Russia Ukraine WW3

[WILF 47,684]

14 hours ago, Mickey Finn said:

I'll agree you guys' punch well above your weight class. I'll even take your word that France has more queers. (Not the common world perception though.) Assuming we go full isolationist and stand by as the industrial world crumbles. Someone has to take the lead and only France is showing any real interest. If not them than who?

I think when Trump wins it won’t be a question of being isolationist, I just think he understands the importance of the nation state getting its priorities correct.

America has answered the call to friendly nations way before globalism, before this modern breed of politicians sold us all out to China and corporations.

Some of your towns and city’s are mirror images of our towns and city’s, once great thriving places with pride, industry, community now sadly just wreckage……I don’t think there’s anything isolationist about wanting to see that restored…..MAGA as the buzz phrase calls it.

I don’t think wanting to do right by your own precludes you from helping friends…..you just don’t want to have the piss taken out of you and I get that.

Why should a small town American (or Britain or whoever) have to rely on welfare while Western politicians and their corporate masters get fat by starting wars with others peoples resources ? 
 

Any leader of a country owes his loyalty to his own first, sadly that hasn’t been the case for a long time.

[.357shooter 1,254]

You just don't get it at this point in time unless you are loaded you are fecked.

[WILF 47,684]

43 minutes ago, .357shooter said:

You just don't get it at this point in time unless you are loaded you are fecked.

I was chatting this morning and said I wonder how long people will stand keep being taken from ?

Surely there has to come a point where this is just no more left to take ?

I worked for myself nearly all my working life, worked very hard if I do say so myself and do you know what, I genuinely wouldn’t bother to start a business today if I was young again and just starting out……I just can’t see as it’s worth the hassle for the return ?

Government's have engineered society so that the only lending banks do really is mortgages, those numbers are getting bigger and bigger but the trouble is, mortgage lending creates nothing except profit for the bank.

The have engineered society to close every avenue where the small bloke could keep a little bit for himself and taken all that extra money and pissed it away without remorse, they didn’t use it to make society better, they just burnt it ! 
 

Again, this money has created nothing.

Meanwhile, I think lots of people are genuinely struggling to make ends meet, the credit card is maxed out (more money for the banks !) and there is f**k all extra in the tank ?

Small business has to generate so much just to stand still and I’m sure it’s the same story for your employed bloke, he is never getting forward.

Surely at some point people have to get sick of that ?

At some point there will be nothing left to take ?

I think lots of people are sick of it but they just can’t quiet get a handle and where the punishment is coming from, fact is, it’s everywhere. 

[NEWKID 27,556]

1 hour ago, WILF said:

I was chatting this morning and said I wonder how long people will stand keep being taken from ?

Surely there has to come a point where this is just no more left to take ?

I worked for myself nearly all my working life, worked very hard if I do say so myself and do you know what, I genuinely wouldn’t bother to start a business today if I was young again and just starting out……I just can’t see as it’s worth the hassle for the return ?

Government's have engineered society so that the only lending banks do really is mortgages, those numbers are getting bigger and bigger but the trouble is, mortgage lending creates nothing except profit for the bank.

The have engineered society to close every avenue where the small bloke could keep a little bit for himself and taken all that extra money and pissed it away without remorse, they didn’t use it to make society better, they just burnt it ! 
 

Again, this money has created nothing.

Meanwhile, I think lots of people are genuinely struggling to make ends meet, the credit card is maxed out (more money for the banks !) and there is f**k all extra in the tank ?

Small business has to generate so much just to stand still and I’m sure it’s the same story for your employed bloke, he is never getting forward.

Surely at some point people have to get sick of that ?

At some point there will be nothing left to take ?

I think lots of people are sick of it but they just can’t quiet get a handle and where the punishment is coming from, fact is, it’s everywhere. 

Funny I was yapping to my lad when n Saturday, hes 18 finishing his A levels in a few months in Biology and Chemistry plus a music production course..we got taking about university/jobs future plans etc... he's a bright lad and got his head screwed on, he said to me only one of his friendship group has gone into a trade (bricklaying), the rest are all going to Uni. His words were over half of them 20 years ago would've gone into a trade, they aren't super clever and the courses they are doing leaf to bog standard jobs and a pile of debt. I'm all for education but I agree with him, it's almost frowned upon to go into vocational courses with the focus on a job at the end, instead the "less bright" do sociology or Psychology when asked what they want to do with their qualifications the normal answer is "I don't know yet, but I'll habe a degree for the future"...why?

My niece is a prime example, spent years studying ancient history and archaeology, amazingly interesting but there are more people than jobs, she's 26 and had 1 placement so far for 6 months, now going back to open university to study again to complete the PHD, she hates her job in admin at a solicitors, but can't get a job in her chosen field...

