Vicepilot

Do I Really Own RBS?

2012-01-28T13:20:00.005Z

Merry New Year and a Happy Christmas Past. Ive been busy trying to manage family affairs trying to co-ordinate one family member leaving this world and another arriving. A emotional complicated issue at the best of times, but we do have a photo of them together.

Much ado over at NatWest and Steve the managers bonus this year, as every year. Apparently I own this bank, I am told from both left and right that this is the case, so consensus prevails.

But do I? I have no share certificate, I did not vote for the Govt. to bail this company out or was I asked. I am not paying any tax this year, thus I am not a taxpayer this year apart from taxes paid at the till at the supermarket and petrol station ect. And so do many visitors to these isles pay these taxes, do they own RBS?

RBS as far as I can see is owned by the state. The state is the legal personality of the government. Am I part of the state? It does not really add up that "we" own RBS.

RBS is now a tool of the government and the political class, they own RBS not me or you. The best thing would be to cut "our" losses and either sell or close down this unloved orphaned psudo-company.

I am suprised Steve the manager stuck around so long to be truthful.

***New years Resolution.I am told its not good form not to take comments, so Ive switched them on and you can do your worse.

A Little List

2011-12-14T11:33:00.002Z

So at last it seems the public might get at least half a pound of flesh for the mess that they are being asked to pay for, Lets hope Flash Freddie dishes the dirt on his long lost mate Gordon Brun when in the dock.

In the Meantime, here is a list of Gordons other Knighted Bankers, I sure there is more.

George Mathewson Retired chair, RBS

Victor Blank former chairman, Lloyds TSB

Brian Pitman Former chairman and chief executive, Lloyds TSB

Tom McKillop Former chair, RBS

And Its Coming Apart In Germany Too

2011-12-14T11:28:00.001Z

Oops

France too.

Peter Higgs Finds His Boson?

2011-12-13T12:32:00.003Z

Not seen the Press conference as yet, but if its true this really one of the greatest achievements of science. And Briton Peter Higgs born in 1929 is still with us to see it. I hope they rush him off to Oslo to collect his prize, along with a couple of others who came to the same conclusion at the same prize. And of course the knighthood.
Its all good at 83.You are in the history books, you are one of our greatest.Well done Sir.

Dave Does Game Theory

2011-12-11T10:16:00.012Z

Pinker on why its a good idea to be stubborn.

All the journos and talking heads especially on the left (pompous Steve Richards is upset on Sky as I write) are all running about like headless chickens. This is irrational! what powers were you giving up? there was no Veto! You are pandering to the extreme "right" blah blah.

Negotiation is an art not a science, you need to judge the game as it flows and change strategy as you go, in fact the best way might not to have a strategy at all.

We all know that France has its glory hole showing to the world. It has been using its banks as a political tool and in doing so has lent money it does not have to people as equally weak as they are. In a few months France goes to the polls and in that time the Eurocraps and the French Elite (if they have one) are going to have to ram through a major loss of political power without the French people noticing and setting the country on fire.

This is a country that has not run a budget surplus since 1976, That will soon be as prudent as the Germans, and even the French themselves, judged themselves before the 2008 crash to be bankrupt. They need cash now and will steal it if they can from where ever they can, they are desperate. They are the real loser in all this,60 years of French foreign policy designed to tie Germany down with silken chords is at an end with them pinned to the wall with the Frau ready to mount them with a black manba strap on.

Dave knows this, and knows that the next stage is to formulate how a institutionalised two speed EU might work, and a notice of intent is stage one of a very long process. Assuming the Euro and the EU survives and in what form.

I fancy despite everything Dave might be a better poker player than everyone thinks.

Air France 447

2011-12-11T09:40:00.006Z

In engineering we have something called "engineering safety philosophy" which should be forced feed/read to the economists and politicos of the world before breakfast every day of their lives.

Its all pretty simple, you look at a design of a system and work out the weak points and make sure that in the event of failure those weak points don't bring the system down. Its why planes very rarely fall out of the sky, and when they do it tends to be human error rather than engineering error.

I recommend you read this, and the link to the transcripts at the end.

The Solutions were simple, the systems had worked as one whole and given the pilots the extra controls that were needed, and still the plane was pretty much flown into the sea.

Germany to the Rescue

2011-12-09T15:56:00.002Z

Splendid Isolation... I'm Lovin' It

2011-12-09T15:33:00.003Z

Cometh the hour, Cometh the Dave

2011-12-09T12:17:00.007Z

Yup i know it was not really a veto, but its a pretty good handbag moment anyways.

So this is the deal, in three months 26 nations are going to steamroll through the biggest transfer of powers over taxing, spending and borrowing in the history of the EU, and the complexity that brings. Without in most cases reference to parliaments, never mind the people. While they try and prevent the banking system collapsing and putting 300 billion up for Italy.

My guess is when they sit down and actually read it and think what all this implies, the lot of them will puke up their own Feces.

Its a hail Mary, always exciting to watch. Will this deal make Christmas?

In Defence of Dave.

2011-12-08T09:52:00.004Z

Not something I usually would do, for me it a question of not being Mr Reckless Endangerment himself Mr G. Brown, so thats a big step forward, but I need much more, and much more starts today.

Its quite obvious that the EUros are setting up infideous Albion as the falls guys when everything goes tits up. First it was the dastardly short sellers in London, next it will be Dave not doing as he is told. They will blame everyone but themselves. The little guys will hold their tongues and let the UK do the talking and take the flack, and join in the condemnation when the shit hits the fan

Mr Euro himself Jean-Claude Juncker, from his bunker in deepest darkest Luxembourg has told the radio station France Info: "I don't want the United Kingdom setting aside entire pages to say the United Kingdom will not do what all the others have to do. I will not accept that" WTF is he going to do send a strong letter of protest, or is it the hit squads from European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) to give us a go over like they are doing to the credit rating agencies to stop them talking?

Maybe Dave should offer Junker his resignation so the EUros can install Peter Mandleson as governor?

Good luck to them if they wish to go down this adhoc EU state route, but it wont work. The Political economy is just that a marriage between politics and economics, and the vows are taken in the language of democracy, and the consent for democracy comes from the legal framework which is, has always been and will continue to be The nation state.

The great thing about all this on going euro drama is that British public, both old and young, left or right have had a good long look at the real face of the EU and now they well and truly know what it is, and this time no conjecture or argument, its all in the history books. and it says "Euro Superstate, we lied"

So I wish Dave well. It would sicken me to sit at the same table with the majority of these people. he has my sympathy. It really is time to leave.

Gordon, Fondly Remembered at the BBC

2011-12-05T09:43:00.004Z

Pesto is really scraping the bottom of the barrel when he uses former BBC insider Will Hutton (a psudo economist speaking psudo science) on numerous occasions to try and salavage the train wreck that his Gorgon Brun's reputation.

Terry Smith who from the UKs pov was on the case from the mid noughties got one shot, the apparent free market ideological nexus that was Maggie and Ronnie was given top billing, with walk on parts for Blair and one sitting down shot for dear Gordon, all par for the BBC. No mention that bailing out the banks was not an act of captialism it was an act of goverment. Which was odd as Gorgon and co had 13 months from the fall of Northern Wreck to the bailout to come up with something else.

No mention of Bretton woods and the gold standard (gold is the devil for the Brownites, thats why they sold it off) or the fiat Banking sytem which is one that is built on money creation through credit. Or Fractional reserve banking which used to be built on people saving money not interbank lending fueled by the Asian wall of money, something the authorities are supposed to understand and act upon, if they are acting with a duty of care. All that tax payers cash buying the top brains at the Treasury was off nothing.

Nor indeed the fact that most of the debt, just over half was built from 2000 onwards, and went into building the biggest property bubble in UK history which was pointed out to Dear Gordon by the IMF in 2004. And a repeat of the bubble following the mid eighties bubble that was still fresh in everyone's except Gordon s mind. Not to mention the governance of the banks and reckless govt. spending from 2000, and of course not making the changes needed in the good times on welfare and pensions...but to be fair Pesto is talking about the global economy.

