Will the stock market crash (June 24 2016 Update)?

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Simple solution:  26+6=1.

I think it could happen.

[The Sultan]

I doubt we will see any sort of formal unificaiton in our lifetimes.  More that Northern Ireland will exist as a quasi-independent state with growing economic ties to Ireland because being a member of the EU makes sense.  I just hope that we don't see a repeat of the unnecceary violence of the past.

England is going to have to spend its time worrying about Scotland. 

[buckchuckler]

The country responsible for educating billions of people, bringing civilization to vast parts of the world, immense advances in medicine, and on and on....God Bless England

They sure have spread racial and ethnic problems.  And famine.  And disease.  And indentured servitude.  And slavery.  And use of concentration camps.  And stealing cultural heritage.  And theft.  And rape.  And murder.  If that's what you mean by civilization then yeah, they've done a lot. 

Their greatest contribution is that their oppression led the the revolution and the rise of democracy.  Their greatest contribution to civilization is oppression.

The history books bleed with the atrocities of the English.

[Jockey]

They sure have spread racial and ethnic problems.  And famine.  And disease.  And indentured servitude.  And slavery.  And use of concentration camps.  And stealing cultural heritage.  And theft.  And rape.  And murder.  If that's what you mean by civilization then yeah, they've done a lot. 

Their greatest contribution is that their oppression led the the revolution and the rise of democracy.  Their greatest contribution to civilization is oppression.

The history books bleed with the atrocities of the English.

Amen, Buck.

[The Sultan]

Their greatest contribution is that their oppression led the the revolution and the rise of democracy.  Their greatest contribution to civilization is oppression.

The American revolution replaced the English democracy of landowning, white males with the American democracy of landowning, white males.

[The Sultan]

They sure have spread racial and ethnic problems.  And famine.  And disease.  And indentured servitude.  And slavery.  And use of concentration camps.  And stealing cultural heritage.  And theft.  And rape.  And murder.  If that's what you mean by civilization then yeah, they've done a lot. 

And to this point, the English were usually better than their other European counterparts.  But that's not saying much.

[Hards Alumni]

They sure have spread racial and ethnic problems.  And famine.  And disease.  And indentured servitude.  And slavery.  And use of concentration camps.  And stealing cultural heritage.  And theft.  And rape.  And murder.  If that's what you mean by civilization then yeah, they've done a lot. 

Their greatest contribution is that their oppression led the the revolution and the rise of democracy.  Their greatest contribution to civilization is oppression.

The history books bleed with the atrocities of the English.

You're right, the English are to blame for it all.

[buckchuckler]

You're right, the English are to blame for it all.

They're not responsible for it all, and I didn't say they were.  But they are responsible for all those things, and more, in many places around the world. 

They have been oppressive in Wales and Scotland. In Ireland.  In Africa.  In India.  In Pakistan.  In China. In Tibet. In Australia.  In Oceania. In the Caribbean.  In North America.

Even when they are the good guys, fighting the Nazis, they are actively starving out millions of people in India.  Ghandi, and international symbol of peace and civil rights, was a villain to the Empire.

There aren't many others that can match their list of atrocities.  There aren't many others that could match the expanse of their empire.  Empires, though, are not typically built through peaceful and moral means.  There have been other tyrants.  Other evils.  Other empires.  Plenty of them.  All with blood on their hands, the US not excluded.  But few have been at it for so long, with such a record of success.  They have been oppressing and conquesting for nearly a thousand years.  And now, their atrocities are largely whitewashed in perception.  They are the good guys, spreading culture and education.  Right.

I didn't make this stuff up out of hand.  It is quite simply history.  Much of it written with pride by bloody English hands. 

[MU82]

Earl Grey is very good tea, though.

They also gave us Monty Python and Bond, James Bond.

[JWags85]

I didn't make this stuff up out of hand.  It is quite simply history.  Much of it written with pride by bloody English hands.

Im a true Anglophile. Love British TV, obsessive about soccer, fascinated by their history and elements of their culture, would move to London in a heartbeat given the chance...that being said, you're completely right.

Take the British Museum in London. Incredible museum, but as my buddy who lived near it for awhile once said "it's a display of the British going 'here's the cool stuff we took from places we forcibly invaded!"

I don't think their influence was all bad, and there is a charm to the hybrid culture of former British colonies, but there is no denying the brutality and oppressive nature of the Empire. Hell, the East India Company had an army more powerful than most countries and pretty much existed solely for the economic domination of the Crown

[Jockey]

Im a true Anglophile. Love British TV, obsessive about soccer, fascinated by their history and elements of their culture, would move to London in a heartbeat given the chance...that being said, you're completely right.

Wags, I, too, think their history is fascinating and try to absorb as much of it as possible.

