This quarter has easter, but there will be a fall in motor sales due to people bringing forward consumption to avoid various new VEDs. So it'll probably be a reasonably "true" quarter..
To my mind, the biggest concern is the fall in retail sales volumes, which is being masked by rises in price.
Looks like Q1 last year was exceptionally high so could there partially be a reversion to mean effect undoing that?
Ist't hat the mistake I made, i.e. the comparison is with Q4? Unless strong performance last Q1 has affected our seasonal adjustments.
These surely have to be annualised figures because otherwise we'd be looking at 6 to 8% annual growth otherwise. If they're annual figures released quarterly then the figures 12 months ago will have rolled out of the calculations causing a reversion.
The same often happens with inflation figures when a sharp change is not due to what has just happened but what happened a year ago falling out of the figures.
Don't be harsh on Clive Lewis, he comes out with the phrases I would could out with if I were a candidate/MP.
A Labour candidate has apologised for “getting carried away with colourful metaphors” by making a joke about being caught in a threesome with Ed Miliband and a goat.
Clive Lewis, who is standing in Norwich South, made the comments during an interview with the New Statesman after being asked about his chances in the forthcoming elections.
"I mean, in the multiverse there's still three universes in a hundred where there's a Green MP in Norwich, so anything could happen,” he said.
"I could be caught with my pants down behind a goat with Ed Miliband at the other end - well, hopefully that won't happen."
It shows how these things strike people differently. To me Nigel Farage's voice sounds like a braying donkey.
The one politician whose voice makes me want to stick rusty nails in my ears is Rachel Reeves.
Which is a pity, because what she has to say for Labour is a damn sight better than most of what Labour has at the moment.
Ms Reeves is certainly hard on the ear, but far, far worse of the present crop of wannabe Labour leaders in my opinion is surely the awful sound of Rebecca Long-Bailey.
Reverting to my comment last night that polls clearly appear to show that women voters opt for women leaders, perhaps a key reason for Mrs. May's popularity and therefore Labour urgently needs to go for a leader from the fairer sex next time.
I've had a quick scan down their current list of runners and riders and with the help of YouTube, I quickly decided that Heidi Alexander (shame about her hardly Prime Ministerial first name) was worth a few quid at 55 with Betfair (aka 52.3/1 net).
To my mind, the biggest concern is the fall in retail sales volumes, which is being masked by rises in price.
Looks like Q1 last year was exceptionally high so could there partially be a reversion to mean effect undoing that?
Ist't hat the mistake I made, i.e. the comparison is with Q4? Unless strong performance last Q1 has affected our seasonal adjustments.
These surely have to be annualised figures because otherwise we'd be looking at 6 to 8% annual growth otherwise. If they're annual figures released quarterly then the figures 12 months ago will have rolled out of the calculations causing a reversion.
The same often happens with inflation figures when a sharp change is not due to what has just happened but what happened a year ago falling out of the figures.
So it's not the Christmas effect that caused it, but the attempt to adjust the numbers to avoid the Christmas effect...
It shows how these things strike people differently. To me Nigel Farage's voice sounds like a braying donkey.
The one politician whose voice makes me want to stick rusty nails in my ears is Rachel Reeves.
Which is a pity, because what she has to say for Labour is a damn sight better than most of what Labour has at the moment.
Ms Reeves is certainly hard on the ear, but far, far worse of the present crop of wannabe Labour leaders in my opinion is surely the awful sound of Rebecca Long-Bailey.
Reverting to my comment last night that polls clearly appear to show that women voters opt for women leaders, perhaps a key reason for Mrs. May's popularity and therefore Labour urgently needs to go for a leader from the fairer sex next time.
I've had a quick scan down their current list of runners and riders and with the help of YouTube, I quickly decided that Heidi Alexander (shame about her hardly Prime Ministerial first name) was worth a few quid at 55 with Betfair (aka 52.3/1 net).
DYOR.
Rebecca Long-Bailey? She was the future once!
Rachel Reeves last public pronouncement was an after time Rivers of Blood in the style of Harry H Corbett.. her best yet!
"We must be mad, literally mad to be allowing you to cramp our style, you duhty old man"
It shows how these things strike people differently. To me Nigel Farage's voice sounds like a braying donkey.
The one politician whose voice makes me want to stick rusty nails in my ears is Rachel Reeves.
Which is a pity, because what she has to say for Labour is a damn sight better than most of what Labour has at the moment.
Ms Reeves is certainly hard on the ear, but far, far worse of the present crop of wannabe Labour leaders in my opinion is surely the awful sound of Rebecca Long-Bailey.
Reverting to my comment last night that polls clearly appear to show that women voters opt for women leaders, perhaps a key reason for Mrs. May's popularity and therefore Labour urgently needs to go for a leader from the fairer sex next time.
I've had a quick scan down their current list of runners and riders and with the help of YouTube, I quickly decided that Heidi Alexander (shame about her hardly Prime Ministerial first name) was worth a few quid at 55 with Betfair (aka 52.3/1 net).
DYOR.
I think that looks an interesting a bet. I had a few quid on her a while back and have just topped up a tad.
Reeves seems to have been very quiet since her book came out. Just keeping her head down? Or fighting like mad to keep her seat?
To my mind, the biggest concern is the fall in retail sales volumes, which is being masked by rises in price.
Looks like Q1 last year was exceptionally high so could there partially be a reversion to mean effect undoing that?
Ist't hat the mistake I made, i.e. the comparison is with Q4? Unless strong performance last Q1 has affected our seasonal adjustments.
These surely have to be annualised figures because otherwise we'd be looking at 6 to 8% annual growth otherwise. If they're annual figures released quarterly then the figures 12 months ago will have rolled out of the calculations causing a reversion.
The same often happens with inflation figures when a sharp change is not due to what has just happened but what happened a year ago falling out of the figures.
