Thought Id start this one going because its rather dead on this board at the moment and I suppose all my usual muckers are either at the Stella tennis event watching Dim Tim (lose again) or at Henly Regatta eating cucumber sandwiches (they wish,...NOT).

Anyway please feel free to just talk to yourself blast away and let it go on any company or subject you wish. Just wish Id thought of this one before.

cheers GF.

Britons are falling 19 years behind schedule in fulfilling their dreams
Published on Saturday 31 March 2012 06:00


THE average British adult is up to 19 years behind schedule with their ‘life plan’, according to research carried out on behalf of Skipton Building Society.


The study suggests that millions of people have struggled to achieve milestones such as owning a house, getting married and starting a family.

Many people who have failed to achieve their goals blame a low level of disposable income, high property prices and limited access to home loans.

The study also revealed that the average person expects to move out of their parents’ house by the age of 22, but in fact 13 per cent of adults are still living with their mum and dad at the age 40. And while many hope to meet their ideal partner by 25, 33 per cent are still looking for love 15 years later.

According to the research, the average British teenager hopes to earn more than £30,000 a year by the time they reach 31.

However, for 71 per cent of respondents this dream has yet to become a reality.

Skipton Building Society’s Tracy Fletcher said of the findings: “When you are growing up, you have very set ideas about when you will have that big white wedding, be carried over the threshold of your brand new house and cradle your first child in your arms.

“Unfortunately, our survey shows that, while the majority of people hope to have achieved most of their goals in their twenties, it is more likely to be late thirties or early forties before many are accomplished.

“And money is a key factor for many of these milestones, as people just can’t afford to set foot on the housing ladder and feel lucky to have any sort of job let alone earn a packet, or buy a car.’’

The report revealed that most adults hope to become the owners of a house or flat by the age 27, but 32 per cent are still renting well into their 40s.

Most teenagers believe 28 is the ideal age to get married, but 48 per cent of Britons are still officially single by the time they turn 40. Most said they hoped to start a family by 28, but 38 per cent are unlikely to have done so by the time they are in their late thirties.

Ms Fletcher added: “There’s nothing wrong with thinking about the future, quite the opposite in fact...our survey shows that people need to spend a little time working out their end of the deal.”

The findings are based on a poll of 1,000 UK residents aged 35 to 40

Are the unions and Unite in particular, still bailing out the Labour party?

Ed Miliband has published a list of 43 meetings and dinners with major donors to the Labour Party, including several union bosses,

It revealed that Mr Miliband has met Len McCluskey, the leader of Britain's largest union, Unite, on eight occasions since becoming leader. Unite, which is currently threatening to take petrol tanker drivers out on strike, has donated more than £5 million to Labour under Mr Miliband's leadership.

Other union leaders meeting the Labour leader included Dave Prentis of Unison (five meetings after £2.4 million of donations) and Paul Kenny of the GMB (six meetings after donations totalling £2.5 million).

Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party Baroness Warsi said: "This is damning proof that the Labour Party is the political wing of 'Red' Len McCluskey's Unite trade union. And 'Red' Len – who wants to bring chaos to our Olympics and damage our economy with a reckless fuel tanker strike – has made clear this is cash for policies.

"It's no wonder Ed Miliband is too weak condemn Unite's irresponsible strike threat when he's earning £630,000 for every dinner with his union paymaster."

Len McCluskey: unions should consider disrupting London Olympics

Unite general secretary says 2012 could see dramatic escalation in battle between unions and coalition government

Why shouldn't the unions support the Labour party.

It is open.

While that of the tory party is secretive and appears to many to be secretive and corrupting.

I know that when I was young there was a subscription to the Labour on my wage slip which I could have opted out of.

I didn't at the time.

Consider the levy of that amount of cash to that of £500,000 to $£4,000,000 at one drop.

I do hope all the tax was paid.

What appears to me is that the unions represent a large group of individuals who could withdraw from the unions and not give the levy. The union memberships in general support the funding the labour party and the weekly payments are seen as small.

It is the sum which is to the labour party from of small "donations".
I would agree that the donations or "party fees" could be made more obvious and the, or an “opt out” equally obvious to contract to.

