tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-125905192012-02-01T18:05:00.266ZAn occasional glimpse into the workings of the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Executive (or comments on anything else that takes my fancy).Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.comBlogger32121100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-49578613191415811672012-02-01T18:05:00.000Z2012-02-01T18:05:00.276Z

All I wanted was a nice pot roast.  A chunk of beef, an onion, some swede and carrot, a few shallots, wine and beef stock.  What could go wrong?  But it's not that easy with a ceramic hob.  You can't set the gas at a peep. But Delia said it would be alright in the oven.  Three hours at 140 degrees.  OK, but the casserole pot was too tall for the top oven, so it had to go in the bottom oven.  But

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-75822812199130117492012-02-01T11:27:00.001Z2012-02-01T11:27:21.678Z

Convenient timing.  Shortly after his dithering over the Hester bonus, and simultaneously with the report to Parliament of his EU climbdown, Cameron gets to pose as a decisive banker critic by announcing the undubbing of poor old Fred Goodwin.  Anyone else in line to lose an honour?  Probably not until Cameron gets into further trouble.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-38192544846332197822012-01-31T13:26:00.003Z2012-01-31T13:26:47.845Z

Oh well, if we absolutely must discuss yesterday's EU Summit ...  Helpfully, The Guardian has a summary of the main conclusions: • 25 countries endorsed the fiscal pact. They agreed to enshrine balanced budget legislation into their national law, with annual structural deficits capped at 0.5% of GDP. Transgressors face penalties of 0.1% of GDP, with fines being added to Europe's bailout fund

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-12259302657518711762012-01-31T07:26:00.003Z2012-01-31T07:26:59.556Z

So what, exactly, is the coalition government's current position on bonuses in the public or quasi-public sector?  Or even, come to that, in the private sector?  The problem is not going to disappear.  As The Guardian reports: ... the government needs to decide how to treat pay and bonuses at nationalised and semi-nationalised companies that wish to recruit executives from the private sector.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-34578389262075333172012-01-29T07:35:00.002Z2012-01-29T07:36:19.002Z

Stephen Hester writes: I wish I’d never taken the bloody job in the first place.  If I’d known that saving the biggest bank in the country would make me public enemy no 1, you wouldn’t have seen me for dust. Bad enough that the maximum bonus to which I am entitled this year should be limited to a paltry couple of million, but Cameron had to play to the gallery and limit it to less than

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-19904485380049618162012-01-29T07:01:00.004Z2012-01-29T07:01:54.840Z

... from Victoria Coren in The Observer (here): ... the New Testament, if read as an economic tract, is innately rather socialist. It's all sharey-sharey. Jesus wanted everyone to get a bit of bread and fish. He was all about the divvying up and the helping one's neighbour. So, if Christianity is going to make itself heard on tax-and-spend policies, it has got to lean towards spreading the

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-26559150169655420782012-01-27T14:42:00.002Z2012-01-27T14:42:25.014Z

Well it has the endorsement of UK Ministers and the London media. Hat tip to Caley Merc.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-86447638108341808512012-01-27T09:02:00.000Z2012-01-27T09:02:00.682Z

How the rich folk live, as reported in The Independent. Here: Redknapp said: "I have a big problem, I can't write, so I don't keep anything. I'm the most disorganised person, I am ashamed to say, in the world, I can't work a computer, I don't know what an email is, I have never sent a fax and I've never sent a text message." .. I'm disorganised, completely and utterly disorganised, but I'm

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-18627275483646420092012-01-26T07:52:00.000Z2012-01-26T07:53:17.059Z

Yesterday, I suggested (rather frivolously) that, in the light of the contraction in gdp, the Chancellor might look out Plan B.  And, lo, my prayers have been answered.  The Independent reports: George Osborne is considering tax cuts for low and middle earners in his March Budget in an attempt to kick-start growth after figures showed that the economy is contracting. The Chancellor will

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-40343662558330260382012-01-25T17:00:00.001Z2012-01-25T17:00:03.167Z

From The Spectator (here): Depressing, isn't it?  Now where did I put that Plan B?

