michaelc
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Post by michaelc on Jun 21, 2023 15:34:47 GMT
Jeezus - just read it. We're heading back to 1917 again.... Yep, my fear that these Russian defences have been under-estimated just increases the more footage I see. Russia has found a way to combine numerous but cheap capabilities (conscripts, mines etc) into a defensive network that is very time-consuming and unpleasant to deal with. Especially in conjunction with its superiority in airpower, which gives them the ability to react fast to any Ukraine armored concentrations. Given Soviet-era weapon stocks, it wouldn't surprise me if Russia has simply turned most of southern Ukraine into a giant minefield. Challengers and Leopards are great tanks, but they are still vulnerable to mines, ATGMs and airpower... which Russia has in abundance. The idea that armored formations are going to breach a position and romp around the backfield is looking rather fanciful at the moment. Any tanks charging around without engineering and anti-air support aren't going to last long. I also fear that Western/NATO doctrine has got so used to operating with air superiority that they've somewhat overestimated what tanks are capable of without it. Fortunately Ukraine seems to have realised this, and are being much more methodical in their approach now. Russian helis are dropping, slowly but surely. Russian artillery is being decimated by accurate counter-battery fire. I still think Ukraine will win, but not quickly. To put it into perspective, Russia still occupies around 100,000 square km of Ukraine. Since the start of June, Ukraine has liberated around 300 square km. 0.3% in 3 weeks... It is this I and no doubt many (but I accept not all) Ukranians fear. I mean of course I want them to "win" if by that you mean drive the Russians out from all of their territory including Crimea. But if you live in most of the areas a long way from the front lines, you'd likely want it finished as soon as possible almost regardless of outcome. Take an example of someone living in Kyiv right now. Things are almost normal but the constant airraids often at night are pretty scary. Then occasionally this or that energy infrastructure gets hit and you have another day or two without power or water or whatever. So it does grind you down and you do hate the b*****ards every time you are reminded you're at war. Then you have no holidays abroad this year again because men are not allowed out. (Oh and Odessa is clearly out this year...)etc etc. On top of that you don't know what is next. Will the bas***rds resort to nukes ? Certainly iodine tablets crop up quite often in the two apartment block chats I'm a member of. And I don't think the comparison of the UK under the blitz holds. In the UK there was 100% no choice - we had to fight or be enslaved. The front lines in Ukraine however, don't look like they are going to move westward anytime soon so that seems unlikely to happen. What I'm saying is I think there are a lot of very patriotic Ukranians who nevertheless would do almost anything for this current situation to stop. Most important to them is when is that going to happen? I can't prove that, it is anecdotal although it certainly applies to me (I'm not a Ukranian but married into a Ukrainian family nearly 20 years ago and I have property there).
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michaelc
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Post by michaelc on Jun 20, 2023 15:55:34 GMT
The BBC asks if football commentators are diverse enough. Why stop at them? Why not ask if all the trades and professions are sufficiently diverse? Why aren't, for example, women well represented as plumbers, electricians, plasterers and binmen ? I wonder if we need more women in the abattoir industry ? Sorry Greenwood2 if you consider that statement "condescending" towards women. Its not meant to be ! www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-65949045Actually quite a lot of women plumbers and electricians and in other building trades, why not? Its a very small number relatively speaking but why not indeed? My objection is to try and influence people to achieve genuine representation in all these roles. Separate to that, there seems to be a theme around minimising the differences rather than acknowledging and celebrating them. The extreme of that is the trans debate where we now have women needing to be more careful in women-only spaces in case a bloke walks in.
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michaelc
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Post by michaelc on Jun 20, 2023 13:43:28 GMT
Has anyone calculated roughly how much would be removed from the Barnoldswick House payment if the investigation yields the "wrong" answer?
e.g. I had a grand waved in front of my nose before it was taken away again. What are the likely possibilities for me and by extension for everyone else ?
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michaelc
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Post by michaelc on Jun 20, 2023 13:29:43 GMT
Few posts up Himars on speech Jeezus - just read it. We're heading back to 1917 again....
