Ouch. You know Spectre is bad when it is mentioned in the same sentence as The Phantom Menace. I tried to watch Quantum of Solace the other evening but gave up.
I would rather watch Quantum of Solace on repeat rather than sit through Spectre again
Quantum of Solace was like watching paint dry for me but I really enjoyed Skyfall and Casino Royale, hmmm. Will still need to go and make my own mind up I think
Mr. B, one of the best things about e-books is the sample usually provides a very good guide as to whether a book's worth getting (I think I've only regretted 1-2 e-book purchases over the last 5 years or so).
Ouch. You know Spectre is bad when it is mentioned in the same sentence as The Phantom Menace. I tried to watch Quantum of Solace the other evening but gave up.
I would rather watch Quantum of Solace on repeat rather than sit through Spectre again
Quantum of Solace was like watching paint dry for me but I really enjoyed Skyfall and Casino Royale, hmmm. Will still need to go and make my own mind up I think
Ditto.
It doesn't open here until 11/06 so please don't post any spoilers!
Is there any truth to the tale that they are called tax credits so as to be considered negative income tax on the UK balance sheet, rather than part of DWP budget?
Well HMRC manages tax credits. But it does manage other "benefits" like Child Benefit.
EDIT - both elevated to the peerage after losing their seats at General elections
Which of their constituents could possibly have thought that by not voting for them they would gift them a lifelong sinecure still in Parliament, rather than kick them out of Parliament altogether?
Wrong, of course, Mr Jimmy. Alan Beith retired at the last election, after more than 40 years dedicated service.
Mr. B, one of the best things about e-books is the sample usually provides a very good guide as to whether a book's worth getting (I think I've only regretted 1-2 e-book purchases over the last 5 years or so).
I tend to get the kindle books from my local library. 21 days is enough to see if they're worth buying, or of the right calibre.
Mr. B, the delay seems bizarre to me. It's just asking for piracy.
And I concur, spoilers are the whisperings of Satan.
Bond movies, because they are 'British', tend to premier in London. Then there will be a hyped New York then a hyped LA premier. The stars need to go to all of them, hence the delay.
I have an Cineworld unlimited card which allows me to see as many movies as I want to for only £20 a month. (Though there is an uplift for IMAX showings, which are worth it)
Does anyone have any idea how much the average family would lose because of the tax credit cuts as originally proposed?
Just on my my drive home from work tonight I heard on R4 figures of £1300, £1500 and £2300 from various opponents to the measure.
There are so many variables that I'm not sure there is an average family.
My main takeaway from trying to create an excel matrix for this is that people who work very few hours/week are disproportionate recipients. And that these are the sort of edge cases the opposition tend to refer too.
TKA Is that your contribution to the debate... no wonder everybody thinks you are thick.
I'll tell you one thing Dick. When Osborne announced the tax credit cuts back in July I was on here highlighting what a disastrous move it was...both for those who would suffer the losses and for the Tories.
I told you that families would lose hundreds and hundreds of pounds and all I heard from you and your Tory sycophants was that "welfare cuts" are popular with the public.
Well who was right?...was it you Dick?
Do you wonder why I am so passionate about tax credit cuts? It's because I have family members who would have been absolutely slaughtered by these cuts. Not lazy layabouts but people who were raised right and who work hard for their families. People not as lucky as you and I...people with disabled children for whom they had to give up their jobs to care for....and it's people like this who are the real victims of Osborne's madness.
I don't think that anyone would be unsympathetic towards the plight of those such as you describe but policy cannot be made or shaped on individual case studies, however much the media and self seeking publicists might like to highlight them. Tax credits are a huge drag on the economy, an electoral bribe by GB which is now seriously out of control fiscally and of proven ineffectiveness in reducing poverty. I don't doubt that GO plays politics, he is after all an elected politician, but his aim of reducing tax credits to extinction asap is to my mind unquestionably correct and praiseworthy (I swear I can hear the demented screams of the green eyed tribal left as I type). I hope GO can find some way of softening the blow for those genuinely and adversely impacted. However, as Pulpstar has pointed out previously, tax credits have over time been hugely overgenerous to those of doubtful need, those wishing to play the minimise work/ maximise pay (including tax credits) game and subject to much manipulation by employers seeking to minimise their wages bill with taxpayers money.
