brian91

armpit. What did John famously say at the end of their rooftop gig on the Apple building?

All together now

Sgt Pepper's Lonely hearts club band

US President Barack Obama has proposed significant new curbs on the activities of banks to try to prevent future financial crises. "Never again will the American taxpayer be held hostage by banks that are too big to fail," Mr Obama said. The plans - the most far-reaching yet -include limits to the size of banks and restrictions on riskier trading. US stocks such as JP Morgan Chase and Bank of America - fell sharply as the sweeping new rules were announced. JP Morgan lost 6.6%, while Bank of America gave up 6.2%. Limiting risk taking "While the financial system is far stronger today than it was one year ago, it is still operating under the exact same rules that led to its near collapse," Mr Obama said. His proposals also include a ban on retail banks from using their own money in investments - known as proprietary trading. Instead, banks would be limited to investing their customers' funds. "Banking reforms do not come bigger than those proposed by President Obama," the BBC's business editor Robert Peston said. This may mean that some of the US' biggest banks, such as Bank of America and JP Morgan, whose shares were badly hit, may have to be broken up. The industry lobby group for banks suggested Mr Obama was trying to return the US to the past. "The better answer is to modernize the regulatory framework and not take the industry and the economy back to the 1930s," said the Financial Services Roundtable, an industry group that represents large Wall Street institutions. In the UK, shadow chancellor George Osborne said that if the Conservatives win the next general election, they would impose an identical dismantling of UK banks to those suggested by the US president. Banks have also been lobbying against more stringent regulation. "If these folks want a fight, it's a fight I'm ready to have," Mr Obama vowed. The moves follow popular anger at financial institutions, who have been paying large bonuses to staff even as they accepted government bail-outs to keep them going. Source: BBC news It comes as no surprise to me that all the banks have been awarding themselves obscene bonuses, because they are arrogant leeches. They don't live in the real world as one of them, Goldman Sachs said it will pay $16.19bn in bonuses and benefits for the whole year, up 48% from 2008. That is an individual bonus of 1/2 million dollars to each employee. :o Morgan Stanley's bonuses will rise 31% to $14.4bn. <_< Citigroup - which reported a loss in 2009 and a significant minority of its shares held by the US taxpayer - plans to pay its bankers $25bn, down 20% from the previous year. <_< To me the banks should be hit with supertax to get all the bail out money back. They have been making these huge profits on the back of the bailout and Government support, and low interest rates. Meanwhile the rest of us in work, make do with a pittance of a rise if any at all. Or if we are unlucky we joined the dole queue. Makes you weep sometimes.

I don't think the majority understand the full financial implications of this. We are not talking about the rate of income tax increasing from 40% to 50%. This is a new 50% tax on a proportion of a sportperson's sponsorship money, regardless as to where it is paid, and regardless to their nationality. For Example if Federer the tennis player has 10 million pounds in annual sponsorship, and he plays in 10 tornaments in 2010, of which 2 are in the UK, then he will be liable for 2/10 of £10m at 50%, that is £1m in tax. This is over and above any tax he pays on his appearance money and winnings. If he only paid in the 4 grand slams he would pay 1/4 x £10m @ 50% tax which would be £1.25m. This would no doubt restrict these sportmen appearances in the UK. They would only play in the main tournament and no others. The knock on affect would be no major stars coming to the UK, and all major tournaments would be made up of second rate people, that the public may not want to see. Therefore attendances would slump, and eventually may be cancelled. This is nothing to do with premiership footballers who live here and already pay tax, it is purely a tax grab on anyone who has a sponsorship deal to collect tax to try and pay for more of Gordon Brown's little spending ideas. He still wants to spend, but the biscuit tin is empty, so he needs a new source of income to tax. What happens if England win the bid for the 2018 world cup, and all the major players threaten to boycott it for tax reasons.I know that sounds an extreme case but that could become a possibility.

