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[Trinity765]

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[slowsider]

The French are behaving like miffed adolescents in the playground. Oh dear.

They don’t like it up ‘em do they.

Apparently they’re now considering whether to pull out of NATO again. They want to do what’s right for France rather than be part of collective group of nations that might not be entirely in their favour - how ironic.

Except they proposed a European Army. Compare the number of US bases in Europe with the number of European bases in the US.

If the senior member of NATO is conniving with another member and excluding the rest, how useful is it to Europe now?

[Saga Lout]

Except they proposed a European Army. Compare the number of US bases in Europe with the number of European bases in the US.

What would be the point? What would (e.g.) a Frech Air Force base in (e.g.) Wyoming protect the world from?

[slowsider]

If the senior member of NATO is conniving with another member and excluding the rest, how useful is it to Europe now?

Swap the word NATO for Brexit.

As for EU bases in the USA, what's the point? It would be a waste of money.

Except they proposed a European Army. Compare the number of US bases in Europe with the number of European bases in the US.

What would be the point? What would (e.g.) a Frech Air Force base in (e.g.) Wyoming protect the world from?

You're both missing my point. The Europeans (UK included) have bases elsewhere which are not pointless or a waste of money. The US bases in Europe are not because there isn't a European army, its a way of preventing one.

[Mussels]

The French are probably upset the Yanks aren't more grateful for their independence.

[slowsider]

The French are probably upset the Yanks aren't more grateful for their independence.

Wait til they recall their statue

[Count Steer]

Most members of NATO see each other as allies. USA sees them all as customers.

'Whaddya mean bub, you've built your own in-flight refuelling tankers and fighters? What kind of goddam ally are you?'

[wheelnut]

.

America is in Europe because it's a good strategic staging post for the important places in the world, not because it wants to be in Europe.

That. The US has always seen the UK as a cheap aircraft carrier.

[JackyJoll]

Are diesel electric subs, even stylish French ones, much use for anything these days?

[Mussels]

Are diesel electric subs, even stylish French ones, much use for anything these days?

They are smaller than nuclear subs and quieter on batteries so still have their uses but can't spend 3 months submerged just off the coast of China.

[irie]

One wonders what the French think there is to gain by having a hissy fit and withdrawing its ambassadors to the US and OZ. The French presidential elections are in April 2022 so perhaps it's partly to do with domestic politics.

Either way, for strategic reasons alone to help to counter Chinese expansionism on its doorstep Australia won't change its mind over having US nuclear submarines. So sooner or later the ambassadors will return to the US and OZ and France will be publicly humiliated. Yep, that'll teach les Anglo-Saxons a lesson.

But as posted earlier, not the nefarious British.

https://www.dw.com/en/france-scorned-al ... a-59234866

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian explained to France 2 television Saturday why France had not also recalled its ambassador to the UK in biting remarks.

"With Britain, there is no need. We know their constant opportunism. So there is no need to bring our ambassador back to explain,"

"Britain in this whole thing is a bit like the third wheel,"

And now the EU's getting stuck in.

https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-char ... ies-aukus/

EU leaders accuse Biden of disloyalty to allies

Charles Michel says Trump was ‘clear’ about disliking Europe, Ursula von der Leyen says ‘business as usual’ can’t continue.

The EU wants to be seen as a major geo-political force but has no armed forces. France has the largest armed forces of EU countries, but many other EU countries do not trust France's increasing influence in Brussels. Impasse.

[irie]

If you ask me they're actually more pissed off about the UK being in the clique and them not, hence the snide comments.

There's a lot of money and follow on business involved and a large chunk of money that France hoped to make will instead go to the dégueulasse* British.

France is a major exporter of defence equipment with 8.2pc of the global market between 2016 and 2020, according to figures from Statistica.

That puts it in third place in the world, well ahead of Germany and China, and almost three times as significant as the UK, with a 3.3pc share. It has been growing strongly in the past few years, based mainly on sales of military helicopters, warships and submarines.

* disgusting

[Mussels]

I'm really not a fan of energy companies and their rip-off prices plus huge salaries and bonuses given to senior management.
This is bang on...

"...energy executives have breathed a huge sigh of relief, insisting it wasn’t their fault that they hadn’t prepared their businesses for the possibility of wholesale price rises.

Energy company board member Derek Walden Smythe told us, “We’ve done very little to protect ourselves from the vagaries of the wholesale energy markets, but then again, why would we? Why should we invest heavily in achieving energy independence when we know that any time the going gets tough the government will bail us out anyway?

“Honestly, this job is a piece of piss.”

https://newsthump.com/2021/09/20/im-gla ... al-credit/

Not quite sure I agree, they seem to have hit a perfect storm of the Russians playing a political game with gas and the cross channel electrical lines failing.
The Russians causing trouble should have been expected but a lack of redundancy in the electrical infrastructure is down to the government.

[Count Steer]

I'm really not a fan of energy companies and their rip-off prices plus huge salaries and bonuses given to senior management.
This is bang on...

