brian91

Since MP’s returned from their 3 month break, no doubt hoping the expenses row would be long forgotten, but it appears they still don’t get it. A handful of Labour MPs is trying to block the police ­investigation into the ­possible criminal abuse of Commons expenses, the Sunday Herald can reveal. It is understood the group has warned the Metropolitian Police that probes into expenses may breach “­parliamentary privilege”, the ancient right that protects proceedings in Parliament, which notably allows freedom of speech in the Commons chamber. A senior Labour source confirmed some MPs have taken legal advice on whether parliamentary privilege extends to expenses, potentially putting them off-limits to the police. Although it was reported yesterday that Labour MP Elliot Morley may be charged in the New Year, detectives fear they may not be able to make arrests even if a politician has made fraudulent claims. Some members are threatening to go to court to avoid repaying money demanded by Sir Thomas Legg, the independent auditor. Others are considering challenging their party leadership for banning them as candidates over their expenses. How come if you were overpayed tax credits or you fraudulently claim benefits you have to repay them and might get prosecuted, but MP’s can get away with it. Jacqui Smith gets caught out taking £116,000 wrongly over her second homes claims, and she gets away with having to say sorry in the House of Commons. Unbelievable. Some MP’s rightly, are having to repay amounts over their claims, but the serious fraudsters, the second home culprits are getting away with it.

And what you don't get is the opposite should happen as well. If they lost huge amounts they should get deducted a share of those losses. That might make them take less risks in future. But as it stands they get rewarded with massive bonuses if they make profits, and nothing happens if they make huge losses, cause the taxpayer bails them out. They cannot have it both ways.

On the last ever episode of Tiswas, when they got custard pies chucked at them by the phantom flan flinger. What was Lovely Rita's occupation?

RBS executives set for record £4bn bonus bonanza Bonuses and salaries totalling nearly £4bn are to be handed out to employees of the state-owned Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) this year, it emerged last night. The average worker in RBS's investment banking arm is on course to take home an average of £240,000, with the top 20 set to receive bonuses of between £1m-£5m. The lavish awards for 2009 outstrip even those given in 2007 before the recession, and make a mockery of ministers' promises to clamp down on bankers' bonuses. Last night, Gordon Brown, in his regular Downing Street broadcast, reiterated his call for banks to show restraint. He called for an end to "reckless banking practices" that contributed to global financial collapse last year. The move means RBS is likely to clash with UK Financial Investments which oversees state-owned investments in banks. The taxpayer has a 70 per cent stake in RBS after the £20bn rescue of the bank, headed at the time by Sir Fred Goodwin. Mr Brown said in his "fireside chat" podcast: "Banks must put lending to businesses and homeowners before making huge payouts to their staff." Mr Brown also promised homeowners better protection from lenders ahead of the publication tomorrow of a major report into mortgages by the Financial Services Authority. Source: The Indepent Surely this is not right, talk about a slap in the face to all taxpayers, this is amost a nationalised bank for crying out loud.

Royal Mail will hire 30,000 extra workers to beat strike Royal Mail bosses have escalated their dispute with staff ahead of a national strike by taking on tens of thousands of temporary workers to "keep the mail moving" during the stoppage. Union leaders reacted with fury yesterday after it emerged that the Royal Mail was planning to take on double its usual number of seasonal staff, and earlier than usual, to help with the Christmas rush this year. Labour MPs warned that the move could turn the dispute into a full-blown industrial crisis, and urged ministers to intervene immediately – or at least to encourage both sides to turn to the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas). Source: The independent Talk about waving a red flag at a bull!

Well if and when the EU treaty is finally ratified, there will be a EU president appointed, not elected. It is widely speculated that our very own ex-prime minister is the front runner to get the job which would put him in charge of the whole of the EU Countries. I don't know about you but that would be unpalatable to me, after his record in the UK and on the wider world stage. What do you think?

