Brexit now = CETA +/-?

[Dave Rice]

Integration. Hmm. James Dyson – he of the vacuum cleaner fame – yes he invests in the UK but it’s R & D with massive tax breaks. The manufacturing is done in Malaysia and Singapore and he’s recently opened a Technology Lab in China. That’s why he doesn’t fear Brexit, it doesn’t apply to his business model. Can’t knock it, self made man, go where you can maximise your investment to make yourself even richer. But how rich do you need to be?

He lives on the Dodington Estate near here and is busy buying up as much land as he can (he owns more than the Queen which is saying something). He was asked if he’d like to contribute to the Chipping Sodbury 800th celebrations. No he wouldn’t, but he spends tens of thousands on his own birthday parties to which the locals aren’t invited. But we can watch the helicopters going in and out.

I’m told, from someone who worked for him, that’s he’s the sort of employer who has his feet on the ground but does he integrate with his neighbours? No he doesn’t.

[Bob Williams]

Dave that is interesting information. I had vaguely thought of Dyson as some sort of British Techno hero, obviously he has feet of clay and his may be just another Big Business actually contributing to the slow degradation of British industry and loss of British jobs.

We were considering a Dyson at our last vacuum cleaner purchase 4 years ago, but SWMBO tried handling one and disliked it. (She is 4’9″) In the end we chose a Vax, made in China and came with a free Hand vac. It was much less expensive, very powerful and we just managed to find one before the EU Directive regarding motor power/voltage was enforced. It is a hassle to clean and empty, but just keeps on going. I guess we went from considering one Asian purchase, to buying another. One benefit is that registering gave us a 2 year warranty and access to their website, where all parts are available.

When the Thought Police arrive at your door, think -
I'm out.

[The Duke]

The older style vax are trh way to go. They are that popular almost every part is still being made and sold on Amazon and eBay. Ours is like triggers broom

Also it’s just a dam good vacuum. I wa never sold on the wet side of it, and long lost them parts, and not bothered re buying them but we have zero carpet now anyhow

Vax also manes a good shop vac, when you are decorating and you set up a small woodwork station. Ours have been battered, been through a handful of housr referbs. And still with us. Well the bicket/chassis is probably the only thing still original, but to me, having a simple serviceable machine is a massive plus point.

I recon you could keep one going for the rest of four  life. The only issue they have over never designs is they can be awkward, but that’s not an issue for me. I rarely use it ?

[RSB]

Let’s not forget Henry, George & hetty I believe. They have been round some time now. The Henry was a good vac from what I remember.

Harry as as well. Link

Americans: Over Sexed, Over Payed and Over here, Wat Wat!

[The Duke]

They must be, very similar to the vac, and almost evey office block has an army of them. Thr henry just borrowed the dry half of the vax, a simple yet good design, and with out the cost of adding the wet system.

Never owned one, but given their numbers in trade I’d imagine they are serviceable too. Which is a win win.

My mum for hears had a liedown metal cylinder system by hoover (dark brown an baige) she swore by, iirc it way her Nan’s, and she kept that going untill about 1997, when she was given a Dyson, and instantly hated it. Think the had it fixed about 3 times in a year. And hated she could not do it herself.

[RSB]

There was Kirby as well. Still see the service van knocking about. Well not lately but a couple of years ago.

Americans: Over Sexed, Over Payed and Over here, Wat Wat!

[Ed P]

Imo Dyson became an also ran when it transferred its design and manufacturing side to Malaysia. I was very familiar with the quality and work ethic of the Bumi population in Malaysia and I worried that product quality would suffer. In fact their first product the ‘Animal’ was a real dog. Crap design of the exhaust air which blew dust all over the place, other aspects of the design were equally bad (what idiot designs a vac exhaust system that points at the floor!). Unfortunately I bought one, but nothing since!

[PlaneMan]

Gtech are good vacuums, about a year ago my mum and I bought a bundle of the Air Ram 2 and the Multi, the upright for mum and the hand portable for me. Saved about £100 IIRC. Not cheap but very good. Mum also has a Henry for heavier duty cleaning, it’s ancient and just keeps going.

[The Duke]

They must be, very similar to the vac, and almost evey office block has an army of them. Thr henry just borrowed the dry half of the vax, a simple yet good design, and with out the cost of adding the wet system.

Never owned one, but given their numbers in trade I’d imagine they are serviceable too. Which is a win win.