So it's not the Christmas effect that caused it, but the attempt to adjust the numbers to avoid the Christmas effect...
Or Christmas didn't have an effect but the January sales this year weren't as busy as the January sales last year?
3) I couldn't afford the paycut, which means my shoe and fashion budget is cut.
Say no more! Cuts to the shoe budget are simply intolerable.
(Just between you and me - do men have much choice in shoes? They seem to have a selection of either brown or black canoe-like objects. Not much variety in shape, style or colour)
No, this is seasonally adjusted; it's the first quarterly decline since 2013. The ONS are tentatively identifying a pick up in price inflation as the culprit.
TBH (and rcs1000 will probably lambast me for this) a genuine sign of inflation taking hold across the economy might not be the worst thing in the world.
Why? Genuine question
Inflation helps reduce debt. Everything else gets bigger, it stays the same. It will also force monetary authorities into raising base rates, which reinvigorates the banking sector; we may not like it, but it is the lubricant for the rest of the economy. Other secondary effects, also.
Most of the major economies have been trying to generate a bit of inflation, without much success, for years. Japan has been at it for decades. It is the only realistic solution to the debt problem. In the absence of any other solution, your choice is collapse or inflation.
A little bit of inflation might be a good thing, at least in the short term. Problem One will be if it starts to spiral upwards to the point where either it can't be controlled or, more likely, drastic painful action is needed to prevent this. Problem Two is if inflation starts to climb but interest rates don't. Effectively that means negative interest rates. IMHO that is where we are headed.
That graph actually shows something far more worrying. The UK public have been spending like crazy over the past 4 years, during a time when wages haven't really been increasing.
Great for China, not good for us. Not sustainable.
(Just between you and me - do men have much choice in shoes? They seem to have a selection of either brown or black canoe-like objects. Not much variety in shape, style or colour)
3) I couldn't afford the paycut, which means my shoe and fashion budget is cut.
Say no more! Cuts to the shoe budget are simply intolerable.
(Just between you and me - do men have much choice in shoes? They seem to have a selection of either brown or black canoe-like objects. Not much variety in shape, style or colour)
We do.
For work, I have either black or a few shades of brown/tan.
For personal time, I have an array of colours, from lime green to luminous red and a few others in between.
One other thought struck me from listening to Farage last night - namely how important a politician's voice is. We all know looks matter but so does sound.
Farage has, I never fully appreciated before, a lovely voice. Mellifluous. Listenable to. Welcoming. I don't agree with all he says but I like to hear him say it nonetheless.
Blair's voice was clear, confident, articulate. Again, I didn't agree much of the time but I liked listening. Maggie - clipped, nasal and hectoring. But clear, controlling, powerful. Demanded attention and respect. Farron - very clear and articulate. Emanates intelligence and passion. Talks bollocks mostly but I want to hear it. A super voice. Unlike Clegg who always sounds whiney and petulant and dismissive and 'I know better than you'. May - Calm, measured, authoritative, enunciates, trustworthy. And slightly nervous... which is kind of endearing in the country's most powerful person. I think she's been having voice training. I like listening. Corbyn - Angry. Dimwitted. Breathy. Passionate. Energised. Mumbled quite often. Offputting somehow that I can't quite put my finger on. I want to switch off. Sturgeon - Har ye nae plook mar dookie the noo? Ya wee fucken numpti. Or something along those lines. It's not the soft Scottish of Morningside.
May vs Corbyn on yesterday morning tv news pieces were striking. May doing her Merkel Mutti routine, calm what we need is stability, where as Corbyn was ranting like a Speaker's Corner nutter banging on about the end is nigh.
I am sure Corbynistas thinks that demonstrates passion, he just sounded bloody bonkers.
Indeed. I hear Labour ex-miners are asking for Tory posters in the NE. This would be funny if we weren't talking about our own democracy.
Ex-miners asking for Tory posters sounds a bit far fetched. Maybe they are just running short of toilet paper.
That graph actually shows something far more worrying. The UK public have been spending like crazy over the past 4 years, during a time when wages haven't really been increasing.
Great for China, not good for us. Not sustainable.
and all on credit cards and car loans at 'introductory' rates. Trouble coming.
No, this is seasonally adjusted; it's the first quarterly decline since 2013. The ONS are tentatively identifying a pick up in price inflation as the culprit.
TBH (and rcs1000 will probably lambast me for this) a genuine sign of inflation taking hold across the economy might not be the worst thing in the world.
Why? Genuine question
Inflation helps reduce debt. Everything else gets bigger, it stays the same. It will also force monetary authorities into raising base rates, which reinvigorates the banking sector; we may not like it, but it is the lubricant for the rest of the economy. Other secondary effects, also.
Most of the major economies have been trying to generate a bit of inflation, without much success, for years. Japan has been at it for decades. It is the only realistic solution to the debt problem. In the absence of any other solution, your choice is collapse or inflation.
A little bit of inflation might be a good thing, at least in the short term. Problem One will be if it starts to spiral upwards to the point where either it can't be controlled or, more likely, drastic painful action is needed to prevent this. Problem Two is if inflation starts to climb but interest rates don't. Effectively that means negative interest rates. IMHO that is where we are headed.
When Interest Rates finally start to nudge upwards towards more historical norms, that is when the plates will stop spinning. Whoever is in charge when that happens is in for a massive bumpy ride and millions of over indebted people with massive mortgages are going to be screaming blue murder.
One other thought struck me from listening to Farage last night - namely how important a politician's voice is. We all know looks matter but so does sound.
Farage has, I never fully appreciated before, a lovely voice. Mellifluous. Listenable to. Welcoming. I don't agree with all he says but I like to hear him say it nonetheless.