I would say one thing...tax credits do need to be reformed but this is not the way to do it. As stated in my original post the Tax Credit cost is not "out of control" it has risen from £28.9 billion in 2010/11 to £29.1 billion in 2014/15. Reduce it over time...do not slash it, provide protection for those with the disabled element, reduce it by 10% over the next four years. Wages inflation will reduce it on top of that - under control...job done.
EDIT - both elevated to the peerage after losing their seats at General elections
Which of their constituents could possibly have thought that by not voting for them they would gift them a lifelong sinecure still in Parliament, rather than kick them out of Parliament altogether?
Wrong, of course, Mr Jimmy. Alan Beith retired at the last election, after more than 40 years dedicated service.
Thank you for the correction. Apologies to the Baron.
It's only one poll and CDU/SPD grand coalition still the only game in town. Unless, of course, you want AfD !
I think if the CDU/CSU are still down at that level in 2017 an SPD/Green coalition could well be within reach. They would have more seats than the CDU/CSU and the FDP are below the 5% threshold. I would be surprised if AfD entered a coalition with the CDU as it would halt their own rise as well as hurt the CDU.
TKA Is that your contribution to the debate... no wonder everybody thinks you are thick.
I'll tell you one thing Dick. When Osborne announced the tax credit cuts back in July I was on here highlighting what a disastrous move it was...both for those who would suffer the losses and for the Tories.
I told you that families would lose hundreds and hundreds of pounds and all I heard from you and your Tory sycophants was that "welfare cuts" are popular with the public.
Well who was right?...was it you Dick?
Do you wonder why I am so passionate about tax credit cuts? It's because I have family members who would have been absolutely slaughtered by these cuts. Not lazy layabouts but people who were raised right and who work hard for their families. People not as lucky as you and I...people with disabled children for whom they had to give up their jobs to care for....and it's people like this who are the real victims of Osborne's madness.
I don't think that anyone would be unsympathetic towards the plight of those such as you describe but policy cannot be ma,,,doubt that GO plays politics, he is after all an elected politician, but his aim of reducing tax credits to extinction asap is to my mind unquestionably correct and praiseworthy (I swear I can hear the demented screams of the green eyed tribal left as I type). I hope GO can find some way of softening the blow for those genuinely and adversely impacted. However, as Pulpstar has pointed out previously, tax credits have over time been hugely overgenerous to those of doubtful need, those wishing to play the minimise work/ maximise pay (including tax credits) game and subject to much manipulation by employers seeking to minimise their wages bill with taxpayers money.
I would say one thing...tax credits do need to be reformed but this is not the way to do it. As stated in my original post the Tax Credit cost is not "out of control" it has risen from £28.9 billion in 2010/11 to £29.1 billion in 2014/15. Reduce it over time...do not slash it, provide protection for those with the disabled element, reduce it by 10% over the next four years. Wages inflation will reduce it on top of that - under control...job done.
It has exploded since inception, though.
You do yourself no favours by being selective in presenting the data.
AND - the low paid who will be impacted by these changes have had substantial boosts to their income during 10/11-14/15 because of govt. policy. Will you accept that?
Is there any truth to the tale that they are called tax credits so as to be considered negative income tax on the UK balance sheet, rather than part of DWP budget?
Well HMRC manages tax credits. But it does manage other "benefits" like Child Benefit.
Ouch. You know Spectre is bad when it is mentioned in the same sentence as The Phantom Menace. I tried to watch Quantum of Solace the other evening but gave up.
I would rather watch Quantum of Solace on repeat rather than sit through Spectre again
Quantum of Solace was like watching paint dry for me but I really enjoyed Skyfall and Casino Royale, hmmm. Will still need to go and make my own mind up I think
Ditto.
It doesn't open here until 11/06 so please don't post any spoilers!
I doubt I will be going for at least a fortnight anyway. This weekend most tickets will have been pre-booked already
TKA Is that your contribution to the debate... no wonder everybody thinks you are thick.
