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'MR MANDELSON ARGUES IT IS THE DIVERSITY OF EUROPE THAT MAKES IT STRONGER' (quote from paper on web)

That reminds me of how the Church argues that blind belief makes dogma true. And then there's Tony: he is sure that anything he believes is right. And that's the clue.

Politics is driven by personalities - flawed personalities, who NEED to wield ever-greater power. Such individuals either can't or won't see that their drive is far from altruistic.

But NewsyNighty doesn't do psychological profiling - it spoils the fun.

The world turns on, and we turn on one another in the name of global unity. Only a politician could cube that sphere.

Something similar going on between the government and big business here ?



Part 2

THIS MIGHT CONTRAST TELLINGLY WITH MANDELSON'S WORLD VIEW.



Remember Mandelson is 'supremely relaxed' about the filthy rich.

In passing, Max Keiser draws parallels that Blogdog would not allow from my keyboard!

THAT'S BIZARRE BRO (#2 links)

You might almost believe an administration that could do such things might kill thousands of their own people* in some theatrically staged event, to frighten their own people* into stupid submission.

* However we know, of course, that only mad tyrants 'kill their own people', not tall, sharp-suited, silver-tongued (with an auto-cue) lawyers.

current pension schemes = ponzi schemes. time to inject a bit of reality into them. look at the bbc ones. fantasy pensions schemes those.

FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM? (#5)

Not my field Jaunty but: were not original pension schemes viable ponzis? Stable population size, and working life a low multiple of dying period?

Now, all parameters are unconducive, and feral gambling with the fund, has replaced 'investment' (controlled gambling). The centre cannot hold - the Spog has dropped out of the Liquorice - it is unwinding . . .

Is that about right? If so, it looks as if the answer is to accept that, in future, we have to live constrained lives when old. It would make sense to allow us to exit at will.

Thanks for The Warning on mandy

NN 2nite is The Last programe on Earth I will be tuned 2, but you ask it where the 20 Billion A year pension Theft went

Don't Mention mandy's Bent Mortgage

I think I have said this before in the past but it would appear that private ( company / local authority ) pensions were only ever paid as a bribe to stop people voting anything like communism. Whilst such schemes may have been viable in the 1960s and 1970s, since the fall of the Berlin wall they have become redundant. Similarly most industry has been asset stripped to a point where there are two few contributing to the ponzi, similarly with the public sector job cuts in things like the fire service. Now a large number of public sector jobs are going to be cut in some cases by up to 20%, all less money funding the overall compartmentalized ponzi.

It would appear that there is a good chance that second pension provision is becoming a private tax paid to the stock market parasites to fund mega bonuses. It would appear that the odds are against anyone receiving a decent second pension, people would probably have been better putting it under the mattress. At least that's what an old mate of mine who has recently retired at 65 said in the pub about his private pension. At least he will now get the full proposed 140 quid state pension, current means testing means he can't claim pension credit.

The thing is that if the government agree that you need at least 140 quid to survive on if you are " old " ( premature through disability or otherwise ), why are they proposing to cut and means test the new Universal Credit. It would appear that they are still continuing with welfare state for the stock market parasites NEST next year. My relative says he may have to significantly reduce the ( excellent by today's standard ) rates of pay for the 30 tradesmen he employs, margins on his business are pretty thin at present, and if its 12% employer contribution it could break the back of his business. Hopefully many working people will be well informed enough to lawfully "opt out " by then ?

A NU form of Pension .. When one begins 2 B A Coughin Dodger One Simply has 2 Get oneself Banged Up In one of H.M. Dam Fine Establishments.

3 Square Scoffs/Nosebags A Day Warm Comfartable Accomodations Drink/Baccy/Drugs/Wages All on Tap, All The Latest Perks, No Freezing/Starving 2 Death for me and You Suckers will be Paying for it

OH Yes I have my Pension Plan all figured In

Easy Init

#8 At least he will now get the full proposed 140 quid state pension, current means testing means he can't claim pension credit.


Sorry to bring you bad news brossen, but your recently retired friend won't recieve the new pension of £140.



It doesn't even start 'til 2014, and only to people retiring after that date.

On The QT .. Yawn .. Football Supporters in Glasgow should Watch Rugby, I Know that Rugby Players and Their Supporters after A Hard Game Dont go around beating people up. They Enjoy The Game So do I.

Pathe tic

Is A Clockwork Orange Self Winding

This Week, Hichin's take on The Plod .. Close Ish .. Save The Trees

THE RETICENCE OF DOUGLAS ALEXANDER

Defensive Douggie does not so much sit on the fence, as hover slightly above it. On Question Time, we had his trademark mealy-mouthed weasel performance. It would seem he sees himself as a future PM and is leaving no hostages to fortune. What a prospect!

hi all.


libya:




surely we have a few spare we could bung their way fir free, like?


