| Our experts look at the crystal ball for 2008
Sound economic fundamentals will support house prices in 2008. The economy is in good health; employment levels are high. Scottish economic growth is likely to remain close to its long-term average pace in 2008. Employment, a key driver of housing demand, is expected to rise to new record highs. Scotland's relatively good housing affordability – the house price to earnings ratio in Scotland is the lowest of any part of the UK – is also a positive factor for the property outlook.We expect the Bank of England to cut rates at least twice next year to insulate the economy from anything more than a gradual economic slowdown. But further reductions are more than possible and could occur rapidly. Lower rates will help to support consumer confidence, improve housing affordability and limit the slowdown in the Scottish housing market.Many mortgage borrowers due to come off fixed rate loans during 2008 will look to take advantage of the potential for rate cuts by shifting into variable rate mortgages.
New Occupational Pensions Trust to challenge buyout firms
A senior City pensions guru is launching a new "co-operative" for pension funds, with arm's-length support from the company that owns BT's telephone exchanges. Robin Ellison, the vice-chairman of the National Association of Pension Funds, said the new business aimed to rival the slew of pension buyout companies that have emerged in recent years, such as Mark Wood's Paternoster and Eddie Truell's Pension Insurance Corporation (PIC). But the new company, Occupational Pensions Trust, will not buy out the schemes. It will simply take control of them and merge them with other funds, achieving cost benefits in the process. .
If we had the primary
For a change, the voters would go around the political parties and choose the party�s (or coalition�s) nominee directly. In the 2010 presidential race, a primary system would send presidential candidates Mar Roxas, Manny Villar, Noli de Castro and Bayani Fernando scrambling around the country way ahead of the May election. Every province would want to have the honor of holding the first primary, so the parties and the Comelec devise a system for that purpose. In our scenario, Catanduanes gets the privilege, and the presidential candidates campaign in Virac to win the first-ever Philippine primary. To Catanduanes fly the campaign teams of Mar (Oras Na!) Roxas and Manny (Sipag at Tiyaga) Villar for the opposition, and Noli (Magandang Gabi, Bayan) de Castro and Bayani (Pink na Pink) Fernando for the administration.
Steelbox Networks Announces New Digital Video Distribution and Storage ...
Steelbox Networks Announces New Digital Video Distribution and Storage Solutions Designed for Superior Price-to-Performance DUBAI, United Arab Emirates --(Business Wire)-- InterSec 2008 - Steelbox Networks, Inc., developer of the world's fastest media appliance, today announced the immediate availability of two new products, the Steelbox 1250 video appliance and the Steelvault 5300 network attached storage array, designed to give enterprises the ability to handle large camera networks in a compact and reliable solution.
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Fisk wants to sell its security to 'pay the rent'
The Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church, referenced in the article, "Setting limits on free speech," Nov. 4, uses this right like an umbrella of protection as they parade around the country protesting military funerals. It has been said that they have a constitutional right to do so. I'm glad to see that a jury in the U.S. District Court in Baltimore saw it differently. Everyone has the right to express their views on the ongoing war against terrorism, but in my opinion, to protest at a funeral is about as low as it gets. The disrespectful and derogatory signs held up by Westboro Church members have no place in sight of a grieving family. It's a disgusting spectacle to say the least. Matthew Dolan, of The Baltimore Sun, used the adjectives "family-based, conservative and controversial" in his description of the Westboro Baptist Church.
Stranded air travelers overrun ticket counters, destroy equipment at ...
Angry passengers overran ticket counters, breaking computers and wrestling with airport security personnel late Saturday after two days of flight delays and cancellations involving Aerolineas Argentinas affected thousands of travellers. Ticketing workers walked out Saturday afternoon after passengers assaulted a worker at a check-in desk at Ezeiza International Airport, said Maria de los Angeles Aguer, a spokeswoman for the Association of Aeronautical Personnel. On Sunday, flights resumed and police patrolled the corridors as passengers, many of whom have waited for days for flights, slept on floors. Aerolineas Argentinas attributed delays to a labor conflict. But union officials said the disruptions were caused by overbooked flights. .
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