Early Risers.

[Tony_S]

I don't think Ian needs to worry about Staten Island's rodent stealing Pennsylvanian rodents' jobs as it was originally German and an insectivorous hedgehog's shadow. Lack of hedgehogs in the US gave the job to groundhogs.

Edited February 2, 2017 by Tony_S

[PeterBB]

Andyram - the union sub in teaching is an investment and in my experience well worth it, especially if it is based on teaching income.  ATL and NUT are currently well on on merger talks to help stop the 'divide and rule' scenarios that we see so often.  Pleased to note, from blog entry way above, that you are recording everything currently happening.  Will be at Stafford on Sunday with Andy P etc. hope to see you.

[Tony_S]

Aditi asked if we had a juicer attachment for our Kenwood Chef. I said I had never bought one and didn't think we had anything more sophisticated than a ridged conical glass thing for lemons. As Aditi had purchased a quantity of Seville oranges to turn into marmalade I offered to process the fruit. I didn't think Aditi was quite ready to,put her recently repaired wrist under that much strain. However she insisted that she thought we had a Kenwood attachment. After much rummaging in a cupboard she produced a box I had never seen before. Her mother had given her a box of bits when her very ancient Kenwood mixer had died. There was a juice extractor. It must be over 50 years old (our mixer is nearly 40) but it fitted and works!

Tony

Edited February 2, 2017 by Tony_S

[The Stationmaster]

Aditi asked if we had a juicer attachment for our Kenwood Chef. I said I had never bought one and didn't think we had anything more sophisticated than a ridged conical glass thing for lemons. As Aditi had purchased a quantity of Seville oranges to turn into marmalade I offered to process the fruit. I didn't think Aditi was quite ready to,put her recently repaired wrist under that much strain. However she insisted that she thought we had a Kenwood attachment. After much rummaging in a cupboard she produced a box I had never seen before. Her mother had given her a box of bits when her very ancient Kenwood mixer had died. There was a juice extractor. It must be over 50 years old (our mixer is nearly 40) but it fitted and works!

Tony

 

I do like the idea of backward compatibility - it's a right nuisance that it hasn't caught on in the computer industry

[Horsetan]

I do like the idea of backward compatibility - it's a right nuisance that it hasn't caught on in the computer industry

I wonder if Kenwood planned it that way?

[emt_911]

Yet another frustrating day on the client site. The changes in requirements require four extra days work plus parts. I have to interface my equipment with various panels but they can't tell me from the cable schedule where one of the cables that I require runs. After spending four hours trying to find it I walked off site telling them to email me the details. Once I have them I might be able to quote for the extra work.

 

Sherry - Great to hear that you're recovering quickly. I hope that the pain relief is sorted out soon.

 

Coffee has been consumed and an eyelid inspection awaits.

 

Back later

[laurenceb]

The gasman beenith

[Horsetan]

It's quite amazing, the greed of some relatives. A-bloody-mazing. Well, all I can say is that this particular relative of my client is going to be very disappointed.

[Ozexpatriate]

It's Candlemas Day, it's wet, therefore Winter is over.

Just been reading this on another forum.

 

http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punxsutawney_Phil

Oddly enough most of the US seems to broadcast this "quaint tradition" and of course it gained immense popularity following the movie staring Bill Murray.

Having not to my recollection been in another location on Feb. 2nd (accidentally OR deliberately), imagine my surprise watching the early morning news today, to discover New York has it's OWN equivalent - "Staten Island Chuck".

The Gobbler's Knob prognosticator has declared 6 more weeks of winter. NPR has a nice piece, that includes Staten Island Chuck (who is apparently more accurate) and Shubenacadie Sam from our New Scottish provincial brethren.

 

On cue we're expecting our sixth episode of wintry precipitation tonight but it should be pretty light -  a little dusting of snow and maybe some freezing rain into tomorrow.

Edited February 2, 2017 by Ozexpatriate

[The Lurker]

Thanks, I had forgotten this, and have used the opportunity to refresh my (failing) memory!!

HMRC manual says (IHTM27168)

 

Foreign property: Double Taxation Conventions: certificate of tax paid: Republic of Ireland

 

All relief under Double Taxation Convention between the UK and the Republic of Ireland takes the form of credit relief.

Where a double taxation credit is due, you may allow the amount claimed in form IHT400 provisionally, but the case must not be finalised until the payment has been certified by the Irish authorities. There is no special form for a certificate. You should instruct the taxpayer or agent to write to:

Office of the Revenue Commissioners,

CAT Unit, Aras Bhrugha,

9-10 Upper O’Connell Street,

Dublin 1,

Republic of Ireland

asking that Office to state:

• The total gift tax or Inheritance Tax attributable to the property in question (excluding any interest and penalties)
• The property and its value on which that tax was charged, and (only where there are donees or beneficiaries who are not blood relatives) the manner in which the property and the tax have been attributed to individual donees or beneficiaries.
• The date that tax was paid
• That the tax was computed in accordance with the Convention
• That the tax is final
• That no application for a refund of tax is now pending or authorised and, if a refund is made in the future, that we will be told about it.