Blair's voice was clear, confident, articulate. Again, I didn't agree much of the time but I liked listening. Maggie - clipped, nasal and hectoring. But clear, controlling, powerful. Demanded attention and respect. Farron - very clear and articulate. Emanates intelligence and passion. Talks bollocks mostly but I want to hear it. A super voice. Unlike Clegg who always sounds whiney and petulant and dismissive and 'I know better than you'. May - Calm, measured, authoritative, enunciates, trustworthy. And slightly nervous... which is kind of endearing in the country's most powerful person. I think she's been having voice training. I like listening. Corbyn - Angry. Dimwitted. Breathy. Passionate. Energised. Mumbled quite often. Offputting somehow that I can't quite put my finger on. I want to switch off. Sturgeon - Har ye nae plook mar dookie the noo? Ya wee fucken numpti. Or something along those lines. It's not the soft Scottish of Morningside.
May vs Corbyn on yesterday morning tv news pieces were striking. May doing her Merkel Mutti routine, calm what we need is stability, where as Corbyn was ranting like a Speaker's Corner nutter banging on about the end is nigh.
I am sure Corbynistas thinks that demonstrates passion, he just sounded bloody bonkers.
Indeed. I hear Labour ex-miners are asking for Tory posters in the NE. This would be funny if we weren't talking about our own democracy.
Ex-miners asking for Tory posters sounds a bit far fetched. Maybe they are just running short of toilet paper.
3) I couldn't afford the paycut, which means my shoe and fashion budget is cut.
Say no more! Cuts to the shoe budget are simply intolerable.
(Just between you and me - do men have much choice in shoes? They seem to have a selection of either brown or black canoe-like objects. Not much variety in shape, style or colour)
It's easy. Men only need to buy a pair when holes appear in the current pair, or the sole starts to fall off. We then look for a pair as similar as possible to the old ones.
3) I couldn't afford the paycut, which means my shoe and fashion budget is cut.
Say no more! Cuts to the shoe budget are simply intolerable.
(Just between you and me - do men have much choice in shoes? They seem to have a selection of either brown or black canoe-like objects. Not much variety in shape, style or colour)
We do.
For work, I have either black or a few shades of brown/tan.
For personal time, I have an array of colours, from lime green to luminous red and a few others in between.
3) I couldn't afford the paycut, which means my shoe and fashion budget is cut.
Say no more! Cuts to the shoe budget are simply intolerable.
(Just between you and me - do men have much choice in shoes? They seem to have a selection of either brown or black canoe-like objects. Not much variety in shape, style or colour)
It's easy. Men only need to buy a pair when holes appear in the current pair, or the sole starts to fall off. We then look for a pair as similar as possible to the old ones.
Rather embarrassingly I have just done exactly that this morning. Pair of casual trainers got a hole, straight on amazon, find the exact pair, arriving tomorrow.
No, this is seasonally adjusted; it's the first quarterly decline since 2013. The ONS are tentatively identifying a pick up in price inflation as the culprit.
TBH (and rcs1000 will probably lambast me for this) a genuine sign of inflation taking hold across the economy might not be the worst thing in the world.
Why? Genuine question
Inflation helps reduce debt. Everything else gets bigger, it stays the same. It will also force monetary authorities into raising base rates, which reinvigorates the banking sector; we may not like it, but it is the lubricant for the rest of the economy. Other secondary effects, also.
Most of the major economies have been trying to generate a bit of inflation, without much success, for years. Japan has been at it for decades. It is the only realistic solution to the debt problem. In the absence of any other solution, your choice is collapse or inflation.
A little bit of inflation might be a good thing, at least in the short term. Problem One will be if it starts to spiral upwards to the point where either it can't be controlled or, more likely, drastic painful action is needed to prevent this. Problem Two is if inflation starts to climb but interest rates don't. Effectively that means negative interest rates. IMHO that is where we are headed.
When Interest Rates finally start to nudge upwards towards more historical norms, that is when the plates will stop spinning. Whoever is in charge when that happens is in for a massive bumpy ride and millions of over indebted people with massive mortgages are going to be screaming blue murder.
Although if prices and wages are rising faster than interest rates that won't nessarily be high up the list of potential downsides.
To my mind, the biggest concern is the fall in retail sales volumes, which is being masked by rises in price.
Looks like Q1 last year was exceptionally high so could there partially be a reversion to mean effect undoing that?
Ist't hat the mistake I made, i.e. the comparison is with Q4? Unless strong performance last Q1 has affected our seasonal adjustments.
These surely have to be annualised figures because otherwise we'd be looking at 6 to 8% annual growth otherwise. If they're annual figures released quarterly then the figures 12 months ago will have rolled out of the calculations causing a reversion.
The same often happens with inflation figures when a sharp change is not due to what has just happened but what happened a year ago falling out of the figures.
So it's not the Christmas effect that caused it, but the attempt to adjust the numbers to avoid the Christmas effect...
There is definitely an element of that in there! Attempts to create 'perfect' numbers, that adjust for number of working days, Christmas, etc. etc., will occasionally result in figures that bear little relationship to underlying. (It's a bit like polling, really.)
3) I couldn't afford the paycut, which means my shoe and fashion budget is cut.
Say no more! Cuts to the shoe budget are simply intolerable.
(Just between you and me - do men have much choice in shoes? They seem to have a selection of either brown or black canoe-like objects. Not much variety in shape, style or colour)
It's easy. Men only need to buy a pair when holes appear in the current pair, or the sole starts to fall off. We then look for a pair as similar as possible to the old ones.
Ideally, we buy two or three identical pairs at once, so that we don't have to go shopping for replacements so often.
Another complicating factor with the quarterly retail sales is Easter. Last year Easter (and the associated very long weekend) was in Q1. This year it has reverted to Q2.
So last year the spike in retail sales that happens over the Bank Holiday weekend was shifted from Q2 to Q1. This year it has reverted from Q1 back to Q2.
