... or is this "bankers have to dress down to avoid terrorists" just a plot to make these people buy casual clothes, thus stimulating the economy?

The Government is manipulating them like puppets. The only difference is that Alistair Darling isn't using his fist up a banker to attack Michael Parkinson.

As is well known, all of the people on the BBC's Speke Ur Brainze discussions are nuts. However, I quite like an idea from this discussion on university funding: I would also suggest reducing fees depending on student's grades. Why should an outstanding medical student who works 9-5, with less than half the holidays to earn money, pay the same as ( Read more... )

The UK has entered recession. Panic stations everyone. The government will fight the recession with "every weapon at its disposal", Gordon Brown has said.

This includes his army of zombies. ZOMBIE BROWN WANTS BRAINSSSSSSSS.


( Read more... )

In the last couple of months, I've had to send more cheques than I've done in ages.

1. Paying my ground rent (not peppercorn, but not busting the bank either).
2. Overpaying my mortgage.
3. Opening a new savings account.

In each case, there wasn't really an alternative to paying by cheque. All the people concerned just assumed you'd have a cheque book and ( Read more... )

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7810932.stm Mr Cameron says he would scrap taxes on basic rate taxpayers' savings and would increase the level of non-taxable income for pensioners by £2,000 a year ( Read more... )

Jebus.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tory-lead-cut-as...Tory lead cut as Labour faithful return to the fold

Labour has narrowed the Conservative Party's poll lead to just one point as the "Brown bounce" continues, according to a ComRes survey for The Independent.
...
Tories 37 (-2)
Labour 36 (+5Lib Dem 17 (+1 ( Read more... )

What's the US Dollar/UK Pound exchange rate going to do over the next 12-18 months? I have the option of taking out some currency protection on two dollar payments, and the rate is much more favourable than it was 9 months ago - I didn't take protection then, based on siding with the economic forecasters who said the pound would drop from 2 ( Read more... )

...opening a stocks and shares ISA, given the FTSE has just dropped through the 5000 barrier for the first time - the idea being buy low, sell high. Someone else is considering making a transfer to their pension fund, using much the same argument.

Since I am incapable of making decisions:

Poll Buy, buy, sell sell

So, I find myself reading http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7401846.stm , and I also listened to most of the interview on Radio 4 this morning. Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said he is the right man to steer the country through difficult economic times ( Read more... )

1. Kosovo is abandoning Serbia, and multiple countries are saying "Oh noes! If we recognise Kosovo, people who want to leave our country will think they can do so too!" All you countries: grow the fuck up. If significant bits of your country want to form their own country, win them back using political, economic, and social means, with discussions ( Read more... )