Whitey Grandad

Thatcher aranged that we get it as a rebate which goes into the national coffers. I think this is worth around £4bn a year. The important question is 'what do we get for our money?'

Thanks, that's what I thought but I wasn't sure.

I think you'll find that very few of these would stay around and pay the taxes and we would end up with even less than we get now. The trick is to set the levels so that we maximise our revenue from these sources.

We get a lot of it back, but by no means all of it.

Interesting thought, but they didn't borrow the money so why should they pay off the debt?

They pay it to the Treasury, if they borrow it. We provided a draw-down facility which restored confidence in their ability to continue trading, but at a very high price. We also took a large slice of equity in them. One bank (whose name escapes me) chose to borrow from the Middle East instead of paying these high rates. The money that we have allocated has not been lost. We 'own' a couple of major banks which are enormous money-making machines and as soon as the share prices rise a little bit more we can cash in bigtime.

This is a (forgive me) simplistic approach. We all need food and other basic necessities. We don't need gender-reach consultants. We don't need designed obsolescence in mobile phones and computer operating systems. Why do we need increased business? What has changed in the world since the 1950s, 1960s ? Only that young mothers are forced out to work and put their children into day care.

We have already borrowed far too much and it has to stop. Interest payments last year were £30bn and this year they are £40bn. That is far more than our defence budget.

They already pay interest - over 12% - on what they 'borrow'.

I understand. I presume that Hilda was her sister so then something simple and dignified, e.g. 'with fondest memories from ... You will remain in our hearts forever. May you Rest in Peace'

But that demand is created by borrowed money that we can no longer afford. The money paid in salaries is far higher than the NI/PAYE.

I'm not laughing, well done! Incidentally, when you are at parties what do you say when people ask what you do?

You mean she doesn't know?

I agree, although I feel that even a wooden version of his Ted statues would still have looked disproportionate. I'm sure that the club could have recovered a large proportion of the cost by selling gnome-sized versions.

If your mum asked you to get it then you'd better put her name on it. If you're not sure, ring or text your mum for the wording.

Got married. Got a double first at Cambridge. Bought a new house in Fareham (for £6395) Had a son I'm still waiting for something big to happen.

You really know how to splash the cash! I'm really please you both had a good time and it's good to have you back.

Not 'REVOCSID' ?

It could be a family quarrel?

You could be talking about me!

Confirmed on the BBC site: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/middlesbrough/9103816.stm (sort of)

Fromm the Mail today: Apparently on the statue of John Lennon at Liverpool Airport it says 'above us only sky'. Underneath someone has written 'below us only West Ham'

Is it a lad's weekend or something more romantic?

Ghent is also worth a visit. There's the 'bicycle bar': This looks like a useful site: http://mengodrinking.co.uk/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=24&MMN_position=31:5