Quote by GnV
There is indeed merit in a written Constitution for the United Kingdom but don't expect it any time soon...
I doubt there is the political will to do it and if it is managed anything like the Chilcot enquiry, I doubt it would ever be in my grand children’s lifetime, let alone my children's lifetime
However, I do enjoy living a Republic where there is a clearly defined written Constitution which stretches as far as defining the language of the Country and a Constitutional Court which can and will defy the will of Parliament to the benefit of it's citizens when a matter is declared as 'unconstitutional' thereby overturning legislation in a more defined way than the 'airy-fairy' suggestion of sovereignty which exists in the UK Parliamentary system of Governance.

But, you are of course right about the apparently unelected and unaccountable EU Commission and I can see why you say that except that it is for the elected Members of Member States to appoint Commissioners every 5 years and the President of the Commission is elected by a majority of the component Members of the European Parliament who themselves are elected representatives in the State which returned them in elections so, like it or lump it, there is transparency. 

All excellent points, and the transparency of which you speak does have at least the merit of allowing me to see very clearly why we need to leave.

Quote by GnV

So tell me... when did the UK Parliament transmogrify into a democracy...

Not yet, apparently, although it's closer to being democratic than the EU, which invented itself, is unelected, and answers to no-one.

Quote by GnV
the people divest themselves of responsibility and hand it over to their elected representatives

Indeed we do, but that's not a "do whatever you like" agreement though. Those representatives are elected specifically to govern the country, not hand it over to someone else. Different governments run the country in different ways, and that's what we're asked to choose between, but changing the very identity of the country - in effect abolishing it as a country and making it part of someone else's made-up country, that wasn't part of the deal. No party ever admitted in an election campaign that it intended to do that.

If we choose to leave - and if the government respects that choice and takes us out - the first thing we need to do is establish a written constitution, because without it future governments can say "Where is it written that we can't surrender you to someone else's rule?"

Quote by mar2syl

I have no intention, or inclination, to have an ongoing sexual relationship with another woman, as this would likely become an emotional relationship and may well result in deeper feelings which would, in time, threaten my marriage. A safer option would perhaps involve casual sex with like minded people.

Mark

Hi Mark,

I totally get what you're saying and would just offer a note of caution: Unless you have a reliable crystal ball there's always the possibility - as many old hands on here will readily testify - that what starts out as a 'casual' arrangement can evolve into something which neither you nor the other party initially wanted. With the best of intentions if there's one thing human beings are exceptionally good at it's inadvertently confounding their own and other people's expectations.

I'm not saying don't do what you feel is right for you, just be prepared for the chance of something turning out other than the way you intended.

Ice.

And in case anyone's about to point it out, yes I know there was a referendum on the Common Market, but that was a purely economic cartel that has since transmogrified itself into a self-appointed superstate which no British political party has ever admitted in an election manifesto that it intended to submit to, so Parliament has exceeded its authority in that its members are elected to govern the country, not surrender that governance to someone else. In my view that makes our membership of the EU invalid in the first place and the referendum question should  be not whether we want to stay but whether we want to join. Personally I don't.

Quote by GnV
So Icey. are you in or out or are you still shaking it all about?

Some scaremongering on both sides, which is to be expected I suppose, but given that A) no-one gave any UK government permission to make us a colony of an aggressive foreign power that hates our culture but loves our money, and B) Russia didn't bomb us before the EU dreamed itself into existence and proclaimed itself our saviour, I think I'm possibly leaning towards the Up Yours Fritz camp.

... when the Remain campaigner told me today, with a perfectly straight face, that leaving Europe would plunge us back into our "traditional sexual repression", from which we have been liberated by the influence of the French, Italians, etc etc blah blah blah.

It seems the 'No sex please, we're British' stereotype is as alive and well as it's ever been and the rest of the world still thinks Mary Whitehouse was a representative cross-section of the British psyche. That's really just too funny to be offensive so I just nodded and said, "Yes, thank you for the enlightenment. It's certainly fortunate that we have a plentiful supply of storks here in the UK, otherwise we'd have gone extinct centuries ago."

For the record, I've been all around the world and as far as I can tell, with the possible exception of Ireland, no-one's anywhere near as sexy as us.

So there!

Missed it. Something, er, came up.

Still, only fair to give you all a head

Quote by minikat
fingers flexed - lets see if i can jump up a place

I intend to jump up an infinite number of places since I am nowhere having not yet participated.