(Just between you and me - do men have much choice in shoes? They seem to have a selection of either brown or black canoe-like objects. Not much variety in shape, style or colour)
I fear you may have just unleashed TSE...
Repression is not good for the soul. It is best to let it all out
3) I couldn't afford the paycut, which means my shoe and fashion budget is cut.
Say no more! Cuts to the shoe budget are simply intolerable.
(Just between you and me - do men have much choice in shoes? They seem to have a selection of either brown or black canoe-like objects. Not much variety in shape, style or colour)
We do.
For work, I have either black or a few shades of brown/tan.
For personal time, I have an array of colours, from lime green to luminous red and a few others in between.
Can someone provide me with a link/graph showing the rich paid more tax under the Tories than under Labour?
Edit: And the poorest paid less tax.
It might be a big ask given your Hero's "Austerity" budgets
Have you been selected for Tatton yet?
No, alas I'd make a terrible MP
1) I'd get into terrible trouble for speaking my mind
2) I'd be a shit MP dealing with plebs casework
3) I couldn't afford the paycut, which means my shoe and fashion budget is cut.
Why would you have to take a cut in pay ?
George Osborne has surely shown the way on this one.
A short term pay cut, but Ozzy only started earning serious wonga after he stopped being Chancellor, so some fifteen years after he first became an MP.
Plus I suspect if by some miracle I became a Tory MP on June 8th, I'd be spending my political career on the backbenches whilst Mrs May was PM.
3) I couldn't afford the paycut, which means my shoe and fashion budget is cut.
Say no more! Cuts to the shoe budget are simply intolerable.
(Just between you and me - do men have much choice in shoes? They seem to have a selection of either brown or black canoe-like objects. Not much variety in shape, style or colour)
It's easy. Men only need to buy a pair when holes appear in the current pair, or the sole starts to fall off. We then look for a pair as similar as possible to the old ones.
Rather embarrassingly I have just done exactly that this morning. Pair of casual trainers got a hole, straight on amazon, find the exact pair, arriving tomorrow.
My last 4 pairs of trainers are all the exact same Mizunos, though the colours have varied.
Leaked European Commission negotiating guidelines reveal that the EU is demanding that Mrs May indefinitely submit to rulings by the ECJ on the pensions, employment and welfare rights of the three million EU citizens living in the UK.
So, the Uk would have two sets of laws running in parallel - one for UK citizens, one for EU citizens.
The ECJ says 'State Pension starts at 50' and European Citizens in the UK start their pensions at 50, while UK Citizens work to 70 or older to pay for it.......
And they think we'll agree to this because?
I suspect there's more to that story than meets the eye.
The UK is never (and can't) accept parallel systems of laws for people residing in its territory.
Oh really? We have different legal systems operating here.
In the same territory? English law runs in Scotland? I think the Nats might have mentioned it.....
The Scottish cabinet decided on Monday to set up an expert legal group to urgently consider how Salmond's government can block the supreme court from its oversight of criminal cases.
Did Salmond's government block the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom (not England) from its oversight of criminal cases?
And I note:
The supreme court had only limited powers over Scottish criminal cases, purely covering human rights and EU law.
So when we Leave the EU, the Supreme Court will have less power over Scottish cases. Intriguing.
No chance London will take full control and keep it there.
One other thought struck me from listening to Farage last night - namely how important a politician's voice is. We all know looks matter but so does sound.
Farage has, I never fully appreciated before, a lovely voice. Mellifluous. Listenable to. Welcoming. I don't agree with all he says but I like to hear him say it nonetheless.
Blair's voice was clear, confident, articulate. Again, I didn't agree much of the time but I liked listening. Maggie - clipped, nasal and hectoring. But clear, controlling, powerful. Demanded attention and respect. Farron - very clear and articulate. Emanates intelligence and passion. Talks bollocks mostly but I want to hear it. A super voice. Unlike Clegg who always sounds whiney and petulant and dismissive and 'I know better than you'. May - Calm, measured, authoritative, enunciates, trustworthy. And slightly nervous... which is kind of endearing in the country's most powerful person. I think she's been having voice training. I like listening. Corbyn - Angry. Dimwitted. Breathy. Passionate. Energised. Mumbled quite often. Offputting somehow that I can't quite put my finger on. I want to switch off. Sturgeon - Har ye nae plook mar dookie the noo? Ya wee fucken numpti. Or something along those lines. It's not the soft Scottish of Morningside.
May vs Corbyn on yesterday morning tv news pieces were striking. May doing her Merkel Mutti routine, calm what we need is stability, where as Corbyn was ranting like a Speaker's Corner nutter banging on about the end is nigh.
I am sure Corbynistas thinks that demonstrates passion, he just sounded bloody bonkers.
Indeed. I hear Labour ex-miners are asking for Tory posters in the NE. This would be funny if we weren't talking about our own democracy.
Ex-miners asking for Tory posters sounds a bit far fetched. Maybe they are just running short of toilet paper.
Patrick McLoughlin, the conservative party Chairman is a former miner
3) I couldn't afford the paycut, which means my shoe and fashion budget is cut.
Say no more! Cuts to the shoe budget are simply intolerable.
(Just between you and me - do men have much choice in shoes? They seem to have a selection of either brown or black canoe-like objects. Not much variety in shape, style or colour)
It's easy. Men only need to buy a pair when holes appear in the current pair, or the sole starts to fall off. We then look for a pair as similar as possible to the old ones.
Rather embarrassingly I have just done exactly that this morning. Pair of casual trainers got a hole, straight on amazon, find the exact pair, arriving tomorrow.
My last 4 pairs of trainers are all the exact same Mizunos, though the colours have varied.
I went same colour and everything....embarrassed face.
