Because inflation came in at 5.2% in September benefits automatically go up by that amount. That despite pterry much everyone expects inflation to drop pretty sharply next year.

I can only think they were spooked by what public opinion would say, or more specifically, Pensioners. I think they got this one wrong, no way should pensions and benefits be going up by this much when we’re cutting tax relief for the low paid and imposing 1% pay rise on the public sector.

It’s becoming a cliche but my Pret a Manger has not a single Brit working in it today. What on earth are we doing?

Yes Charlie I hadn’t noticed christianity had junked the old testament.

If you got a problem with the old testament you need to go complain to the Jews.

Jesus was a Jew……in fact Jesus was THE Jew.

We just raised benefits by 5.2% but cut tax allowances for the low paid poor. What kind of message does that send? And thats from a Tory led government! We’ve lost our marbles.

Given the probability of the bible being

a] The word of god
b] The writings of men

i’m going to go for “god not real”

What I was meaning is, to test for oneself the existence of God why not ‘challenge’ Him using his own words/promises?

I’d rather read a good novel, or spend time with my children, or enjoy a meal with my wife, or go cycling. Anything, frankly than talk to a big imaginary man in the sky who demands my obedience or he’s going to send me to burn in hell.

joao3v16 quit quoting the bible at us. It’s insulting and makes you sound like a zealot with no mind of your own.

Not forgetting this parallel thread…another belter

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/doorstep-god-botherers

PhilAmon is a proper believer, we tried to out him as a rabid homophobe using AdamW as the bait. Didnt work, he’s a nice fella.

Oh footflaps……

binners do watch the programmes, they are very good. whether or not you believe there is an eternal money tree of tax that we can keep shaking, the Robinson shows are a real eaye opener. Iron chancellor Brown does not come out of them as a straight shooter.

Means testing anything costs millions, so you can easily end up not saving anything at all…..

Millions…..that much eh?

I watched Nick Robinsons programmes “Your Money…..” on the BBC then the Peston one on the bust. I challenge anyone to watch them and not come to the conclusion that we just have to stop pretending we can go on spending like this.

I watched the Peston programme having seen the two Nick Robinson shows “Yor Money and How They Spend It”. Winter fuel allowance started out as a £20 gesture by Brown, eventually got to £200 whether they need it or not. Madness, we just have to start means testing benefits.

Gore Contest

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/gore-bike-wear/contest-20-windstopper-active-shell-jacket-ec029228

I’ve had one for years, totally bomb-proof, keeps some of the rain off, fully windproof. No bells/no whistles/no arms that zip-off…….£89 is a bargain for something of this quality.

We have Milanese friends in London, much as they are proud Italians they really dont miss Milan. Am sure it has it’s nice parts but it isnt Rome.

milan is not an attractive city and I don’t think I would go back. It’s a bit like london without the nice looking stuff and parks

I havent been but this sounds about right.

Derek……I think you need to speak to someone

I had the snip 10days ago……..felt a bit strange down there last week but feel ok now.

I HATE using public transport to commute, can’t wait to get back on the bike next week.

We used ID Systems, they are the UK end of German brand Sunflex. Weren’t cheap but rock solid and very nice looking….brushed aluminium sliding/folding things. They came round in the summer and gave them a quick service, didnt even charge us. Very recommended.

http://www.i-d-systems.co.uk/folding-doors/index.php

Hah Paths of Hate looks great too. I think I’m going to mooch around on Vimeo looking at animated shorts.

Inception – building bending CGI? Sooooooo boring.

when is it? I’ve got pals living in Verbier, might go bunk with them

I’m telling you, after 3yrs sweating in Singapore I was damn glad to come home to 4 proper seasons. We had a chilly June and July but the rest of 2011 has been beautiful.

I’m off for a walk around Spitalfields in the sunshine. I could choose to live anywhere but I choose Britain.

I’ve definately got a dose of the SAD right now. Off the bike for a couple of weeks so no excercise to lift my spirits.

Britain is a great place, it’s all relative. 2012 is going to be a proper horror story though.

I’ll leave it up to them to make their own choices as they get older.

