Verystormy

I have worked all over the tropics including places where mozzie bites are often fatal and the only thing I trust is Bushmans 80% DEET.

It was announced yesterday. Now, I could be a old cynic who has spent far too many hours dealing with people like politicians (When I have ran projects, I have often had dealings with ministers from a range of countries), but I smell a rat here. A Cameron rat. You see, business don't just spit their dummy out and say we aren't going to take your billions of pounds for new trains because you wont play in the same club. No, they come out and say things like this when a politician gives them a little squeeze to get them to say what the politician wants - a bit like Nissan during the Euro debate when it said it would pull out of the UK if we didn't join. Something I know for a fact that their were given a "squeeze" from within the EU

I started the process of what to vote for pretty much sat on the fence and decided to start researching. Since then i am now a very firm Leave voter and i will explain why. First, let me give a bit of background. I am a geoscientist who has spent most of my career working all over the world - i have lived and worked in 13 countries and am a dual national. My wife is a tri national and was neither born in the UK or is from a white family. Previous to this career, i trained as a lawyer and before that i was in the military. The big issue comes down to migration and the uncontrolled nature of it and its economic effect. Migration can and is a major plus economically and every developed country in the world relies on it, to the extent some would be in serious trouble without it. However, it doesnt rely on uncontrolled migration - countries instead relies on controlled migration. At the moment, the UK has uncontroled migration in and no means of stopping or reducing it. There is a massive problem with this and it comes down to tax. We are often told that the vast majority of migrants work. There is a lot of truth in that (though there are issues still with none working migrants, but that is another issue), but it is not that fact they work and earn, but how much they work and earn. In the UK, if you earn less than about £35k a year, and that is the most conservative figure, with others putting it around £40k, then you are a net drain on the economy. The reason being that the amount of tax you pay, is unlikely to cover the services you require from the government. Now, it is clear that the vast majority of migrants earn less than this, in fact during my research it found that the majority earn less than £27k a year with a very large amount earning minimum wage. So, lets look at an example. A family of two adults and two kids move from the EU to the UK and start work. One earning the upper end of this - say £27k, the other part time on minimum wage. As a family, they will pay about £4k a year tax. However, £4k a year is what it costs to educate 1 child. So, the UK has to in effect finance the education of the other child. But of course, they do not just benefit from education. On top, we have to finance their NHS access, there access to benefits, their access to protection via our armed forces and the million other things that our taxes have to go towards funding. So, the actual cost of remaining in the EU is a LOT more than £350 million a week. On the flip side of the coin is how the UK will be out of the EU. Much is said about trade agreements with the EU. This is a bit of a red herring. First, it assumes we need a trade agreement in order to trade. Nothing could be further than the truth. While the EU may be the biggest export destination as a block from the UK, the biggest individual trade country with the UK is the USA. Yet, the UK doesn't have a trade agreement with the USA and nor does the EU. Yet, in the last 30 years, or trade with the USA has increased, while our trade with the EU has fallen sharply year on year since joining. Then, there is the issue of even if trade agreements are a good thing. Nobody seems to be asking that very much, but in reality there often not. For an example, look at the one between Mexico and the USA which has caused decimation across the USA car sector. Or, look at what we may get from TTIP. However, I do think there will be an agreement and a very fast one as it is in nobodies interest for trade to be damaged - particularly the EU. At present you only have one major economy in the EU doing well. Germany. However, its economy is now showing signs of serious stuttering. At the heart of the Germany economy is manufacturing, particularly car manufacturing. The biggest customer of German made cars is the UK. On the flip side, the biggest export from the UK to the EU is nuclear engineering, which for a range of reasons such as security, engineering availability and others, there is only one real country that can supply - the UK.

Hi everyone. When I joined, I did warn that I would have a lot of stupid questions, and this is probably one. I am in the very early stages and one of the first things I am intending to do is get a gun cabinet. However, that leads me to an issue. We are in rented flat (will be a house by the time I put in the application, but still rented). Now, I know I will need permission to store the gun, which I don't think would be an issue per se. However, what could be, is they refuse permission to drill into the wall to fasten the gun cabinet. So, if the landlord says no, any ideas on what I can do?

But, the defender had to be brought in on a flat bed - not reliable enough to have got there on its own steam

I might not yet know a lot about guns and shooting. But, off road driving is something I do as I have spent most of my career as an exploration geologist working all over the world in some of the harshest terrain known. The best thing for off road is a very basic Land Cruiser tray back 7 series. The reasons are: They are fantastically reliable and even if you manage to break them, are simple to repair. They can adapt to have all sorts added. My last one had double hydraulic wheel cages, roll bar converted to hold a water supply with tap fitted. Long range twin fuel tanks, de-bogging compartment for snatch straps etc. Winches front and back. Fridge freezer. Electric pump and a range of other bits. High lift jack mounts. Good on fuel Not a lot that can go wrong as very minimal electrics. Excellent dealing with bad / boggy conditions.

I have one as a company car. Its a 2015 model with all the bells and whistles. Its automatic. Had it a couple of months and am fairly pleased with it. The only downsides are: It goes through the fuel rapidly - the best I have managed to achieve is 27 mpg It isn't a true 4x4 but a assisted 4 wheel drive, so power isn't distributed evenly. But, unless you are a very serious off roader - I don't just mean fields and things - then it should be fine. It is very big. So parking can be a pain and it sticks out a fair bit when parked in public car parks. On the plus, very smooth to drive. My mechanic thinks they are one of the most reliable tray backs on the market in the price range. The bells and whistles are good - heated seats, excellent built in sat nav, rear parking camera.

I read that. We left due to lack of work. We were in WA, and could not get any work other than odd weeks here and there for 18 months. So, started looking at jobs back in the UK and was offered one within a week. Though had the madness that it was conditional on me starting within 7 days! We had never been to Berkshire before, but loving it. There are many people leaving at the moment for the same reason - when I was checking in on the flight from Perth, nearly everyone in the queue were families leaving. Very glad to be back and looking forward to getting my new hobby up and running and spending many days in the UK countryside - the best in the world in my opinion

Hi. I am a real newbie to the sport and will be looking for lots of advice. We have just returned to the UK after living in Australia for 8 years and have decided it is time for me to have some "me time" I have considered getting into it for a long time but was never able to due to a range of things, but am now looking for all the help i can get. I do have some experience with guns as i was in the army for 3 years and as a young kid would also get to shoot with my father - though that is a scarily long time ago! I am planning to do a few lessons to get me back into the swing and also familiarise myself with shotguns - something that i have very little experience of as most of my experience that i have memory of is with military guns. At the moment, I am not really sure what the pathway is though! I have got as far as ordering a book that has been recommended on here and will be booking some lessons with clays in the near future. But, beyond that I haven't a clue! All tips and help is VERY gratefully received and no doubt I will have many questions as we go along.