I cannot believe it is not april the first

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

on another weighty matter can you believe it?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/council-spending/8714259/Council-chief-executives-enjoy-pay-rises-as-services-are-cut.html

[scottycelt]

on another weighty matter can you believe it?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/poli...s-are-cut.html

Yes, I can well believe it ... welcome to Senior Executives UK.

It's not just some private-sector bankers who continue to use public money to feather their own already comfy little nests ...

[Flosshilde]

shock horror - Council CEs pay rises by an average of £17,000.

But,

"The Daily Mail City team explain why the average pay award in the private sector in February, March and April [2011] was an increase of 3% while in the public sector it was zero"

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/news/article-1725100/Public-vs-private-pay-rises.html

(which doesn't mean that I agree with council CEs getting a pay rise, while council workers' pay is cut)

[scottycelt]

Lies, Damned Lies & ...

[cavatina]

I remember smittims telling me the Mrs Merton story when I said I was surprised at Artur Rubinstein's new marriage at about 80 to a young beautiful woman.

Apart from his money he was a real charmer though.
Or maybe 80-year old pianists have simply a similar 'sexual magnetism' to young beautiful ladies as 76-year old MPs .. ?

Now now, don't be unfair...you might do well to remember Eugène Ysaÿe married his violin student with a 44-year age difference between them (!), but anyone who automatically assumes she's a golddigger needs to think again: in her letters she was absolutely passionate and completely besotted by him, even referring him to "that handsome man." Now if you'll remember what he actually looked like when he was old, it just goes to show she loved him for his spirit, not his face. And when I look at his eyes and imagine how he must have looked while playing? I can see what she meant and probably would have thought him "handsome" too. Oh, and she took care of him the rest of his life and nursed him when he was old...if that isn't the definition of real love, I don't know what is.

So in answer to your question, maybe so: idealistic young women are weird like that.

[mercia]

to spend a penny/euro

http://waybeyondbelief.blogspot.com/2011/08/woman-collects-35000-in-small-change.html

[Flosshilde]

from rothermere rag

Hmm - "'It was quite shocking - people thought it was real. They were touching it and kicking it." Shocking indeed - but perhaps that's what the average Daily Mail reader would do to someone begging?

[scottycelt]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-14705328

[mangerton]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-14705328

Excellent!

[scottycelt]

I like this thread ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-14791178

[mangerton]

See Anna's msg #128 in the "BBC Salford" thread. Well worth a look.

[scottycelt]