Emperor Oli

I lean more towards privatisation because it takes the burden of running the concerns off the government but then again, as you say, quite a few companies are unethical i.e they don't respect the views/concerns of their very customers. Of course everyone should have equal opportunities but I also agree titles, "family status" etc, if that can be seen an un-contradictory. Those families worked hard to get where they did, the titled ones I mean and they deserve to be rewarded. Most of the titled families are very benevolent and give a lot to charities and their local communities, plus some provide housing to people who live on their estates, if they have them. Everybody did/does have an equal chance of getting land at the start, it's just that the people who got the land established themselves and have therefore been rooted in society from the beginning. I'm dead against communism because it doesn't reward merit or personal achievment. The people who say "Well, Communism looks good on paper" are also inherently wrong. Communism forces people to be just like everyone else, drones if you will, eroding all sense of identity. For all it's ill, at least the modern democracy which we know today grants its people the opportunity to be unique. Just to twist your voting point a bit, I would like to see how proportional represenation worked in this country, maybe in a trial somewhere like Scotland. It gives the government more representative strata of British society, and their political views but then the problem is establishing a parliamentary majority, unless they enter into a coalition. The thing about the "moral code" is that it changes dynamically with the passing years. Something like sex before marriage, which would have outraged people a century ago, does not even get an eyelid batted to it. So then one has the problem of defining the morals for this generation. I support the policy of zero-tolerance policing, something that is practiced in Japan and which Mayor Giuliani introduced in New York. Both places saw a dramatic drop in crime and consequently a rise in quality of life. Reinstating corporal punishment would also be a good idea, as a visual deterrent in every town and city against crime. Like Sylvester, I would also like capital punishment to be reintroduced. For every one murderer executed, it is predicted that eighteen further murders are prevented. Surely this is good enough to merit its return? However, we then have the problem of executing the wrong people or executing them for the wrong reasons, like Ruth Ellis who shot and killed her b*****d boyfriend in a crowded London pub. I vehemently oppose the legalisation of drugs. It would present an immense burden to the NHS which would not (as reports have shown) be recouped through taxation of the drugs. The people who are high on drugs can also cause untold damage to buildings and people. Not only does this cost money, it costs live too, the drug user's and the person who is being attacked/assaulted/whatever. Thousands of lives would be affected by drug-related accidents or deaths resulting in time being taken off work (for funerals, not to mention the staff lost to drug-related deaths) giving a net decrease in profits and therefore taxes and consequently a lower standard of life. That's my little rant over

Looks like my 5f is out then....

I had this question at a debate "This House would lower the voting age to 14". The proposition said they would implement a test but they didn't specify what kind. Bear in mind that some people excel in different areas besides just academic work, like music and art. Would the test be along the lines of an IQ test, or a general knowledge test or a psychometric test? It is very hard to pin these things down. And Chris, your idea sounds like eugenics! Not that I don't agree with eugenics, I do, it's just that many would find it nauseating!

Yup I'm redeveloping the whole sig-avatar setup. I'm trying to insert a link which is a pic but I'm having trouble. I'll figure it out in a minute though.

Muahaha I may still win!

I mean forums really, like this one. I focus mainly here, as it's mainly a British forum. I breeze over Cooke's but not many people post on there. Indeed, most of the people who post come from here! I also look over Coinpeople but it's really too American for my liking, obviously because it's run by Yanks. I found another a while back something like Coin Universe or Collectors Universe (there are some who patronise it on here) but I lost the URL so if anybody knows it, I'd be very grateful!

