Dr. Gonzo

Italy and Germany don't really even compare in numbers, despite Italy relying on exports. German exports are made up of cars, appliances, industrial equipment, and chemicals used worldwide. Italy's biggest contributor to their economy is agriculture. They do make cars, motorcycles, and mopeds - but these are more niche vehicles compared to their German counterparts. Alongside this secondary tier of Italian exported products, they're also big on exporting luxury goods. Germany has a significantly more diversified economy, with a very small percentage accounting for agriculture. They are the world's largest exporter of cars - and these cars cover basically every range of cars - so they go for the niche markets and for the mass market appeal. Appliances and industrial equipment from Germany have very, very high reputations. And they've got a growing financial services sector. So they've got a more diverse line of goods/services exported out, appealing to a much wider global market... it's really no comparison.

Hahaha what the fuck. That has to be a wind up... or he's an idiot. The King brought us some much needed stability on his return, and a trophy, but you could tell he wants to use 90s tactics in modern day football and it just doesn't work. Klopp is not without mistakes... especially against the poor sides... but he's the better manager in this day and age, regardless of how good Dalglish was in our hey day.

Cunt.

If there is free movement post Brexit - it will absolutely be because it is in our economic best interests. If the alternative to free movement is losing major chunks of the industry that is the backbone of our GDP, free movement is a clear winner. But if the EU is going to allow that, they'll need us to give them a good reason for doing so. Personally, I don't think we're in a strong negotiating position as things stand.

International friendlies are a joke and always have been. I fucking hate them.

What do you think is a realistic scenario with how we'll be set up to trade with Europe and the rest of the world post-Brexit. If we lived in a world where Donald Trump didn't just win the U.S. presidency, I'd be fairly optimistic about the idea I once thought was silly of Britain being a part of NAFTA. But NAFTA's future is in doubt with Trump, and who in the hell knows how negotiating with his administration will go. His stance is reminiscent of very old U.S. isolationist policies. But realistically, what we've seen from his presidency is while he may have said certain things on the campaign trail... what he actually tries to push as a president may be very different. There's no real guarantee that NAFTA can become the biggest trading block and usurp the EU, especially as Trump's NAFTA talk caused massive economic uncertainty in Mexico, and now Mexico is looking for agricultural imports they've traditionally bought from the U.S. from Latin American countries. Fuck knows what kind of impact this will have on the United States' economy (although trade with Mexico accounts for 1 in 5 jobs in Texas). Mexico has to do this because in the face of economic uncertainty, any financial advisor will suggest diversifying. The UK and EU will be looking to do similar moves as well, considering the uncertainty in the future trade talks that lie ahead. The anti-globalist position of many Brexit supporters also poses major issues for the best way for Britain to enter into trade agreements in a post-Brexit world. For manufacturing to return to Britain en masse, we'd have to see workers rights in the country totally gutted, so as to provide for cheaper British labour. This would likely mean more jobs available... but it would also mean adjusting expectations regarding income and quality of life. Alternatively, we could force tarrifs on imported goods - but without bringing widespread manufacturing back all that will do is make it so fewer people can afford quality goods. And a less isolationistic approach would involve trying to engage in global trade, where the futures of the two largest trade blocks are in doubt and uncertain. Economic stagnation WILL lead to a brain drain. It doesn't matter what country it is, if you can take your qualifications and experience and get paid a lot more than you would in the UK... it is hard to say no to a significantly fatter wallet. My concern is that Britain has done so much to weaken it's manufacturing capability since the 1980s and done so much to push towards services being the backbone of our economy, what happens if the economy majorly stagnates and other countries come calling for our top export producers. The financial services sector makes up the vast majority of our net exports. Insurance services is the next largest, but it's barely a third (if that) of what the financial services sector does for net UK imports. As someone who's clients are generally banks and insurance companies... and who left the UK for moneymoneymoney, I see stagnation as a way for Britain to lose some of it's best talent. Honestly, I think Britain's best hope is for more and more isolationist policies coming from the majority of countries worldwide. But I don't think that's likely at all, as it doesn't make economic sense for most countries to adopt those policies. Ultimately, I understand the harm caused by Thatcher's dismantlement of our manufacturing sector and I know how it devastated communities. But at the same time, I think it's a bit of a case of "too little, too late" to fight against globalism decades after the western and eastern world have embraced it. I hope I am wrong, and that Brexit does some good for our economy and our people. But I don't think there was a whole lot of foresight in the arguments for Brexit and I don't really see the government moving with a cohesive and thought out plan, and I simply can't see it being good for us in the short term. I'm actually fairly despondent because last year I was thinking about moving back to England, but now I'm not confident it is in my financial interest to. And I'm not particularly thrilled about the possibility of needing to learn a new language if I want to get the hell out of America.

