Monday 29th September 2014

[refitman]

Morning all.

A big thanks to LadyCentauria for copying over a whole load of stuff from the old site.

[PaulfromYorkshire]

Morning all.

A big thanks to LadyCentauria for copying over a whole load of stuff from the old site.

Seconded! Oh and Morning.

[PaulfromYorkshire]

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/09 ... 97150.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Labour Has A Commanding Lead Over The Tories In Marginal Seats

ComRes survey of marginals

[letsskiptotheleft]

Musing to myself here while drinking my coffee, has there ever been a time when the Tories haven't been obsessed with Europe? Osborne just said that "Cameron delivered on the Scottish referendum" Osborne can't accept the link between rising growth and people's sense of financial well being is broken, well he would say that wouldn't he?

[Lonewolfie]

Morning all...

http://zelo-street.blogspot.co.uk/

"But good of Murdoch to let us know he’s scared shitless of having a Government in Westminster that may not be keen on doing his bidding."

Apologies if it's been linked before but....apparently even ol' Uncle Rupert is having second thoughts about Farage the Fabulous drip drip drippety drip...towards the first government for 35 years NOT looking over its' shoulder in case it upsets the old goat

[letsskiptotheleft]

That post of mine didn't make much sense, on my mobile! Robinson finding it hard to conceal his glee that Osborne will today announce a big cut in social security, good job he's on the radio, bet he was grinning when he said it?

[frightful_oik]

Re the pensions thing from last night.
There will be a lot of people, like me, who have had their pensions converted from defined benefit to defined contribution schemes. You end up with a pot of money. The insurance companies then urge you to put it into a scheme of theirs whereby it sort of gets converted back into a defined benefit scheme. A few people in my company didn't like the look of this scheme so we converted our pots into a SIPP. Fortunately shares have done pretty well since then so we're better off at present than those who went with the insurance co.
So if I die, under the present rules, whoever gets my pot pays 55% tax on my pot. I have no real problems with this as I have never payed any tax on this money.
Osborne is saying the person who inherits the pot should pay tax as if it were income.

It's a tax cut for the very wealthy as, if someone leaves a pot of say £1m, the inheritor pays a maximum of 45% tax. For those with more modest pots of a few thousand pounds, they will still pay less tax. For those not receiving a pension pot, it makes no difference except that there's less money in the system to pay for the stuff that taxes pay for.

It really isn't a priority as very few people are affected in a big way. Most will be unaffected. Millionaires will be pleased.
Caveat: I haven't read up much on these plans yet and in any case Osborne tends not to give much detail, just general outlines.

[LadyCentauria]

Morning all.

A big thanks to LadyCentauria for copying over a whole load of stuff from the old site.

Seconded! Oh and Morning.

Thanks guys – but I didn't do half as many as @Refitman did so three cheers for him
My sleep only lasted a couple of hours then I was bang awake! Something felt like an earthquake and shook me from sleep but was probably the building site next door doing some more pile-driving...

I have just found the How To on embedding video, which I didn't think of looking for last night when trying all sorts of permutations of code before giving up and just leaving links instead... I'll sort that later and copy over a few more posts. Should I copy over all the comments to keep things intact?

My other shock on waiting was switching BBC News on to see Osborne saying his new cut on inherited-pensions-tax is effective from today!!!??? Have they shoved that through by Regulation while Parliament is in Recess for conference-season? Or did they do it during Friday's recall without anyone else noticing? And did they really recall to get our jets in the air over Iraqand Syria or was that an excuse so they could slide the new Regulations under that cover? And just how much did Osborne and his friends and relations work out that they'd lose from their wealthy parents' pension pots if they inherited them and found themselves liable for 55% tax? So good of them to think it fair that they pay 20% tax on the millions...

Not that I'm suspicious or anything. And I freely admit that I'm no tax-effective-inheritance-planning-solutions expert. And nor is it just Osborne, Friends, & Family who will benefit but a whole 320,000 people. Yippee! And they "can't afford" the Independent Living Fund or half of the other things that actually help people who need help!

[refitman]

Morning all.

A big thanks to LadyCentauria for copying over a whole load of stuff from the old site.

