Brexit

[petec]

The “ in between” situation seems to me much worse for the Brits than either to stay it go.

 

Precisely and that is the enormous error the Labour Party are making, because they are blinded by internal division, a fear of letting the Tories be seen to win (by getting a deal), and also a fear that any real Brexit will allow the Tories to roll back EU labour and environmental legislation and sell the NHS - all fatuous concerns given that such policies would have to be tested at the ballot box.

[Spekulatius]

Pretty good article about Boris Johnson:

http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/12/boris-johnson-brexit.html

[Cigarbutt]

Pretty good article about Boris Johnson:

http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/12/boris-johnson-brexit.html

Thanks! That was an interesting take. Never underestimate people who have drooping eyelids and the value of self-derision, as long as your ability to do so is bigger than your ego.

If short on time, the Eton rugby photo says it all.

[petec]

That’s easily the best article on Boris that I’ve read. Captures the bar and the good. My view is that he is not to be underestimated, but will eventually disappoint.

[SharperDingaan]

His only crime is that he is very good at what he does, he dances to his own tune ... and 'eff off the rest of you!

Being from society he's supposed to 'behave' as such, and be controllable; NOT an unpredictable, disruptive black swan!

The 'beserker' rugby reference is very telling. 

 

You may think him an idiot, but often people like this really do change things.

They easily do what others fear to, the risks don't bother them, and there's often a strong sense of right/wrong - it just might not be everyone else's idea of right/wrong! The societal resistance is just fear of change.

 

My kind of scum!

https://www.starwars.com/video/my-kind-of-scum

 

SD

 

 

 

[DooDiligence]

So I sold a gold poison ring on eBay to a buyer in the UK & the USPS told me that importation of gold jewelry from the US to the UK is prohibited.

 

FedEx & UPS told me the same thing.

 

I canceled the sale as I'm unwilling to falsify customs documents & possibly have the item seized.

 

Is this a BREXIT issue?

 

---

 

Shameless plug: Deals abound as I've listed some new 18K eternity bands with diamonds & colored stones in addition to more Fleur de Lis.

 

There's also an eclectic mix of other great products.

 

Google ebay tunawish if interested.

[petec]

So I sold a gold poison ring on eBay to a buyer in the UK & the USPS told me that importation of gold jewelry from the US to the UK is prohibited.

 

FedEx & UPS told me the same thing.

 

I canceled the sale as I'm unwilling to falsify customs documents & possibly have the item seized.

 

Is this a BREXIT issue?

 

---

 

Shameless plug: Deals abound as I've listed some new 18K eternity bands with diamonds & colored stones in addition to more Fleur de Lis.

 

There's also an eclectic mix of other great products.

 

Google ebay tunawish if interested.

 

I highly doubt it.

 

WTAF is a poison ring?

[DooDiligence]

So I sold a gold poison ring on eBay to a buyer in the UK & the USPS told me that importation of gold jewelry from the US to the UK is prohibited.

 

FedEx & UPS told me the same thing.

 

I canceled the sale as I'm unwilling to falsify customs documents & possibly have the item seized.

 

Is this a BREXIT issue?

 

---

 

Shameless plug: Deals abound as I've listed some new 18K eternity bands with diamonds & colored stones in addition to more Fleur de Lis.

 

There's also an eclectic mix of other great products.

 

Google ebay tunawish if interested.

 

I highly doubt it.

 

WTAF is a poison ring?

 

A poison ring is worn on the finger & has a hinged lid with a stash compartment.

 

They were purportedly used to store poison to be surreptitiously dumped into someones food or drink at a gathering.

 

They were also used in the Victorian era & wearers would put perfumed items in them to quell stenches.

 

Here's a modern version.

 

www.ebay.com/itm/203005225978

[thowed]

PeteC - you mean you've never read Asterix in Switzerland??  It's the only reason I know about poison rings...

[petec]

PeteC - you mean you've never read Asterix in Switzerland??  It's the only reason I know about poison rings...

 

I bow to your knowledge.

 

I love Asterix - has been a long time but my in a couple of years my son will be the right age and I can't wait to revisit.

[petec]

So I sold a gold poison ring on eBay to a buyer in the UK & the USPS told me that importation of gold jewelry from the US to the UK is prohibited.

