Well, let's start...

Just heard (BBC Surrey), tomorrow's gonna start a strike of London tube workers or something, and the commuters are gonna have to figure out about their way home that night...

I wonder if Scottish independence could start a Balkanizing of Europe. Spain isn't the only country with districts that might get ideas (or already have them) if Scotland successfully seceded from the UK.

Ain't gonna happen in either case.

I wonder if Scottish independence could start a Balkanizing of Europe. Spain isn't the only country with districts that might get ideas (or already have them) if Scotland successfully seceded from the UK.

They've had such ideas for centuries. Belgium's governmental structure is currently (con)federal in nature, with Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels having significant degrees of independence. The Basque Country, Catalonia, and Scotland are quite comparable in many ways. One potentially important difference is that Flanders and Wallonia are more or less equal partners.

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I couldn't care less what the Scotch will do or how they will vote.
However it seems that England has strong interest to keep them as part of the UK, otherwise it wouldn't bother at all.
As for a fiscal union, there are even smaller countries in the EU with their own currency. Just sayin'.

Barroso compared Scotland to Kosovo.

We have seen that Spain has been opposing even the recognition of Kosovo, for instance, so it's to some extent a similar case because it's a new country and so I believe it's going to be extremely difficult, if not impossible, a new member state coming out of one of our countries [getting the agreement of other existing EU member states].

However, Spain has its own reasons/interests to not recognize Kosovo or even Scotland for that matter. Namely its own fear for losing the Basque Provinces

Scotland is an important part of the United Kingdom so naturally we do not like to be diminished by its absence, I care very much about the issue. I confider myself British, not English.

I beg to differ about Barroso comparing Scotland to Kosovo; he was illustrating the depth of Spanish concern on seceded parts of a country being granted EU membership. Salmond claimed an insult, but that was just Salmond continuing his strategy of hate and innuendo.

As to the currency, Scotland can certainly survive as a separate country but in diminished form. At present it has a large financial sector. I don't see that surviving separation especially with a new currency tainted with Salmond's irresponsible remarks on honouring debts, and an England that has been thoroughly pissed off . North sea oil will help, of course, for 10 to 20 years.

I wonder if Scottish independence could start a Balkanizing of Europe. Spain isn't the only country with districts that might get ideas (or already have them) if Scotland successfully seceded from the UK.

You are right, this has been evident from the time that the European Parliament was formed. There are simply too many levels of government for them all to be affordable, or needed, or wanted. But (IMHO) it's not a splitting into very small countries that will happen, its more a reduction of the influence of national Governments and the rise in importance of regional entities.

In the event of Scotland's independence, I wonder how their immigration policies will change/if they will change?

Labour of course was/is more lax regarding immigration, while Cameron's bunch have restricted immigration/done away with Erasmus studies for students (thankfully on the latter, I was one of the last in). 

Most Scots are not in favour of more immigration. The percentage is higher in England because it has been swamped. If unlikely Scotland was independent and the rest of Gt Britain came out of the corrupt EEC then there would have to be some kind of restriction on the border. Britain is overcrowded as it is and the goody two shoes people neatly bodyswerve that and the fact that we are not a very big island.

Salmond's answer to criticism is to accuse people of bullying Scots but he adopts a sneering attitude himself. He adopts this stance that he and his lot are somehow Scotland and other parties are somehow not. He has a majority in the Scots Parliament but when one looks at the results of the local elections last time right across the country there were no SNP Councils.Several with coalitions to keep them out. He got where he has in Edinburgh due to dis-satisfaction with the previous administration but if they are so wonderful why couldn't they swipe across Scotland at the UK General Election? They couldn't get more than a handful which also tells a story in itself. Having been caught out on currency and the EEC the oaf adopts his usual sniping and arrogant stand. He doesn't represent a majority of Scots , He also has the 2 Green MSPs so I await him in Jesus sandals and beard next saving whales. If he tries to rubbish others that is meant to be okay but when he gets it back it is anti-Scottish, etc. For someone who once worked in a bank he must have been stuck on an abacus because he is an economic flop.

In the event of Scotland's independence, I wonder how their immigration policies will change/if they will change?

Labour of course was/is more lax regarding immigration, while Cameron's bunch have restricted immigration/done away with Erasmus studies for students (thankfully on the latter, I was one of the last in). 

Were you the trigger that brought about the change in policy?

Were you the trigger that brought about the change in policy?

Trigger? I remember Trigger!

In the event of Scotland's independence, I wonder how their immigration policies will change/if they will change?

Labour of course was/is more lax regarding immigration, while Cameron's bunch have restricted immigration/done away with Erasmus studies for students (thankfully on the latter, I was one of the last in). 

Were you the trigger that brought about the change in policy?

Not at all my good Sir.

The party of Thatcher has apparently always been this way.

And Thatcher was right.

Came across this Romanian brochure, and had to share:

English has even spread to a degree in your corner too Southern boy as long as one has patience to try and listen.