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-15048134708285697452012-01-25T05:08:00.001Z2012-01-25T05:08:14.374Z

So the outstanding debt of the UK Government has reached the sum of £1 trillion.  That's £1,000,000,000,000, I think.  Seems a lot. But The New Statesman has a handy graph to put it in perspective: Expressed as a percentage of gdp, the debt may be higher than in the last 40 years, but lies well below the position during the period from the Great War to the 1960s when, if you remember, we

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-47775304152962641572012-01-24T16:22:00.000Z2012-01-24T16:22:17.766Z

A song about dirt:

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-38796607668621182592012-01-24T06:44:00.000Z2012-01-24T06:48:20.761Z

So, at the top end, the fatcats are facing a strict cap on their outrageous salaries, regardless of how many children they have.  The coalition government are determined to deal firmly with the problem of excessive remuneration, even if it means that the bloated capitalists have to move house to a cheaper mansion out in the suburbs.  And if their spoiled kids have to move to a cheaper

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-47928574884537410512012-01-23T10:34:00.003Z2012-01-23T10:35:53.473Z

 Oh dear, oh dear.  The Independent reports: Subsidence caused by work on Parliament's underground car park and the construction of new Tube tunnels have led to cracks appearing in walls around the Houses of Commons and Lords, with Big Ben's bell tower leaning 18in at its peak. There are even fears the building could sink into the Thames. A metaphor for our times ...

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-27917975248954718762012-01-23T08:13:00.003Z2012-01-23T08:14:11.282Z

By Mitt Romney, the cipher in a suit, as reported in The Independent : "I have emotion and passion. I'm going to show the passion that I have when it comes naturally," he told Fox News. If you need to say you've got it, you probably don't.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-85227829887624510012012-01-20T08:11:00.003Z2012-01-20T08:13:42.960Z

Voldemort Lansley as reported in The Independent: Mr Lansley told the BBC the legislation was essential in order to give nurses and doctors clinical leadership. He said: "[The RCN] used to be a professional association that was working with us on professional issues and will carry on doing that, but now the trade union aspect of the Royal College of Nursing has come to the fore, they want to

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-58032350883232972142012-01-20T06:40:00.001Z2012-01-20T06:40:22.701Z

I willingly admit that the whole concept of knighthood is a nonsensical anachronism in the 21st century.  And I would certainly not defend the role of highly paid bankers in contibuting to the 2008 financial crash. Nevertheless there is something deeply unsavoury about Cameron's rush to condemn Sir Fred Goodwin by asking the Forfeiture Committee to strip him of his knighthood.  This Governmet

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-26418975265926472602012-01-19T15:46:00.004Z2012-01-19T15:46:54.032Z

For all the Alisons I ever knew:

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-40607658031553269292012-01-19T08:33:00.005Z2012-01-19T08:36:18.738Z

Sounds uncomfortable?  But apparently it is the latest fashion in ski-wear.  The Independent reports: The deeply competitive world of downhill skiing is being rocked by a heated dispute about plastic underwear and whether wearing such garments on the slopes gives racers an unfair aerodynamic advantage over their rivals. The row erupted last week when the Slovenian skier Tina Maze finished

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-44306494720985525202012-01-18T12:50:00.001Z2012-01-18T12:51:03.373Z

The Guardian reports: The idea of a new international airport for London has taken a first step towards reality with news that the government plans to hold a formal consultation on proposals for a Thames estuary hub. According to reports, David Cameron will announce a consultation by March – when the transport secretary, Justine Greening, will publish the government's broader aviation

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-18968286864098527932012-01-18T08:18:00.000Z2012-01-18T08:20:21.087Z

The Independent seems to be getting worked up about the perils of the Olympics.  First, on Monday they published this story: Preparations are being made to deal with a possible epidemic of infectious disease during the London Olympics, with officials concerned at the prospect of an outbreak of unusual illnesses. The Health Protection Agency has set up a monitoring system of hospital

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-18783244944730241402012-01-16T11:11:00.001Z2012-01-16T11:11:21.608Z

The Guardian reports: British tennis's big day in Melbourne turned into a nightmare as Laura Robson, Elena Baltacha and Anne Keothavong followed Jamie Ward and Heather Watson in losing on the opening day of the Australian Open.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-73078741382172652002012-01-16T10:39:00.000Z2012-01-16T11:13:32.285Z

