This is absolutely unbelievable. remember when the pound was worth over $2 once upon a time! could it get any lower than this? has it EVER been lower than this?

Yup - near parity under Mrs T.

With apologies to those of you who live in the UK, I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that it stays there for another couple of months.

Britain may have to go into the Euro group to survive it seems

all banks probably will be nationalized soon - the Royal Scottish Bank just reported the largest losses in British corporate history.

Even folks in the Cotswolds and Greenwich are feeling the pinch as their Icelandic investments evaporate.

God Save the Queen; God Save Britain.

Pish, and indeed tush, PQ. When will people realise that currency exchange rates gyrate around for all sorts of reasons? They ceased to be a totem of national virility decades ago.

Good! Maybe I can afford to go home for a visit!

I haven't been back to London in over 4 years; the last time the prices gave me the shivers!!

Thin

You can get a really good deal on an UK bank too

I think, as the last remaining British taxpayer, that I own about four banks now.

I think, as the last remaining British taxpayer, that I own about four banks now>

WHICH qualifies you for being the absolute poorest person in Britain

Bank of Scotland can print it's own money.

It is now at $1.3768, which is a lot closer to $1.4 than it is to 1.3.

I have seen the GBP as low as $! and as high as $2.75.

Ira, how low is $!?

What's the sound of one hand clapping?

Hi; Actually as of 3:15 the pound is at 1.3652. ENJOY Iris

The really exciting thing is the British will have more Americans to entertain this year!

Come on, you know you love us. Especially when we dress as cowboys!

Hi bdj; We have always loved the British. You can wear your cowboy outfits and from the east coast we will have our 'Pilgrim hats '. Ira's right on. The pound is at 1.3789. ENJOY Iris

I was just alking about this with a friend last night...I was in London all of last week and if it had been this week, almost literally the trip would have been $200 cheaper as I thought I was doing well when my six day hotel charge cleared at $1.43 and now it's $1.37 or thereabouts.

We were talking about going to the theatre....I had been in London this past summer when the pound was at about $2....now same seats at what last week was $1.44 and is much cheaper today...go to TKTS for a half priced ticket...last summer £30 or close to $60, a good buy but last week, same show, same £30 is $43...meals...didn't find the restaurants I frequent to have increased their prices in sterling much (I'm a cheapskate and do mostly moderately priced Japanese restaurants)...same meal that cost $30 last summer was $21 last week and even less today. No wonder I said, and was hooted for saying, London is almost affordable today (I suppose to a Brit it's still very expensive)....my 7 day tfl pass...last summer $54....last week $37 and again even cheaper today. Bloody unbelievable.

But it really has other effects too. We were talking about how many shows on Broadway had closed this January and one of the reasons, if not the overriding reason, is the USA has now become very very very expensive for Brits (and most Europeans as the euro hasn't fared much better) and the days of the streets in New York teeming with Europeans with wads of euros to spend are over.

Now the question becomes, of course, of just how low the pound (and euro) will sink....will the euro and the dollar reach par in the near future? And will sterling be far behind? And sterling is edging closer and closer to the euro. Does it make sense then for Britain not to join the euro?

And finally given the shape of our (US) economy, how many people can afford to travel and take advantage of these "bargains?"

Very very scary to say the least.

There are a million reasons why Britain will never join the Euro and the relative conversion rates of the countries isn't one of them.

(Basically we don't like or trust the Europeans).

One would think with the deficit headed into the stratosphere and the treasury printing more greenbacks...the dollar is not on solid ground...more like jello..or chocolate pudding...(yorkshire puddin'?)

Is it true that Bank of England soon will rename the British Pound to

the British Ounce?

From what I've read, and you can correct me if I'm wrong, most economists believe that it is inevitable that Britain will have to join the euro sooner or later. I do agree relative conversion rates are not a big factor in it but from what my British friends tell me whenever we discuss this, many Brits would not know how to react if their coins and currency did not have a picture of the Queen on them (or what will happen if Charles ever becomes King?)