€ / £ Exchange Rate

[Shino]

A lot of us import from America as it's half the cost of what you're paying to import from us. The joy of speaking and reading English.

 

Quê?

 

Don't you more than occasional get hit by customs?

[Eenuh]

A lot of us import from America as it's half the cost of what you're paying to import from us. The joy of speaking and reading English.

 

Ehhh, it's not like anything is stopping us from importing from the US too. Which I've done on a couple of occasions already (though damn to the region coding!).

So I don't really get what you're trying to point out...

[Sheikah]

Quê?

 

Don't you more than occasional get hit by customs?

 

No, they mark it as gift.

 

Ehhh, it's not like anything is stopping us from importing from the US too. Which I've done on a couple of occasions already (though damn to the region coding!).

So I don't really get what you're trying to point out...

 

I assume most people are not as gifted with English as you are if it is their second language, or would rather play it in their native.

[Eenuh]

I assume most people are not as gifted with English as you are if it is their second language, or would rather play it in their native.

 

Heh, pretty much all games are in English here, as we rarely get the option to play in Dutch. So if you're a gamer here, your English should be pretty good.

Plus films and shows are pretty much never dubbed here either, so that helps as well. =P

And they teach English in school (as our third language, French being a second language).

 

Of course I'm just speaking for Belgium here (and more specifically Flanders).

[Fierce_LiNk]

Heh, pretty much all games are in English here, as we rarely get the option to play in Dutch. So if you're a gamer here, your English should be pretty good.

Plus films and shows are pretty much never dubbed here either, so that helps as well. =P

And they teach English in school (as our third language, French being a second language).

 

Of course I'm just speaking for Belgium here (and more specifically Flanders).

 

It's funny that they teach us French, Spanish, German and maybe other languages here in the UK. Yet, you rarely find anyone who can speak those languages well.

 

However, you go to any European city outside of the UK, and you'll find people who can speak two languages, maybe more quite comfortably. It makes you wonder. I wish I could speak another language well.

[Aimless]

It's funny that they teach us French, Spanish, German and maybe other languages here in the UK. Yet, you rarely find anyone who can speak those languages well.

 

However, you go to any European city outside of the UK, and you'll find people who can speak two languages, maybe more quite comfortably. It makes you wonder. I wish I could speak another language well.

I would imagine the majority of TV programmes broadcast across the European mainland are imported from the US, and outside of Germany I believe they're largely still in English. In the UK we're only ever exposed to media in English, so there's no real 'need' for us to understand or be familiar with other languages. Similarly a lot of people of our generation will have grown up using the internet, which again is primarily in English.

 

I've tried to learn other languages, but nothing ever seems to stick. If the majority of games didn't come out in English I'm sure things might be different.

[Fierce_LiNk]

I would imagine the majority of TV programmes broadcast across the European mainland are imported from the US, and outside of Germany I believe they're largely still in English. In the UK we're only ever exposed to media in English, so there's no real 'need' for us to understand or be familiar with other languages. Similarly a lot of people of our generation will have grown up using the internet, which again is primarily in English.

 

I've tried to learn other languages, but nothing ever seems to stick. If the majority of games didn't come out in English I'm sure things might be different.

 

I wonder if that goes back to the fact that the UK isn't physically connected to the rest of Europe. So, us being on an Island, therefore distanced from the rest.

 

It's a shame. We had Welsh lessons in school, as I grew up in South Wales, but nobody seemed all that bothered with it. It just wasn't used, so we didn't see the point learning it. It would've made more sense learning Klingon...which would've been fucking awesome.

 

I used to be pretty good at Spanish, and decent at French. Then, I dunno, it just all felt out of my head, haha.

[Aimless]

I wonder if that goes back to the fact that the UK isn't physically connected to the rest of Europe. So, us being on an Island, therefore distanced from the rest.

I think it's more down to Hollywood and the US as the 'epicentre of world entertainment'. Naturally all their releases are going to be in English, and success breeds success. Where do famous foreign directors go to reach consumers outside their own country? America. That's where they get their funding, that's where their films can be released to a wider audience.

 

The UK has always had strong ties to the USA, and we also have many cinematic and televisual success stories. Media made here can be released to the American market with little to no alterations, so home-grown talent doesn't have to be assimilated into Hollywood to such a degree.

 

I'm sure Ashley or someone else studying Media could give a more informed overview, I'm just going on common sense.

[Pyxis]

It will be interesting in the future when the US and the English language are no longer as important as they once were. I bet it will push us Brits to take foreign languages a lot more seriously.