Long before we had the internet, it was sometimes difficult to know that a song might be a cover version, unless the DJ on the radio happened to mention it. When you first heard a song you liked, but you thought it was an original tune, and then a while later you find out it was actually a cover version of an old song. Are there any songs that you were surprised to hear were actually cover versions. Ones that I never knew were covers till a long time after were: Soft Cell - Tainted Love (original: Gloria Jones) The Clash - I fought the law (original: Sonny Curtis & Crickets) Dave Edmunds - Girls Talk (original: Elvis Costello) Harry Nilsson - Without You (original: Badfinger) Manfred Mann’s Earthband - Blinded by the light (original: Bruce Springsteen) Nazareth - Love hurts (original: Everly Brothers) Pretenders - Stop your sobbing (original: Kinks) The Byrds - Hey Mr Tambourine Man (original: Bob Dylan)

I was thinking of artists who have recorded a great deal of material over a long period of time but to many people, particularly casual music fans, are only remembered for mainly one song. For me I would suggest.... Animals - House of the rising sun Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel - Come up and see me make me smile Free - Alright now Nilsson - Without you What other artists do you think get remembered mostly for one song, regardless of all their other hits?

I thought 1979 was one of the best years for music, wonder what January sounded like..... 1 1 The Village People - YMCA.....Classic disco song that was never off the radio, can you name what the 5 off them dressed up as in the video :lol: 2 2 Ian And The Blockheads - Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick....thought his early hits were brilliant 3 3 Racey - Lay Your Love On Me....you either loved this or hated this, I am undecided :lol: 4 5 Earth, Wind And Fire - September 5 12 Olivia Newton-John - A Little More Love 6 13 Paul Evans - Hello This Is Joannie.....strange song 7 9 Chic - Le Freak...loved this one :cheer: 8 4 Elton John - Song For Guy....dull, dull, boring 9 18 Funkadelic - One Nation Under A Groove 10 27 Driver 67 - Car 67 11 14 Chaka Khan - I'm Every Woman 12 8 Barbra Streisand And Neil Diamond - You Don't Bring Me Flowers :puke2: 13 16 Hot Chocolate - I'll Put You Together Again 14 10 The Bee Gees - Too Much Heaven 15 22 Barry White - Just The Way You Are 16 11 Sarah Brightman And Hot Gossip - I Lost My Heart To A Starship Trooper....remember them from Kenny Everitt show :naughty: 17 6 The Barron Knights - A Taste Of Aggro 18 64 The Three Degrees - Woman In Love 19 17 Heatwave - Always And Forever/Mind Blowing Decisions 20 24 Rocky Sharpe And The Replays - Rama Lama Ding Dong 21 30 Sally Oldfield - Mirrors 22 19 Dollar - Shooting Star 23 35 The Shadows - Don't Cry For Me Argentina 24 23 The Clash - Tommy Gun 25 25 Mankind - Dr Who 26 29 Billy Joel - My Life 27 66 Dan Hartman - This Is It 28 32 Anne Murray - You Needed Me 29 21 Leo Sayer - Raining In My Heart 30 31 Shalamar - Take That To The Bank 31 36 Barry Manilow - Could It Be Magic....hated him 32 7 Boney M - Mary's Boy Child :puke2: 33 26 Musique - In The Bush 34 34 Third World - Cool Meditation 35 20 Rod Stewart - Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?....NO :lol: 36 52 Doll - Desire Me...I think I liked this, but can't remember it :) 37 39 Sylvester - Dance (Disco Heat) 38 35 Phoebe Snow - Every Night 39 33 London Symphony Orchestra - Theme From 'superman' 40 70 Chanson - Don't Hold Back 41 58 Cerrone - Je Suis Music 42 37 Rachel Sweet - BABY 43 ne Leif Garrett - I Was Made For Dancin'....thought this was an ok pop song 44 55 Roy Ayers And Wayne Henderson - Heat Of The Beat 45 15 John Travolta - Greased Lightning 46 ne Dr Feelgood - Milk And Alcohol :cheer: 47 38 Dan Hartman - Instant Replay....good disco track 48 ne Instant Funk - Got My Mind Made Up 49 47 Gerard Kenny - New York, New York 50 46 Ranhi Harris And FLO - Six Million Steps (West Runs South) Actually quite a lot here I don't remember

