OT. The futures Bright, the Futures Brexit!!!

[ramAnag]

do as you will be done by

Yep, quite agree...that 'do unto others' thing is pretty much my mantra too.

[Andy_Faber]

Doesn't this exactly exemplify why so many people voted to leave the ****box that is the EU. there are 24 official languages of the EU and three languages used for internal business by the Commission - English French and German. Barnier is French, our negotiators arent.... compromise: NO chance. Let petty mindedness rule. Lets try to points score. pathetic. If i was on the fence before, this alone would be one to tip me one way. English is both an official EU language and an official business language - except for when the frog eating **** decides to take cheap shots.

I believe post Brexit we should refuse to allow the EU to use English!!

WE.ARE. TAKING BACK.CONTROL.

Just joshing....

[Trickytreesreds]

Doesn't this exactly exemplify why so many people voted to leave the ****box that is the EU. there are 24 official languages of the EU and three languages used for internal business by the Commission - English French and German. Barnier is French, our negotiators arent.... compromise: NO chance. Let petty mindedness rule. Lets try to points score. pathetic. If i was on the fence before, this alone would be one to tip me one way. English is both an official EU language and an official business language - except for when the frog eating **** decides to take cheap shots.

I believe post Brexit we should refuse to allow the EU to use English!!

Yep, English is the preferred language of trade and travel. It is the mandated language of aviation.
But the French don't let their arrogance get in the way of anything do they?

[ramAnag]

Yep, English is the preferred language of trade and travel. It is the mandated language of aviation.
But the French don't let their arrogance get in the way of anything do they?

Says the man who boasts about English (American) being the preferred language of trade, travel and aviation...hysterical!

Yes...I agree the French can be a little arrogant...but aren't we Brits just as bad? 'Island Monkeys', as the Germans occasionally refer to us, who still think half the world is painted pink.

[AdiSalisbury]

I wonder what the odds are on right wing France being the next out in a Frexit vote?

[Trickytreesreds]

Says the man who boasts about English (American) being the preferred language of trade, travel and aviation...hysterical!

Yes...I agree the French can be a little arrogant...but aren't we Brits just as bad? 'Island Monkeys', as the Germans occasionally refer to us, who still think half the world is painted pink.

The Germans?

Is this the same nation, who tried to dominate Europe twice within 20 years and despite being decimated and rebuilt under foreign currency, now tries to dominate under the guise of collectivist ideals?

Wow, just wow

[swaledale]

The Germans?

Is this the same nation, who tried to dominate Europe twice within 20 years and despite being decimated and rebuilt under foreign currency, now tries to dominate under the guise of collectivist ideals?

Wow, just wow

No quite a different nation in many ways but then history was never your strong point!

[Andy_Faber]

Says the man who boasts about English (American) being the preferred language of trade, travel and aviation...hysterical!

Yes...I agree the French can be a little arrogant...but aren't we Brits just as bad? 'Island Monkeys', as the Germans occasionally refer to us, who still think half the world is painted pink.

My original point wasn't about les Francais, give or take the odd spat I would consider them as individuals and as a nation to be friends and allies, my point was about a senior representative of the EU, making a (frankly pathetic) 'point', which someone more mature would have refrained from saying not only out of good manners but because let's face it, it ain't gonna happen. The second language, miles ahead of any other non-local language, taught in the two most populous countries in the world, China and India, is English. Monsieur Barnier obviously also missed the irony that his speech on the subject was made on a lecturn which described the nature of the meeting - in English.

[Andy_Faber]

No quite a different nation in many ways but then history was never your strong point!

Explain?

[swaledale]

Explain?

Would not have thought that necessary to you in particular! A quick internet scan of german history since WW2 will provide the answers you seek, take too long to explain on here.

[Trickytreesreds]

No quite a different nation in many ways but then history was never your strong point!

Maybe not, but the tome remains the same.

Germany was smashed and divided in 1945.
With western help and money, it not only got back on its feet, but became the dominant economic power in Europe?

It has dominated European thinking and direction since. It has never paid its way for its own protection and simply leeched money from all around it,
You may love the EU Swale, but lots of us don't. Merkels dreams of her vision, of a mixed race super state are not what all of us want.
Dark times ahead, the Coudenhove-Kalergi plan endorsed by the EU in a prize, must never win

[ramAnag]

Oh God, not your obsession with that bloody 'plan' again. The point about Barnier was well made. Similarly Swale is right about the Germans, they've been consumed by guilt for what happened during the Nazi regime ever since. The rest of it...arrogant French, pompous Brits, bombastic Germans, excitable Italians and boring Belgians or whatever are just meaningless stereotypes. Sure you'll find high profile examples of all them but it goes no further than that.

[Andy_Faber]

Would not have thought that necessary to you in particular! A quick internet scan of german history since WW2 will provide the answers you seek, take too long to explain on here.

What I meant was do you mean geographically or culturally. My response to folk who bang on about Zee Chermanss is that they can't help being good at stuff...And IMO national stereotypes about Germans are more off the mark than for almost any other country I can think of, based only on my personal experience I'll admit

[Andy_Faber]

Says the man who boasts about English (American) being the preferred language of trade, travel and aviation...hysterical!

Yes...I agree the French can be a little arrogant...but aren't we Brits just as bad? 'Island Monkeys', as the Germans occasionally refer to us, who still think half the world is painted pink.

My original point wasn't about les Francais, give or take the odd spat I would consider them as individuals and as a nation to be friends and allies, my point was about a senior representative of the EU, making a (frankly pathetic) 'point', which someone more mature would have refrained from saying not only out of good manners but because let's face it, it ain't gonna happen. The second language, miles ahead of any other non-local language, taught in the two most populous countries in the world, China and India, is English. Monsieur Barnier obviously also missed the irony that his speech on the subject was made on a lecturn which described the nature of the meeting - in English.

[swaledale]

What I meant was do you mean geographically or culturally. My response to folk who bang on about Zee Chermanss is that they can't help being good at stuff...And IMO national stereotypes about Germans are more off the mark than for almost any other country I can think of, based only on my personal experience I'll admit

Both, geographically germany is a different country to what it was before WW1 and of course post WW2 was divided.

Culturally Germany like most countries is a mixture, as for national stereotypes, I've never found them to be on the mark tbh, sure there are traits which can be identified within all nationalities but a depiction of Germany as being focussed on power over europe is false. The germans believe in the EU precisely because they don't want a repeat of WW2 and believe mutual cooperation and interdependence is the key.