For those still retaining links with the UK or planning returning there.

"Britons were warned they are on course for the longest fall in living standards since records began 60 years ago after the U.K.’s fiscal watchdog took the ax to its outlook for economic growth.

In an analysis of the government’s latest budget and accompanying report by the Office for Budget Responsibility, the Resolution Foundation said on Thursday that the economy is set to be 42 billion pounds ($56 billion) smaller in 2022 than the OBR predicted in March.

It also calculated wages will not return to their pre-financial crisis levels of 2007 until at least 2025 once inflation is taken into account. Average annual pay is now projected to be 1,030 pounds lower in 2022 than the March forecasts and household disposable incomes will fall for an unprecedented 19 straight quarters between 2015 and 2020, according to Resolution."

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles ... =applenews

Inasmuch as when I was given the choices, I voted to leave the EU, I guess it was inevitable that the short-termists will latch onto the subject matter as just another vehicle for the Brexiteers and the Remoaners to try and poke each other in the eye.

I was drawn more to the early comment that wages will not return to the pre-financial crisis levels of 2007... a historical way-point that occurred a decent interval before leaving the EU was foisted on the British proletariat by Cameron's search for adulation (that was never, ever there) gone wrong. I still consider that the economic crash of 2007/08 was... still is the precursor to a long and torturous global slump in which it is safe to say, "We aint seen nuthin' yet." The media froth revolving around the UK's imminent departure from the EU is all a bit parochial in the grand scheme of big, worldly things. The fragile balance of the EU is itself imperiled with Merkel's newest coalition not coalescing and her long-tenure facing a credible challenge from newer, younger and totally untested entities. As noted in today's Express, "If Merkel fails again to put together a coalition, the only options would be a minority government or a new election, both of which would push the country further into instability." Unlike the overwhelmingly pro-EU British voting youth who only moaned about being totally marginalized and cheated by the older, less-educated and selfish Brexit-winning voter, the German youth wing of Merkel's own party are holding her feet to the fire on her commitment to their involvement with their future. So, how does the EU shape-up now that it's shiny, 'vorsprung durch technik' engine's big-ends are shot and about to be replaced with something totally new and untested?

There's a trend of discontent with things that despite broadly trumpeting the premise that key economy's are solid, money was being made hand over fist, markets are soaring and everyone's life is getting better and better, for the average punter, the opposite is the case. Quarterly employment gains in the US are given banner headlines despite being in incremental fractions of a percent and the small-print caveat of 'adjusted for seasonal changes'. Any positive balance of payment or improved deficit news spreads like wildfire with only the more circumspect of headline readers doing any reasonable research into the depth of these short-term gains and their impact or even relevance to the whole enchilada. Inevitably they find that like my first home from home, a lovely canal narrowboat, the foundations just aren't there.

In reality, life in these burgeoning, booming economies has become more and more dystopian. About 2010, there was the realization that having money for two, overseas family vacations a year was a thing of the past. Never mind, some still had the cottage in Dorset. Family and personal budgets needed to be revised and updated faster than Samsung could bring out a newer, faster smartphone for you to spend your dwindling savings on. All of a sudden basic services like daily garbage collection, an essential for the growing, consumerist family unit, became weekly... and you had to pay more for this reduced service too.

I think the Bloomberg headline would scan just as easily with "World Faces Longest Fall in Living Standards on Record." Despite batting 60 not-out, that's still kinda worrying for me. But it must be absolutely sphincter-puckering for the younger demographic that is actually paying attention... like the German Social Democrat Party youth. And all this "Let's take back control!" and "Better Together!' sh!te doesn't make it any less worrying IMHO.

Brexit and the EU aside, does anyone think that their country, or any other country for that matter, has a firm handle on the ongoing global financial uncertainties?

A couple of weeks ago, it was reported that Norway's $1 trillion sovereign wealth fund was considering divestment from international oil and gas companies. Their previous investments in this area, coupled with eminently sensible tax regimens, has enabled Norway's deep fiscal fortitude compared with their neighbors across the North Sea where subsequent governments of both flavors have squandered their share of this once considerable resource.

There's been an overwhelming rush to embrace 'renewables' in any shape and form. Whole industries have been gradually shuttered while ungodly amounts of money shoveled into wind farms and other visual blights. Airlines have long been asking if you want to 'offset your carbon footprint' when buying a ticket but so far, I haven't seen any sort of footgear measuring tool that one can reasonably use to work out what the heck it really is.

OK, so a bottle of beer in Oslo is £3, ciggies cost near 10 quid and the drink-driving law is zero-tolerance, but pensions are rock-solid and guaranteed versus the high possibility in the UK that younger workers contributing to their pension will get next to nothing. Successive bad or insufficient investments have drained the pot already. Twenty years ago, the high price of beer, ciggies, petrol and overall cost of living in Norway was much derided by Brits. Nowadays, costs are on par and what have we got to show for it? I guess the Scandi's have always had a totally different take on what "quality of life" really means... or the British never paid much attention to grandmother's advice to save for a rainy day.

When the Beatles song, "'When I'm sixty-four" came out, if you told anyone that in just 50 years time, governments will be encouraging (I call it coercing) people to work until they're 70 and beyond, you would have been broadly ridiculed for taking the p!ss. For maybe five years now, banks have been offering the rather alarming option for 'empty nesters' and other home owners in their +60's to borrow heavily against their already bought-and-paid-for homes to supplement their late-retirements. Meanwhile, late-to-the-party, wannabe home-owners are declined mortgages because they are too old and youngsters don't earn enough to qualify. Some owners even claim that they have been clever and used the house to fund their kids university education. Not enough money to pay for the future generations education and an already empty pension pot. How horribly, already down the toilet is that?!

Meanwhile, we are distracted by the apparently very real and pressing need to fully embrace driverless cars and more recently (for the Brits anyway) how Meghan and Kate will get on and how they're shaking up the fashion world. Priorities anyone?