And a central theme, Real wage growth. surely the link is with prices, you cant just read the wage numbers on their own, if today I can buy more big macs for the same money then the money is worth more. Pesto addresses both points but not together.

Debt in itself is not the problem, the problem is excessive debt that is unsustainable. The interesting point made in the Documentary is why the Chinese save, which skirted around the answer. They have to save to insure themselves as the state does not reward fecklessnes. Which is an interesting thing, one which the Brown/Pesto/Hutton axis fail to see in their distain for the uncaring ideological free market Maggie. She actually pointed out a smaller state would foster better individual moral decisions, such as saving for your future. Well I fancy that is what is going to happen in the future, I am sure we will have Hutton's and the Guardians support.

And finaly but not least the usual blah blah about British Manufacturing, as was pointed out by Evan Davis the other month, we acutally make quite a lot of stuff. The simple point is that it was easier to go off into the city and make a pile of cash than make stuff.Which brings us back to dear Gordo' who was too interested in the 80 billion plus the city was throwing him to pish up the wall than keep the economy in balance by watching the deficits.

And so to the future, are we going to be more self suffienct? are we going to get the BoE to set interest rates with one eye on our defecits? are we going to get out of the Eu and trade with the people that matter int East? Pesto and Co will take a bullet first.

Pot. Kettle. Black. (Riot update)

2011-12-05T08:50:00.005Z

The Guardian have cracked the problem, "The Yoof of today" were mad at the police, in fact they were more than mad the kids were suffering "injustice"

Not surprising really that they felt this way, all the poverty of not having a plasma in your bedroom and in general having a previous criminal conviction.....

Does the Groan, give their previous reporting a mention?

"The sentences handed down to convicted rioters by the courts have been more draconian than previously thought but nearly three-quarters of those appearing in court had criminal records"

How about this for none sensationalist opinion?

The kids saw on TV that the riots on the Saturday night were going unanswered by the police and "decided to have some of it" and used social networks to organise it quickly. As for gangs, one major city was spared, that has recently had a very serious gang problem, Sheffield.

I wonder why Sheffield was spared, is it because it had nothing to do with gangs or is the fact South Yorkshire police are all over them 24/7? delete according to your political viewpoint.

Toyota Redux

2011-11-24T13:51:00.003Z

.....I thought Toyota where leaving Britain if we did not join the euro in 30 months or June 2003. Not staying and investing 11 years later

What will they be telling us next? If we leave the EU then they will be on the last disaster relief train out? or would that too be cobblers? After all BMW would not wish to lose their biggest European market outside Germany, and there is those pesky WTO rules that are FAXed to the Brussels to comply with.

Play it again Sam.

The Future Arrives

2011-11-18T15:02:00.006Z

For most of my life people have been talking about the pension time bomb, and the cost of an aging population.Well it seems the future arrives in 2012.

"From 2012, the European working-age population is forecast to start shrinking, while the over-60 population will increase by about 2 million people a year. The EU expects the strongest pressure from 2015-2035, as the baby-boom generation enters retirement"

No growth and more pensioners to pay and less babies futures to mortgage. When I was a lad the future was always comfortably in the future.

Engineering For Experts

2011-11-17T13:09:00.002Z

German Stereotype's

2011-11-16T12:09:00.004Z

I think We all know were all this is heading.

I wonder which one Jens is? I would say the second?

Remembrance

2011-11-13T09:38:00.006Z

I was at a mass the other Thursday morning, for the dead who have died this year. You light a candle and the team up front pray for their souls for the rest of the day,sort of thing.
For my uncle as it happens.

The list was a long one, my uncles name came up in the first minute. But in the next fifteen minutes two names came up which the priest pointed out that they had died in Afghanistan.

Usually you go to these types of things and it is full of old people, but as I glanced back from the front row (My gran cant hear that well, so we have to be at the front) I noticed that both soldiers obviously had their families present. Young widows holding little children and the parents of the soldiers to either side of them.

So today I will specifically remember and think of them, thankfully for most of us war is something that we only see and hear on the TV and radio, for some its as real as the rain falling on my windows right now.

Paranoid.

2011-11-12T12:32:00.005Z

Seems old rockers cannot bank on the back catalouge keeping them in whisky and potting compost in their dotage, they now have to tour in these interweb years. I am sure the fans will manage to get out of the office early and sort a pizza out for the babysitters and kids. All very sad really.

Personally I prefer the Dickies.

Athens Syndrome

2011-11-10T15:17:00.002Z

1, Nations placed in debt servitude, Check!

2, Nations democratic structures overturned for a technocracy to cement debt servitude, Check!

3, Nation living in a political/economic version of Stockholm Syndrome where the captives of the euro express support for their jailers, Check!

Maybe with other nations on the horizon heading for EU/Euro debt servitude we ought to apply the term "Athens Syndrome" to the new paradigm.

Italy's Demographic Default

2011-11-10T12:52:00.005Z

I really don't subscribe to the prevailing view of the "older workforce", live longer work longer myth I think its very lazy thinking that has the potential for serious disaster.

The fact is when you get to your mid forties you realise that your body cannot function to the same levels as before, any one who thinks they can run an efficient productive economy with an older workforce is either someone who works in an office or a politician. For us its a matter of moving away from our owner occupier culture and saving to live longer.

For an efficient workforce you need a good stock off new blood, firstly to do the donkey work and then to take over the management as they get older. We in the UK have done this by accident by our immigration polices, (a good or bad thing you choose) a sort of social Darwinism is at work excluding the unproductive underclass through the benefit system and pulling in younger more energetic kids from mainly eastern Europe. Now it seems the new arrivals want to stay and have children. So the problem for us is keeping everyone happy, and thankfully we have a pretty good track record on inter community relations baring the odd glitch. Italy does not have the same record(just watch an Italy football match and listen to the crowd when a certain Man City player gets the ball)

Italy is dying on its feet, no matter what business plan they come up with the fact is they are already in a tailspin of decline. Just as mortgages here in the UK are going to be much more age sensitive you would expect gilts and bonds to be too, I suspect now the questions are really being asked, and thus the disconnect between the economic and budgetary numbers and gilt prices, (along with being part of the dysfunctional Euro system of course)

Italy's demographics From 2007, its not good reading at all. Maybe Silvio with his Bunga parties was trying to make a wider point to the Italian public.

The News In A Picture

2011-11-04T13:21:00.003Z

Italian Oversight

The Euro, An Ariel View

2011-11-04T12:14:00.003Z

Structurally unsound, its time for the demo men.

Picture Of The Day

2011-11-03T18:18:00.003Z

Pretty much sums up the days event thus far I think.

Showbiz for Ugly People.....

2011-11-03T08:30:00.007Z

........In Cannes, and plenty of popcorn needed.

This is almost getting surreal, except of course the Eurocraps hating democracy in anyway shape or form, that's pretty much as par. Which I suppose in the long run will be the thing that destroy's them.

Whats needed is a superhero, to take on the ruthless speculators attacking the EU empire of intellect, logic, Culture without the need for violence of course.

Wait a minute, is it a bird, is it a plane, let the blockbuster begin a superhero for our times has arrived.

Lingerie Football League

2011-10-30T18:41:00.003Z

Yes you read it right. More Here and Here

What I want to know is if I shout "Touchdown" will I be served with some sort of anti-sexism order? Heavens forbid "fumble"

Sounds like a winner to me. I think I will support the girls from Vegas., I wonder who Harriet Harperson will be supporting?

Jimmy, Jimmy

2011-10-29T16:54:00.004+01:00

The worse thing about getting old or older, is your heroes dying away. As sad as it is I cannot for the life of me shed a tear for the old guy, his name will always put a smile on my face. I suppose that is the ultimate tribute.