Using Windows 10: Couldn't get it to work with Edge or I.E. Switched to Firefox on the advice of several chatters and no problems since.

HTH

History is more or less bunk.

Henry Ford... but if it's true and history records that he said it, then presumably that means he didn't? Or something?

Oh what joy! It is not cost effective to repair the machine. It has to be replaced. But first I have to wait for them to send me an exchange code which I then take to the shop and go through the whole ordering process from scratch.

I wonder whether they could somehow have given me even worse service had I NOT paid extra for a five year so-called care package?

I have now advanced from Majorly Fucked Off to DefCon 2, with all-out thermonuclear war only a gnat's whisker away.

So today a different repairman came with the circuit board and told me the problem is the motor. Which of course he has to order for me. In the meantime I'll just hang my dirty clothes on the line and hope it rains. [Insert Majorly Fucked Off Smiley here]

Washing Machine Repairman: Ah, as I suspected, your main board's gone.

Me: But it's a brand new machine, I've only used it twice.

WMR: Yes, we've had a few like this, I think we got a bad batch.

Me: I see, so that's why you thought that would be the problem. Fine, I'll just wait in the living room while you fit the replacement.

WMR: I'll have to order one for you.

Me: Excuse me? You knew what was wrong before you arrived and didn't come equipped to deal with it? And for this I've waited over a week?

I'm not given to violence but had I been so I'm sure I would very much have enjoyed finding out just how far up his arse a washing machine will go.

My first thought was "Hmmm... this is the strangest garden furniture shop I've ever seen".

Hi Mike. Had a feeling you'd still be around. Still got all yer badges?

... waiting, apparently in vain, for the washing machine repair man who's already cancelled twice.

A dashing young rapier called Ice

Had hair that was awfully nice

But he keeps getting older, his pate's getting balder

But at least he don't suffer from lice.

I wore glasses/contact lenses full time since the age of 9, now I don't need them but I keep adjusting my non-existent glasses in order to read and have come perilously close to trying to remove contact lenses even though I'm not wearing them. There are some very weird effects with the implants, especially at night, and I'd like to ask any of you with experience how long it takes to get used to them.

[Bloody autocorrect: non-existent is one word]

Interesting. I doubt I could convince the NHS it's a clinical need as I'm not depressed about it, just a bit miffed because although I've dropped nearly 6st I'm not being rewarded with the Adonis physique I so very richly deserve. Yeah, vanity, mid-life crisis and all that - the main thing is I did it for my health and I've got to be happy with that, but I can't help being greedy.

I think there's a distinction between legal and moral . By that I mean there's a legal definition that doesn't include equally reprehensible violations of a person's body and mind.

Many people assume, quite reasonably I suppose, that an erection implies willingness to at least some degree. However, sufficient skill and knowledge of the male anatomy can produce a boner in a man who's not even conscious. A man can therefore be induced to participate in penetrative sex against his will and even if that's not legally , morally it's no different. I feel the law needs to catch up on this because "sexual assault" is seen as a lesser crime.

A year ago I took a selfie. Today I took another. They're in my public album.

Amazing what statins and a bicycle will do.

But I would appreciate some advice from others who have lost a lot of weight: How do I get rid of the big bloke's skin that I'm still wearing?

No, not that kind, I mean literally.

Anyone here have experience of cruise holidays? It's something I've always wanted to do and would like to hear what people have to say about different companies... who has the best ships, goes to the best places etc.

Ooh, here's a thought: A Munch on the ocean wave. Imagine that, SH taking over an entire ship. Riot!

Hey v_b, ltns. How's thee?

I was hiding in the world of corporate tedium, but I'm out now. Long story short: Got ill, quit job, (retired at 51, yay!), moved to the country, got well, lovin, it!

The camera never lies... but it's often economical with the truth.

Ice_Pie

The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

No idea how many times I've seen the film. Seen it on stage at least twenty times in various places, and yes, I know the script verbatim. Sad huh?

Hey, how's you?

Oh blimey, my status says sex god. Did I write that?

If you remember me, drop me a line. And if you don't remember me, Hi, I'm Ice.

Quote by GnV
Come to think of it, having read the sub-titles in English, I can just see the old farts at BBC towers creaming themselves in their pants listening to that and realising what was being said! :grin: