Patrick Bateman

There is nothing wrong with increased VAT, it's a good thing. Correct me if I am wrong, but there is no VAT on essential items, is that right? So food, books, newspapers, sanitary items ... note the word essential. Buying a new TV is not essential. Most items aren't, 'essential'. What do you need to live? Food, water, sanitary products, papers (for info), a bed, a sofa (which you can get from charity shops and there are some goods around) etc. Also, you can argue that those with a higher disposable income buy more non-essential "stuff". They'll spend more on bigger/newer TVs, cars, games consoles etc., so, are in fact paying more tax. So the "poor pay more tax" argument doesn't stack up.

To be honest, it won't lose much more value for the next 5 years, so unless there is anything major wrong with it (cambelt, tyres, discs etc), then you may as well keep it as a commuting wagon and destroy it. I wish I had done that more in the past!! Cars are such a bloody waste of money. Having said that, the 320d BMW will give you almost 60mpg, so if you did have any costs coming up, it's worth looking at the saving you'd get in fuel and BMW's 2 year servicing plan etc.

Yes, but you must have put down a hefty deposit and have it BMW Select or something if your monthly repayments are that low??

I can't. All 3 parties are offering tougher stances on immigration. Therefore, any "tactical" voters will be more easily swayed than having to stoop so low as to vote BNP. The BNP policies are laughable (yes, I read them as well) ... so superficial, with no substance at all (should I have expected any?). It's like a wishlist that you could write on some note paper. "We want British jobs for British people" Great statement. Tell me how? Tell me why? Tell me how much it'll cost? Tell me how it benefits the economy? Tell me how extra tax it'll raise? Tell me about how we avoid being chastised by Europe for not adhering to Equal Rights? etc. A very simple example in itself, but you get the idea.

Why should they answer? Answering shows weakness that they think they won't be the majority party, but showing the kind of strength that they think they can do well and not need to support one of the other 2 parties, they can subconsiously make their supporters believe they can win - hence more votes rather than people "tactical" or "protest" voting. Simple really!

And this matters why? So he had a good start in life and comes from a grounded, intelligent family. Gosh, I'm so worried about someone like that potentially leading the country. I'm undecided on the whole Trident thing, it's not a decision point for me, having read (in depth) the manefestos for the 3 main parties, the Lib Dems stack up the best. Having completed a gap analysis; I can't see too much difference between the Conservatives and Labour, but Labour are ruled out as I couldn't possibly bear another 5 years of that bumbling Brown idiot and his cronies! And change is good!

Not having a clue how jet engines work (like most of the UK public I'd guess), just wondered how they differ from propeller engines. Is there any form of air intake on a prop plane that could still be affected?

No way, that's such a shame. A decent Palmer should keep for years, I can only suggest you got a lesser vintage (i.e. a 97) which probably had no more than 5 years storage life, or, it was just not stored in ideal conditions/moved about. Wine needs to be kept at a constant temperate (under 16 C) and in the dark. Light and heat and variations of both, as well as movement will age a wine and ruin it. My wines are stored in a cellar unit which is a constant "cellar" temperature. I've many nice Bordeaux in there and a couple of excellent Californians (it pays to shop around, I found an Opus One for £180, managed to sell it for £300, result). I believe Chateau Palmer was owned by an Englishman (someone Palmer) in the 1800s and the name stuck. Lynch-Bages was owned by someone Lynch, an Irishman, again, it stuck. I actually stayed in the Relais de Margaux, which is next door to Chateau Margaux, a stunning building. I recommend Chateau Pichon-Longueville as well, awesome wines, amazing building. Sorry, I could talk Bordeaux all day!! Baj - last went down in 2005, a visit is LONG overdue. Apparently the 2009 wines down there are showing well, may get down in the summer just for that reason

The lake bit is odd, but cool - with a beach as well, if I remember rightly? I liked the fact there were no brits anywhere to be seen. We stayed for a couple of days as a break from one of my many wine trips down there. That time, we stayed in St. Emillion for a few days, then Bordeaux for a couple, then in Margaux for 8 days or so as a base - the beach at Lacanau-Ocean was nice and totally different to sitting on the Medoc! Good times!

I meant the South West of course, I'm a dunce.

Have to be the South? Why not the South East and somewhere like Lacanau-Ocean? Bordeaux is on the way. Or a bit further down, Biarritz?

How much did it cost to build the Emirates out of interest? Surely a better comparison? Wembley isn't as good as the Millenium stadium for sport, but it's great for concerts - I'd wager the FA make more money from concerts than from sporting events??

Good, complete drivel like pretty much everything ITV produce.

Yes, I believe the club pay for the presence of police at matches. So for that match (in simplistic terms) the policing costs get deductied from gate receipts etc., and then divided in two for Saints and Skates.

Totally agree, it's totally disproportionate to what happened. If you throw a stone in to the sea and it smacks a fish on the head, would you expected to be arrested? So throwing a stone (whilst daft in the circumstances) at some (human) fish at football, shouldn't carry the weight of punishment it does.

These people need to get a grip on reality. Times are tough, people are having to make sacrifices to make sure they keep a job. There are always other jobs out there if you're not happy and always plenty of people willing to step in your shoes if you're leaving. BA crew are paid above market rates with great benefits (compared to competitors), we know that. BA are making a loss and heading downwards. A few cuts here and there may see a prestigious brand keep going a bit longer. Constant archaic strike action and driving customers away will help BA fold earlier. (Having had all that rubbish over Christmas with BA, my next holiday is booked with another airline) I had a 10% pay cut in Feb 2009 to keep my job. I've had a further 15% pay cut this month to keep my job. Times are hard still, sacrifices still need to be made. As it happens, I AM looking for alternative work, but the market pay levels are a LOT lower now than they were 2 years ago and I wager that's the case in many peoples' industries. When will Unite and all the daft, idiotic cronies get the message??

PM SteveGrant, get him to e-mail me with your details and I'll put you in touch with a team who will look after you - the installation process should be good, but I know, from what I've heard, observed and read it can be a real pain which is annoying.

Is this the early 80s and are they talking about Ocean Village again???? That used to be packed with shops, people and plenty of things to do!

You won't have any problems with speed or connection at all. In the very unlikely circumstance you do, it'll be sorted out PDQ! An ideal way is to whinge on Twitter, the Twitter team pick up on whinges and will contact you directly, so proactive monitoring of poor performance. With 100Mb/s trialling by the end of 2010, you can expect an even more enhanced network with less issues

This thread is tedious, it's supposed to be people wanting and selling tickets, not squabbling about the way they were sold. It's done how it was done, deal with it.

Ticket now sold ... now I'm after 2 together ... the sacrifices!! :smt012

Likewise, I have 1 ticket, but am after 2 together - so will swap/sell my 1 if I can get 2, somehow? I'll take the risk of not finding 2 in normal seating to go corporate, so If anyone wants my 1 ticket, please PM SteveGrant and get him to e-mail me. Thanks.

Stig Johansen? Trond Egil Soldvedt?

Are you related to Benny Hill?

I really shouldn't, but ...