Seconded! Oh and Morning.

Thanks guys – but I didn't do half as many as @Refitman did so three cheers for him
My sleep only lasted a couple of hours then I was bang awake! Something felt like an earthquake and shook me from sleep but was probably the building site next door doing some more pile-driving...

I have just found the How To on embedding video, which I didn't think of looking for last night when trying all sorts of permutations of code before giving up and just leaving links instead... I'll sort that later and copy over a few more posts. Should I copy over all the comments to keep things intact?

My other shock on waiting was switching BBC News on to see Osborne saying his new cut on inherited-pensions-tax is effective from today!!!??? Have they shoved that through by Regulation while Parliament is in Recess for conference-season? Or did they do it during Friday's recall without anyone else noticing? And did they really recall to get our jets in the air over Iraqand Syria or was that an excuse so they could slide the new Regulations under that cover? And just how much did Osborne and his friends and relations work out that they'd lose from their wealthy parents' pension pots if they inherited them and found themselves liable for 55% tax? So good of them to think it fair that they pay 20% tax on the millions...

Not that I'm suspicious or anything. And I freely admit that I'm no tax-effective-inheritance-planning-solutions expert. And nor is it just Osborne, Friends, & Family who will benefit but a whole 320,000 people. Yippee! And they "can't afford" the Independent Living Fund or half of the other things that actually help people who need help!

Hi LadyC, I've done the Youtube videos in the bits you have already copied over.

[rebeccariots2]

Morning all.

Kevin Maguire ‏@Kevin_Maguire 11m
Agriculture Min Lord de Mauley says a majority Con Govt would try to reintroduce fox hunting. Won't win votes at the election

Going all out to try and keep the Tory faithful on board aren't they (i.e. toffs who love nothing better than a bit of indiscriminate killing for kicks)?

Farage is no better. He is very pally with a notorious master of the hunt - and has said UKIP will allow local referendums to decide on hunting in specific areas. i.e. he wants to appear democratic, keep anyone urban out of the decision, and set up a whole load of bullying and intimidation in said local areas to make sure the hunters get their way.

[LadyCentauria]

Hi LadyC, I've done the Youtube videos in the bits you have already copied over.

Thanks Refitman! You rock

Oh, might it be an idea to swap the 'rock' and the 'whip' around in the Smilies list. I giggle every time I see it, mind...

[citizenJA]

Good morning, everyone.

I've never cared for emoticons but I've a fondness inexplicable for this one

I'll never use it again, mind.

[ephemerid]

Morning all.

A big thanks to LadyCentauria for copying over a whole load of stuff from the old site.

Well done!

I tried to do some but for some reason I can't get the hang of pasting things.

I'm such a Luddite..... I've never got the hang of links, either. Useless.

[ephemerid]

Osborne is a slimy git and lots more besides which I will desist from articulating as the profanity involved might get me banned.....
The hairdo gets weirder.....will we be treated to another speech full of strangulated attempts at Estuary English, I wonder?

So - Osborne is fiddling about with pensions and taxes; Cameron has already said there will be a cut of £3,000 to the total benefit cap; and the hideous partisan Robinson has reported that IDS will be announcing a big cut in what he calls "welfare". I'm not clear if this is the cut to the total benefit cap that we already know about, the removal of JSA from youngsters we already know about, or something else.

As things are at the moment, IDS is "saving" millions every week by - not paying the higher rates to about half of the 700,000-plus ESA and 250,000-plus PIP claimants waiting for their first assessments; not having to fight challenges to the decisions that aren't being made on ESA and PIP at tribunal hearings which have dropped by 92% for ESA alone; not paying JSA to 450,000 sanctioned claimants who have a "high level" disallowance of 3 months to 3 years; not having to fight challenges to sanctions due to mandatory reconsideration with a fall in appeals for JSA of 93%; and not paying benefits to established claimants because the old systems are not being maintained and many older claims are being processed clerically causing lengthy delays.