They've also got the incentive to make it unappealing as fuck for anyone else to leave the EU, because like Brits, they're going to be approaching this from a self-interested point of view rather than caring about the British public. They're fighting to keep the world's largest trade block in tact. And yes, it has become a political union (rather than the economic union that we were promised when we joined) - but they're fighting to keep Europe strong in global trade and to keep the EU stable. And considering the rise of populism in the West, I think that's understandable. Ultimately what's best for the EU and the UK are favourable terms for both parties and for their citizens living in the UK, and ours in the EU. But there are more political considerations at play than just the economy... and those are going to make an impact on how negotiations play out. I think that's a pretty simplistic view of things and it skips the obvious steps between where we are today and where we will be. Some of our biggest trading partners will remain major EU countries, by necessity. Whether you like it or not, they're major trade partners and our economy is tied to doing business with them. Trade talks being sorted will relieve economic uncertainty, which is good for everybody. With the likelihood of NAFTA being renegotiated and Trump being very pro-Brexit, it would probably be in Britain's best interests to try to become members of NAFTA (despite not being... in North America). As that's the largest consumer nation in the world, a former commonwealth country, and a large manufacturing country (albeit incredibly unstable because of the aftereffects of the U.S. war on drugs). Despite Trump believing that NAFTA is a bad trade deal, if it is renegotiated it's likely that Canada and Mexico will be able to secure better trade deals than were negotiated in the 90s - and that gives us a chance to walk up to the negotiation tables to land a new and beneficial trade deal. It is likely that once we're out of the EU, NAFTA will be the largest trade block. It won't really appeal to the nationalists and isolationists, nor does it promise to bring back manufacturing to this country (which, by the way, the real time to fight back against that was in the 1980s... rather than 30 years later after, with Western world wholly embraced globalism and convinced China to play along). But it does stand to not provide stability to British exports and our economy. But this could be the economic (not political) union that the EU was when we first joined. Engaging in trade deals with NAFTA nations and the commonwealth is key for us going forward. The big concern then is... are we a country for sale to corporate interests. Are we going to increase privitisation of healthcare and education to be more in line with America? Are we going to remove worker protections and rights we've had under the EU to be more in line with the worker rights of the US (and as someone working in the US, I'm not sure that will be a very popular switch...) - do we have to make major changes so that we can survive in the world economy (because globalism is not going away). Can the UK economy be strong enough to prevent a major brain drain?

Merkel has rejected May's calls for parallel trade talks. The uncertainty over what will happen with British trade is probably the most unsettling thing for our economy, and stability will only come once it has been negotiated where we'll stand in the scheme of global trade. Ultimately, we've got the EU with the most leverage in trying to protect its interests... but at the same time the EU may be in it's death throws. And at the same time, there might be a dissolution of Britain as we know it in the aftermath of Brexit. The next two years will certainly be interesting. I don't think there's any way to really avoid a bumpy road ahead, until there can be more certainty as to what the fuck will actually happen during the next two years.

The only thing I don't like about the Switch is the range on the joycons when it's docked. The range for them, particularly my right joycon is totally shite. Which is funny because I've heard more people were having problems with the left one generally... but that one works fine for me. So I bought a pro controller as well, so when I'm playing with my Switch docked I can a normal distance away from the screen. But I'm not going to lie, I'm fairly disappointed with the range of them. Zelda is fantastic though. A really really great game. And the ability to take a game like that with me on the go is pretty great.

Just got a Nintendo Switch... so I'll be playing Zelda when I'm home from work I haven't played a Nintendo console since the N64, and I haven't played a Zelda game since the Ocarina of Time... so my inner child is pretty excited.

Our start to 2017 killed our chances. Pretty sad. But it also highlights the need for squad depth, because we're good but incredibly thin and when things fell apart we didn't have personnel to really change things up tactically (although, I'd argue we could have at least fucking tried... considering how consistently bad we were). For now, it looks like we may have turned things around a bit. We've looked better in the last three matches, although two of those were Arsenal and Citeh... and big games are where I expect us to perform. I'm not sure if it's a mental thing or if it's a tactical thing where we just can't break down sides that don't take as many chances - but it's definitely something that needs to be addressed.

McLaren's rumoured to have approached Mercedes about using their engines this season. If true, very very embarrassing for Honda (although producing an engine so lacking in power and reliability, to the point where McLaren don't even know if they can reach the checkered flag is already very embarrassing) - and also makes it harder for other manufacturers who want to get in/return to the sport. Can't say I would blame McLaren for wanting to go back to Mercedes engines though. Their reunion with Honda has been underwhelming to say the least.

I feel for Alonso, it really is a waste of talent. Ferrari hype is so real though!

I think that Red Bull car looks fucking great. The McClarens look really good - shame about the performance though...

I very much want Massa to have a good season. McClaren-Honda's looking bad. Alonso's said with their lack of power, every corner is flat out... and even said something along the lines of we're ready to win, Honda is not. He's not happy.

Tbf those 2 had good managers, while we came in second on the backs of pure talent from Suarez, Sturridge, and Gerrard rather than an astute manager...

That's what I read yesterday. And I hope remains the case. Wahhabism can fuck right off.

The Caution John Terry signs were better. If not for the scum beating you in that final. Wow that's got me thinking... I haven't really enjoyed a season in a veerrry long time. Thanks a lot LFC

So what do we do with Sturridge, who's just injured himself while recovering from injury? Shades of Harry Kewell and Darren Anderton, who were both talented like our Sturridge... but very injury prone. Sturridge is one of our higher earners, but we simply can't rely on him anymore. I don't trust him to have a form building run of games, because chances are he will get injured. Having said that, if we sell him to another English club... I guarantee he'll constantly fucking score against us. With Firmino out of form playing as a false 9, I'd much rather have Sturridge or Origi... so I think by default, I would like to see Origi start more as we finish this season. Klopp's said we are going to be spending some serious money this summer (although, I think we've spent serious money last season as well). I would like to know if we can develop Origi before we look to bring in new attackers. I think a new left back, defensive midfielder, goalkeeper, and possibly centreback are all needed as well. I think Lovren's alright, but I'd rather have someone more Matip's quality next to Matip. Milner's not a left back and Lucas is totally passed it as a DM, while Can is fucking shit at playing football. Mignolet and Karius are... Mignolet and Karius.

Where the fuck do we post status updates? This is cool. Kudos whoever decided a fresh start was a good idea - because it was a good idea.