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michaelc
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Post by michaelc on Jun 20, 2023 13:20:05 GMT
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michaelc
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Post by michaelc on Jun 19, 2023 19:43:23 GMT
The BBC asks if football commentators are diverse enough. Why stop at them? Why not ask if all the trades and professions are sufficiently diverse? Why aren't, for example, women well represented as plumbers, electricians, plasterers and binmen ? I wonder if we need more women in the abattoir industry ? Sorry Greenwood2 if you consider that statement "condescending" towards women. Its not meant to be ! www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-65949045
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michaelc
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Post by michaelc on Jun 18, 2023 20:38:52 GMT
It has been said that Reagan was one of the best Presidents the USA ever had. He knew he wasn't particularly gifted or intelligent, so when an issue came up he would gather the relevent specialists in a room and they'd discuss and debate and thrash it around until a consensus was reached, which he would then endorse as policy. A reasonable way to run a democracy? Not my opinion, just what I have read from more than one source. So how the hell did he become President? See my answer above.
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michaelc
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Post by michaelc on Jun 18, 2023 19:16:08 GMT
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michaelc
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Post by michaelc on Jun 18, 2023 12:05:51 GMT
However, the Reading House (RL) takes the crown ! Until then, I never thought that a Real Bricks & Mortar Property could exchange hands without Dcoumentation ! And lets not forget the borrower was someone "closely related" to one of the directors. Was it Hacket or the other one?
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michaelc
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Post by michaelc on Jun 18, 2023 12:03:32 GMT
I totally agree with this - we are heading into very dangerous times. I am not a massive fan of Donald Trump who is to a certain extent an egomaniac rich kid, but people should not underestimate the danger he is putting himself in*. You also have to ask yourself what is it about Biden that has made him president in the first place, he is obviously a puppet but for some reason he is a particularly useful puppet. I can take a couple of guesses, and one of them would probably be right. Anyhow the US is bankrupt along with most of the west, it is economic forces that will bring it all crashing down and bring all this BS to an end. Luckily I have moved to the last sensible country in the West - Switzerland.
* - After extensive research I do not believe the official story of what happened to JFK.
It constantly amazes me that a country of 330m people can award high office to people who are obviously not up to the job. If you look at recent history:
- President Ronald Regan - a senile old fool who should have stuck to making movies
- President George W Bush - IQ lower than his age
- Vice president Dan Quayle - possibly a lower IQ than W
- President Donald Trump - a narcissistic, self obsessed, vituperous idiot
- President Joe Biden - another senile old fool
The only thing worse than this is the thought that the odious Angela Rayner might end up as deputy prime minister, purely due to her union links.
PS: if the financial system in the west comes crashing down, being in Switzerland isn't going to save you.
That's because we, unlike China and most large corporations, we don't govern by meritocracy. We do so by democracy. That is obviously the fairest system but does not produce optimum results.
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michaelc
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Post by michaelc on Jun 17, 2023 20:00:44 GMT
I think you're referring to my post? "Them?" - you broadly answered this question in your final line. I'm no expert on the subject but I think in the US they're called " neocons" and WIki has similar pages for the UK. I would characterise them as aggressive liberals who desire a world where everyone lives like they do and will stop at almost nothing to get it - including overturning democracy and war.Umm. Are you sure you aren't confusing your "neocons" with ... something else entirely. Given that one of the core characteristics of those labelled as neocons is advocation of the promotion of democracy. They might advocate it but it doesn't mean they actually practice it does it ? I'm sure Putin would say he was elected democratically. Means nothing.
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michaelc
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Post by michaelc on Jun 17, 2023 16:34:53 GMT
"Brexit was used by them as the reason to attempt to trash democracy and so it goes on."
Not really understanding this. Who are the "them?" We voted to leave and left-the debate was on what leave looked like, not on whether or not we left.
The Tories have been in office for 13 years. Most of the papers support Brexit
I just don't see these all-powerful liberals frustrating the will of the people at every turn that some seem to.
I think you're referring to my post? "Them?" - you broadly answered this question in your final line. I'm no expert on the subject but I think in the US they're called "neocons" and WIki has similar pages for the UK. I would characterise them as aggressive liberals who desire a world where everyone lives like they do and will stop at almost nothing to get it - including overturning democracy and war. "We voted to leave and left-the debate was on what leave looked like, not on whether or not we left."This is quite important and that is exactly what I thought Leave voters were voting for. The problem is many influential Remainers (largely liberal) seemed to decide that they could also debate the question regarding "whether" to leave as well as "how" ! It was this matter that was far, far more important than whether or not we remained in the EU.