Rob, I cannot believe you are saying the credit crunch was just a blip and not as bad as previous ones. Either you live in an alternative universe or you believe the Prime Minister’s ideology that we can spend our way out of it forever without any consequences. If you or I did that we would be made bankrupt in no time at all. We all know that you cannot keep spending more than you earn for ever and ever, some day the bills must be paid. Either you stop spending or you bring in more income. It is the same with governments. Their income is taxes, these have dropped significantly in the last couple of years, as unemployment rises, less overtime worked therefore the tax take drops, at the same time unemployment benefits rises added into this is all the cash the Government spent saving the banks from going bust etc, and there is a huge amount of borrowing that has to be paid back. They cannot default on it, as we would be no better than a banana republic, the IMF would have to bail us out. This means they would set spending limits and demand cuts and massive repayments outwith the Government’s control. It might not have affected you personally, or your close family & friends, and that is good for you, but you cannot say it hasn’t happened to millions of others just because you were immune. That is like a Swiss citizen saying in 1939-1945 World War ,what world war, never affected me. Blair & Brown have spent all our money, they have sold all the family silver, the cupboard is bare, but the bills are still coming in. In the next few years over 10% of all Government spending will be on interest payments to pay for all the cash borrowed from other Countries. Never mind the actual repayments of the debt. That means that money is lost and cannot be spent on services, so cuts will be made to everything, health, education, defence, councils, you name It. Once again you might be lucky and no longer use education as your kids have left school, you might not require hospital treatment today, and you don’t care about defence. Well lucky you, but once again what about the millions who depend on these services. You are self employed and you cannot be made redundant like thousands of others, but what If the councils who give you contracts get their budgets slashed, they might pay you less, they might cancel your contracts, tell me that won’t affect you. Up till now councils haven’t cut any of their budgets, but believe me they will, next year and the one after and the one after that. Plus your council tax will go up, and your income tax will go up, and your national insurance will go up. Come back in 2 years time and say “ credit crunch, what credit crunch” and we will see. These are the facts of fiscal life. The City knows them. The chancellor knows them. George Osborne knows them. Public spending will be cut and taxes will rise. All that is at issue is when, for how long and by how much. Certainly, the scale of the retrenchment will dwarf that of the 1990s, when policy was tightened aggressively after sterling's exit from the European exchange rate mechanism. John Hawksworth, chief economist at PricewaterhouseCoopers, estimates that a tightening of 10% of gross domestic product (GDP) – about £150bn at today's prices – will be needed over the next decade to both rein in the deficit and compensate for the effects on the public finances of an ageing population. The problems with the public finances began during the years 2003 to 2007. The economy was growing at a robust rate but fiscal policy remained lax. The Treasury had far too rosy a view of the government's tax take, and ran up a sizeable structural budget deficit. That meant that when the financial hurricane blew in, the public finances were in poor shape. But never mind you can keep wearing your rose tinted glasses and everything will be tickety boo.

Pudding

Might be, its a bit of a weird line up, but you never know, it might be ok.

There's no one quite like Grandma What was John's famous Christmas single called?

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Race : Brazil 1 Vettel 2 Barrichello 3 Alonso 4 Hamilton 5 Button 6 Webber 7 Rosberg 8 Trulli Pole Vettel Fastest Lap Hamilton