I'll tell you one thing Dick. When Osborne announced the tax credit cuts back in July I was on here highlighting what a disastrous move it was...both for those who would suffer the losses and for the Tories.
I told you that families would lose hundreds and hundreds of pounds and all I heard from you and your Tory sycophants was that "welfare cuts" are popular with the public.
Well who was right?...was it you Dick?
The great comfort I have is, that despite all the rubbish I hear on here from 90% of the posts from individuals with not the slightest notion of how difficult it is out in the real world for hard working families, who assume every benefit recipient is a sponger and every part-timer is exploiting the tax credits system...the greatest comfort is that the cuts will be smaller, will be phased in and those who will suffer because of them will at least have a chance to prepare for them.
Do you wonder why I am so passionate about tax credit cuts? It's because I have family members who would have been absolutely slaughtered by these cuts. Not lazy layabouts but people who were raised right and who worss.
I don't think that anyone would be unsympathetic towards the plight of those such as you describe but policy cannot be made or shaped on individual case studies, however much the media and self seeking publicists might like to highlight them.
This, I feel, is a very important point to bear in mind with a lot of policies, much abused by all sides. The standard 'I've found examples where the policy negatively impacts someone, therefore you are heartless for doing it and it must be scrapped' approach. Sometimes it may be a fair representation of the general effect of a policy, but more often it is not and the actual merits, or lack of merits, of the policy itself may in fact outweigh the general harm that may arise, even though individuals will still lose out and suffer.
On this one that there has been so much internal opposition, not purely for the perceived political cost from the perception of policy, that it does lead me to believe some tinkering was probably in order to mitigate the impact, but I've yet to be convinced by the counter-arguments that something of this nature at least is not necessary in terms of a profligate system that was not working effectively needing to be tackled, and so on balance I currently have to feel moves should press ahead. Perhaps another approach could be taken, but with cuts getting harder to find, making hard choices seems to need to be done now, or soon at any rate, and is there time for such large revision.
Ouch. You know Spectre is bad when it is mentioned in the same sentence as The Phantom Menace. I tried to watch Quantum of Solace the other evening but gave up.
I would rather watch Quantum of Solace on repeat rather than sit through Spectre again
Quantum of Solace was like watching paint dry for me but I really enjoyed Skyfall and Casino Royale, hmmm. Will still need to go and make my own mind up I think
Ditto.
It doesn't open here until 11/06 so please don't post any spoilers!
No, I doubt I will be going for at least a fortnight anyway. This weekend most tickets will have been pre-booked already
TKA Is that your contribution to the debate... no wonder everybody thinks you are thick.
I'll tell you one thing Dick. When Osborne announced the tax credit cuts back in July I was on here highlighting what a disastrous move it was...both for those who would suffer the losses and for the Tories.
I told you that families would lose hundreds and hundreds of pounds and all I heard from you and your Tory sycophants was that "welfare cuts" are popular with the public.
Well who was right?...was it you Dick?
Do you wonder why I am so passionate about tax credit cuts? It's because I have family members who would have been absolutely slaughtered by these cuts. Not lazy layabouts but people who were raised right and who work hard for their families. People not as lucky as you and I...people with disabled children for whom they had to give up their jobs to care for....and it's people like this who are the real victims of Osborne's madness.
I don't think that anyone would be unsympathetic towards the plight of those such as you describe but policy cannot be ma,,,doubt that GO plays politics, he is after all an elected politician, but his astar has pointed out previously, tax credits have over time been hugely overgenerous to those of doubtful need, those wishing to play the minimise work/ maximise pay (including tax credits) game and subject to much manipulation by employers seeking to minimise their wages bill with taxpayers money.
I would say one thing...tax credits do need to be reformed but this is not the way to do it. As stated in my original post the Tax Credit cost is not "out of control" it has risen from £28.9 billion in 2010/11 to £29.1 billion in 2014/15. Reduce it over time...do not slash it, provide protection for those with the disabled element, reduce it by 10% over the next four years. Wages inflation will reduce it on top of that - under control...job done.
It has exploded since inception, though.
You do yourself no favours by being selective in presenting the data.
AND - the low paid who will be impacted by these changes have had substantial boosts to their income during 10/11-14/15 because of govt. policy. Will you accept that?
