The Idiot King's take on the French riots

[Sister Sara]

We are already at war with Russia in that they are attacking our infrastructure and the foundations of our democracy.

I don't necessarily disagree with that. Although I thought the 45 minutes for chemical attack by Saddam was quite alarmist. In the end it turned out to be fake news.

The current conflict with Russia is obviously not fake news. Not to say it isn't being manipulated. The French have accused the Iranians of the cyber-fridge attack in France. That makes no sense to me. France, who refused to allow US warplanes to attack Iran has its fridges attacked by Iran??

You would think the Iranians would have better things to be getting on with at the moment.

Handala breaches Israeli military’s media intelligence hub, leaks thousands of files

So it's hard to believe the news unless it can be verified. Headlines of "its too early to attribute blame for the hoax attacks", but wink-wink it was Russia, is no help to anyone. It's the equivalent of spreading misinformation.

And that causes division. In some quarters the foundations of our democracy are under attack, in other quarters the EU is coming closer together and apart from a few high level difficulties things are getting better.

Who to believe?

 

[Duke of Marmalade]

The region is holding its breath for a mild winter - Bloomberg

I read somewhere that in general we are seeing the earth getting warmer, something to do with greenhouse gases or whatever.
So it would seem to be running an unnecessary risk to be holding our breath for a mild winter.

 

[JoeRoberts]

read somewhere that in general we are seeing the earth getting warmer, something to do with greenhouse gases or whatever.

Yes. So we will need less fossil fuels for heating. This must be the circular economy we hear about.

 

[Purple]

Speaking of staying switched on

Higher energy prices push inflation to 4.3% in October - CSO

Home heating oil prices were up 74.4% in the year to October.

Diesel prices rose 27.9% and petrol was up 16%.

Electricity prices increased 6.7% and gas rose 6.3%.

Airfares were up 16% while postal and courier services rose 12%.


Get the blankets ready

So all the senior Civil Servants who get the DART and Green Line LUAS to work and the Public Sector plebs who get the Red Line LUAS to work are mostly unaffected.

So we will need less fossil fuels for heating.

Cooling uses way more energy.

 

[Leo]

I think you are making too much of the 'quagmire' comment. Really, it is just a reference to a difficult sticky situation that is emerging in Europe.

Perhaps you should better state your point then, that is a very different proposition to 'Europe is sinking in its own quagmire.'

 

[Firefly]

I think you are making too much of the 'quagmire' comment. Really, it is just a reference to a difficult sticky situation that is emerging in Europe.

Time and again you have been critical of the EU. Remind us all of somewhere else, where the average man on the street has a better deal???

 

[Purple]

Time and again you have been critical of the EU. Remind us all of somewhere else, where the average man on the street has a better deal???

I consider the EU to be the freest and safest place in the world. The EU is on the side of the citizen. I am very glad that my children live within the EU.

 

[Firefly]

I consider the EU to be the freest and safest place in the world. The EU is on the side of the citizen. I am very glad that my children live within the EU.

100%

 

[Sister Sara]

Time and again you have been critical of the EU. Remind us all of somewhere else, where the average man on the street has a better deal???

You are conflating criticism of the EU as anti-EU? That’s silly. Time and time again you are critical of Irish government does not make you anti-Ireland.

From my perspective, from what I read about in the European media, Europe is prospectively facing an energy crisis beyond the high prices that exist today. Have you not heard about this?

The EU in 2022, laudably, committed to phasing out Russian gas imports following the invasion of Ukraine and in consideration of its climate change obligations. In December 2025, after Nord Stream was destroyed, after Germany turned off its nuclear power plants, the EU made a binding declaration to phase out all Russian gas imports by 30 September 2027 – less than a year away.

In the meantime, US and Israel have attacked Iran and fuel costs are affecting transport costs, driving inflation.

11 EU countries have committed to releasing emergency supplies of diesel. This as I understand is a tactic to to try avert a looming energy crisis.

Your government, along with many other European governments are issuing warnings to civilian populations to keep extra supplies in the event of energy shortages and/or blackouts.