1 1 The Village People - YMCA 2 2 Ian And The Blockheads - Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick 3 3 Racey - Lay Your Love On Me 4 5 Earth, Wind And Fire - September 5 12 Olivia Newton-John - A Little More Love 6 13 Paul Evans - Hello This Is Joannie 7 9 Chic - Le Freak 8 4 Elton John - Song For Guy 9 18 Funkadelic - One Nation Under A Groove 10 27 Driver 67 - Car 67 11 14 Chaka Khan - I'm Every Woman 12 8 Barbra Streisand And Neil Diamond - You Don't Bring Me Flowers 13 16 Hot Chocolate - I'll Put You Together Again 14 10 The Bee Gees - Too Much Heaven 15 22 Barry White - Just The Way You Are 16 11 Sarah Brightman And Hot Gossip - I Lost My Heart To A Starship Trooper 17 6 The Barron Knights - A Taste Of Aggro 18 64 The Three Degrees - Woman In Love 19 17 Heatwave - Always And Forever/Mind Blowing Decisions 20 24 Rocky Sharpe And The Replays - Rama Lama Ding Dong 21 30 Sally Oldfield - Mirrors 22 19 Dollar - Shooting Star 23 35 The Shadows - Don't Cry For Me Argentina 24 23 The Clash - Tommy Gun 25 25 Mankind - Dr Who 26 29 Billy Joel - My Life 27 66 Dan Hartman - This Is It 28 32 Anne Murray - You Needed Me 29 21 Leo Sayer - Raining In My Heart 30 31 Shalamar - Take That To The Bank 31 36 Barry Manilow - Could It Be Magic 32 7 Boney M - Mary's Boy Child 33 26 Musique - In The Bush 34 34 Third World - Cool Meditation 35 20 Rod Stewart - Da Ya Think I'm Sexy? 36 52 Doll - Desire Me 37 39 Sylvester - Dance (Disco Heat) 38 35 Phoebe Snow - Every Night 39 33 London Symphony Orchestra - Theme From 'superman' 40 70 Chanson - Don't Hold Back 41 58 Cerrone - Je Suis Music 42 37 Rachel Sweet - BABY 43 ne Leif Garrett - I Was Made For Dancin' 44 55 Roy Ayers And Wayne Henderson - Heat Of The Beat 45 15 John Travolta - Greased Lightning 46 ne Dr Feelgood - Milk And Alcohol 47 38 Dan Hartman - Instant Replay 48 ne Instant Funk - Got My Mind Made Up 49 47 Gerard Kenny - New York, New York 50 46 Ranhi Harris And FLO - Six Million Steps (West Runs South)

1 1 John Lennon - Imagine {1980}....great song, went to the top after John's death, but has been a bit overplayed 2 2 Adam & The Ants - Antmusic...Liked this early Adam song :yahoo: 3 ne John Lennon - Woman...not my favourite John song, a bit dull 4 36 Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight....one of his best 5 4 Specials Featuring Rico With The Ice Rink String Sounds - Do Nothing/Maggie's Farm 6 14 The Look - I Am The Beat 7 7 The Beat - Too Nice To Talk To :) 8 19 Yarbrough & Peoples - Don't Stop The Music 9 3 John And Yoko And The Plastic Ono Band With The Harlem Community Choir - Happy Christmas (War Is Over) 10 10 Queen - Flash....always been a bit partial to Queen :) 11 23 Adam & The Ants - Young Parisians....old song re-released after he hit the big time 12 17 Stevie Wonder - I Ain't Gonna Stand For It 13 18 Racey - Runaround Sue 14 ne Blondie - Rapture....one of the first rap songs of sorts to chart in the UK 15 5 John Lennon - (Just Like) Starting Over :) 16 52 Ultravox - Vienna....A classic, on its way to the top, oh wait a minute, look out for Joe Dolce :lol: 17 12 The Nolans - Who's Gonna Rock you 18 8 Chas And Dave - Rabbit :puke2: 19 6 Jona Lewie - Stop The Cavalry :D 20 25 David Bowie - Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)....this was a good track often overlooked 21 15 Matchbox - Over The Rainbow/You Belong To Me 22 29 Bad Manners - Lorraine 23 33 Visage - Fade To Grey...What can I say about this, that hasn't been said 1000 times :yahoo: :cheer: 24 9 The Police - De Do Do Do De Da Da Da...a bit repetitive 25 49 Dire Straits - Romeo And Juliet 26 11 Status Quo - Lies/Don't Drive My Car 27 44 Diana Ross - It's My Turn 28 13 Madness - Embarrassment...excellent song 29 59 Heatwave - Gangsters Of The Groove 30 31 The Gap Band - Burn Rubber On Me 31 20 Gary Numan - This Wreckage 32 24 Barry Manilow - Lonely Together 33 ne Cliff Richard - A Little In Love :puke2: 34 27 Mac Davis - It's Hard To Be Humble 35 16 The Stray Cats - Runaway Boys 36 63 Susan Fassbender - Twilight Cafe :) 37 21 Neil Diamond - Love On The Rocks 38 ne Madness - The Return Of The Los Palmas Seven :cheer: 39 39 James Brown - Rapp Payback (Where Iz Moses?) 40 68 Light Of The World - I Shot The Sheriff 41 61 UFO - Lonely Heart 42 53 Odyssey - Hang Together 43 32 Rod Stewart - My Girl 44 48 Donna Summer - Cold Love 45 ne Spandau Ballet - The Freeze...great early song 46 34 Barbra Streisand And Barry Gibb - Guilty :puke2: 47 26 Kenny Rogers - Lady 48 28 ABBA - Super Trouper 49 57 Steve Winwood - While You See A Chance 50 ne Plastic Ono Band - Give Peace A Chance {1981}

