CB Saint

Neither actually - GO's numbers are based upon forecasts produced by the treasury (some seriously bright people in there) based upon the coalitions political will. I have no idea what the economists you mentioned are using - I notice they were talking "if buts and maybes" so is it conjecture or is there some other evidence they are using. At the end of the day, no one has a clue. I suspect that (as always) the government figures are generous and the economists version of doom and gloom is overstated and we will fall somewhere in the middle.

Trouble is no one knows what the outcome will be, 1931 Britain was different to 1997 Japan whcih was different to 1937 uSA which is different to 2010 Britain. Yes one Nobel Laureate has come of out to say he thinks the government got it wrong, I suspect that the government will roll out a couple of their own over the next few days. Trouble is with these economists is that they never seem to agree. Predicting the future, by its very nature, is an inexact science, so it will be riddled with inaccuracies. Let's hope this bloke is wrong and everything turns out ok.

Tax regime is pretty good - there is no state income tax (although you still have to pay federal tax) Vacation time can be low in comparison to the UK - sometimes as low as two weeks pa Florida is a hire at will state - that means you can be fired immediately for any reason without notice - conversely you can just quit a job and walk out that day. Make sure you get a good health plan as part of any job (health care is expensive). Watch out for the co-pay element - even if you have a health plan you will be expected to contribute towards the cost of treatment and the amounts vary dramatically between different plans. Have fun

Have you seen the film In Bruges? It's a line from the film. I think it looks great.

Bruges - "It's a f***ing Sh*thole"

Weekend in Scotland Sat AM - 18 holes on the Old Course at St Andrews Sat PM - Tour of the local distileries Sun AM - Stalking / Shooting Sun PM - Fly Fishing Trust me, she will love it

For some reason this year I have been moleless. Have been plagued by the little blighters previously. Not sure why. Perhaps the current incumbant decided to move up the property ladder.

How can you attempt to meet the fit and proper criteria - either you do or you don't.

I have just read that three councils are seeking a judicial review to try to overturn the decision to cancel building work for schools. Now whether or not you agree with the decision, it seems to me plain daft in this era of cuts to spend taxpayers money suing a body, who will use taxpayers money to defend themselves, to ensure that taxpayers money gets spent. Surely the councils realise that if they get this overturned then they will have the £55bn taken off them in some other way.

It is as you leave the Valley of the Kings - you are shepparded through a small souk. We latched onto the back of a party of yanks and used them as cover before making a break for it.

I suppose the question is - should someone who earns almost twice the national average salary get benefits at all? Probably not. Obviously the situation that BTF highlights is ridiculous and should be stopped.

Fly down to Luxor for the day - Karnak is simply breathtaking, Valley of the Kings and Queens - superb.

this is an emotive one. I have flown business overnight because I would had to work the following morning. My company paid £4000+ so that I could have the pleasure of a flat bed and the off chance of a few hours of shut eye, however I was kept up by the six month old baby in the pod in front who decided it was going to play up for the duration of the flight. Not a wink of sleep. If I am stumping up this kind of money then the least an airline can do is to provide a quiet environment. Needless to say I disturbed both parents on my way back and forward to the loo / bar. Gits.

In all seriousness, I do wonder if electing EM could be a bit of an own goal. We know that the labour mps wanted david and we have seen what a divded party can be like when you look at the problems that Hague and IDS had. EM has an enormous job to do convincing those who matter in his party (and by that I mean the ones who will make all the public soundbites i.e. the mps) that he was the right choice after all.

But only in 18 years - I can cope with that

Sounds like any other religion to me For example we are led to believe that Mary got pregnant without the prerequisite slap and tickle, moses rocked up to the Red Sea and parted it without use of dams etc and any muslim will be entitled to 40 virgins for eternity if he straps on a dynamite vest. As for thuggery towards dissenters see dynamite vest above and the spanish inquisition.

If your estate exceeded the IHT limits then yes (the current limit is £312K). Either your kids would have to pay up or your estate. As I said before there is nothing fair about IHT.

I do have a legal solution for you Get you mum to buy house, and gift it to your dad. (transfer in marriage are exempt). Get your parents to divorce. Get your girlfriend to marry your dad (or divorce your wife first and get her to marry him) Get your dad to gift the house to your gf / ex wife (his now wife) Get your dad and gf / wife to divorce Get gf / ex to marry you Get gf / ex to gift you the house. Voila no inheritance tax

It is certainly going to be an interesting time for left wing politics. I am not sure what the Labour party have got with EM. He has distanced himself from New Labour but at the same time he is keen to stress that he isn't the Unions pin up boy. Time will tell.

There was a boat in Moody's boat yard called Canastella - which always made me chuckle

The difference between the pound and the market value of the house will be treated as a gift. Provided the mum survives 7 yrs after the gift or if her estate is less the the inheritance tax rate then there would be not more tax to pay. I hate inheritance tax - its a tax on dying. Better off scrapping it and sticking a penny on the 50% band

surprised about the lack of big business in the tory list. Also by how little you have to contribute to get into the list

fingers gone numb - old house

If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?

Why do photocopiers and computers decide to go wrong when you have a deadline to meet?