Where is all that money going? How come if he's not paying due benefits, enhanced rates of benefit, the costs of appeals, he is still spending as much as he ever was overall? What is the truth about claimant figures? He still has 5 million people claiming out-of-work benefits (same as in 2010) even if he isn't actually paying what's due, so how can he say his reforms are working?

I think we can expect a freeze or a cut to the basic rates, or some sort of financial penalty dressed up as an "incentive" to find work.
I think we can also expect, along with the changes to the benefit cap and young people's entitlements, the 7-day waiting period to be extended to ESA as well as JSA; and I wouldn't be surprised to see cuts or freezes to DLA, PIP, Carers and Attendance Allowances.

We will be told that X million have gone to work as a direct result of the reforms, that the Work Programme is working and it will be extended to dead people, and Universal Credit is on time, on budget, and makes people so rich it will be cut by whatever....

[JackPranker]

Bringing back flogging for workers moving jobs without permission, pillorying and the death penalty to swarthy types will reclaim the UKIP vote.

Watch this space.

[citizenJA]

Morning all.

A big thanks to LadyCentauria for copying over a whole load of stuff from the old site.
:clap: :clap: :clap:

Well done! :clap:

I tried to do some but for some reason I can't get the hang of pasting things.

I'm such a Luddite..... I've never got the hang of links, either. Useless.

From my heart, I thank you for the intelligent, correctly informative content you write.

xx
JA

[ohsocynical]

Re the pensions thing from last night.
There will be a lot of people, like me, who have had their pensions converted from defined benefit to defined contribution schemes. You end up with a pot of money. The insurance companies then urge you to put it into a scheme of theirs whereby it sort of gets converted back into a defined benefit scheme. A few people in my company didn't like the look of this scheme so we converted our pots into a SIPP. Fortunately shares have done pretty well since then so we're better off at present than those who went with the insurance co.
So if I die, under the present rules, whoever gets my pot pays 55% tax on my pot. I have no real problems with this as I have never payed any tax on this money.
Osborne is saying the person who inherits the pot should pay tax as if it were income.

It's a tax cut for the very wealthy as, if someone leaves a pot of say £1m, the inheritor pays a maximum of 45% tax. For those with more modest pots of a few thousand pounds, they will still pay less tax. For those not receiving a pension pot, it makes no difference except that there's less money in the system to pay for the stuff that taxes pay for.

It really isn't a priority as very few people are affected in a big way. Most will be unaffected. Millionaires will be pleased.
Caveat: I haven't read up much on these plans yet and in any case Osborne tends not to give much detail, just general outlines.

Labour Press Team ‏@labourpress 4m
Osborne's announcement today on pensions isn't new - it was actually announced last July. See here: http://bit.ly/1yUXwUa" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; via @ThisIsMoney

[citizenJA]

From Ephemerid -

...or some sort of financial penalty dressed up as an "incentive" to find work.

Unemployed people going into debt to pay current government's financial penalty for not having a job...oh my god...

In other news, I've got a broken crown on a back tooth.

[citizenJA]

Bringing back flogging for workers moving jobs without permission, pillorying and the death penalty to swarthy types will reclaim the UKIP vote.

Watch this space.

It's a bit too close to home, this, JackPranker. They'll do it.

[Spacedone]

Re the pensions thing from last night.
There will be a lot of people, like me, who have had their pensions converted from defined benefit to defined contribution schemes. You end up with a pot of money. The insurance companies then urge you to put it into a scheme of theirs whereby it sort of gets converted back into a defined benefit scheme. A few people in my company didn't like the look of this scheme so we converted our pots into a SIPP. Fortunately shares have done pretty well since then so we're better off at present than those who went with the insurance co.
So if I die, under the present rules, whoever gets my pot pays 55% tax on my pot. I have no real problems with this as I have never payed any tax on this money.
Osborne is saying the person who inherits the pot should pay tax as if it were income.

It's a tax cut for the very wealthy as, if someone leaves a pot of say £1m, the inheritor pays a maximum of 45% tax. For those with more modest pots of a few thousand pounds, they will still pay less tax. For those not receiving a pension pot, it makes no difference except that there's less money in the system to pay for the stuff that taxes pay for.