Mr. Urquhart, when my old walking boots (for dog walking) split, I had to find a different pair. Couldn't get the same ones.
Men who enjoy shoe-shopping are deviants.
Precisely. If you didnt have shoes you would cut your feet when walking along. And have to start actually buying socks; Christmas and birthday supply would be insufficient.
One other thought struck me from listening to Farage last night - namely how important a politician's voice is. We all know looks matter but so does sound.
Farage has, I never fully appreciated before, a lovely voice. Mellifluous. Listenable to. Welcoming. I don't agree with all he says but I like to hear him say it nonetheless.
Blair's voice was clear, confident, articulate. Again, I didn't agree much of the time but I liked listening. Maggie - clipped, nasal and hectoring. But clear, controlling, powerful. Demanded attention and respect. Farron - very clear and articulate. Emanates intelligence and passion. Talks bollocks mostly but I want to hear it. A super voice. Unlike Clegg who always sounds whiney and petulant and dismissive and 'I know better than you'. May - Calm, measured, authoritative, enunciates, trustworthy. And slightly nervous... which is kind of endearing in the country's most powerful person. I think she's been having voice training. I like listening. Corbyn - Angry. Dimwitted. Breathy. Passionate. Energised. Mumbled quite often. Offputting somehow that I can't quite put my finger on. I want to switch off. Sturgeon - Har ye nae plook mar dookie the noo? Ya wee fucken numpti. Or something along those lines. It's not the soft Scottish of Morningside.
May vs Corbyn on yesterday morning tv news pieces were striking. May doing her Merkel Mutti routine, calm what we need is stability, where as Corbyn was ranting like a Speaker's Corner nutter banging on about the end is nigh.
I am sure Corbynistas thinks that demonstrates passion, he just sounded bloody bonkers.
Indeed. I hear Labour ex-miners are asking for Tory posters in the NE. This would be funny if we weren't talking about our own democracy.
Ex-miners asking for Tory posters sounds a bit far fetched. Maybe they are just running short of toilet paper.
Either that or it was Patrick McLoughlin himself asking.
3) I couldn't afford the paycut, which means my shoe and fashion budget is cut.
Say no more! Cuts to the shoe budget are simply intolerable.
(Just between you and me - do men have much choice in shoes? They seem to have a selection of either brown or black canoe-like objects. Not much variety in shape, style or colour)
It's easy. Men only need to buy a pair when holes appear in the current pair, or the sole starts to fall off. We then look for a pair as similar as possible to the old ones.
Ideally, we buy two or three identical pairs at once, so that we don't have to go shopping for replacements so often.
Smart thinking, if you can afford it. And a clever way to defeat manufacturers who insist on fiddling about with their designs all the time so you can never find what you had before.
Mr. B2, glasses frame designers doing that piss me off. I don't want some fancy bullshit, I just want the same damned frames...
Mrs C, 80% of all purchases are made by women. It's why advertising is so heavily skewed, even for things like aftershave (because women buy more than men). Cars are a rare exception.
(Just between you and me - do men have much choice in shoes? They seem to have a selection of either brown or black canoe-like objects. Not much variety in shape, style or colour)
I fear you may have just unleashed TSE...
Repression is not good for the soul. It is best to let it all out
My biggest regret on the shoe front was not buying the most comfortable pair of shoes I have ever tried on, wearing and walking them was like getting your feet massaged by angels.
The only problem with them was that they were made from crocodile leather, and I have some very animal loving friend who would have taken great offence at me wearing such a pair.
One other thought struck me from listening to Farage last night - namely how important a politician's voice is. We all know looks matter but so does sound.
Farage has, I never fully appreciated before, a lovely voice. Mellifluous. Listenable to. Welcoming. I don't agree with all he says but I like to hear him say it nonetheless.
Blair's voice was clear, confident, articulate. Again, I didn't agree much of the time but I liked listening. Maggie - clipped, nasal and hectoring. But clear, controlling, powerful. Demanded attention and respect. Farron - very clear and articulate. Emanates intelligence and passion. Talks bollocks mostly but I want to hear it. A super voice. Unlike Clegg who always sounds whiney and petulant and dismissive and 'I know better than you'. May - Calm, measured, authoritative, enunciates, trustworthy. And slightly nervous... which is kind of endearing in the country's most powerful person. I think she's been having voice training. I like listening. Corbyn - Angry. Dimwitted. Breathy. Passionate. Energised. Mumbled quite often. Offputting somehow that I can't quite put my finger on. I want to switch off. Sturgeon - Har ye nae plook mar dookie the noo? Ya wee fucken numpti. Or something along those lines. It's not the soft Scottish of Morningside.
May vs Corbyn on yesterday morning tv news pieces were striking. May doing her Merkel Mutti routine, calm what we need is stability, where as Corbyn was ranting like a Speaker's Corner nutter banging on about the end is nigh.
I am sure Corbynistas thinks that demonstrates passion, he just sounded bloody bonkers.
Indeed. I hear Labour ex-miners are asking for Tory posters in the NE. This would be funny if we weren't talking about our own democracy.
Ex-miners asking for Tory posters sounds a bit far fetched. Maybe they are just running short of toilet paper.
Patrick McLoughlin, the conservative party Chairman is a former miner
Not a lot of people know this, but OGH used to be a minor.
(Just between you and me - do men have much choice in shoes? They seem to have a selection of either brown or black canoe-like objects. Not much variety in shape, style or colour)
I fear you may have just unleashed TSE...
Repression is not good for the soul. It is best to let it all out
My biggest regret on the shoe front was not buying the most comfortable pair of shoes I have ever tried on, wearing and walking them was like getting your feet massaged by angels.
The only problem with them was that they were made from crocodile leather, and I have some very animal loving friend who would have taken great offence at me wearing such a pair.
Hmm... a sticky problem Mr Eagles. I think I would have bought them and worn them when the friend was not about.
