Ninja - Comments

#335638 EU Referendum
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
Its going to be a long, long night. Actually weird being this nervous about politics ha, the pound took a massive hammering as soon as the Sunderland result was announced.


Down 7 cent against the dollar in 5 minutes.

Yet people think we'll have more money to spend when we Leave. Laughable.
#335566 EU Referendum
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
Leads down a very dark road that.


I think I agree with him. The UK general public is not informed enough to make a decision on the EU. We don't know enough (as strongly as I will argue for the EU) we can't make a rational decision on it with certainty and even if Remain wins it will probably be for the wrong reason.

The UK is a representative democracy, and the reason for that is because we accept that we can't be informed of enough of the decisions to make any objective judgment. If you argue that we should have a referendum on the EU, then why shouldn't we have one on the budget, why don't we have one on CTC cuts etc...?

As much as we all, rightly, dislike politicians. The principe of our democratic system is you vote for someone to represent you and to make decisions on your behalf. It's their job to be informed of the facts and to make decisions.

The problem with this referendum is the basic principle of a representative democracy has been thrown under the bus. Effectively the politicians have turned around and said 'we don't know, work it out for yourselves'. It's a shirking of responsibility that shouldn't happen. YouGov polling has shown that people inclined to Brexit don't believe what experts tell them, they don't believe what academics tell them, business leaders, politicians, anyone. It's hardly the best environment in which the country can make the best decision.

http://d25d2506sfb94s.cloudfront.net/cumulus_uploads/document/x4iynd1mn7/TodayResults_160614_EUReferendum_W.pdf (Raw data for that claim about trust, there was a better graphic elsewhere but I can't find it)
#335546 EU Referendum
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
Isn't the £350m insignificant when you take into account the rebate, jobs, and the overall money that the EU brings the UK? Or at least that was what I thought the counter to that argument was.


Yes.

I'm under the assumption that Shola knows that and is trolling though.

Not only is the £350m a complete nonsense (its the gross figure not including our rebate which brings the figure down to ~£190m ish) but theres also a variety of other reasons why its utter bullshit in order:

1. The value of the EU to our economy vastly outweighs the cost. Even ignoring most sensible economic arguments the value of inward investment from EU countries to the UK is about £50bn a year. That utterly dwarfs the cost of membership (and theres good reason to believe that £50bn vastly underestimates the influence the EU has).
2. If we vote to Leave the pound will take an utter battering, institutions that use London as a anglophone point of entry into the EU will leave (why would they stay?) and people will lose their jobs. Perhaps we could ride it out and come out the other side, but when Leave have offered literally no argument whatsoever for why on earth we would want to do that then, well, why on earth would we want to do that?
3. Leave's argument has been that we'd sign a trade deal with the EU to access the single market. To do that we'd have to pay a fee (Norway pays £245m a year gross although I'm not sure if the receive a rebate) so to do that we'd end up paying more, or at the very least not saving much, for less. We'd be beholden to the EU's rules (especially the 'nonsense' ones like bendy bananas that literally don't exist), and more than likely have to except freedom of movement as a condition - at the very least, both Switzerland and Norway were forced to accept that.

I know Remain gets branded as 'scaremongers' because Leave can't engage with their concerns, but they're right. The prospect of waking up tomorrow out of the EU is fucking terrifying.
#335515 EU Referendum
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
C'mon mate that was bad - are you really suggesting that the UK isn't a democracy?

Also in fairness the monarchy is elected, we generally kick out Monarchs we don't like. Everyone knows that the Queen won't die until after Charles as quite frankly it is the will of the Great British public.


I think the Lords Spiritual in the House of Lords say the Lords prayer in her honour 36 times a day in order to ward off the evil spirits that would see Charles replace Lizzy.
#335512 EU Referendum
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
I am. I hate spending £350m a week on banana bending bureaucrats when that money could be spend on something useful like the NHS or Trident.


Thats far enough I can see why you would like to vote for democracy and protecting our unelected monarch that the EU wish to abolish.
#335503 EU Referendum
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
Is anyone on here tempted to vote Leave? I'm a bit tipsy, have nothing to do for a bit and would very, very much like to persuade you not to.
#335324 Euro 2016 tournament thread
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
So thats France, Spain, Germany and Italy all in our half of the draw now, right?