Been away for a while, ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ, your reporters would be in less danger in Libya if you were being more balanced. I get that the US and the Tory Govts are more than happy with your Ghaddafi-bashing, but remember that you should not be trying to direct the news - although you are certainly not only free but actually obliged to point out when Govt and other bodies try to.

your subjective aim is excellent reporting on issue, that reflects as accurately as possible the events and surrounding issues. This cheer-leading for war is more the style of Murdoch's empire, the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ should uphold its integrity and reject it. It may hurt, but find something good about Ghaddafi to say, and broadcast it, because all you seem like now to the Middle East is an arm of the US State Debt[/sic].

(no, not all, but its been uncomfortable.) BTW, if the UK can trade and hold normalised relations, with a Nation that is still militarily occupying at least 2 other countries, that is still breaking international Geneva Conventions on the treatment of prisoners, that is still holding its domestic population under Internal Security laws that severely curtail that populations civil rights, including the basic Habeas Corpus, and that is and has used torture as a method of getting information, and which has vetoed again and again resolutions to the Palestine issue, then its hardly surprising Ghaddafi and Libyan oil were welcomed back.

btw, above i meant of course the US.

And China. And Russia, France, UK...

the answer to this crisis is obvious - a small, lightly armed force can defeat much more heavily armed forces attacks - with cheaper defensive weaponry to destroy the more powerful attackers units. (tanks, aircraft).

its a lot more efficient and effective to give comparatively cheap SAMs, than it would be to either create and enforce a 'no fly-zone', and certainly cheaper than allowing the crisis to escalate to the necessity of £Bns in aid and a military occupation for a population for a country torn up by civil war. If this had been done on the first day, Ghaddafi would have been routed immediately, and he forced to negotiate through peaceful means.



perhaps if there was a UN multi-national force in Palestine protecting THEM from air-strikes, there wouldn't be such worry about air-defence weaponry going amiss??

oh how limited, the memories we Public are supposed to have.

#13 barrie more leaning to the left on QT???!!!

CERTIFICATE OF VOTING COMPETENCE (proof if proof were needed)

This morning, on Radio 4, a lady who sounded 'educated but not intelligent' EQUATED UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE WITH FAIR VOTING.

But Westminster and its cipher-rats hold the population in contempt; we are fodder, to be manipulated by parties and candidates USING MACHIAVELLIAN TECHNIQUES.

How can it be FAIR that the mass of dumb voters, duped by party lies, can and do TOTALLY NEGATE the intent to achieve good 'state management', by the few thoughtful, informed voters left in the country?

Sadly, the same juvenile mentality that tries to make everything 'fair', is unable to register that Westminster is a deeply UNFAIR institution, self-interested, and dishonourable in all its works.

VOILA! Another UNDERLYING (under the lying) issue that NewsyNighty will pass over.

'13. At 00:21am on 11 Mar 2011, barriesingleton wrote:
THE RETICENCE OF DOUGLAS ALEXANDER

Defensive Douggie does not so much sit on the fence, as hover slightly above it. On Question Time, we had his trademark mealy-mouthed weasel performance.

Which makes him pretty much a 'go-to guy' on some 'issues' in some quarters.

You have to choose your objective guest experts with care. So...Mr. Oborne's out:



One fancies a Maguire, or Toynbee might be more apposite.

However, when we have Government stuff to 'report' upon, fire up the faithful!:

'The former business secretary Lord Mandelson will be presenting'

Objectively, one is sure. Meanwhile...

'15. At 08:22am on 11 Mar 2011, ecolizzy



'Lean' times indeed.

CERTIFICATE OF QUESTION-TIME WATCHING COMPETENCE (#15)

It's all the same mess Lizzy. Dimbleby teases miscreants, but what we need is a Pythonesque 'Official Debagger' who suddenly appears (as Rowan Atkinson used to, in one of the satirical shows) and declares: 'That is a load of carp'; going on to spotlight the trickery being used by this or that panel member, thus raising thir awareness.

The 'educated dumb' (there's one for Didactic Dave) need USEFUL skills.

dougleft alexander left creeping up his own Kyber pass

No Change There Then

Japan The East Coast is not the place to be this morning. 30 ft Wave coming at you. not a lot you can do. However The Japanese are quicker off the mark than we are.