 

FedEx & UPS told me the same thing.

 

I canceled the sale as I'm unwilling to falsify customs documents & possibly have the item seized.

 

Is this a BREXIT issue?

 

---

 

Shameless plug: Deals abound as I've listed some new 18K eternity bands with diamonds & colored stones in addition to more Fleur de Lis.

 

There's also an eclectic mix of other great products.

 

Google ebay tunawish if interested.

 

I highly doubt it.

 

WTAF is a poison ring?

 

A poison ring is worn on the finger & has a hinged lid with a stash compartment.

 

They were purportedly used to store poison to be surreptitiously dumped into someones food or drink at a gathering.

 

They were also used in the Victorian era & wearers would put perfumed items in them to quell stenches.

 

Here's a modern version.

 

www.ebay.com/itm/203005225978

 

Nice! Thanks!

[Spekulatius]

PeteC - you mean you've never read Asterix in Switzerland??  It's the only reason I know about poison rings...

 

I bow to your knowledge.

 

I love Asterix - has been a long time but my in a couple of years my son will be the right age and I can't wait to revisit.

 

What an underutilized franchise Asterix is. It’s very hard to get the spirit of the comic books right in films and none of the films I have seen quite gets it. Imagine to create a theme park more geared towards adults. There is one in France, but it’s just another one of the rollercoaster parks. You could do a real thing going back in time and drink the “Zaubertrank” and beat each other up in mock fights etc. Endless possibilities.

 

The comic books are a great way to teach some Latin. For many, the phrases in the book there are all that stuck.

 

[mattee2264]

 

Anyone still following this? A lot of political posturing over the last few months but I think the odds are probably on some kind of skinny free-trade deal that buys time over the next few years to negotiate.

[Spekulatius]

 

Anyone still following this? A lot of political posturing over the last few months but I think the odds are probably on some kind of skinny free-trade deal that buys time over the next few years to negotiate.

 

How much does it matter, unless you own UK stocks? The Uk is a pretty inconsequential trade partner for the US and more important for the EU, but it’s not that important either.

 

Boris Johnson is hard to read and seemingly unable to make decisions. Maybe his wavering is some sort of 3D chess or reflects his inability to make decisions which may become an even bigger deal with Cunningham (his advisor and maybe more) gone. I do agree some sort of emergency skinny deal is likely, if there is a hard Brexit.

 

I don’t think it matters for most of us. I do think that London as a financial center will be much less important going forward than in the past.

[mattee2264]

 

I think it could be interesting as an indicator of how attitudes to trade have shifted as a result of Covid. Especially in the context of China signing a massive free trade agreement in its region and Biden replacing Trump as President. The initial fear was that coronavirus would accelerate de-globalization. But maybe it could bring the world closer together.

[Spekulatius]

I just had a talk with my brother (who lives in Germany) and it looks like the EU just nailed the door on the UK:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55385768

 

Another fact that I wasn’t aware of. He deals with lumber (trade on a large scale)  and they so t deliver to the UK any more because it is simply not “worth the trouble”. Apparently no one really knows the conditions for imports anymore in this specific business to decided to to elsewhere as there is enough demand for lumber anyways. a the same is true for other commodities and fungible goods apparently.

 

Looks like the Uk is on the brink of a disaster here as they seem totally unprepared after more than 4 years.

[petec]

I just had a talk with my brother (who lives in Germany) and it looks like the EU just nailed the door on the UK:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55385768

 

Another fact that I wasn’t aware of. He deals with lumber (trade on a large scale)  and they so t deliver to the UK any more because it is simply not “worth the trouble”. Apparently no one really knows the conditions for imports anymore in this specific business to decided to to elsewhere as there is enough demand for lumber anyways. a the same is true for other commodities and fungible goods apparently.

 

Looks like the Uk is on the brink of a disaster here as they seem totally unprepared after more than 4 years.

 

Aren’t you conflating two entirely different things?

 

And why take a German view on how prepared Britain is, out of interest?

 

Not that I have a particularly strong view...