 

Pyxis: seems you control issues. There's a basic lack of trust in the rest of the EU and 'the continent' in your reasoning - I get way too much such vibes from from the UK (and I find really disturbing at times).

 

The euro is way too stable to ever go down the drain. The pound won't go quickly, but it's far more likely to ever devaluate. I find it quite arrogant to think you Brits are better off managing your own moneys, when you're clearly not.

 

Well, at the end of the day, it is our country. We haven't give it all up to foreigners just yet.

 

With the state of the EU now, things are already a bit messy with EU legislation. We have lost a lot of our power to set our own laws and with the Euro, we will lose even more power when it comes to managing our own country. Do you want a United States of Europe? I don't think Britain needs that yet. I don't think that the EU will be all that effective on the international stage.

 

I used to be pro EU and pro Euro, but I am just not sure these days... I don't think that the structure of the EU is as good as it could be, but I don't have any easy answers for how to improve it. Perhaps strengthening the European Parliament and unifying the type of electoral system in place with every European country would be a good start. I personally dont like First Past the Post and I HATE party whips... IMHO, the UK's political system is not that compatable with the EU.

[Pookiablo]

I wonder if that goes back to the fact that the UK isn't physically connected to the rest of Europe. So, us being on an Island, therefore distanced from the rest.

 

It's a shame. We had Welsh lessons in school, as I grew up in South Wales, but nobody seemed all that bothered with it. It just wasn't used, so we didn't see the point learning it. It would've made more sense learning Klingon...which would've been fucking awesome.

 

I used to be pretty good at Spanish, and decent at French. Then, I dunno, it just all felt out of my head, haha.

 

Don't worry buddy, I'm a French and Germanist, so you chill out and do something else just as useful! Eventually I'll be fluent in both, so I'll happily carrying the flag for team UK

[Shino]

No, they mark it as gift.

 

 

 

I assume most people are not as gifted with English as you are if it is their second language, or would rather play it in their native.

 

The gift thing doesn't work too well over here, other than that, UK is PAL so its one less trouble.

 

I would imagine the majority of TV programmes broadcast across the European mainland are imported from the US, and outside of Germany I believe they're largely still in English. In the UK we're only ever exposed to media in English, so there's no real 'need' for us to understand or be familiar with other languages. Similarly a lot of people of our generation will have grown up using the internet, which again is primarily in English.

 

I've tried to learn other languages, but nothing ever seems to stick. If the majority of games didn't come out in English I'm sure things might be different.

 

I can't speak for other countries but I would say Portugal is among of the most "English friendly" countries, as it favours subs over dubs, which helps a lot when learning a language. However, the large majority of stuff that passes on TV is made in Portugal, then Brazil, and then English speaking countries (movies and series). Still is more than there in the UK, but its not exactly saturated of English stuff, and I expect that countries such as France, Spain, Germany and Italy have hardly anything in English.

 

Well, at the end of the day, it is our country. We haven't give it all up to foreigners just yet.

 

That's a whole mentality I don't understand. You aren't giving anything up... There's a reason for all this, its not an invasion.

[The fish]

Well, at the end of the day, it is our country. We haven't give it all up to foreigners just yet.

 

Well, firstly, you're a nationalist, so, whilst your statements can ignored as the ramblings of a person who has nothing to be proud of, so they steal the achievements of those near to them. However, I may as well rebut them regardless of this fact.

 

Nothing is being given up to "foreigners" (an odd idea, to my mind) - every time you allow a rule to be impose by someone who isn't yourself, such as a parliamentary bill, you're giving up power over yourself as an individual to others. You will, no doubt, say that you elected these lawmakers to their positions. With the EU, it's the same, just with more people.

 

Perhaps people need to move away from petty, early 20th century nationalism, and into the real world. The EU is by far the most effective organising force the world has seen since perhaps Roman times. The Common Agricultural Policy, as you'll probably all know, proved to be too effective. With the rise of Russia as an Energy Superpower, and India and China as economic superpowers, it is unfathomable to say that the UK would fair better, with it's dying currency and lack of heavy industry, independently than if integrated further into the EU.

[Pyxis]

Well, firstly, you're a nationalist

 

That's interesting considering the fact that the UK isn't a nation state.

 

That's a whole mentality I don't understand. You aren't giving anything up...

 

Not the pound? Ok, deal!

 

I''ll add to this post in a bit.

[The fish]

That's interesting considering the fact that the UK isn't a nation state.

 

Having to argue on semantic grounds suggests that you have no decent points.