God seems to have fixed it for the old bugger, one day he will get around to me. In the meantime lets party on with some 70's pop

Sub Prime Europe

2011-10-28T13:09:00.008+01:00

It really is something when people from what is still one of the richest part of the world goes to what is still a pretty poor part with a begging bowl, especially one with a bomb attached underneath.

However the eurocraps dress it up its a complete humiliation, the world now knows they are incapable of sorting out their own problems.

Back in the real world, I think the word is "fail"
"Italy issued 10-year debt on Friday, but paid the highest price since joining the euro.." Link Here

*And it looks like our old friends at the Federal Constitutional Court are on the case once again.

Super Computer says "Happy"

2011-10-27T21:33:00.009+01:00

The Stocks are up so the super computer market analogy that is the efficient market hypothesis is telling us that all is well in the land of money, so the TV and Radio presenters report to us. Frau Merkel has slayed the market dragon, the Germans and the French can especially rejoice, Happy 2.0 (or whatever bailout number we are up too)

Maybe this is an efficient market? but with all that free just printed money sloshing about in the banks and corporate accounts, I have my reservations. In an efficient market it is small and medium sized business that does the donkey work and brings home the bacon and the jobs, the Eu and our own government don't come across to me as geared to the main players, they like the big players to be part of their gang, no doubt the freebies are better.

“Europe’s macroeconomic position can only recover, and the sovereign debt crisis can only be addressed, through underlying economic growth and we do not see the European Union creating the conditions for that - in fact quite the opposite,” Simon Henry, chief financial officer, Royal Dutch Shell. At least one Corporate knows how things are.

And Merry Christmas to the traders and dealers in the City, after a horrendous year with blood on the carpet at least you might have a chance now of a reasonable bonus, personally I would buy yourselves a golden can to kick....Wait a minute!

The questions on those 10 year Italian Yields can wait for January I suppose.

Hugh Hendry at the LSE, lets recap.

Worlds Greatest Watchmaker Dies

2011-10-27T12:33:00.005+01:00

Very sad indeed, I would do almost anything to have a watch made by him, The Omega will have to do for special occasions.

And very strange indeed, I was reading about Sir Charles problems with his posh watch when I thought I would Google George Daniels to see what he was up to, and it turned out he had just died last week.

That is two geniuses in the past month.

The Masthead is changed in his honour.

Good News From Germany

2011-10-27T10:42:00.004+01:00

Its always struck me that the main problem with "renewable's" was not that this technology could produce energy, but could it produce it when we needed it? The solution to that problem is storage, if you can store energy then the dynamics of the economics changes drastically.

Well there is over 600 projects underway world wide, but one really holds a great deal of potential. Presenting Adiabatic compressed-air energy storage.

On a personal note, if you are in the market to upgrade your heating system, and save yourself money then you need a thermal store, these things are just ace. It will keep plenty of piping hot water ready for use on demand, it heats it up and it stays hot for ages. This summer with the heating off and the hot water switched off I still had warm water running through the taps two days later. And if you have a larger older property like me you always seem to get pressure problems through the taps, it is problem solved with this baby.

Flexi Phone

2011-10-27T00:36:00.004+01:00

Nokia strikes back.

My first Nokia was the Matrix phone, and I loved it so much I still own it, its good to have them back.

Satire, Comedy or Just Plain Irony.

2011-10-26T22:25:00.004+01:00

So the Eurocraps have come up with some serious financial engineering, imported direct from those all so shifty Anglo's across the Channel and the Atlantic. And they are planning to ban naked shorting on CDS? Well the the EFSF looks pretty naked to me, why cant I short it?

And a 50% haircut gets the Big fat Greek economy down to a manageable 120% debt to gdp, sometime never, never, and this is progress?

At least last night on TV they ran Monty Pythons Life of Brian, tonight its some sort of tribute act direct from the eurocraps ministry of Silly walks standardisation.

Et Tu, Euro

2011-10-26T08:58:00.009+01:00

So here we are the Endgame, The final chapter, The Collapse, The Saving, the grand bargain. All terms that imply a "that's all folks" caption at the end of the show.

Tomorrow you will be able to pick up your newspaper and read about something else, It will all be over. History uncomfortably for the 24 hour news cycle is not like that

But don't tell the intrepid journalists camped outside the EU commission buildings watching the movers and shakers arrive like actors on Oscar night. Maybe we ought to supply sponsorship boards for them to be interviewed in front? a few words to comfort their public before the big event.

Things like currencies and political alliances fizzle out rather than burn out quickly, but even by historical standards a dozen years is disastrously poor. So where is or was the "beginning of the end" if that what is unfolding?

Everyone seems to be pointing at 2008, when the enlightened Europeans scoffed at sub prime and the Anglo-Saxon model and did not bother to recapitalise their banks, Lending large dollops of cash to safe politicians who share their jokes at long summit dinners was so much more responsible than lending cash to the poor plebs trying to buy a house. They could not comprehend that is happening to them was another chapter in pretty much the same book.

I think the pivotal year was 2005 and in particular the French rejection of the Euro Elites constitution and its subsequent ramming through against the wishes of the rest of the people of the EU. Signals are very important in politics, democracy will always trump politics in general, without it the politicos are without legitimacy, The signal was democracy does not matter, we have the truth and thus the legitimacy to over ride democracy. Even for most Europeans who support the EU, that must have been a shock.

The mind set of people who promote some sort of paradigm or model, tends to be one of scientism. Economics and politics move from the debating chamber to the classroom, and the experts dispense their wisdom, democracy becomes much less important. Thus the Euro is not an economic tool in a utilitarian sense it becomes an end in its self, the universal truth.

If they had not been so bull headed and full of hubris and took the people with them in a meaningful sense, the last 15 month would have been difficult but not the cascade of events that have dogged them from day to day. They would have had the missing ingredient that markets and money functions by "trust", trust cannot be quantified on a A4 piece of paper, you either have it or you don't. What they wanted was a federal Europe but were afraid to ask the people that mattered if they wanted it too, it was and is the great lie.

So now they find themselves having to reveal the great lie for a federal Europe and having to construct a single treasury and the implications that come with that, its always about the money. And they will once again no doubt bypass the will of the people of Europe, they dare not do otherwise. And the stark truth will be for all to see, and it will be hated, without the popular support such a course of action would need for legitimacy. Trust the very thing that is beyond science will not be constructed along with the treasury.

So they are damned it they do and damned if they dont, and damned they will be.

Even you, Euro

The Real Problem With Roland Emmerich

2011-10-25T19:41:00.005+01:00

A lot of people are getting hot under the collar with Roland's latest masterpiece, They should really just laugh along at him and his work. For a start he has never made a single film really of any outstanding quality. Have you ever viewed Emmerich movie more than once? well your 12 year old boy will of course love Godzilla and Independence day, but really anything else?

He is like a MTV version of Micheal Moore, a sensationalist with a good thumping soundtrack and lots of flash bang, from the blood libel of The Patriot with not just an artistic licence viewpoint of history but a completely made up one to his new one (which I cant be bothered going to see in any form) and its complete disregard for fact, and of course with added anti-English spice....from a German. What next Hitler was misunderstood and it was all Churchill's fault?

The man is a very poor film maker, all you really have to do is remind him off it and he will go away and come back with even more shite to throw at us while we stuff the popcorn down our throats. He will of course get rich because of it, and will think to himself this proves his worth as a filmmaker and some sort of an uber social commentator for the 21st century, but he is not he is just plain shite, and some people like shite and will pay for it.

Interesting Observation.

2011-10-25T09:51:00.005+01:00

"Nobel Peace Prize winner Barack Obama now sends out a missile-equipped drone an average of once every four days, while his predecessor, George W. Bush, did so only once every 47 days"

Link Here

I suppose the question that really needs to be asked about remote control war, is if it is easier and cheaper both in human and monetary terms to build and use Drones, does it make wars more or less likely?

Risk, now that might be an interesting question to ask a banker.

China Nearly Hitches a EU Space Ride

2011-10-21T20:49:00.005+01:00

The EU's uber hard on for empire glory, the Galileo GPS heads for space an interesting fact has emerged...