I have decided that, when on my death-bed, I do not want to have to deal with any of the top five regrets of the dying.
Your favorite thread isn't an AV one? *has a fit of the vapors*
*Whisper it very quietly, I might be doing an AV thread this weekend, if I get the time.*
This Sunday is a bit hectic for both Mike and I.
Bottom line on AV is almost certainly that the Tory majority would be bigger, although it might have helped the LibDems a little also by relieving Labour supporters of the tactical voting decision.
The slight uptick is because rich people deferred income until the tax cut came in. They didn't do anything different in the real world... If the rate had been left at 50p then more would have been raised.
Mr. B2, glasses frame designers doing that piss me off. I don't want some fancy bullshit, I just want the same damned frames...
Mrs C, 80% of all purchases are made by women. It's why advertising is so heavily skewed, even for things like aftershave (because women buy more than men). Cars are a rare exception.
The only use for cars is to get from A to B and keep the weather off you and your shopping. All this "Ultimate driving durch technik" stuff is overkill. A Hyundai I10 is all that is needed.
The only use for cars is to get from A to B and keep the weather off you and your shopping. All this "Ultimate driving durch technik" stuff is overkill. A Hyundai I10 is all that is needed.
And the only use for shoes is to keep your feet out of the sh mud.
The only use for cars is to get from A to B and keep the weather off you and your shopping. All this "Ultimate driving durch technik" stuff is overkill. A Hyundai I10 is all that is needed.
And the only use for shoes is to keep your feet out of the sh mud.
A couple of pairs is all that is needed...
[ducks]
For you lot on that side of the fence perhaps, over on this side, shoes make the outfit
The only use for cars is to get from A to B and keep the weather off you and your shopping. All this "Ultimate driving durch technik" stuff is overkill. A Hyundai I10 is all that is needed.
And the only use for shoes is to keep your feet out of the sh mud.
A couple of pairs is all that is needed...
[ducks]
I'm going to do a shoe related thread for PB now.
For all the first time canvassers, with useful tips like
1) It is essential to have the right footwear for long days of campaigning.
2) When delivering leaflets, never put your fingers where you can't see them (stop sniggering in the background you pervs)
3) Carry a small steel ruler for 2)
4) Carry lots of breath mints, nothing puts off voters than a campaigner with bad breath
One other thought struck me from listening to Farage last night - namely how important a politician's voice is. We all know looks matter but so does sound.
Farage has, I never fully appreciated before, a lovely voice. Mellifluous. Listenable to. Welcoming. I don't agree with all he says but I like to hear him say it nonetheless.
Blair's voice was clear, confident, articulate. Again, I didn't agree much of the time but I liked listening. Maggie - clipped, nasal and hectoring. But clear, controlling, powerful. Demanded attention and respect. Farron - very clear and articulate. Emanates intelligence and passion. Talks bollocks mostly but I want to hear it. A super voice. Unlike Clegg who always sounds whiney and petulant and dismissive and 'I know better than you'. May - Calm, measured, authoritative, enunciates, trustworthy. And slightly nervous... which is kind of endearing in the country's most powerful person. I think she's been having voice training. I like listening. Corbyn - Angry. Dimwitted. Breathy. Passionate. Energised. Mumbled quite often. Offputting somehow that I can't quite put my finger on. I want to switch off. Sturgeon - Har ye nae plook mar dookie the noo? Ya wee fucken numpti. Or something along those lines. It's not the soft Scottish of Morningside.
May vs Corbyn on yesterday morning tv news pieces were striking. May doing her Merkel Mutti routine, calm what we need is stability, where as Corbyn was ranting like a Speaker's Corner nutter banging on about the end is nigh.
I am sure Corbynistas thinks that demonstrates passion, he just sounded bloody bonkers.
Indeed. I hear Labour ex-miners are asking for Tory posters in the NE. This would be funny if we weren't talking about our own democracy.
Ex-miners asking for Tory posters sounds a bit far fetched. Maybe they are just running short of toilet paper.
Posters seem to be a thing of the past. In 2010 I became increasingly obsessed with it, driving home from work lots of different way in a vain attempt to find any at all for any party.
In the end I saw a grand total of 3 in the entire campaign, one a generic "vote conservative" in a farmer's field, and one LD on what transpired to be the candidate's own house :-)
There were a few more in farmer's fields in 2015 (basically all either UKIP or tory) but very few really. Although I did see quite a lot of Lab and a few Con somewhere in west Manchester on a work trip.
Posters seem to be a thing of the past. In 2010 I became increasingly obsessed with it, driving home from work lots of different way in a vain attempt to find any at all for any party.
In the end I saw a grand total of 3 in the entire campaign, one a generic "vote conservative" in a farmer's field, and one LD on what transpired to be the candidate's own house :-)
There were a few more in farmer's fields in 2015 (basically all either UKIP or tory) but very few really. Although I did see quite a lot of Lab and a few Con somewhere in west Manchester on a work trip.
Retail Sales are up 5.1% in value compared to the same month last year.
Online retail is up 19.5% compared to last year.
You need to compare volume, not value. Volume is up 1.9%. So we're shelling out 5.1% more than a year ago, to get 1.9% more stuff.
Unless your income is rising by 3.2% or more, that means you are seeing your real spending power squeezed*.
* Yes, I know there are complications around tax and the like.
Edit to add: household income is up a little less than 4% on a year-over-year basis, so that suggests (worryingly) that the savings rate continues to fall.
And punctuation has been reduced to two commas and a full stop. Used randomly.
and Capitalisation (sic)
They need my help. Grammar, punctuation, and capitalisation is important, it is the difference between helping your uncle Jack off a horse, and helping your uncle jack off a horse.
