[xerxes]

It appears that the old curse of "May you live in interesting times" is ringing as true as it ever has....

But, a contraction of the UE may well be a good thing in the end. A lot of the problems Spain, Italy, et al are having is because their chained to the Euro and have no control of their monetary policy. IF hte Euro were to disappear, then they could take control of their currencies, devalue them, and start the road to recovery.

[EyeBrock]

The Euro was a bad idea from the start. The Brit Euro-sceptics are proving to be the ones with real insight.

[westmanguy]

The EU is on a collision course for disaster...

Good luck France. They're going to need it. Germans are sick of propping up the rest of the union.

[ShepherdsDog]

Their armies couldn't create a unified Europe and neither can their banks.....on an even sillier note

$1:

During Hollande's campaign, he said he wanted to shift the focus back to economic stimulus.

Hollande's platform calls for:
*Rolling back the retirement age from 62 to 60.
*Hiring some 60,000 more teachers.
*Holding off balancing the budget until 2017.
*Imposing a 75 per cent top tax bracket on those earning more than a million euros ($1.3 million) a year.

[martin14]

EyeBrock EyeBrock:

The Euro was a bad idea from the start. The Brit Euro-sceptics are proving to be the ones with real insight.

Perhaps, but the Brits not being in doesnt help, and Britain will suffer as much
as others in Europe.. they already have.

Not a good situation anyway you look at it.

[martin14]

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

Their armies couldn't create a unified Europe and neither can their banks.....on an even sillier note

$1:

During Hollande's campaign, he said he wanted to shift the focus back to economic stimulus.

Hollande's platform calls for:
*Rolling back the retirement age from 62 to 60.
*Hiring some 60,000 more teachers.
*Holding off balancing the budget until 2017.
*Imposing a 75 per cent top tax bracket on those earning more than a million euros ($1.3 million) a year.

S&P just licking their chops and laughing.

For the last one..... I smell chocolate.

[bootlegga]

Brenda Brenda:

I totally agree with you.

Oh, I was wrong. Sales tax will be going to 21% as of October 1, 2012

That is insane!

[martin14]

bootlegga bootlegga:

Brenda Brenda:

I totally agree with you.

Oh, I was wrong. Sales tax will be going to 21% as of October 1, 2012

That is insane!

European normal level Boots, they all have around 20%

[maldonsfecht]

martin14 martin14:

bootlegga bootlegga:

Brenda Brenda:

I totally agree with you.

Oh, I was wrong. Sales tax will be going to 21% as of October 1, 2012

That is insane!

European normal level Boots, they all have around 20%

The only good thing I found about European taxes in my years there was that it is all included on the sticker price in the stores... only have 2.70 Euros in change? You can find a nice Lager marked 2.70 on the shelf and pay that and only that as you leave...

Other than that, there is nothing about the modern incarnation of the pan-European government that I can defend... Even Schengen (free movement across national borders within signatories) is having difficulties with porous borders and subsequent "undesirables" gaining access to the greater interior.

[andyt]

$1:

Candidates against austerity measures lead as Italy votes in 1st election to test PM Monti

ROME - Several candidates opposed to austerity measures were making a strong showing Monday in early projections from Italy's local elections — the first nationwide test for Premier Mario Monti since he was named to save Italy from its debt crisis.
Analysts were watching for signs of voter anger over Monti's austerity measures and toward mainstream parties that have supported them since Monti took over from Silvio Berlusconi in November.
Candidates for mayor in Parma and in Genoa who galvanized discontent with mainstream politics appeared to gain enough votes to force a runoff, projections showed. And the popular mayor of Verona, whose Northern League party has strongly opposed a new housing tax, appeared headed to a first round victory.
Italy's more established parties were faring less well.
"We made a mistake with our candidates, I don't have a problem admitting it," said Ignazio La Russa, former defence minister in the Berlusconi government.
"It's practically a tsunami, it's anti-politics," said Italo Bocchino, a leader of a small centre-right party which broke with Berlusconi's coalition during the media mogul's last government.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/candidates-aga ... 59418.html

[andyt]

He's had 2 years. He has proven himself, just not maybe in the way people wanted.

