Monthly Archives: February 2018

Brexit, The Deal, and the EU’s Long Game #Brexit

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I’ll keep this to the point.

If the UK does not fully leave the Customs Union (CU), the Single Market (SM), and the European Court of Justice (ECJ), then the UK will not be able to take back control of our borders, our laws, and our trade deals. We’ll be a vassal of the EU. And in ten years’ time when Brexit has not worked out well due to our being hamstrung from the get-go, I fear that enough of the people will buy the hype that we will be sold: that we never should have left the EU.

I saw one person on Twitter deride Brexiteers saying that, ‘when Brexit fails, you guys will say what all the old communists said after the USSR failed: “but they didn’t do it right!”‘. There is a grain of truth in this, except this 140 character journalist got one thing wrong. Even though I oppose communism, the USSR didn’t actually do it right: Marx and Engels were clear that Communism would only work if the society evolved through and past capitalism, but would fail if a society “jumped” a social stage. Well, the USSR did indeed jump from agricultural straight into communism, by-passing capitalism. Likewise, if we are not free to pursue our own path 100% freely, whether that path be Corbynistic Commie Heaven, or a Singapore-on-the-Thames style tax haven, or anything in between, then Brexit will fail.

I think the EU supporters, within and without our nation, are playing the long game here. They know that the semblance of a true Brexit, coupled with things not working out as well as we would like, plus another 8 years or so of EU influence and propaganda, will soften up the pro-Brexit side to the point where, they reckon, we will be begging to rejoin the EU — on any terms. And that means joining the Euro. We’ll be nothing but a non-sovereign state, a Mississippi or an Idaho.

We cannot take our eye off the ball. And if our generally useless leaders succeed in giving us a true Brexit, then I foresee most hardcore remainers ten years from now, claiming, ‘Well, I was never really anti-Brexit; I always knew it was going to work out’. But we must make sure that we leave the CU, the SM, and the ECJ.

© 2017-2018 Bryan A. J. Parry

featured image from http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2016-10-05-1475670108-7560650-brexit1.jpg

Fatty Parry 32: Project Weight Loss 13-7: 1 January 2018 @ww_uk @weightwatchers

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check out my new health and life goals blog at http://www.diethealthlifegoals.wordpress.com

I’ve rebooted my strategy to getting into shape: see here for the outline. Basically, instead of setting myself weekly hard-and-fast goals, the idea is to set monthly non-binding goals. This means I won’t theoretically get downhearted when I have a wobbly week as I will be able to catch up the following week. I have set myself the goal of losing 7lb a month. I was therefore hoping to get down to 17st 7lb (245lb) by the end of January.

The only change to my routine for January was the lack of mince pies and sherry! And I ended up at 17st 9lb. A five pound loss is not bad. Instead of now saying I need to lose 9lbs by the end of February — the monthly 7lb + the 2lb I did not lose last month — I am simply resetting and saying I need to lose 7lb. This prevents a backlog of unfulfilled weight loss goals which I have found so discouraging.

Therefore, by the end of February, I hope to get down to 17st 2lb (240lb). My plan of action is the simple stuff: cut the wintery comfort snacks down.

© 2018 Bryan A. J. Parry

featured image from https://hansimann.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/sisyphus_by_o__v-d66ox90.png

 

How North Korean’s Regimes WILL Fall

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So, this article about recent* goings-on in North Korea has got me a thinking.

My cod assessment: the North Korean regimes will in fact fall in my lifetime. Why? As the article points out, all capable people are being replaced with toadies. Being chosen on their toady-ness means they are likely less capable. Less capable suck-ups are people who are less able and likely less willing to challenge the boss. This leads to a cycle of incompetence which ultimately leads to fall of the regime. This is has happened time and again throughout history.

So you heard it here first. North Korea, with its current ruling family, will fall in the twenty-first century, no doubt; probably by 2050 or so.

[UPDATE] I had this short post saved since February 2017; current events in Korea are making my “2050” look more like “20:50 Friday evening”.

[UPDATE 2] *This post is a year old and I just never posted it. Even though it is no longer topical. it probably will be again soon, knowing North Korea. And I hate to have drafts hanging about. So I’m posting it.

© 2017-2018 Bryan A. J. Parry

featured image from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Korea#/media/File:Flag_of_North_Korea.svg