Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Uncle Joe]

just got this sent to me by a friend...how true is it?

Being British is....... driving a German car to an Irish pub for a Belgian beer, then on the way home grabbing an Indian curry or a Turkish kebab. To sit on a Swedish sofa and watch American shows on a Japanese TV - and most of all being suspicious of anything foreign.

Oh, and only in Britain can you get a pizza to your home faster than an ambulance. Only in Britain do banks leave both doors open and chain pens to the counter. Also, supermarkets make sick people walk to the back of the shop for prescriptions whilst healthy people get their fags at the front of the shop.

We might be British but my God we're funny!

[ukdave2002]

Hi UJ , I realise you post is a bit tongue in cheek, but it does illustrate a real concern of mine;

Our manufacturing industry has been shrinking for years as has our food production, so we are reliant on services in areas like the financial and professional sectors to underpin our economy, on which of course other jobs and professions are dependent.

For the first time there are now more graduates in China & India than we have as a total population, so how long will it be before we loose the services on which our economy is so dependent? I hope someone who has a better understanding of economics than me has a more rosy response!

[47p2]

[Uncle Joe]

As UK says, this posting is meant to be tongue in cheek, but it does illustrate just how our manufacturing industry has declined.

I was reading a report the other day that Ford (USA) is moving production out of America, with management blaming the american worker for causing them to lose so much money. Toyota (I think) is moving production into America, in the process making more profits. Doesnt this sound similar to what the british car manufacturing mangement was saying in the 70's...we cant make money because of the demands of the british worker?

[buzzy bee]

I fancy New Zealand! hehe

Get a farm, so when the country crashes, the one thing everyone will need is food.

I do agree too, the country has gone down hill since the 1900's!

[Penman]

hi

[buzzy bee]

Hi

Just had a thought, another bonus of a farm; lots of space for automobiles! hehe

Cheers

Dave

[ukdave2002]

[Old-Nail]

I have been studying this for a while, Ukdave I'm afraid there is no rosier prognosis for the country often named the 'Sick man' of Europe.

China and India have emergent economies based on vast population numbers and land mass, the Muslim countries have control of oil and are also prolific child-bearers.
In western nations, Britain in particular the birth rate is declining, (except for immigrants which is booming) of those children that we do have a large percentage are leaving school uneducated, undisciplined, or both. Sooner or later the UK will have to import even more immigrant workers to do the jobs requiring educated people, putting more indigenous folk out of work until social unrest becomes a real problem.

There is currently a policy of positive discrimination when applying for certain jobs in the name of 'diversity' and equal opportunity, don't think however, that when the boot is on the other foot you or I will be afforded such generosity.
Economy wise, as China and India's population begin to explore what they can do with their new found wealth they will demand consumer goods in an effort to mimic the west, but whereas we used to source cheap goods often denoted by the label 'made in Hong Kong' they have sufficient population to make their own goods entirely.

The future for Britain on it's current course as I see it is that not only will it become a stagnant, uncompetitive economy, it's institutions and business interests will be sold off to foreign investors, and it's people will become cheap labour for the emerging 'super' economies...if they're lucky!

[Scotty]

[pigtin]

I worked in Singapore for a short while nearly 30 years ago and ,if my memory serves me correctly, many companies were owned and administered by Chinese and much of the hard work was done by people from the Indian sub-continent. I believe the the rules stated that all such companies should employ at least one indigenious Maylasian.
I met a couple of these 'token' employees, they seemed well paid, did little work but sat about and smiled a lot.
Can I see this as a suitable position for any remaining Brits' in the not too distant future?
It would be an interesting reversal of the present 'tokenist' system.

[Old-Nail]

I think the British version of the 'Token' plum job would always be filled by a person named 'Giles' or 'Findlay', the Tommies and Billy's being the ones waiting on tables hoping to get a good tip from the fat Chinaman on table 7.
I read recently that Venice is a dying city, after 1600 years of surviving invasion by everyone from Attilla the Hun to Napoleon, it now has the oldest population in Europe.
Tourism has replaced any industry or trade it once had, and the young have left for better pay than that offered in the service industry.... "hmmm... Dooomed I tell ye....Dooomed it is!"

[pigtin]

To digress from whatever this thread started out as: Car adverts! is it me... or are they becoming even more irritating? I seldom watch tv and when I do the mute button is used for the commercial breaks, yet, even without sound they seem aimed at retarded ten-year-olds and this seems pointless, as they aren't even allowed to drive.
Perhaps it would be better if they had some British cars to advertise... but we only have ourselves to blame for that.

[Old-Nail]

And on the subject of TV ads in general, am i being paranoid or does the TV volume increase slightly when the adverts come on?
Time and again I've been watching something on TV only to notice how loud the volume was for the ads, I turn it down and when the film resumes I can't hear it!
Just check it out for yourself, I'm sure they do increase the volume for ads, if not then I'm starting a conspiracy theory!

[Greeney in France]

I think you are right, partly, I have worked with commercial psychologist who work with advertising agencies and although they dont actually turn it up per se there are certain tones, keys or chords that vibrate on a similar level as human vibrations so would "attract attention" This aside not forgetting most TV programs on TV are old re-runs and adverts are generally new thus the improvement in clarity
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