Paul McCartney reveals track listing to live CD/DVD 'Good Evening New York City English rock singer Paul McCartney has revealed the track listing to Good Evening New York City, a double CD (and DVD) of concert performances at the Citi Field baseball stadium in Queens, New York, from July 2009, according to PaulMcCartney.com. The album is a 33-song composite of McCartney's summertime concert performances from July 17, 18 and 21, and will also be available on vinyl and in a deluxe edition (with an additional live DVD from Manhattan's Ed Sullivan Theater) on November 23. The full Good Evening New York City track listing is as follows: Disc 1 "Drive My Car" "Jet" "Only Mama Knows" "Flaming Pie" "Got to Get You Into My Life" "Let Me Roll It" "Highway' 'The Long and Winding Road" "My Love" "Blackbird" "Here Today" "Dance Tonight" "Calico Skies" "Mrs. Vandebilt" "Eleanor Rigby" "Sing the Changes" "Band on the Run" Disc 2 "Back In The USSR" "I'm Down" "Something" "I've Got a Feeling" "Paperback Writer" "A Day in the Life"/'Give Peace a Chance" "Let It Be" "Live and Let Die" "Hey Jude" "Day Tripper" "Lady Madonna" "I Saw Her Standing There" "Yesterday" "Helter Skelter" "Get Back" "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"/"The End" DVD "Drive My Car" "Jet" "Only Mama Knows" "Flaming Pie" "Got to Get You Into My Life" "Let Me Roll It" "Highway" "The Long and Winding Road" "My Love" "Blackbird" "Here Today" "Dance Tonight" "Calico Skies" "Mrs. Vandebilt" "Eleanor Rigby" "Sing the Changes" "Band on the Run" "Back in the USSR" "I'm Down" "Something" "I've Got a Feeling" "Paperback Writer" "A Day in the Life"/"Give Peace a Chance" "Let It Be" "Live and Let Die" "Hey Jude" "Day Tripper" "Lady Madonna" "I Saw Her Standing There" "Yesterday" "Helter Skelter" "Get Back" "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"/"The End" Site: www.paulmccartney.com

Sir Paul McCartney has been named songwriter of the year at The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Awards in London. Coldplay won song of the year for Viva La Vida, while Phil Collins collected an award for In The Air Tonight. Calvin Harris and The Ting Tings were also honoured at the ceremony. The awards are for members of the UK Performing Rights Society whose music are rated among the most performed works in the US. Former Beatle Sir Paul was recognised for the songs All You Need Is Love, Come Together and Hello Goodbye. Calvin Harris won the Vanguard Award for his gold-selling debut album I Created Disco. The Ting Tings were given the College Award for their multi-platinum-selling debut album, We Started Nothing. Songwriter Steve Booker won an award for the track Mercy which was a hit for Duffy. There were also awards for the Eurythmics' Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This), and Dido for Thank You. Source: BBC News

Workers at Goldman Sachs have racked up an average $527,192 (£324,607) in salary and bonuses so far this year after the American investment bank made a $3.1 billion profit in the third quarter. Average pay for staff at the group, which employs around 5,500 staff in London, is 46 per cent higher compared to last year. The news is likely further to enrage taxpayers who blame excessive risk-taking by banks for the global recession. So far, over the first nine months of its financial year, Goldman Sachs has set aside $16.7 billion to compensate its 31,700-strong global workforce — a 46 per cent rise in the same period in 2008. The bank needs to top $21 billion to match the bumper bonus year of 2007. In the most recent quarter, covering the three months to September 25, Goldman Sachs ring-fenced $5.3 billion for salary and bonuses, which is a rise of 84 per cent in the third quarter last year. The sharp rise in pay has been revealed amid the first criminal case of the credit crunch which is continuing today. Two Bear Stearns managers, Ralph Cioffi, 53, and Matt Tannin, 48, are on trial accused of securities fraud after their hedge funds imploded in 2007, signalling the start of the crisis. Global governments have pledged to stamp out risk-taking by banks and yesterday Goldman Sachs was one of a number of the world's biggest banks which signed up to new rules on bonuses agreed at the G20 summit in Pittsburgh last month. UK banks have already pledged to support the new rules, which will allow bonuses to be clawed back as well as the deferral of compensation for senior executives working in more risky areas over three years, with at least 50 per cent of the payment in shares or share-linked instruments. David Viniar, chief financial officer of Goldman Sachs, said that the bank was considering whether to raise the proportion of its compensation paid in equity, as other banks are doing in response to pressure to tie bonuses to banks' performances. "We've always paid a lot of our bonuses in stock, deferred and divesting over time, but we're looking at those programs and a decision will be made at the end of the year," he said. Mr Viniar insisted that Goldman Sachs, which has come under fire for its generous compensation just months after paying back a $10 billion taxpayer loan, was aware of the difficulties that ordinary consumers faced in the tough economic environment. "We're very focused on what's going on in the world, what's going on in the economic environment," he said. "But we're also focused on our franchise and being fair to our people, who we think have performed admirably through the entire crisis. That's something we're weighing up." Profits for the third quarter rose from $845 million last year. Although earnings were not as high as the $3.4 billion made in the record last quarter, they were ahead of expectations. Source: The Times Well it didn't take these bast*rds long to start awarding obscene bonuses. The recession must be over, and everything is tickety boo, pour me some bollinger Farquar order me a new Bentley, as the old one has run out of petrol. If there are one lot of people that p*** me off worse than MP's its these mechant bankers (ryhming slang). So much for the G20 getting all the banks to agree to show some restraint, we always knew they would do this, talk about deja vu! These people should be taxed at 90% if they award these bonuses, otherwise we will see the same thing happen again, credit crunch 2 the sequel.