The large donations to the tory party and to a certain degree to the liberal party are of a different nature, coming out of the pockets of just a few, or minority.

One would suppose the latter “gifters”, being good "capitalists", or adherents of tory ideologies would expect to influence party policies as an expected return. Even, if it only leads to the implementation of the next U-Turn, or the appointed to the government as an adviser or CZar of some form.

Looking at the last budget and some political appointments, I and many more suspect that return has been partly repaid.

Is it any wonder this site is struggling when "Gobshite of the year"(recurring) above, manages to infiltrate and pollute every thread with his incessant verbal shite. Mind!

The voluntary donation is quite difficult to stop. There have been endless complaints of the method ncessary to stop it. The default should be no donation and an opt in. In some unions you have to fill in a form and take it along to a union meeting and present your choice to stop paying it and brave the comments from the activists who call you a class traitor. It sounds so easy to stop the political levey as it is called.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17543356

is bradford going to be the break up of the UK .
birmingham next then it will spread the uk will become no go areas
like we have never known .
the politians have failed the brittish way of life and the freedom of speech
the race card has killed the country. very sad days for the young .
these are my views

now the gov want to read all our E MAILS well hear is one they can read
why are all our MPs liars and dishonest and only interested in there own ENDS .
why are all these so called top directors being paid obscene money that they are not worth .

Tanker,

The New Tory party policy of open your, or everybody else's mail, is in defence of the UK.

8-)

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I thought this government was bad, now I think it is mad.

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A large number of people thought ID cards and Video surveillance was an infringement of "rights" and an abuse.

Nothing, compared with the present proposal.

Is this another diversion or preparation for another U-turn.
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Hays.

You had better be careful who you e-mail and the content of your E-mails.

=======

PS.

Bill, Ted. Jock and Sam.

No more e-mails. We will meet down the pub instead.

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Firstly, it was the Labour government that wanted to access all email and phone calls and it was the Conservatives who opposed it. I have no idea why there has been a shift in policy.

Secondly, the proposed legislation just regularises what has been happening for a long time. They can read my emails if they want to and listen to my phone calls as well, why should I care?

Mobile phone records have been kept for years. The information retained is of location (cell and sector, distance from cell), numbers called and so on. It's how they do the billing. It also provided substantial evidence in the conviction of the Soham murderer. Calls aren't recorded - there's too much traffic. Traffic analysis is the key issue - that could lead to eavesdropping - which would require a warrant.

Falklands War: UK and Argentina mark invasion 30 years on

A single candle is to be lit at Britain's National Arboretum to mark the 30th anniversary of the start of the Falklands War.

Argentina invaded the islands, which it calls the Malvinas, on 2 April 1982.

.

My wife told me to go to the doctors and get some of those tablets that 'help' get an erection.

You should have seen her face when I came back and tossed her some diet pills!

I'm still looking for a place to live.

.

Skinny, Skinny.

Your dinner and your bed is in the garden shed.

----------------------

Hays,

I see another cunning plan!

If "they" haven't got anything on you yet, "they" will find something, after the E-mail I am sending you.

8-)

PS>

When the next labour government, I wonder how they will use all the juicy information.in the data bank.

It may be a slippery slope.

bradford birmingham leicester to vote to rid them of brittish gov ,
the start of the break up of the uk and all down to liars at the top
you can not believe anything they say .

Just realised, the "juicy information" will be leaked daily like the Budget!

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Tanker,

Bradford was perhaps a vote of despair.

The present government is just poorer at lying than previous governments.

(A remark I heard last week with the last U-turn and the statements over the fuel supplies, was that "the present government aren't even competent liars.)

That is causing the loss of faith with the tories, even within the party members.

======

I can see Scotland going for greater independence than they have now and there are some elements in Wales who would like a greater degree of self government, but the latter are unprepared for it.

When parts of England had a chance for regional government they rejected it.

Interesting in Maggie time the tories centralised responsibility as the local forms of "governing" couldn't be trusted. It was the "We, in central government, know what is good for the periphery".

Now, because the government is incompetent, the attitude we will divest "responsibility" to the periphery but try and hold on to "power" and appear, hopefully, to be in "control".
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There seems to be a denial of the reasons for political and governing evolution in this country.