The only use for cars is to get from A to B and keep the weather off you and your shopping. All this "Ultimate driving durch technik" stuff is overkill. A Hyundai I10 is all that is needed.
And the only use for shoes is to keep your feet out of the sh mud.
A couple of pairs is all that is needed...
[ducks]
I'm going to do a shoe related thread for PB now.
For all the first time canvassers, with useful tips like
1) It is essential to have the right footwear for long days of campaigning.
2) When delivering leaflets, never put your fingers where you can't see them (stop sniggering in the background you pervs)
3) Carry a small steel ruler for 2)
4) Carry lots of breath mints, nothing puts off voters than a campaigner with bad breath
That sort of stuff.
Go for it Mr Eagles. A shoe thread is long overdue.
And punctuation has been reduced to two commas and a full stop. Used randomly.
and Capitalisation (sic)
They need my help. Grammar, punctuation, and capitalisation is important, it is the difference between helping your uncle Jack off a horse, and helping your uncle jack off a horse.
Dunno which to jump on first in the above, the use of "is" rather than "are" or the Oxford comma....
Edit: and the comma where there should be a full stop!
(Just between you and me - do men have much choice in shoes? They seem to have a selection of either brown or black canoe-like objects. Not much variety in shape, style or colour)
I fear you may have just unleashed TSE...
Repression is not good for the soul. It is best to let it all out
My biggest regret on the shoe front was not buying the most comfortable pair of shoes I have ever tried on, wearing and walking them was like getting your feet massaged by angels.
The only problem with them was that they were made from crocodile leather, and I have some very animal loving friend who would have taken great offence at me wearing such a pair.
Dead cow good; dead highly-efficient killing-machine bad?
One other thought struck me from listening to Farage last night - namely how important a politician's voice is. We all know looks matter but so does sound.
Farage has, I never fully appreciated before, a lovely voice. Mellifluous. Listenable to. Welcoming. I don't agree with all he says but I like to hear him say it nonetheless.
Blair's voice was clear, confident, articulate. Again, I didn't agree much of the time but I liked listening. Maggie - clipped, nasal and hectoring. But clear, controlling, powerful. Demanded attention and respect. Farron - very clear and articulate. Emanates intelligence and passion. Talks bollocks mostly but I want to hear it. A super voice. Unlike Clegg who always sounds whiney and petulant and dismissive and 'I know better than you'. May - Calm, measured, authoritative, enunciates, trustworthy. And slightly nervous... which is kind of endearing in the country's most powerful person. I think she's been having voice training. I like listening. Corbyn - Angry. Dimwitted. Breathy. Passionate. Energised. Mumbled quite often. Offputting somehow that I can't quite put my finger on. I want to switch off. Sturgeon - Har ye nae plook mar dookie the noo? Ya wee fucken numpti. Or something along those lines. It's not the soft Scottish of Morningside.
How interesting, I disagree with a lot of that.
Farage sounds like a braying posh w'nker who smokes far too much and has an opinion of himself approximately 5 times higher than justified. Dreadful. Cameron was similar but not as bad
Farron's voice is also terrible to my ears, I suspect I would prejudicially think the same about anyone with his accent though, apols but I can't stand it. Clegg was much better
Corbyn's not too bad as long as he doesn't get tetchy, and Sturgeon I think always comes across well. More or less agree on Blair and May though.
And punctuation has been reduced to two commas and a full stop. Used randomly.
and Capitalisation (sic)
They need my help. Grammar, punctuation, and capitalisation is important, it is the difference between helping your uncle Jack off a horse, and helping your uncle jack off a horse.
Dunno which to jump on first in the above, the use of "is" rather than "are" or the Oxford comma....
Edit: and the comma where there should be a full stop!
Irony old bean.
But I really do love love love love the Oxford comma.
The only use for cars is to get from A to B and keep the weather off you and your shopping. All this "Ultimate driving durch technik" stuff is overkill. A Hyundai I10 is all that is needed.
And the only use for shoes is to keep your feet out of the sh mud.
A couple of pairs is all that is needed...
[ducks]
For you lot on that side of the fence perhaps, over on this side, shoes make the outfit
Not true at all. Shoes maketh the man. You can judge a chap by the choice and quality of his footwear, and cheap nasty shoes can make you look like a chav even if you're wearing a two grand suit.
Moreover, women judge men by their shoes.
The first and only rule of male shoe buying is spend as much as you can. Price really does = quality.
Moreover, women judge men by their shoes. Don't you mean by the size of their feet, or so it is said?
3) I couldn't afford the paycut, which means my shoe and fashion budget is cut.
Say no more! Cuts to the shoe budget are simply intolerable.
(Just between you and me - do men have much choice in shoes? They seem to have a selection of either brown or black canoe-like objects. Not much variety in shape, style or colour)
It's easy. Men only need to buy a pair when holes appear in the current pair, or the sole starts to fall off. We then look for a pair as similar as possible to the old ones.
Quite so. Assistants who say "But maybe you'd like to try another pair before you decide?" are just irritating. Gimme the shoes and let me out of here. Never buy shoes with a partner present!
NG Control Room @NGControlRoom 3h It looks likely that today will be the first ever working day in Britain without #coal since the industrial revolution!
Your favorite thread isn't an AV one? *has a fit of the vapors*
*Whisper it very quietly, I might be doing an AV thread this weekend, if I get the time.*
This Sunday is a bit hectic for both Mike and I.
Will there be a Eurovision thread this year? UK must be very short odds for nul points I would guess.
Quite difficult to achieve nul points in the current environment (where over 1000) are up for grabs. This and the fact that the UK entry is actually good (by our usual derisory standards) should avoid the wooden spoon.
Comments
So it'll probably be a reasonably "true" quarter..
The same often happens with inflation figures when a sharp change is not due to what has just happened but what happened a year ago falling out of the figures.