My mum for hears had a liedown metal cylinder system by hoover (dark brown an baige) she swore by, iirc it way her Nan’s, and she kept that going untill about 1997, when she was given a Dyson, and instantly hated it. Think the had it fixed about 3 times in a year. And hated she could not do it herself.

[wasbit]

RSB wrote:

Let’s not forget Henry, George & hetty I believe. They have been round some time now. The Henry was a good vac from what I remember. Harry as as well. Link

Henrys are brilliant & so quiet compared to other makes, that’s probably why they are so popular. Plus their relatively low price. Can’t get one (cheap) with a power take off, so there are better makes for the workshop.

Got talked into buying a Dyson V8 for the wife about 2 years ago. £470. What was I thinking?

Within 6 months the brush stopped rotating, so take it back to Sainsburys with the receipt. Have to exchange the complete machine to replace a faulty brush head. That’s ok, we got another 12 months warranty & a brand new machine.

14 months later the wife goes to empty it & the motor assembly pushes into the outer casing & locks in place. Take it back to Sainsburys complete with dust. Girl on the counter is just about to refund us when she realises the amount & calls the manager. He then says it must go back to Dyson for repair & won’t budge.

We go home, look up the relevant legislation which states that goods must be fit for purpose AND last a reasonable amount of time. Next day, back to sainsburys, ask for the manager, quote the legislation & he backs down & refunds us in full.

The only problem is we either travel 20 miles to buy a new cleaner or spend our money with Argos, now part of Sainsburys.

We bought a Vax from Argos at one third the price of the Dyson. The only slight downside so far is that the Dyson automatically charges when wall mounted but the Vax has to manually connected.

 

--
Regards
wasbit

Rig 1: Optiplex 3050 SFF
Rig 2: Asus ROG G20CB (rebuilt wreck)
Rig 3: HP Elitebook 8440P

Dear Starfleet, hate you, hate the Federation, taking Voyager. - Janeway

[The VFM Addict]

I have noted in this general forum several comments re GDPR (the New EU Data Protection Directive, now law). I wonder if anyone has read it in full? Or read the changes made because of it to the Data Protection Act 1998 (which is now the DPA 2018) and the Freedom of Information Act 2000. I use the FOIA and DPA often, typically against public authorities and have  read it in full.

The GDPR contains an ominous new device by the EU to add pressure to member states to join the Euro. I can see it being used increasingly in future directives. The trick is to set fixed fines and penalties in Euro’s.  The consequence is patently against all principles of the common law legal principle of Natural Justice. Let me explain.

If you and I commit the identical offence in the UK but on different days then we face different maximum penalties dependent on the Euro > Sterling exchange rate on that day.  Just imagine that re other offences – “Yes Mr Adams, you were caught speeding on Tuesday so your fine was £100 but Mr Willis was caught of Friday so his was only £91”. I am currently researching a legal challenge to this.  It prima facie appears to breach the Human Rights Legislation. Fortunately such challenge would sit with the ECHR and not with the ECJ.

I imagine that all here can see that this new approach of setting fines and penalties in Euro’s is a direct challenge to a state’s sovereignty. While the GDPR allows states to set its own criminal laws re Data Protection it equally emphatically bars any action which breaches the principle of (in plain English) double jeopardy, as they see it. Effectively under GDPR you cannot pursue both criminal and civil redress for the same course of conduct. Again this is against English Common law principles because under such one may pursue both criminal complaint and seek civil remedy for the injury to oneself, one’s property or one’s interests.

I reject any comments that we retained sovereignty because we agreed to the GDPR. I suspect not one Minister, not one MP and not one Civil Servant even spotted the above or considered its consequences such as to give fully informed consent to its enactment.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

During the Covid-19 Epidemic I will be wearing a mask and goggles while posting so that if I become infected I won't spread it to you.

[The VFM Addict]

And hot off the press its 52% v 36% for Leave.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

During the Covid-19 Epidemic I will be wearing a mask and goggles while posting so that if I become infected I won't spread it to you.

[Ed P]

Westmonger is like Boris it picks and chooses its facts. From exactly the same source:

“We first asked whether people thought the Brexit vote was right or wrong. The result was a four-point lead for “wrong,” with 47 percent to 43 percent for “right,” and 10 per cent undecided.”

i.e the majority thought that it was wrong to leave the EU!

[Dave Rice]

Hmm, let me see. Pricing in Euros is some deep dark conspiracy. Talk about 2 + 2 = 22! Which currency should they be priced in? Whichever one you pick (or localise them all) you will have the same issue. As circumstances change one group will be better off compared to another.

