Silversea Water Cooler: Welcome! Part Two

[UKCruiseJeff]

Sorry this is getting so heated. I am sad that the powers that be in Brussels are now going to make things as difficult as possible for us, as they fear 'encourager les autres', all the other countries who are equally concerned about what seems like it would be the United States of Europe in the not too distant.

 

On fact, although fairly ancient, I was thinking about the more distant future for the younger generation, rather than the next few years when our own lives are going to be worse off, probably. I see the present EU as a busted flush, which would be disintegrating anyway in due course.

 

I realise that Brexit only won because of the 'working class' Labour voters possibly rather one-sided attitude, essentially towards immigration from Europe, but I genuinely feel that in the long term we and the rest of the European countries most like us will be better off in every way if the EU as it stands disappears. I think Brexiteers did not say strongly enough that of course we want people from every country to be able to come here, if they are going to contribute to the life of the country, obviously including many Europeans, but we need to be able to decide who they are. As they do in Australia, for example.

 

Please let's be polite and tolerant to one another.

 

Lola

 

Good morning Lola, and I echo your call for niceness,

 

When my kids asked us why we were voting out I explained that I felt guily about being hoodwinked and trusting on my earlier vote to remain in a "common market" and felt a responsibility to put that right whilst I could.

 

I contextualised by explaining that a key argument in simple terms from the remainers was that remaining avoided wars. But more closely scrutinised, for the last 100 years the wars had all been started by Germany and that perhaps they should be asked more simply to control themselves and "not to do it again" rather than allow them to govern us by this default vote.

 

I also suggested that they show empathy for some of the others in Europe and how they might feel. For example, and this is just one of many, I suggested that they ask themselves what it might feel like to be an old Greek pensioner who had seen hundreds of thousands of their compatriots sacrifice their lives in order to resist the tyranny of Germany only to see themselves unexpectedly in that exact position. German esssentially now governs Greece. I am not saying for a moment that Greece is fault-free, but they were lulled into the situation they are in and it is politicians that do these things not old Greek pensioners.

 

Anyway, sadly all my reasons are selfish because they sacrifice people's short term rewards for what I see as the higher opaque principles of simply the world I genuinely believe is a better world for my kids and theirs. I have brought my kids up to value principles against selfishness and I don't see how I could have done otherwise without being hypocritical.

 

Jeff

[MrOscarH]

Good morning coolers ...... my first night's sleep for several nights. :)

 

I agree Les, that it does seem odd that the leavers who I see using media to express a view seem to find it a little to easy to be extremely rude to others they disagree with and also seem hazy or unclear about the specifics when challenged. Personally, if posters continue to simply indulge themseves in rudeness to others, then they essentially prove several things.

 

Firstly they clearly lack respect in others. Presumably they are posting in a way that they would not like to be treated by others and for those reasons, having been understanding and given them a free shot on the basis they are "upset" you shouldn't then further legitemise their posts with engagement any further unless they control themselves and show the courtesy to others they would like shown to them.

 

Secondly, if they choose to continue it proves that they have nothing better to say because if they did they would do so.

 

Finally, I appreciate enormously the privilege we have of posting what we think on the cooler without too much interference so long as we don't go overboard, and it is a privilege not a right, and risking that for the rest of us is self-indulgent and selfish to others. As an ancilliary issue I find it "odd" that someoen should use a first post simply to be rude, perhaps it is a poster with more than one identity.

 

Those with longer memories might recall I called the Scottish referendum to an accuracy of 0.1% on the old thread completely against all the commentators, and I had asked wifey whether I could put a substantial bet on brexit but was forbidden in case I put the mockers on the result. I always thought that commentary had under-estimated how quiet brexiters were being because they were only ever insulted when they expressed an opinion.

 

I doubt there wasn't a single person who voted for exit who wasn't mindful of the short to medium term effects this outcome might have and feared them. Their decision was a decision based on what they felt was a higher principle that possibly had short term costs to them and their families. It also seems to me that the remainers were prepared to sacrifice the same principles that concerned the brexiters because they felt that the short term was more important than the underlying principles.

 

I have asked TTS "What exactly most concerns you both about staying in the UK?" but I haven't seen a response other than to heap "shame" on us for our position.

 

I also ask that debate remains adult and courteous. Thanks in advance.

 

Jeff

 

I simply posted my opinion; I can't be responsible for the way it's received or pontificated about. I see no reason to modify it. The sensitivity's probably to be expected though. I'm simply an interested observer, thankfully, but I do hope the next generations don't carry too much resentment for what this one has inflicted on them.