$1:

UK PM Cameron pledges to prove himself, focus on what matters after bruising at the polls

LONDON - British Prime Minister David Cameron is pledging to prove himself to voters after his ruling Conservative Party took a beating in local elections.
Cameron says excuses about low voter turnout and "midterm blues" are not enough to explain away a miserable showing in the elections last week.
Voters punished Cameron's Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, the junior partner in Britain's coalition government, at the polls amid anger over biting austerity cuts and Britain's stalled economy.
In an article for the Daily Telegraph published Monday, Cameron said he gets the message sent by voters "loud and clear" and will "focus on what matters" going forward.
He said Britons want to know that the coalition is "not just a bunch of accountants."

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/uk-pm-cameron- ... 02774.html

[ShepherdsDog]

maldonsfecht maldonsfecht:

The only good thing I found about European taxes in my years there was that it is all included on the sticker price in the stores... only have 2.70 Euros in change? You can find a nice Lager marked 2.70 on the shelf and pay that and only that as you leave...
Other than that, there is nothing about the modern incarnation of the pan-European government that I can defend... Even Schengen (free movement across national borders within signatories) is having difficulties with porous borders and subsequent "undesirables" gaining access to the greater interior.

I can find plenty of imported European ales and lagers here and pay a lot less. Some of the Asian beers are pretty decent too. Also, sales tax is included in the price you pay. honestly, I think people would be happier if we went back to paying the hidden sales tax in prices....it's not so in your face.

[maldonsfecht]

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

maldonsfecht maldonsfecht:

The only good thing I found about European taxes in my years there was that it is all included on the sticker price in the stores... only have 2.70 Euros in change? You can find a nice Lager marked 2.70 on the shelf and pay that and only that as you leave...
Other than that, there is nothing about the modern incarnation of the pan-European government that I can defend... Even Schengen (free movement across national borders within signatories) is having difficulties with porous borders and subsequent "undesirables" gaining access to the greater interior.

I can find plenty of imported European ales and lagers here and pay a lot less. Some of the Asian beers are pretty decent too. Also, sales tax is included in the price you pay. honestly, I think people would be happier if we went back to paying the hidden sales tax in prices....it's not so in your face.

well, I just chose that number at random... I didn't want to anger Canada by talking about the half litre lagers I got in Germany for .50 or the Czech pilsners for half that... Man I miss living in a BEER culture... (I love me my local Halifax microbrews, as well as Keiths and Moosehead, but we are still not a country where business people have .5-1 litre of beer at lunch and then go back to the office...)

[ShepherdsDog]

At school functions and meals....I shit you not....there were often bottles of beer or kaoliang(116 proof hooch made from sorghum) on the teachers tables. I remember visiting my wife's school on a few occasions and going to the principals office where we(the principal, myself and one of the VPs) knocked back a bottle or a few shots. The Chinese like to mislead foreigners about what they are drinking, often calling everything except beer, wine.

[maldonsfecht]

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

At school functions and meals....I shit you not....there were often bottles of beer or kaoliang(116 proof hooch made from sorghum) on the teachers tables. I remember visiting my wife's school on a few occasions and going to the principals office where we(the principal, myself and one of the VPs) knocked back a bottle or a few shots. The Chinese like to mislead foreigners about what they are drinking, often calling everything except beer, wine.

When I was teaching at a high school in Germany, we hosted an array of foreign students and teachers (10 students, 2-3 teachers per group from 7 countries) from all around Europe for a student film project. At a student post-project mixer, the teachers from Bulgaria broke out their rocket-fuel Rakia and hoooo-boy good times

Teaching in the Czech Republic was 1-1 with business professionals and students and the like, and it was quite often we'd just meet at the pub... they'd pay for my drinks, and then pay for my time and then we'd keep drinking...

Remind me why I'm looking for an office job in Nova Scotia again?!