Apparently, Tom Harris MP has been sacked as a Scottish Labour Party media adviser because of this: Seems a bit harsh? Update:  I meant the sacking was a bit harsh, not the video clip.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-73465066167361853542012-01-16T07:35:00.000Z2012-01-16T07:35:42.688Z

From The Independent (here): Mr Salmond told the BBC's Politics Scotland programme: "Sterling is not owned by George Osborne. Our position is, let's use sterling until we're able to take a decision on the euro." UK ministers say Mr Salmond's position is flawed because interest rates would continue to be set by the Bank of England. They say that could leave a breakaway Scotland with less

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-84564797225335858132012-01-16T06:56:00.002Z2012-01-16T06:56:44.974Z

It may be somewhat disrespectful of Scottish politicians but Steve Bell's latest is pure dead brilliant.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-56868886947360388422012-01-14T10:37:00.001Z2012-01-14T10:42:53.461Z

It gets worse.  Yesterday, the discussions on the haircut were suspended (or collapsed, if you prefer).  The Independent reports: ... the fate of ordinary Greek citizens also resides in the unsentimental clutches of private sector financiers. Germany, the biggest single contributor to the EU/IMF Greek bailout, began pushing hard last year for something called "private sector involvement" in

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-85054029953709630512012-01-14T10:01:00.001Z2012-01-14T10:02:38.363Z

Every little helps.  The Independent reports: A senior Tesco executive sold more than £200,000 of shares in the supermarket a week before its first profit warning in 20 years wiped nearly £5bn off its market value. Noel "Bob" Robbins, the grocer's chief UK operating officer, offloaded 50,000 shares at 404.5p each on 4 January and pocketed £202,255. By selling them 10 days ago, he made

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-7752870641664531742012-01-13T08:17:00.000Z2012-01-13T08:17:47.968Z

Confusingly, both of these comments on Tesco's travails are from The Independent: Here: ... as one of the country's best-known retailers often says privately: pre-tax profit is the only figure that really matters. It is here that Philip Clarke, Tesco's under-pressure boss, will again be top dog, with full-year profits up to about £3.6bn. The world's third-biggest retailer is looking a bit

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-80784608015765647542012-01-13T07:33:00.000Z2012-01-13T07:33:04.519Z

As reported in The Guardian: Cameron: If you Scots want to have a referendum, you'll have it when I say so. Scotland: Screw you, pal. We'll have it when we want. Every political commentator: I say! We're heading for the gravest constitutional crisis since, er ... since the last one. Everyone else: We really couldn't care less if Scotland gets its independence ... Cameron: I tend to agree ...

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-72021599017394287282012-01-13T06:24:00.000Z2012-01-13T06:25:44.471Z

A not so helpful intervention.  The Guardian reports: George Osborne made his first public intervention in the debate on Scottish independence when he told the Scottish people that they might end up adopting the euro. ... The SNP has said in the past that it would see euro membership as a long-term aspiration for an independent Scotland, though this would have to be approved in a referendum.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-32867063380865797682012-01-11T18:25:00.002Z2012-01-11T18:25:46.811Z

1.  Hamish Macdonell on the Spectator website (here): What some in the UK Government seem to have forgotten is that, because this is such an important issue for the Scottish Nationalists, they have analysed and prepared for every twist and turn of the debate. In what is now a game of political chess, Mr Salmond has correctly forecast his opponent’s moves before they have even decided

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-71086383168487706002012-01-11T13:44:00.000Z2012-01-11T13:46:29.235Z

A new track from Leonard:

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-8315174996838486812012-01-11T13:35:00.000Z2012-01-11T13:35:56.566Z

Frau Merkel has been a busy girl this week.  Sarko on Monday, Christine Lagarde yesterday and Mario Monti today.  Meanwhile Christine (who should perhaps lay off the fake tan for a bit) is today in Paris for a meeting with Sarko. And where is Cameron in all these bi-laterals?  Should he not be keeping an eye on what they're up to?  But then if you burn your boats with a veto, you don't get

