Is the end nigh for the Euro? [vol. 2]

[Driller]

Well I tried to get it get back on topic.

Blackpuddin said:

Driller said:

So let me get this right: you would use the term PIGS to describe a country of whose people you have the utmost respect?

Eh?

Are you being deliberately obtuse? Can you not follow the thread up more than a few posts? Let me do that for you:

Andy Zarse said:

Driller said:

So much contempt and arrogance. It's beyond me how people think that term is appropriate and this typically british xenophobia is all part of the problem IMO.

Can we put the UK in a group and call it the "S"?

"Ooh, it's not an insult, it's just the first letters of the counties involved"

People like you would have termed a dislike of Hitler's Germany as "xenophobia".

Show me anywhere on here where a hatred of european people has been expressed?

Oh and the only members of the group named above are you and Ozzie.

Trommel said:

As before, stick Ireland in there and GIPSI fits quite nicely.

Not sure what the problem is.

If that's a reference to the joke before, it is quite funny, though unhelpful.

[Driller]

munky said:

We haven't stopped using the PIIGS acronym at work. The guy who mentions is most often is Greek, so who are we to complain..

And moving valiantly on...

One guy.

And a guy who works in a job probably involved in business/finance with other people who use it that he has to get on with.

Invite those Spanish, Greek folk round for dinner, call their countries PIGS, see how they react.

You can try to argue it any way you like, it is contemptuous and insulting.

[Blackpuddin]

As far as I know, the acronym is still PIIGS as Ireland is still up to its neck in it.
Not sure who contracted it to PIGS.
Not sure how (or even if) PIIGS became pejorative.
And not sure what's wrong with pigs.

[Driller]

Blackpuddin said:

As far as I know, the acronym is still PIIGS as Ireland is still up to its neck in it.
Not sure who contracted it to PIGS.
Not sure how (or even if) PIIGS became pejorative.
And not sure what's wrong with pigs.

I can't help you then.

But if ever you're offered the job in a position of diplomacy that could have far reaching effects on world politics, please don't take it.

[Sump Scraper]

Driller said:

munky said:

We haven't stopped using the PIIGS acronym at work. The guy who mentions is most often is Greek, so who are we to complain..

And moving valiantly on...

One guy.

And a guy who works in a job probably involved in business/finance with other people who use it that he has to get on with.

Invite those Spanish, Greek folk round for dinner, call their countries PIGS, see how they react.

You can try to argue it any way you like, it is contemptuous and insulting.

You seem to be the only person that's being or feels insulted by it.

Could you please stop feeling insulted on behalf of other people or countries please?

[Digga]

Driller said:

It is obviously simply offensive though and if anyone can't see that they must have absolutely no sense of social etiquette or diplomacy.

If you were at a dinner party...

Thank you for making the charitable assumption that I even know how to operate a set of cutlery, however, I feel you are making a mountain out of a molehill.

[Mikeyboy]

Driller said:

And moving valiantly on...

One guy.

And a guy who works in a job probably involved in business/finance with other people who use it that he has to get on with.

Invite those Spanish, Greek folk round for dinner, call their countries PIGS, see how they react.

You can try to argue it any way you like, it is contemptuous and insulting.

My son is Spanish, my best friend is Spanish. I use the term with both, my best friend uses it more than I do. I have never seen a negative reaction to the term from either, my son mostly finds it funny.
You see offence when people have taken none.

[chris watton]

Mikeyboy said:

Driller said:

And moving valiantly on...

One guy.

And a guy who works in a job probably involved in business/finance with other people who use it that he has to get on with.

Invite those Spanish, Greek folk round for dinner, call their countries PIGS, see how they react.

You can try to argue it any way you like, it is contemptuous and insulting.

My son is Spanish, my best friend is Spanish. I use the term with both, my best friend uses it more than I do. I have never seen a negative reaction to the term from either, my son mostly finds it funny.
You see offence when people have taken none.

My Italian colleagues also use the term 'PIGS' - they think it's quite appropriate considering what the EU and their own political class have done to their country.

Sigh, if only they were as enlightened as our 'offence-seekers'......

[Driller]

Sump Scraper said:

You seem to be the only person that's being or feels insulted by it.

Could you please stop feeling insulted on behalf of other people or countries please?

