buctootim

This is what I'd wear to a job interview https://www.facebook.com/britainfirstgb/photos/a.347167375428530.1073741829.300455573433044/527056290772970/

I reckon we have have already seen the lowest level of defence spending. A number of states are starting to give defence a higher priority in light of the Russian situation.

Ive no idea how many is the 'right' number. I met Maria Damanaki the previous Fisheries commissioner on a number of occasions and her office staff consisted of 8 people. Your doc says the EC employs 45,000 people. The UK Civil Service employs 438,000 (2013) and the public sector as a whole 5.7m. So my point remains that whilst there may be instances of waste or overpaying in the EU, compared with the size and scale of national bureacracies its absolutely tiny. Attempts by domestic politicians to to discredit the EU by bashing it with that stick are bogus.

Okay got it now. tbh I don't see a particular problem with it. I guess the assumption is that because EU employees are on an administrative grade then everybody is an adminstrating bureaucrat. That isnt accurate. For example people on the AD7 grade are a translator; interpreter; economist; lawyer; medical officer; veterinary inspector; scientist; researcher; financial officer or auditor and earn on the scale £50,000-56,700pa. How much do you think it is reasonable for qualified experienced professionals to earn? http://s000.tinyupload.com/?file_id=52648744502885387595

Points to ponder: 1. Did he tell you that? 2. Was it true? 3. He's still here so does it matter?

My pc says it doesnt have a programme to open that kind of file, which is odd. What are the main points?

UKIP's plan to quit the EU would do little to curb immigration http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/immigration/11189366/Would-Ukips-plan-to-quit-the-EU-really-cut-immigration.html

Liverpool will improve once Sturridge comes back and Man U are gradually getting it together. Assuming luck with injuries and not too many cup games I can see us doing better Everton and Spurs though.

Pigs have four toes on each foot. I fear this is a misrepresentation of their physical attributes

I dont disagree with the referendum. My concern is just that we've had so many years of EU bashing for domestic politics purposes that it wont really be a balanced debate. re the salaries, Cameron reckons there were 4,000 staff earning over £80,000 pa in 2012. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financialcrisis/9620666/David-Cameron-threatens-to-veto-EU-budget-unless-Brussels-sacks-staff.html

Err they are two separate replies to two separate posters making two separate posts - hence the different points. Not tricky.

Im not sure what that link says as I cant open it, is there a part of the URL missing? Im not here to defend the EU salary levels or any waste that takes place there. My point is really that: 1) the EU is no worse for waste or high wages than any national government, including the UK 2) The EU has become an easy whipping boy for UK politicians who want to deflect attention away from their own failings / create a bandwagon. The reality is that it is a relatively small organisation which spends a comparitively small sum of money. By far most big public spending, high salaries and immigration to the UK is down to the UK government, not the EU.

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Okay if you think we're still talking about Leeds City Council that explains a lot. There are well over UK 50,000 public sector employees earning over £100,000 pa. By contrast David Cameron reckons there are 5,600 EU employees earning over 100,000 Euros pa - ie c£80,000pa. Bit of a difference wouldnt you say?

Really? 38,000 people on over £100,000 pa is world class more efficient than 9,000? Its fine to be anti EU, but do it on the basis of knowledge and facts. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-11382591 and that number was in 2010. Since then 16,000 GPs can be added to the list. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/nhs/10595090/GPs-pay-Number-of-doctors-earning-100000-has-quadrupled-report-shows.html

You can only get a meaningful comparison on salaries if you compare like for like jobs. The EU doesnt employ any bin men, street sweepers or parks attendants. They do employ a lot of skilled people with multiple languages co-ordinating 28 countries actions. No one is saying the EU structure is perfect, the point is that it was made that way in order to give national reviews and vetos over almost every action.

tbh I doubt you understand how the EU works. Thats no criticism of you, more than 90% of people in the UK dont - I'd survived 45 years without knowing until I had to learn for my current job. The EU isnt undemocratic, its just complex. Its complex because the member states designed it that way - every state wants a say in all aspects of the EU. Imagine trying to run any other members club that way. The EU is governed by a tripartite (three 'powers') system. 1. The European Commission. Every member country gets one commissioner who is nominated by the elected national government. The bigger the country the bigger portfolio you get. So Latvia for example gets 'Social Dialogue' whilst Britain gets responsibility for Financial Services and Capital markets across Europe. The Commission cannot pass laws, it can only propose them. 2. European Parliament. The Parliament is elected through votes in each country. It approves or rejects laws and budgets proposed by the commission and can refuse or sack under performing commissioners. It jointly shares the power to make decisions with the Council of Ministers 3. Council of Ministers. The Council of Ministers is a grouping of ministers from each country which provides the accountability to national parliaments. It must approve all EU laws and co-ordinates national policy and actions. The other misunderstanding is that the EU is some vast bureacracy. It isnt, across Europe it employs 33,000 people. By contrast 5,700,000 work in the public sector in the UK alone. The EU budget is 1.05% of Gross National Income - ie Westminster spends 98.95% of all taxes raised in UK.

Not sure about that. He's already 25 so not a young player trying to gain experience to force his way into the team. If Atlectico rated him they wouldnt have shipped him out on a full year loan. I can see lots of other PL teams being interested though.

Koeman said he'd like to sign him if the money is available. My guess is that he'll sign if the money is available.

Rodriguez hasnt recovered as hoped and Saints want to ditch him before everyone realises. Maybe.

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Not too many sides who have won through qualifying are going to be worse than a mid table Lg2 side on a losing streak.

Sums up Saints for half of last season

There is an interview with Reeva Steenkamp's mother on the BBc website which includes two pieces of information I didnt know previously - that Reeva had two phones in the toilet with her when she was shot and that her bags were packed. It definitely lends support to the idea that he shot her in temper. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-29777703

Didnt one or two of the players talk about the fact that with Koeman there was much more emphasis in pre-season of training with the ball and that during the previous pre-season with Pochettino the focus was all on fitness to be able to maintain the ('impossible' ) two hearts 90 minute pressing game?