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michaelc
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Post by michaelc on Jun 17, 2023 12:15:56 GMT
Hardly given the majority on the committee is Tory ... ahh, but they are all TINOs I hear others cry - "Get me out of here...but not just yet" Nadders being the chief cheerleader for that particular line. <snipped unread> Baroness Dorries to you.
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michaelc
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Post by michaelc on Jun 16, 2023 20:18:17 GMT
Coming straight after he read the committee report... If he'd been suspended for 10 days or more, that'd have triggered a recall petition in his constituency. More than 10% of the electorate sign it (a dead cert), and there's a by-election. By resigning before he can be sacked, he gets to hold his head up high (in his own mind)... The end result's the same, there's a by-election. And in the other two constituencies, MadNad's (was BJ lining up to stand in that?) and Nigel Adams' (who?). Theres loads we could say about this report on both sides of the political spectrum ... but this is almost a carbon copy of the democrats hate trump stitch up .... Yes its just amazing what is going on. For much of my life I considered western liberalism to be the most reasonable and fair system for all. Now they seem to have gone mad. Brexit was used by them as the reason to attempt to trash democracy and so it goes on. I think it was last night on Newsnight which I still bring myself to watch, where they were talking about Johnson. Ok, they have _one_ guest talking favourably about him but he was interrupted by Victoria Derbyshire over twenty times. Moreover, they brought to the table a victim of the worst of the covid funeral stories and asked that one guest if he would apologise to her etc. It was an utter set up. Why do they do it ? Now the aggressive liberals in the US despise a former president so much they want to put him in prison. Given he's still extremely popular (far more so than say Navalny in Russia), incarcerating him on some very spurious charges brings the whole of the US justice down to the level of countries like Russia and other emerging nations in Africa etc where opposition leaders are also routinely thrown in jail because they are hated by some. I've never seen this affront to our democracies. It is so dangerous that what happens next could be terrifying for all who live here. angrysaveruk
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michaelc
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Post by michaelc on Jun 15, 2023 19:33:45 GMT
Will be watching this thread closely as my current plan is to go with an SJP salesman as he was recommended by the people running my current pension scheme(!) Apparently he is the only person who can reliably transfer me out as others have failed. My pension scheme is significantly more complex than most as its a hybrid scheme and requires formal "advice". Incidentally, the SJP scheme I was offered to transfer into would give me 25% cashback tax free at 55 plus fees of "only" 1.95% per year. I can leave after 5 years without advice and if I want to leave before there is a charge which starts at 5% then if I leave the next year its 4% then 3% and so on until zero. Doesn't sounds that bad to me - a total layman ? I'm another who has heard mostly bad things about SJP, in particular its limited choice of funds and their poor performance.
High charges are another issue because they can really affect the performance of a SIPP over time. Therefore, I'd suggest understanding exactly what the 1.95% encompasses - is it just the advisor fee, or does it include the platform fee and fund fees as well? The SJP web site talks about advice charges (4.5% initial, 0.5% ongoing), product charges (1.5% initial, 1.0% ongoing), and fund charges.
I'd also suggest clarifying what SJP means by 25% cashback. Is this a bonus payment that leaves your underlying pension pot unchanged, or is it just the ability (as with any other SIPP) to take out 25% as a tax-free lump sum? If it's the latter (it's probably the latter) and SJP calls it cashback, then that sounds rather misleading to me.
In your position, I'd talk to some other pension platforms (or even a proper IFA) before committing anything to SJP. Good luck!
Yes "cashback" was just the regular 25% ability to take out that amount as with other SIPPs. Sorry that was my term. I will clarify the points you raise - thanks but I'm 99.9% sure he clearly said the _only_ charge would be the ongoing annual one. Normally I would definitely listen to what my peers are saying - both here and elsewhere. But I feel I'd rather waste a little more if it gave me almost certainty as to the transfer's success. My plan would be to stay 5 years then transfer again this time without advice.
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