Margaret Thatcher Dies After Stroke

[Somamech]

About the only thing I find quite interesting in regards to her death is that she lived that long given that she is quoted with some brash comments about sleep 

[PLAYSWITHMACHINES]

A very informative post, sinny but i fear Pimander is right.
Thatcher made deals on both sides of the fence all the time.
She made a secret deal with extreme right-wing groups (many of whom being lower class were at loggerheads with her policies) to secure their vote.
She promised them tougher immigration laws etc, if they voted for her & not their own marginal parties.

These same groups were also having secret meetings with orthodox Jews, trying to untangle the web of their zionist cousins & Thatcher's role in supporting the Israel lobby in the U.S.

These groups also had meetings with Hindu, Rastafarian & other minority groups in the U.K. to try & work out how things were likely to go.
This may surprise you, but these groups discovered that many non-english citizens supported a simple 'get you home' plan sponsored by the gubmint: Many foreighners lured to the UK by stories of streets paved with gold etc soon discovered that life there was just as hard as anywhere else.

Many of them hated it, and wanted to return to their homeland, but were unable to do so because of lack of money or red-tape issues.
The right-wing groups actually wanted to help them, & drafted some ideas to hand over to Mrs T to consider.

I was at some of those meetings, so yes it did happen

Of course, that plan was slapped down hard, & in total disregard of her own 'tougher immigration' laws,she did quite the reverse, and opened the gates...

Having just given the (not exactly poor) Japanese 42 million to build one of their factories in the middle of England, she destroyed any prospect of making something from the Channel Tunnel project.

We thought 'at least we will get some much-needed income from this, despite the pitfalls'
(There was a very real fear at the time that anything from Rabies to Refugees & Terrorists, drug-smugglers etc would just walk through the tunnel into the UK, wether this has ever happened, i have no idea).

The British Rail train works in Kent was just being sold off & dismantled when the Tunnel project was approved. This enourmous complex had made trains for the Tzar's trans-siberia railway, India etc. It was situated just 23 miles from Folkestone, where the new tunnel would start.

Newtown Works

The tunnelling machines came from Canada, most of the jig & construction work went to Scottish & French companies, and the French would also make the trains.

Many people were forced out of their homes, huge swathes of Kent were levelled to make way for buildings, 400 year-old Oaks were uprooted.
The 120 year-old Cinema was demolished to make way for 'Ashford International station' and a huge multi-storey car park & hotels etc; all of which is a massive white elephant even today...

The people of Kent did actually get some jobs out of it. They are the sorry-looking souls who sit in the kiosk or serve your coffee, and i got to work a 72 hour week making the flanges for the water pumps. Big deal ...

[Somamech]

Nice write up PWM 

As an Australian who has come back from Taiwan I share many Disgrunt's

I apparently come from a "Nation" which is rich and dictates the worlds outcomes via sanctions!

Oddly these great nations cannot get rail right... Yet Taiwan are constantly building! 

[PLAYSWITHMACHINES]

Yes, and we also tested our nuclear weapons in your back yard, mate

Don't you just love the Brits
I have considered moving to Ch1na, having a lab next to the shao-lin temple, but i also value my freedom of speech