BRFR Cake Stop 'breaking news' miscellany

[bobzmyunkle]

I wonder what conclusion we could get by applying Occam’s Razor?

We're wilfully stupid?

 

[Rusty Nails]

As above, missing my point. Not sure how clearer I can make it.

Everyone knows that the US is a country and the EU is a group of countries.

I have explained that the Gravity Model is not a set of absolute rules but a general explanation for trading patterns between countries and there may be other contributing factors...such as those with the US with which we have a special relationship (by which I mean they say 'bend over' and we say 'be gentle")

What different point were you trying to make other than trying to show bt was wrong?

Perhaps there is a fault with your signal to noise ratio.

 

[briantrumpet]

Memories of a certain Cakestop long-running theme, including input from RC on this very subject.

View attachment 8015

Rather amusingly, I didn't even mention Stevo.

 

[First Aspect]

So I'm just going to point out that the United States is a collection of, for want of a better word, states. But they all use the same currency and there's a common central bank.

The EU, by contrast, is a collection of, for want of a better word, states. But they mostly use the same currency and a common central bank.

 

[briantrumpet]

So I'm just going to point out that the United States is a collection of, for want of a better word, states. But they all use the same currency and there's a common central bank.

The EU, by contrast, is a collection of, for want of a better word, states. But they mostly use the same currency and a common central bank.

But surely the US, as it's a 'country', has a unified tax system?

Oh.

 

[Stevo 666]

Bzzzt. Ad hominem.

You still haven't answered my questions. Is it because you can't, or because you don't want fo?

 

[Stevo 666]

It’s amazing how many people miss Stevo’s points. I wonder what conclusion we could get by applying Occam’s Razor?

Sounds like you have no counter argument Pross.

 

[Stevo 666]

So I'm just going to point out that the United States is a collection of, for want of a better word, states. But they all use the same currency and there's a common central bank.

The EU, by contrast, is a collection of, for want of a better word, states. But they mostly use the same currency and a common central bank.

More wilful ignorance.

If the EU is a single market then guess the UK wouldn't record stats on imports and exports from and to each country in the EU.

Also in my own group, we have sales companies set up in each EU country where we do business - to service the markets in Germany, in Spain, in Poland etc. If the EU truly was a single market them we wouldn't need all those companies and would just have one company selling throughout the EU. Common sense for people in business, maybe less obvious for (say) patent lawyers or retired Trumpet teachers with no commercial experience 😉

 

[Stevo 666]

Everyone knows that the US is a country and the EU is a group of countries.

I have explained that the Gravity Model is not a set of absolute rules but a general explanation for trading patterns between countries and there may be other contributing factors...such as those with the US with which we have a special relationship (by which I mean they say 'bend over' and we say 'be gentle")

What different point were you trying to make other than trying to show bt was wrong?

Perhaps there is a fault with your signal to noise ratio.

Well quite. I was pointing out that the Trumpeteer was wrong.

He seems to have a problem accepting that we trade a lot with a country run by that nasty Trump man as he's still trying to avoid answering my questions.

He also seems to think that posting stuff like that might mean we will see the error of our ways and rejoin the EU Unfortunately he will probably be banging on about it in 20 years time...

 

[Pross]

More wilful ignorance.

If the EU is a single market then guess the UK wouldn't record stats on imports and exports from and to each country in the EU.

Also in my own group, we have sales companies set up in each EU country where we do business - to service the markets in Germany, in Spain, in Poland etc. If the EU truly was a single market them we wouldn't need all those companies and would just have one company selling throughout the EU. Common sense for people in business, maybe less obvious for (say) patent lawyers or retired Trumpet teachers with no commercial experience 😉

So if the UK records imports and exports from the constituent nations and English regions would this, by the same rationale, mean the UK isn’t a single trading entity?

 

[First Aspect]

More wilful ignorance.

If the EU is a single market then guess the UK wouldn't record stats on imports and exports from and to each country in the EU.

Also in my own group, we have sales companies set up in each EU country where we do business - to service the markets in Germany, in Spain, in Poland etc. If the EU truly was a single market them we wouldn't need all those companies and would just have one company selling throughout the EU. Common sense for people in business, maybe less obvious for (say) patent lawyers or retired Trumpet teachers with no commercial experience 😉

So why do US law firms not have one office each. They can then just sell services into the whole country.

 

[Rusty Nails]

More wilful ignorance.

If the EU is a single market then guess the UK wouldn't record stats on imports and exports from and to each country in the EU.

Also in my own group, we have sales companies set up in each EU country where we do business - to service the markets in Germany, in Spain, in Poland etc. If the EU truly was a single market them we wouldn't need all those companies and would just have one company selling throughout the EU. Common sense for people in business, maybe less obvious for (say) patent lawyers or retired Trumpet teachers with no commercial experience 😉

Trump recognises it as a single market by his approach to applying a single set of tariffs across the EU.

Your group setting up separate sales companies is just good marketing sense because of the different internal markets, industries,cultures and, particularly languages across the constituent countries of the single market, in the same way that sales departments to the US have to be aware of the different markets and industries in states such as, for instance, North Dakota, Florida, Utah and New York.

 

[bobzmyunkle]

Also in my own group, we have sales companies set up in each EU country where we do business - to service the markets in Germany, in Spain, in Poland etc.

Must be a reasonable amount of business with those countries? What's the arrangement for trade with the US? And what about a few comparative sales figures? You know, maybe flesh out this point you're making that us numbskulls fail to grasp.

 

[Pblakeney]

I see mini-CXRAndy has found fresh prey.

 

[icowden]

He seems to have a problem accepting that we trade a lot with a country run by that nasty Trump man as he's still trying to avoid answering my questions.
He also seems to think that posting stuff like that might mean we will see the error of our ways and rejoin the EU Unfortunately he will probably be banging on about it in 20 years time...

Let's check some facts.

• In 2015 UK exports to the EU were valued at £264bn and imports £389bn (Figures adjusted to 2024 value)
• In 2024 UK exports to the EU were valued at £358bn and imports £454bn

In comparison:

• In 2015 UK exports to the US were valued at £80bn and imports £63bn
• In 2024 UK exports to the US were valued at £59bn and imports £57bn

Which market is growing and more favourable, and which is shrinking?

Now to be fair, the EU figures are for goods and services whereas the US figures are for goods only. We do sell a lot of services to the USA. However sales of goods and services rely on stable partnerships. The US is unstable and we have better trading partners close to hand.