[SystemSafety] Off Topic

[Peter Bernard Ladkin]

On 2016-06-25 09:14 , Ross Hannan - Sigma wrote:
> .... I rather suspect the rest of the European
> Union will not attempt to be as spiteful or disruptive as you imply in
> seeking to maintain a safe, secure and integrated airspace for Europe.

Interesting that you would categorise anything I wrote as related to exhibitions of spite or
disruption. How often are you out and about in continental Europe?

My local paper today has ten pages discussed the main points (from their perspective) about Brexit.
How many pages does your local paper have on it? (Do you have a local paper?)

The first page is about the events of yesterday in GB. The second page's main story has the headline
"London's credit is used up", with a picture of Schulz, Juncker and Tusk sitting in an office in
Brussels. (Characterise that how you will - I'm just reporting it.)

The third page is about the consequences of Brexit for Ostwestfalen-Lippe, with the opinions of
seven local mayors and a map of GB showing their UK partner towns (they all have at least one. Ours
are Rochdale, where my sister was born, Enniskillen in NI, where the G8 met three years ago, and
Concarneau in Brittany. There are regular exchanges. What's the name of your town's partner cities
in continental Europe?).

The fourth page is interviews with a bunch of Brits who live here. Sample headline "they have no
clue what they've just done". Notice the pronoun "they", coming from a Brit named Chris Martin (no,
not that one).

The fifth page is interviews with local politicians, including Elmar Brok who chairs the European
Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee. (Seen him a couple times at the train station. Saw the
German Defence Minister last month on my train. I thought "gee, von der Leyen standing around in
public with only one bodyguard?" I didn't see the others until one firmly asked me to step aside so
they could all get in the carriage together and then they melted away again except for one. It's
impressive.)

Sixth is a page about the stock exchanges.

Seventh a page with comments from 12 local business chiefs, including ones people here will know of:
 Bertelsmann (largest English-language publisher in the world), Miele, Oetker, Melitta, Phoenix
Contact. (Quiz for Derek: what does this have to do with system safety?)

The eighth page debates the wisdom of referenda.

Ninth is various consequences for football, art and so on.

The last page relates what it's like being in Britain at the moment (including, at bottom, the
weather), with the headline "Depression and Awakening on the Island" and a picture of someone
reading the Evening Standard on the tube.

That's the entire first section. The rest of the paper is cats up trees, cars around lampposts,
birds, bees, kids' choirs, street parties and local sports teams.

I'm curious - has any British paper apart from The Economist done ten pages about Berlin, say, or
Paris, or indeed "what it's like" concerning Brexit anywhere in continental Europe? I always found
it informative to be able to gaze at more navels than one's own.

PBL

Prof. Peter Bernard Ladkin, Bielefeld, Germany
MoreInCommon
Je suis Charlie
Tel+msg +49 (0)521 880 7319  www.rvs-bi.de





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