"...energy executives have breathed a huge sigh of relief, insisting it wasn’t their fault that they hadn’t prepared their businesses for the possibility of wholesale price rises.

Energy company board member Derek Walden Smythe told us, “We’ve done very little to protect ourselves from the vagaries of the wholesale energy markets, but then again, why would we? Why should we invest heavily in achieving energy independence when we know that any time the going gets tough the government will bail us out anyway?

“Honestly, this job is a piece of piss.”

https://newsthump.com/2021/09/20/im-gla ... al-credit/

Not quite sure I agree, they seem to have hit a perfect storm of the Russians playing a political game with gas and the cross channel electrical lines failing.
The Russians causing trouble should have been expected but a lack of redundancy in the electrical infrastructure is down to the government.

There are 2 main issues.

1) The Balkanisation of the UK energy market created a lot of small companies that needed to grow quickly to reach a critical, sustainable size so they offered low prices either at low margin or at a loss. (When the markets first got liberalised there were even 1-man bands running Industrial and Commercial supply businesses out of their back bedroom!). These smaller companies weren't smart enough or big enough to buy forward ie buy future gas supplies at a negotiated price at a future date so they have to buy the gas on the spot market to meet their obligations to customers and, more importantly, probably to the gas network operator. Wholesale prices went up, in large part, due to increased demand so their losses became totally unsustainable as they hadn't predicted/hedged against it. They run out of cash/go bust. Government has to find a company to transfer the customers to to keep the whole mess afloat.

2) Governments introduced a price cap on standard variable tariffs so those companies can't raise prices for most contracts above that level to cut losses.

In summary. A bunch of small companies that should never have been allowed into the market by the regulator were because 'competition/choice saves customers money'. Meanwhile, the company that does know how to operate is forced to pick up the mess and is offered loans (not free money) to fix a system.

Wholesale energy prices go up and down, producers control supply, suppliers need to know how to operate in that market. Whether energy is a strategic infrastructure that shouldn't be at the mercy of HonestJoesGasCo is open for discussion.

Yrs C. Steer (available for consultancy assignments on design, introduction and operation of national energy* markets - at reasonable rates).
* and other utilities....and oil, at a pinch.

[gremlin]

See. Derivatives are a good thing....

As for the whole if the UK food industry relying on the waste CO2 of just two fertiliser manufacturers....

Fuck me, do these people not undertake periodic stress tests, scenario planning, business contingency planning?

[Mussels]

See. Derivatives are a good thing....

As for the whole if the UK food industry relying on the waste CO2 of just two fertiliser manufacturers....

Fuck me, do these people not undertake periodic stress tests, scenario planning, business contingency planning?

Derivatives are good but anyone who makes money out of them is the scum of the earth.

The CO2 thing is interesting, I doubt it's the critical issue some people make it out to be. If it's enough to make some companies fold and they haven't planned for it then it really is piss poor from them.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Remember, everyone should have at least 6 months savings in the bank and plan to spend less than they earn. Unless you're a big company - in which case you can live 6 inches from the wall!

I do laugh at the CO2 thing, ironic much? Someone needs to build a plant which sucks it out of the air.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I might surprise myself one day and become a socialist

Become?

Mate you're practically Tony Benn. Only less erudite and eloquent. You just haven't realised it yet.

[Count Steer]

See. Derivatives are a good thing....

As for the whole if the UK food industry relying on the waste CO2 of just two fertiliser manufacturers....

Fuck me, do these people not undertake periodic stress tests, scenario planning, business contingency planning?

Apparently, those dastardly Europeans maintain a 3 months stock of CO2, here at the cutting edge of all things commercial we have JIT.

(They were phasing out/have phased out large scale gas storage too although I have a sneaky feeling that there was a project in the pipeline to create some. Don't know how it's going. I'm a bit out of touch these days).

Oh, while I'm here another 'war story'. London Underground had (have still?) their own power station (Lots Road I think), When the market opened up LU moved their interruptible gas contract from BG to a new supplier. Interruptibles can be cut at a given notice periods if a supplier needs to balance their input/output to/from the network. The price per unit may depend on how short that notice period is. It could be 1hr. Interruption had never been an issue so, off they went to JoeBloggsGasCo, rubbing their hands in an industrial sized tub of Glee.

Do you remember when the underground suddenly stopped one evening - around rush hour I think?
Guess what? JBGC's gas trading was out of balance, so, obvs, rather than face the balance penalties from the network, they started phoning their short notice interruptibles customers....'You can't do that!' squeaked LU. 'Read your contract' say JBGC. A rather large section of the tube goes dark and quiet.

Meanwhile, not very far away at the darker reaches of the Kings Road, a team of dedicated young, smart, handsome people gave their dusty old contract gas billing and administration system a virtual pat on the head and off for a few beers.

[Mussels]

Derivatives are good...

Nope, they just allow people to take big risks on the strength of if the sea-saw goes one way they collect from the other side, but when the sea-saw breaks and there isn't enough money to go around everyone stands there surprised.

I'd stop it and go back to only being able to sell the corn that you have in your wheelbarrow.

You think nobody should have insurance then?