Pluto in Uranus :o what instruments could George play?

Any time at all

Ono, Yoko

Postal workers are to stage two nationwide strikes next week in a bitter row over pay, jobs and working conditions, which will cripple mail deliveries, it has been announced. About 42,000 mail centre staff and drivers will walk out next Thursday (October 22) for 24 hours, followed by another 24-hour stoppage on Friday (23) by 78,000 delivery and collection staff. The Communication Workers Union said it had made a ''genuine offer'' to avert a national strike and accused the Royal Mail of rejecting it without proper consideration. The union said it had "no choice" but to press ahead with naming strike dates after its peace offer was turned down by the Royal Mail. Union members voted by 3-1 to take national industrial action following a spate of regional strikes in the long-running row. Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary, said: "We made a genuine offer to Royal Mail that would have given space for detailed discussions without a strike. "We were severely disappointed that within two or three hours the company rejected it, apparently without even affording it proper consideration. This comes on the back of several rejections of CWU offers and is a clear indication that they are not trying to reach agreement. "Our offer included the opportunity for a three-year deal that would bring stability to customers, business and the workforce. This industry is crying out for stability and yet Royal Mail rejects out of hand a genuine attempt to deliver it. "We reiterate that offer today and ask that Royal Mail look again. Making progress on some key elements of that offer would mean an immediate strike could be avoided." The union said it was still prepared to explore third-party mediation, and revealed that talks with the Royal Mail had been held today. The CWU also called on the Government to intervene in the dispute, warning that the Royal Mail's pension deficit was now expected to exceed £10 billion. Mr Ward said: "This Government has recently intervened in the problems of Vauxhall and Lloyds Bank. They are the sole shareholder of Royal Mail and it is unbelievable that they continue to stand aside. "If Royal Mail is not prepared to reconsider our offer and negotiate around that offer then we are strong, resolute and the strike will go ahead." A total of 83 MPs have signed a Commons Early Day Motion calling on the Government and Royal Mail to support a peace deal. Royal Mail's managing director, Mark Higson, said the CWU's decision to call a national strike next week was an "appalling and unjustified attack" on customers and showed a "reckless disregard" for everyone who depended on the company. "Customers large and small have been hoping the CWU would lift the strike threats and focus on providing the service they need and want - instead the union has given them a slap in the face. "The CWU's strike announcement simply shows just how dishonest the union's claim to embrace the need to modernise is, and underlines the union's opposition to simple changes such as its members working flexibly for all of the hours they are paid and using the equipment provided to do the job. "Instead the CWU is demanding an absolute veto over future change and modernisation - and demanding more money - backed up with strike action which they know will drive customers away." The Royal Mail accused the union of reneging on its commitments, repeating that the firm would be making no further changes to its operations this year. "Since then the union has not only failed to deliver on a moratorium, but has called strikes in more than 150 delivery offices and has now announced a national strike which will further damage our customers and the entire postal service. "The union seem to be in denial about the reality of the tough economic conditions facing everyone in the UK and the impact of competition, especially from email and the internet, which has helped drive mail volumes down by around 10% this year." Source: Daily Telegraph Will these strikes solve any problems within the Royal Mail, or will it just push both sides further apart?

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