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.

Hezza's dig at Jacqui Smith on question time was priceless.

Alan,

I think most people agree with you. The problem is those liberalite, lefty lot that speak for the minority are those that our establishment take most note of.
When this country enters a period of total public disorder (which it will) those same people with only have themselves to blame.
Note... Why waste money on semtex, just give me a gun, total anonyimity against any action of prosecution, and I would shoot such people myself.

No you wouldn't Greek, 'cos I would have got there first!! :o)

Yes, but it's always nice to make sure.

.

"Her estate will be in her fiancJack Tweed's name for seven years to avoid inheritance tax before it passes to her children." That's whatever is left!

Jade Goody reading the Bible in her last weeks

Kayak

Not quite as bad as you are saying:

"Asked by one Sky reader who would get custody of the two lads, Max Clifford replied: "She is assembling a memory box for her boys. There is a team of trustees - three very close friends - who will be overseeing the interest of her boys in the years ahead."

Jade's estate will be in her fiancJack Tweed's name for seven years to avoid inheritance tax before it passes to her children.

(Obviously, there is something like a Deed of Arrangement linked to the terms of the Trust)

At the end of the day if the trust or the will specify that Jack is the beneficiary then he can spend it all, trustees or no trustees. He has to be full beneficiary with no strings attached, otherwise it is a gift with reservation and the taxman steps in. And Jack is hardly the responsible chap. Of course the article is rather vague so we may be getting the wrong end of the stick.

Originally I thought that the whole marriage thing was just Jack making sure he got hold of her estate, now it appears that it is also to do with not paying IHT!

You couldn't make it up.

Is it any wonder that the financial watchdog (FSA) took their eye of the ball re leading up to the proverbial mess we find ourselves in.
Reported in The Daily Telegraph, it appears the FSA have broken their own rules.
On Feb 11th last the FSA invited a select group of analysts to a briefing on the regulators new policy on solvency, resulting in these not invited complaining that under their own (FSA) rules such selective briefing are illegal.
Also no minutes were taken at the meeting.
They issued a statement stating that 'We did not turn anyone away anyone who wanted to come'
Obviously some did not know about the meeting as they were not informed (selective)
One analyst said that if a bank had held such a selective meeting they would be "hauled over the coals".
Another said "Someone should report them to the FSA".
No doubt if they did the FSA would conduct an in depth enquiry resulting in them censuring themselves. The FSA big wigs would then no doubt give themselves a great big bonus (another one) for the failure in process.
If bonuses are granted pro rata of failure, the FSA and the Financial Services (bosses) as a whole would if not already all be millionaires by now.
Of course rewards for failure compared to the Governments own track record (again pro rata) make those financial institutions bonuses look small change.

Greek,
I can tell you a few from my dealings with the FSA civil servants from hell.
You wouldn't believe most, but heres one you might.
In 2004, I contacted them regarding some marketing I wished my company to use.
Their ever helpful department for consumer statements (or some such gibberish) told me it was not up to them to approve marketing or otherwise and that I should satisfy myself that it was within the principles.
When I asked them what their job was, given that they pursued misleading marketing material and fined firms, their answer was that it was their job to do this if there was an upheld complaint against the marketing.
Would it not be easier, said I, to have a quick peek at the material and tell me whether it was okay. After all, it would only take 5 minutes and could save thousands of people being misled and thousands of man hours in prosecuting my company.
No, said they. Do your marketing and we will look at it when it comes to our attention via the investigative team.
Makes sense to the people who allowed banks to trade long after they were insolvent.

I feel that most civil servants in the higher echelons of the organisation spend almost 100% of the time thinking of schemes to keep themselves in their jobs.
After all as long as their in/pending trays are full no one is going to question what gets done or not except another civil servant. Which would be a bit like turkeys voting for Christmas.
I remember several years ago this government set up a group (another quango) to look into ways of cutting the number of civil servants.
I understand this group is still active (sic) although every year since it was set up the number of civil servants has increased.
It's the old story of who watches the watchmen/women (Must be politically correct).

Yes Minister/Prime Minister was supposed to be a comedy. I tend to rate it the best, funniest documentary ever make.
Just proves sometimes you can make it up.

Hi Al,greek and all from sunny Naples Florida,
i havn't been on here for a while (where's bos) looks like the economy's tanked both sides of the atlantic ,usually a downturn doesn't effect this town but it's really bad here ,big stores closed down all over ,i'v been coming here for years and watched all the shopping center's springing up ,now there's store's empty every corner you turn. Problem is this time it's the rich that's that's got hurt and this town is full of wealthy people, the most intersting is the real estate ,houses in the multi millions some of them empty and no chance of a buyer. .Well i moved out last year , probably not the best time to do it but at least i have the sun ..Still reading the thread when i get time... Good Luck all Jimmmy b......

Very interesting, Jimmy.

If you've time, I for one would like to hear much, much more.

Here's a link if you want to check out the prices and details of some of those properties:

http://www.myclubrealty.com/

Good to hear from you Jimmy, glad you are enjoying the sun. We are missing your photos!

"However, USA property is already so cheap in some cities that you can buy three and four-bedroom houses in places like Buffalo, New York for less than 20,000 but giving gross rental yields in excess of 30 per cent. These homes could be bought with cash then mortgaged when liquidity returns to the financial markets."

