Elegsabiff Blog Comments (9,358)

RE: Hungary

Population decline is a massive problem and the main reason governments have, with varying degrees of enthusiasm, been accepting refugees. Perfect world they would like to accept only qualified trained middle-class ones but sometimes they have to just take what floods into the country and hope.

I hadn't heard about the Hungarian system but I see online mothers of 4 children or more will never have to pay income tax for the rest of their lives, and there is also a financial incentive for getting larger cars.

I know quite a large number of women in the UK cheerfully have as many kids as they can, because by the time a single mum has 4 kids she can live comfortably on benefits,certainly more than she could get working. I have heard the system is the same in Australia.

Anglo-Saxons in particularly are a dead race walking - the population has shrunk below recovery level, we are effectively extinct, we just haven't noticed. For any population to grow, a man and woman must produce 3 or more children. To keep population stable, in effect replace themselves, 2 children. The birthrate for AS couples has fallen below one child per couple.

Since governments need people to be able to charge them taxes, countries with a shrinking birth rate are worried.

The rock and the hard place - a modern microstory about business

Luke, again, I wasn't there at the start, but in fact the UK was recovering under Thatcher from a long period of decline. A united Europe had been a Churchill dream and was seen as a Tory deal for a long time - in fact it was Labour wittering constantly at Cameron about the promised referendum that triggered it. Labour was as shocked as the Tories when the public voted out. Politicians are so out of step with the people they represent they had no idea how resentments had built - you can't do this, you can't do that, you must do this, you must do that. Politicians don't work, so they weren't aware of how "furriners taking jobs" and moving in next door, and tricky rules and regulations, were creating tensions. The remainers barely bothered to campaign, the leavers were extremely vocal. And as I said to Red - the EEC was one thing. The EU was handing down directives which the member states had no vote in, was changing things, again and again and again, and even I could see that in the 17 years I was there.

For you and me, not unlike SA joining an all-Africa economic union, paying heavily to support African countries and - to some at least - the equivalent of having the whole thing run by Zimbabwe, with Mugabe the biggest voice. If that gives you any idea of how Brits were increasingly seeing it.

The rock and the hard place - a modern microstory about business

Red I'm kind of on the outside with all of this, because I only moved to the UK in 2000. I do know youngsters who voted to leave, and I know older people who voted to stay, so I can't get my head around it being accused as an age decision

I do think the longer one has watched it in action, the more it is possible to see how it mutated and therefore will continue to mutate, and even the directions it was going, although reaction to Brexit may mean the EU will be slightly more conciliatory to uneasy members in future.

I tried to make the story as neutral as possible, and I used to work in company finance so the easiest way for me was make it a company picture. To me it really is a rock and a hard place.

The rock and the hard place - a modern microstory about business

Oh Wen I don't understand people much at all. To me it is the younger generation terrified of change, and the older ones who get brave and take the gambles. But that is just based on the people I know, and not at all on what the media and society tell us

The rock and the hard place - a modern microstory about business

you read the whole thing? Wow.

I should have added this monstrously long blog to the existing Brexit one, especially in view of comments I have made regarding multiple blogs on a single subject, but this is my first Brexit blog, and I did once do a trump one, only fair I glance once at my own politics

Anyway, I honestly don't think it would have fitted in a comment box - it had to be slightly pruned to fit in the blog box, making it my longest blog ever

Not expecting comments.

RE: Walmart

Are they only starting now? Bloody hell.

Plastic is an epidemic, unnecessary wrapping has become a joke except not remotely funny from a pollution point of view. I think everybody should spend a week a year sorting town refuse - more important than jury duty

RE: To whom it may concern

You could yet get your wish, it is now okay to end a sentence with a preposition. My English teacher must be spinning in her grave.

My favourite misuse of whom is 'to whom am I talking to'

I have to accept genre - sigh

Fora? Dear me.

Replacing priests with OMG

I actually looked up some figures - back in the 70s, some 400K priests worldwide.

Currently - the number of nominal Catholics has tripled. Still around 400K priests. So I'm not surprised by your shortage.

The key word is nominal, of course - even Spain, where nearly house I viewed had soulful pictures of saints or members of the holy family in at least one room, is estimated to only have about 10% of the population active church-goers. Tiny percentage of extreme believers.

Probably like - Muslims?

RE: Going out with....

Harb, all we had was American movies because of the equity ban. The first time I was asked to go steady was more significant than my first engagement.

Replacing priests with OMG

It's probably the most intense politicking in the world, Molly, rising through the ranks there.

My brother married into a Catholic family and weddings and christenings are so much jollier than the Anglican ones but yeah the best priests it seems are all about people and not about advancement. Cannot imagine the ones I've met getting into serious career growth.

RE: Going out with....

Harb, in England was the stage after Going Out With, Going Steady?