"But Europe wants the system to be completely autonomous, no matter what the cost. In recent weeks, with the launch of the satellites looming, certain electronic components were removed. The pieces in question were part of Galileo's search-and-rescue service. But they were manufactured in China, something Brussels wasn't at all happy about. There was concern that the parts might disrupt the satellites. As a result, the Chinese-made electronics have now been replaced by non-functional metal weights"

Lets not beat around the bush, the Chinese nearly put up a hardware trojan on board. The fact that they got within weeks of doing so tells you all you need to know about how stupid and inefficient the EU are collectively. And of course lets not make a fuss as they are on their knees grovelling at the moment.

Not to worry that the Russians put the gear up in a Soyuz rocket, lets hope nothing magnetic is sticking to the sides.

The German Rule Book.

2011-10-21T08:21:00.004+01:00

“A beer for the gentlemen, and a wine or fruit-based drink for the ladies. Those are the rules. Where would we be if we didn’t have any rules? France. Where would we be if we had too many rules? Germany.” Pub Landlord

Everyone seems to be scratching their heads as to why Frau Merkel will not sign up to the wondrous sunlight uplands of EMU.

There are two German Court rulings that matter.

The first one, is the ECB has to follow the same fiscal rules and regulations of the Bundesbank, It cant backstop sovereigns end of, its illegal.

Secondly, Was last months Constitutional court ruling that the BBC and the like seem to think paved the way for a big bail out. Which basically says any bailout fund or measures have to be temporary and that Eurobonds or the sharing off debt risk was also illegal.

The German constitution was deliberately set up so that the centre did not have too much power, The idea that they will throw it out and act in a way that will almost certainly bring any politician who does so into the dock in front of a judge is not just hopeful but plain crazy.

Now I imagine that there will be some sort of Euro fudge and everyone will pretend that this is the Bazooka and all will be well, but if you believe that then you might as well believe in fairies, what they have is a peeshooter and when everyone has scrambled to pick of the peas and hide them away as fast as they can, then the shit will seriously hit the fan.

Germany has gone as far as it can go, except of course if it chooses to leave EMU, which is not as far fetched as it might have seemed only three months ago.

China Sends a Message

2011-10-20T08:35:00.004+01:00

Social Democracy and the European Social Model is finished.
(well we do import our labour laws from the EU do we not?)

* I did like the cheek off him adding "we should be more innovative" maybe that's so they can pinch more stuff from the Europeans as they are not as security conscience as the Americans. C4 News 45 mins in.

Debt Tax

2011-10-19T18:27:00.003+01:00

I think it would be a good idea if everyone stopped calling "inflation", "inflation". And started calling it what it is so even the plebs and my children understand what is going on. So I will from now on vow to call "inflation" the "Debt tax". Nice and simple and true.

The Man Is Back.....

2011-10-19T10:19:00.002+01:00

...and boy is he pissed. Still.

Gettin' Down With the Kids

2011-10-18T12:42:00.004+01:00

This is hilarious. (hat tip to BBBC)

What I want to know is where were these soldiers of socialism in 2003 when the banks where dishing out 120% mortgages, doing what the politicos wanted them to do and stuffing the wallets of the voters with money?

Is Rugby Union Legit?

2011-10-15T11:26:00.003+01:00

Is it honest? can we trust what we are seeing in front of us? is it still a contact sport? I have to say I am not sure anymore and when I saw Sam Warburton sent off I just switched the TV off and went and did some gardening.

Is what I am seeing in front of my eyes true because to be quite honest with you and I am a wondering what sort of bets have been laid on this game.

Compare and Contrast the O'Driscoll spear tackle.

Well played Wales btw, you deserved much more. As far as I am concerned another good Northern Hemisphere side goes south and gets cheated, I am sure France are in the final for purely aesthetic reasons at best and off course to make the numbers up.

'Elf and Safety

2011-10-13T17:49:00.002+01:00

"HOUSING bosses have sent letters to pensioners threatening to seize their mobility scooters – claiming the vehicles are a health and safety hazard" More Madness Here

Lets see now, lets try and balance this one out, potential but very small risk versus old folks not having their scooters, slipping and falling (certain death in the NHS), more home help due to lack off mobility, thus more costs and off course a decline in their quality of life, which has to be 'uman rights thereof?

Well at least we have identified more cuts that can be made. So thanks Mr and Mrs Paper Clip its the dole for you........hang on a minute, Labour council that means jobs for life, but anyways from me to you Mr and Mrs Paperclip "F*** the right off"

Sky News Fail

2011-10-13T13:19:00.004+01:00

I like Sky News, for the budget they blow the Beeb out of the water and seem to make less errors than Aunty overall, but you would think they might actually do a little research before sending Mark White over to Bangkok on a jolly.

Yup stun gun use is on the rise, but your local drug dealer and/or local hoodie is not buying them in the far east, they are being made here, and they are buying them from Boots.

Back to your comfy middle class home Mr white, and try not to venture too much out of the media bubble. The place where the real story is might be a little rough for ya.

The Downward Spiral, Planning for Growth

2011-10-11T15:04:00.004+01:00

The Lisbon Strategy, March 2000
Aim, "make Europe, by 2010, the most competitive and the most dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world"

Superseded by

Europe 2020 March 2010
Aim, reviving the economy of the European Union with "smart, sustainable, inclusive growth"

God only knows what is in store for the 2020-2030 jamboree, and markets are said to be happy these folks have a plan! The plan being give the banks lots of money and save them from bankruptcy and give the taxpayer the bill. Mind you the Euro taxpayers I have meet all seem to be in favour of big government and big taxes, so I guess they will be happy. Though they have a problem actually paying it.

Steve Jobs, Genius?

2011-10-11T12:28:00.007+01:00

The Telegraph makes a good fist of the answer being no, but I would disagree and say that answer is yes.

Now before I start, I dont own any apple computer, and have never done so, I own a ipod and i touch and both are now over three years old, so I am no Apple fanatic.

The thing is the two bits of tech I cant keep my mits off at the moment are my Kindle and my Windows mango smartphone, both are straight out of the Jobs playbook, and I would say if it was not for Jobs these two products would not be as good as they are, certainly not in this era/time frame.

Jobs changed the rules, and that's what a genius does, he/she either change the rules or the rules are changed because of them. Windows mango is great because it is gunning for the market share that the iphone has, and to stand any chance it has to be at least as good as the opposition. And the iphone set the bar high.

The Kindle is a little different, its carved a big niche out for its self, Amazon have looked at the market and asked themselves how can we be better and the answer is once again out of the Jobs playbook, usability.

So yes Jobs is a genius. I note on his death certificate he is down as a entrepreneur something not said by the Guardian and other left wing jounals, but that is what he is a genius for, and a pretty good capitalist to boot, a truly great 1 percenter.

Build the Gallows High

2011-10-10T08:41:00.005+01:00

"False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil"
Socrates

The Rotten Heart of Europe: Dirty War for Europe's Money,
Bernard Connolly (1995) currently a collectible book available for around the fifty quid mark.

I don't know why I am a bit of a sadist, I bought and read this book when it came out and decided there and then the EU was not just a bad idea but a evil one, but on my recent sail around the Aegean in glorious sunshine and the odd storm straight out of the movie 300, I once again went through the process of trying to prove myself wrong, and I failed, the EU is not just bad it is stili evil.

How can you prescribe a concept of evil to an organisation or a currency? easy its ideology, same as national or international socialism, the idea in the minds of the protagonist is not that they may have a truth, theirs is the truth, above and beyond all others, And that's a very dangerous thing.

Democracy, free speech, the rule of law are and have all been subverted and diluted by the elites advancing this "Truth", I suspect in a short period people on Rhodes which I recently visited on my trip, who came across to me as people living in fear will dash to the cash machines and scramble to get food in their homes, their government will stop paying wages and pensions and people will go hungry, Greece will descend into chaos.

