Loan Shark ministers; Lockerbie remembered; No divorce for 8 yr old......

Loan shark ministers.......
Apparently they have backed down on the idea of charging interest on loans made to Crisis Loan applicants - good for them!
But on further reading of the 'back down' article - they may still be planning on handing over the running of Social Fund loans to Credit Unions or similar organisations - who DO charge a minimum of 2% up to as much 26.8% !!

The social fund has been a way for those on benefits to be able to obtain a loan - repayable weekly from benefits - in order to obtain the bigger things each family needs.

The hypocrisy displayed by a Government that bitch and moan about the interest rates charged on certain services by banks - to then want to do it themselves to people trying to survive on benefits is astonishing - but then again - hypocrisy and this Government seem to go hand-in-hand. So they spend billions bailing out banks - the unemployment rate is raising alarmingly - but hey - we'll stiff them by charging as much - if not more - than banks would - because they are not going to be able to get a loan elsewhere when unemployed?!?!?!

Well done Brown - when you are out of power - and Lord that cannot be soon enough - you have a very promising career as a Loan Shark!
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article5378561.ece

Lockerbie remembered...........
Hard to believe it is 20 years since this happened! 270 people killed - 259 on the plane and a further 11 people on the ground below.

Services and the prayers of millions around the world are being held/said in remembrance today.

No divorce for 8 yr old..........
She must wait until she reaches puberty....
She was 'sold' by her father for a £4000 dowry - the marriage not to be consummated for 10 years - the contract being signed by the groom and the girl's father!

I cannot understand what the hell any parent can be thinking to do this to a child - or should I say a female child as there are never any reports of this being done with male children.
I try to be tolerant as possible of various religions and their beliefs - but there are some instances when tolerance cannot be found!
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Saudi-Girl-Aged-Eight-Married-Off-By-Father/Article/200812315190418?f=rss