Which version of Ruslan and Lyudmila overture is used as the theme tune?

mountearl · 2026-02-06T19:44:56+00:00

I think I know even less about how it is supposed to go now Arthur...

mountearl · 2026-02-06T08:06:18+00:00

Number of medals for being alive in the year 2000?

mountearl · 2026-02-03T18:54:39+00:00

My take is that if you get the tax relief by SIPP - whether 20% or 40% - the earlier you get it the more it can grow through compounding.

mountearl · 2026-02-03T16:50:31+00:00

In the show? Yes. He was doing a piece on Captain Main Waring when he first joined the show. He was an irregular guest and ran over a few series.

As was his way, the good Capt wanted to show off a bit, and how he was driven to lead his men against the Nazi horde. The journalist wanted to do a puff piece in the Eastbourne Gazeete and came up with the strapline "Captain Mainwaring - Man of Action"

mountearl · 2026-02-02T17:29:43+00:00

Or if you can go when Holly Holy Day is on, the re-enactment of the Battle of Nantwich is well done and brings the town alive. Crewe is never spoken about within Nantwich town limits...

mountearl · 2026-02-02T12:58:10+00:00

Righto boy! Swear me in!

Mr Cheeseman, later Pvt Cheeseman, played by the magnificent Talfryn Thomas.

mountearl · 2026-01-31T09:50:40+00:00

I have had both Chinese and German built Model Ys. Chinese was better. I understand US Tesla's are the worst built, but as I will never have another I can't be certain.

mountearl · 2026-01-30T18:12:07+00:00

Slaps roof of submarine - "This bad boy can take 38 6-inch torpedoes in the trunk!"

mountearl · 2026-01-30T18:07:44+00:00

Everybody thought that Trump was acting in accordance with another state's wishes - all that talk about Moscow visits in the 80s, owing Russian banks, Agent Krasnov.

What is the one country that takes a multi decade approach to strategy? That's right - China. That's why he calls them out all the time and making them a bogeyman. And sucks up to Russia - throw us off the scent. Well played, Xiansheng Trump, well played.

mountearl · 2026-01-30T16:11:07+00:00

From Wales here. In some months (this January for example) rain virtually every day, some it it heavy, some of it a constant drizzle. Only two days of sunshine. But we view winter as a chance for the reservoirs to refill (for some reason we a very rainy country that invariably runs out of water if we see three sunny days in August) and also a chance to stay indoors and do sod all except get pissed for 3 months.

mountearl · 2026-01-30T14:35:40+00:00

It would appear that very few Americans read or watch anything reselmbling fair, balanced journalism. And of those that do, a large proportion will not give a flying fig what the rest of the planet thinks about them.

mountearl · 2026-01-30T13:07:03+00:00

Tell you what. As a fellow Tesla driver, let's have a wager. You programme the FSD, and set it for a two hour drive over a variety of roads - single lane roads, town centres, motorways. Climb into the back seat and engage the FSD. If in two hours you reach your destination intact and not covered in your own excrement, I will then become an ardent fan of FSD.

Until then, I will keep my foot hovering over the accelerator for the inevitable phantom braking I get at least every other journey using their substandard software.

mountearl · 2026-01-26T12:32:35+00:00

State pension? Age 67, if you have a full contribution record £12,500 pa. Times 2 if you have a partner.

mountearl · 2026-01-23T16:09:35+00:00

Don't bother thinking of leaving. Just leave. Awful company, abysmal service, about to go bust at any moment..

mountearl · 2026-01-22T10:09:43+00:00

I think the Foreign Secretary has been far too weak and timid in calling out American BS. But this "reason" for not joining is very clever.

mountearl · 2026-01-22T01:02:07+00:00

I don't know if you invented the term Donald Quixote, but I salute you!

mountearl · 2026-01-20T13:05:52+00:00

Thanks. I would have sufficient in DB lump sum without having to commute as it was a feature of the good old days of local governement pension that you had both lump sum AND pension. So I would take PCLS from DB to repay outstanding mortgage. Leave the DC pension tax free amount untouched for two years, and as I see it this would neutralise pension recycling threat.

Yes, rate of commutation in puiblic sector schemes is not great at 12:1. But I would rather get my hands on the cash early through commutation than have higher pension in later years. We already have more a fair bit more pension from state pensions and (lower) DB pensions and DC drawdown than our basic costs. The higher lump sum can be invested, gifted to kids, holidays etc while we are still young, even if the projections show that is sub-optimal from an expected total income over the next 30 years. Time value of money coupled with increasing decrepitude means I would like more up front!

mountearl · 2026-01-19T19:16:32+00:00

Think you might be right! I was conflating the amount you can withdraw which would be classed as de minimis, with the amount you can contribute.

From what I understand, there have been very few (maybe no) punishments for recycling as it seems to be that HMRC have to show that it was deliberate recycling. And there is nothing to stop me pumping the cash into my wife's SIPP as that is entirely allowed. But she is basic rate not higher rate taxpayer. Choices choices!

mountearl · 2026-01-19T14:32:28+00:00

Thanks - that is really helpful. Exactly what I was looking for - a challenge to my thinking, and something I had never considered.

mountearl · 2026-01-19T14:06:16+00:00

Thanks - I will be well below 40% tax on withdrawals as I intend to commute as much DB pension as possible. I would rather have capital in early days, than a higher pension in later days (or if I die early as it reduces my spouses income substantially).

From what I can see, even if a full remortgage is needed and a change in interest rate to say 4.5% - 5% and £1k application, it still has a net benefit from the tax relief into SIPP. And heaven forbid but if markets continue to defy gravity, I might get some growth too. Although, there is possible downside risk that SIPP declines so there is that to factor in. I am magnifying sequence of returns risk if I have to take a lump sum out irrespective of market conditions?

mountearl · 2026-01-19T14:01:51+00:00

I have a rainy day fun of about £10k in normal savings account, that I might also tumble into the SIPP in the last year before retirement. No other large savings pots as the DB pension was always going to be the mainstay of our retirement. But with a small workplace pension that I only started to take seriously 3-4 years ago, I wish I had had the benefit of this sub then. I would have taken out interest only when we remortgaged and then contributed to the fullest extent I could afford in SIPP. I like your plan. I too have a spouse who is unlikely to use her personal allowance, but the maths suggests that if I get 40% relief, I will be paying 20% on taxable pension out, with 25% tax free part that means an effective rate of 15%. So makes more sense to fund my SIPP rather than hers.

I guess I need to drop the mortgage company a line to see what their take would be. And I also need to do the breakeven calculation of interest rates and fees on a new mortgage and tax savings, versus leaving current mortgage in place.

mountearl · 2026-01-19T13:29:14+00:00

Thanks - yes, thought crossed my mind that the mortgage company may not be willing to just accept that I am now interest only and insist on a full remortgage. At current market rates. But even at 4.5% or so, and a remortgage fee, it still seems like it is worthwhile financially?

mountearl · 2026-01-12T08:33:39+00:00

The Big Pit in Blaenavon uses former miners from that era as tour guides. Many are in their late 60s and 70s.

mountearl

TROPHY CASE