Fin hit the nail on the head, he said there will be a shortage of trades as youngsters are driven into believing university of IT is the only paths to take, the saturation in these market places in 10 years or so and the lack of trades will be a void that needs filling... So we discussed his future, he says he has no passion for his subjects and doesn't want to waste his time or our money going uni, sensible... I've suggested he does an estimating course and cad drawing course, I think he'll come into our business and I'll ensure he is fully rounded to take on the roles you need to run a company, seriously mate there is still money in building, probably more than ever... I get not everyone has a family business to step into, but the opportunity in trades is very good for young lads, his mate apprentice bricky is clearing £600 a week at 18, your not getting any trade under £200 a day now most at £250, that's just labour... I think we'll see a flip in the near future once youngsters realised leaving uni with £80k of debt and no job opportunity is not the answer 

[Arry 22,515]

2 hours ago, WILF said:

I was chatting this morning and said I wonder how long people will stand keep being taken from ?

Surely there has to come a point where this is just no more left to take ?

I worked for myself nearly all my working life, worked very hard if I do say so myself and do you know what, I genuinely wouldn’t bother to start a business today if I was young again and just starting out……I just can’t see as it’s worth the hassle for the return ?

Government's have engineered society so that the only lending banks do really is mortgages, those numbers are getting bigger and bigger but the trouble is, mortgage lending creates nothing except profit for the bank.

The have engineered society to close every avenue where the small bloke could keep a little bit for himself and taken all that extra money and pissed it away without remorse, they didn’t use it to make society better, they just burnt it ! 
 

Again, this money has created nothing.

Meanwhile, I think lots of people are genuinely struggling to make ends meet, the credit card is maxed out (more money for the banks !) and there is f**k all extra in the tank ?

Small business has to generate so much just to stand still and I’m sure it’s the same story for your employed bloke, he is never getting forward.

Surely at some point people have to get sick of that ?

At some point there will be nothing left to take ?

I think lots of people are sick of it but they just can’t quiet get a handle and where the punishment is coming from, fact is, it’s everywhere. 

While I see where you're coming from Wilf. But life was not exactly a bed of roses in the past. I'm in my 70's worked hard manually all my life. As a kid we had f**k all, none of the luxuries of today in comparison coal fire only heating, no double glazing hot water if you could afford to put the emersion on. Sent to the shop to get one razor blade for the old man, borrow a cup of sugar from next door. No car rented black and white TV, sitting in candle light because no money for the meter. Gran still had gas lights no electric and outside loo with news paper hanging on string.

I climbed out of that way of life by hard work starting a ground work business only to be knocked back by Thatches f**k up recession. But did any job to make ends meet any dip shit job till I got myself back on my feet. Worked by day shot foxes flogged the skins, caught rabbits assorts borrowed few fish scrounged swedes, spuds and kale from farmers.

What I see today is young people living above their means that want the latest phone, car, big TV etc etc all on tic or credit card. People that don't really want to work hard or at least don't want manual work just hoping the something will come along or they might win the lottery.

Theres some lads on here that graft hard and their work looks of a high standard. They seem successful so it still can be done. Myself I worked from 15 to 66 and if a 66 year old can make a living out of odd jobs, handyman, maintenance, laying hedges, cutting grass you get the idea then anybody can if they put their mind to it.

I do appreciate that some areas especially the old mining areas that have be run down thanks to Thatcher again. But if you're on the bottom run of the ladder and you want to climb that ladder then it's up to you. Drive, ambition, forethought and graft is the way up not sitting back and waiting for it to happen.

Cheers Arry

[Greyman 28,990]

18 hours ago, Mickey Finn said:

I'll agree you guys' punch well above your weight class. I'll even take your word that France has more queers. (Not the common world perception though.) Assuming we go full isolationist and stand by as the industrial world crumbles. Someone has to take the lead and only France is showing any real interest. If not them than who?

Macrons just doing something to make him popular, he’s about to loose an election to the far right lol and nothing does more for a politicians street cred than going to war , just the script has changed now and most of us see through it after the shit show in the Middle East caused by bush and Blair 

[WILF 47,684]

16 minutes ago, Arry said:

While I see where you're coming from Wilf. But life was not exactly a bed of roses in the past. I'm in my 70's worked hard manually all my life. As a kid we had f**k all, none of the luxuries of today in comparison coal fire only heating, no double glazing hot water if you could afford to put the emersion on. Sent to the shop to get one razor blade for the old man, borrow a cup of sugar from next door. No car rented black and white TV, sitting in candle light because no money for the meter. Gran still had gas lights no electric and outside loo with news paper hanging on string.

