The Virtual Pub
Come Inside... => The Snug => Topic started by: Steve on October 31, 2017, 03:07:33 PM
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Derek Robinson (aka Red Robbo) 90
How many lives did he ruin destroying our car industry?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-41820070 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-41820070)
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IIRC Jonathan Coe has a rather good novel about this ..... :thumbsup:
Hang on
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"The Rotters' Club" was first published in 2001, and went on to win Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize. It's set in 1970s Birmingham, and incorporates a number of real-life people, places and events into the back-story - including the Birmingham Pub Bombing (which led to the imprisonment of the Birmingham Six), the infamous British Leyland plant, the Unions and the inevitable strikes, Enoch Powell, the National Front and various other similar factions and the changes in musical fashion - most notably, from prog to punk rock.
The book tells the story of Ben Trotter's life at secondary achool, and opens in 1973. Ben has one older sister, Lois, and a younger brother, Paul and all three attend King Williams School - quite a prestigious establishment, though seen as a school for "toffs" by the city's working class. Of Ben's two siblings, Lois is much more likeable - and, as it turns out, a great deal more unfortunate. She starts dating Malcolm - generally just referred to as 'Hairy Guy' - shortly after the book opens. (Hairy Guy proves to be a big influence on Ben's musical taste). Paul, Ben's younger brother, generally tends to be a poisonous, spiteful brat. Among Ben's friends at school are Philip Chase, Duggie Anderton and Sean Harding. Like Ben's father, Duggie's father also works at British Leyland. However, where Ben's father is management, Duggie's father is a shop steward for the Union and a committed socialist. Ben, like every other boy at school, is hopelessly in love with Cicely Boyd. It's a pity, really, as he would have been much better off with the very likeable Claire Newman. (Meanwhile, Claire's sister - Miriam - is having an affair with Duggie's dad as the book opens).
"The Rotters' Club" was first published in 2001, and went on to win Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize. It's set in 1970s Birmingham, and incorporates a number of real-life people, places and events into the back-story - including the Birmingham Pub Bombing (which led to the imprisonment of the Birmingham Six), the infamous British Leyland plant, the Unions and the inevitable strikes, Enoch Powell, the National Front and various other similar factions and the changes in musical fashion - most notably, from prog to punk rock.
The book tells the story of Ben Trotter's life at secondary achool, and opens in 1973. Ben has one older sister, Lois, and a younger brother, Paul and all three attend King Williams School - quite a prestigious establishment, though seen as a school for "toffs" by the city's working class. Of Ben's two siblings, Lois is much more likeable - and, as it turns out, a great deal more unfortunate. She starts dating Malcolm - generally just referred to as 'Hairy Guy' - shortly after the book opens. (Hairy Guy proves to be a big influence on Ben's musical taste). Paul, Ben's younger brother, generally tends to be a poisonous, spiteful brat. Among Ben's friends at school are Philip Chase, Duggie Anderton and Sean Harding. Like Ben's father, Duggie's father also works at British Leyland. However, where Ben's father is management, Duggie's father is a shop steward for the Union and a committed socialist. Ben, like every other boy at school, is hopelessly in love with Cicely Boyd. It's a pity, really, as he would have been much better off with the very likeable Claire Newman. (Meanwhile, Claire's sister - Miriam - is having an affair with Duggie's dad as the book opens).
The story is mostly told by Sophie - Ben's neice and Lois' daughter - looking back to the 1970s. Occasionally, some of the characters tell part of the story in their own words - a short story by Ben himself, a speech given by Duggie, sections of Lois' diary, the editorials of the school newspaper - even, at one point, a letter written to Ben by another character. On the whole it is a very readable, very enjoyable book - the only sections that disn't work for me were the introduction and the conclusion - featuring Sophie and Patrick. (In fact, the introduction was so bad I nearly didn't bother with the rest of the book). The book also, apparently holds the record for the longest sentence in English literature - Coe would've been better off just using punctuation, and forgetting about the record books, but it's not really that big a deal. Good enough for me to keep an eye out for its sequel - "The Closed Circle", which was released in 2004 and picks up the story in 1990s.
The story is mostly told by Sophie - Ben's neice and Lois' daughter - looking back to the 1970s. Occasionally, some of the characters tell part of the story in their own words - a short story by Ben himself, a speech given by Duggie, sections of Lois' diary, the editorials of the school newspaper - even, at one point, a letter written to Ben by another character. On the whole it is a very readable, very enjoyable book - the only sections that disn't work for me were the introduction and the conclusion - featuring Sophie and Patrick. (In fact, the introduction was so bad I nearly didn't bother with the rest of the book). The book also, apparently holds the record for the longest sentence in English literature - Coe would've been better off just using punctuation, and forgetting about the record books, but it's not really that big a deal. Good enough for me to keep an eye out for its sequel - "The Closed Circle", which was released in 2004 and picks up the story in 1990s.
angel1
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Charles Manson 83
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-42016704 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-42016704)
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And David Cassidy :thumbsup:
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Not yet Nick and he's not in the scum category is he
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Nope, he's deffo a stiff.
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Nope, he's deffo a stiff.
(https://www.virtual-pub.com/SMF/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fnotdeadyetradio.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2013%2F12%2FNotDeadYet_podcast.jpg&hash=724766804878d541d6360b969dc1c82ac00733ab)
But watch this space: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deaths_in_2017 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deaths_in_2017)
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Charles Manson 83
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-42016704 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-42016704)
[Michael Caine mode]
Of course had it not been for Manson we'd never have had that popular beat combo Kasabian
And there's not a lot of people know that
[/Michael Caine mode]
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Terry Perkins 69 Hatton Garden robber
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-42949795 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-42949795)
Clever bastard though. Given the choice of pay up £6.5M or stay another 7 years in jail he found a third option
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Terry Perkins 69 Hatton Garden robber
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-42949795 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-42949795)
Clever bastard though. Given the choice of pay up £6.5M or stay another 7 years in jail he found a third option
Not really scum .....nobody was hurt ...
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Terry Perkins 69 Hatton Garden robber
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-42949795 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-42949795)
Clever bastard though. Given the choice of pay up £6.5M or stay another 7 years in jail he found a third option
Not really scum .....nobody was hurt ...
You are ‘Mr Big’ and I claim my £5(million)
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Terry Perkins 69 Hatton Garden robber
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-42949795 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-42949795)
Clever bastard though. Given the choice of pay up £6.5M or stay another 7 years in jail he found a third option
Not really scum .....nobody was hurt ...
You are ‘Mr Big’ and I claim my £5(million)
I did know Reader ..years ago ..
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Methinks Nick should have put this in this thread
Winnie Mandela
"Just cremate me". That was her catchphrase, "but not until I am dead," she added ::)
Evil witch imho
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:thumbsup:
Perhaps her funeral will involve a pile of burning tyres :thumbsup:
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:thumbsup:
Perhaps her funeral will involve a pile of burning tyres :thumbsup:
Pity she didn't die that way
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And there are still gormless idiots over here who praise her...
(https://www.virtual-pub.com/SMF/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.dailymail.co.uk%2Fi%2Fnewpix%2F2018%2F04%2F03%2F16%2F4ACA793300000578-0-Naz_Shah_posted_an_ima_ge_incuding_a_quote_which_refers_to_neckl-a-5_1522769718005.jpg&hash=35d4ef3f6ef86b947f59b55a990ad72750039dc7)
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And there are still gormless idiots over here who praise her...
(https://www.virtual-pub.com/SMF/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.dailymail.co.uk%2Fi%2Fnewpix%2F2018%2F04%2F03%2F16%2F4ACA793300000578-0-Naz_Shah_posted_an_ima_ge_incuding_a_quote_which_refers_to_neckl-a-5_1522769718005.jpg&hash=35d4ef3f6ef86b947f59b55a990ad72750039dc7)
Dunlop and Bridgestone?
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And there are still gormless idiots over here who praise her...
(https://www.virtual-pub.com/SMF/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.dailymail.co.uk%2Fi%2Fnewpix%2F2018%2F04%2F03%2F16%2F4ACA793300000578-0-Naz_Shah_posted_an_ima_ge_incuding_a_quote_which_refers_to_neckl-a-5_1522769718005.jpg&hash=35d4ef3f6ef86b947f59b55a990ad72750039dc7)
What a complete fuckwit she is
Also interesting that she's quietly deleted it but not apologised
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Dennis Nilsen (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44097196) No comment
He used to borrow saucepans from the girls in the flat upstairs so he could cook bits of his victims. He would return the pans 2 or 3 days later. (Source: Nod) scared2:
I just hope his last years were utterly miserable and his death painful
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Shoko Asahara + 6 accomplices of that 1995 Tokyo Sarin mass murder attack were executed overnight
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-43395483 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-43395483)
I'm not a death penalty supporter but hard to think anything other than good riddance
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Shoko Asahara + 6 accomplices of that 1995 Tokyo Sarin mass murder attack were executed overnight
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-43395483 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-43395483)
I'm not a death penalty supporter but hard to think anything other than good riddance
Still took 20 odd years and there are 6 still on death row. Death sentences should be carried out as soon as possible after the trial.