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-54113011157056816502012-01-11T11:12:00.002Z2012-01-11T11:12:32.826Z

On-line grocery shopping.  Yes, you get really exciting posts at this blog.Anyway, I thought I should let you know that Waitrose are now doing deliveries of groceries in the Edinburgh area.  What’s more, if you spend £50 plus, the delivery is free.  Rather better than Sainsbury where you need to spend £100 to get free delivery (and only on Tuesdays to Thursdays).  On the other hand,

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-20814505513097670212012-01-11T07:10:00.000Z2012-01-11T07:10:10.506Z

Just a thought. If the Scottish Government lacks the legal authority "to legislate, and authorise spending arrangements, for" an independence referendum, as asserted by the Westminster government, then presumably the Scottish Government also lacks the legal authority to spend money on issuing a consultation paper on the matter, which it nevertheless did on 25 February 2010 (see here). But I do

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-70226587368201453602012-01-10T18:35:00.003Z2012-01-10T18:36:46.624Z

From the UK Government's consultation paper (here): Following the Scottish Parliament elections in May last year, the Scottish Government has made clear its intention to hold a referendum on independence. To do so it is necessary for the Scottish Parliament to have the legal power to legislate, and authorise spending arrangements, for such a referendum. It is the view of the UK Government that

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-79787868535573432622012-01-10T07:49:00.001Z2012-01-10T07:49:29.533Z

So HS2, the high speed railway between London and Birmingham, is to go ahead after all.  I'm not clear why it is regarded as high speed.   After all, it is not expected to come into service until 2026.  It is unlikely to reach Scotland within my lifetime. By way of comparison, the French equivalent, the TGV, was authorised by the French Government in 1976 amd the first trains were running

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-46581314665868293042012-01-09T07:58:00.001Z2012-01-09T07:58:30.308Z

Does the Prime Minister know what he's doing?  The Independent reports: David Cameron is to take the high-risk gamble of offering to hold a referendum on Scottish independence next year. He aims to call Alex Salmond's bluff by challenging him to stage a vote on Scotland's place in the UK within 18 months.  ... The Prime Minister will publish legal advice that concludes the SNP administration

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-20310542003598692032012-01-08T15:05:00.000Z2012-01-08T15:05:04.701Z

There is something essentially ridiculous about watching the Man City/Man U football match on a Russian website.  But the English language feeds had broken down (much like Man C), so I opted for Russian commentators.  (At no great loss in comprehension, despite my extremely limited Russian.) Am I doing something illegal?  Dunno.  But if you want to watch French rugby, English (or Scottish)

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-19009094873744963182012-01-07T08:23:00.004Z2012-01-07T08:23:59.592Z

By Lucy in The Guardian (here): I have at last pinpointed why the sight of David Cameron is becoming more unsettling. (The hateful sound, of course, has always been easy to explain – there are the words, of course, and then the way they spill fruitily forth from his wet-lipped mouth like rotting, weeping plums.) It's because he's getting fatter. Not massively, not obscenely so – just

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-52875342577266036902012-01-06T09:40:00.001Z2012-01-06T09:40:43.102Z

It's a bum rap.  The Independent reports: A 36-year-old woman was accused of causing $10,000 worth of damage to a painting valued at between $30m and $40m by punching it, scratching it, and sliding her bare buttocks against it while urinating. The oil painting, Clyfford Still's 1957-J no 2, was on show at the recently opened museum dedicated to the artist in Denver, Colorado.  

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-21673225084045857222012-01-06T06:30:00.001Z2012-01-06T06:30:22.276Z

Well there I go.  According to a study in the BMJ, my cognitive abilities may have begun their decline fifteen years earlier than anticipated.  It would be alarming if I still had the sense to understand it.  But then that's probably down to my ever-increasing stupidity. John Crace in The Guardian has the right attitude: Getting old is a scary enough business – every illness I get is more

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-9038676313048681592012-01-05T16:32:00.000Z2012-01-05T16:32:08.182Z

OK, so I'm an old romantic:

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-15807562893058660152012-01-05T09:12:00.004Z2012-01-05T09:13:58.110Z