I don't honestly know. I suspect that public sector pay freezes will have done nothing to boost family income. I had no problem with the coalition treatment of tax credits - tweaking them here and there to achieve a gradual reduction. It seemed to be working so why bugger it all up?
EDIT - both elevated to the peerage after losing their seats at General elections
Which of their constituents could possibly have thought that by not voting for them they would gift them a lifelong sinecure still in Parliament, rather than kick them out of Parliament altogether?
Wrong, of course, Mr Jimmy. Alan Beith retired at the last election, after more than 40 years dedicated service.
So HoL is a retirement home - wasn't his MP's pension enough? You didn't hear it here first.
Government wins the Tampon Tax vote, they would rather agree that sanitary products are not an essential item rather than have to confront the EU.
Pathetic
IIRC the Treasury minister said he would take up the cause with the EU Commission. There will be no formal commitment but it will be raised in the EU. The problem is that any change will require the agreement of 28 nations.
Ouch. You know Spectre is bad when it is mentioned in the same sentence as The Phantom Menace. I tried to watch Quantum of Solace the other evening but gave up.
I would rather watch Quantum of Solace on repeat rather than sit through Spectre again
Quantum of Solace was like watching paint dry for me but I really enjoyed Skyfall and Casino Royale, hmmm. Will still need to go and make my own mind up I think
Ditto.
It doesn't open here until 11/06 so please don't post any spoilers!
I doubt I will be going for at least a fortnight anyway. This weekend most tickets will have been pre-booked already
The new Star Wars movie sold a million tickets in 12 hours after a 2:30 preview at half-time on Monday Night Football last week. I just don't get the whole Star Wars thing - the last 3 movies have been awful. Walmart is selling shed loads of Star Wars merchandise.
Speaking of Walmart, George has now appeared as its low price line (wasn't that from subsidiary ASDA?). Nice cotton Oxford shirts for about 8 pounds.
I've seen SPECTRE four times in the last 24 hours.That is all.
I read the leaked script last year, It's virtually the same as the filmed script, altho a confrontation between Bond & [redacted] was filmed as between M & [redacted], and the leak had Bond reveal what [redacted]'s name is, wheras in the film [redacted] reveals it himself.
Spectre had a budget in the hundreds of millions. And nobody stood up and said "um, actually, that twist is f****** ridiculous: don't be so silly". But no: they actually filmed it.
TKA Is that your contribution to the debate... no wonder everybody thinks you are thick.
I'll tell you one thing Dick. When Osborne announced the tax credit cuts back in July I was on here highlighting what a disastrous move it was...both for those who would suffer the losses and for the Tories.
I told you that families would lose hundreds and hundreds of pounds and all I heard from you and your Tory sycophants was that "welfare cuts" are popular with the public.
Well who was right?...was it you Dick?
Do you wonder why I am so passionate about tax credit cuts? It's because I have family members who would have been absolutely slaughtered by these cuts. ...rd for their families. People not as lucky as you and I...people with disabled children for whom they had to give up their jobs to care for....and it's people like this who are the real victims of Osborne's madness.
I don't think that anyone would be unsympathetic towards the plight of those such as you describe but policy cannot be ma,,,doubt that GO plays politics, he is after all an elected politician, but his astar has pointed out previously, tax credits have over time been hugely overgenerous to those of doubtful need, those wishing to play the minimise work/ maximise pay (including tax credits) game and subject to much manipulation by employers seeking to minimise their wages bill with taxpayers money.
I would say one thing...tax credits do need to be reformed but this is not the way to do it. As stated in my original post the Tax Credit cost is not "out of control" it has risen from £28.9 billion in 2010/11 to £29.1 billion in 2014/15. Reduce it over time...do not slash it, provide protection for those with the disabled element, reduce it by 10% over the next four years. Wages inflation will reduce it on top of that - under control...job done.
It has exploded since inception, though.
You do yourself no favours by being selective in presenting the data.
AND - the low paid who will be impacted by these changes have had substantial boosts to their income during 10/11-14/15 because of govt. policy. Will you accept that?