What was around in one of my favourite chart years.... 1 1 John Lennon - Imagine {1980} 2 2 Adam & The Ants - Antmusic 3 ne John Lennon - Woman 4 36 Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight 5 4 Specials Featuring Rico With The Ice Rink String Sounds - Do Nothing/Maggie's Farm 6 14 The Look - I Am The Beat 7 7 The Beat - Too Nice To Talk To 8 19 Yarbrough & Peoples - Don't Stop The Music 9 3 John And Yoko And The Plastic Ono Band With The Harlem Community Choir - Happy Christmas (War Is Over) 10 10 Queen - Flash 11 23 Adam & The Ants - Young Parisians 12 17 Stevie Wonder - I Ain't Gonna Stand For It 13 18 Racey - Runaround Sue 14 ne Blondie - Rapture 15 5 John Lennon - (Just Like) Starting Over 16 52 Ultravox - Vienna 17 12 The Nolans - Who's Gonna Rock you 18 8 Chas And Dave - Rabbit 19 6 Jona Lewie - Stop The Cavalry 20 25 David Bowie - Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) 21 15 Matchbox - Over The Rainbow/You Belong To Me 22 29 Bad Manners - Lorraine 23 33 Visage - Fade To Grey 24 9 The Police - De Do Do Do De Da Da Da 25 49 Dire Straits - Romeo And Juliet 26 11 Status Quo - Lies/Don't Drive My Car 27 44 Diana Ross - It's My Turn 28 13 Madness - Embarrassment 29 59 Heatwave - Gangsters Of The Groove 30 31 The Gap Band - Burn Rubber On Me 31 20 Gary Numan - This Wreckage 32 24 Barry Manilow - Lonely Together 33 ne Cliff Richard - A Little In Love 34 27 Mac Davis - It's Hard To Be Humble 35 16 The Stray Cats - Runaway Boys 36 63 Susan Fassbender - Twilight Cafe 37 21 Neil Diamond - Love On The Rocks 38 ne Madness - The Return Of The Los Palmas Seven 39 39 James Brown - Rapp Payback (Where Iz Moses?) 40 68 Light Of The World - I Shot The Sheriff 41 61 UFO - Lonely Heart 42 53 Odyssey - Hang Together 43 32 Rod Stewart - My Girl 44 48 Donna Summer - Cold Love 45 ne Spandau Ballet - The Freeze 46 34 Barbra Streisand And Barry Gibb - Guilty 47 26 Kenny Rogers - Lady 48 28 ABBA - Super Trouper 49 57 Steve Winwood - While You See A Chance 50 ne Plastic Ono Band - Give Peace A Chance {1981}