[Spekulatius]

I just had a talk with my brother (who lives in Germany) and it looks like the EU just nailed the door on the UK:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55385768

 

Another fact that I wasn’t aware of. He deals with lumber (trade on a large scale)  and they so t deliver to the UK any more because it is simply not “worth the trouble”. Apparently no one really knows the conditions for imports anymore in this specific business to decided to to elsewhere as there is enough demand for lumber anyways. a the same is true for other commodities and fungible goods apparently.

 

Looks like the Uk is on the brink of a disaster here as they seem totally unprepared after more than 4 years.

 

Aren’t you conflating two entirely different things?

 

And why take a German view on how prepared Britain is, out of interest?

 

Not that I have a particularly strong view...

 

The BBC is not the German view. However,  I am German and have relatives living there.  I have been following this since Brexit 2016 using a variety of sources and it looks like a train wreck to me.

[mattee2264]

It could be a negotiating tactic but I think it is more virus related. Europe has enough troubles without a mutant strain making it over the border.

 

I think the disruption is exaggerated. Trade patterns take some time to change so while the short term impact will be additional costs due to tariffs and additional red tape that isn't going to be the end of the world. And it will hurt both sides so in all likelihood talks will resume next year.

[Spekulatius]

It could be a negotiating tactic but I think it is more virus related. Europe has enough troubles without a mutant strain making it over the border.

 

I think the disruption is exaggerated. Trade patterns take some time to change so while the short term impact will be additional costs due to tariffs and additional red tape that isn't going to be the end of the world. And it will hurt both sides so in all likelihood talks will resume next year.

 

Yes those two things (travel restrictions and trade) issues are unrelated, but that doesn’t mean their effects can’t compound.

 

The failure of the trade talks very likely will cause some shortages for the Uk, as goods get either stuck at the borders or diverted to other markets as seems to be the case with lumber and likely either goods.

 

I also think that London as a financial center will have a much diminished role in the future.

[petec]

I just had a talk with my brother (who lives in Germany) and it looks like the EU just nailed the door on the UK:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55385768

 

Another fact that I wasn’t aware of. He deals with lumber (trade on a large scale)  and they so t deliver to the UK any more because it is simply not “worth the trouble”. Apparently no one really knows the conditions for imports anymore in this specific business to decided to to elsewhere as there is enough demand for lumber anyways. a the same is true for other commodities and fungible goods apparently.

 

Looks like the Uk is on the brink of a disaster here as they seem totally unprepared after more than 4 years.

 

Aren’t you conflating two entirely different things?

 

And why take a German view on how prepared Britain is, out of interest?

 

Not that I have a particularly strong view...

 

The BBC is not the German view. However,  I am German and have relatives living there.  I have been following this since Brexit 2016 using a variety of sources and it looks like a train wreck to me.

 

The BBC article isn’t about Brexit.

 

I agree the two can compound. But I feel we are better prepared than some realise. This won’t be obvious because the press will focus on the problems (as is their job). But I much will continue as normal, whatever that means these days.

[Gregmal]

Almost every time I can think of, where something was supposed to either be a total train wreck or the next greatest thing, often the end result was something much more in the middle and quite boring. People adapt, often on the go, much more cogently than when they have forever to plan. When you sit around planning for the possibility of touching fire, you still dont really have a clue. When your feet feel the fire, its hot.

[SharperDingaan]

Given the ongoing Covid disruption in both the EU and the UK, most would expect no sudden widespread change until there is some stability again. Continuation of ongoing evolutionary changes at the margin, and a slow thickening of the border.

 

What most miss are the growing smuggling and duty-free zone opportunities  ;)

An enterprising lad could do a great deal with a duty-free 'zone' on a UK island and ship-to-ship transfer in international waters.

All perfectly legal as well, but sadly a time limited engagement.

 

SD 

[Spekulatius]

Almost every time I can think of, where something was supposed to either be a total train wreck or the next greatest thing, often the end result was something much more in the middle and quite boring. People adapt, often on the go, much more cogently than when they have forever to plan. When you sit around planning for the possibility of touching fire, you still dont really have a clue. When your feet feel the fire, its hot.

 

This will be resolved in a less than a year but the path there seems anything but pretty.

In my opinion, BJ has not proven to be a good negotiator or even a good leader with his wavering and indecisiveness and I am evens sympathetic to his (very British) quirks.