I climbed out of that way of life by hard work starting a ground work business only to be knocked back by Thatches f**k up recession. But did any job to make ends meet any dip shit job till I got myself back on my feet. Worked by day shot foxes flogged the skins, caught rabbits assorts borrowed few fish scrounged swedes, spuds and kale from farmers.

What I see today is young people living above their means that want the latest phone, car, big TV etc etc all on tic or credit card. People that don't really want to work hard or at least don't want manual work just hoping the something will come along or they might win the lottery.

Theres some lads on here that graft hard and their work looks of a high standard. They seem successful so it still can be done. Myself I worked from 15 to 66 and if a 66 year old can make a living out of odd jobs, handyman, maintenance, laying hedges, cutting grass you get the idea then anybody can if they put their mind to it.

I do appreciate that some areas especially the old mining areas that have be run down thanks to Thatcher again. But if you're on the bottom run of the ladder and you want to climb that ladder then it's up to you. Drive, ambition, forethought and graft is the way up not sitting back and waiting for it to happen.

Cheers Arry

I started out at 14 selling dusters and dishcloths and stuff like that door to door for myself, topped it up with labouring for builders etc.

Went on the building site at 16 and did that until I was about 21, taught myself how to plaster and render and dry line and metal stud, do brick and block work to a very basic standard. 

Worked market stalls and all sorts until I fell into what I ended up doing.

The over riding thing was that everyone could keep a bit for themselves, they could have a few readies, they could form a limited company and pay themselves, they could have a motor on the firm and those associated things that made it worthwhile.

Some of the old market traders I knew had only ever had cash and of course they kept most of it, why wouldn’t they…..they wasn’t a drain on society, they had enough money that they didn’t need anything from anyone.

But now I see things like IR35, you can’t have a crew cab on the firm any more, you can’t earn more than a grand from eBay….I was seeing lads nearly ten years ago who worked for my pal and they wouldn’t do overtime because it wasn’t worth it, the tax man just raided it all.

Then you add stealth tax and rising house prices and charges for this, that and the other that neither you nor me had to cope with as we were making our way and it’s all take and no give.

You say it was hard and you had to get out and graft and you are right mate, but the fact is me and you never had to content with the same things people do today.

We never had the same obstacles to earning our living.

And those obstacles are purposely designed to benefit politicians and their corporate masters from what I can see of it and we are getting f**k all in return except a shit sandwich.

I sure most ordinary lads don’t give a f**k about Ukraine or Tim Buk tu and funding their f***ing war or anybody else’s war, they just want to survive and not get robbed for knocking their pan in. 
 

 

[WILF 47,684]

1 hour ago, NEWKID said:

Funny I was yapping to my lad when n Saturday, hes 18 finishing his A levels in a few months in Biology and Chemistry plus a music production course..we got taking about university/jobs future plans etc... he's a bright lad and got his head screwed on, he said to me only one of his friendship group has gone into a trade (bricklaying), the rest are all going to Uni. His words were over half of them 20 years ago would've gone into a trade, they aren't super clever and the courses they are doing leaf to bog standard jobs and a pile of debt. I'm all for education but I agree with him, it's almost frowned upon to go into vocational courses with the focus on a job at the end, instead the "less bright" do sociology or Psychology when asked what they want to do with their qualifications the normal answer is "I don't know yet, but I'll habe a degree for the future"...why?

My niece is a prime example, spent years studying ancient history and archaeology, amazingly interesting but there are more people than jobs, she's 26 and had 1 placement so far for 6 months, now going back to open university to study again to complete the PHD, she hates her job in admin at a solicitors, but can't get a job in her chosen field...

Fin hit the nail on the head, he said there will be a shortage of trades as youngsters are driven into believing university of IT is the only paths to take, the saturation in these market places in 10 years or so and the lack of trades will be a void that needs filling... So we discussed his future, he says he has no passion for his subjects and doesn't want to waste his time or our money going uni, sensible... I've suggested he does an estimating course and cad drawing course, I think he'll come into our business and I'll ensure he is fully rounded to take on the roles you need to run a company, seriously mate there is still money in building, probably more than ever... I get not everyone has a family business to step into, but the opportunity in trades is very good for young lads, his mate apprentice bricky is clearing £600 a week at 18, your not getting any trade under £200 a day now most at £250, that's just labour... I think we'll see a flip in the near future once youngsters realised leaving uni with £80k of debt and no job opportunity is not the answer 

My daughter just blagged it and she is a legal assistant for some big gambling firm or something like that, works from home, never has to leave the house and her work is global.

Her and her boyfriend have just bought their first house in Belfast, she is 21.

He never has to leave the house either, does something called “coding” (??) online.