Jimmy, me old mate!!!!

Hows the cotton picking and gin loading business these days???

Rumour has it you are Mr Obamas right hand man, but I saw some interesting videos of what he does with his right hand and I think thats below even you.

I've got a spare 30 at the moment and I wondered with your contacts if you could let me know which states I could buy with that.

Not interested in California as its too bankrupt and has a weird Austrian in charge.

Keep us up to date with the antics of our colonial cousins (and please teach them good spelling and grammar whilst there).

Alan

Nice to hear back from you all , Obama was near here the other day ,speaking in a small venue (1500 people) in Fort Myers ,i tried to get a ticket ,but no chance ,typical yanks he had enough security to fight a small war so didn't even get near him .Exec as for property this is Naples and while all are at bargain prices ,decent places still cost a few quid . Kim sorry about the photos i've been too busy since i came here ..Alan the language is worse than the spelling ,sometimes a simple request like "can i have that without ketchup" gets a blank stare back as though i just asked to bugger their wife.If you want to buy a state for $30 you may be in luck but it will probably be one where you need to have 6 fingers and look at you sister in a different way than you look at her now!!..Anyhow i don't get on here every day but will try and have a chat from time to time.Don't know about you guys but some of the FTSE 100 is starting to look cheap to me and i have a few on my watch list so be interested to know what you think . Cheers ..

Sad news for canny travellers abroad....

From http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/fury-over-nationwides-travel-money-uturn-1637860.html

Fury over Nationwide's travel money U-turn

Society plans first ever fees for overseas card use
By Kate Hughes, Deputy Personal Finance Editor
Thursday, 5 March 2009

A dramatic U-turn on overseas credit and debit card charges will mean significant new fees for millions of Nationwide customers planning to use their cards abroad, it emerged yesterday. From May, Nationwide customers with a Visa credit card will be charged 0.84 per cent of the value of any transaction made outside Europe. The same fee will apply to debit card holders from 1 June, but the fee will swiftly increase to 1 per cent for both groups of card holders from 1 July.

The fees are being introduced in stark contrast to the building society's well publicised fee-free approach to overseas transactions, which it has often used in advertising campaigns. For example, last year, Jeremy Wood, divisional director for Nationwide, warned: "People who are planning to go abroad this Easter should be aware of the hidden charges that most card providers impose, which are both costly and unnecessary. Last year, we saved our customers just under 46m in foreign currency loading fees."

Nationwide said it was passing on an authorisation fee charged by Visa, having previously absorbed the fee, ever since it joined the Visa scheme almost 20 years ago.

"The financial climate continues to be volatile and as a prudent provider we have to ensure that our products are sustainable," said Rachel Jensen, a spokesperson for Nationwide. "All we are doing is passing on a fee that Visa charges us. We are not making any profit from passing this fee on to our customers and the majority of customers making transactions are doing so within the Visa Europe region and so won't be charged."

The credit and debit card industry's complex charging process means that holidaymakers pay an estimated 700m every year in commission payments to banks and card providers, the equivalent of an extra 40 per customer over a two-week break. Nationwide's fee-free approach has therefore been a big selling point for the society.

The travel agent Thomas Cook has also announced plans to charge customers for the first time for overseas transactions on their credit card. From 18 April, customers will be charged a 2.5 per cent foreign exchange fee for all purchases and cash withdrawals abroad, as well as the pre-existing additional 2.99 per cent fee on any cash withdrawals both in the UK and overseas. The Post Office Mastercard is now the only credit card which doesn't charge commission for overseas spending.

Martyn Saville, credit card expert at Which?, said the decision would hit cash-strapped consumers already facing a challenging exchange rate. "Nationwide's decision to start charging customers fees for most purchases outside Europe is incredibly disappointing," Mr Saville said.

"The building society had been a shining light to the credit card industry with its no-fee policy on overseas purchases it's a shame Nationwide has now sold out and fallen into line with the rest of the market."

As our illustrious government is chucking money at several lost causes, I have approached them for a consideration of bailing out my share portfolio (over the last 6 months I would consider it to fit the definition of a government deserving lost cause if ever there was one).
After all if they have bailed out the banks toxic debt.
Toxic noun....the physiological state produced by a poison or other toxic substance.
As my portfolio has effected me physiologically, and most of my shares fit the definition of a toxic substance, I think it fits the bill.
If my request is granted, I have promised to spend most of any cash they send me, throwing a huge party down the local pub. Not for self gratification of course but to save them from closure. After everyone has had a skin full, any monies left will be channelled back into the Labour Party as a donation, via my business 'Zimbabwean Holiday Homes'. Obviously a British registered business.
After all if this latest government initiative fails investing in Zimbabwe might start looking a tempting prospect.
Nothing appears to have worked, from the VAT cuts, bank bail outs to those vast cuts in interest rates.
Doh, its not the interest rates you muppets, it's the none availability of loans. Get it yet!

Anyone else out there want some Quantitative easing.
Note...Anyone interested in purchasing a holiday home in Zimbabwe, please post here and I will send you a brochure. All payments must be in Zimbabwean dollars (ZWD) as I don't trust the strength of the .
This offer must close by end of March .

Double talk.
"we saved our custmers just under 46m in foreign currency loading fees"
"We are not making a profit"
Except for all the transactions outside of Europe.
Figures dont lie, but liars can figure.