It really isn't a priority as very few people are affected in a big way. Most will be unaffected. Millionaires will be pleased.
Caveat: I haven't read up much on these plans yet and in any case Osborne tends not to give much detail, just general outlines.

Labour Press Team ‏@labourpress 4m
Osborne's announcement today on pensions isn't new - it was actually announced last July. See here: http://bit.ly/1yUXwUa" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; via @ThisIsMoney

Even better, Faisal Islam has pointed out that it was George Osborne who increased the tax from 35% to 55% in 2011...

[LadyCentauria]

Morning all.

A big thanks to LadyCentauria for copying over a whole load of stuff from the old site.

Well done!

I tried to do some but for some reason I can't get the hang of pasting things.

I'm such a Luddite..... I've never got the hang of links, either. Useless.

Thank you, Ephe

You, m'dear, are far from useless and will get the hang of copy-paste. You have taught me so much about what's going on and about the facts and figures. I have a bookmark folder called 'Useful Graun Comments/Campaigns' in which your contributions feature very heavily amongst the long list of links. So, thank you

[RogerOThornhill]

Re the pensions thing from last night.
There will be a lot of people, like me, who have had their pensions converted from defined benefit to defined contribution schemes. You end up with a pot of money. The insurance companies then urge you to put it into a scheme of theirs whereby it sort of gets converted back into a defined benefit scheme. A few people in my company didn't like the look of this scheme so we converted our pots into a SIPP. Fortunately shares have done pretty well since then so we're better off at present than those who went with the insurance co.
So if I die, under the present rules, whoever gets my pot pays 55% tax on my pot. I have no real problems with this as I have never payed any tax on this money.
Osborne is saying the person who inherits the pot should pay tax as if it were income.

It's a tax cut for the very wealthy as, if someone leaves a pot of say £1m, the inheritor pays a maximum of 45% tax. For those with more modest pots of a few thousand pounds, they will still pay less tax. For those not receiving a pension pot, it makes no difference except that there's less money in the system to pay for the stuff that taxes pay for.

It really isn't a priority as very few people are affected in a big way. Most will be unaffected. Millionaires will be pleased.
Caveat: I haven't read up much on these plans yet and in any case Osborne tends not to give much detail, just general outlines.

Labour Press Team ‏@labourpress 4m
Osborne's announcement today on pensions isn't new - it was actually announced last July. See here: http://bit.ly/1yUXwUa" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; via @ThisIsMoney

Even better, Faisal Islam has pointed out that it was George Osborne who increased the tax from 35% to 55% in 2011...

Oh dear, that's his big announcement?

[ohsocynical]

http://welfarenewsservice.com/well-rip- ... -fit-work/

Another victim of George Smith's twisted 'reforms'.

[gilsey]

Re the pensions thing from last night.
There will be a lot of people, like me, who have had their pensions converted from defined benefit to defined contribution schemes. You end up with a pot of money. The insurance companies then urge you to put it into a scheme of theirs whereby it sort of gets converted back into a defined benefit scheme. A few people in my company didn't like the look of this scheme so we converted our pots into a SIPP. Fortunately shares have done pretty well since then so we're better off at present than those who went with the insurance co.
So if I die, under the present rules, whoever gets my pot pays 55% tax on my pot. I have no real problems with this as I have never payed any tax on this money.
Osborne is saying the person who inherits the pot should pay tax as if it were income.

It's a tax cut for the very wealthy as, if someone leaves a pot of say £1m, the inheritor pays a maximum of 45% tax. For those with more modest pots of a few thousand pounds, they will still pay less tax. For those not receiving a pension pot, it makes no difference except that there's less money in the system to pay for the stuff that taxes pay for.

It really isn't a priority as very few people are affected in a big way. Most will be unaffected. Millionaires will be pleased.
Caveat: I haven't read up much on these plans yet and in any case Osborne tends not to give much detail, just general outlines.

Labour Press Team ‏@labourpress 4m
Osborne's announcement today on pensions isn't new - it was actually announced last July. See here: http://bit.ly/1yUXwUa" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; via @ThisIsMoney

It is a logical follow up to the freeing up of pension pots. Previously you had to buy an annuity by age 75, so very few people over that age would die with money left in the pot, now there could be many. Rich people.
Not sure why it couldn't just form part of the estate for inheritance tax purposes though.