1 1 Paul McCartney - Pipes Of Peace....As a huge Beatle fan, I can honestly say this is not my favourite song by an ex Beatle 2 6 Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Relax.....Banned by Mike Reid, and then immediately charges up the chart to number 1 3 2 Howard Jones - What Is Love....Quite liked a few of his early songs 4 18 Joe Fagin - That's Livin' Alright (From 'Auf Wiedershen Pet')....catchy tune from a great TV series :yahoo: 5 13 Shaky And Bonnie - A Rockin' Good Way....cheesy to say the least 6 19 Snowy White - Bird Of Paradise....was ok i suppose 7 3 Status Quo - Marguerita Time....dull 8 4 Billy Joel - Tell Her About It...not really a fan of his, but was ok 9 22 Lionel Richie - Running With The Night :unsure: 10 8 Kenny Rogers And Dolly Parton - Islands In The Stream :puke2: 11 ne John Lennon - Nobody Told Me....this was not bad 12 9 The Thompson Twins - Hold Me Now....was a fan of theirs, remember buying their first album :D 13 ne Big Country - Wonderland....liked this one :D 14 5 Paul Young - Love Of The Common People 15 28 Icicle Works - Love Is A Wonderful Colour....thought this was a great song :cheer: 16 36 China Crisis - Wishful Thinking...another classic song 17 32 The Police - King Of Pain....can't remember this one 18 12 Michael Jackson - Thriller.....great for the time, groundbreaking video, if not expensive :D 19 15 Kool And The Gang - Straight Ahead 20 ne Eurythmics - Here Comes The Rain Again....this was good 21 14 Roland Rat Superstar! - Rat Rapping (Brilliant Isn't It)...this was not :puke2: 22 7 Culture Club - Victims....never really liked them 23 50 Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Want To Have Fun.... :cheer: 24 38 Gloria Gaynor - I Am What I Am 25 10 The Flying Pickets - Only You :puke2: 26 23 Rod Stewart - Sweet Surrender 27 17 Tina Turner - Let's Stay Together....cover of Al Green soul classic 28 56 Fiction Factory - (Feels Like) Heaven....really loved this track :yahoo: 29 40 Whitesnake - Give Me More Time 30 11 Slade - My Oh My 31 79 Matthew Wilder - Break My Stride :lol: 32 20 UB40 - Many Rivers To Cross 33 16 Billy Joel - Uptown Girl :puke2: 34 ne The Alarm - Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke 35 55 Musical Youth - Sixteen 36 21 Tracey Ullman - Move Over Darling....liked this one :cheer: 37 39 Eartha Kitt - Where Is My Man 38 30 Elvis Presley - I Can Help 39 47 Rick Springfield - Human Touch 40 53 Madonna - Holiday :) 41 48 Meat Loaf - Razor's Edge {1984} 42 24 Tears For Fears - The Way You Are :) 43 ne Judas Priest - Freewheel Burning 44 ne ABC - SOS :) 45 ne Thomas Dolby - Hyperactive! 46 26 Cliff Richard - Please Don't Fall In Love :puke2: 47 66 Elbow Bones And The Racketeers - A Night In New York 48 29 Shakin' Stevens - Cry Just A Little Bit 49 67 Talk Talk - It's My Life....another almost forgotten classic 50 33 Paul McCartney And Michael Jackson - Say Say Say

1 1 Paul McCartney - Pipes Of Peace 2 6 Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Relax 3 2 Howard Jones - What Is Love 4 18 Joe Fagin - That's Livin' Alright (From 'Auf Wiedershen Pet') 5 13 Shaky And Bonnie - A Rockin' Good Way 6 19 Snowy White - Bird Of Paradise 7 3 Status Quo - Marguerita Time 8 4 Billy Joel - Tell Her About It 9 22 Lionel Richie - Running With The Night 10 8 Kenny Rogers And Dolly Parton - Islands In The Stream 11 ne John Lennon - Nobody Told Me 12 9 The Thompson Twins - Hold Me Now 13 ne Big Country - Wonderland 14 5 Paul Young - Love Of The Common People 15 28 Icicle Works - Love Is A Wonderful Colour 16 36 China Crisis - Wishful Thinking 17 32 The Police - King Of Pain 18 12 Michael Jackson - Thriller 19 15 Kool And The Gang - Straight Ahead 20 ne Eurythmics - Here Comes The Rain Again 21 14 Roland Rat Superstar! - Rat Rapping (Brilliant Isn't It) 22 7 Culture Club - Victims 23 50 Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Want To Have Fun 24 38 Gloria Gaynor - I Am What I Am 25 10 The Flying Pickets - Only You 26 23 Rod Stewart - Sweet Surrender 27 17 Tina Turner - Let's Stay Together 28 56 Fiction Factory - (Feels Like) Heaven 29 40 Whitesnake - Give Me More Time 30 11 Slade - My Oh My 31 79 Matthew Wilder - Break My Stride 32 20 UB40 - Many Rivers To Cross 33 16 Billy Joel - Uptown Girl 34 ne The Alarm - Where Were You Hiding When The Storm Broke 35 55 Musical Youth - Sixteen 36 21 Tracey Ullman - Move Over Darling 37 39 Eartha Kitt - Where Is My Man 38 30 Elvis Presley - I Can Help 39 47 Rick Springfield - Human Touch 40 53 Madonna - Holiday 41 48 Meat Loaf - Razor's Edge {1984} 42 24 Tears For Fears - The Way You Are 43 ne Judas Priest - Freewheel Burning 44 ne ABC - SOS 45 ne Thomas Dolby - Hyperactive! 46 26 Cliff Richard - Please Don't Fall In Love 47 66 Elbow Bones And The Racketeers - A Night In New York 48 29 Shakin' Stevens - Cry Just A Little Bit 49 67 Talk Talk - It's My Life 50 33 Paul McCartney And Michael Jackson - Say Say Say

