Whitey Grandad

We owe it now, we pay it in the future. It's all part of the big picture. Taxes have to go up, and petrol is an obvious target. I'm not personally against high fuel taxes provided that vehicle taxes are reduced to offset them. I think it is right that those who use the roads more should pay more and that vehicles which are less fuel-efficient should also pay more.

We are comparing two different amounts here. One is the tax actually taken, as you have pointed out, the other is the amount actually spent. The government has been spending more than it has been taking, effectively they've spent the money but they haven't presented us with the bill yet, so we have tax as a proportion of GDP and spending as a proportion of GDP. Current overspend is future taxes and the liability is increasing all the time when you consider public sector pensions and PFI commitments.

Ta for those. So if we are taxed at 37.4% of GDP, why does tax freedom day fall on 25th June? It's because these figures are only the tax raised and do not include government borrowing. http://www.adamsmith.org/tax-freedom-day/

If he give's up after a couple of groans then he has no place in our team. (he's not very good either)

Of course (but youknew that). It's compulsory health insurance. The problem is that the public think that the NHS is doing us all a favour when in reality we are paying customers who deserve better.

That's absolutely true. Here we have employers' NI which is always overlooked but is as much a part of the employees' salary as the take-home pay. Once you factor that in the marginal rate look horrendous. In France the pay slip includes a long list of taxes, all itemised. In Denmark the employer pays all the money to the employee who then pays a high marginal rate. When I was there a lot in the 80s VAT was 25% (even on food) and car purchase tax was 180%, i.e. you paid 280% of the ex-works cost of a new car, whereas Germany next door had VAT at 10%. Comparing salaries alone is very misleading.

I was wondering that. Did I see that Crystal Palace spent 2 years in administration before Simon Jordan stepped in? What is the trigger point for giving up? Is it entirely up to the administrator to decide?

They would get either parachute money or new TV money. I would guess that the CCC clubs would still get their money which would be deducted from the TV money.

I want to cry :smt022

The PA wasn't too bad when the stadium first opened but it has been bad for a couple of years now.

East and south I suppose. We went to Sorrento in early April and it was like spring here, 20 degrees daytime and very pleasant but not really sitting-out weather in the evenings. A month later and the temperature was up in the twenties.

In summer I agree with you. In January or February there isn't a lot of choice.

If I remember correctly, other teams have been deducted extra points for 'having been in administration before'.

...or visiting Avram Grant?

I agree.

Petrol is short for 'petroleum spirit' and is the generally accepted name in the UK. What I hate is people who use alliterative expressions like 'gas guzzler' or 'rat run', preumably because they think it sounds trendy or maybe just because they like the sound of their own voices.

Thanks for the link. I voted 'No, they should have been wound up'. I see that is the most popular option with 44%.

There's also the matter of the reduced savings ratio. Compared with other countries 'we' are putting very little away for a rainy day, possibly in the mistaken belief that we can borrow what we need when we have to. Add to that the disincentive to save for a pension caused by the raid on the dividend tax credits and the means-testing for those who tried to save a little bit extra for their old age and we are in a parlous situation.

Most of that is a fair view, but I've highlighted where we differ. For the last 15 years we have been going backwards and most of the increases have been in the public sector which has been paid for with money borrowed from the future, which probably means your children and my grandchildren. As for taxation, we're a lot nearer than the top than you might think. I've had experience of America, Canada, Denmark and France and I would put us up with the top taxers.

I'm not retired! It's long been an ambition of mine, but being self-employed I can't see it for the immediate future. Or perhaps you're all trying to tell me something?

All these are a fair summary of the game, in my opinion.

We started the first half ok but Cuthbert's injury took the sting out of the game and after half-time Swindon came out took control for a while, which is unacceptable. We persisted too long with the tactics of lumping the ball up to Lambert and looking for flick-ons. Our passing and distribution was sloppy and led directly to their goal. James was woeful and only put in one good cross out of several attempts. Puncheon's corners were poor. Davis was very slow to get the ball out, it almost looked like timewasting. Apart from that, we were ok.

Ian Dowie to be announced tomorrow morning as Hull manager until the end of the season.

Council tax?

Taxes are in local currency. HTH