A Labour candidate has apologised for “getting carried away with colourful metaphors” by making a joke about being caught in a threesome with Ed Miliband and a goat.
Clive Lewis, who is standing in Norwich South, made the comments during an interview with the New Statesman after being asked about his chances in the forthcoming elections.
"I mean, in the multiverse there's still three universes in a hundred where there's a Green MP in Norwich, so anything could happen,” he said.
"I could be caught with my pants down behind a goat with Ed Miliband at the other end - well, hopefully that won't happen."
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/labour-candidate-apologises-for-joking-about-threesome-with-ed-miliband-and-a-goat-we-all-have-10185351.html
Reverting to my comment last night that polls clearly appear to show that women voters opt for women leaders, perhaps a key reason for Mrs. May's popularity and therefore Labour urgently needs to go for a leader from the fairer sex next time.
I've had a quick scan down their current list of runners and riders and with the help of YouTube, I quickly decided that Heidi Alexander (shame about her hardly Prime Ministerial first name) was worth a few quid at 55 with Betfair (aka 52.3/1 net).
DYOR.
1) I'd get into terrible trouble for speaking my mind
2) I'd be a shit MP dealing with plebs casework
3) I couldn't afford the paycut, which means my shoe and fashion budget is cut.
So it's not the Christmas effect that caused it, but the attempt to adjust the numbers to avoid the Christmas effect...
https://twitter.com/faisalislam/status/855351765918773248
Rachel Reeves last public pronouncement was an after time Rivers of Blood in the style of Harry H Corbett.. her best yet!
"We must be mad, literally mad to be allowing you to cramp our style, you duhty old man"
Reeves seems to have been very quiet since her book came out. Just keeping her head down? Or fighting like mad to keep her seat?
(Just between you and me - do men have much choice in shoes? They seem to have a selection of either brown or black canoe-like objects. Not much variety in shape, style or colour)
A little bit of inflation might be a good thing, at least in the short term. Problem One will be if it starts to spiral upwards to the point where either it can't be controlled or, more likely, drastic painful action is needed to prevent this. Problem Two is if inflation starts to climb but interest rates don't. Effectively that means negative interest rates. IMHO that is where we are headed.
Great for China, not good for us. Not sustainable.
More
Yvette Cooper now betting favourite to succeed Corbyn
It's a shame that the Labour membership don't have the same good sense as the BF punters.
For work, I have either black or a few shades of brown/tan.
For personal time, I have an array of colours, from lime green to luminous red and a few others in between.
George Osborne has surely shown the way on this one.
So last year the spike in retail sales that happens over the Bank Holiday weekend was shifted from Q2 to Q1. This year it has reverted from Q1 back to Q2.
Men who enjoy shoe-shopping are deviants.
Plus I suspect if by some miracle I became a Tory MP on June 8th, I'd be spending my political career on the backbenches whilst Mrs May was PM.
That's the beginning and end of it.
Mr. Urquhart, that's the correct methodology of shoe acquisition for men.
If only he had listened to me.
http://www2.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2015/09/11/some-fashion-advice-for-jeremy-corbyn/
*has a fit of the vapors*
Mrs C, 80% of all purchases are made by women. It's why advertising is so heavily skewed, even for things like aftershave (because women buy more than men). Cars are a rare exception.
The only problem with them was that they were made from crocodile leather, and I have some very animal loving friend who would have taken great offence at me wearing such a pair.
This Sunday is a bit hectic for both Mike and I.
I have decided that, when on my death-bed, I do not want to have to deal with any of the top five regrets of the dying.
http://www.mindful.org/no-regrets/
UK must be very short odds for nul points I would guess.
Online retail is up 19.5% compared to last year.
shmud.A couple of pairs is all that is needed...
[ducks]
For all the first time canvassers, with useful tips like
1) It is essential to have the right footwear for long days of campaigning.
2) When delivering leaflets, never put your fingers where you can't see them (stop sniggering in the background you pervs)
3) Carry a small steel ruler for 2)
4) Carry lots of breath mints, nothing puts off voters than a campaigner with bad breath
That sort of stuff.
In the end I saw a grand total of 3 in the entire campaign, one a generic "vote conservative" in a farmer's field, and one LD on what transpired to be the candidate's own house :-)
There were a few more in farmer's fields in 2015 (basically all either UKIP or tory) but very few really. Although I did see quite a lot of Lab and a few Con somewhere in west Manchester on a work trip.
Unless your income is rising by 3.2% or more, that means you are seeing your real spending power squeezed*.
* Yes, I know there are complications around tax and the like.
Edit to add: household income is up a little less than 4% on a year-over-year basis, so that suggests (worryingly) that the savings rate continues to fall.
Go for it Mr Eagles. A shoe thread is long overdue.
(OK, he may yet do so - just not through democratic means...)
Edit: and the comma where there should be a full stop!
http://www2.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2016/09/01/george-osborne-the-modern-day-winston-churchill/
(As an aside I did advise laying both Boris and Osborne as next Leader in 2015/16)
Farage sounds like a braying posh w'nker who smokes far too much and has an opinion of himself approximately 5 times higher than justified. Dreadful. Cameron was similar but not as bad
Farron's voice is also terrible to my ears, I suspect I would prejudicially think the same about anyone with his accent though, apols but I can't stand it. Clegg was much better
Corbyn's not too bad as long as he doesn't get tetchy, and Sturgeon I think always comes across well. More or less agree on Blair and May though.
But I really do love love love love the Oxford comma.
Don't you mean by the size of their feet, or so it is said?
@HTScotPol: Frank Ross missing from SNP council launch - spindoctor said his mum, er, dad is unwell twitter.com/htscotpol/stat…
https://twitter.com/htscotpol/status/855361665805799425
3h
It looks likely that today will be the first ever working day in Britain without #coal since the industrial revolution!