And by the way I too have a cringe-invoking memory from super-sensitive-early-teens-first-boy-encounter, but that scab's been in place such a long time if I ripped it off I might self-destruct

Plus there have been a few tetchy comments on blogs that people should confine themselves to the OP and not to their own comparative experiences which is a fair point

Replacing priests with OMG

Ken, never tried dried apricots with ice-cream but there you go for subject change and it is on my list for someday. Maybe. They do go well with cheese so who knows?

The number ref whooshed straight over my head

RE: The Pressure Cooker

They do scare me, I date back to early models where the top thingy (I believe that's the technical name) would shoot off in a whoosh of steam and screaming metal

I shall watch your progress from a safe distance

Replacing priests with OMG

Ah, in a way Harbal that was one of the frustrations that sparked this blog, and sparked the priestly comparison, too. You get two crusty old dodgers with so little brain they can't even think up their own blogs laying down the law on subjects that have nothing to do with men like them, who never had daughters, probably never had sisters, almost definitely never had girlfriends, and have no idea what they are talking about.

There were several 'thinking' comments on your blog from guys I wouldn't have expected to have empathy. I was impressed. You made people think, go you!

RE: The Four F's

You left out fight? If both partners are able to set fight rules - things like no shouting, no crying, no swearies and LISTEN to what the other person is saying - that's important. There will always be fights. Always.

Finance, yup. Breaks up more relationships (and starts more fights ) than anything else. Sort out something fair where neither feels hard done by.

Friends and family come second to a full-time relationship because your partnership IS now the family.

And oh yeah the last one. Well, if that isn't sorted and you can't discuss it, there's no relationship worth saving. Doesn't have to be brilliant, but both have to be happy with what they share, know how far they can go outside the other's comfort zone, and able to talk

JMO. And yeah, I'm single You asked people on CS?????????????????????

Replacing priests with OMG

Oh, like for climbing over walls?

You must have an awesome head for heights, 40 foot is about 25 feet higher than my comfort level when it comes to climbing up ladders

RE: Male extreem vanity....

If your loved ones and friends all know you wanted to be rid of the gray and all gave you an honest 'not that way' I'd say it isn't working. Try henna instead, for a bit of interesting colour?

Replacing priests with OMG

A few people have said before that they protested the bang crash lissun to me blogs and everyone else went tremendously quiet - I see now what they mean.



I am currently translating a Spanish manual in eeny weeny print into English using my small vocabulario and an online translator so I shall pop in every now and then when I need a break before I break into a million eeny weeny pieces.

No doubt in my own small way I too shall be driving away bloggers and comments. Better than just sitting back and letting it happen which is what we all do when we let the bullies ride roughshod over what was once a pretty fun place to be.

Replacing priests with OMG

Hell no Kal you get the

Good point well made, on presenting partial truths as the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth

Replacing priests with OMG

Daniela I can get lost on a straight road but tell me where you want to go and we'll find someone good at giving directions

Replacing priests with OMG

Jac, neutral is fine, may I have a salted almond? Since you're here ....

Replacing priests with OMG

Why Krusty I thank you - and we the lost bloggers are counting on a return to your earlier form when you were a source of funny and often interesting blogs, deal? we want bloggers returning, not retreating with chunks taken out of their hide

Hey. I'm wearing the hat. Meek and mild will return when it is removed.

Replacing priests with OMG

AgentBob, if you give nicknames too I must have been psychic

for subject change, now tell me how you get oranges off the top of your enormous tree?

Replacing priests with OMG

Wen, you're such a nice guy this is probably the only thing you could have commented on in such an aggressive blog

Molly is arguably the champion of subject changers

Replacing priests with OMG

Honesty Jim do I have to applaud that? oh well rather than have you tick me off too, a deal's a deal. Expand on your topic for extra emojis


And now school's out, so am I, back with gloves on later

Replacing priests with OMG

Dear me that makes me the first blogger ever to be a liar.

Can't have that. Here.

RE: You make the caption contest

Not worth my starting a blog for these but thought you might enjoy these dating video spoofs

Anyone having good weather?

Luke, perfect summer day in other words, not too hot. Sounds fab!

Bear, my house is built for hot weather (foot-thick walls for starters) so is nearly as chilly in cold weather as a garage apt, got my heater on too even though outside in the sun the weather is lovely!

Chat and Fay, has there been a Florida meet yet? I know it's a big state but there seem to be a lot of CS people enjoying your nice climate!

Track - time to move to Florida?

Bekard - that is a beautifully painted word picture, it sounds utterly lovely

The sun be shining, the sky be blue, the snail is not yet on the thorn but spring is in the air

RE: That Beeb again.....

We're being prepped to accept the dramatic cull of population. First to hate and fear all 'outsiders' so that we are relieved when they are exterminated. Then to mock and resent the elderly, so we are quiescent when they are terminated.

Economic growth, sorted, and most drains on it removed. Tick.
Population, tick.

What fools we mortals be but fortunately, once the them-and-us lines have been properly marked out, how relieved we fools will feel.

Anyone having good weather?

Hefty women aren't good for menfolk? Was a time a man prized a wife who could carry a pig under each arm