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Wonga 11 and that'd be 11 years too many. Finally collapsed this afternoon Party001:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45359395 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45359395)
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Wonga 11 and that'd be 11 years too many. Finally collapsed this afternoon Party001:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45359395 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45359395)
As long as the people who found themselves with no other course of action than to use them aren't gouged by whoever buys up the debt.
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Wonga 11 and that'd be 11 years too many. Finally collapsed this afternoon Party001:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45359395 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45359395)
As long as the people who found themselves with no other course of action than to use them aren't gouged by whoever buys up the debt.
Which of course they will be... ::)
Wonga would not have existed if their customers could have achieved credit cheaper elsewhere... demonising Wonga and forcing them out of business will force their customers underground where non-payment is enforced with baseball bats...
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I think they went under cos they borrowed £5 off themselves..............
redface:
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I think they went under cos they borrowed £5 off themselves..............
redface:
Spank2:
But a point well made.
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Wonga 11 and that'd be 11 years too many. Finally collapsed this afternoon Party001:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45359395 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45359395)
As long as the people who found themselves with no other course of action than to use them aren't gouged by whoever buys up the debt.
Which of course they will be... ::)
Wonga would not have existed if their customers could have achieved credit cheaper elsewhere... demonising Wonga and forcing them out of business will force their customers underground where non-payment is enforced with baseball bats...
Except Wonga enticed many thousands more of the poor into that life of living off unpayable debt to keep up with the Joneses and when its users couldn't pay Wongas bill those that would have otherwise used Mr Baseball Bat would go to them anyway. Wonga didn't care they'd already got their original loan back through their 1,509% APR
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Wonga 11 and that'd be 11 years too many. Finally collapsed this afternoon Party001:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45359395 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45359395)
As long as the people who found themselves with no other course of action than to use them aren't gouged by whoever buys up the debt.
Which of course they will be... ::)
Wonga would not have existed if their customers could have achieved credit cheaper elsewhere... demonising Wonga and forcing them out of business will force their customers underground where non-payment is enforced with baseball bats...
Except Wonga enticed many thousands more of the poor into that life of living off unpayable debt to keep up with the Joneses and when its users couldn't pay Wongas bill those that would have otherwise used Mr Baseball Bat would go to them anyway. Wonga didn't care they'd already got their original loan back through their 1,509% APR
:thumbsup:
I bet the Directors, who spotted the gap in the regulatory market, have a huge financial cushion offshore somewhere
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https://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/business/satan-buys-wongas-loan-book-20180831176890 (https://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/business/satan-buys-wongas-loan-book-20180831176890)
lol:
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https://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/business/satan-buys-wongas-loan-book-20180831176890 (https://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/business/satan-buys-wongas-loan-book-20180831176890)
lol:
lol: lol:
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https://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/business/satan-buys-wongas-loan-book-20180831176890 (https://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/business/satan-buys-wongas-loan-book-20180831176890)
lol:
lol: lol: lol:
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You know, I can't raise any sympathy for those "stiffed" by Wonga, All they had to do was repay the loan in tine and they wouldn't have had any problems. Simples really.
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You know, I can't raise any sympathy for those "stiffed" by Wonga, All they had to do was repay the loan in tine and they wouldn't have had any problems. Simples really.
Agreed!
Tim Worstall has written a very good article about them today (https://www.adamsmith.org/blog/the-difference-between-stella-creasy-and-ourselves)...
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The base problems were some people just cannot manage money or accept the reality of not having as much as they’d like and some people think that’s an opportunity to make a fortune
I’m unpersuaded by the “it’s OK for me to screw the vulnerable because if I didn’t a man with a baseball bat would” supposed argument
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Vulnerable is another word for the hard of thinking.
The few examples of Wonga victims thrown up by the media don't appear wanting for the basics but, as you said earlier, are trying to keep up with the Jones.
I go along with the thoughts of Epictetus:
“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.”
The modern world is obsessed with acquisition.
