Le Stu

Yeah, it's neo-classical economics or neo-liberalism, monetarism, call it what you will. We abandoned Keynes in the '70s. Forget Hayek or Keynes, it's Friedman that rules our world. Apparently, we still call it Keynesianism when we decide to chuck a lot of money at a problem. In essence, we are trying to treat a problem of insolvency as if it were a problem of liquidity. The diagnosis is simply incorrect and therefore the treatment will likely fail unless it is coincidently appropriate for the correct ailment, which I very much doubt. Assuming that a capitalist system will never misallocate credit or misvalue equity is unbelievably dense. Neither does it mean we should abandon the powerful motive force of capitalism, just that we need to recognise it is flawed and debt repudiation is sometimes the only way out, whether that be by the soft default of currency devaluation or a hard default, or haircut. And in the case of Spain, they are simply too economically divergent to share a currency with Germany, as are we.

Not sure that Keynes was an advocate of a fixed exchange rate, was a bit down on the Gold standard, IIRC. Likewise, Spain (and the others) can't get out of this until they devalue and regain competitive advantage against the North. Though I agree, what we regard as 'Keynesianism' in this day and age is a complete embarrassment to the profession of economics.

I'm amazed it's taken this long, with youth unemployment at 40%. Poor bastards. I expect all of these troubled Eurozone countries to default and leave the Euro quite shortly. It's fucking ridiculous what's been imposed on them to keep the currency area intact.

seems far too easy to beat up on council workers with the usual stereotypes. I prefer to remind them that they chose the employer of last result for those disadvantaged by slight mental/physical problems. And they still need a union lol.

I like how clean it is now. I assume they gave it some kind of industrial steam clean that makes it look like every single piece of masonry was replaced, rather than actually having replaced every single piece of masonry. some might say it's lost its gothic charm though.

Needs Co-Op play for the campaign for me to bother with it again. The second one's plot was completely ludicrous as well as too short. And, shooting an infinite amount of dummies is kind of dull. Hopefully, the multiplayer won't be as dull as Black Ops. I could do with one more fix (although I admit it's getting pathetic)

I don't know why that would give you a fresh perspective on the matter, unless you hadn't previously considered it at all. These claims concerning the operational independence of Trident are as vague and baseless as they are tired. If there are no permissive action links on the Trident missile system, and the British Prime Minister ultimately takes the decision, or leaves instructions in his absence, then it is an operationally independent system. We also share military assets like satellites and depend heavily on the US for reconnaissance support and their deep strategic reserves, long range precision bombing etc. as was evident in the recent and ongoing Libya campaign. Trident is hardly the only way they 'twist our arm' in our role as 'junior partner' or whatever nauseating description the politicians want to give our relationship. We're just as buggered if they don't feel like shipping us our Tomahawks and (when they finally get their shit together) our brand new STOVLs for our shiny new aircraft carrier.

You're assuming that most of the second preference votes would go to Labour, not the SNP. Based on what exactly?

I had no difficulty voting no. It seems like an excellent strategic play to ensure second term conservative governemnt and a high turn out of nationalists for the independence referendum, giving it to the swing vote, me! also, brilliant way to annoy hectoring liberals. Plus I just don't like it so neh.

They might as well have just asked if we were happy enough with the way we voted to elect our constituency MSP 2 seconds ago.

I expect it's a misspelling of 'tentative' which would suggest that you should firm up on your arse sex date before arrival.

Excellent, my plan to get drunk late last night and subsequently sleep through it worked. I can still catch the footage on youtube if I so choose:

I believe I was in the one that either still is or used to be a Somerfield at the bottom of George St. They're by the exit. Can't recall what exactly made them wedding cupcakes, no picture of wills and kate or anything, maybe little coloured stars or something equally cheery yet irrelevant.

The Co-op have wedding cupcakes! wtf is a wedding cupcake? anyway, i plan on being drunk until this all blows over.

The perils of direct democracy... a country content in its stupor! They make us taste their bitter bean, black!!

Interested. I think I got bored of it a couple of season's back so I should probably catch up.

That depends on your definition of merit, and who gets to decide that?

But we also hate the meritocracy?

Let us know if it's actually become funny or relevant again

I'm saying that without the political counterweight of England keeping the pinkos out we will descend into some kind of marxist hellhole banana republic very quickly. Without the bananas though, obviously. Unless hothouses are a priority in our first Glorious Five Year Plan.

I had a good chuckle at the tired old arguments it presented. If you ever want to piss a nationalist off, just talk to them about the chronic, unresolved issues with European monetary union and the potential pitfalls facing an independent Scotland. Mention Ireland at least three times.

mine would be serious if the SSP actually were still a force in politics lol.

I have to say, while I could be persuaded to vote for independence by rational argument, I cringe hard at nationalist friends when they start going off on one.

Pah. If not for the English, you'd be fighting over who gets to drive the community tractor as you try to keep yourself warm by burning last year's currency.

Drunk? Bad teeth? In-bred? Shit food. Actually, if you pop into the nearest Greggs all of the above can be witnessed.