[UKCruiseJeff]

The ramifications are already beginning. Moody's has cut the UK's rating to "negative". I had given the Brits more credit for intelligence than this, but clearly I was wrong (well, 48% knew what was best for the country. I feel sorry for them). The other 52% must have been swayed by fear/jingoism/their age profile and a simple lack of intelligence, unfortunately. No rational person could conclude that this was the right long-term path for the country.

 

I also feel sorry for the incoming leadership: they already face an electorate 48% of whom are upset from the result, and the other 52% soon will be when they realise their stupidity. There's no way for Cameron's replacement to win.

 

I simply posted my opinion; I can't be responsible for the way it's received or pontificated about. I see no reason to modify it. The sensitivity's probably to be expected though. I'm simply an interested observer, thankfully, but I do hope the next generations don't carry too much resentment for what this one has inflicted on them.

 

No one has suggested you be responsible for how your comment is received - simply how you post. Describing 17.4m as lacking in intelligence is something you chose to say wasn't it? Presumably you can be responsible for that?

 

Jeff

 

 

 

.

Edited June 25, 2016 by UKCruiseJeff

[specialcruisegirl]

The more l see the staunch 'remainers' continue to chuck teddies out of the prams the more I'm glad I voted out......as all they are demonstrating is poor loser syndrome.....and adding insult to injury with the insults.....I'm far from ashamed of voting out having actually chatted with younger members of my family before doing so....being of the 'older' generation has given most of us experience of life to see things a lot clearer than some of the younger generation...and I actually consider myself to be fairly intelligent....so would be inclined to place a Foxtrot before the Oscar........and yes l do feel insulted....shame on you for being such poor losers......as we ALL expected the vote would be to remain l doubt the losing ' leaves' would have reacted with such venom.

 

Time for some food pics Jeffers......

 

 

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[MrOscarH]

No one has suggested you be responsible for how your comment is received - simply how you post. Describing 17.4m as lacking in intelligence is something you chose to say wasn't it? Presumably you can be responsible for that?

 

Jeff.

 

Absolutely. That was me.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Hi Soapy,

 

Currently sitting in La Cucina, and we have what would look like and sound like a tropical storm if it had been anywhere other than Hampshire. The sound of the storm on the roof is deafening. The lights are flickering .... it is magical.

 

As a person that use to run a busness, and who happened also to "export" services, I use to talk to others running or thinking of starting and running a business to offer advice and encouragement. A factor amongst many to me was that our future and our children's future depends on people swallowing hard and starting new busnesses rather thanobsessing about corporations who simply move around the world at whim. Currently only 6% of our businesses export to the EU but the other 94% spend their time responding to almost daily rubbish from the EU that cripples them and dissaudes others from making that leap of faith in their own abilities.

 

Currently there are around 48,000 people employed in the EU. If you tell 48,000 people that their job is basically to think of laws to put into place then they will think of laws to put into place. Idle hands make devils work. The laws are created top down. A handful of people that no one has heard of scratch their heads at around 11 am each morning and say "what can we do today before we go to have a lovely free lunch?" And so new and helpful laws are made on all things.

 

In the UK we have survived for some time in having laws made bottom up ie democratically elected MPs forming governments who do their best respond to our needs. And if we don't like them then we tell them to "shove off".

 

At the moment, the EU employs twice as many Romanians than they do from the UK. Not many people know that.

 

:)

 

Jeff

[UKCruiseJeff]

If you bothered reading my post, you would have seen that I had no involvement in the vote. The intelligence of labelling me as a "remainer" is therefore pretty questionable. I feel insulted.

 

Trolling for attention are we?

 

Jeff

[specialcruisegirl]

All sounds great Jeffers....it's starting to storm up here too so hoping for a cold down....although furry babe hates it.....so what's on the La C menu today.....[emoji5]

 

 

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[UKCruiseJeff]

All sounds great Jeffers....it's starting to storm up here too so hoping for a cold down....although furry babe hates it.....so what's on the La C menu today.....[emoji5]

 

 

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This is going to sound terrible. But Nostalgia isn't what it use to be.

 

I use to have lunch in a pub in The City, and an elderly lady who worked on the food counter in the pub clearly felt a bit sorry for me and protective towards me. When I use to order the daily shepherds pie she use to ask "would you like a nice sausage on top of that to finish it off?" A refusal often offends. And I often think of her.

 

So today t is shepherds pie with sausages and OK sauce.