Umm ok 1) Not hair, it's the ties for the laurels 2) Our coins have "Regina" or "Rex" on them plus they have royal insignia on the reverse, so this is the same as the French one. Our coins have even more focus on the monarch, what with "Dei Gratia F:D" and all that. Plus the word "Empire" refers to the country or the "French empire", not Napoleon. Well, they're your reasons and I respect them but they seem quite superficial

It's a bit shallow just to say "Ooh it's foreign muck, I'm voting British!" Vote on its eye appeal and aesthetic quality. Look at the swathes of cloth below the crown on the reverse - it has minute patterns on it, one which the scan doesn't pick up well. The ribbons too, they look like they are fluttering in a gentle breeze, the crossed sceptres! Vote French! (And it's not often I say that!)

Yes, William, the wonders of editing

Yeah, it's a bugger! It's a moot point, however, what "major" is classed as. I would say that if all the lettering was quite visibly double-struck, then it would be worth a bit. It doesn't help either that you coin is only fine!

About the same as the normal one. It's only if it's a major mis-strike or alignment fault which adds valu, I'm afraid.

What I meant by that was that he encouraged economic growth, increased employment, bolstered America's defence against the Soviets and reduced inflation. He started to cut taxes whilst also cutting Government spending. Sylvester, he helped the working classes too, the cornerstone of the argument against Thatcher to do so. He rewrote the taxation system and gained deductions for the working classes. When he left office, America sustained its longest time of peacetime prosperity.

Ah, no I wouldn't! I've just cleaned myself out buying: A ) Father's Day card & present B ) Dad's Birthday card & present C ) Mum's Birthday card & present THEY ALL FALL IN THE SAME MONTH! So I wouldn't have had any cash and I would have felt like Tantalus! Edit: B ) makes

It was time for him to go, really. He couldn't talk with any family members because of the disease, which indeed was Alzheimer's. A definite shame, though. He has been one of the best Presidents of recent years.

Oh it's not so bad, Sylvester, if you did a trade for them. I thought it was £450 hard cash that you'd paid. Who did you purchase them off, if you don't mind me asking?

Mr. Kenyon. Mr. Kenyon, are you alright? What? What? £450! Aarrrghh He's out again. Less of the morphine, Pat.

I nearly fell out of my chair! £195 in one sitting, that's quite spectacular! Nice additions, though. I can't help feeling that you paid too much for the modified head 1925 one, however. Saying that, I haven't seen any for sale recently! Glad you enjoyed it, I wish I could have gone!

I wouldn't say the value had appreciated just because he has been given/inherited a peerage. It would appreciate fractionally on his death, however. It is probably a £2 coin - with a thistle on the back and the date above it. Worth between £3 and £6 unless it is silver whereas then it is worth about £20

I also used to have a handwritten record like Sylvester but then transferred it to Excel. Mines set out as Monarch ¦ Date ¦ Grade ¦ Denomination ¦ Value ¦ Seller details I should really put in price paid but I have that still on a handwritten piece of paper!

I agree with the killing of animals for their skins. I think it's just like the slaughter of cows, sheep and poultry etc. for their meat. Another question - Do you own any fur items? I have a fur hat, the type used by soldiers in the russian army made of rabbit fur.

In that case, they're here for his return.

Aha, a few more for you, Chris! Page 17 - For 1858 penny, there is no space between "Large dateno W.W." Page 18 - "These very minor varieties can only be identified with higher drade coins"

No, I also agree, Aethelred. The advantage of an electronic version is that it can't be mislaid and you could keep the window open on your puter if you were looking for coins on Ebay then just easily flick to the page you wanted (electroniclly speaking!) by using the thumbnails. I think the paper and electronic versions would work well in tandem.

We seem to have quite a few Ebay threads now, don't we!? This thought occurred to me a while ago - how many of us have been cheated or miffed by somebody on Ebay? If we can pool all the names (User IDs) of the people that have done this, then if any of us are thinking of buying anything be it a coin, a car or a Caravaggio, we can see if any of us have had any run-ins with them. So if you post the name and a why they are bad, we should be on our way! Mods, take this down if you feel it to be inflammatory So my one nomination would be Sharpclaw. He advertises Coin auctions with pictures which are not the coin he is selling.

Yes