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.

it was merely a question that did not require an aggressive answer, even if it was likely to draw one, and of course did so :-)

=============

reverting to the question of smoking

it is certainly noticeable that, throughout europe, smoking is much more prevalent than in uk especially among the younger generation(s)
i have little doubt that this is due to the much lower cost, so i'm delighted that there is such a thumping tax on tobacco

Hays,

What are you on?

Whatever it is give a little of it to Manuel he needs a little bit of an uplift!


Mind, the latter doesn't read this thread, or if he does can't remember it.

Another question.

How many elderly gentlemen and Manuels have cirrhosis of the liver by imbibing too many bottles of burgundy and cognac accompanying butter laden meals?

They should be ashamed of themselves.

not me that's for sure
btw, i'm sure high saturated fat content in your meal will not encourage cirrhosis, though it may do plenty of damage elsewhere

merely as an aside, i doubt if i consume 1/2 bottle spirits in a whole year, though i do occasionally use some in cooking

By the way cyners 72% of these people who are in arrears with rent etc etc, are working people with either one or both adults in full time work.

Id be a bit worried though If I was you, this couple you rent out to will be soon paid housing benefit direct, a moonlight flit could be on the cards.

no they won't ..... i know the parents, which is why i even allowed them in in the first place ..... that said, if they vacated, i think i'ld just sell the property

something that may be of interest to you ...... house prices in central london are now so high that the yield is probably only 2.5 - 3.0%, and that assumes no downtime

Good to see Liam Fox doesn't want to be associated with the new cabinet!

GF,

It is OK George's economic policies will bail us out.

It looks like the chickens are coming home to roost just before the next Election with Cameron in fortress tory land.

============

Fred looks to me like the Tory party is in a state of total confusion.

Back benches have already said on the sackings camoron cant think hes got away with it.

if tenants are behind with rents then take them from their benefits or wages
and no messing about .

private landlords may find it quite difficult to get attachment of earnings
sticky will know more, as i believe he's the local rachman-incarnate :-)

NO NO NO, that would leave them with no money for food.

they could always give up the ciggies!

What it needs Cyners is silly IDS to reverse his policy of paying rent to the claimant instead of mandatory payment to the landlord.

Its a pathetic scheme paying money direct to claimants one which you know I said would lead to massive problems and it as.

The problem really is though that working families have lost 20% of their disposable income under the coalition whilst the top 1000 people have doubled their incomes and assets under the coalition.

Its a re distribution of wealth back to the mass that is really required and the labour government will do this.

By the way to take arrears direct from benefits and wages would be a reversal of policy for the Tories and would cost the country a lot more in admin fees.

much of what you say above is fair and correct, but of course, you being you, a fair chunk isn't :-)

apart from a very few very fat cats, we've all had to tighten belts considerably over the last few years, and inevitably, those in the lower rungs are hit hardest - e.g. if ciggies go up from £6 to £8 a pack etc etc

nevertheless, even if you tax the top 15% (just to take a figure at random) at 75% marginal rate, it really won't spread far at all

Cynic,

I think smoking is stupid, as is taking "habit forming, or addictive non needed drugs", or drinking alcohol in excess.

But, in the situations such as you seem to be indicating it is difficult to damn to much, especially when the lucky buggers have enough excess income or cash to eat drink live in conditions they wish and have vacations when, or wherever they wish without anxieties for the days after.

Especially, when often it is due to daddy's or mummy's handed down cash and not due purely down to their own endeavour.

The extra bedroom is a bloody stupid ideas, which instead of helping families together leads to greater fragmentation and less support for the elderly or in need of "physical" help or care.
==

Also, if as I wrote about 3-4 years ago, money should have been put into social housing and infrastructure initiatives. This would have distributed money into and stimulated the economy as a whole and avoided some of the present and short term future problems.

This would have maintain employment or at least helped to lessen unemployment and therefore the hardship being felt by the less fortunate in society.

Osborne has funnelled Tax payers' money into the hands of the pariahs.


This is the basis of my contempt for Cameron and present conceited administration.

Cyners........

No it wont but it will show the Government of the day is taking a Moral Stance.

And anybody who doesnt like it eg, Michael Caine can FO.

Theirs always a new face around the corner.

Anyway TANKERS point was that benefits and wages should be used to pay arrears but like you say its not such an easy option. eg, you cant get an attachment order if your

self-employed
unemployed
in the army, airforce or navy
in the merchant navy.

Even then after this you have to get a CCJ and for example costs at the Small Claims Court have doubled this year.

What really pees me off is the Tories stance on 1 parent families.

Not the wife and children but the husband or boyfreind.

As per usual IDS has ignored chasing these scoundrels as per normal Tory policy and it adds up to Billions over the years.

you know why dont you??????because a big % on what they call the STUD LIST at the DSS are coppers ex coppers or members of the forces or ex members of the forces.

Not a Dicky Bird have we heard from IDS over the last 4 years and they are the biggest benefit cheats catogery.

43695 - not sure what point you're trying to make

however, it is a sad state that potential father (or otherwise!) cannot insist on a DNA test to clarify paternity - the mother has to agree to it