 

Jeff

[specialcruisegirl]

It doesn't sound terrible at all Jeffers...such lovely memories of how things used to be...today in fact is the fourth anniversary of losing DH......just seems like yesterday....onward and upward....[emoji5]

 

 

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[UKCruiseJeff]

It doesn't sound terrible at all Jeffers...such lovely memories of how things used to be...today in fact is the fourth anniversary of losing DH......just seems like yesterday....onward and upward....[emoji5]

 

 

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So so sorry to hear of today's memories. Life has a habit of being a bugger.. I'll raise a glass to you today. Keep yur pecker up.

 

Jeff

[specialcruisegirl]

Thanks Jeff.....[emoji5]

 

 

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[spinnaker2]

Thinking of you Sophia.

[mysty]

You're in my thoughts S!

[mysty]

Greetings Coolers!

 

Maybe a little levity as a change of pace? Here are a few humourous pictures to maybe make you smile.

 

From Wellington, New Zealand - 2014.

 

 

From Auckland, New Zealand - 2016

 

 

From Bay of Islands, New Zealand - 2016 (A Bird Shower?)

 

 

Enjoy your day/evening all!

[UKCruiseJeff]

May I just say in an old fashioned and soppy way that coolers are a nice bunch of people. And it is lovely to see fingers extended to Soapy on what is a potentially horrible day for her.

 

That is cool isn't it. :)

 

Jeff

[lincslady]

Hear, hear Jeff. Thinking of you too, Sophia.

 

Some things are much more important than all the nasty sniping bits - being here, and in reasonable health (not too well myself at present - hopefully not serious - but it reminds you that life and being well enough to cope with it are more important for ALL of us than anything else). We are lucky if we actually have reasonable health, enough to eat and drink, a bed to sleep in and clothes to wear, and all the rest is extras which are nice to have. I am just as inclined as anyone to forget, and gripe about not being able to get the suite I want on a cruise, for example, or getting my own way generally.

 

It is nice to have the frills, though, of rubbishy jokes, pictures of food, and random thoughts we get most of the time on here. Thanks, everyone. I would relish a few more one-liners, a la Tim Vine. Anyone got some? And Jeff or jp food pics.

 

Lola

[lincslady]

P.S. Is anyone also looking forward to the Ab Fab film? We adored it on TV, my fave of course was June Whitfield, though loved all of them.

 

Did you see it, across the pond?

[UKCruiseJeff]

Mysty,

 

Lovely to see your piccies of New Zealand ..... as we know a place just like Engalnd but with a bit less culture but more sheep to make up for it. I have always felt sorry for those poor people clinging on to the under side of the globe, thinking of what may have been if they had only been born in say Surrey.

 

I jest of course. Well, a bit anyway! :D

 

Lola, sorry to hear of things, I hope you are OK.

 

To cheer you up. As you know, me - I'm of the bloke persuasion and that means that I am a hypochondriac. Whenever I have the slightest twinge or something a bit different, I know it's serious and probably terminal. And with the usefulness of the interweb, my fears are always confirmed. I have all the symptoms exactly as described ..... and a few more, so it's always pretty serious with a grim outlook. I then normally ask wifey. "Have you ever had a strange feeling on the lower left ....

 

And then most of the time shortly afterwards I feel better, and I survive whatever it was.

 

Now when it happens, I reassure myself that everything else I ever thought was wrong with me didn't last for long so it's probably the same with this one.

 

Anyway, on the food front I haven't been taking piccies lately. Apart from last night when we had some sushi, I have cut out carbs almost completely to try and exercise a bit more control of my blossoming into a bigger person. It means I'm not eating bread. Or pizza. what is worst I really miss bread making. But when I discovered a slice of bread with nothing on it is 120 calories. Well. A sandwich is two slices, and then there's the butter and then the rest. I cannot give up wine. I can give up ... just about ... carbs and I am eating less.

 

Perhaps I will post some piccies of things I use to enjoy that made me a bigger man I now am.

 

Jeff

[Travelcat2]

This is going to sound terrible. But Nostalgia isn't what it use to be.

 

I use to have lunch in a pub in The City, and an elderly lady who worked on the food counter in the pub clearly felt a bit sorry for me and protective towards me. When I use to order the daily shepherds pie she use to ask "would you like a nice sausage on top of that to finish it off?" A refusal often offends. And I often think of her.

 

So today t is shepherds pie with sausages and OK sauce.