I doubt they have to put up with the Idiot brand of politician we do

Mishal started NN off without a script and kept her arms and hands still - she is confident, if she takes over from Kirsty I'll be a little sad .

---------------------

The unexpected world events are beginning to pile up and kick in.

how can china be an opportunity ? they tightly control who does what and no guarantee its permanent and they often have 'information sharing' conditions. ie so they work out how you have an edge. They still have an unfair currency advantage.


Western Gentlemen
the concept of gentleman is a better unity model than the nationalist monarchist flag waving claptrap the government tries to gerry mander. a gentleman can be of any race or creed.

'EARTHQUAKES IN DIVERSE PLACES' (#21)

'Wars and rumours of wars'.

Poignant that Manichean Tony is fired up for THE LAST BATTLE, believing he is a key player on the side of Light, when in reality he has been turned, by need, to the Dark Side, and is utterly seduced by personal aggrandisement and power/wealth. But Tony is a mere symptom.

We are the Ape Confused by Language - a 'synapse too far'. Our branch of the tree has taken the clever path at the expense of wisdom, putting knowing before understanding, doing before being. It was always going to end badly.

We live in 'interesting' times; how sad that NewsyNighty cannot see the centre for the 'edge'. So many deeply fascinating topics to illuminate and investigate, but all we get is the Three Political Stooges and discussion of how much debt can fit on the head of a pin.

Forget Day of Rage. Let's have a Day of Sadness.

21

kirsty is so 20th century.

HETEROSEXUAL PRIDE

In this Age of Perversity, I am pleased to find myself appreciating the attractiveness (both in appearance, and personality) of Mishal Husain.

All the more distressing then, to watch the boorish Mandelson treat her to contempt and disrespect, as is his wont.

In passing: what did the 'field trip' add to his pathetic 'worldly wisdom'? When my friend visits for a discussion, we feel no need to do other than simply sit facing. Was it edgy?

If you do the sums there is precious little point in having a personal pension unless you're putting away a hell of a lot of money over many years, because all that happens is you don't get the state benefits you would have got otherwise when you retire.

And as so much of pension fund money is invested in shares/property, there is the very real risk that your pension fund could fall in value rather than grow; I'd say this is a very real issue with the state of the world financial system and with the return of inflation, it's also losing value as well.

The cost of running your pension fund is substantial and there are thousands of people employed in the financial services industry just to push paper around and gamble with your money - but virtually no investment managers outperform the market anyway, so it's all pretty pointless.

Personally I've bailed out of the pension company racket, set up a self-invested personal pension and used it to buy farm land, which I then rent from myself to produce food and energy. Land is a finite commodity, people will always need food and as far as I know they're not making any more land, it's not possible to steal either, so it's a solid investment which has massively outperformed any stock market investment over the last ten years, more than trebling in value.

As so few people in the private sector either have pensions at all, or their funds are far too small to provide a decent income in retirement, surely doing something concrete about this should be a priority?

And just because private pension provision has gone so badly down hill over recent years, why is that a reason to visit the same neglect on public pensions too?

The graph of the cost of public sector pensions shows a clear downward trend - so why is there a need to cut its cost when it's going down anyway?

Meanwhile UK companies are creaming it right now, with profits rising sharply - surely we can learn something from the real impact of the mnimum wage, which rightwing politicians told us was unaffordable and woud lead to big job loses and cmpaes going bust - nothing of the sort happened - so now is the time to make employers and employees take the issue of pensions seriously and legislate to force them to make fair provision.

But I can't see the coalition doing anything to help - their sole objective is to close down as much as possible of the public sector and to cut the taxes of the better off at the expense of the ordinary hard working man & woman who face poverty on retirement with the essentials of life in the shape of housing, food and energy getting more and more expensive.

ISN'T OWNERSHIP OF LAND 'NOTIONAL'?

And hasn't Britain proved to be (post Iraq and post Banking debacle) utterly dishonourable? I agree land as quasi-safe, but can't forget the Chagossians. . .

Perhaps a hill fort?

missed QT last night...was it good? Someone said it was bit leftish so I will watch on iPlayer....bout time...

28 Watching Paint Dry Would Be Far Moe Exciting/Interesting

douglast hope dope alexander opertunistic fence sitting

Stomach churning dross

Pass me the Slow Drying Paint Prudence after that QT guff I want some Action

Pension Plan Planning People Which Part of SKINT dont You Understand

Which Part of The Financial/Political Sector/System Do You Trust

Which Part of Being Stung/Ripped Off Do You Enjoy

Been Counting Rules

27 no one but the monarch owns land in the uk. all we have are limited rights of use [for which we have paid]. its part of the role gaming we have to play.