The CAT Unit will send the certificate in the form of a letter directly to this Office, and a copy to the applicant.

If you have any difficulty calculating the tax attributable to property when you have received the certificate, please ask for advice from Technical.

The credit given cannot be more than the amount of tax payable in the UK on the asset concerned.

Certificate of IHT paid

We can also issue a certificate of the IHT paid. This will be a letter that we will send if the taxpayer or agent requests it. If you receive a request for a certificate, refer the papers to Technical once the tax is finalised and paid.

If we cannot issue a certificate of tax paid because the amount of tax has not been finalised and paid you can advise the taxpayer or agent that they can still lodge a provisional claim for a credit with the Irish authorities. There is a six year time limit under Article 9.

If there is any adjustment to the tax after a certificate has been issued, you must refer the file back to Technical to issue an amending certificate

 

 

 

 

Sorry to be a bore for everyone else!!!

[Donw]

In the case of my wife's uncle he was living in the Isle of Man when he died some UK registered shares were left to his friend on the Island. However the registrar would not accept an IOM probate so he would have had to also obtain probate in the UK. Which seemed crazy. They were not worth an large amount so he gave them to the brother in the UK who was accepted by the registrar as next of kin. It is a crazy world. Mind you share registrars can be awkward bu99ers in my experience especially Lloyds.

 

Don

[Ian Abel]

The Gobbler's Knob prognosticator has declared 6 more weeks of winter. NPR has a nice piece, that includes Staten Island Chuck (who is apparently more accurate) and Shubenacadie Sam from our New Scottish provincial brethren.

 

On cue we're expecting our sixth episode of wintry precipitation tonight but it should be pretty light -  a little dusting of snow and maybe some freezing rain into tomorrow.

As some other wag pointed out - a simple review of a calendar** will actually tell you how much winter is left - funny, from Feb. 2nd it's ALWAYS the same amount every year

EDIT: **Northern hemisphere calendar

Edited February 2, 2017 by Ian Abel

[Ozexpatriate]

As some other wag pointed out - a simple review of a calendar** will actually tell you how much winter is left - funny, from Feb. 2nd it's ALWAYS the same amount every year

Indeed, though the remaining part of astronomical winter (until the vernal equinox) and meteorological winter (until March) is different.

 

Arguably Groundhog Day (like Candlemas or St. Bridget's day) is a derivative of Imbolc (the eighth between the winter solstice/Yule and the vernal equinox/Ostara/Ēostre), even if displaced by a day.

Edited February 2, 2017 by Ozexpatriate

[Killybegs]

HMRC manual says (IHTM27168)

 

Foreign property: Double Taxation Conventions: certificate of tax paid: Republic of Ireland

 

All relief under Double Taxation Convention between the UK and the Republic of Ireland takes the form of credit relief.

Where a double taxation credit is due, you may allow the amount claimed in form IHT400 provisionally, but the case must not be finalised until the payment has been certified by the Irish authorities. There is no special form for a certificate. You should instruct the taxpayer or agent to write to:

Office of the Revenue Commissioners,

CAT Unit, Aras Bhrugha,

9-10 Upper O’Connell Street,

Dublin 1,

Republic of Ireland

asking that Office to state:

• The total gift tax or Inheritance Tax attributable to the property in question (excluding any interest and penalties)
• The property and its value on which that tax was charged, and (only where there are donees or beneficiaries who are not blood relatives) the manner in which the property and the tax have been attributed to individual donees or beneficiaries.
• The date that tax was paid
• That the tax was computed in accordance with the Convention
• That the tax is final
• That no application for a refund of tax is now pending or authorised and, if a refund is made in the future, that we will be told about it.

The CAT Unit will send the certificate in the form of a letter directly to this Office, and a copy to the applicant.

If you have any difficulty calculating the tax attributable to property when you have received the certificate, please ask for advice from Technical.

The credit given cannot be more than the amount of tax payable in the UK on the asset concerned.

Certificate of IHT paid

We can also issue a certificate of the IHT paid. This will be a letter that we will send if the taxpayer or agent requests it. If you receive a request for a certificate, refer the papers to Technical once the tax is finalised and paid.

If we cannot issue a certificate of tax paid because the amount of tax has not been finalised and paid you can advise the taxpayer or agent that they can still lodge a provisional claim for a credit with the Irish authorities. There is a six year time limit under Article 9.

If there is any adjustment to the tax after a certificate has been issued, you must refer the file back to Technical to issue an amending certificate

 

 

 

 

Sorry to be a bore for everyone else!!!

