Whitey Grandad

This is an example of why the arguments can get confused. It used to be called 'child allowance'. Now whether you think it right that the state should help parents or not is a different matter, but giving back to the earner a small part of what they earn is not a 'benefit' or 'gift' in my understanding. Such people are already paying more than their fair share of the cost of running our society, in my opinion.

I can only speak for the situation a few years ago when they became professional. I think it was around £75k p.a. plus extra for each match. For that the FA would have first call on their time. A few years before that the FA introduced a scheme whereby any ref living more than 125 (?) miles from the match had to stay in a hotel the night before. On the day of the match the officials and assesor all met up in a hotel conference room provided with a flipchart and the usual refreshments and the whole team was transported to the stadium in one vehicle. Before that I can remember waiting in the car park at the Dell after the match for the players to come out and at the same time the ref and other officials would each get into their own cars and drive off, pausing only to shake the hands of the Man Utd players if they had been the opposition. (I made that bit up, partly).

I love the 'king of sports' , and after I had to stop playing it gave me the best view of the game from the middle of the pitch, and the chance to stay involved.

Means-testing costs a fortune.

So what's the difference in principle between child allowance and the initial tax-free allowance?

There was some discussion a few years ago about why there was a difference between ground-based and satellite-produced figures.

To some extent I do, but I would never cheer the opposition, that is a different response. A polite clap is always appropriate, even if the object of the appreciation can't hear it. I don't sing much anyway, but I don't usually sing my joy when we score a goal.

Well, we had precious little reason to applaud Saints at that time.

How does having a lot of notice give you more money?

It's not a handout, just returning a fraction of the money taken.

It shows appreciation of great football skills.

Nothing to do with government spending money we don't have, then? Don't get me wrong, I am of the view that a company should pay the tax rate on profits appropriate to the county in which by operate and in which they make those profits.

I drove past a wind turbine next to the M25 last night. It was floodlit.

I'm just a load of clap.

It's all a mugs' game. If it messes up your head it must be doing damage.

The questions is... Would SISU have been better off buying us?

The NHS is brilliant at handling emergencies but poor at chronic conditions. There seems to be a different mindset. On another tack, we were speaking to an Irish lady recently who lost her husband to a heart condition about twenty years ago. We didn't realise that Eire didn't have an equivalent health system.

It's all part of the ridiculously complicated tax system. This may come as a surprise to you but the more people earn, the more tax they pay, and it goes up disproportionately.

Who, me?

I took it back to the shop and they got it fixed within two weeks. New motherboard, which is virtually a new phone. Let's see how long this one lasts.

I hate it. The whole country shuts down for three weeks whilst the rest of the world carries on. No wonder we're in the doggy dos. As a manufacturing outfit we can't get anything made, delivered or shipped. Then we get Chinese New Year straight afterwards. Bah humbug. Until the last few years we have always had elderly relatives to stay with us but for the first time ever we are going on holiday over the entire Christmas period. It'll give my long-suffering mrs a complete rest from all the preparations and cooking. I'll be thinking of you all on Boxing Day and afterwards, paddling in the Caribbean on various islands.

Ticket pricing has to be agreed by both clubs.

Some on the US ebay: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=gyro+ring&_sacat=0&_from=R40 uk sites: http://www.grand-illusions.com/acatalog/Gyro-Ring-Pro-601.html Also known as jitter ring?

Swansea had a rapid fall, although from the old div 1, not the Premier. 1982 to 1986?

Bugger. Any chance of it being on Monday 7th?