Scotland produces ten times the amount of hydrocarbons that it consumes, yet ferry services to Europe are being cut due to the price of fuel.
Following the rise in the price of oil, Scotland is now contributing 4 billion pounds more to the UK economy and only getting increased fuel prices in return - crazy !
'Scotland's fury' over fuel costs
Scotland is part of the UK, you know? England has been subsidising Scotland since the union, oil revenue will never repay the money paid to support Scotland over the decades. The difference in Tax revenue from Scotland and what is spent is £5 billion, so Scotland is STILL costing the UK money.
Independant ? How do you figure that out ? Its from the same source as before - a source that for decades has had an anti - self determination agenda - the UK government.
I have responded to this and my response has been shifted to the off topic thread.
If you read your source - it says that Barnett is flawed and doesn't take account of taxes generated.
The Barnett formula has been adhered to for decades because it supports the lie that Scotland is subsidised - why have successive Labour/Con governements not got rid of it ?
Scotland would be in surplus and so Independance would make Scotland better off.
Scotland would be in surplus and so Independance would make Scotland better off.
Then why doesn't Scotland become independent?
If you read your source - it says that Barnett is flawed and doesn't take account of taxes generated..
Which neatly sidesteps that Scotland generates less than England.
Say that nationalist get their way and Scotland becomes independent. Then what? what exactly has Scotland to offer economically to business based on the far edge of the EU? Geographically its a major disadvantage. Oil is running out fast, Fishing is owned by the EU. Wind power is definitely Scotlands biggest asset, but Nuclear Fission could wreck that in 20 years.
Oil is running out fast? Forecasters predict that it will be quite some time yet b4 it does. Such commentators may be looking at the global picture, North Sea Oil is in abundant supply. Fishing, u paint such a bad picture. The crucial point is that certain species don't die out. We have a rich variety of fish in Scotland and restricting fishing areas has gone a long way towards preserving the fish stock. Please don't make such blanket statements like the EU owns fishing, it does no such thing. It operates the Common Fisheries Policy, so what? Have u read this legislation?
Tidal power is strong, why do u talk of wrecking? The way forward is alternative forms of energy based on local/national requirements. What if nuclear fission doesn't yield the dividends that we hope for? Then what? U r misguided if u think that Scotland can offer very little. We make good use of what we have, save for the exception of hydrocarbons.
Im waiting to sell my house at some distant point in the future before I pay the heating bill I will have built up by then. The downside of owning a period property with sash windows.
what exactly has Scotland to offer economically to business based on the far edge of the EU?
Much the same as Ireland, Norway and Iceland who all seem to be doing OK.
I can make the debate more technical if you like but, the nub of your argument is that one of Europes largest Oil producers wouldn't be able to support itself.
Seems a bit odd doesn't it ?
I'm sure there were similair arguments for Poland staying within the Soviet bloc.
Us Scots are very resourceful, we know how to maximise what we have.
Look at Scotland's industrial history. We had strength in depth in many key areas. We still do, just to a lesser extent. Farming and tourism are 2 of our strongest industries.
The main concern is inward investment. Given what Alex Salmond has achieved in a short time, I c no reason to worry.
People are complaining now. Wait until winter comes and people have to heat their homes.
Poland is the new United States, the poles will sent food parcels,blankets to the US when the time comes. Poland will have a larger standard than the US or Great Britain.
Poland is going to get hit harder that Western European countries by the coming recession. Newer, small economies always do because the investment (which is driving the growth) dries up quicker.
I'm sure glad that my older german car obtains around 30 mpg, and I also use my mountain bike for shopping under a few miles. Actually, I now have a few of my local friends joining me for it, it's rather fun to bike in a group.
Needless to say, my overweight friends are doing better healthwise, from it.
Checkmate, you're a funny person! The majority of us use NATURAL GAS to heat our homes in the USA, not electricity or oil.
Above is one is one reason that I am not too concerned about this oil thing. America is about to wake up. We also have the largest oil shale deposit in the world. Most of it on government land. We have untapped oil reserves in Alaska. The only thing holding that up are the,tree huggers and nature freaks.
Now the only thing needed is a government with B**** to get things going
Unfortunately oil shale carries serious disadvantages. First, most of it needs to be dug out in strip mining rather that drilled, a process that has high environmental problems.
Once dug out, it then needs to be heated to 450-500°C, enriched with hydrogen via steam before the resulting oil is separated. We are then left with a sludge which has increased in volume by 30% through the process and needs to be disposed of.
The downsides of all this are that oil shale production creates more than four times as much greenhouse gases as conventional oil production, it uses vast quantities of water (which are not always available where the shale is), and wastes something like 40% of its initial energy in production.
Oil shale production is expensive, wasteful and environmentally hazardous. It is only now, when conventional oil prices are high, that oil shale production has become feasible.
Oh, super, the answer to all our problems wolf.readinglitho.co.uk/subpages/uncoils.html
Oil shale production is expensive, wasteful and environmentally hazardous. It is only now, when conventional oil prices are high, that oil shale production has become feasible.
The fact that conventional oil prices are high obviously negates the fact that oil shale production is expensive, wasteful and environmentally hazardous. Silly me for not realising that earlier.
The fact that conventional oil prices are high obviously negates the fact that oil shale production is expensive, wasteful and environmentally hazardous. Silly me for not realising that earlier.
No problem. Even a fish would not get into trouble if he kept his mouth shut.
But seriously. Dont you think it would be better for all if we started looking for energy sources that aren't expensive, wasteful and environmentally hazardous?
Hey, with all sarcasm's aside. I am on your side. I just wish that this situation never came up. Now am I concerned?. You darn right I am. I worry about my kids, and what the future brings. I am not smart enough to rectify this problem. So when I see someone tell me things that eases my worries. I just hope that they know what they are talking about.
Now on the silly side. I read one of Patrycia's post about cow gas fouling our air. Maybe somebody can figure out a way to harness that energy. LOL. I just had to say that.
Sorry, its a nationality trait I haven't been able to shake.
I agree with your sentiments and concerns. In one respect it's fantastic that the shale offers a possible route out of our current energy troubles but I sincerely believe that it's not the answer we are looking for. The UK government has just announced that they plan to rebuild of nuclear power stations as well as schedule new ones. Great. But I don't believe nuclear power is the answer either. Something tells me that following these options, we would just be creating problems for our children, or our childrens' children.
Perhaps cow farts are indeed the way forward but I am sure Paty mentioned kangaroos :)
Here is another url telling us not to worry. You guy's have me thinking like you now. I too am going to question these claims. Let them put up, or shut up.
As far as nuclear goes. That scares the hell out of me. I still remember three mile island in PA. That was only 70 miles from me. We were scared. Then there was Chernobyl. Now China is having nightmares.
When I left on my vacation to Poland and France, the price per gallon in the USA was $3.79, I came back to $4.11. Yes, it went up but we still pay half the price drivers pay at the pomp in Europe...It better don't happen here! My cousin in Poland has a car converted to propane gas! Many people do. He can even switch between gas and propane. I found it very interesting, somewhat scary, but hey, gas explodes too!
Folks, let's get it straight: Oil companies and the US goverment does not want us, the humans and their slaves, to have cheap energy. Just watch these videos and related videos about "Stan Meyer" - the man who invented energy out of H20 powerful enough to run cars on normal tap water.
It was a few years ago, he was offered 1 BILLION dollars from oil companies for the patent. But he refused and got killed (poisoned) a short while afterwards. It is more than likely the US government/Pentagon now uses the technology themselves and it is TOP SECRET and hidden from us, their slaves.
But the time for the crime against humanity is near end.
