Messages

Anna Lo, former South Belfast MLA for the Alliance party, 74

The complete overreaction by people here over the elected leader of a foreign country is downright embarrassing.
I don't recall anyone giving a damn as Putin closes in on 30 years in power, or Kim Jong Un, or Xi Jinping or any of the other perennial leaders of smaller countries.
You will be fine. Life will go on. I'm sure you survived 2017-21 just great. Just think about the more important things in life and put down the phone.

Enjoy the 1930s.

The 1930s had a Democratic president for most of it so....

[they already get free reign on mainstream media]

The 2 Johnnies with an own goal having Simon Harris as a guest this week of all weeks

Not really an own goal is it? I find him a total p***k but he is the leader of the country, whats wrong with having him on?

He does talk some shite.

Giving 1 party extra publicity when they already get free reign on mainstream media, look at the reaction to it on their social media

Should the taoiseach not be on mainstream media?

At the end of the day I don't think we will ever see a female POTUS in my lifetime and probably far beyond it assuming 2 women don't seek election at same time. To many americans it's a mans job

Tired of seeing this excuse today. Harris only got 53% of the female vote, less than Biden and Obama x 2. She got barely half the female vote in a 2 horse race.
People (generally) don't care if its a man or a woman. If Ivanka had have ran the MAGA people would vote for her.

not

Putin and Cuntanyahu popping the champagne no doubt.

If not already Ukraine, Palestinians and Lebanon now completely f@*ked.

Not much left of Palestine after the last 4 years.

Democrats have to take a serious look at themselves, Harris was an early faller in the Primaries 4 years ago so sliding her in was a big mistake. Add in her complete flip flop on so many points just seemed that people could not trust her. Looks like Trump could even win the popular vote, when was the last time a Republican won that?

George W in 2004.

70% chance of a Trump victory now. He's looking very good in Virginia, which takes in alot of DC suburb.
He flipped Miami-Dade, a county with a Hispanic majority.
If the Democrats can't even win these areas it is over.

NYT chance of winning swingometer has swung to 66% for Trump.

Calling a win for genocide

That's the spirit.

Sounds like it's unlikely we even know who the winner is this time tomorrow. Most of the swing states my expected to declare until tomorrow at the earliest.

https://x.com/mattwallace888/status/1853234344187355332?s=46&t=lH_6NhrWXceXekvYr1XRpg

This Trump ad is pure genius

In her defence I looked up the context of the original clip and no she isn't trying to erase Christmas, which is what the advert is no doubt trying to make you think. She is saying we shouldn't be celebrating Christmas whilst migrants wait at the border.
I doubt many people will take the time to look it up though, just watch 30 second clip, be outraged, move on.
Still a dodgy enough quote mind you and won't hurt his chances.

Good Lord!... https://x.com/darranmarshall/status/1853189242244956262?s=48

Holy crap it just goes deeper and deeper.
A bad month for sinn fein by all accounts.

I'm even more confused now how the temporality meets the gold standard Bradford Hill criteria for causation. Ive no idea why it's suddenly considered anymore relevant that the other criteria

Top UK Surgeon Warns of 'Mutant Cancers' Developing in Millions of Vaccinated Individuals

If you don't think this is worthy of consideration, I wouldn't worry about it. I'm just posting it here.... people can form their own opinions

Translation

"I don't have an answer to your question so I'll backtrack."

[i.e. you cant transfer your house to your kids and then live in it rent free as the HMRC will look through that.]

That 7 year thing is standard I think. Non farmers do that with houses so they don't have to pay for their nursing homes etc.

Fairly standard estate planning is to transfer assets to children as the IHT tapers down and disappears if you survive 7 years. It has to be a gift without reservation though, i.e. you cant transfer your house to your kids and then live in it rent free as the HMRC will look through that.

Trusts are a way of reducing IHT as well that give a bit more flexibility and could be useful for some farmers after the Budget. However, they are more complex to set up and will need legal structuring.

One thing that has not been mentioned too much is  bringing pensions "in scope" for inheritance tax. Currently, private pensions are excluded from inheritance tax. Now pension pots  will now be included in IHT calculations from 2027 so the pension pot will get added to property and shares as part of potentially chargeable assets using up the allowance.

Most of these measures will affect "wealthier" people but it will hit farmers badly as you have to have the cash to pay the tax.

So, if you've paid off your  mortgage, you can't transfer your  house to a son/daughter, and continue  to live in the house?

You can, I'm not sure if the specifics or how it's done but you definitely can.

Novelty can play a big part in the All Stars so Louth putting in a shift in a provincial final, something rarely seen in Leinster, and getting to AIQF, I can see the logic in rewarding someone from the wee county.

But Morgan is a real head scratcher. Very ordinary year for a team with pedigree and AI medals in the arse pocket and bagfulls of previous All Star awards too for the county.

Everyone keeps saying 'team'... These are individual awards. Morgan in the games he played was by a distance the best keeper in the country

He was probaly the best at everything bar stopping the ball from going into the goals.

How many goals did he concede ?

3 in the championship. All in 1 game, that bonkers Ulster quarter final against Cavan. Kept a clean sheet in the other 5 games including against Donegal twice. Pulled off some great saves all year. Well deserved.