 

CAT in Ireland is payable by the person who is inheriting whereas in the UK it is paid on the estate. The threshold for children is 310,000, other relatives 32,500 and anyone else 16,250. In the UK it's £325,000 on the whole estate. So I don't think our beneficiaries will be troubling the tax man unless the property market in Donegal improves drastically!

[Horsetan]

Considerable variety in fee levels for repatriating a body to Ireland too 

[Horsetan]

CAT in Ireland is payable by the person who is inheriting whereas in the UK it is paid on the estate. The threshold for children is 310,000, other relatives 32,500 and anyone else 16,250. In the UK it's £325,000 on the whole estate. So I don't think our beneficiaries will be troubling the tax man unless the property market in Donegal improves drastically!

 

In the case I have in front of me, the person inheriting is UK-resident (as was the deceased), and not a blood relative so only the 16250 Euro threshold applies, as far as I understand it, and the rest is subject to 33% CAT. Double-taxation relief should be available, as has been pointed out earlier, but it's another bloody headache and another sheaf of paperwork. My desk is now a bombsite, with three Estates on the go.

[eldavo]

I do like the idea of backward compatibility - it's a right nuisance that it hasn't caught on in the computer industry

To be a little more accurate, it used to be a very serious matter in the days of mainframes. I remember spending inordinate amounts of time ensuring that the software we produced (a company much related to HAL) which ran just about every bank, ATM network and insurance business didn't break the applications that ran on it. Then again the customers were paying thousands of $s each month for the privilege of using it!

 

As to PC software and backward compatibility, there isn't any and that's not surprising as nobody pays for it.

 

Have a good one all.

 

Cheers

Dave

[Purley Oaks]

In the case I have in front of me, the person inheriting is UK-resident (as was the deceased), and not a blood relative so only the 16250 Euro threshold applies, as far as I understand it, and the rest is subject to 33% CAT. Double-taxation relief should be available, as has been pointed out earlier, but it's another bloody headache and another sheaf of paperwork. My desk is now a bombsite, with three Estates on the go.

But think of the fees!

[Horsetan]

Still in the office. The Prime Minister's motorcade has just passed beneath my window. I wonder if they're off to her constituency, in which case the route through Ealing / West Ealing / Hanwell / Southall isn't exactly the quickest, no matter how many outriders you've got.

 

But think of the fees!

 

Believe me, they are uppermost in my mind, given that my senior colleague has just been given a VAT bill of about seven-and-a-half grand to pay by 5th February.....

Edited February 2, 2017 by Horsetan

[Purley Oaks]

Evening all

 

Great news from Dick and great news from Sherry, too.

 

Agree with LE who mentioned that taking paracetamol with the morphine helps - they issue 6 a day in hospitals here. My morphine was withdrawn because I wasn't using enough of it even though I took it when really needed, so hang onto it, Sherry! Hope you can manage some sleep tonight. Always good to keep practising walking, too, and helps with confidence.

 

Andyram, hope the application is shortlisted, but good to keep looking around.

 

Looking forward to the 6 Nations - Guardian sports writers are split on England or Ireland to win, but think that Scotland could shock. A win against Ireland on Saturday would do that. One of the writers thought that England's greatest enemy was themselves, which is probably true. Put a tenner on Scotland to win the trophy at 20/1. Both England and Ireland were odds-on, followed by Wales at 8 and France at 12.

 

Must have been around 13C here all day, unseasonably warm. A slab of grey sky threatened rain all morning and afternoon, and now it's getting quite breezy. Looks like it could be stormy for those of you further south, so stay safe

 

Mal

[Killybegs]

The latest nonsense we have come across is NS&I wanting a letter from the Irish tax man, saying that we don't pay any tax, before they will let us by any Premium Bonds. Why? This was after an earlier letter (and follow up telephone call) saying we couldn't buy them because our solicitor had not dated a certified copy of a passport. No mention of the tax man then. Indeed, I specifically asked them if there was anything else they needed and they said no. Maybe they are preempting Brexit, when EU laws allowing investing in lotteries in another EU country will no longer apply. I think another phone call will be required in the morning.

[Tony_S]

Someone was a bit heavy handed with the oranges and produced the famous molten electronics smoke.

 

 

Fortunately I found a video of how to dismantle the mixer (in French) and a website selling new upgraded motors and control electronics. All the fittings and mounting points are identical. No need for landfill this time.

Marmalade smell has overpowered the nasty burning motor smell now!

Edited February 2, 2017 by Tony_S

[bbishop]

As some other wag pointed out - a simple review of a calendar** will actually tell you how much winter is left - funny, from Feb. 2nd it's ALWAYS the same amount every year

EDIT: **Northern hemisphere calendar

 

Ian,

 

No it's not: depends if it is a leap year.

 

Bill (in pedant mode)

[lightengine]

he canst not keep.

So, he can keep them?

[Horsetan]

.....Maybe they are preempting Brexit.....

I wonder if the cross-border smuggling industry will revive as a result?