UFO 🛸

Where’s the largest concentration of Brexit voters?

France? Or at least would have been if they were allowed, same way most Scottish independence would be from south of the boarder.

France?

Doesn’t count. We already have lots of glow-in-the-dark power stations.

at least would have been if they were allowed

From my analysis around here, about 25% would have voted in favour of Brexit (and some would have voted for Le Pen (National Front) had they been allowed to vote in France, thus demonstrating a degree of stupid that defies logic), while about 75% actually had some semblance of what the EU and EU citizenship is about.
You know, the rights that allowed them to buy a house and come and go as they pleased.

I was thinking more… Clacton-on-Sea. :-)

same way most Scottish independence would be from south of the boarder.

I only know three Scottish people, they would all gladly tell the English where to go. Pulling them out of the EU has not gone down well.

So that’s four Scots who are pro independence.

So that’s four Scots who are pro independence.

I think if Scots were assured that an independent Scotland would be allowed to join the EU the matter would be settled quickly. Time to redesign the Union Jack.

Okay, just dug up a recent electricity bill.

It says in 2019… 87.7% nuke, 7.1% renewable (of which 5.6% is hydro ¹), 0.6% is coal, 3.5% is gas, and 1.1% is oil.

Then, their website, says something different for 2019. Uh?
https://www.edf.fr/groupe-edf/espaces-dedies/l-energie-de-a-a-z/tout-sur-l-energie/produire-de-l-electricite/le-nucleaire-en-chiffres

¹ Which implies all those bloody wind turbines provide no more than 1.5% ²

² But in reality it will be even less as solar panels count as renewable.

Germany’s got broad shoulders :-|

I think if Scots were assured that an independent Scotland would be allowed to join the EU ……

How is that going to work?

How is that going to work?

Apparently, if you speak nicely to the EU admin people they send you the paperwork, and you use it to apply to be a member.

Countries bordering on non-member countries are required to limit access through the border area to keep out undesirables.
If Scotland have any such undesirables (Brexiteers) might I suggest that a leaky boat in the waters near the Hebrides is a cheap solution – we have more than enough, thank you.

and you use it to apply to be a member.

As I understand it, Britain couldn’t rejoin because countries are not supposed to be in conflict with a neighbour (especially if that neighbour is an existing EU member).
Hello Ireland. 🇮🇪

That’s also why it’s a load of Brexiteer hokum that Turkey was going to join and send a billion Muslims into the EU (who would all head straight for the UK). Why? That itty bitty issue of Cyprus.

a load of Brexiteer hokum

I’ve forgotten, have I pointed you at the definition of tautology previously?
That said, I think you may have spelled the common word for “excrement” incorrectly :)

How is that going to work?

First of all Scotland pays us its share of the British national debt. Then it makes preparations to stop using Sterling. It asks the EU for permission to join the EEC and the Euro.

It’s share worked out with the reverse Barnet formula of course.

As I understand it, Britain couldn’t rejoin because countries are not supposed to be in conflict with a neighbour (especially if that neighbour is an existing EU member).
Hello Ireland. 🇮🇪

The Republic of Ireland rewrote Articles 2 and 3 of its constitution by a referendum in 1999, and no longer makes territorial claims to Northern Ireland. The goal of a united Ireland remains a constitutional aspiration, but it acknowledges the legitimacy of NI’s institutions and link to the UK.

Gibraltar would be of far more interest in any theoretical re-accession talks.

On the other hand, I’m not sure that an independent Scotland would be welcomed into the EU. Spain, Belgium, and to a lesser extent Germany and the Netherlands wouldn’t like to set a precedent that the EU will support the break-up of existing states.

[Removed oversharing]

nuclear power isn’t really particularly useful for rockets

Did someone mention nuclear rockets ? ;)

Something that really bugs me about The Expanse (other than it looking like the spaceships are flying backwards) is…….
.
Why are the rockets always firing? What is the point of that? Space is a vacuum. Short of hitting something, there’s no atmosphere so no friction so nothing to slow the craft down.
Would it not suffice to fire up the rocket, get the ship up to speed, then turn the rocket off and let inertia do the rest?

If you’re not in a hurry and don’t mind the lack of gravity, what you propose is of course more fuel-efficient, but constant acceleration to mid-point, then constant retardation is the fastest way of getting from point A to point B and has the added bonus that it can provide a tolerable level of “gravity” for the duration of the voyage (except of course during the mid-point manoeuvre). The premise of The Expanse is an interconnected solar system, which requires high velocity travel, hence why they do it this way (the in-universe explanation for why this is feasible is the discovery of a very efficient rocket drive).

but it acknowledges the legitimacy of NI’s institutions and link to the UK.

