Meanwhile in Brussels... EU budget talks end WITHOUT an agreement as Austria, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden REFUSE to pay more to plug the 75bn euro hole left by Brexit and increase spending on climate change

Daily Mail (UK) ^ | 05:00 EST, 22 February 2020 | Jemma Carr

[Cronos]

Nearly all are also members of NATO. If they want to keep membership, they need to meet the 2% limit.

If not, then move American troops out of Germany and the UK etc. and into Poland.

Right now Germany, France, etc. don’t worry about Russia (the purpose of NATO) - they see that as Poland’s issue.

[Cronos]

But to the point - this is the EU budget, not the budget of individual countries. The EU doesn't have a defense budget as the EU is a confederation -- individual countries have the defense budgets

The EU's budget spending is about increasing trade and other common standards across the confederation

[Cronos]

Note -- this is GBP 62 billion across 7 years (the EU budget is for 7 years time period) - meaning approximately 9 billion per year.

The UK spending GBP 842 billion per year - and runs a GBP 30 billion deficit (2018 numbers).

So the british government has 3 options:

1. Reduce the deficit by GBP 9 billion per year to a deficit of GBP 21 billion
2. Give everyone of the 68 million Brits a share of this - it works out to GBP 132 per year
3. Spend more to absorb the GBP 9 b they get

As gubmint loves to spend, I'm going to guess they go with option 3

[Cronos]

If Greta wants to save the world she should start at home

1. Not use toilet paper or paper towels or tissues — she can use hand-held bidets, cloth towels and cloth handkerchiefs

2. Not eat any non-Swedish grown fruit or vegetables

3. Use only wool products made in Sweden - no cotton etc.

[Cronos]

the idea of efficiency is ingrained into German mentality since the 1700s - thanks to Lutheranism and Calvinism. It’s not so apparent in southern, Catholic Germany, but in the north that’s what they define themselves by.

I don’t think it’s particularly true in my own opinion. Frankfurt airport and Berlin airport are horribly inefficient to get around.

[cartan]

Angela can’t—Germany won’t allow her.

From your mouth to God’s ear ;-)

What will happen is that

1. The budget will be cut

Good. They are spending money like crazy in Brussels from what I hear…

[cartan]

The funny thing is, if the EU gave up the fantasy part of their budget, Global Warming, they would have no problems making ends meet. The Red Chinese founder of a company I interviewed with told me, (approximately) “The Germans are insane. They will buy anything you label as green.” I’d say that about sums it up. The whole Green movement is just another shade of crazy.

Indeed. Well put!