We are not talking about a shortage of cheap Chinese Christmas toys, we are talking about serious disruption and inflationary effect on in the Irish and EU economy, or at least that is my interpretation of events on-going. I may be over-egging the potential disruption, but open criticism of authority is the essence of a free society. Attempting to stifle debate and discussion is the essence of increasing authoritarianism.

If you think it's unreasonable to criticise the management of Europes energy supplies that may lead us to further crisis that is your perogative.

Lets hope an energy crisis of even higher prices, shortages and blackouts does not emerge. Should it emerge for any considerably sustained period of time, and given Europes history over the last century alone, then your question may actually have an answer, regrettably.

 

[Sister Sara]

I consider the EU to be the freest and safest place in the world. The EU is on the side of the citizen. I am very glad that my children live within the EU.

Absolutely!

Unless that citizen is of course a UN Rapporteur for Palestine with diplomatic immunities, Francesa Albanese.

An Italian citizen who cannot use the banking system in her home country of Italy, let alone the rest of Europe because a foreign nation with lunatics at the helm deem her threat. The EU has been appalling in acting on the side of this Italian citizen. It has taken a US court to stand up for her rights.

 

[Firefly]

You are conflating criticism of the EU as anti-EU? That’s silly.

Where did I say you were anti-EU?

Can you pls answer this direct question:
Remind us all of somewhere else, where the average man on the street has a better deal???

 

[Sister Sara]

Where did I say you were anti-EU?

It was a reasonable inference from your comment and question. So I asked the question. I take it from your response you acknowledge I'm not anti-EU (albeit you haven't actually said it)

Can you pls answer this direct question:
Remind us all of somewhere else, where the average man on the street has a better deal???

Nowhere outside the EU. Why?

 

[Firefly]

It was a reasonable inference from your comment and question. So I asked the question. I take it from your response you acknowledge I'm not anti-EU (albeit you haven't actually said it)

I don't know whether you are anti-EU or not, but I certainly didn't say you were. Now that's being silly.

Nowhere outside the EU. Why?

I'm just curious as to why you are constantly so critical of the EU, when as you agree, there is nowhere else the average man on the street has a better deal.

 

[Protocol]

Are these riots due to facilities in second-level schools?

Or due to increases in the cost of living?

 

[Sister Sara]

I'm just curious as to why you are constantly so critical of the EU, when as you agree, there is nowhere else the average man on the street has a better deal.

I'm not constantly so critical of EU?!?!? The EU is a massive institution of people, nation states, businesses, cultural organisations, legal organisations, media, etc....Criticising the EU on its management of European energy supplies is something that is widely recognised throughout the EU, by pro- EU organisations.

Here is a pro-EU organistion, the Atlantic Council, criticising the EU on its policy What von der Leyen’s SOTU speech got right about energy—and where the EU still needs to pivot

"Europe is addicted to setting ambitious targets rather than delivering them." I'm starting to agree. How about you?

"Europe will not bring down energy prices through declarations alone. It needs a policy shift, then investment, cross-border interconnections, faster decisions, and a fair distribution of transition costs. This is how energy security can become a project that unites Europe rather than another source of division".

They recognise that energy supplies may be a source of division within the EU if policy remains as it is.

EU trade sanctions on Russia: auditors call for uniform implementation

"The auditors take a critical view of ambiguity in the EU’s legal provisions, which they see as creating operational challenges for customs authorities. Customs legislation and sanctions rules sometimes use different terminology, making enforcement on the ground more difficult. Moreover, the wording of sanctions measures is sometimes vague, thus opening the door to differing interpretations by member states as regards exemptions. This creates opportunities for ‘forum shopping’, with businesses deliberately choosing member states where controls are less stringent, thereby paving the way for circumvention. The auditors note that a flexible approach to designing sanctions can make it easier for member states to agree to them, but the trade-off is clear: such an approach can lead to uneven implementation and increase the risk of loopholes being exploited across borders."

[in bold] would alumina from Limerick fall into that category I wonder? I know the government has kicked the issue to touch to the EU Commission, I haven't heard any updates on it.