Verbal

Well some still do. The loopy right in the US, through its mouthpiece, Fox News, has been complaining long and hard about the protesters in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Yemen. They have campaigned loudly for a crackdown, and have launched some pretty vicious tirades against Obama for even the most half-hearted words of support offered to the people on the streets in the Middle East.

Oh for god's sake! Are you really, seriously saying that 1% corporation tax for Barclays is just fine and dandy? Especially for one of the banks that had to have its entire financial structure guaranteed by the British government for it to survive? And why is the tax rake so low? Because of the very bubble investments (notably in derivatives) that caused the whole banking system to wobble to the point that we were all facing the end-of-times, economic equivalent of the Cuban missile crisis. Writing the losses off from derivatives has worked wonders for Barclays' super-rich, super-clever investment employees. I'll give them this - making a profit from their own screw-ups is really taking the government and people for fools. Even more so, when some start bleating about how paying more than these derisory amounts will result in the banks runnings away to 'softer' tax regimes. The banks have sent their PR battalions out and you've lapped up every word. Meanwhile, Barclays tried to cover all this shenanigans up by going for a gagging order against the Guardian in the High Court. Is this one of those' added benefits'?

I was hinting at the deal Blair evidently massaged between Libya and BP, which somehow, by accident, not in any way related, happened to coincide with the release of al Megrahi. Should have made that clear.

Really? You're giving him too much of the benefit of the doubt.

He seems to have made a career out of it. He is no different to Hassan Butt of al muhajiroun. They know what they say offends. But they carry on happily, waiting for neo-con loons like Hannity to fall into the trap. Butt recently admitted, in his words, he was a habitual liar. He's have to be. Both have made claims about their involvement in terrorism that would have got them locked up ages ago. But they are both attention-seeking fantasists. Koranic dunes.

It's not a serious question. It's a question that betrays a lack of a moment's thought. How far above 1% corporation tax does 'taxing the banks into submission' start? 1.5%?

Hannity is a gullible idiot for falling for that stunt. You can see Choudhary winding him up and enjoying every minute of it.

Can you keep your problems with women out of this?

So you think Barclays paying roughly 1% corporation tax is acceptable?

Ah yes, the protesters would have welcomed that.

The worst aspect of this is the use of foreign mercenaries to carry out the massacres. It is an idea - if that's the word - borne of a cynicism I hadn't thought possible. i've never heard of foreign mercenaries being hired simply to shoot unarmed citizens. The only hope is that behind this tactic is a desperation that could lead to that buffoon's downfall.

Blair's friend. What do you expect? And yes - still shocking.

Scooby lives in the dreary suburbs of Washington. He WISHED he lived in NYC.

Oh thank god. When I saw the thread title, TDD's name as OP, I dreaded it was another one of those 'please rescue me from all women' pleas.

Did you hear that Grandad? You're allied with dune. Sorry to ruin your Sunday.

The scene early in the film between Hailee Steinfeld and the horse trader who thinks he can easily outwit a 14-year-old girl is a classic.

'Even' constituencies how exactly? If you mean simply by numbers, that rarely results in fairness, particularly in safe seats - the rotten boroughs of our age. Blocs of Labour or Tory or LibTurncoat votes often thwart not only the minority whose views are completely ignored in what is supposed to be a democracy - but even those for whom voting for the inevitably winning candidates is the norm. Many of those are not party fodder - far from it - but have shades of opinion about parties and candidates that are far better represented in an AV system. Only party apparatchiks like you would support FPTP surely - leaving aside the political infant by the name of d*ne.

Yes, that makes sense. A vote for AV will increase fairness, no matter how you look at it.

Don't be so gloomy. We'll live to fight another day.

Tax 'avoidance' is one thing. But a British-based company paying less than 1% in corporation tax is a disgrace no matter how you cut it. To then pay roughly the equivalent amount out in bonuses mostly to their top staff is just rubbing salt into the wound. In the US, the company would be hit by an IRS audit (painful and expensive). Here? Well let's see what Cameron does...

Now you're just typing drivel.

I'm genuinely surprised. This sort of stuff rarely gets to a day in court.

So how's the court case going?

It gets worse. Barclays tried to get a gagging order issued against the Guardian to stop them revealing the tax avoidance 'scheme'.

That last one's true, by the way. Try googling 'Foxbat' and 'Japan'.