French Constitution Vote

[securespark]

No probs there securesparks

Perhaps you like to be dominated

psssssst you don't wear leathers

Yes, but that's none of your business!

No, I'm veggie.

D & J

I was talking about the Euro in terms of trade with Europe only.

I referred to the (mainly) Tory "phobia" of all things Europe.

Mas

thanks for the book link. However, I'm not sure everything in there is Gospel, though.

Adam

Prices have gone up since Euro, the prices were converted into Euro's and rounded up to the nearest 1/4 or 1/2 or full Euro. You didn't think they'd come down, did you?!!

 

[david and julie]

Prices have gone up since Euro, the prices were converted into Euro's and rounded up to the nearest 1/4 or 1/2 or full Euro. You didn't think they'd come down, did you?!!

Well you sound really metricated to me Simon.

 

[Freddie]

Adam

Prices have gone up since Euro, the prices were converted into Euro's and rounded up to the nearest 1/4 or 1/2 or full Euro. !!

Is that a joke ???????????

 

[pipme]

It is more difficult for their Govn to fob the French off, than tis for HMG to screw us..

It appears, to their credit, they want a better economic model than the perceived 'Anglo-Saxon' free market, rip off, job detroying one ... Hey fair do's !!
That was PC of Jacques C ... Using the term "Anglo-Saxon" brilliant !! If you think it bl##dy well say it !

On TV last night Dutch people, interviewed prior to today's Const' vote were complaining of large price rises occurring when embracing the Euro .. Probably more subjective, but nevertheless they said it !! And I for one believe them .... Any opportunity for a rip off !
Remember what Blair said "Better to pay (uni) fees of £3k plus interest over time, than a one off £1.12k per year ....." What a 'kin plank !! Must think we are all stupid ! Since when has £9k debt been better than £3.3k ? and BTW interest charged is RPI .. God help the youngsters if inflation takes off again.
Oh sorry, forgot, 'Lucky' Gordon is in charge of the dosh .. say no more ! He made move on pension dosh, just prior to collapse of funds .. clever be bu##ered .. Oh lucky man !

 

[securespark]

Adam

Prices have gone up since Euro, the prices were converted into Euro's and rounded up to the nearest 1/4 or 1/2 or full Euro. !!

Is that a joke ???????????

No, why?

What I'm saying is that when the Euro came in, the mfrs/retailers looked at the price in (eg) francs, then converted it to euro's, then rounded it up.

If the converted price in euro's ends up as €1.12, it will probably be rounded up to €1.25. In the same way as all our prices seem to fall as just under a pound, just under 1.50, etc...

 

[AdamW]

That was PC of Jacques C ... Using the term "Anglo-Saxon" brilliant !! If you think it bl##dy well say it !

Yes, I have experienced this first hand: in the business world the French often use the term "Anglo-Saxon" when they mean "English-speaker"... I have heard "Anglo-Saxon" used to describe not just Anglo-Saxons but also Britons of other descent! It is bizarre, seeing as they have a word for English-speaker already, "anglophone".

I have heard it used positively too, I have heard it used when a Frenchman is complaining about some aspect of French business, usually beauracracy, "If only we could use ze pragmatic Anglo-Saxon approach!"

However, in my experience it is more commonly used when making some racist (or correct ) disparaging remark about the way the British do stuff, without wanting to appear offensive.

As to the prices, they will generally go up. At best a shop would go "Hmmm, the exact conversion to euros makes the price of this €1.02, so that is what we will sell it for". You will not see anyone rounding the price down.

Things like cars and houses, which often have unusual prices (although often ending in "995") might not be affected, but I would say it is more likely they will be. A £9995 new car will become €14995, not €14806.45. That is almost 200 euros extra price, for no extra car!

I wouldn't be surprised if the government has worked out the extra tax income they will get for the switch. This is probably a driver.

But why should we all go into something that offers price-hikes and increased pension deficit, without seeing any benefits? If someone can prove to me that the UK will be better off for having the Euro, I would vote yes on it. And I mean tangible benefits, none of this "Well, it would promote European unity... can go on holiday and not convert money... coinage that has a picture of male genitalia on it" (seriously, look at a Euro coin, there is a penis and scrotum on there... look at Sweden and you will see it!)

If it is purely for the benefit of other countries, why should we adopt it? Last time I checked the Maastricht Treaty mentioned nothing about Marxism. Why should we forfeit our enviable position because another country has a less enviable one?

 

[Freddie]

Someone shove this up Damocles A r * e ---------------------------


Euro report whips up German storm

Germany's finance minister has presided over a struggling economy
A political storm has broken out in Germany over reports that the government may be distancing itself from the European single currency.
Stern magazine said that Finance Minister Hans Eichel had been present at a meeting where the "collapse" of monetary union was discussed.

The government is planning to blame the euro for Germany's economic weakness, the magazine added.

The report was dismissed by both the ministry and Germany's central bank.

But it comes at a sensitive time for Germany, as the country gears up for a possible early general election following regional poll defeats for Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's ruling Social Democrats (SPD).

The euro dipped sharply when the report came out on Wednesday morning, hitting an eight-month low of $1.2218 by 1600 GMT.

Struggling economy

The mere fact that it has been talked about means that it is a big deal

Jeremy Hodges, Lloyds TSB Financial Markets


Check euro versus dollar

Public dissatisfaction with the government's handling of the economy is one of the greatest challenges facing Chancellor Schroeder.

His ruling SPD/Green coalition is widely expected to lose a parliamentary vote of confidence, due to be held by 1 July, which would trigger a general election.

The euro is seen as a potential source of political conflict. According to Stern, some 56% of Germans want to go back to the deutschmark.

 

[Richardp]

so now its the dutch about to say "NO" maybe if there was a reanactment of the german invasion in ww2 they would find that they would prefer to be more part of the european union .
and what about the way they treat their hamsters? its disgusting!!

 

[petewood]

Apparently the Dutch pay more per head to the EU than any other country and have less say than others.

Don't they make hamsters into something they spread on their toast?

 

[Richardp]

Don't they make hamsters into something they spread on their toast?

Yes they do, its very uncivilized and they spead it on their fields yuk!

 

[Freddie]

Don't they make hamsters into something they spread on their toast?

Yes they do, its very uncivilized and they spead it on their fields yuk!

Whats all this about Richard ????

 

[Richardp]

well its like Petewood said, they make Hamster jam and then they spead it on their fields and grow tulips and thats how you get tulips from hamster jam

 

[Freddie]

where's my gun--i should have known better

 

[Richardp]

where's my gun--i should have known better

is this it ?

 

[Freddie]

where's my gun--i should have known better

is this it ?

I think you have a water fetish Richard