They are both on good money and all the benefits that come with a proper job, I’d never advise them to go it alone as a couple just doing a small business…..there was a time they could have earned more but I just don’t think that is the case now, better to pick up the cheque and not have any of the aggro. 
That can’t be healthy for a society can it mate ?…..I mean a society surely needs people who are going to get out and create something and it be worth their while don’t it ? 

[mackem 27,579]

2 hours ago, NEWKID said:

Funny I was yapping to my lad when n Saturday, hes 18 finishing his A levels in a few months in Biology and Chemistry plus a music production course..we got taking about university/jobs future plans etc... he's a bright lad and got his head screwed on, he said to me only one of his friendship group has gone into a trade (bricklaying), the rest are all going to Uni. His words were over half of them 20 years ago would've gone into a trade, they aren't super clever and the courses they are doing leaf to bog standard jobs and a pile of debt. I'm all for education but I agree with him, it's almost frowned upon to go into vocational courses with the focus on a job at the end, instead the "less bright" do sociology or Psychology when asked what they want to do with their qualifications the normal answer is "I don't know yet, but I'll habe a degree for the future"...why?

My niece is a prime example, spent years studying ancient history and archaeology, amazingly interesting but there are more people than jobs, she's 26 and had 1 placement so far for 6 months, now going back to open university to study again to complete the PHD, she hates her job in admin at a solicitors, but can't get a job in her chosen field...

Fin hit the nail on the head, he said there will be a shortage of trades as youngsters are driven into believing university of IT is the only paths to take, the saturation in these market places in 10 years or so and the lack of trades will be a void that needs filling... So we discussed his future, he says he has no passion for his subjects and doesn't want to waste his time or our money going uni, sensible... I've suggested he does an estimating course and cad drawing course, I think he'll come into our business and I'll ensure he is fully rounded to take on the roles you need to run a company, seriously mate there is still money in building, probably more than ever... I get not everyone has a family business to step into, but the opportunity in trades is very good for young lads, his mate apprentice bricky is clearing £600 a week at 18, your not getting any trade under £200 a day now most at £250, that's just labour... I think we'll see a flip in the near future once youngsters realised leaving uni with £80k of debt and no job opportunity is not the answer 

Lot of kids do Mickey Mouse degrees,I know a girl who did philosophy and another who did fine arts,one now works in TK Maxx and the other works in a coffee shop,but a GOOD degree will take you far beyond the average tradesman in life,but I had to stress GOOD degree.

[Greyman 28,990]

 

[Mickey Finn 3,016]

8 hours ago, WILF said:

I don’t know where this information is coming from but from a European prospective everything centres around the European Union and the big boy in the room is Germany, Germany rules the roost. 
Without the United States there is no NATO and if there is no NATO then everything will be worked along EU lines and that means Germany is in charge.

From a military point of view the premier fighting force in Europe is Britain but we are no longer a member of the EU. 
 

 

Demographic charts.

France's population is half way decent. 

The EU, and Germany in particular are terminal. It's hard to say they even have much of a future.

 

The boogie man...

Edited April 22, 2024 by Mickey Finn

[Mickey Finn 3,016]

8 hours ago, WILF said:

When the terrorists did the Bataclan massacre in Paris the go to lads to arrive on the scene were British SAS troopers !……..that probably tells you all you need to know. 

No body doubts the UK's fighting abilities. 

[Greyman 28,990]

 

[Mickey Finn 3,016]

6 hours ago, WILF said:

I think when Trump wins it won’t be a question of being isolationist, I just think he understands the importance of the nation state getting its priorities correct.

Ah, Biden is pretty much doing exactly what Trump started. Most of what you hear to the contrary is just political rhetoric.

6 hours ago, WILF said:

America has answered the call to friendly nations way before globalism, before this modern breed of politicians sold us all out to China and corporations.

Some of your towns and city’s are mirror images of our towns and city’s, once great thriving places with pride, industry, community now sadly just wreckage……I don’t think there’s anything isolationist about wanting to see that restored…..MAGA as the buzz phrase calls it.

I don’t think wanting to do right by your own precludes you from helping friends…..you just don’t want to have the piss taken out of you and I get that.

Why should a small town American (or Britain or whoever) have to rely on welfare while Western politicians and their corporate masters get fat by starting wars with others peoples resources ? 
 

Any leader of a country owes his loyalty to his own first, sadly that hasn’t been the case for a long time.

Well, we have to look at this in as exact an order as we can. The US was hesitant to get involved in either of the world wars. After WWII, we were staring across the field at a huge soviet army. Everything you mention in your post were tools we used to protect ourselves from that army. That army is gone, and nukes aside. Russia appears to be a paper tiger. So, we don't need those tools anymore. Like you say, we have tremendous infrastructure concerns that have to be addressed.

So, good luck with NATO, and the Middle East! 

[Greyman 28,990]