I love British TV as well, but I think it is the drama shows that are far and away the best they have to offer. Their comedies, generally leave me asking, "Huh". Of course their is Fleabag and a couple others but that is about it.

Just wondering your opinion on British comedies vs. British drama shows..

[JWags85]

Wags, I, too, think their history is fascinating and try to absorb as much of it as possible.

I love British TV as well, but I think it is the drama shows that are far and away the best they have to offer. Their comedies, generally leave me asking, "Huh". Of course their is Fleabag and a couple others but that is about it.

Just wondering your opinion on British comedies vs. British drama shows..

I think there is a "British" humor you have to get.  It's a big drier and off kilter.  Like Mr Bean for example (but I think that's just comedic brilliance). There are some I love, but I've found that I can show them to my GF or others and they don't land. Like I loved Gavin and Stacy which my old English mama her recommended to me, but my friends were like  .  I've usually found ones I like by seeing comedians or comic actors I like in interviews or other shows, and working backwards.

I feel like the "newer" British comedies aren't as hard to grasp. Catastrophe, Bad Education, Fleabag all have that British comedic influence, but it's more easy to digest.  Man Like Mobeen is one of my newest favorites on Netflix. Very regional and British centric references and slang, but the premise and jokes are absolutely fantastic.

But I do agree, their dramas are incredible. I can't get enough. They do period pieces especially well. Also a big fan of some of the seasons being only 3-5 episodes long, but each episode is 1.5+ hours. Like they did with Sherlock or Luther

[Spotcheck Billy]

They're not responsible for it all, and I didn't say they were.  But they are responsible for all those things, and more, in many places around the world. 

They have been oppressive in Wales and Scotland. In Ireland.  In Africa.  In India.  In Pakistan.  In China. In Tibet. In Australia.  In Oceania. In the Caribbean.  In North America.

Even when they are the good guys, fighting the Nazis, they are actively starving out millions of people in India.  Ghandi, and international symbol of peace and civil rights, was a villain to the Empire.

There aren't many others that can match their list of atrocities.  There aren't many others that could match the expanse of their empire.  Empires, though, are not typically built through peaceful and moral means.  There have been other tyrants.  Other evils.  Other empires.  Plenty of them.  All with blood on their hands, the US not excluded.  But few have been at it for so long, with such a record of success.  They have been oppressing and conquesting for nearly a thousand years.  And now, their atrocities are largely whitewashed in perception.  They are the good guys, spreading culture and education.  Right.

I didn't make this stuff up out of hand.  It is quite simply history.  Much of it written with pride by bloody English hands. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-tPscKRaQY

[ZiggysFryBoy]

I doubt we will see any sort of formal unificaiton in our lifetimes.  More that Northern Ireland will exist as a quasi-independent state with growing economic ties to Ireland because being a member of the EU makes sense.  I just hope that we don't see a repeat of the unnecceary violence of the past.

England is going to have to spend its time worrying about Scotland.

The Catholics vs the Protestants has lost some of it's fire with the decline of religious participation in both N. Ireland and the Republic.   Plus disarmament by the IRA. And now Brexit.  A unified Ireland is closer than many think.

[Hards Alumni]

Im a true Anglophile. Love British TV, obsessive about soccer, fascinated by their history and elements of their culture, would move to London in a heartbeat given the chance...that being said, you're completely right.

Take the British Museum in London. Incredible museum, but as my buddy who lived near it for awhile once said "it's a display of the British going 'here's the cool stuff we took from places we forcibly invaded!"

I don't think their influence was all bad, and there is a charm to the hybrid culture of former British colonies, but there is no denying the brutality and oppressive nature of the Empire. Hell, the East India Company had an army more powerful than most countries and pretty much existed solely for the economic domination of the Crown

Boy, you should see the Louvre. 

[Benny B]

The Catholics vs the Protestants has lost some of it's fire with the decline of religious participation in both N. Ireland and the Republic.   Plus disarmament by the IRA. And now Brexit.  A unified Ireland is closer than many think.

This.  26+6 has been a dream for decades, but deep down, everyone knew it wasn't possible without significant bloodshed.  Until now.


It would be ulsterly amazing from an anthropological standpoint to see this happen; 20 years ago, a peaceful reunification of Ireland was about as likely as... well... a peaceful reunification of Ireland.  With more and more hardliners dying off (or at least relinquishing power/influence) every day, it could be just a few years away.  Perhaps even months... because - and Piper, please correct me if I'm off in my observations here - if there's one thing that the Republic and N Ireland agree upon, it's that they are absolutely not closing the border again.

[Galway Eagle]

This.  26+6 has been a dream for decades, but deep down, everyone knew it wasn't possible without significant bloodshed.  Until now.