[Sheikah]

Oh my god, why the fuck are you guys arguing this on Christmas Day?

[Pyxis]

Well, firstly, you're a nationalist, so, whilst your statements can ignored as the ramblings of a person who has nothing to be proud of, so they steal the achievements of those near to them. However, I may as well rebut them regardless of this fact.

 

I am very proud of my life and I know more than enough about political ideologies than to label either myself or others.

 

Nothing is being given up to "foreigners" (an odd idea, to my mind) - every time you allow a rule to be impose by someone who isn't yourself, such as a parliamentary bill, you're giving up power over yourself as an individual to others. You will, no doubt, say that you elected these lawmakers to their positions. With the EU, it's the same, just with more people.

 

With representive democracy, MPs are accountable to the British population. With legislation passed amongst the Council of Ministers, foreign leaders are not accountable to the British population and we have no power whatsoever to remove them from power. To say such laws are as democratic as those passed by MPs in the House of Commons is wrong because we don't have the right to vote in other EU elections. Laws can be passed with simple 50% majorities or 70% majorities with or without our country's presidential PM agreeing to them.

 

Perhaps people need to move away from petty, early 20th century nationalism, and into the real world. The EU is by far the most effective organising force the world has seen since perhaps Roman times.

 

We don't have an EU army simply because 27 different countries unanimously agreeing with eachother over important issues is quite unlikely. Shared European projects like the Eurofighter, Project Horizon and the Airbus A400M have proven to be collosal wastes of time and money. Speaking of Airbus, the poop has really hit the fan there.. Look at how BAE systems is far more successful than the European consortium EADS.

 

The Common Agricultural Policy, as you'll probably all know, proved to be too effective.

 

Effective at wasting huge amounts of resources on food that didn't need to be made so we could flood Africa with cheap food (at a loss to ourselves) and aid in destroying their economies and livelihoods? Not bad if you're a French farmer.

 

With the rise of Russia as an Energy Superpower, and India and China as economic superpowers, it is unfathomable to say that the UK would fair better, with it's dying currency and lack of heavy industry, independently than if integrated further into the EU.

 

How? We are already a trade organisation and have been for decades.

 

Having to argue on semantic grounds suggests that you have no decent points.

 

That's what they say about people who resort to personal insults.

[Shino]

With representive democracy, MPs are accountable to the British population. With legislation passed amongst the Council of Ministers, foreign leaders are not accountable to the British population and we have no power whatsoever to remove them from power. To say such laws are as democratic as those passed by MPs in the House of Commons is wrong because we don't have the right to vote in other EU elections. Laws can be passed with simple 50% majorities or 70% majorities with or without our country's presidential PM agreeing to them.

 

First, we do elect our representatives in the EU parliament and the EU council, which comprises the heads of state or government of the Union's member states, vote on the European Commission, and can be vetoed by the Parliament.

 

So:

 

European Council - Voted as the internal government of each country, makes the major decisions for the future of the Union.

 

European Comission - Voted by the European Council, and if needed vetoed by the Parliament, Proposes legislation and implements the decisions if approved by the parliament. It's basically EU's "government".

 

European Parliament - Voted DIRECTLY by the European citizens, it supervises and controls the European commission's propositions and its where all the debate its done.

 

To be honest, the more I ready about this, the more I like it. It just makes sense.

 

 

We don't have an EU army simply because 27 different countries unanimously agreeing with eachother over important issues is quite unlikely.

 

We don't have an EU army because it isn't really needed. So far economic power is more than enough.

 

How? We are already a trade organisation and have been for decades.

 

Because the moment we made a this economic union it dragged everything it needs to work, such as legislation, market rules, a single solution to everyone's problems.

[The fish]

With representive democracy, MPs are accountable to the British population. With legislation passed amongst the Council of Ministers, foreign leaders are not accountable to the British population and we have no power whatsoever to remove them from power. To say such laws are as democratic as those passed by MPs in the House of Commons is wrong because we don't have the right to vote in other EU elections. Laws can be passed with simple 50% majorities or 70% majorities with or without our country's presidential PM agreeing to them.

 

On a smaller scale, it's identical. If you don't like a politician from a constituency other than your own, what can you do? They aren't accountable to you. Part of the reason I dislike where I live is because it's a conservative stronghold, so my vote (something which, scaled up, is our MEP's vote) is worthless. Sorry, but your argument is logically void.

 

We don't have an EU army simply because 27 different countries unanimously agreeing with eachother over important issues is quite unlikely. Shared European projects like the Eurofighter, Project Horizon and the Airbus A400M have proven to be collosal wastes of time and money. Speaking of Airbus, the poop has really hit the fan there.. Look at how BAE systems is far more successful than the European consortium EADS.