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The base problems were some people just cannot manage money or accept the reality of not having as much as they’d like and some people think that’s an opportunity to make a fortune
I’m unpersuaded by the “it’s OK for me to screw the vulnerable because if I didn’t a man with a baseball bat would” supposed argument
Sounds like a much better option to me...
...and what is the alternative?
These are people that can't manage their money, have a bad credit rating and can't get credit from a 'normal' source like their friendly bank manager or a credit card company.
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So?
The point at hand is those that ran Wonga were scum for exploiting such and inevitably leaving the taxpayer picking up the long term bill of poor lives made a whole lot worse.
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So?
The point at hand is those that ran Wonga were scum for exploiting such and inevitably leaving the taxpayer picking up the long term bill of poor lives made a whole lot worse.
I don't agree but still... ::)
No doubt Big Tom and his kneebreakers will be happy eh...?
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So?
The point at hand is those that ran Wonga were scum for exploiting such and inevitably leaving the taxpayer picking up the long term bill of poor lives made a whole lot worse.
I don't agree but still... ::)
No doubt Big Tom and his kneebreakers will be happy eh...?
So where do you draw the line on people getting rich exploiting the feckless to leave the taxpayer clearing up the final mess?
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So?
The point at hand is those that ran Wonga were scum for exploiting such and inevitably leaving the taxpayer picking up the long term bill of poor lives made a whole lot worse.
I don't agree but still... ::)
No doubt Big Tom and his kneebreakers will be happy eh...?
So where do you draw the line on people getting rich exploiting the feckless to leave the taxpayer clearing up the final mess?
Where is the exploitation...? The interest rates reflect the credit worthiness of the borrower and the likelihood of the lender getting paid back.
If you have a great credit rating companies will be queuing up to lend you money and competing for your business.
If you have a poor credit rating, CCJs, etc. Not so much.
So the choice is Big Tom and his kneebreakers or Wonga.
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So?
The point at hand is those that ran Wonga were scum for exploiting such and inevitably leaving the taxpayer picking up the long term bill of poor lives made a whole lot worse.
I don't agree but still... ::)
No doubt Big Tom and his kneebreakers will be happy eh...?
So where do you draw the line on people getting rich exploiting the feckless to leave the taxpayer clearing up the final mess?
Where is the exploitation...? The interest rates reflect the credit worthiness of the borrower and the likelihood of the lender getting paid back.
If you have a great credit rating companies will be queuing up to lend you money and competing for your business.
If you have a poor credit rating, CCJs, etc. Not so much.
So the choice is Big Tom and his kneebreakers or Wonga.
No the choice should be live within your means or struggle
But when someone beams slick ads disguising that they are actually charging an interest rate of over 5,000% and then follow up defaults with dishonest fake intimidating letters then they are scum
That Wonga and its get rich quick management got into trouble when they had to stop the fake legal letters and cut so called admin charges to get that APR down to a mere whopping 1,509% shows just how scummy their leadership was.
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So?
The point at hand is those that ran Wonga were scum for exploiting such and inevitably leaving the taxpayer picking up the long term bill of poor lives made a whole lot worse.
I don't agree but still... ::)
No doubt Big Tom and his kneebreakers will be happy eh...?
So where do you draw the line on people getting rich exploiting the feckless to leave the taxpayer clearing up the final mess?
Where is the exploitation...? The interest rates reflect the credit worthiness of the borrower and the likelihood of the lender getting paid back.
If you have a great credit rating companies will be queuing up to lend you money and competing for your business.
If you have a poor credit rating, CCJs, etc. Not so much.
So the choice is Big Tom and his kneebreakers or Wonga.
No the choice should be live within your means or struggle
Yes, that is the sensible choice for the rest of us... :thumbsup:
But clearly some choose other choices... ::)
They are called 'Pay Day Loans' for a reason, they are meant to tide you over when you have no other borrowing choices...
There was a letter comment from that Times article about a teacher who needed £250 to fix her car. She borrowed it from Wonga (there being presumably no other avenues available to her) and had to pay back £350 a month later. A huge amount of interest but she is high risk and borrowing the money allowed her to fix her car and keep working.
