Here is the News.

Actually thinking about this wouldn't you just be swapping inheritance tax for income tax?

Supermarkets run a model based on cheap and choice. It drives bonkers moves like importing and exporting roughly the same quantities of butter. It puts a ludicrous number of varieties of the same thing on the shelves. It forces prices down for farmers and throws away good food because it doesn't look attractive enough. It wraps everything in plastic.

Obviously we can't produce all our own food, especially at the moment as we aren't geared up for it, but more people intensive farming of legumes rather than cereals is likely to be a better option in changing conditions and likely very unstable geo-politics.

The general denial that our lives are going to change dramatically is crazy. We are going to need to change the way we do things and it makes sense to start doing that rather than wait for things to get really bad to realise we can't get what we need.

I pretty much agree with your sentiment I think, pissing about with net zero targets whilst changing nothing is pointless, the world needs wholesale dramatic changes.

Where we differ is I see no way people will change until really really bad shit has happened.

Possibly yes. Also, I assume that Cap Gains tax involves itself in all of this too. I guess my point is that if you put in a rule that means IHT can be extinguished in certain well-meaning circumstances, the tax planning industry will absolutely find a way to game it.

So I’d prefer the proposal if the tax crystallised on the death of the owner but payment could be deferred until sale of the land.. whenever that happens. It lives on a an immovable charge on the land, accruing interest, until that point. That way, the next generation can farm it unhindered by the cashflow impact if it so chooses (accepting that after a few generations a sale would likely be forced… but, really, let’s not set policy on the basis that a child born twenty years from now might want to run his great grandpop’s farm).

We don't differ here to be honest. I see it in loads of conversations all the time. Even people who say they are actively engaged with environmental issues continue to jump on planes. The case still has to be made though and I think trying to change - which is hard in our current systems - is still worth the effort and the right thing to do.

You've got to love farmers, the little rascals with their tractors.

So this is what people do on my day off.

I desperately needed to see the Chiropractor today after abusing my body for a long time with no rest. great visit. Walked right out of the building to be confronted with a gun battle and a whole armada of Police Vehicles, which was a bit startling considering I lived in this town 27 years and didn't see any crime. After moving to nearby Maywood my old gaff seems to have gone to hell.

Anyway, a bit of excitement on my day off. Even though I have now applied for a gun licence I would like to reiterate that Guns are really fucking scary.

Chicago: Scared of loud noises.

What gun(s) you going for?

I reckon a 9mm Glock for out and about and a pump action for home defence. Then a AR-15 if you fancy going full-on American and taking a school or two out.

Surely an Uzi 9mm? If it's good enough for a Terminator it's good enough for Chic.

One thing's for sure, it won't be a sniper rifle, no way he's got the concentration or calmness for that.

Yeah but he really wanted a phased plasma rifle in the 40 watt range.

Quick straw poll: would you trust Chic with anything more than a Nerf gun?

We own a police Issued pepper spray gun which can still kill a person at close range but the goal is really a deterrent. Wifey cannot have a hand gun as she is a spaz at the shooting range but Rc isn't too far off as we are going to Get a Mossberg pump action shotgun. For when the shit really goes down with the Maga patrol guards...

Chicago: Going a bit Waco.

Steve Wright flashback time

No a great look for Joe Biden and, by extension, the Democrats.

But entirely understandable as a father.

It can't help but further undermine trust in politics in the US