Cilla Black - Anyone Who Had A Heart Japan - Quiet Life v Visage - Fade to grey

Lunch! (are there such things :lol: ) Which European city did the Beatles find fame before the UK?

She Loves You

Oh Boy

Britain’s sporting calendar is in danger of being decimated by a new threat: a harsh tax regime blowing in from the government. Some of the world’s top sports stars are turning their backs on tournaments in Britain because of “draconian” taxes now being imposed on their worldwide sponsorship deals. Big events could lose some of their main attractions because of a new offensive by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to impose levies on money from endorsements. It confirmed this weekend that it is also targeting sponsors’ performance-related bonuses. For example, if a sports star plays in two tournaments or races in two marathons a year, and one of those events is in Britain, they could be charged 50% tax on half their total annual sponsorship money. Sergio Garcia, the Spanish golfer, played five tournaments in Britain in 2001, but plans to play just one here this year. He says that as he is paying more tax than he can earn from winnings, he has to think twice about playing in Britain. Julian Hedley of RSM Tenon Media, who represents many top sportsmen, said another leading golfer had paid nearly six times more to HMRC in tax than he earned for participating in two UK tournaments last year — effectively paying a tax rate of 570%. The taxman is now setting his sights on tennis players such as Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova. When they play at Wimbledon for two weeks this summer, they could be hit by a 50% tax on a proportion of their annual sponsorship deals. The threat is such that Fifa, football’s ruling body, has already asked for an exemption for the 2018 World Cup if it is held in England. Although teams are generally exempt from the new tax grab on sponsorship money, Wembley was ruled out of holding this year’s Champions League final after failing to provide assurances that players taking part would not be taxed on their salaries. “Yes, the reason was the taxes,” said Michel Platini, the Uefa president. Instead the final went to Real Madrid’s Bernabeu stadium. The size of endorsement taxes can far exceed the appearance fees and winnings that stars earn while competing here. Tax experts said the rules could even land the American golfers playing in the Ryder Cup in Wales this October with hundreds of thousands of pounds in endorsement taxes — even though they will not receive an appearance fee. Jonathan Orr, the finance director at the European Tour, which organises the Ryder Cup and the British Open golf tournaments, said: “These tax rules are discouraging leading golfers, indeed all leading sportsmen and women from competing in Britain. “Our aim is to attract the best players to provide the best entertainment for our audiences in the UK, and I strongly believe that this tax rule is seriously hampering these efforts.” The tax rules can be particularly gruelling for marathon runners such as Paula Radcliffe, who typically race just twice a year. An athlete who competed at the London marathon in April and the Berlin marathon in September could have half their endorsement income taxed — even if they spent 50 weeks of the year training in Kenya or Ethiopia. There are concerns that tennis players will in the future avoid traditional pre-Wimbledon tournaments at Eastbourne, Nottingham and the Queen’s Club, in favour of rival championships based in countries that do not tax endorsements of visiting sportsmen. Ian Ritchie, chief executive of the All England Club, said: “We urge HMRC to stop this before it is too late. It could inflict huge damage on Britain’s ability both to continue to stage world-class sports events and attract new ones in the future.” Nick Bitel, the chief executive of the London Marathon, said: “We now have a situation where a number of senior, well-known sportsmen are saying they will come here only for the biggest events, but not for any other UK events — that’s a real loss for British spectators and the economy.” The taxman has begun to pursue a more aggressive line after a 2006 House of Lords ruling involving Andre Agassi, the American tennis player, said endorsement payments should be liable for tax. Richard Baldwin, a tax consultant who advised the London bid for the 2012 Olympics, described HMRC’s approach to sponsorships as “draconian”. “The Revenue has got greedy,” said Mike Warburton, senior partner at Grant Thornton, the accountant. “In previous years the tax charge would be based on how many days of the year the sportsman was in the UK. So if they played in a two-week tournament, one 26th of their endorsement income would be liable for UK tax. “Now, HMRC bases it on what proportion of your competition events are in the UK. So, if you only play five tournaments a year and one of them is here, one fifth of your endorsement earnings would be liable for tax.” The HMRC said the tax was always levied on a “just and reasonable” basis. HOW THEY WILL BE TAXED Foreign sports stars competing in Britain have to complete a UK tax form declaring their appearance fees, winnings and global endorsement income. HM Revenue & Customs imposes an income tax on appearance fees and winnings, plus any endorsement earnings viewed to be “connected to the UK performance”. When determining how much endorsement tax was payable, it used to tax the proportion of a sports star’s playing and training days spent in Britain. The taxman now argues that what counts is the proportion of a sportsman’s competition days that are here. So, if half a golfer’s tournaments are in Britain, half of his endorsement earnings become liable for British tax. Source: Sunday Times I am all for the rich paying their fair share of tax, but is this just pushing things a bit too far, if it prevents top sports stars competing in Britain.