The fatcat bosses can't lose.  It's heads they win, tails they win.  The Independent reports on a blatant case: The former chief executive of Thomas Cook received £1.17 million from the company after he resigned, despite the group's deteriorating performance under his watch. The holiday giant's annual report revealed Manny Fontenla-Novoa received the payout on top of the £1.19 million

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-65566093030075213242012-01-04T10:57:00.004Z2012-01-04T10:57:42.617Z

Will the First Minister adopt the lycra?  The Scotsman reports: Alex Salmond is being challenged to get on his bike to raise the profile of cycling. Labour Central Scotland MSP Mark Griffin, has offered to join the First Minister on a bike ride around Edinburgh in the hope that it will encourage people to cycle to work. Fat Eck on a

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-45549614311212575802012-01-04T09:37:00.002Z2012-01-04T09:39:45.102Z

Hey, the UK's financial position is not so bad.  The Independent looks at the state of play in a different way: The world's sovereign bond markets face a monumental test in 2012 as the largest economies attempt to roll over a combined total of $7.6 trillion (£4.9 trillion) in debt. Data compiled by Bloomberg show the full extent of the financing needs of the largest nations over the next

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-79382664331785383162012-01-01T10:26:00.001Z2012-01-01T10:26:35.678Z

Let us start the New Year as we mean to continue.  In ignorance.  The Independent explains the Higgs Boson Particle: Professor Peter Higgs of Edinburgh University first postulated the subatomic particle that now bears his name in the 1960s. He theorised that all matter has a mass because it interacts with a force field that pervades the universe – an interaction mediated by the boson. The

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-23385282876273273752011-12-30T14:59:00.002Z2011-12-30T14:59:43.622Z

Baggy y-fronts and avocado:

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-33225402829461739482011-12-30T09:25:00.001Z2011-12-30T09:25:36.464Z

Yeah well, at this time of year, the smug marrieds may irritate us singles.  The Independent offers a cri de coeur: With the number of single-person households increasing rapidly over recent years and projected to continue rising, it is a mystery to me why politicians continue not only to ignore, but to bait this sizeable demographic. While singledom may be a deliberate option for some, for

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-15715367026947898992011-12-24T09:53:00.001Z2011-12-24T09:53:25.950Z

Merry Christmas to all my fans (shome mishtake surely - ed)

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-11316637429923027932011-12-24T09:44:00.001Z2011-12-24T09:44:17.336Z

Do I feel guilty about being a baby boomer?  Not so much guilt as complacency.  The Telegraph reports: Baby boomers shouldn’t feel guilty about being better-off than younger generations, because people aged over 50 today saved harder and spent less when they were young than is the case today. That’s the conclusion of analysis of more than 2,000 people by the Chartered Insurance Institute (

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-27113703621833807922011-12-23T07:10:00.001Z2011-12-23T07:12:12.263Z

President Obama on the BBC website (here) on 14 December: Mr Obama ... acknowledged it was not perfect, but said they were leaving behind "a sovereign, stable and self-reliant Iraq, with a representative government that was elected by its people".  Today's Independent (here): A wave of orchestrated bombings sent plumes of smoke into the air across Baghdad yesterday, killing at least 72

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-42235999361656859872011-12-20T09:06:00.001Z2011-12-20T09:06:28.478Z

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-87221706211761510752011-12-19T09:35:00.002Z2011-12-19T09:35:26.457Z

I consider this (from The Independent here) to be alarmist nonsense: Lady Neville-Jones was asked about a report that the Foreign Office was drawing up plans to evacuate thousands of expatriates, many retired, from Spain in the event of economic meltdown. "It is very hard to see at the moment how the eurozone in its present form is going to survive. Spain is clearly a vulnerable area," she

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-23193726812936284312011-12-19T07:52:00.000Z2011-12-19T07:52:00.470Z

Useful seasonal advice from The Guardian's agony Auntie Hadley (here): How many days in a row am I allowed to stay in my pyjamas in that period between Christmas and new year? Maria There is no time of year I love more than that week between Christmas and new year, and a large part of that is because it is entirely permissible, nay, necessary, even, to stay in in my pyjamas for huge swaths

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-72048107442461098612011-12-16T07:50:00.001Z2011-12-16T07:50:19.399Z

Is it not amazing how, despite all of our economic problems, the government can suddenly magic up £450 million?  The Guardian reports: David Cameron faced questions over whether he has found enough Whitehall cash to effectively help the 120,000 problem families said to cost nearly £8bn in state support. Cameron announced £448m of funding and said he hoped a further £675m

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-66106025066096202952011-12-14T13:41:00.001Z2011-12-14T13:41:29.578Z

Yeah well, an unreconstructed hippy.  But hey, dig it man ...

