The WW1 settlement gave the Germans a justifiable complaint and directly lead to WW2 because Hitler was able to use the resentment of the German people. Quite why or how that resentment was turned against the Jews is something of a mystery to me. 

I think later generations of Germans were ashamed of what had gone before but blaming children for the sins of their fathers is never right. For instance I accept no responsibility for anything that this country may have done before I was old enough to vote. I'm not even keen on taking any blame personally for anything the country has done as my ability to guide events is close to zero.

Quote from: ansu on May 18, 2024, 05:00:13 PMbut the UK doesn't want to take them back

Of course we don't. France doesn't take back any rejects that came across the channel from there.

That said I read they had caved in and taken 50 or so back.

on the weight question, as I have mentioned before the socking big battery - which takes up a third or more of the boot space, and the fact this car has a 2 litre engine to cope with the weight, mans that it weighs 4 cwts more than its 1.5 litre predecessor and whilst the acceleration is reasonable it is noticeably down of the earlier car - just as well I'm not a boy racer!

Try eBay - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131801919083?itmmeta=01HY6G3VDGXGTYJQX7YV4RZGN5

Quote from: Michael Rolls on May 18, 2024, 07:34:17 PMI have always decried the idiocy of 'net zero'. Unless we are willing to accept a considerable reduction in our quality of life it just can't happen. My current hybrid - bought under duress because Ford had discontinued what I actually wanted, a petrol 5 door Mondeo - is OK, but I am confident when it comes to change it will, in real terms, get a good bit less for trade-in than of yore, so much so that I am going to keep it for longer than usual (I normally change before the MOT is due) and smile grimly at what I am offered.
No idea why that appeared twice!

I suppose that one advantage of hybrids is that when the batteries do die a death, at least we'd still have the petrol engine to keep it going.
Yes, the inclusion of batteries and an electric motor can make the cars more 'economical' to drive, but when the batteries do give up, we'd be driving around carrying an unnecessary heavy load and consequently using more petrol.
That's what put me off buying a hybrid, and the place where we bought our car three years ago was pushing them even then.

I have always decried the idiocy of 'net zero'. Unless we are willing to accept a considerable reduction in our quality of life it just can't happen. My current hybrid - bought under duress because Ford had discontinued what I actually wanted, a petrol 5 door Mondeo - is OK, but I am confident when it comes to change it will, in real terms, get a good bit less for trade-in than of yore, so much so that I am going to keep it for longer than usual (I normally change before the MOT is due) and smile grimly at what I am offered.
No idea why that appeared twice!

Quote from: Ashy on May 18, 2024, 07:19:40 PMTechnically if they are selling more than are being scrapped or exported, then EVs are becoming more popular. just that the initial enthusiasm for the product may have declined.

Not necessarily the case.  One has to consider the growth rate of new drivers in comparison with the rate of purchase of EV's.

But, even having said that, you might still be right.

Quote from: Ashy on May 18, 2024, 07:19:40 PMTechnically if they are selling more than are being scrapped or exported, then EVs are becoming more popular. just that the initial enthusiasm for the product may have declined.

Well, it's a free country (at least for now).  If people want to buy them, they can do so.  I just hope they think carefully about it first.

Incidentally, as I was walking down to the middle of our 'village' I once again remarked to the wife that I have still never seen anyone, not a single person, using the charging machines in the car park.
I think it is completely logical not to do so, because there are only a few shops here and why would anyone put their car on to charge, which would take quite a long time, when there's no other reason to stay here for that long.

The other thing is that these two machines have effectively taken over the space of four or five parking spaces.  I bet they'll be gone next year!

well done

Technically if they are selling more than are being scrapped or exported, then EVs are becoming more popular. just that the initial enthusiasm for the product may have declined.