Advantages: Freedom
Disadvantages: Loss of control & distribution of economic power.

...Independence, Independence, Independence. I think the majority of Britain supports, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and other countries, to become sovereign states of independence. Because it's our ideals that want to focus on peace and independence, and countries that want to be free, and can support and govern them-selves, should be free. As Britain's we personally accept multi-cultural ism, it has become part of our everyday life-style, and each is accepted upon British nationals as equal. However, there is still the debate as to whether, U.N intervention, was at all practical, and legal in its, own sense, and whether leading countries, support this unprecedented move, or whether or not this move was moreover a focus for more power and of course oil, for the actual supporting countries. In 1912, Kosovo was taken away... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Politically independent, sceptical, strong on the environment and civil liberties
Disadvantages: Above average price, some unexceptional columnists

...Recently, Tony Blair had the effrontery to carp at what he described as “the fusion of comment and news” by British newspapers, in effect accusing them playing free and easy with the truth. This was pretty rich, coming from someone that had done so much to elevate spin and news manipulation to their present eminence in British politics. Reflecting, though, on the antics of some of the popular press, particularly those that have bent over backwards to support him, one felt that there might be a germ of something in what he said, despite the identity of the person saying it. Then he singled out The Independent for particular attack, and at once it became obvious that this was yet another exercise in tendentious Blairite axe-grinding. For The Independent has been stalwart not only in upholding a factual approach to news reporting... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: In principle, self-determination is always desirable
Disadvantages: In practice, individual cases differ and the outcome can be problematical

...Taken literally, this proposition requires little thought and certainly doesn't merit a full review. Yes, of course Scotland should be free to declare its independence from Serbia. I am yet to hear a cogent contrary argument. It's a non-debate, and whoever dreams up "current debate" questions for Ciao should have stopped to think for a second and drafted this one more carefully. So let's not take it literally, and address two related and, I hope, more intelligible questions, even if they're not exactly what Ciao asked: 1. Does the experience of Kosovo in relation to Serbia have any lessons, either of principle or practice, for Scotland in relation to the United Kingdom? 2. Are national independence movements generally to be welcomed or deplored, or is it impossible to generalise? * * * * 1. Does the experience... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: A Country in its own right
Disadvantages: A lot of fuss for not much else

...The Question - Kosovo declares independence from Serbia why not Scotland? I will try to get my point across by giving a brief outline of the facts surrounding the 2 countries and then offer my conclusion. Scotland - The Facts Scotland was brought into a union with England fully in 1707 with the signing of the Act of Union, many Scots were against this and it may have been a very different matter were it not for the Scottish landowners who made up the majority of the then Scottish Parliment being threatened with a cattle export ban by the English. The terms of this union allowed the Scots to have their own educational & legal systems as well as their church and in 1928 the Scottish Office joined the Prime Ministers cabinet. Fast forward to 1999 and the new Scottish Parliment was set up following a devolution referendum... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Personal, good customer care, friendly
Disadvantages: May need to order stock in, but with wider choice

...Your local independent nursery store may not be the first place you think of when you set out to buy nursery goods, whether it is a gift for a friend, a set of socket covers to toddler proof the lounge, or buying the whole kit and caboodle for a new baby. An independent store is likely to have a much wider range of products than the high street chains, which are restricted to a few suppliers. Most good independents will be able to order in any goods for you that they do not already stock. Other advantages of using a local store are: 1) Usually have some payment scheme on offer, which is not subject to the restrictions of the credit based schemes of larger stores 2