bridge too far

Thanks Wade Garrett for reminding me that I'll also lose out on petrol prices - I was convinced he was going to regulate / compensate for petrol price increases.

Think I'm a loser Age-related personal allowances to be frozen = effectively a tax on pensioners to the tune of £200 odd a year. I choose to smoke (OK I'm an addict) so that's going to hit me too but that's up to me. I think very high earners are going to benefit by about £10K a year but middle-income earners (like two of my children) will lose out by the reduction of the 40% threshold. I think there's going to be uproar about the extra tax on pensioners - many of whom vote Tory.

Middlesborough are crap!

Joining you - double strength eh?

We all know that PFC is ALMOST toast, but they're burning footballs too?????

Interesting reading, that. Maybe I'm misinterpreting the rules, but it seems to me, from clause 63.7, that ALL employees are covered bu the Football Creditors rule. Didn't I read that some of the non-playing staff weren't paid?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/mar/19/football-league-celtic-league-one

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-17434587

I didn't think Sky's coverage was anywhere near as good as the Beeb's used to be. In other news, the BBC has also lost out on the Grand National and the Derby to Channel 4 Racing from next year (the only two horse races I ever watch). Such is the result of keeping the licence fee at its current level.

Just uprated your contribution big stylee

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-17409934

Little ones are nice but they tend to get eaten. Make a big one and there's ususally some left over (don't know why - some strange law of physics no doubt). Eat what's left cold, with a sprinkling of sugar - awesome!

This.

I think there was a programme on recently that showed that, in London, some people who had bought their council houses sublet them at extortionate prices.

The right-to-buy scheme introduced in the 1980s has been criticised for the following reasons: Speculating investors were able to buy up council properties through deferred transaction agreements, hastening the rise in property costs; Commercially and socially valuable council assets being sold at below their market value or replacement cost; The remaining stock of council housing was concentrated in undesirable areas with little employment opportunity, further isolating and stigmatising the tenants. At this time, local councils had to use the money from sales to reduce their debts rather than reinvesting the money into new housing. This will cause real problems particularly in London where even Housing Associations are now struggling to find the wherewithall to build new housing because they're not getting the income from current properties because of the cap on housing benefit.

I reckon Birch is getting in as much cash as he can because he knows that the club's going to go tits up in the next few weeks.

Absolutely staggering to read that the cess pit LOSES over £1m PER GAME!!!!!!!

Seems to add up - she lives in Oxfordshire, quite near Dave in fact.

If you were to get married in a non C of E church, you would have to have a (state) Registrar present. It's only the C of E that doesn't require this. If you get married in licensed premises (ie a hotel) you also have to have the Registrar conduct the ceremony and there mustn't be any religious content at all - no hymn, no religious texts etc. Marriage should be conducted by a representative of the state (Registrar). If people then want a religious blessing, then that's up to them. My own view is that religion plays too big a part in our civil lives.

Just like teaching my grandson to use his spacehopper - bouncy plastic 'n all.

What a great thread!. I'm old and female (but as young as the man I feel). Sholing born and bred but steadily moved north and now living in Oxfordshire. I can't remember the first game I went to but I was about 7 and my dad made me a box to stand on in the Milton Road end. I do remember being there when we played Sheffield United, mainly because there was a soldier standing next to me shouting 'Come on you Blades'. I only get to matches when my son goes, my other half being a Skate but avidly follow my boys' efforts every time. My grandson (9) has been a plastic Liverpool, Brentford (!) and ManUre fan but we're slowly educating him. My little grandson (3) is an Everton fan but doesn't realise it. My claims to fame? My dad built Mick Channon's house in Fair Oak and I looked round Terry Paine's house in Bitterne as a potential buyer and he showed me his England caps. (Didn't buy his house though).

Happy w***ing

You clearly underestimate the requirements of being a sentient being I think. although I have little doubt you can fold leaflets and operate a remote control. But having the wherewithall to back your beliefs with actions? I bet that's beyond you. But you carry on 'living the dream' - whatever that means

Well, you'd have to grow a brain first I think. Your 'living the dream' - what does that entail exactly? A hand shandy maybe?