pass (staying in) - apparently the bookies have a Brexit at 3.5 or thereabouts, Remain at 1.4. Would take a big turnaround in the next few weeks to change that.

I'd be amazed if anyone doesn't. Mind you the UK refusing to actually get involved in it properly is part of the reason it sometimes runs contrary to their wishes.

Gotta say the bookies odds surprise me a bit. I was a lot more confident a few weeks ago - the polls are tightening and young people are lazy idiots who don't vote.

Podge_irl wrote: »

I'd be amazed if anyone doesn't. Mind you the UK refusing to actually get involved in it properly is part of the reason it sometimes runs contrary to their wishes.

Gotta say the bookies odds surprise me a bit. I was a lot more confident a few weeks ago - the polls are tightening and young people are lazy idiots who don't vote.

Am amused by the claims that the EU isn't a democracy. Now, there are issues for sure but if I thought that we didn't take European elections seriously in Ireland they take it to a whole new level here in England. That said, a lot of that is due to an inability to see what elected representative do. The EU could market itself an awful lot better and it does need to stop and take stock of where it is and where it wants to go. It hasn't got a great track record of doing so.

irishbucsfan

There are valid arguments against EU membership but unfortunately the debate was hijacked at a very early stage by demagogue supreme. I think that as our technology and ability to communicate improves that society in general should move towards more direct democracy and localism but membership in the EU demands the opposite. That's just idealogicial stuff though. The only way a departure would work would be a clean break by a country in a strong position to negotiate trade and freedom of movement, that's definitely not something that applies to the UK.

Stheno

irishbucsfan wrote: »

There are valid arguments against EU membership but unfortunately the debate was hijacked at a very early stage by demagogue supreme. I think that as our technology and ability to communicate improves that society in general should move towards more direct democracy and localism but membership in the EU demands the opposite. That's just idealogicial stuff though. The only way a departure would work would be a clean break by a country in a strong position to negotiate trade and freedom of movement, that's definitely not something that applies to the UK.

I'd agree with this.

On the plus for Ireland, we'd then be the only English speaking country in the EU

ON the negative, we'd now have 1/3 of our exports going outside the EU

50/50 in terms of benefits

Stheno wrote: »

I'd agree with this.

On the plus for Ireland, we'd then be the only English speaking country in the EU

Why is being the only English speaking country a bonus?

A pretty large proportion of continental Europeans can speak English anyway.

Zzippy

Podge_irl wrote: »

I'd be amazed if anyone doesn't. Mind you the UK refusing to actually get involved in it properly is part of the reason it sometimes runs contrary to their wishes.

Gotta say the bookies odds surprise me a bit. I was a lot more confident a few weeks ago - the polls are tightening and young people are lazy idiots who don't vote.

That's why I mentioned their age - these were guys in their late 60s and early 70s, and are voting to remain in.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Why is being the only English speaking country a bonus?

A pretty large proportion of continental Europeans can speak English anyway.

Better than a lot of Irish people too!

irishbucsfan wrote: »

I think that as our technology and ability to communicate improves that society in general should move towards more direct democracy and localism but membership in the EU demands the opposite.

I dunno - in general I am not a fan of direct democracy (it super doesn't work in Switzerland as far as I'm concerned). I would agree that localism is possibly a way forward but very much within the strictures of global (or at least in this case European) regulations or its going to be anarchy.

The EU doesn't eliminate localism, it just puts boundaries on it, which I have no real problem with. It's not perfect obviously, but the solution is engaging.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Why is being the only English speaking country a bonus?

A pretty large proportion of continental Europeans can speak English anyway.

FDI otherwise known as US multi-nationals who want to have a base in the EU will gravitate towards an English speaking country for their EMEA HQ. So long as we can continue to provide an educated workforce we'll benefit from that investment.

pickarooney

The tax incentives waay outstrip the language issue IMO.

If everyone in France was a native English speaker US multinationals still wouldn't go near the place.

pickarooney wrote: »

The tax incentives waay outstrip the language issue IMO.

If everyone in France was a native English speaker US multinationals still wouldn't go near the place.

I don't think that it's the tax incentives per se but the way that our tax system is structured which enables companies to avoid paying taxes. I'm not an accountant or a tax lawyer so can't explain it very well but I understand that it's something to do with when profits are taxed and where they are realised which enables companies to avoid paying taxes on them because we tax them at a different stage to many other countries. By moving the realisation of the profits from one country to another at different stages they avoid paying out most of what the system intends them to pay. i.e. it's not the tax rate that many other EU countries have an issue with (I remember reading an article in the economist saying that the effective corporate tax rate doesn't vary nearly as much as the headline rate) but the tax system. I'm straying beyond what I really know here so happy for corrections!

pickarooney wrote: »

The tax incentives waay outstrip the language issue IMO.

If everyone in France was a native English speaker US multinationals still wouldn't go near the place.

I would have thought so too. Plus the ability to speak English isn't that beneficial if the company is trying to do business with the rest of Europe from their EU headquarters. These places are constantly hiring people who can speak German, French etc.

Synode

I've dealt with a number of US multi-nationals that have purchased European companies with branches all over Europe. The Americans much prefer dealing with English people over people from the continent, so much so that they normally put them in charge. I'd put it down to history and the fact they see themselves as culturally closer to the UK than anywhere else. It remains to be seen whether that will change in Ireland's favour if England leaves the EU. I'd hazard a guess and say we'll see a boost in manufacturing as it will be easier for companies to get their goods into the EU from Ireland than it would from an England with proper border controls.

Synode wrote: »

I've dealt with a number of US multi-nationals that have purchased European companies with branches all over Europe. The Americans much prefer dealing with English people over people from the continent, so much so that they normally put them in charge. I'd put it down to history and the fact they see themselves as culturally closer to the UK than anywhere else. It remains to be seen whether that will change in Ireland's favour if England leaves the EU. I'd hazard a guess and say we'll see a boost in manufacturing as it will be easier for companies to get their goods into the EU from Ireland than it would from an England with proper border controls.

Would the hassle of border controls outweigh the benefit of Britain having a direct "road" link to continental Europe?

Synode

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Would the hassle of border controls outweigh the benefit of Britain having a direct "road" link to continental Europe?

I was thinking the exact same myself as I was typing it. It really depends on the amounts of red tape put in the way of goods coming from the UK.