Well another birthday has crept up on you, I bet you didn't see that coming :lol: . Have a good one. :birthday: :hic: :party: :party2: :wave:

Window

Once upon a long ago

Liverpool seem to be in crisis at the moment. Take Torres & Gerard out of the team, and it all falls down. How much longer will the devoted kop sing the praises of Benitez. Ah well they are still in the Euro thingy cup.

I don't think there is a culture against poor people as such, there are plenty of people who work for very low wages and have their self esteem. They are not scroungers, and I for one applaud anyone in these circumstances, it cannot be easy. However there is poverty today and there was real poverty in the 1950,1960 and 1970's. Having lived through part of that I can assure you that vast amounts of people survived on very low wages, in very poor housing. Things have generally improved a lot since then. There was no generous benefit system like there is nowadays, all you got was possibly your rent paid & unemployment benefit. The vast majority lived in run down council accomodation,or in some fancy new concrete jungle estate in the middle of "NEW TOWN". I didn't know anyone who owned their own house until I was 16. Yet people were reasonably happy back then. They just got on with it. Today some "poor" folk get housing benefit,child benefit,council tax benefit, unemployment benefit etc etc so although they may be poor , they still are probably better off in real terms than they would have been 30/40 years ago. The people certain of us have a problem with, is scroungers. That is the ones who can work, but choose not to. The ones that claim they are medically unfit, debatable. The ones that claim every benefit going and live quite well and contribute nothing to the system, ever. I have every sympathy for people who have recently lost their jobs, that is what the benefit system was introduced for, until they get a new job. Here's hoping anyone who is in that position find a new job quickly. :)

There are very strict rules about children under 18 working. Obviously they are more strict for 14 year olds than 17 year olds, so all these rules will have to be revised. Also Health & Safety guidelines are very restrictive for this age group.Why children would want to leave before they were 16, I don't know. Yes schools could do more to make education more interesting, and certainly school doesn't work for all 14/15 year olds. I feel 13 is far too young to be leaving school, what employer in their right mind will take on 13/14 year old with little or no qualifications. Can you possibly imagine 13/14 year olds working in a factory or in a bank for instance. The only jobs they would get is shelf stacking at the local supermarket, well if that is all they have as an ambition, then fine. Chris suggested they could work for their parents, not every parent runs their own business, if they did I would suggest these parents would far more likely to want their kids to stay at school to get better qualifications. The last lesson school leavers at 13/14 get, if this ever happens, should be how to sign on.

If more people actually voted for the right person and not just the party, we might get better politics. Too many voters blindly vote for the same party , vote after vote because their father voted for them, and their grandfather before that. In the last 2 or 3 elections I actually compared the candidates, and I have voted for 3 different parties in the last 4 elections, wonder how may others can say that. I am the genuine floating voter. I have voted for 3 of the parties up here, one of them I haven't (clue: they don't go down well in these parts :lol: ,to quote Basil Faulty " I mentioned them but I think I got away with it"). If people woke up smelled the coffee and chuck out all their local MP's who were involved in the expenses saga we will have a brighter future. Vote for the same old faces again, and you can have no complaints when we end up in another mess a few years down the road. If that means voting for another party for the first time then do it. Unless its the BNP of course.