It would be ulsterly amazing from an anthropological standpoint to see this happen; 20 years ago, a peaceful reunification of Ireland was about as likely as... well... a peaceful reunification of Ireland.  With more and more hardliners dying off (or at least relinquishing power/influence) every day, it could be just a few years away.  Perhaps even months... because - and Piper, please correct me if I'm off in my observations here - if there's one thing that the Republic and N Ireland agree upon, it's that they are absolutely not closing the border again.

The only people looking for a hard border are the DUP. A unification is possible as time goes on, but the tories usually need them to maintain a majority so they might not be excited to get rid of them, unless Johnson gets sick of dealing with that economic hole and decides to let them go. Id place a good amount of money we see independent Scotland before United ireland.

[The Sultan]

The Catholics vs the Protestants has lost some of it's fire with the decline of religious participation in both N. Ireland and the Republic.   Plus disarmament by the IRA. And now Brexit.  A unified Ireland is closer than many think.

This.  26+6 has been a dream for decades, but deep down, everyone knew it wasn't possible without significant bloodshed.  Until now.


It would be ulsterly amazing from an anthropological standpoint to see this happen; 20 years ago, a peaceful reunification of Ireland was about as likely as... well... a peaceful reunification of Ireland.  With more and more hardliners dying off (or at least relinquishing power/influence) every day, it could be just a few years away.  Perhaps even months... because - and Piper, please correct me if I'm off in my observations here - if there's one thing that the Republic and N Ireland agree upon, it's that they are absolutely not closing the border again.

Thank you both for this.

[Silkk the Shaka]

Absolutely. They're gonna need it.

Should have gone all in and adopted the Euro.

No way, the Euro is a disaster. Ticking time bomb. Gives Germany too much power over other countries for one, and being able to issue debt in a currency you print is pretty important.

[mu03eng]

English policy at one point in time was formally "Make the world England", that's about as oppressive a slogan as you can generate without formally saying something like "We coming for your technology, your women, and your wealth and what's more you're gonna like it"

Having said that, it's also of an age where human society was of the sophistication that might makes right.....I believe we've evolved as a society so we can both recognize the mistakes of the past while not dwelling on them to the point of crippling society. It's a delicate balance to be sure.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

English policy at one point in time was formally "Make the world England", that's about as oppressive a slogan as you can generate without formally saying something like "We coming for your technology, your women, and your wealth and what's more you're gonna like it"

Having said that, it's also of an age where human society was of the sophistication that might makes right.....I believe we've evolved as a society so we can both recognize the mistakes of the past while not dwelling on them to the point of crippling society. It's a delicate balance to be sure.

Reasonable.  What is an argument like that doing on Scoop?

[JWags85]

Boy, you should see the Louvre. 

I could be mistaken, but I believe they returned a lot of works post-Napoleon.  Then again, Ive spent most of my time on both my visits trying not to be trampled or outright shoved out of the way by obnoxious tourists.

That being said, the Louvre, still feels like a premiere art museum, regardless of the origin of pieces.  The British Museum, on the other hand, feels like a monument to conquest thinly disguised as a historical museum on anthropology.  I still prefer it to the Louvre though 

[The Sultan]

England fought two wars in support of the East India Company illegally smuggling opium into China.  And got a lease for Hong Kong out of the deal.

[Galway Eagle]

English policy at one point in time was formally "Make the world England", that's about as oppressive a slogan as you can generate without formally saying something like "We coming for your technology, your women, and your wealth and what's more you're gonna like it"

Having said that, it's also of an age where human society was of the sophistication that might makes right.....I believe we've evolved as a society so we can both recognize the mistakes of the past while not dwelling on them to the point of crippling society. It's a delicate balance to be sure.

I'd agree entirely regarding recognizing the past and not letting it cripple you. I love london, it's one of about 4 cities around the globe I could see myself living in permanently. though with England it's not long ago that they were actively oppressing the catholic vote and taking rights away from them, not to mention the orange order is still able to throw a big parade through the catholic neighborhoods in Derry and Belfast. So it seems odd that anyone (particularly a right leaning catholic) would want to say "god bless England". Then double down proclaiming they've pretty much only done good.

[mu03eng]

I'd agree entirely regarding recognizing the past and not letting it cripple you. I love london, it's one of about 4 cities around the globe I could see myself living in permanently. though with England it's not long ago that they were actively oppressing the catholic vote and taking rights away from them, not to mention the orange order is still able to throw a big parade through the catholic neighborhoods in Derry and Belfast. So it seems odd that anyone (particularly a right leaning catholic) would want to say "god bless England". Then double down proclaiming they've pretty much only done good.

Yeah, there is no doubt one of the issues creating the "crippling" is those who would stick their fingers in their ears and shout "lalalalalalalalalalalallalala" when someone points out past transgressions, especially those that are relatively contemporary. One of the key vestiges of the tribal era that I hope dies first/quick as we emerge into the post-tribal era is the "my side has done nothing wrong" mentality.