[TheGrimSqueaker]

http://welfarenewsservice.com/well-rip- ... -fit-work/

Another victim of George Smith's twisted 'reforms'.

He was in the Army for seven years so why, in all that time, did none of the squaddies consider fragging the bastard and saving us all this pain?

Morning all.

Echoing others ....... Ephe, you aren't useless and the information you supply is invaluable; your presence at the Guardian will be missed, in marked contrast to my own.

[letsskiptotheleft]

Has our esteemed and impartial media asked how George Osborne intends to fund the £150 million pension plans, McBride thinks not?

Tomorrow's £150 million tax cut is not a temporary measure. It either requires the Treasury to raise another tax, to permanently spending, or to find the measure through increased spending?

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[RogerOThornhill]

Looks like IPSO will be busy...not only will they have the Paisley Pyjama case but Tower hamlets objecting to the Sunday Times story alleging Trojan Horse 2.

http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/news__ev ... tions.aspx

"The school named in the Sunday Times piece has just been inspected by Ofsted using new spot inspection powers but we understand that no concerns were identified. The Sunday Times journalist was informed of this – despite the education editor’s protestations that DfE ‘sources’ had confirmed issues similar to Trojan had been found. We offered to put the editor in touch with the Ofsted press office who confirmed our summary of the inspection’s outcome.

That's pretty outrageous - trying to smear a school despite Ofsted saying that nothing's been found.

[LadyCentauria]

Labour Press Team ‏@labourpress 4m
Osborne's announcement today on pensions isn't new - it was actually announced last July. See here: http://bit.ly/1yUXwUa" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; via @ThisIsMoney

Even better, Faisal Islam has pointed out that it was George Osborne who increased the tax from 35% to 55% in 2011...

Oh dear, that's his big announcement?

Various tv presenters/reporters are wetting themselves in anticipation that there'll be something bigger... Perhaps something hinted at in the article from ThisIsMoney, linked to above by @ohsocynical, above?

[LadyCentauria]

http://welfarenewsservice.com/well-rip- ... -fit-work/

Another victim of George Smith's twisted 'reforms'.

Sickening, isn't it!? No. More than sickening. Despicable, disgusting, and frightening.

[ephemerid]

You are all very kind.

When I said on AS's blog last week that I wouldn't be posting much, I had some lovely comments from people. It's nice to be appreciated, but the fact is that I learn more from reading contributions there than I impart.

Today, I am mostly incensed that the whole thing is in the Beta format which is absolute utter pants. If only half the people who claim they won't post there any more actually leave, it'll be even more horrific.

It's also interesting that this week there are no Labour politicians to have a pop at, so the usual trolls are conspicuous by their absence....although I daresay they'll be along later when the latest benefits theft is announced.

TGS - you will be missed, actually. By many - and most of all by one Rot-In-Hell or whoever, as he will have to find another victim to bully.
I have had no response to the emails I sent on the subject.....

[Spacedone]

Ben Riley-Smith ‏@benrileysmith 7 mins

John Redwood calls on businesses to stay silent on impact of leaving EU. "Keep out"; "stay out"; don't "meddle in politics".

Having just encouraged business to spell out the cost of Scottish independence, they're now calling on those same businesses to keep quiet about what leaving the EU means?

Are they so blinded by hate towards Europe that they think it's nothing more than a political decision?

[letsskiptotheleft]

The Guardian really know how to piss their readers off don't they, Sparrow's blog is virtually unreadable, certainly annoying on the eyes.

[TheGrimSqueaker]

You are all very kind.

When I said on AS's blog last week that I wouldn't be posting much, I had some lovely comments from people. It's nice to be appreciated, but the fact is that I learn more from reading contributions there than I impart.

Today, I am mostly incensed that the whole thing is in the Beta format which is absolute utter pants. If only half the people who claim they won't post there any more actually leave, it'll be even more horrific.