I hope I am wrong, but If I am right then at that point we are not dealing mere differences of economic or political opinion but criminality. This will have been avoidable and in no small terms was designed to happen.

So thank you Mr Connolly for warning me all those years ago and documenting the evidence so well. It will still be the backbone of the prosecution even today.

And for all those who have finished with the little Englander and assorted jibes and are gobsmacked with reality staring you in the face, get hold of a copy.

Comedy From Iran

2011-10-09T18:40:00.003+01:00

Amahmoud Ahmadinejad should get his career sorted out and head onto the stand up comedy circuit where he will undoubted make millions.

He is pure genius.
It makes a welcome change from blaming climate change at the very least.

To Sea

2011-09-18T11:14:00.001+01:00

back soon, I Hope.

America

2011-09-16T12:48:00.003+01:00

Can any Nation that can tolerate having both Amish communities and Porn Valley within its realm really be described as bankrupt in any meaningful way?

Mind you if the coming apocalypse is also dragging the Amish people to hell too, then Porn valley might be the place to be for doomsday Dec21, 2012

Catastrophe

2011-09-15T20:13:00.005+01:00

No its not the F***ing Euro again, its far worse.

Flatshire claim to be English cricket champions, the first time since the last great depression. And not only that, Gods Men from Gods own county are being requested to pop down a division to help out with the general standard of cricket in the lower Shires.This at a time when "Englaland" are wining battles all over the known cricket world.

Eric Bloodaxe, who persuaded the Danish Vikings in the Kingdom of Jórvík to accept ECB rule would be spinning in the great hall of Valhalla at the thought of the Norse traitors in the lowlands in the West of the Kingdom could be so insulting of our good name as to even think of such an act of "flyting". Many "hölmganga" are sure to follow now as we enter a age of war. Its all going to go off "berr-serkr" I predict the breakup of the kingdom.

Its a sign from the Gods that the the Saga of Thor is available on DVD next week.

Cattle die and kinsmen die, thyself too soon must die, but one thing never, I ween, will die, The doom on each one dead.

Ideology

2011-09-14T21:12:00.004+01:00

I cant say I am a big fan of Farage, but this is a masterclass performance...

what is telling is the reaction or should I say silence off the packed ranks of the Europhiles, or should I say Eurofanatics. For them the EU is not a truth its "The truth" what we are dealing with here is ideology.

Its in its own way the same type of thinking that mentally equips people to fly planes into buildings. There is no argument or reason you can say to them and unforgivably they are the pilots, and thats the peoples fault. Yes I know, the choices at the ballot box add up to the same thing, but its our job to work that out. I suppose you get what you deserve.

Euro Humiliation

2011-09-14T10:33:00.005+01:00

So Tim is a special guest at the Euro eurocraps meeting this week in Poland.

Sounds like a bazooka is at the ready....from the FED.

Why not? They have done it before.

What fun, the smart enlightened Eurocraps being bailed out by those uncultured capitalist cowboy yanks. And poor Barry, all that political capital pointing across the water and dreaming how much more like Europe America should be.

If they have any sense the price will be a orderly dismantlement of the Euro, but sense is not something in much evidence at the moment from our dear leaders.

So this is my latest punt.

Greece gets another month, Time to enough to write up the deal.
Greece then is thrown to the wolves to appease the German public.
Germany doubles up EFSF.
The Fed matches the whole fund and China comes in on the same terms
IMF (us) get the tab for the rest and hey presto two trillion to bailout the Euro.

Can is then 2 or 3 years up the street?

I should write to your MP, No British Taxpayers money should be put up to bailout a unstable currency system, no matter what euro twaddle they put down on paper or pass off as law. Not they would take any notice, but at least it would make you feel better.

Sinners Repent, Day 2

2011-09-13T12:36:00.003+01:00

Well yesterday we had a long overdue Sorry from Balls, welcome and accepted, now do the decent thing retire your seat. A airline pilot who made such a catastrophic error would never fly again. Balls remains unfit for public office regardless.

And today its the turn of uber pro European Max Hastings takes the sword of truth out of display cabinet and gives it a little air in readiness for the months and years ahead. It wont take much to go from his present holding position to being a raving right wing little Englander nutter isolationist me thinks. Welcome to our club...forgive me while I wipe a tear for our dear blighted nation on the cross of St. George.

Its time to leave both the Eu and for me to take a holiday. If you are staying home its time to get the popcorn out. Markets V Politicos, who will win I wonder?

My guess It will not even be a close game. Even as dreadful as most politicos are, the EU lot are seriously shite.

Savages

2011-09-11T08:56:00.003+01:00

We are told that it only seems like yesterday the events of 9/11 unfolded, but to me it seems a lifetime ago. I suppose everyone knows where they were on that monstrous day, Me too, I had just come back from the Gym with a massive appetite and was just tucking into my favourite Ham salad sandwich sat in front of Sky news trying to work out how a plane might crash into the world trade centre by accident, then I watched the second plane Crash into the other tower. I remember my appetite disappear as the bottom of my stomach fell out as I was overcome in flash by the shock of what I had just seen. Sheer complete emptiness took over.

To this day I have only watched one Documentary about the events of 911. A BBC Horizon about the design of the twin towers and how it contributed to the collapse. I walk away or look away at any footage of the towers burning or collapsing, I have a copy of the movie United 93, and I have never watched it, I cant make my mind up if it is ethical to do so or is it just I find the whole thing too painful? or Both?

So much has passed since then that makes the time seem long ago, Afghanistan, Iraq, The terrorist attacks in Madrid and London, The banking collapse and just this year the Arab spring. Billions and billions off words have been written, cross checked and argued about, debated and fought over, The world is very, very different we are too busy living to realise it just yet, But the historians will also write huge volumes about 9/11 and the first decade of the 21st century, we really did live through history in the making.

I dont think its a day for more points of view, more perspectives, more insights, Its a day to remember the lives of innocent people , going about their lives and labours who were mercilessly murdered by a bunch of savages.

I often think life is a bit like trekking through the snow, you are always glancing back at the wonder of the footprints visible in the snow as you make your way. Events like 911 remind us to tread lightly, carefully and joyfully as we make our way through the snow of life. The big question is when our journey ends will our footprints still be there in the snow of time, I suspect it will, forever.

1900

2011-09-05T17:34:00.002+01:00

Well after a brief correction the gold run is back on. And to celebrate its The Stranglers with Golden Brown, a song with gold in it, but also its about Heroin which is what the EuroCraps over in Brussels must be taking in large doses at the moment.

Don't Raise Taxes on Anyone...

2011-08-28T17:46:00.002+01:00

Exactly! lets stop giving the Govt money which they use to borrow more money, Genius. Lets give them less in order to do the jobs they need to do better. Genius. Whats the F****** Problem?

Jackson Hole Hold'em QE3 Poker

2011-08-27T12:24:00.006+01:00

Whatever next? both the French, a country that has not had a budget surplus since 1976 and the Spanish are both adopting tough new measures constitutional as well fiscal measures to assure the bond markets that is time they mean business and dont want another phone call from the their new president Frau Merkel ever again or they will be forced to watch some German comedy. (from 2008 as it happens)

My Guess is Helicopter Ben knows the last two bouts of QE have not really worked and any effect is marginal on the psychology of the markets and with one glance across the Atlantic knows that this is a card he will have to play when the storm hits, so why play it now? It might be his one golden bullet if it is played at the right time, or more likely the one and only card still to play.

Tell Me How You Got The Hat

2011-08-26T19:27:00.004+01:00

Gaddafi's Hat - Noy Alooshe (Freedom Fighters Remix)

It interesting how many Libyans turn up on our wartime TV screens with Mancunian accents, obviously ganging up with the yoof of Madchester for a barney in the Arndale Centre is no match for a real war with AK47s and RPGs, probably in the long run for about two thirds off the freedoms the young Madcunians have.

Mind you is Manchester worth saving?