If you took the time to open your eyes and realise that the UK is not the only "legitimate" county on the planet then you might start to get it.

You probably think these countries are populated by faceless, unsophisticated "European" peasants. Try looking in a history book once in a while.

Tell you what mate, ask all your Spanish and Italian friends what they think of it and come back and tell us.

Ah, you don't HAVE any Spanish or Italian friends and you don't know any people from these countries, well that might explain why you're so obtuse

You call these countries "PIIGS" or "PIGS" whatever and then you hold your hands up and go "what are you getting upset about?"

Jesus Christ man how is it possible that I cannot reason with you?!

Digga said:

Driller said:

It is obviously simply offensive though and if anyone can't see that they must have absolutely no sense of social etiquette or diplomacy.

If you were at a dinner party...

Thank you for making the charitable assumption that I even know how to operate a set of cutlery, however, I feel you are making a mountain out of a molehill.

Instead of diverting the subject why don't you answer the question?

If you lowered yourself to inviting some of these people round, would you use the term PIGS to describe their countries?

ETA Steffan my sincere apologies for taking this so OT.

[Bing o]

Oh FFS are we being pigest now? I object to the the use of the 'UK' because in turkmenistani, it means 'Drilla is an over sensitive '.

Back on topic please. This used to be a good thread until the professionally offended blighted it.

[Mermaid]

Not withstanding, their currency is gaining ground against Sterling.

[don4l]

Driller said:

Jesus Christ man how is it possible that I cannot reason with you?!

Hi Driller,

I'm Irish and I'm not offended by the term "PIIGS".

Could you explain why I should be upset please?

TIA


Don
--

[Andy Zarse]

Driller said:

munky said:

We haven't stopped using the PIIGS acronym at work. The guy who mentions is most often is Greek, so who are we to complain..

And moving valiantly on...

One guy.

And a guy who works in a job probably involved in business/finance with other people who use it that he has to get on with.

Invite those Spanish, Greek folk round for dinner, call their countries PIGS, see how they react.

You can try to argue it any way you like, it is contemptuous and insulting.

Taking offence on behalf of others, the apogee of political correctness.

I recently heard the FD of an Irish plc use the phrase several times in conversation, and the Irish Times is littered with the use of the phrase, so much so it evidently got up this guy's nose...


Sir, – Countries may have had their snouts buried deep in the borrowing trough during this latest “economic” escapade, but must we really suffer the acronym, “PIIGS”? Wouldn’t “GIPSI” be more tolerable? – Yours, etc,

PAUL FORREST,

Manor Rise,

Rathfarnham, Dublin 16.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/letters/2011/1...

[Sump Scraper]

Sump Scraper said:

You seem to be the only person that's being or feels insulted by it.

Could you please stop feeling insulted on behalf of other people or countries please?

Driller said:

If you took the time to open your eyes and realise that the UK is not the only "legitimate" county on the planet then you might start to get it.

I'm living in Ireland so I don't understand your point, could you clarify what you mean?

Driller said:

You probably think these countries are populated by faceless, unsophisticated "European" peasants. Try looking in a history book once in a while.

EH??? what the heck are you dribbling about?
I live in a European country and have travelled to many European countries, I don't see to many "faceless, unsophisticated "European" peasants" about the place either to be honest, just normal everyday folk usually.

Driller said:

Tell you what mate, ask all your Spanish and Italian friends what they think of it and come back and tell us.

Ah, you don't HAVE any Spanish or Italian friends and you don't know any people from these countries, well that might explain why you're so obtuse

I just emailed them and they laughed and asked me to ask you to stop taking offence on a play of letters,we're more concerned about where our economies are heading rather than being offended by some letters and words.

Driller said:

You call these countries "PIIGS" or "PIGS" whatever and then you hold your hands up and go "what are you getting upset about?"

Jesus Christ man how is it possible that I cannot reason with you?!

Its very easy to reason with me.
The reason most people don't take offence to the name 'PIIGS' is because most of the politicians of these countries have their snouts in the trough!

Very apt don't you think?

Edited by Sump Scraper on Thursday 23 February 16:08

[Driller]

Guys, all of my Spanish and Italian friends here in France find this term used in this context insulting and contemptuous.

All of my French friends and colleagues that I have discussed this with (and I have asked a lot of them over the weeks as a direct result of this thread) also find it offensive.