 

Jeff

 

Good morning Jeff (it is early Saturday where we live),

 

After reading this mornings news, I have one question...... apparently over 1M people have signed a petition for a revote on this issue. Is this likely to happen? I'm hoping not as this could send a precedent.

 

The news in the U.S. yesterday discussed concerns about trade with the U.K. because the GBP is lower against the USD. I'm not sure how legitimate that concern is. With the remaining EU countries being so difficult (and I believe this is temporary), the U.K will likely continue trade with the U.S. and other countries outside of the EU.

 

What I am waiting (and hoping) for now is for another major country to vote and ultimately leave the EU. This would take the perceived power away from the EU. Threatening the U.K. IMO is appalling. As has been said, if the vote had gone the other way, it would have been accepted much more gracefully and life would have gone on.

 

Again, these are just my views and are not meant to insult or hurt anyone.

 

Jackie

 

P.S. Thinking about your shepherds pie make me hungry -- we make it at home but suspect that yours is better. Kindly let me know what "OK" sauce is as this is something I have not heard of before. Thanks much!

[UKCruiseJeff]

Hi Jackie,

 

In fact I was factually incorrect. I always call it OK sauce but I meant we had HP sauce. A great British institution that I suspect is favoured more by brexiteers than remainers! :D

 

No there is no chance whatsoever that we will have a second referendum. All it goes to show, despite those that voted to leave being called unintelligent, that several hundred thousand poor delusional badly-losing remainers think that if enough of them get up a petition then we will all do it again, and presumably again and again until a result that they agree with is produced.

 

We are now going to leave but we have some political difficult manoeuvres to navigate because us plebeians have voted to do something that the majority of our MPs didn't wish us to do, and they now have to pass laws to do our will that they do not wish to pass. This is going to be very interesting.

 

The sad thing about all this, is that if the pompous EU twits had simply allowed David Cameron some wriggle room on EU immigration then none of this would probably have happened.

 

Jeff

[UKCruiseJeff]

..... ps ... Jackie ..... stop bleedin' apologising. :p

 

You can't help being American. We all understand! :):eek::D

 

Jeff

[Travelcat2]

Oh - HP sauce - we always have that at home! Thanks much!

 

If you have time, would love to see a picture of your shepherds pie:-)

[specialcruisegirl]

Thanks everyone for your kind thoughts....DD has just been in to see me and we are out for lunch tomorrow which will be lovely.

 

Great pics of New Zealand M...last time l was there was 1971 and l loved it...even though l got bitten by a naughty horse..[emoji15]

 

 

 

 

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[les37b]

Good morning Jeff (it is early Saturday where we live),

 

After reading this mornings news, I have one question...... apparently over 1M people have signed a petition for a revote on this issue. Is this likely to happen? I'm hoping not as this could send a precedent.

 

The news in the U.S. yesterday discussed concerns about trade with the U.K. because the GBP is lower against the USD. I'm not sure how legitimate that concern is. With the remaining EU countries being so difficult (and I believe this is temporary), the U.K will likely continue trade with the U.S. and other countries outside of the EU.

 

What I am waiting (and hoping) for now is for another major country to vote and ultimately leave the EU. This would take the perceived power away from the EU. Threatening the U.K. IMO is appalling. As has been said, if the vote had gone the other way, it would have been accepted much more gracefully and life would have gone on.

 

Again, these are just my views and are not meant to insult or hurt anyone.

 

Jackie

 

P.S. Thinking about your shepherds pie make me hungry -- we make it at home but suspect that yours is better. Kindly let me know what "OK" sauce is as this is something I have not heard of before. Thanks much!

 

A petition is actually quite pathetic IMHO.

 

The nation voted. The nation decided. It really woudnt matter if every person n Scotland voted In. On the basis of that argument, why should England and Wales be held back? There were lots of very dirty tactics going on to gain votes towards the end. Its pretty clear for example the late rush to register was from young people who really had no interest in politics until foreigners like the facebook owner, president Barrick Obama amongst others poked their nose in. Or the use of an MPs death to aid the campaign was pretty low in my opinion...... but despite all of that the leave voters would have accepted the outcome had it gone against, which i thought it was going to.

 

Im not sure why "labour" voters or older voters somehow not allowed a vote or right to a voice.

 

On the subject of the threats from the EU..... its precisely this sort of disgraceful behaviour that has cost them our membership. They are not elected representives and have no concept of democrisy. I fully expect other member states to call for referendums and win them.

 

Maybe we could have a common market and have good trade arrangements..... oh wait!

Edited June 25, 2016 by les37b