Genius

2011-08-26T12:41:00.002+01:00

If Hyper Inflation lands on all our doors, they will be blood!

"Social Science Depts" Substantial Cuts Identified

2011-08-26T11:30:00.006+01:00

Nope I don't agree with Starkey either, Cultures tend to bounce off one another and create something new, unfortunately the worst of "whitey" culture and bounced of the Worst of "Darkie" culture and created something that is far worse than either of their starting points. But to be fair to Starkey like most of the rest of the "social sciences" and most politicians, they never get out into the real world to find out preferring to live in the leafy "conservative" areas of our cities.

That said, he was right to say what he said, as most academics do he makes the mistake of over complicating his language, but the difference is he does it out of his own pocket. Society has to go through this trial and error process in order to get to better ground and Starkey speeded it up, so well done.

And no just because something is said that appears to be racist does not make you a racist, neither does the recognition that you believe race to be real.

Once upon a time the "Social Sciences" was funded by the wealthy, maybe as we are in desperate need of engineers and those with more technical skills we should redirect our resources where the need is, and where we will get more value for money from the public purse.

Here is a full list of those who might make way for such a revolutionary idea.

*And FFS why do you need specialist training to comment on contemporary British Social history? Apart from material facts the rest is opinion, which sums up the whole of social sciences.

Twitter Apologies

2011-08-25T11:37:00.000+01:00

New England

2011-08-23T09:35:00.004+01:00

There is something about Cricket that gets to your soul, Yes I love Football and Rugby and many others. I don't go along with the idea that Football is the Beautiful game, it can be at times as the current Spanish and Barcelona sides show, and of course their inspiration, the Dutch side of the seventies, But most of the time its not, for me the English power game is what I like even though it puts us at a disadvantage when it comes to international competition.

Cricket is very different, even within a game or series of games you can get many different battles taking place within the main contest, for example Raul Dravids resistance to the English onslaught at the Oval, which was probably the best innings played in the series even though it was a whitewash. Cricket brings the personality of the player out more than any other sport, you really get the know the players even though you will never meet them, there is no where to hide on a cricket pitch, on every team the Opening batsmen are always the potential Airline pilots.

At times during this series England have been gruesome in their treatment of the opposition, Playing like the great Australians of the last 15 years, bullying,intimidating and at times overbearing I found myself being almost embarrassed by their performances both as a team and as individuals, it was all very unEnglish this winning lark, Ive even been writing apologetic emails and messages to my Indian friends. Something does not feel right, If this was Football I would be singing a dancing around the house and garden, But this is Cricket, Cricket is different.

What makes yesterday at the Oval special is that most of the fans can remember the team as the worst in the world, so being No1 is like standing on the summit for the first time and being so exhausted and exhilarated by the fact you are actually there you don't take the view much in, It really is shocking as it is fulfilling, even though the steady march to the summit has been Calculated and well earned.

As my Aussie wife points out to me, Now you know what its like to be an Australian, Thing is I a not right sure I want to feel like an Australian, for them Winning is Winning for us its more than that.

I will leave it the the Australian to explain just how good this England side are.

Ancient Libya

2011-08-22T09:27:00.006+01:00

Looks like a new winter sun destination has opened up overnight. I am sure we will have the construction industry up and running in a blink of the eye. Hopefully Us Brits, Yanks and Frenchies will get the local prices not the tourist ones. The Arabs for all the crap that is written about them, never forget their friends. Hospitality to their friends and guests is the hallmark and measure of their culture.

And maybe a few lessons we might learn from them, the National transitional council have it in their constitution that no one on its council can stand for election to the Libyan Presidency whenever that is. They obviously understand the idea of separation of powers and the dangers of corruption.

In a world of crap news at last some good news, lets hope it continues.

Good Luck Libya. I am sure with all that sunshine, gas and oil things really can only get better.

Ironic Greek Debt Headline

2011-08-19T16:04:00.000+01:00

'Starved' Bulgarian Was Kept Captive in Greece over Debt

Prison Works

2011-08-17T19:45:00.000+01:00

Oh Yes it does!

Pretty Much Sums It Up.

2011-08-17T19:29:00.004+01:00

Whats it like to own an Apple Product

HTC Pro 7 Windows phone is the way to go,(and nearly half the price) the new mango update is going to make something wonderful into something outstanding. If you have not used Windows mobile 7 then prepare for an education.

Hat tip to Prodicus,

The Most Dangerous Man In America

2011-08-16T18:20:00.006+01:00

This is very funny, and as usual Jon Stewart hits the mark slap on the eye of the bull.

Of course you already have Hotspot Shield installed, haven't ya?

The Daily Show
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

So to the question, Why the obvious blackout? is it because even by participating in the run in to the 2012 race, he will point out some obvious facts and truths that corporate American and its money Nexus elites would rather the public ignore, dismiss or just plain don't get?

Hers a clue, the Politicos (in all nations) and the Bankers were all in it together and still are.

And no I don't hold a torch for him, but the debate should be on his terms, he is the one who had got closer to the truth than any other politico and its corporate body.

Time US Cover

2011-08-13T10:17:00.003+01:00

A Good One, but it would have been better with a shot of the looting youth queuing outside JD Sports.

Unconstitutional

2011-08-12T18:50:00.002+01:00

Forcing folks to buy a commercial product? I think the US constitution is pretty clear on the matter, its strange that a Constitutional lawyer President is none the wiser.

Anyways the courts seem to think he is pretty less than average too.

Looting Spreads To France

2011-08-12T11:45:00.001+01:00

..And the Police are again standing by it seems.

Helping The Rioting Youth

2011-08-12T10:03:00.005+01:00

FFS, get rid off the Minimum Wage.

My Mum told me that when she left school in the 60's with nowt to her name in the first year she did over 10 different jobs before she found one she liked and stuck with.

I think what is now true kids are just being lumped with non courses at the local "university", get the young rioters into the work place asap, the wage price matters and yes I think it would in the short term add a chunk to tax credit. But what is better?

Fields of Gold

2011-08-11T13:05:00.003+01:00

$1800 and upwards.

That was only 5 freakin' days.

Maybe the Westie is blocking the window so a few French and Italian bankers dont jump?

The Reverse Nixon

2011-08-11T12:42:00.003+01:00

I blow hot and cold on Max & Tracy Keiser, sometimes he is pure comedy, sometimes pure genius, but this week he pretty much nails the bugger and points to an exit strategy for the world. Oh yes and "change you can believe in" gets a very serious kicking, what a hapless Pike he is sadly.

So why is the USA AA+ and China AA-, as its not a straight linear problem, the best explanation is I think is that its best to owe the bank nothing or everything.

The Link You Need is Here!

Gay Moments In Sport

2011-08-11T09:45:00.000+01:00

Small things for small minds

There is Hope, There is Always Hope......

2011-08-11T07:54:00.005+01:00

...As long as we produce minds like CC's, we will prevail.

Arise Sir Charles Crawford, A one man public inquiry

GMP 1 Met 0

2011-08-10T16:47:00.003+01:00

You have got to hand the GMP, they win the riot attire contest hands down.
And I think it matters, most of these Rioting Kids are going to set a good deal of stock on the way you look, and to be quite frank in their own worlds "if you look a bit batty boy then there's no need askin' like, is it?"

So I think GMP's more Robocop wardrobe signals a much more physical approach to a screaming youth spitting in your face. As seems to be the case.

Poverty

2011-08-10T14:46:00.003+01:00

Recently a uncle of mine died in pretty tragic circumstances. He had cut himself off from the rest of the family and basically drunk himself to death at the age of 52.

He was profoundly dyslexic, he had trouble at school from the age of 14 and rarely attended, he was an very good artist and a brilliant carpenter. When I was clearing out his flat it was very odd to see many wonderful vases and paintings and not to find any written material, no books, not even a newspaper.

He had numerous jobs, from working the rigs in the north sea, construction in Germany to working the summer in some very nice hotels, he an exceptional cook. He was a bit of a drifter but was never without money, or the ability to get money.