My English friends here find it offensive.

In short, everyone I have asked on this side of the channel finds it offensive and, like myself, can't understand why anyone couldn't see that it is.

So no, Im not "taking offence on behalf of others" a la lefty loonies and Daily Wail.

Sump Scraper, try calling the country of your "normal everyday folk" "porco" and see if they find it acceptable or not.

I'm quite bemused to be so apparently out of kilter with apparently everyone on PH, either that or others just aren't speaking up.

I shall stop now, it's getting ugly.

Ben, thanks for calling me a , very classy man.

Edited by Driller on Thursday 23 February 16:23

[Andy Zarse]

Driller said:

Guys, all of my Spanish and Italian friends here in France find this term used in this context insulting and contemptuous.

All of my French friends and colleagues that I have discussed this with (and I have asked a lot of them over the weeks as a direct result of this thread) also find it offensive.

My English friends here find it offensive.

In short, everyone I have asked on this side of the channel finds it offensive and, like myself, can't understand why anyone couldn't see that it is.

So no, Im not "taking offence on behalf of others" a la lefty loonies and Daily Wail.

I'm quite bemused to be so apparently out of kilter with apparently everyone on PH, either that or others just aren't speaking up.

I shall stop now, it's getting ugly.

Ben, thanks for calling me a , very classy man.

Can I suggest you find some new friends then, ones who aren't quite so desperately and pathetically earnest about life.

[Gary11]

Driller said:

Guys, all of my Spanish and Italian friends here in France find this term used in this context insulting and contemptuous.

All of my French friends and colleagues that I have discussed this with (and I have asked a lot of them over the weeks as a direct result of this thread) also find it offensive.

My English friends here find it offensive.

In short, everyone I have asked on this side of the channel finds it offensive and, like myself, can't understand why anyone couldn't see that it is.

So no, Im not "taking offence on behalf of others" a la lefty loonies and Daily Wail.

I'm quite bemused to be so apparently out of kilter with apparently everyone on PH, either that or others just aren't speaking up.

I shall stop now, it's getting ugly.

Ben, thanks for calling me a , very classy man.

There is no need for that, this is a non chav thread OP please complain immideately I move any name callers be blackballed and barred forthwith!
unless insults are so clever we have to google or wki for a clue in which case its funny!

Edited by Gary11 on Thursday 23 February 16:24

[Digga]

Andy Zarse said:

Can I suggest you find some new friends then, ones who aren't quite so desperately and pathetically earnest about life.

Sounds like he's asking the wrong question in the wrong place - like the apocryphal story about the tourist in Ireland asking an old chap for directions, to which the local replies "well of course I wouldn't start from here" - French-based ex-pats still feel sufficiently inuslated from the turmoil. We'll see how that goes once the Italian 300bn EUR of debt is reckone up with the French banks...

[bp1]

If the french get involved it'll just screw up the acronyms.

Cant let that happen unless Luxembourg goes and someone reconstitutes Yugoslavia and turns its economy into a basket case and then we could have PIIGSFLY.

[Sump Scraper]

Driller said:

Guys, all of my Spanish and Italian friends here in France find this term used in this context insulting and contemptuous.

All of my French friends and colleagues that I have discussed this with (and I have asked a lot of them over the weeks as a direct result of this thread) also find it offensive.

My English friends here find it offensive.

In short, everyone I have asked on this side of the channel finds it offensive and, like myself, can't understand why anyone couldn't see that it is.

So no, Im not "taking offence on behalf of others" a la lefty loonies and Daily Wail.

Sump Scraper, try calling the country of your "normal everyday folk" "porco" and see if they find it acceptable or not.

I'm quite bemused to be so apparently out of kilter with apparently everyone on PH, either that or others just aren't speaking up.

I shall stop now, it's getting ugly.

Ben, thanks for calling me a , very classy man.

Edited by Driller on Thursday 23 February 16:23

You seem to be missing my point.

The term 'PIIGS' as far as I'm concerned is not aimed at the people of these countries but the very people who created all this mess in the first place,IE the political 'elite',greedy property developers and reckless bankers socialising their losses on the tax payer, (in Ireland's case).

Thats why we (Ireland) are up to our necks in PIIGS st!