I don't honestly know. I suspect that public sector pay freezes will have done nothing to boost family income. I had no problem with the coalition treatment of tax credits - tweaking them here and there to achieve a gradual reduction. It seemed to be working so why bugger it all up?
Gah. There is a world beyond state subsidy and state sector.
And everyone has benefited from massive increases in personal allowances.
As a result of a technical problem, the voting list was unavailable for Division No. 1, and will be published online as soon as it is available.
5.45 pm
Division on Lord Tyler’s Motion, as amended.
Contents 246; Not-Contents 257.
Lord Tyler’s Motion, as amended, disagreed.
As a result of a technical problem, the voting list was unavailable for Division No 2, and will be published online as soon as it is available."
So it APPEARS that the vote totals are correct.
Must say I am still very suspicious about this - whenever there is more than one vote a few peers from all sides normally drift home and only vote in the first vote.
Yet on this occasion the Govt retained its vote total at 257 precisely. Yet the opposition went down by 21. It's all very, very bizarre.
Ouch. You know Spectre is bad when it is mentioned in the same sentence as The Phantom Menace. I tried to watch Quantum of Solace the other evening but gave up.
I would rather watch Quantum of Solace on repeat rather than sit through Spectre again
Quantum of Solace was like watching paint dry for me but I really enjoyed Skyfall and Casino Royale, hmmm. Will still need to go and make my own mind up I think
Ditto.
It doesn't open here until 11/06 so please don't post any spoilers!
I doubt I will be going for at least a fortnight anyway. This weekend most tickets will have been pre-booked already
The new Star Wars movie sold a million tickets in 12 hours after a 2:30 preview at half-time on Monday Night Football last week. I just don't get the whole Star Wars thing - the last 3 movies have been awful.
You have the extended universe (books, tv show) fanboys keeping the flame alive, although in my experience they are the least happy about the movies as it means there is a different canon for the movies from the books.
But really I think it's just that the hype campaign has been very well handled. George Lucas was seen as principally behind the creative decisions that made the prequel trilogy bad, and for the first new movie at least the stalwart fans of the original seem willing to give it another chance. Helped by J J Abrahms, though not universally liked, being generally considered a good director who rebooted another very tired franchise very well, and did so while being a bigger fan of Wars than Trek, so he's even more invested in making it good.
Add to that some stylish trailers, promise of new main characters for those who don't care about the old lot anymore, roles for the original case for those who do care, and you get the nostalgia factor, an appeal to new audiences (the trailer would seem to indicate despite everything Han Solo has to explain things like the Force to the new characters) all adding to tremendous hype.
Personally I like the original trilogy but think people take it way too seriously and give it way too much credit, and though the prequels are bad, I can defend elements of them at least, but this one seems like it could be fun.
Ouch. You know Spectre is bad when it is mentioned in the same sentence as The Phantom Menace. I tried to watch Quantum of Solace the other evening but gave up.
I would rather watch Quantum of Solace on repeat rather than sit through Spectre again
Quantum of Solace was like watching paint dry for me but I really enjoyed Skyfall and Casino Royale, hmmm. Will still need to go and make my own mind up I think
Ditto.
It doesn't open here until 11/06 so please don't post any spoilers!
No, I doubt I will be going for at least a fortnight anyway. This weekend most tickets will have been pre-booked already
Ouch. You know Spectre is bad when it is mentioned in the same sentence as The Phantom Menace. I tried to watch Quantum of Solace the other evening but gave up.
I would rather watch Quantum of Solace on repeat rather than sit through Spectre again
Quantum of Solace was like watching paint dry for me but I really enjoyed Skyfall and Casino Royale, hmmm. Will still need to go and make my own mind up I think
Ditto.
It doesn't open here until 11/06 so please don't post any spoilers!
I doubt I will be going for at least a fortnight anyway. This weekend most tickets will have been pre-booked already
The new Star Wars movie sold a million tickets in 12 hours after a 2:30 preview at half-time on Monday Night Football last week. I just don't get the whole Star Wars thing - the last 3 movies have been awful. Walmart is selling shed loads of Star Wars merchandise.
Speaking of Walmart, George has now appeared as its low price line (wasn't that from subsidiary ASDA?). Nice cotton Oxford shirts for about 8 pounds.
