Nice people thread 2 - now even nicer

Davesnave

vivatifosi wrote: »

Evening peeps. Just been reading google news's headlines and having a little chuckle to myself that he of the yellow warning triangle missed this one:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1287643/Human-race-extinct-100-years-population-explosion.html

Hmmm, I don't see extinction myself, just a vast & unpleasant reduction, then something very different from what's gone before. Would that be worse than the unsustainable situation which pertains now?

We tend to view things from the personal POV of seeing our own genes surviving, but from a global perspective, that's irrelevant.

I think it's a case of those Baby Boomers eating all the pies again....If it helps, I'm not proud of us!

Oh dear, what a gloomy post for such a lovely morning! Looking out of my window, not much has changed within my view during the last 60 years. I guess that's why I'm here.

carolt

Everyone else looking forward to budget day?

Have been doing little back-of-the-envelope calculation and so far I'm down about £20/month on the basis of predictions.

It's the child benefit that bothers me - would then be down over £200/month if that goes, which would not be an easy hole to fill at all.



Hello dolvevita II. :wave:

Nice to see you around.

silvercar

carolt wrote: »

Everyone else looking forward to budget day?

Have been doing little back-of-the-envelope calculation and so far I'm down about £20/month on the basis of predictions.

It's the child benefit that bothers me - would then be down over £200/month if that goes, which would not be an easy hole to fill at all.

I can't see child benefit going completely and immediately, any change would be phased in gradually and I doubt would start from today! (Here's hoping anyway!)

treliac

vivatifosi wrote: »

Evening peeps. Just been reading google news's headlines and having a little chuckle to myself that he of the yellow warning triangle missed this one:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1287643/Human-race-extinct-100-years-population-explosion.html

Whatever ills the human race suffer.... it's tempting to say we deserve it!

John_Pierpoint

The alternative is jacking up interest rates, like the Greeks. As someone with no mortgage I would welcome something more that the sub inflation 1 - 2% net on my savings, in the short term.

Who here is voting for higher interest rates?

John.

BTW In this country we have a numerically huge problem and no rich German uncle.

[Stand by for a "socialist" to come along saying "Keep on borrowing all our futures and carry on as before - we are not like the Greeks because most of our loans are fixed (at a relatively high rate) and don't need rolling over for 5 years]

SingleSue

carolt wrote: »

Everyone else looking forward to budget day?

Have been doing little back-of-the-envelope calculation and so far I'm down about £20/month on the basis of predictions.

It's the child benefit that bothers me - would then be down over £200/month if that goes, which would not be an easy hole to fill at all.



Hello dolvevita II. :wave:

Nice to see you around.

I am looking at it with the same trepidation I always do. I have purposely not really looked at what people think is going to happen today but I am fully expecting cuts in various areas of benefits (not just for those not working but for those in work too), and rises in various other things (fuel, ciggies and alcohol)...a fuel increase would hit me badly.

BUT...it is needs must.

tomterm8

John_Pierpoint wrote: »

The alternative is jacking up interest rates, like the Greeks. As someone with no mortgage I would welcome something more that the sub inflation 1 - 2% net on my savings, in the short term.

Who here is voting for higher interest rates?

John.

BTW In this country we have a numerically huge problem and no rich German uncle.

[Stand by for a "socialist" to come along saying "Keep on borrowing all our futures and carry on as before - we are not like the Greeks because most of our loans are fixed (at a relatively high rate) and don't need rolling over for 5 years]

Japan has debt to GDP of over 200%, and lower interest rates than us...

lostinrates

VAt up seems sensible. I'd be pretty amazed if dh's pay packet isn't lighter tbh, though it will be a pain we have imagined it will still be better for him to have a London contract ATM. Fuel up. Tax on alcohol up (been enough coverage of the booze being expensive is better for society type n the press/radio recently).


I still think my idea of giving high earning tax payers a title, e.g. Friend of Britain, for paying taxes in Uk rather than seeking to avoid them over a certain amount is a good one....

John_Pierpoint

tomterm8 wrote: »

Japan has debt to GDP of over 200%, and lower interest rates than us...

We have TWO massive deficits:

We have a state administration still spending money like a sailor in a brothel

AND

We have an economy that expects the rest of the world to subsidise us to carry on shopping at Harrods with a Lidl income.

I agree there is something seriously "wrong" with a Japanese economy that has gone nowhere in the last dozen years and has banks with debt problems (because they have gone easy on companies that should have been declared bankrupt years ago) not to mention the diet and respect for the elderly that makes them the oldest pensioners.:D

However I would still be prepared to lend money to a nation that pays it way in the world and would not be prepared to lend money to one that cannot and is making no effort to address the problem)

http://www.mof.go.jp/bpoffice/bpdata/pdf/bp1004.pdf

A bit out of date but guess who is third from the top and third from the bottom of the list?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_current_account_balance

BTW. The Japanese, unlike the Greeks, are an honourable people and I think there should not be much figures fiddling in the above link - not too much clever "financial engineering" designed to hide the truth.

John_Pierpoint

lostinrates wrote: »

I still think my idea of giving high earning tax payers a title, e.g. Friend of Britain, for paying taxes in Uk rather than seeking to avoid them over a certain amount is a good one....

Was that not called a seat in the house of Lords and a little ceremony round at Betty's place?

Silly me you only get that for services to a political party or the state machine these days?