Thanks Roy.
#335244 Euro 2016 tournament thread
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
Henderson was crap, Wilshere was crapper and Rooney has been England's best midfielder (christ we're shite).
#335222 Euro 2016 tournament thread
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
Hodgson being proper sour but I agree with him.


Whats he said?

If its anything other than: 'We fucked up any easy group against 3 teams who attacked us for a grand total of 32 seconds in 3 games not helped by my bat shit insane decision to rest players because apparently 6 days rest isn't enough' then he's talking out of his arse.
#335136 The General Games Discussion Thread.
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
Nah both the old raids and weapons are still at Y1 level. Makes running Crota's End a piece of piss if you still need the Flawless Raider achievement. Only the one Y2 raid so far but there's one coming with the new expansion. I get everyones problems with the game and agree with most of them but I can't help but love it.


I gave up on it for two reasons:

1) Eduroam internet won't let me play it
2) Bungie's monetisation strategy is an absolute bag of donkey dicks and I don't want to give them anymore of my cash.

Enjoyed it for what it was though and the Raid's were good fun with a decent team.
#334714 Euro 2016 tournament thread
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
Atleast thats over after about 30 seconds, you have to put up with people pretending they know what they're talking about for 105 odd minutes


My experience on this is probably skewed.

I watched the Germany game in a German enclave in Scotland (who knew that existed) with a bunch of German somethings (I don't even know what the right word is, we'd call them toffs, rich upper class red-trouser brigade type people) who aggressively shouted at the whole pub to 'Sing, you arseholes' and then when the screen showed Boateng not singing shouted 'Sing, you nigger' and continued to make similarly racist and nationalistic remarks throughout the game. I doubt they would have done it in Germany, they just assumed that no one could understand what they were saying apart from their own group.

Man if only Poland had scored, I'd have probably been the only English person dumb enough to celebrate a teams goal and get myself beaten up in a game I didn't care about.
#334682 Euro 2016 tournament thread
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
Got to have a rant here. Is there anything worse than the people who never really watch football suddenly talking like they know everything as soon as a international tournament starts, was in the pub earlier and my brother was talking utter bollocks most of the night about the England game (which he didn't watch)


Yes:

People who sing along to the national anthem in the pub.
#334348 Euro 2016 tournament thread
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
So Russia are shit and it was really, really bad we didn't beat them.
#334321 The Night Thread Mk. IX
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
If you'd decided to get stuck in London next week I'd be around and will have time to kill. Can promise you I've never, to the best of my knowledge, been drugged and gang raped or sold into slavery, so I've got good form there.

In the meantime if you fancy a trip up to Scotland I'm game.
#334299 Transfer Rumours 2016/17
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
Being linked to the rubbish Armenian dude who misses sitters for fun. With his agent name dropping us

Really hope we sign a better calibre of player than that, but Arsenal fans seem to want him so I guess its funny enough from that perspective.
#333897 Euro 2016 tournament thread
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
Thinking about it, a lot of the attacking players for England are through the middle, and only Sterling - whose form has fallen off a cliff - is a natural wideman. So someone has to be shoehorned into that role. I thought Lallana was the obvious option, and he wasn't terrible, but his finishing was. Milner is too defensive now, Rooney, Vardy, Sturridge and Alli all look more comfortable in the middle, and Henderson and Wilshere feels like an experiment too far.

I don't know what the obvious fix is, really. Ordinarily I'd say its changing the formation, but the players look better suited to something like a 4-3-3.


It's not really an excuse when we had a winger in the squad (regardless of what you think of Townsend) and didn't take him so we could take 4 players to play in one position. In hindsight the Welbeck injury's fucked us a bit, but I'd rather see Vardy or Sturridge play out wide (even if they're better centrally) than rely on Kane as literally our only goal threat again - especially if he's as poor as he was last night again.