Indeed, though I have higher hopes for this one, especially with Harrison Ford present
Comments
It doesn't open here until 11/06 so please don't post any spoilers!
https://fullfact.org/economy/welfare_budget_public_spending-29886
Trump – 23%
Carson – 19%
Rubio – 9%
Cruz – 8%
Bush – 7%
Fiorina – 6%
Graham – 3%
Kasich – 2%
Huckabee – 2%
Paul – 1%
Christie – 1%
Jindal – 1%
Santorum – 0%
Pataki – 0%
Gilmore – 0%
Undecided – 15%
http://newsstand.clemson.edu/mediarelations/clemson-palmetto-poll-finds-south-carolinians-interested-but-largely-undecided-on-presidential-candidates/
And I concur, spoilers are the whisperings of Satan.
That is all.
Just on my my drive home from work tonight I heard on R4 figures of £1300, £1500 and £2300 from various opponents to the measure.
Anyway, I'm off for the night.
My main takeaway from trying to create an excel matrix for this is that people who work very few hours/week are disproportionate recipients. And that these are the sort of edge cases the opposition tend to refer too.
Pathetic
You do yourself no favours by being selective in presenting the data.
AND - the low paid who will be impacted by these changes have had substantial boosts to their income during 10/11-14/15 because of govt. policy. Will you accept that?
On this one that there has been so much internal opposition, not purely for the perceived political cost from the perception of policy, that it does lead me to believe some tinkering was probably in order to mitigate the impact, but I've yet to be convinced by the counter-arguments that something of this nature at least is not necessary in terms of a profligate system that was not working effectively needing to be tackled, and so on balance I currently have to feel moves should press ahead. Perhaps another approach could be taken, but with cuts getting harder to find, making hard choices seems to need to be done now, or soon at any rate, and is there time for such large revision.
Today the EU parliament voted in favour of banning data roaming charges. We can all look forward to an increase in domestic charges.
New Thread New Thread
Speaking of Walmart, George has now appeared as its low price line (wasn't that from subsidiary ASDA?). Nice cotton Oxford shirts for about 8 pounds.
Spectre had a budget in the hundreds of millions. And nobody stood up and said "um, actually, that twist is f****** ridiculous: don't be so silly". But no: they actually filmed it.
And everyone has benefited from massive increases in personal allowances.
Why are all your examples negative?
Per Hansard:
"5.28 pm
Division on Lord Kennedy’s Amendment
Contents 267; Not-Contents 257.
Lord Kennedy’s Amendment agreed.
As a result of a technical problem, the voting list was unavailable for Division No. 1, and will be published online as soon as it is available.
5.45 pm
Division on Lord Tyler’s Motion, as amended.
Contents 246; Not-Contents 257.
Lord Tyler’s Motion, as amended, disagreed.
As a result of a technical problem, the voting list was unavailable for Division No 2, and will be published online as soon as it is available."
So it APPEARS that the vote totals are correct.
Must say I am still very suspicious about this - whenever there is more than one vote a few peers from all sides normally drift home and only vote in the first vote.
Yet on this occasion the Govt retained its vote total at 257 precisely. Yet the opposition went down by 21. It's all very, very bizarre.
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/hansard/lords/todays-lords-debates/read/unknown/108/
But really I think it's just that the hype campaign has been very well handled. George Lucas was seen as principally behind the creative decisions that made the prequel trilogy bad, and for the first new movie at least the stalwart fans of the original seem willing to give it another chance. Helped by J J Abrahms, though not universally liked, being generally considered a good director who rebooted another very tired franchise very well, and did so while being a bigger fan of Wars than Trek, so he's even more invested in making it good.
Add to that some stylish trailers, promise of new main characters for those who don't care about the old lot anymore, roles for the original case for those who do care, and you get the nostalgia factor, an appeal to new audiences (the trailer would seem to indicate despite everything Han Solo has to explain things like the Force to the new characters) all adding to tremendous hype.
Personally I like the original trilogy but think people take it way too seriously and give it way too much credit, and though the prequels are bad, I can defend elements of them at least, but this one seems like it could be fun.