Indeed. One should strive to move forward, not cling on to a ghost of the past. Because the place has a number of people from both sides, there is no easy solution. The Good Friday Agreement was ingenious in that it allowed both sides to be correct, at the same time.
Something Brexit is risking messing up.

that the EU will support the break-up of existing states.

Then Scotland needs to do some PR and point out that this isn’t a situation like Catalonia wishing to break free and become a country in its own right.
Scotland already is a country in its own right.
It has its own money (sort of), its own governance (sort of), and its own legal system. British history is messy and complicated.

I am rapidly adopting radical nihilism and simply don’t care any more.

Ah, the infamous British apathy. You know that’s partly why we’re where we are, right? A populist twat stirred up trouble with the gullible and easily led, and everybody else was so certain that only a total moron would vote in favour of leaving that they barely made any effort whatsoever.
Fast forward five years. The past year or so of Johnson’s government would once have been seen as utterly shameful. These days, half the media is egging them on because, well, they appear to be more or less untouchable.

[Removed oversharing]

The biggest problem today is that there is no critical thinking, making everything so polarised. If something doesn’t fit in with your point of view it’s deemed to be fake news or biased. I voted to remain with reluctance, because there is so much wrong with the EU. If we had remained, the chances of these things improving would not increase because the status quo would have won out giving no reason to change. I can see why a lot of people voted out, apart from those who were mislead by the likes of Farage and chums. I’ve also seen much of the same from remainers who believe that everything is rosy in EU land and don’t see the issues or are prepared to sweep them under the carpet. Either Cameron didn’t put enough pressure on the EU to reform when he had the chance, or the EU side didn’t accept there was any need for change. If they both had done and were really prepared to thrash things out there may have been a different outcome.

On the other hand, I’m not sure that an independent Scotland would be welcomed into the EU. Spain, Belgium, and to a lesser extent Germany and the Netherlands wouldn’t like to set a precedent that the EU will support the break-up of existing states.

That and having lost a major contributor to EU funds, would not be looking forward to welcoming a small country looking for a EU handout in order to maintain its public spending differential with England.

Sorry Scotland, I did really like you, but when the only Scottish thing you see day in day out is Nicola Sturgeon bleating on about how the bastard English are the root of all the worlds evil, you start seeing Scottish independence in a whole new light.

The biggest problem today is that there is no critical thinking

Common education doesn’t like to teach critical thinking. The last thing any inept politician needs is a populace who can see their promises for the lies that they are.

because there is so much wrong with the EU.

Oh, I don’t deny that. There need to be changes, fundamental ones. But the way change happens is the same as countries and companies – either from within, or when the whole thing implodes on itself.

Either Cameron didn’t put enough pressure

The EU could have had their side of the negotiation handled by a bored five year old, and Cameron still would have lost.

bleating on about how the bastard English are the root of all the worlds evil

Given that the bastard English stripped me of the better half of my identity in a vote I was not permitted to participate in, followed by years of bleating about the democratic will of the people…
…I can’t say I disagree.

Oh, and given Britain’s colonial past and their fiddling around that led to the creation of Israel ¹, the partition of India, and America becoming what it is today ², you could validly argue that the English are the root of all of the world’s evil.

¹ I’m not taking sides here, just pointing out that there was something there before Israel.

² I did say Britain’s history is messy.

Rick, I’m afraid you wont be getting a vote on Scottish independence either, as you don’t live there.

Either Cameron didn’t put enough pressure

The EU could have had their side of the negotiation handled by a bored five year old, and Cameron still would have lost.

The EU weren’t prepared to negotiate – it’s their (well France and Germany at least) project and they weren’t prepared to change it for anyone.

as you don’t live there.

True, but unlike Brexit, at least everybody who does live there will be entitled to vote.

a precedent that the EU will support the break-up of existing states.

It’s worth pointing out that the EU has already voted, and approved, that should Northern Ireland vote to separate from the UK and rejoin the Irish Republic, it will immediately become an EU member without need for application process.

They ought to consider offering the same to Scotland.
https://europeforscotland.com/

They ought to consider offering the same to Scotland.

So Scotland joins Ireland,and Dalriada is re-created.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%A1l_Riata

If NI became part of the ROI it wouldn’t need to apply as the ROI is already a member – that’s a different case to Scotland.

It is a different case, certainly (didn’t I mention that British history is messy?) but it does render the entire “we don’t want to support breaking up existing states” argument entirely void.
If NI leaves, it breaks up Britain. They’ve already said they’d accept NI. Now…what to do about Scotland. ;-)