Loz

That's gonna cause chaos in the south of Spain when they send all the retired Brits back. Or is it not going to work both ways?

I am *so* looking forward to this. Though something tells me I am going to be rather disappointed. Though Kevin is wasting his time with trying to influence my vote. Being a postal voter, mine is signed, sealed and soon to be delivered.

Sorry KD, I am still confused. The others responded, but you still seem to have the issue? And Mr McNally first wrote to you? I can't make head nor tail of all this.

I'd like to know why you only send your letters/emails to LibDem councillors. I thought initially that they must be your ward representatives, but I've just checked and the councillors you've named are responsible for different wards. So: - did you send letters and emails to Labour, Tory and Green councillors. IF so, what was their response? - if not, why not? Did you think they were not worth bothering with? Which leads to... - if we are saying no to LibDems, whom should we be saying yes to and why?

Because, as this lesson proves, when the crap goes flying, it flies a long way. London's financial institutions suffered because of a bubble on the other side of the world in the US housing market. And when London's financial institutions sneezed, everyone caught the cold. America, Switzerland and Germany. And everywhere else. People from Bombay to Botswara suffered. On the other hand, in the good times, the money stayed relatively local. Not just for the bankers, but the other City employees, the shops and lunch bars and cafes and wine bars, the taxis, the couriers, the office suppliers - everything that revolves around city money. And, of course, the taxes that all that generates. So that's why - you are going to get crapped upon when it all goes wrong, so you may as well be around for the good times.

GG didn't state a series of facts at all. Indeed, the main cause of dispute in my mind - the 800 to 1000 calories a day - is an estimate. And no one said she was a liar - she may, however, be mistaken. It's interesting, legalbeagle, that you chose the 'science proved bumblebees can't fly' myth. It's a classic case of one person making an error that, because it sounded good, has managed to embed itself into popular belief. Maybe a bit like easting less makes you fat? Bumblebees Can't Fly Myth

(Erm - sorry about the spelling. I hate that. I'd fix it, but it would make your post look weird.) Not the entire financial industry, just the stuff that is so international (generally the very profitable) that it really does not matter where in the world it resides. At the moment it resides in London. Make it hard for them and they will go somewhere else. Why wouldn't they?

Huguenot was being rather unsubtle, but his maths and physics is sound.

Yes, they would wail. Quite loudly. Then they'd bugger off to New York/Zurich/Frankfurt or wherever else they could do what they do without being whined at. Look, no company like to pay over the odds for their employees. Bankers get paid what they do because, rightly or wrongly, the company that employs them thinks they are worth it. London is currently the financial capital of the world, which brings in quite a lot of money and employs lots of people. And you want to encourage them to go elsewhere? Well, I suppose we can fall back on our manufacturing base. Oh... And, no, I am not a banker.

Actually, it can be politically significant. In Oz, where voting is compulsory, the number of spoilt papers always counted and declared. For instance, the referendum for a hydroelectric dam in Tasmania back in the 80's offered two choices, neither of which the environmentalists liked. So, many people wrote 'No Dams' across the ballot instead. 45% of votes were 'spoilt' papers. Unfortunately, in the UK where is not compulsory to vote, you just end up looking a bit dim and unable to follow simple instructions...

Apparently it's official - Nick Clegg is the new Chuck Norris... http://www.ninja-monkey.co.uk/byte/cleggnorris.jpg

How do you know?

Of the Big Three, I think it's the case that the LibDems are the *only* left of centre party at the moment, so yes. Labour haven't been left wing since Tony Blair - more of a centre-slightly-right party. The only part of true left wing politics that remains is the authoritarian streak and complete disregard for civil liberties when it suits their dogma. Say what you like about the Tories, but at least their politics are consistent. Their big mistake this time was selecting a leader that personifies all the 'upper class twit' about them. The Tories, with all the public discontent with the Labour government, should have won this election at a canter. Unfortunately, the double whammy of Clegg looking convincing and 'Call Me Dave' not looking convincing has thrown a spanner in the works. At national level, it has to be the LibDems for my vote this time around. Labour are tired and the Tories aren't looking the part.

If Gordon Brown mentions the bloody child tax credit once more, I will explode. It reminds me of someone in a job interview that keeps bringing up the only piece of vaguely relevant experience they have, over and over again. It's a shame there isn't a fourth debate - there is a fine drinking game here. Knocking one back every time he mentioned child tax credit would lead to carnage.

Kind of related to the original post... How about Howard from Take That, in a cheap Mexican restaurant, where he had to be moved on as he was on the table/area we'd reserved?

Don't forget that in the past, the Monster Raving Loony Party were the first to suggest lowering the voting age to 18, pet passports and all-day pub openings. A truly visionary party... well, at least compared to the rest of them

Yeah, *Bob*'s right. So take that.

Poverty is not being able to afford the basics: food, shelter, clothing. Few people in the UK live in poverty. There are quite a lot of poor people, though. Relative poverty is a nonsense. Compared to Richard Branson, I live in relative poverty. I disagree. In some countries you can afford the basic of life for a few pounds a day. That's won't buy anything in London. Mick Mac asked the question, "What's the most a person and his/her family can earn and still be defined as being in poverty?". I've found someone getting the equivalent of ?50K - and the article suggests she and her family would still be in poverty at the ?60K mark.

I hate the downgrading/misuse of the word poverty. The word is 'poor'. The Evening Standard recently did a series on 'The Dispossessed' that included an article about a woman living 'below the poverty line'. Her 'income' was ?38,844 tax free which is the equivalent of of over ?50K in taxed earnings. But, as she has 11 children, this is defined as 'in poverty'.

Brendan Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Apart from the fact that it?s a xenophobic smear > campaign its based on complete bull shit. > http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/election/article-1 > 266826/The-United-Nations-Nick-Clegg.html "Mrs Clegg also described her husband as a ?true internationalist? - despite his repeated references during the leaders? TV debate last week to the concerns of his constituents in Sheffield." Really, sometimes satire just can't touch the Daily Mail. That has to be the funniest sentence I've read in a while!

Well, he bought a house to live in and bore the associated risk. True, he received expenses to pay the mortgage whilst he was an MEP, but had house prices dropped, would you have approved taxpayers reimbursing him for the loss? You can't have it both ways. This is an entirely different matter to the flipping and other entirely dodgy practices. Yep, he made a profit. But as far as I can see, there was no 'fiddling'. However, if Clegg indeed has "insisted that parliamentarians should pay back capital gains they make from state subsidies" then he's probably made a rod for his own back.

Desperate stuff from the Mail - it doesn't actually accuse him of doing anything against the rules. Not quite as much a piece of non-news as the 'payments for researcher' stupidity, but pretty close. I love especially how they converted figures from 2001 and 2005 to today's exchange rate to make it look even more awfully terribly outrageous.

Greece has been living beyond its means for years now and, looking at the protests against the austerity measures, has little to no clue about the reality of the situation. It's interesting that Germany is holding back on bailing Greece out, as the current deal would mean that Greek pensions would be higher than German pensions, which is unsurprisingly a little unpopular in Germany. But the Greeks won't accept cuts. Bankers have many faults and create lots of problems, but the culprit here is Greece itself.

As long as you're not too much of a purist, the Sainsburys one isn't bad. The skin is not quite the same, but the meat is OK. You get wraps and Hoi Sin, you just have to provide the onion and cucumber. You do have to shred the duck yourself, but it's not too difficult with two forks. And you get it fresh from the oven.

My postal vote arrived on Monday.