 

The Eurofighter has, once everyone has gotten their act together, been a success. It has produced arguably the best fighter in the world. As Shino said, we have no need for an 'EU army'. BAE is only more successful as the UK has the second highest defence spending on Earth.

 

Effective at wasting huge amounts of resources on food that didn't need to be made so we could flood Africa with cheap food (at a loss to ourselves) and aid in destroying their economies and livelihoods? Not bad if you're a French farmer.

 

Tell me, do you attain all your information regarding the EU from the Daily Mail, or do you use the Mirror as well? I can think of little else in way of an explanation for this outright falsity.

 

 

How? We are already a trade organisation and have been for decades.

 

A more unified political body can speak with more gravitas than a trade organisation.

 

 

That's what they say about people who resort to personal insults.

 

Please don't accuse me of ad hominem attacks when I haven't made any. Ironically, as you yourself performed an ad hominem attack, you've just proven your own point. Also, relying on semantics in an argument is well known to be scraping the bottom of the barrel, and is a well known tactic of Creationists, who I'm sure you don't want to be associated with.

 

To be honest, the more I ready about this, the more I like it. It just makes sense.

 

Don't sound so surprised - Europe knows how to get things together when it wants to.

[Pyxis]

I'd first like to apologise about my previous posts. I got the name of 2-3 things slightly wrong because of it being late and having a cold.

 

First, we do elect our representatives in the EU parliament and the EU council, which comprises the heads of state or government of the Union's member states, vote on the European Commission, and can be vetoed by the Parliament.

 

So:

 

European Council - Voted as the internal government of each country, makes the major decisions for the future of the Union.

 

European Comission - Voted by the European Council, and if needed vetoed by the Parliament, Proposes legislation and implements the decisions if approved by the parliament. It's basically EU's "government".

 

European Parliament - Voted DIRECTLY by the European citizens, it supervises and controls the European commission's propositions and its where all the debate its done.

 

 

Yeah, I knew this, but thanks for posting it here for others to see. Note my enthusiasm for the further development of the European Parliament. Oh yes, the executive being the legislative = bad idea.

 

 

On a smaller scale, it's identical. If you don't like a politician from a constituency other than your own, what can you do? They aren't accountable to you. Part of the reason I dislike where I live is because it's a conservative stronghold, so my vote (something which, scaled up, is our MEP's vote) is worthless. Sorry, but your argument is logically void.

 

You seem to be fine about relegating the British population's power over its own country to that of a single MP in the House of Commons... The UK is a country and it has its own issues and problems that aren't shared by other EU countries. A 60,000 strong constituency of British people in Britain isn't that dissimilar from Britain as a whole as Britain is from other European countries. We are talking about totally different languages, cultures and history instead of different local football teams and shopping centres.

 

You have a problem with First Past the Post and so do I. Although Majoritarian electoral systems have their advantages, proportional electoral systems will at least make your vote worth something amongst a Conservative majority. Labour and the Conservatives don't want this as the current system suits them very well.

 

There is direct democracy and representative democracy. The EU is less representative and more indirect than what we have in the UK even though we don't have direct democracy. If all countries in the world united, we would only have a 1% say about how our country should be run. British MPs are accountable to British citizens/subjects.

 

The Eurofighter has, once everyone has gotten their act together, been a success. It has produced arguably the best fighter in the world. As Shino said, we have no need for an 'EU army'. BAE is only more successful as the UK has the second highest defence spending on Earth.

 

China actually has the 2nd largest level of defence spending in the world. The official figure of spending is not correct and its believed to be something like twice as much as officially stated.

 

The Eurofighter is not the best fighter in the world. The American F-22 is close to invincible unless you want to go into passive IR tracking and not much is known about that in public and I'm not that sure about matching that technology with our missiles. The French Mica is better suited for opposing radar stealth. Countries will pick the F-35 over the Eurofighter despite the delays, because the F-35 is LO and everything about it is a generation ahead of the Eurofighter, despite its A2A capability that is thought to be lacking. The French produced the Rafale on their own and not much if thought to separate it and the Eurofighter. The Rafale is far better at A2G and can be operated from aircraft carriers.

 

You should google "EAP" and look at the Eurofighter's origins.