Of course 2 years ago the shoe would have been on the other foot. Who do we have to thank for the drop in Sterling’s value?

[The Duke]

We should take on the euro. Doesn’t really matter either way. In a decade or two, cash will be dead anyway. So it will only be a symbol on a screen.

[The VFM Addict]

Ed P wrote:

Westmonger is like Boris it picks and chooses its facts. From exactly the same source: “We first asked whether people thought the Brexit vote was right or wrong. The result was a four-point lead for “wrong,” with 47 percent to 43 percent for “right,” and 10 per cent undecided.” i.e the majority thought that it was wrong to leave the EU!

You are right re the figures you quote.   Nonetheless I have met a fair few folk who voted remain and would vote remain again were there a 2nd Referendum but adopt a Voltaire-like position now.  “I don’t agree with the verdict but I would defend to the death democracy first and the democratic vote was Leave.”    The thing is if one doesn’t carry through with this verdict, what other democratic mandate could equally be subverted in the future?    Indeed, there have been a huge number of governments that have fallen so far from grace within two and a half years of being elected that their election result could also be overturned within 2.5 years.   Should that happen too?    I didn’t vote remain but I do believe if I had I might side now with the Leavers simply because I do value democracy more.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

During the Covid-19 Epidemic I will be wearing a mask and goggles while posting so that if I become infected I won't spread it to you.

[The VFM Addict]

Dave Rice wrote:

Hmm, let me see. Pricing in Euros is some deep dark conspiracy. Talk about 2 + 2 = 22! Which currency should they be priced in? Whichever one you pick (or localise them all) you will have the same issue. As circumstances change one group will be better off compared to another. Of course 2 years ago the shoe would have been on the other foot. Who do we have to thank for the drop in Sterling’s value?

I think you missed the point totally, Dave.  It was not whether we pay more of less than those in the Eurozone.   So there is no ‘other foot’.    The issue was that we in the UK will not be treated equally compared to others in the UK.   Because we all face different fines and penalties dependent on the exchange rate on the day.    That cannot be right, can it?

Why fix it to any currency?   The GDPR could be based on a far more equitable base line.  After all a fine of X Euros is not even equitable within the Eurozone because certain states have wealthier populations  and the fine would therefore be harsher than on others.    An equitable base line is possible though.   For example, 50 times average national income in member state at date of GDPR enactment.   That way you have equity both within a state and fairly balanced equity between states, irrespective of whether they are in or outside the Eurozone generally poorer or wealthier.    So no, Dave, it doesn’t need to be fixed to the Euro or to any currency, does it?

_______________________________________________________________________________________

During the Covid-19 Epidemic I will be wearing a mask and goggles while posting so that if I become infected I won't spread it to you.

[The VFM Addict]

Rider to the above Post –

It follows, Dave, in that I have proven that fixing the fines to any particular currency is not required then either I have more brains than the whole of the EU hierarchy put together in finding a non currency based equitable solution – or – the fixing to the Euro was used for a conspiratorial reason.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

During the Covid-19 Epidemic I will be wearing a mask and goggles while posting so that if I become infected I won't spread it to you.

[Ed P]

I see from the newspaper headlines that the Daily Wail is trying to head off the Brexit Fuel Tax rise in order to keep down the cost of petrol/diesel.

In point of fact the Wail is doing a Canute! Most oil pundits forecast that oil  prices will continue to rise and some even project that a 50% hike is likely by the time we are due to leave the EU, one extremist even forecasts a doubling. If those pundits are directionally correct, petrol and diesel prices will top £1.50/litre even if nothing else such as a Sterling crash or Fuel Duty rise happens. I have not seen a jet fuel or gas forecast but those should also trend with oil pricing.

Apart from doing yet another Brexit Cassandra, the practical use of these forecasts are that you should lock in whatever you can that is likely to be affected by an energy price hike, and spend spare cash on things that improve energy efficiency.

If however Trump does a deal with Iran then these forecasts will prove wrong. Your bet then is whether Trump is capable of rational thought and action! I know how I’ve placed my own bet!

[The VFM Addict]

I think this video is a real eye-opener as to the level of integrity one can expect from Major, Clegg and Ashdown.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

During the Covid-19 Epidemic I will be wearing a mask and goggles while posting so that if I become infected I won't spread it to you.

[Author]

Posts