It's also interesting that this week there are no Labour politicians to have a pop at, so the usual trolls are conspicuous by their absence....although I daresay they'll be along later when the latest benefits theft is announced.

TGS - you will be missed, actually. By many - and most of all by one Rot-In-Hell or whoever, as he will have to find another victim to bully.
I have had no response to the emails I sent on the subject.....

I did get a reply from Andrew which can be summarised as "Meh"; however he did suggest that they know there are full timers from several parties posting on the Politics threads, and pretty much agreed that included RingPiece.

They've switched the Blog to the Beta mode? Ah well, that should accelerate the death throes.

[letsskiptotheleft]

Ben Riley-Smith ‏@benrileysmith 7 mins

John Redwood calls on businesses to stay silent on impact of leaving EU. "Keep out"; "stay out"; don't "meddle in politics".

Having just encouraged business to spell out the cost of Scottish independence, they're now calling on those same businesses to keep quiet about what leaving the EU means?

Are they so blinded by hate towards Europe that they think it's nothing more than a political decision?

Hypocritical bastards, how often do they hark on about ''creating the right business environments'' yet business on the question of Europe must keep quiet, that's going to go down well.

[Temulkar]

Hmm if you tick the unthreaded box on the politics live blog then the nesting dissapears. I can see the many complaints starting but once you do that it actually looks useable.

[Spacedone]

You are all very kind.

When I said on AS's blog last week that I wouldn't be posting much, I had some lovely comments from people. It's nice to be appreciated, but the fact is that I learn more from reading contributions there than I impart.

Today, I am mostly incensed that the whole thing is in the Beta format which is absolute utter pants. If only half the people who claim they won't post there any more actually leave, it'll be even more horrific.

Urgh. I've just visited the site and seen the awfulness of Beta on my desktop.

And that's me finished with the Guardian. Why would I want to go to a site that is uncomfortable to look at?

[LadyCentauria]

You are all very kind.

When I said on AS's blog last week that I wouldn't be posting much, I had some lovely comments from people. It's nice to be appreciated, but the fact is that I learn more from reading contributions there than I impart.

Today, I am mostly incensed that the whole thing is in the Beta format which is absolute utter pants. If only half the people who claim they won't post there any more actually leave, it'll be even more horrific.

It's also interesting that this week there are no Labour politicians to have a pop at, so the usual trolls are conspicuous by their absence....although I daresay they'll be along later when the latest benefits theft is announced.

TGS - you will be missed, actually. By many - and most of all by one Rot-In-Hell or whoever, as he will have to find another victim to bully.
I have had no response to the emails I sent on the subject.....

If you get the Beta format, scroll right to the bottom of the page and click on Current Version, which is their name for the Classic Version. That only works on some pages, now...

And both you and TGS will be sorely missed. Along with other good people who have jumped ship or been pushed.

[Spacedone]

You are all very kind.

When I said on AS's blog last week that I wouldn't be posting much, I had some lovely comments from people. It's nice to be appreciated, but the fact is that I learn more from reading contributions there than I impart.

Today, I am mostly incensed that the whole thing is in the Beta format which is absolute utter pants. If only half the people who claim they won't post there any more actually leave, it'll be even more horrific.

It's also interesting that this week there are no Labour politicians to have a pop at, so the usual trolls are conspicuous by their absence....although I daresay they'll be along later when the latest benefits theft is announced.

TGS - you will be missed, actually. By many - and most of all by one Rot-In-Hell or whoever, as he will have to find another victim to bully.
I have had no response to the emails I sent on the subject.....

If you get the Beta format, scroll right to the bottom of the page and click on Current Version, which is their name for the Classic Version.

I think they've removed that option now. Not showing up on my desktop PC.

[AnatolyKasparov]

They have invited us to say what we think about the "new" format - I suggest that everybody here takes the opportunity.

My replies, in full:

What do you like about the new format? "Nothing"

What do you dislike about the new format? "Everything"

[PaulfromYorkshire]

One of the things that keeps catching my eye in the background as the UKIP & Tory nasties dominate the news (thankfully mainly for the better I hope!) is the pro-democracy demos in Hong Kong.