 

Britain could have produced a fighter as good as the Eurofighter on its own in far less time and for far less money. The Germans made a mockery of the programme and we had to give work share to countries who were nowhere near as good as us when it came to radar, engines and other avionics. German politicians were responsible for most of the delays and increases in price and now us Brits are doing the same thing by begging the other partner nations to cancel our order for Tranche 3 (88 aircraft) without being hit by a big fine.

 

Saudi Arabia's first delivery of fighters will be ones meant for the RAF and Austria did everything it could to cancel its order for Eurofighters, but was contractually obliged to take delivery of the ones they ordered, only managing to cut 18 to 15.

 

EADS is a consortium between 3 different European countries. Combined, they have a expenditure greater than Britain's (in fact, Wikipedia says that French military spending on its own is slightly higher than the UK's, but I don't like Wikipeida and don't want to babelfish France's official websites). The majority of BAE's trade is outside of the UK and I believe that they get most of their sales from the US.

 

Airbus was believed to be a great European success story, but the company is in ruins despite government funding and subsidies and they've had to drastically scale back their operations at the defeat of Boeing.

 

 

Tell me, do you attain all your information regarding the EU from the Daily Mail, or do you use the Mirror as well? I can think of little else in way of an explanation for this outright falsity.

 

Newspapers are for people who need others to tell them how to think. I'd never waste my time reading any newspaper. The CAP pays farmers to produce food, whether its needed or not and that is a waste of economic resources, especially when that food is being sold at a loss to other countries that actually produce cheaper food.

 

A more unified political body can speak with more gravitas than a trade organisation.

 

Nobody will listen unless you carry a big stick.

 

 

Please don't accuse me of ad hominem attacks when I haven't made any. Ironically, as you yourself performed an ad hominem attack, you've just proven your own point. Also, relying on semantics in an argument is well known to be scraping the bottom of the barrel, and is a well known tactic of Creationists, who I'm sure you don't want to be associated with.

 

I don't speak Latin. I also don't believe in religion, but that's beside the point.

[Wesley]

Ah, Ad Hominem, that brings me back to my Critical Thinking A Level days.

 

Fun times.

[Ramar]

Well, firstly, you're a nationalist, so, whilst your statements can ignored as the ramblings of a person who has nothing to be proud of, so they steal the achievements of those near to them. However, I may as well rebut them regardless of this fact.

 

Can I just ask, whats wrong with being proud of your nation or the achievement of others?

 

My friend passed his degree, I was chuffed for him. Chris Hoy won a gold medal at the Olympics (or many as the case may be) I was proud of him. What's the difference, the fact I know one of them?.. So if you've achieved nothing in your life, applaud others and like your country, you're just an arsehat. Is that what you're trying to say? What nonsense.

[Pookiablo]

Can I just ask, whats wrong with being proud of your nation or the achievement of others?

 

My friend passed his degree, I was chuffed for him. Chris Hoy won a gold medal at the Olympics (or many as the case may be) I was proud of him. What's the difference, the fact I know one of them?.. So if you've achieved nothing in your life, applaud others and like your country, you're just an arsehat is that what you're trying to say? What nonsense.

 

I think we're going slightly off topic here. The point is, if you don't want the euro for a stupid reason (as portrayed by Haggis earlier on in this thread) then you're arsehat.

[Slaggis]

I think we're going slightly off topic here. The point is, if you don't want the euro for a stupid reason (as portrayed by Haggis earlier on in this thread) then you're arsehat.

 

Please go away. My reason of just not wanting it because I'm used to what I've used for 17 years is not "stupid". I will not vote against change, I'll accept it when we do change but until that point, if someon happens to ask me I'm going to say "I'd prefer we didn't".

 

Kindly stop being such a rude fuck. *Leaves the thread*

[Shino]

Can I just ask, whats wrong with being proud of your nation or the achievement of others?

 

My friend passed his degree, I was chuffed for him. Chris Hoy won a gold medal at the Olympics (or many as the case may be) I was proud of him. What's the difference, the fact I know one of them?.. So if you've achieved nothing in your life, applaud others and like your country, you're just an arsehat. Is that what you're trying to say? What nonsense.

 

That's patriotism and doesn't conflict with the EU, you can be proud of your country and its achievements and still be able to see the truth. But do you think that something made in the UK is better just because its made there and not because of its quality? That the pound is "better" than the Euro, just because its British? That's nationalism.

[Dannyboy-the-Dane]

I can in no way constructively participate in this discussion, but I can propose that people calm down a little and stop with the personal attacks. Sorry, Fish, but despite your disregard for personal attacks you seem awfully prone to using them yourself. Everyone in here gets hot-headed and that leads no where. I ask people to keep a cool head and count to ten before posting.