I went to his council flat soon after his body that was lying there for three weeks was removed, it was not something you wish to do even if you are prepared for it as I was by identifying him prior to going to his home.

What I recovered was around 20k in cash savings, and around the same in value in antiques and a life policy and funeral cover, amongst absolute deprived squalor.

We his family are all at a lost to understand this, he seems to have chosen this when he had the ways and means to choose something better, but he did not. His mother has been spared the details it was that bad

It seems to me that his home really was his castle, speaking to the warden about his final years she told me he was always clean, tidy and polite but abjectly refused to allow anyone into the flat. So too his neighbours who told me me much the same thing.

A few years ago I was called upon to demolish a house that was a drug den. Most of the house was utterly vile except when you found the metal fortified room in centre of the house, which was basically what rich people install into their mansions, a panic room. Even equipped with its own plumbing and plasma TV. A perfect castle surrounded by rats, used needles and rotting dog and cat corpses, probably fodder for the pit bulls.

I think my uncle had the same idea, for the ultimate in privacy and freedom wrap yourself in poverty. I am not saying that Poverty is not real, it is. But its causes are much less economic as the Left wish us to believe. Money and resources only solves some problems, some of the time and often generate new problems. The real problems are cultural, social and health related and at the end of the day you only need a roof, heat a bed and chair and 2500 calories a day to live, and I suspect many people are well capable of choosing just that and not a lot more.

Looting The Bookstore.

2011-08-10T09:46:00.003+01:00

Demographics, Check, check and check again

Teen Angst, Check (not much rioting before tea time)

Gangs, Check

Greed, Check

Recreational Violence, Double Check, And What FUN!

The Left trying to Psychoanalysise the Yoof off today, and coming up with, Tories and Cuts, Triple check.

Schools not teaching Kids to read, write and calculate, A GREAT BIG ...BIG CHECK

Visions Of China

2011-08-09T13:22:00.002+01:00

I think our Han friends have a little too much money going spare.

Milton Friedman V Michael Moore

2011-08-08T15:25:00.002+01:00

Let there be prices.......scratching around waiting for the world to end, and I stumbled on this on YouTube.

Well That Was Quick

2011-08-08T08:19:00.003+01:00

$1700, good job I had a song lined up!
And a depression theme to this one, two for price of one.

‘Cut Them Right Off '

2011-08-08T08:12:00.003+01:00

Advice from the academic left from 30 years ago on dealing with troublesome youths.

Never Mind the BOLUX, Here's the Range Rover

2011-08-05T20:22:00.004+01:00

The state in action in all its righteous glory.

Bloke buys reg from DVLA, DVLA takes the cash, DVLA order him to remove it as its offensive. What fun.

The Breakdown of Nations

2011-08-05T11:49:00.005+01:00

Hayek, Popper are the Austrians that are widely known, but there is a third one that I think is worthy off attention at this time, Leopold Kohr.

I think he would understand our present situation with a good deal of clarity, his general view was not really one of right or left, wrong or right. But big or small, good and bad.

The "cult of bigness" gives a pretty good overview of the present issues does it not? the EU a big political empire messing up merrily, banks that are too big, the Federal government of the US doing much too much and running up massive debts.

"When something is wrong, something is too big." I cant find much to argue with that position at the moment, I think Dillow was pointing in that direction with this post.
When you get too big you spend most of your time holding the sum or your parts together instead of chopping off the parts of the body that you need to adapt. As you grow the internal vested interests take hold.

Worth reading if you have not, its time might just have come?

The Bastards

2011-08-04T18:11:00.006+01:00

Remember them? John Majors "bastards" Portilio, Redwood, Michael Howard, Peter Lilley on the inside, and Teresa Gorman, Chris Gill, Tony Marlow, Sir Teddy Taylor, John Wilkinson, Sir Richard Body and Richard Shepherd on the outside.

I was listening to John Majors ex. Edwina Currie on Richard snorting Bacon's R5L show this afternoon as they wankfested themselves on kicking Americas Tea Party. Edwina somehow believed that the UK political system was somehow like US constitution a couple of hundred years. Bacon believed in the general BBC/Guardian gumf that taxing rich people more will if not put an end to our problems then at least make us feel a little better about them.

Just as the Tea Party are important in setting an agenda, then so too were "The Bastards" in setting the tone of the EU/Euro debate in the early 1990's. Yes there was certainly plenty on the Left who saw the dangers that the EU and the Euro posed. But Conservatives tend to be the party of the constitution and issues such as the Eu and the Euro tend to strike at the heart of what Conservatism is, thus as they were also the governing party at the time were uniquely able to amplify a warning off the dangers ahead.

No they did not stop successive treaty's invading the body politic of the UK, but what they did do is make sure the public was aware of the issue and thus establishment politicians were forced one way or another to offer referendums on joining the Euro, something I believe Blair wishes he had not as it shackled him early in his government.

I have no doubt that if the opinion polls had been favorable at anytime in the run up to the Euro launch in 2001 then we would have found our way into it. Brown and Co. are going around pretending that this is not so and they saved us, this is bullshit, Browns whole aim in politics was to be PM and throwing spanners in Blair's project was his way of getting there as quickly as he could, the fate of Sterling and our democracy was just a tool for him to play political games with, as was the British economy.

Regardless of what fate awaits us and the rocky roads that we have to climb in the coming years to restore our pride, morality, democracy and economy, I think we owe "The Bastards" a debt of gratitude. They warned us and they were right. They took the punches that came with it, the ridicule, the insults, the laughter and jibes.

They set aside party colours for principle, we desperately need more "bastards" from both Left and right.....and what Irony, a political and monetary creation without a father? Bastards indeed.

Yorkshire Airlines

2011-08-04T10:40:00.002+01:00

Yup we have one, no great shakes but then again they are not Malaysian, Emeriates or Qatar. Sadly no Alan Bennett class or mushy peas though, but they do the job. Anything over four hours and I would use someone else, but that I would say applies to all the budget airlines.

There is some seriously good offers on at the moment so make sure they have ABTA cover, get yourself insured and don't buy shares in holiday companies and I would say hope for the best.

Drinking With Bob

2011-08-03T14:15:00.003+01:00

Nailing it with Bob. A ranting superstar stateside.

I am a bit like this after either a couple of Jaipur pale ales, or assorted mad men on my TV.

Natural Born Killers

2011-07-28T20:51:00.003+01:00

No democracy is not an end in itself, neither is nationality and statehood, but I think free speech is. If there is one Human Right, (and I am not big on the rights culture we seem to have produced) then free speech must surely be it. Is it absolute? no it is not, but it should be as near as damn it.

This is I think where the line is drawn when it comes to the use of force or armed insurrection. If Free speech is withdrawn or compromised to such a degree then I think you can have the moral right to "wage war" on the state, by force.

Norway for all its absurdities does not strike me as such a state.

Then if you pass this Free Speech test you have to engage the state to set of rules, for example, not deliberately targeting civilians, only the agents of the state, maybe only the armed agents of the state.

Breivik did not do any off this, he set about the wanton murder of his fellow citizens including women and children, not something a rational mind would do. Humans have a natural aversion to killing their fellow humans.

To kill a fellow human being you either need to be trained to do it, this is why professional armies are much more efficient killers than conscription ones that tend to run away. This is achieved by de-sensitising the soldier to killing, the other is you are a psychopath who is getting off on the killing.

This is why what Breikik believed or not is irrelevant, what the Marxist suicide bombers in Sri lanka believed or not is irrelevant so too the Kurdish PPK. Yes he had motive and he planned to his motive in a rational way. But it is a bit like hard core porn, in itself does not turn you into a rapist, what it does is the give psychopathic killing spree added wank value (for all sides it seems)

And by his own admission if he is not a natural psychopath, then he used drugs in order to achieve that state he felt he need to kill. A rational man doing the irrational perhaps? but its stretching it is it not, when there was many more rational options, he could have chosen, for what he believed to be rational arguments. Rational people keep their fantasies in their heads.

