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) Many shops will hold items, especially the pram or pushchair for you until you have had the baby if you so wish, a surprising number of people feel strongly about... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Readability, good journalism, excellent photography
Disadvantages: None really

...I started purchasing ‘The Independent’ regularly about 5-years ago. Before this, I had wandered between ‘The Times’ and ‘The Telegraph’. I have to say that, for me, ‘The Independent’ was a revelation providing an excellent combination of good well-researched journalism within a wide range of subjects. It is a newspaper that I feel comfortable with. To describe it as a newspaper, in my view does it little justice. Of course it has news, which it reports with accurate up to the minute copy – but it also has in depth coverage of current topics, historical features and the like, and, of course sports. One area of this newspaper that demands special mention is its photography. This stands far above the other broadsheets with photographic subjects always well defined, to the point... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Scotland's Independence - Have Relevant Legislation
Disadvantages: Scotland's Independence - Causes Restrictions Un-neccessarily such as travelling to Scotland

...Kosovo is able to fend and run its economy independently and that away from Serbia. It also is host to many natural resources in which to generate the basic running of the country and possibly start off trade whereas Scotland holds resources such as green land but needs development, this is why government has recognised this an accordingly gave Scotland an assembly in which power is devolved for them to act seperately in areas applicable. An example is Scotland adopting the tuition fee and England not in universities. Kosovo having a seperation both culturally and religious gives way to the idea that Kosovo should be independent as Kosovo when independent it is prodominantly Islamic followed by small percentage of Catholic.The argument for Scotland is that it should remain under UK governmental power as it, ultimately has the same... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: cheaper, better quality work
Disadvantages: hard to find

...I work part time at an independent garage (I am a student), and from first hand experience, I have seen just how much better quality the work done is than that of main dealers, and cut price places like Kwik fit and Hi-Q. We have had many cars in which need repairs, having had parts fitted badly by other garages. The level of training at independent garages is much higher than at the big chains, and the level of staff turnover is much lower. I know of a local chain garage who have a staff turnover rate of about one every 3 weeks. Staff at independent garages seem to care much more about their customers as well. I know who I would rather have repair my car, when safety is important.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: a few
Disadvantages: not many

...Independance Day is a pure and simple action movie - don't expect too much from it. If you don't take the film too seriously, you will almost certainly derive at least some enjoyment from it. But 'some' isn't always enough. At the time, Independance Day's special effects were unsurpassed, but now it seems as if every other movie released has similar or even superior visuals. So, what does that leave? Not particularly much. It's not that it's a bad film, as such, it just doesn't try anything new or particularly spectacular. If you rent it rather than buy it, you probably won't be disappointed, but there is very little here to make you want to watch it more than a couple of times. A few years ago Independance Day was the film that you had to see, and after all these years I can still remember jumping out of my seat at one... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: great SFX, fantasic extras, some comedy aswell.
Disadvantages: zilch nadda nadda

...the virus and launch the nuclear weapon attached to the craft. Meanwhile, on earth the greatest aerial assualt in the world takes place on July 4th (Independence Day) and as they look like they are heading for defeat when the missile launched at the crafts primary weapon misses and no-one has any missles left excet for the alcoholic from the convoy. This guy was not believed from the biginning and now he has the chance to save the world, (how ironic) when his missile is left jammed he makes the most difficult decision to fly into the primary weapon himself before it is fired causing the destuction of the huge saucer. After the word is spread the ship start falling all over the world and the two who flew the craft to the mothership return to earth with a crash but unharmed. As for the extras there are quite a large selection, from... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful