It's Complicated (good film title)

Quote from: Rob on 04 August 2014, 03:20:00 PM
If the Shetlands and Orkneys vote to stay in the union and the rest of Scotland votes to leave, can they stay, or do they have to follow the rest of Scotland?

Or, if the Shetlands and Orkneys vote to leave and the rest of Scotland votes to stay, can they leave and claim the oil and gas belong to them and deny any revenues to Scotland and the rest of the union?

This is one of the major problems I see in breaking up a happy marriage. How can you deny the kids going it alone as well?

Just like the UK as a whole, Scotland is made up of many independently minded regions who traditionally square up to their immediate neighbour. My own feeling is that all the highlands, islands and lowlands of these isles (including Ireland) should come together in some form of unity and choose a new place to meet (say, the Isle of Man) to discuss how to cooperate in this baffling, crazy, increasingly technological new world. Our children would thank us for it.

USE ... United States of Europe ... only solution.

The Germans provide the engineers, the French provide the chefs, the British provide the police, the lovers are Italian, the artists are Spanish and the whole thing is run by the Swiss :-)

U! S! E! ... U! S! E! ... U! S! E!

So glad I am learning Italian.

I suppose people remember Charles V's comment on European languages?

Quote from: FierceKitty on 04 August 2014, 11:51:35 PM
I suppose people remember Charles V's comment on European languages?

If you wish to threaten someone do it in German - or words to that effect, as far as I recall.

I had a friend who used to say that if god hadn't wanted us to listen to Heavy Metal he wouldn't have invented German.

Even though I know only a smattering of words in it, and most of them military terms, I rather like the crunchy texture of spoken German.

Quote from: FierceKitty on 04 August 2014, 11:51:35 PM
I suppose people remember Charles V's comment on European languages?

'I speak Spanish to God, Italian to Women, French to Men, and German to my Horse.' Pretty much debunked these days as first published well after his death.

Quote from: Ithoriel on 04 August 2014, 05:20:31 PM
USE ... United States of Europe ... only solution.

The Germans provide the engineers, the French provide the chefs, the British provide the police, the lovers are Italian, the artists are Spanish and the whole thing is run by the Swiss :-)

U! S! E! ... U! S! E! ... U! S! E!

And have even more unelected "commissioners" laying down the law? No thanks.

Another approach might be to look at the way commissioners are appointed/elected and the way in which new laws are discussed. Living in a tiny country separated from the rest of the world seems absurd in this day and age.

Okay, we've missed the major point here, IF Scotland becomes independent, the English Government will be able to charge import duty on two items that make life bearable:
Tunnocks Teacakes and Irn Brew!! 

Rather go with the Tunnocks and a good peaty single malt.

Quote from: Dour Puritan on 05 August 2014, 07:43:14 AM
........ Living in a tiny country separated from the rest of the world seems absurd in this day and age.

A bit like the UK you mean?

Tunnocks ?

Looks like another banned word to me. 
Cheers - Phil

Well no, because the UK is part of the EU, but should it vote to leave, then yes. I do worry that such a momentous  decision is to be put into the hands of, quite frankly, a pretty dopey public laced with a heavy dose of xenophobia if not outright racism.

Remember Churchill's remark that five minutes' conversation with the average voter was the best argument against democracy?

Or Pratchett's quote that the IQ of a mob is the square root of it's mean?

What exactly is it that King Alex wants independence from?

Not really sure. Could be to do with a feeling of remoteness or seclusion, but I've been aware of Scotland ever since I was tiny, thanks to the likes of Dr.Finlay's Casebook, Fife Robertson et al. I would suggest that Alex Salmond is careful about what he wishes for. He said in the debate last night that he believes Scotland would be better off being run by Scots (obviously Cameron and Blair are not  Scottish names, and Mr.Brown clearly came from Newcastle) but remember what happened to Britain when the Romans left it to gover itself.

Quote from: Dour Puritan on 06 August 2014, 07:44:25 AM
He said in the debate last night that he believes Scotland would be better off being run by Scots

A brief glance at Scottish history might raise some doubts about that. Anyway, I was under the impression that Scotland was effectively run by the Scots now. Would Salmon really want to take on the burden of defence and direct taxation? The oil's not going to last for ever.

Quote from: Hertsblue on 06 August 2014, 08:54:01 AM
The oil's not going to last for ever.

Aye, but we've got endless wind.