On the whole it was a remotely encouraging performance, but judging based on the Wales game earlier Russia are the weakest side in the group, I think those missed chances are going to really cost us.
#333887 Euro 2016 tournament thread
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
He wasn't though? Russia played so deep that hardly anyone offered anything going forward, Rose and Walker were probably our best players. Lallana did a lot of dirty chasing and pressing work but should have come off at the end as he was tiring. We needed to do a lot more quick 1-2's etc as we was just trying to Man United our way in and Russia were happy to sit there.

Not the worst game though, although Sterling should just get sent home and not played again. Baffling why Roy didn't put Vardy or Sturridge on at 1-0.


Actually, yeah, you're right. Lallana missed 2, maybe 3, chances that we can't afford players to be missing. So I guess he wasn't completely pointless.

My biggest problem with Lallana isn't actually with Lallana though, its with Roy. If we're going to play 4-3-3 (which I actually much prefer as a system than the diamond) then why the fuck have we only taken 1 winger (a shite one at that) and are forced to play Lallana out wide? Admittedly the cupboard is bare, but still.
#333848 Euro 2016 tournament thread
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341


I said he was pointless, not bad. Admittedly, calling Lallana pointless is a little like saying water is wet. But I didn't select him.
#333827 Euro 2016 tournament thread
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
Adam Lallana is about the most pointless footballer we've had. Second possibly only to Raheem Sterling. Kane was shite, Rooney was actually passable for once. And it was obvious we'd concede as soon as we wasted all those chances. Surely Vardy and even Sturridge have to come in next game.
#333773 Euro 2016 tournament thread
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
England's team ffs
#333744 Euro 2016 tournament thread
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
Pen and a red that.
#333612 Euro 2016 tournament thread
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
Ah fair enough. I saw it on the Independent. Who are still claiming he was sent home =\.


English papers 'journalism' for you.
#333608 Euro 2016 tournament thread
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341



And he hasn't been sent home. Sun got fooled by a fake account pretending to be the Sun, and then reported what the fake account tweeted as if it was real.
#333435 Transfer Rumours 2015/16
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
Seen that yep, but also saw they're paying a bit less as otherwise more money goes to Pjanic himself if they pay the full clause. Think Roma end up with slightly more this way, something like that, but it doesn't matter really - it's way too low for a player of his quality.


We were linked to him less than a few days ago. Shame.

#333339 Transfer Rumours 2015/16
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
It's a bit weird, all the journalists close to City are saying nothing's doing, nobody in Germany seems to be giving it much attention but there are still reports - and in actual newspapers too! - saying that it's on.


With United news if we bother to deny something you can pretty much guarantee somethings going on. True for you lot as well?
#333315 Transfer Rumours 2015/16
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
Lot of people on both sides seemingly pouring cold water on the idea now.

Also Mark Ogden has probably written the worst 'story' of the transfer window so far, and its going to take some topping. Apparently, if City don't want to sign Pogba, and Barca, Bayern, PSG, Chelsea and Real Madrid don't want him either it might make us favourites. You don't say.
#333273 Transfer Rumours 2015/16
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
Sky reporting it too. Fjortoft has been hinting at it today.


Tbf 'Sky sources' could well just be Di Marzio seeing as he works for Sky (Sky Italia yes, but still Sky), couldn't it?
#333265 Transfer Rumours 2015/16
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
Di Marzio linking City to Aubameyang... Thats, like, the signing of the summer if they pull that off.
#333258 Transfer Rumours 2015/16
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
Hey have you guys seen the English Messi, Ryan Gauld? Like, he's Scottish and stuff but his name sounds a bit like 'Gold' so thats probably good enough. Anyway, he's short and stuff and plays in Portugal so must be good. One time I heard he successfully completed a pass to a team-mate for Dundee, which hadn't happened for the club since 1932 before that. Either way, you should watch Euro 2016, like, he won't be playing, but it will probably be pretty fun.

Do you guys remember when Man City signed the 'Israeli Messi'?
#333172 Transfer Rumours 2015/16
Ninja
14 years ago
6 years ago
5,341
Looking increasingly like Vardy may have snubbed Arsenal anyway.

Isn't John Cross the one you guys all trust?