Well done sir. But I fear PhilAmon wouldnt say the same thing.

C’mon fellas, I’m about the least tolerant to the religious you will find on here but you are being a bit mean-spirited. You are performing acrobatics to try and out Phil as a disgusting homophobe. He has said he isnt so leave it at that please.

Cougar – To be fair to PhilAmon, he hasn’t shown the slightest sign of being a homophobe. I’d imagine one or two of my friends (not Christian, just a tad conservative), who are outwardly very friendly to my other gay pals harbour some unease with homosexuality. Lets not go accusing people of being guilty of thought crimes, after all it is how you treat other people that is important.

I thought that having 60% ish equity in our property was doing ok………….

It’s not a race fella, nothing wrong with having some debt if you have the income and stability that can service it without putting your sanity at risk. 60% equity is great.

Mrs stopped working 10yrs ago, been part time for the last couple of years, about to go back to work on a good salary. I earn less than I used to but am happier. Zero job security but thats part of the deal.

Mortgage down to 8% now and only paying 2.5% so thats fine.

No other debt

but….3 kids in private school = £40k a year for the next 10yrs then will drop off after that. Thats a chunk of change.

When we go out in Soho we almost always meet up at Cafe Boheme, right at the end of Old Compton St. Lovely old place, great for steak and chips or just a drink. Right in the middle of the action, you cant book a table but you should be fine. Nice crowd, nice staff. Really, go there.

haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaa

I like sex a lot more than I used to like going to church.

And if you do cheat on your wife, or steal, or beat your kids – live with it.

There isnt any way of offloading it, so take personal responsibility for your actions. We’re all individuals remember.

Fair enough Philip

i find them a whole lot more tolerant than a lot of the comments above.

Somehow I doubt that. And sometimes tolerance is over-rated. On judgement day I’m going to be on the side of the gays.

I dont need your holy ghost to tell me I’m doing wrong, I have a built in human sense of decency. We only made it out of Africa (oops sorry I forgot, we can’t possibly be descendents of apes can we) because we as a species co-operate and look out for each other.

I dont need you and your judgemental Dictator-In-The-Sky to tell me how to live. What kind of god makes a bunch of people in his image but leaves them full of sin so that he can test and punish them? What is this, some kind of cosmic North Korea?

See, we’ve had a couple of threads lately on religion, we all bend over backwards not offend, have been some good chats. Problem is, when I come face to face (as it were) with an actual Christian, I just can’t believe they actually believe this nonsense.

Christian teaching is very specific. Original sin isnt a status that is earned through misdemeaners, it is INHERITED from Adam, so my daughter, according to your holy book is born that way. What a disgusting concept.

Nononononononononono. Go read your holy book pal. Born. Into. Sin.

I’m satisfied just to get people thinking about things they might not normally give much thought about.

I’m not going to allow my kids heads to be filled with this garbage. Children should be encouraged to think for themselves, enquire, ask questions, have fun and learn. They dont need this hocus pocus telling them that from day one they are guilty sinners who will be punished.

“But one thing is beyond all doubt is that in some point in every one of our lives we have done wrong to somebody at some time. “

Really? My daughter when she was 30 seconds old was guilty of sin? Because your holy book says that she was born into a collective Original Sin for which she must atone.

Utterly despicable.

“where do my gay pals fit into your evangelism by the way?

Assuming that was aimed at me, I would witness to a homosexual in exactly the same way as i would a hetrosexual. The bible says “all have sinned and fallen short” We’re all sinners, including me.”

No we arent. Having sex isnt wrong.

And my children arent sinners, this idea that we are all born into sin and must make ourselves well. Another utterly despicable idea.

“A very good friend of mine got married last year. Most of his family were JW, although he wasn’t himself. But because he was married in a Christian church, his parents and brother turned their backs on him. His sister went to the wedding and has now been shunned too.”

Well at least he has a decent sister and friends. The rest of his family are despicable.

-2…….where do my gay pals fit into your evangelism by the way?

And Mormons? Up until 1965 the Mormon church regarded blacks as being officially sub-human. Thats in the book of Mormon I believe. Please remove yourself from my doorstep.