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.

50 SAS to into action asp.......I'll deal with those pirates quickly....bunch of weak prats in power !, try talking to the foreign office and see if you can get any sense (I doubt it !).

Required Field,

Agree 100%. This country is so weak when dealing with other countries that walk all over us that we are the laughing stock of most such countries.
I read last week that we pay 6000 to any immigrant that has been denied leave to stay, if he volunteers to go home, as they say it costs double that to forcibly return them. 6000 is often more than they would earn in their own country over 10 years. What an incentive to come here. What do they have to loose.
As they have already been denied leave to stay by the courts (at considerable expense no doubt) why not just charter a plane and dump them.
If Easy jet, Ryanair etc can fly you half way round the world for less than 100, surely we should stop patsying about and get tough.
When I look at some instances where such a person and their family have been kept by the state at a cost of more than the total income tax I have paid in my working life of 46 plus years, as well as other taxes paid in my life time, it makes me go into deep despair.
It is wasn't so pathetic it would be funny.

Pre Budget statement,

Obviously something drastic needed to be done. There looks to be several items that may just boost the economy, such as the decrease of VAT, delays in several taxes as well as the increases in pensions, child and other credits.
It would be impossible to increase the amount put into the economy over what has been announced. BUT where was the detail in the 5,000,000,000 that are to be saved by cutting wasteful government expenditure. This government being the world best class act of spin, gave the usual platitudes to this move, IE told us nothing. What was needed to boost confidence in businesses and the financial markets was this detail. There was no mention of cutting waste in the civil service type jobs especially in the quangos. Jobs such as these that are still increasing by thousands each month are none productive. If vast cuts were made in theses areas by drastic measures as laying them off, this would result in huge cost savings as unemployment payments would be far lower than their salaries.
Also no mention of the gold plated government and other none contributors final pensions, something obviously off limits.
Of course turkeys don't vote for Xmas, do they.
Until the general public at large see the government taking drastic action in their own back yard confidence will be yet just another government 'speak' word that starts to be rolled out at every opportunity as did prudence.
Prudence as we all know is dead and buried, the problem is without her GB looks even down in the mouth.
Funerals are expensive. With GB and AD in charge or the arrangements, it will be the mourners (us) footing the final bill.
As to the massive loans that have now to be arranged on the world markets. Just how certain are they that they are obtainable. There will be so many government bonds in the markets surely the perceived values must be over proposed values.
We have seen huge discounts in the shops of late, who wants to bet that to gain the markets in bonds they also will have to be sold at discounts to the market.
All IMHO of course.

In an economy that is hitting retailers very hardhas the government given any thought to the cost of reprising goods particularly clothing that is mass produced and ticketed well in advanced how is the vat going to come off?.could ask the wife I supposeany thoughts anyone?
RFI dont think the conservatives are going to get a chance to turn things around unfortunately.and I say that with much regretDavid Cameron is not the man for the jobI have seen him put under very minor pressure and he is cluelessthere is a Tory capable and I hope they change their leader but I think not!

Also there have been several reports this morning stating that goods production won't increase for several months even if sales increase by several percent immediately. This is due to there being huge stockpiles of these good. You only have to see the huge stockpiles of vehicles spread round the country, as just one example. The big problem is any economy boosting move takes time to trickle through. Lets just hope the good ship GB does not sink before the lifeboat reaches it.

2.5% for 13 months is a complete waste of time. It should in a change be made permanent, small retailers will have to change a lot of labels.....or more probably won't bother. Are you really going to go and buy that big electrical item now because vat has been reduced by a minimum ?, I know that for vat that this is as low as the EEC will permit, but the 12 billion pounds that the state will lose should have been put to better use !, we need to see the back of this government as soon as possible : they are a disaster !.

This government are always going for the quick fixes !, what on earth is the point of cutting personal allowances and a one off extra money for pensioners ?, pensioners want a steady increase ! god knows they deserve it !, (the 2nd world war generation in particuliar), what they give with one hand they take away with another !.....the 12 billion pounds would have been better put to use by helping to do away with tax or some tax on pensions !, why give a pension with tax ? absurd !.