I think the picture of him smiling in police custody gives the game away, we are not dealing with the rational, you are seeing at close hand mind and face off the criminally insane, a man with no conscience. killing is a seriously hard thing to do thankfully.

Or as US Army Brigadier General S.L.A. Marshall put it "in Vietnam, for every enemy soldiers killed, more than fifty thousand bullets were fired"

and if you are more interested in such matters then read.

On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society, by Lt.Col. Dave Grossman

Mad Men

2011-07-23T15:27:00.006+01:00

Here we go again, trying to rationalise the irrational.

Sorry I dont care one jot, for his views, his inspirations, even his life (if indeed he is guilty of these crimes it should be ended).I care for his victims and hope comfort comes quickly and stays with them always.

I think today off all days we should be in wonder of the greatness of the human spirit, this guy perhaps? John Burkhill a truly great Mad Man.

Tom Watson, Top Draw Tosser

2011-07-23T09:18:00.005+01:00

So Tubby Tom thinks writing to the police will be the right thing to do. As Alex Masterly, (who works for Rupert Sterling at Megabank, when he is not shagging his and his colleges secretaries) points out the obvious,

"Absolute privilege protects freedom of speech in parliamentary proceedings; it is enshrined in statutory form in Article 9 of the Bill of Rights 1689, which prohibits proceedings in Parliament from being called in question in any court"

You would have thought at least our MP's would know a little bit about such matters, would you not?

And it looks as though Harvard Murdoch is in the clear. Gudio I think is clutching as straws here, you cant prove a negative.

Re Clive Goodman

We have on your instructions reviewed the emails to which you have provided access from the accounts of:

Andy Coulson
Stuart Kuttner
Ian Edmondson
Clive Goodman
Neil Wallis
Jules Stenson

I can confirm that we did not find anything in those emails which appeared to us to be reasonable evidence that Clive Goodman’s illegal actions were known about and supported by both or either of Andy Coulson, the Editor, and Neil Wallis, the Deputy Editor, and/or that Ian Edmondson, the News Editor, and others were carrying out similar illegal procedures.

Please let me know if we can be of any further assistance.

Nice and clear for once from a law firm, I wish I could afford them.

"Sensitive Constellation"

2011-07-22T08:05:00.005+01:00

In a lot of ways the Euro is the zenith of fiat currencies, it really is pure politics. And yesterday was no different.

Lets see now, flesh on the bones of the Communique will take a few weeks? then the ratification process through the various Parliaments, a month or two? in the meantime, Greece can default (who and how, are the banks taking the hit btw?)

In September the elephant in the room is the German constitutional court, who are going to rule on the legality of bailouts.

Off course they are not going to throw spanners in the eurodream machine, but they will put down the markers so that Frau Merkel will know where the boundaries are, and this I imagine is what this latest summer special bailout is all about.

Seems Germanys judges are about on a par with our own...

A ruling is expected this year. Most analysts expect the court to rule the bailouts were legal but to attach strings to the deals. Last month, Vosskuhle, the chief judge hearing the case, seemed to hint at this, when said there were instances in which the European Union could violate the core of Germany's constitutional identity. Such a "sensitive constellation" was indeed conceivable, he said, adding that he believed that this would "not necessarily happen in the near future".

Fiscal union or not is the question. I fancy too Frau Merkel will be sitting on the seat on her pants in the Bundestag during Septemeber, Its still Germany's call.

I Think You Have a Point Sir

2011-07-21T17:34:00.002+01:00

King off Yorkshire Cricket tells it like it is to the southern softies.
Sir Geoffrey Opines.

"Free enterprise doesn't work when private companies take the profits. Yet we the public pay for their losses. How is that right? I say put them all in jail" Geoff Boycott

As a fellow Yorkshire man, I say we should start with this crook.

Brain Drain

2011-07-21T16:08:00.003+01:00

The Groan has received a lot of deserved flak over the past week from yours truly, but credit where credit is due.

This is a very worrying article, if like me you did a bit of rugby and boxing in your youth, not forgetting Friday night in the White Horse car park, you might want to be a bit more careful about how your kids play sport. Knocks to the head never heal properly.

And if you have the stomach for it, a look inside a sportsmans brain too.

Godspeed, Atlantis

2011-07-21T09:00:00.003+01:00

Not a lot in this world I would not do for a ride on the shuttle. I saw it take off in 1994, STS-62, what a firework! 3/5 made it home, not too bad really. (fingers crossed for this afternoon)

"We Did Nothing"

2011-07-20T20:52:00.002+01:00

Brillo gets the truth, from the horses mouth.

"Catastrophic Error of Judgment"

2011-07-20T12:08:00.010+01:00

RedED thinks hiring a hack to do hack business is "catastrophic error of judgment" Guido order of the OTT should be arriving soonish, mind you he also seems to be too wrapped up in the bubble too much I feel.

Which got me thinking, "catastrophic error of judgment" Top Ten, What would that look like? I suppose we are going to narrow it down a little, history is littered with them, usually great minds doing great things. So I would say 1980 onwards, by sitting Prime Ministers.

I will throw a few stones into the pond.

*Thatch not sacking Lawson for shadowing the DMark
*Thatch for agreeing to join ERM and not resigning instead
*Major signing up to Maastricht Treaty
*Blair/Brown, taking from the BoE supervision for the banks 1997, FSA
*Blair/Brown/AND THE REST, supporting UK or possible UK participation in EMU
*Blair/Brown borrowing in the bubble or if you like the structural deficit
*Blair/Brown not reforming public services (*and Pensions) at the top of the cycle
*Blair/Brown Amsterdam, Lisbon and the rest
*Major/Thatcher Property tax reform after the mid 80s housing bubble
*Brown, Gold...sell! sell! *Blair for not sacking him for being a fruitcake.

I am sure many would add a few wars ect, in the history books I suspect they will be footnotes.

Question's Answered

2011-07-20T09:57:00.007+01:00

So if the subs, editors and proprietors did not know, should they have known? Liars or Fools? is the question I have until now not been able to answer.

All the companies I've worked for, and businesses I have been involved in suggests to me that you should know, but its not like that in journalism and newspapers for very, very good ethical reasons. (hat tip to Tim)

One thing that struck me from yesterdays botched up show trial, was how the MPs who I suggest have very little experience of the business and corporate world (without checking) seemed to think that Rupert was the captain of the ship and thus responsible. this is a odd way of thinking how such organisations function. A better way of thinking about it is to think that News International is a battle group, and Rupert is the Admiral of the fleet,each ship has its captain, responsible for what happens on that ship. So yes Rupert has overall responsibility, but not direct responsibility. Unless of course he gave the order, which I doubt.

I have also used private detectives from time to time, and one thing you don't do is ask them their sources, not that they would tell you. I think this will be the main focus of the inquiry. Of course any direct employee of NoTW is going to be supported legally until found guilty, this is the mistake NoTW made by bringing these people inhouse.

Rupert and thus NI might come out of this very much stronger, I think the case against him and NI is weak. Vice admiral James? he is in a different place.

As said before, when the focus of all this becomes Private Eyes, the biggest can of worms in the history of the British establishment will be opened. Business spying on businesses, law firms spying on law firms, people in jail on evidence from phone hacking (if hacking it is?) the list and story will go on for years.

Sky Box Office (update)

2011-07-19T17:37:00.002+01:00

Off the bench to save the day, Woman of the match....Wendi Murdoch.

Police once again shown to be utter tripe as we should have expected. Jonnie Marbles usually loon hooligan full of hate, Rupert's luck was in, and not his hearing aid.

Tom Watson, usually lefty trying to pin you down to yes/no answers and steer everyone to his world view. nothing much else.

As for as I can see, no punches either way, expect for the Wendi slap on Jonnie.

Rematch in front of the Judge.

France Comes into the Crosshairs

2011-07-19T14:38:00.002+01:00

Looks like France is decoupling from the Euro.