Still, as long as you are happy that they have gone under... ::)
I'm sure people like the teacher will modify their lifestyles in future and have no need to borrow money from lenders of last resort now Wonga has gone... noooo:
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Never about such as that teacher
https://www.fca.org.uk/news/press-releases/wonga-pay-redress-unfair-debt-collection-practices (https://www.fca.org.uk/news/press-releases/wonga-pay-redress-unfair-debt-collection-practices)
https://www.fca.org.uk/news/press-releases/wonga-make-major-changes-affordability-criteria-following-discussions-fca (https://www.fca.org.uk/news/press-releases/wonga-make-major-changes-affordability-criteria-following-discussions-fca)
Lending money to people you know can't afford it so you can steal the shirt off their back with illegal threats. You defend it if you like
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Never about such as that teacher
https://www.fca.org.uk/news/press-releases/wonga-pay-redress-unfair-debt-collection-practices (https://www.fca.org.uk/news/press-releases/wonga-pay-redress-unfair-debt-collection-practices)
https://www.fca.org.uk/news/press-releases/wonga-make-major-changes-affordability-criteria-following-discussions-fca (https://www.fca.org.uk/news/press-releases/wonga-make-major-changes-affordability-criteria-following-discussions-fca)
Lending money to people you know can't afford it so you can steal the shirt off their back with illegal threats. You defend it if you like
Consider it done! :thumbsup:
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Well, who could have predicted this...? ::)
Collapse of ethical lenders stokes fears over credit access (https://www.newscabal.co.uk/collapse-of-ethical-lenders-stokes-fears-over-credit-access/)
Ethical lenders that have been touted as alternatives to high-cost firms such as Wonga and BrightHouse are going out of business at the fastest rate in years, fuelling concerns that less well-off customers are in danger of losing access to credit.
Eight credit unions across the UK have collapsed in 2018, affecting 14,000 customers with more than £25m in savings, according to an analysis of data from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. Meanwhile some of the most successful remaining groups are being forced to cut back on lending.
...apart from me obviously... angel1
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Robert Mugabe utter bastard 95
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-49604152
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Robert Mugabe utter bastard 95
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-49604152
95 years too feckin' late in my opinion
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Robert Mugabe utter bastard 95
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-49604152
95 years too feckin' late in my opinion
Indeed!
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Robert Mugabe utter bastard 95
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-49604152
95 years too feckin' late in my opinion
Indeed!
And if I had a spare 50p I'd bet 100billion billion Zimbawean dollars that we're not alone in that view
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Serial paedo Richard Huckle stabbed to death in prison
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-50042406
no tears here
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Serial paedo Richard Huckle stabbed to death in prison
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-50042406
no tears here
Ironically prob his favourite choice of shampoo... redface:
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Serial paedo Richard Huckle stabbed to death in prison
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-50042406
no tears here
Ironically prob his favourite choice of shampoo... redface:
lol: lol: lol:
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And another one who I won't be sending flowers to the funeral
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi ~ 48 and several years too many
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-50200339
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George Blake infamous traitor, bastard lived to 98 eeek:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55452313
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Trump flees into internal exile :thumbsup:
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Trump flees into internal exile :thumbsup:
:thumbsup:
And hopefully jail
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To be replaced with a compromised leader who is so weak he has the Washington flooded with 25000 troops after a handful of people made it into the capitol building. Now to put that into context, there were only 13000 troops involved in fighting ISIS fanatics in Falluja. If you thought that things were bad under Trump then hold on to your hats because it's going to be a bumpy ride.
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::)
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Are you saying that Washington hasn't been flooded with troops at a level that hasn't been seen since Lincoln was in office? rubschin:
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Play nicely gents, or this will be locked. It's Nick's birthday, ceasefire from all sides please :thumbsup:
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::)
::) ::)
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They are two cheeks of the same arse.
The colony has been going downhill since that Boston tea business. noooo:
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They are two cheeks of the same arse.
The colony has been going downhill since that Boston tea business. noooo:
lol: lol: lol:
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They are two cheeks of the same arse.
The colony has been going downhill since that Boston tea business. noooo:
Must have been shocking when your man told you that news as it happened
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They are two cheeks of the same arse.
The colony has been going downhill since that Boston tea business. noooo:
Must have been shocking when your man told you that news as it happened
Don't be silly, that was 250 years ago.
It was Nanny that told me.
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They are two cheeks of the same arse.
The colony has been going downhill since that Boston tea business. noooo:
Must have been shocking when your man told you that news as it happened
Don't be silly, that was 250 years ago.
It was Nanny that told me.
lol: lol: lol:
very good
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Bernie Madoff serial con artist and Ponzi scheme manipulator 82
Which means the complete shit escapes serving 138 years of his jail sentence. Every silver lining has its cloud
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56750103
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Le Pen senior 95
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgm2jvkl2yo