Exactly right. Also taking vehicles again for example, who in their right mind if considering a purchase would buy now prior to the VAT reduction on Monday, OK its less than a week away, so not too important. No doubt this weekend will be the quietest for retailers ever.
But fast forward a year and those planning to buy say in 2010, and many people do plan that far ahead, will bring their purchases forward to save quite a bit of cash, (375 on a 15,000 vehicle), and many mid range vehicles cost more than 15,000. No doubt 2010 will have manufacturers and retailers either laying off staff or stock piling again. Sound like boom for 2009 and bust for 2010.
Also as the pundits have pointed out, this is a very labour left wing budget. There is now even less incentive due to increased tax credits for those out of work through choice to get of their back sides to find work.
As to the proposed increases for those earning 140,000 plus etc, I am old enough to remember when the highest rate on income tax was increased to 50%. This resulted in so many high earners either leaving the country physically, transferring so many businesses abroad, or/and so many cash assets that the government eventually realised they were killing the goose that lay the golden egg.
These so called rich are needed even more when recessions bite than they are in the good times.
Yes the more you earn the more you should pay, and they do. You can only squeeze so much.
Without those huge reductions in government waste, Boom and bust will still rule.
If ever there was a budget planned soley for an election, this is it.
At least if/when the Conservatives are elected, Labour will have great difficulty blaming them for not cutting taxes, as they will have little choice but to work from Labours mandate for several years.
This mess started as we know with those toxic debts that were bought and re sold without anyone really understanding what was in the package.
Looks like this government have changed the game somewhat to pass the parcel of budget debt.
The games the same but the toxic contents have changed.
Going to lie down now. The Valium (is there VAT on it) is starting to kick in.

So what percentage of the great British public believe that if you have a serious problem caused be cheap credit and over spending by the government in relatively good times you can solve the problem by making credit even easier and by the government spending vast amounts of money that the country doesn't have?

You can fool some of the people......... How many are fooled at present?

Once a 1 has been printed and taken by various institutions lent on to other many other smaller businesses through various channelsthat 1 has generated an ownership of 2..when everyone altogether wants their pound back half aint going to get it..get it!.the problem is simple the money dont exist.
The money go-round on the electronic casinos is one big default.

Hi This is me,

How many people are fooled this time!. Probably about as many people who believed Tony Blair when he said, 'I'm really just a straight sort of guy', and when we were told that there would be no tax rises under Labour.
If you look at the latest risk rating of this country defaulting it has significantly increased of late. Credit-default swaps on gilts rose 4 basis points to 87.5, according to CMA Datavision prices.
I was wondering when the so called Gilts market would start to price more risk into the system. How long will the term, 'Gilt Edged' mean what it is meant to.
Read this sweat.

Gilt Avalanche Looms on U.K. Recession, Revenue Slump (Update3)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a0iSNUrIdLno&refer=home

I have always believed a man who says he is telling me the truth!

In that case Fred.Im a lying bas*ard!

QED

Required, Have a look at this site:
http://www.icc-ccs.org/index.php?option=com_fabrik&view=visualization&controller=visualization.googlemap&Itemid=89

Good Morning Gausie.QED is why I post my infotake a look at my only buy this morning for a long term investment
tabasco - 26 Nov 2008 08:15 - 4525 of 4527
Morning all.for those of you that use my buys as a short.just purchased 9000 @ 2-12 in BVIC.let us see how lucky I am Trig?
---------------------------
I am so lucky Gausie.lucky I have a very good friend that is one of their 2,700 employees!

Tabby - You freely admit to trading on UPSI both on britvic and mks. Be careful - you wont even get big macs in HMP Brixton.

GuasieI have friends everywhere.I have never once said they have told me anything.it is not legal!you are making accusations that are simply not true I have friends at mdx as wellthats a good case against memy largest holding.had it off there big time I know nothingas you regularly tell me

Yeah, right, Tell it to the judge

Ok Gausiehes a good mate of mine.27 degrees here in KentIm sweating my bandana off.