> being anyway. They enjoy cheap holidays abroad and cheap imports. The
> unemployment rate is half that of Germany's. Britain is booming as never
> before. For once, we can look down on the Krauts and we love it.
Brits may think they're looking down, but that's because they're looking at a mirror which is pointed up. The mighty UK machine-tools industry circa 1999, stats courtesy of the Gardner Group (note further that the US, French and UK positions are inflated by continued excessive military spending, something Canada, at least, can't be accused of):
Country Per capita production
of machine tools ------------------------------------- Switzerland $279.45 Germany $91.14 Taiwan $75.76 Italy $66.34 Japan $61.20 Finland $32.63 Czech Rep. $27.56 Austria $25.97 Belgium $25.21 Spain $24.74 Sweden $23.13 Canada $16.63 UK $16.11 USA $15.95 France $15.28
-- Dennis