Westminstenders: The Final Week

[RedToothBrush]

Our final week in the EU...

Oldandsad - were you sorry when the Soviet Union collapsed?

I read that quite a few older people were - hence the popularity of Putin ?

Fine. Sit in business class lounges at someone else’s cost. My new contact is based on hours door to door.

There speaks someone who can't understand that tomorrow may not be the same as today. I wonder what your contract after that one might say ?

A little bit of good news for those who need cheering up:

In Italy, Matteo Salvini has failed in his attempt to break the contry's red wall. While he was not running himself, he was the face of the campaign, so there is no doubt this is his defeat.

An important role was played by the Sardines, a grassroot movement of anti-racist millenials, who has been campaigning for the condemnation of hate speech and more welcoming immigration policies.

www.ft.com/content/5855ae16-4089-11ea-bdb5-169ba7be433d

An important role was played by the Sardines, a grassroot movement of anti-racist millenials, who has been campaigning for the condemnation of hate speech and more welcoming immigration policies

It has earned its name by packing squares throughout the region and beyond with supporters.

I wonder what the English equivalent would be ? I pendolari

Patiencethreadbare don't be heartbroken. There's nothing we can do about the trading bloc and EU parliament side of things as the small majority (that's no longer a majority) won.

However in a small personal way you can make links with the EU. We can keep social and cultural links alive. If you have any EU friends go visit! All sorts of other ideas including:

• Getting involved with twin town activities in there are any.
• Learn another EU language.
• Join a rejoin/ EU local group, the Lib Dem's, Greens, Labour ? A trade union?
• There are other collaborative arrangements and friendships to pursue European interests, such as music, art, photography , singing walking, cycling groups etc. There are social structures across Europe.

Channel the sadness into productivity so that other links are retained.

Patiencethreadbare don't be heartbroken. There's nothing we can do about the trading bloc and EU parliament side of things as the small majority (that's no longer a majority) won.

However in a small personal way you can make links with the EU. We can keep social and cultural links alive. If you have any EU friends go visit! All sorts of other ideas including:

• Getting involved with twin town activities in there are any.
• Learn another EU language.I've notice quite a few posts of people saying they want to learn French, Italian etc.
• Join a rejoin/ EU local group
• if you're not already a member Join the Lib Dem's, Greens, Labour ? A trade union?
• There are other collaborative arrangements and friendships to pursue European interests, such as music, art, photography , singing walking, cycling groups etc. There are social structures across Europe we can get involved in.

Channel the sadness into pro activity so that other links are retained and nurtured so that EU residents know that the Brexit brigade/ govt doesn't speak for all of us. Bide your time...

Engaging with trolls and GFs just makes the thread difficult to engage with for people who have something interesting to say.

Very easy to just scroll past 🎶

Obviously not suggesting that we don't engage with people who have something interesting to say.

Huawei issue looking like it's going to blow up big time. Turns out the special relationship is not so special.

The trouble now is that we are all in limbo a bit. The Tory party don't know what sort of Brexit they want - I suspect No Deal really but at the same time, they don't want to be held wholly responsible for smashing the UK economy.

The Labour party doesn't know which direction it will go in until it elects the new leader.

SNP do know what they want, but are sitting tight for now.

And so it all doesn't go on!

Huawei issue looking like it's going to blow up big time.

We could just all believe in 5G, and our collective positive emotions will make it happen? Or we could just say something about how we managed with telegrams in the 1970s and therefore that's all we should ever need?

It's amazing how gloriously simple everything becomes with a patriotically Brexitatious mindset

Huawei issue looking like it's going to blow up big time. Turns out the special relationship is not so special.

Be curious to know who owns more of the UK. Chinese billionaires. Russian Oligarchs. Or US investors.

Guess we'll find our soon.

I reckon Paul Simon has been the undercover prophet of all this. From 1986s Graceland:

Staccato signals of constant information
A loose affiliation of millionaires And billionaires

Misti - I do the same 🎵🎶

Apparently there is not one 5G network but several and Huawei kit already installed in some ... this is just from twitter, keen to hear from someone who understands the issues.

Blowjob has got his hands full all of a sudden: 5G, HS2, local council funding, coronavirus, start of negs with EU and signs that they are going to play hardball.

Late PMK. It's raining again, which sums up how I feel about Friday and the days, weeks, months ahead.

It's hard to divine what Trumps issue with Huawei is, really. I could understand if the US had a shit-hot rival industry, but it doesn't. The vast majority of "US" high-tech kit is made in China anyway. And the reason the US (like the UK) has to buy Huawei kit is simply because decades of creaming off profits at the top, rather than investing them in the bottom have left us both pretty anaemic when it comes to being able to mass produce high-end electronics.

Obviously it's bad business practice to rely on a single vendor (or it used to be when I did business studies).; But that's simply about security of supply, not inherent security.

Who else is in a position to supply 5G kit ready to go ? And would not trying to get 3G to the sticks first be a better use of money ? Especially if Starlink start selling capacity in the UK. 5G could turn out to be another HS2.

Not quite sure when the best time to pitch in my 99p would be. However the idea of this being #1 and that bloody bell remaining silent is something to really, really, really aim for.

www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/andre-rieu-ode-to-joy-enters-itunes-chart-1-6484902

EU anthem Ode To Joy enters Top 25 chart as campaigners push for top spot on Brexit day

Not quite sure when the best time to pitch in my 99p would be.

I just did it; I have no idea about "the charts" but assume it's on a weekly basis culminating each Sunday, so any purchase from today would count.

I have no idea how "the charts" (DM would have said "hit parade" ) work these days.

I do know the BBC massaged them to ensure "Ding Dong" was not #1 when Mrs. T croaked.

I have just paid my 99p. I don't need to listen to it, I just want to make it get as near to No 1 as possible.

The sad thing about all this, is I expect Brexit to have virtually zero benefit for the average Leaver, but for the very wealthy Brexiters to make shed loads of money, while we Remainers pay the price.

I bought it earlier today. It actually helps keep my iTunes credit (from a gift card I got AGES ago) and which I only use rarely, ticking over

Bought it too. But I must say, I also think "Yippee Kayay MF" as per Die Hard, where it appears to be the wonderful late Alan Rickman's "theme".

I'm trying to buy it but it won't download. Wondering if it's crashed.

I'm trying to buy it but it won't download. Wondering if it's crashed.

Tinfoil hat time

I do wonder how the BBC will ignore it if it goes to #1. Might be worth a punt on. What excuse will they have to exclude it ?

Meanwhile the feds want a word with airmiles Andy.

Another one for Boris in-tray ....

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/prince-andrew-jeffrey-epstein-investigation-interview-fbi-royal-family-a9304641.html

More proof, if it be needed, that govt. policy-making is carried out by clowns supervised by monkeys:

It turns out that taking the hard shoulder off motorways makes them two hundred times more dangerous.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51236375

Who knew?