Henry_17

Naver again!

It seems that either they were exceptionally unlucky or allocated resources exceptionally poorly given this. Arguably Scotland was out of their hands but everywhere else? And this is with the Ashcroft data opened up which I believe both sides made a song and dance about in the media as a tool that should have assisted them.

Louisa, Credit where it's due, well done for calling it correctly earlier in this thread.

NAKED

I had a very pleasent experience in the clipper I have to say.

Tillie, You have ceeded too much power to this individual. The correct play was not to answer the phone nor to call back after your nap.

Aqua, Why do you say that no one in ED is poor sick young unemployed or disabled and that therefore they live on a different planet to those that are?

Miga, On talk having been greater than delivery, in my view undisbutably true, even if the links you were going to supply were from Krugman or Wren-Lewis whose blogs / media articles should obviously not be considered objective. However, it doesn't follow from that that it hasn't been more effective to have had the Tories in instead of Labour, becuause confidence and perceived stability are the most important factor in the market where the UK has to flog the substantial debt required to keep the place running, more important than actual spending reductions, and it's highly doubtfull the last government had sufficient credibility to instill the necessary confidence. On actual cuts having hurt the recovery much harder to say. Both sides will be able to cherry pick statistics to demonstrate each side of the argument, but these are almost gaurenteed to be myopic. But again if considering the recovery in aggregate the main question is which party had the best chance of installing confidence following the huge shock the economy was subject to which is unknowable, but in my view a new party with a fiscally conservative reputation (deserved or not) had a much better chance. I want to stress that I'm only referring to the recovery as defined as an independent increase in GDP. I don't doubt that many if not most people will regard the negative impacts of cuts on some sections of society as much more important than the growth of aggregate GDP.

All, I am pleased to report that good progress is being made with this project. Our industrious entrepreneurs have been so kind as to update the hoarding and we now know that as well as being upscale, the apartments will also boast Victorian facades. Cleverly, facade has been spelt with a cedilla, which while requiring a small extra expense at the printers, should act as an excellent screening tool for the agent when taking viewings. Ladies, It seems if you own a pair of royal blue slip ons you will fit in particularly well here.

Bic, Yes, we had Resham Kotecha and James Barber some time back. No one else since though.

Blah, To answer your question, a small number of employees relative to the total lied to fix libor rates, primarily for their personal benefit. A small number also seemingly carried out similar fraud over gold and foreign exchange prices. And then these employees were investigated, fired, disqualified from the industry, and in some cases arrested, criminally charged, and are currently standing trial. Then large fines were levied on thier employers, which their colleagues and bank shareholders were allowed to share in, provisions for fines at the UK's five largest banks were double the bonus pool last year. Say what you want about whether you find that adequate, but that would be a statement about position not direction or degree of change, which is what I quoted you on earlier. Clearly there has been a significant increase in legal and regulatory scrutiny of banks since the crises, as well as a material reduction in scale and type of activity (lower headcount, far less prop trading). FWIW I would support a renewed glass steagal type seperation of utility banking from investment banking as I think it would reduce but not eliminate the risk of taxpayer bailouts. I don't think this, or any other changes to the banking system can be the silver bullet to inequality that you seem think it could be however. Getting back OT of the thread, I don't see how you can take issue with associating criticism of banks with the left when Labour have clearly have a clearly adopted a more hostile rhetoric to banks and the broader finance sector than other parties.

Quintessential, Claiming that last of the Mohicans is his best work is fantasy.

Otta, That must have been frustrating, and added to stress that many first time buyers would have experienced these past few years as they paid high rents and cost of living inflation while trying to save for a deposit as house prices ran up. It's also clearly bad risk based pricing from the bank if they do not differentiate pricing between different FTBs since clearly they will all have range of credit quality. I would disagree that this implies the sector is scum, but can understand why you would have a strong feeling given that experience. Even if you do make this conclusion though, I don't believe it is productive to view banks as the root cause of the complex and myriad problems in the economy, as I beleive Blah Blah does from his post, and many politicians on the left certainly do with their rhetoric.

Jeremy, Of course you are right that nothing would be guaranteed or automatic. But it wouldn't only require someone to ditch an existing car for this to lead to an improved parking scenario over time, one or more of the 6 could decide against getting a first or second car that they otherwise would have, because of the convenient cycle parking. In general I admit I would likely feel imposed upon if this were erected outside my property. But objectively arguments about any material impact on house prices or noise over and above what is already made by motor vehicles seem far fetched.

Blah, Why do you believe that business in banking is the same as ever? Blah Blah Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > That in work benefits bill is up Loz. It has a lot > to do with low wages and increasing costs of > living, namely rent. > > I disagree with you Loz in that a growing economy > where tax receipts, productivity and exports are > down, it reflects the scenario that what growth > there is, is being hoovered up by a few sectors > (finance being one). So for me, it is not the sign > of a healthy economy at all. Low wages, poor > exorts, productivity etc, affect things like > national debt. We are still borrowing more than we > did in 2010. We've done nothing to change the > aspects of the economy that caused the crash. > Business in banking is the same as ever, and we > gave them billions of our money to get back > there. > > What I would say is that these are the problems of > an economy that has been in decline for the last > 50 years. And yes Osbourne has been as lucky as > Gordon Brown was unlucky to be the scapegoat of a > massive global crash. Well that's just the ways it > goes. But to think for one minute that Osbourne is > delivering anything but more of the same, when we > all know that more of the same hasnt worked for at > least two decades, is fantasy. > > We think the last financial crash was bad. We are > heading for something far worse unless we get back > in control of our wealth. There isn't much left to > give away to foreign shareholders tbh. The free > market does NOT take care of all. the cost of > housing IS out of control, the over 65's are going > to become even more expensive to the state > finances etc and no-one in government or in > opposition really seems bothred enough by any of > it. But then it seems, nor are we!

Tommy, Sorry to hear that. Can you share approximately what time this was?

Mrs B, Could you expand on this a little? I think you have explained what happened over two posts, but it seems unusual to leave the detail that you were actually able to exit after an initial protest to a second post having been probed. Is the point that the young councillor initially tried to make a point by locking you in and then meekly and officiously appealed to "what they had been told" in the face of common sense? Or is it something more sinister, a more protracted altercation perhaps?

Sold.

Mr Ben, Why Canada?

Malumbu, I will second the stall at NCR market, although unfortunately since you will only be able to pick anything up on a Saturday this will only last you so long.

Flashpot, The billboards surrounding the development state that these are to be "upmarket" flats. While it could be the case that the developers mean only to point out that these are to literally be located up the hill from North Cross Road market, it is more likely they wish to signal that a powerful price will be demanded in keeping with their upmarket nature.

Personally I am sceptical of planes. This idea that the faster air underneath is enough to keep such large objects afloat seems farfetched.

YEAST

Pearl

Quids, Agreed, even Tuco as reintroduced while entertaining has been implausible / inconsistent with the character we knew. Trying not to spoil but the resolution of that situation seemed far fetched. Mike has been written more consistently but he was never that entertaining.