According to BBC Radio Oxford, British unemployed don't want to get jobs in farming. English fruit are picked up by hordes of Bulgarians instead...
Though, as usual -- Russia's drunkards don't want to work in construction (which is a blessing!).

Came across this Romanian brochure, and had to share:

The problem with Latin countries (yes, Romania is a Latin country) is that people always wants to please, as so cleared stated at that picture.

The way to Latin countries to defend themselves is to attack and insult. Then, Saxons will be put to their place.
And. as far as I know, Romania is not part of such a ridicule thing as "UK and Crown Dependencies".

And Thatcher was right.

I'm sure she would have kept your lot out if she was alive in the 5th century.

English has even spread to a degree in your corner too Southern boy as long as one has patience to try and listen.

Indeed; how truly tragic it has yet to spread to wee Scotland!

The problem with Latin countries (yes, Romania is a Latin country) is that people always wants to please, as so cleared stated at that picture.

The way to Latin countries to defend themselves is to attack and insult. Then, Saxons will be put to their place.

I'll take your word for it.

I'm sure she would have kept your lot out if she was alive in the 5th century.

lol  

Just a brief aside to touch on an amazing Sochi event, the Small Bird Downhill Slalom.

As I suspected  from Macallan and the southern laddie.  Immigration has to be controlled on a small island but that understanding seems. Might as well have made the Confederate a Mod at this rate.

As for comparing the northern part of the kingdom here with Kosovo?? That place was part of Serbia but the Kosovo Liberation Army were thugs and crims as well as making their funds by drug running although if was shut a blind eye to by the West. Just shows what happens when you let a bunch of Albanians in, breed and then  do what they like in your country.

Oh and as for language boy you stayed in England which corrupts it's own language to the point of absurdity. Liverpudlian, Newcastle, Birmingham and London twangs amongst others are despairing.

As I suspected  from Macallan and the southern laddie.  Immigration has to be controlled on a small island but that understanding seems. Might as well have made the Confederate a Mod at this rate.

As for comparing the northern part of the kingdom here with Kosovo?? That place was part of Serbia but the Kosovo Liberation Army were thugs and crims as well as making their funds by drug running although if was shut a blind eye to by the West. Just shows what happens when you let a bunch of Albanians in, breed and then  do what they like in your country.

Oh and as for language boy you stayed in England which corrupts it's own language to the point of absurdity. Liverpudlian, Newcastle, Birmingham and London twangs amongst others are despairing.

It needs to be somewhat controlled, yes, but that is impossible with your membership in the EU.
Also, there are some jobs you lot won't take, so why not have immigrants do it.

Having grown up where I have, I daresay I could out-work most other immigrants in your country, as i am used to working in above 40C (really 44 C) temps. I'd be lying if I said I didn't get a laugh out of when I saw some Scousers turning on the AC when it finally hit 77 F.

Scouser was an amusing accent, no doubt. Lots of almost-coughing involved in it, but I can still do an impression of it that is almost perfect. 

I used to find it amusing when some south of the Border moaned about our regional acents up here and Glaswegian in particular. If many regional English folk could hear what they actually sound like and what they do to their language that would be something else.

Anyway it has been long known that women play a big part in this fortchoming Referendum and now the Nats have accepted this. Weeks ago, I bumped into an ex-councillor of the city with his wife in a supermarket. He remembered me from years ago and we got into a chat. He was always a bullish, self-opiniated bloke and went on about the SNP this and that stuff. Of course he was voting yes and he turned to his wife when he found I was an adamant No she said she was voting no! Kind of shut him up and I said cheerio to them.

People like Luxor earlier in this thread go on about preferring Scots to be running the country whist at the same time he and they quite neatly forget history they wax about. Scotland was bankrupt and extremely poor and the Act of Union save the place. In due course as the Empire spread many of it's people in important positions were Scots and in time things improved. There is too much of the granny's Hielan' Hame stuff and that we would automatically be aside from the European and world,economic problems. The SNP appeals  to the emotional and those hijacked by bagpipes and shortbread. If something isn't right somehow it is automatically Whitehall's fault. Maybe the rain we are getting fits into that mentality? If Salmond cannot answer a question in depth he procrastinates, sneers and blusters his way out.

Now I going out to get a No badge. 

I used to find it amusing when some south of the Border moaned about our regional acents up here and Glaswegian in particular.

I thought Glaswegians were significantly easier to understand than English people from a few hours south.

RJ, I have to ask. In your never-to-be-humble opinion, is there anybody in the SNP who has the first clue how to run a nation if you did get independence? Putting together a government, then figuring out monetary policy, trade with the now suddenly foreign UK, putting together a credible defense and all that isn't as easy as some make it seem-- but I'm curious about whether the SNP has even considered these things.

Somerset is still flooded. The local authorities have adopted a 20-year anti-flooding plan. I wonder if it will be already outdated by that time.

People like Luxor earlier in this thread go on about preferring Scots to be running the country whist at the same time he and they quite neatly forget history they wax about.

Now I going out to get a No badge.

You should get one quite easily. I heard they can't even give them away.