I'd appreciate an informed post from anyone who's been following it or a good link. Thanks

[Spacedone]

One of the things that keeps catching my eye in the background as the UKIP & Tory nasties dominate the news (thankfully mainly for the better I hope!) is the pro-democracy demos in Hong Kong.

I'd appreciate an informed post from anyone who's been following it or a good link. Thanks

Well here's a live feed. It's all in Chinese but maybe something worth keeping tabs on.

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And here's a drone camera shot of the crowd.

http://mashable.com/2014/09/28/hong-kon ... one-video/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[letsskiptotheleft]

Patrick McLoughlin this morning called the RMT Labour's ''paymasters'' the dickhead obviously doesn't realise the RMT hasn't given Labour a penny in over ten years then?

[PorFavor]

They have invited us to say what we think about the "new" format - I suggest that everybody here takes the opportunity.

My replies, in full:

What do you like about the new format? "Nothing"

What do you dislike about the new format? "Everything"

Re the new format -

I've just had a look. Fleetingly. Is the "What do you think?" question on Andrew Sparrow's blog or do I need to go elsewhere to find it, please? I don't bother much with the comments these days, but now even the bit above the line has been rendered unusable.


Good morning, everyone.

[RogerOThornhill]

Re the new format -

I've just had a look. Fleetingly. Is the "What do you think?" question on Andrew Sparrow's blog or do I need to go elsewhere to find it, please? I don't bother much with the comments these days, but now even the bit above the line has been rendered unusable.


Good morning, everyone.

Here's the link to the survey per YorkshireCat

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/guardianliveblogs

[LadyCentauria]

. . .
If you get the Beta format, scroll right to the bottom of the page and click on Current Version, which is their name for the Classic Version.

I think they've removed that option now. Not showing up on my desktop PC.

You are absolutely correct. It is still true for some pages which haven't been fully moved over... but once they have...

:expletive: :expletive: :expletive: :expletive:

It doesn't display properly on this vintage iBook (2006, G4 processor, 10.4.11 so can't run latest browsers.) And the Show Unthreaded option has disappeared, too... :toss:s
Oh, having scrolled all the way down from where clicking on 'comments' landed me and wondering what thef* all the tweets and facbuk comments (on the right-hand side of acres of white-space) were about and how the heck to reply to anything... Just as I was about to give up , the actual Comments hove into view on the left-hand side of the page – with acres of white-space to the right!

It's a real dogs' dinner shit of a redesign isn't it!? And this 'improves' Accessibility, allegedly. Incidentally, none of their newly introduced keyboard shortcuts work for me, either.

By The Sword of Greyskull, I wish I could afford to go gadget-shopping.

{i}* 'thef' is shorthand for I'm trying to give up swearing, a few letters at a time [/i]

[frightful_oik]

Digby Jones trying to say he's not a Tory, he's a crossbencher.

[PaulfromYorkshire]

Picking up on Twitter that Sajid Javid was a "car crash" on Daily Politics. Did anyone catch it?

[frightful_oik]

Osborne about to speak.

[PaulfromYorkshire]

One of the things that keeps catching my eye in the background as the UKIP & Tory nasties dominate the news (thankfully mainly for the better I hope!) is the pro-democracy demos in Hong Kong.

I'd appreciate an informed post from anyone who's been following it or a good link. Thanks

Well here's a live feed. It's all in Chinese but maybe something worth keeping tabs on.

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And here's a drone camera shot of the crowd.

http://mashable.com/2014/09/28/hong-kon ... one-video/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks I found the Youtube channel rather inspirational. I wish them well. How will it end?

[Temulkar]

One of the things that keeps catching my eye in the background as the UKIP & Tory nasties dominate the news (thankfully mainly for the better I hope!) is the pro-democracy demos in Hong Kong.

I'd appreciate an informed post from anyone who's been following it or a good link. Thanks

Well here's a live feed. It's all in Chinese but maybe something worth keeping tabs on.

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And here's a drone camera shot of the crowd.

http://mashable.com/2014/09/28/hong-kon ... one-video/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks I found the Youtube channel rather inspirational. I wish them well. How will it end?

The same way Tiannemen did sadly.