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-69633015346128476922011-12-14T10:14:00.002Z2011-12-14T10:14:51.097Z

Is now the time to buy your euros for next year's holiday?  It has been many months since the £ rode so highly on the exchanges.  But maybe postpone the decision, if you think the euro will continue to weaken?  Can we hope for 1.25 euros to the £?  It's not impossible.  On the other hand, perhaps the £ will sink; it's not as if the UK economy is full of vigour.  Awfie difficult ...

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-21895935018563852222011-12-14T07:48:00.002Z2011-12-14T07:49:50.171Z

Is there no place left for romanticism?  Must we be always thirled to joyless pragmatism?  The Independent reports: Scientists have discovered why buttercups glow yellow under people's chins – and it has nothing to do with liking butter. Physicists and plant scientists at Cambridge University discovered that the buttercup's appearance is the result of the interplay between its different

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-86996104859032215522011-12-14T07:27:00.000Z2011-12-14T07:28:48.777Z

So that ended well (or maybe not).  Just because the Prime Minister is obsessed with TV personalities does not mean that he ever intends to do something.  The Independent reports: Sir Humphrey wanders into the study at Number 10. "I have Mary Portas on the phone for you Prime Minister." The PM is wading through "her vision for the future of our high streets" and is suddenly feeling very

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-43499030661681371972011-12-14T06:12:00.002Z2011-12-14T06:12:38.674Z

What did the IMF expect?  The Guardian reports: The International Monetary Fund's latest, and fifth, report on Greece reads as a warning that the country's rescue programme has arrived in the last-chance saloon. The numbers have deteriorated every time the IMF has added them up and the latest tally is no exception. Hope that 2011 would witness an "inflection point" in the economy have been

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-80768787732470676192011-12-13T07:39:00.003Z2011-12-13T07:39:36.043Z

That didn't take long.  All that anguish last Thursday night, the spats, the name-calling, the bladder control.  For what?  Nothing very much, it appears.  City AM reports: GLOBAL markets were shaken yesterday as fears returned that governments will not manage to save the Eurozone. The honeymoon period that followed last week’s euro deal proved all too brief, making way yesterday afternoon for

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-34596273406495190192011-12-12T09:00:00.001Z2011-12-12T09:16:07.072Z

Oh yes, adverbs: pesky little fellows.  Avoid if at all possible.  The Telegraph reports (apparently): Officials at the Department for Transport have produced a 1,500-word report which details ministers' pet grammatical hates in remarkable detail. The guidance sent to civil servants and MPs lists the particular linguistic errors which infuriate Justine Greening, the Transport

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-78963039873651303872011-12-11T10:23:00.001Z2011-12-11T10:43:51.107Z

Don't mock!  The Telegraph may not be far from the truth: “So what was it?” demanded Sam. “What made you use the veto? Was is the fear of having to hold a referendum and splitting the fragile Coalition?” Dave lowered his voice. “Do you remember what happened to Chamberlain when he went weak on Europe?” “The Second World War?” “Worse. His long-term rival from the Right of the party

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-63929116737427499172011-12-11T02:48:00.001Z2011-12-11T02:58:47.546Z

Will Hutton in The Observer (here): David Cameron is the best and worst of upper-middle class, home counties England – decent enough but saturated with prejudices he has never cared to challenge. He understands his own party and its instincts, but beyond that his touch is uncertain and his capacity to empathise with others close to non-existent. Doubtless, he thought his demand for Britain

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-86158828429712094912011-12-10T11:43:00.001Z2011-12-10T11:50:44.098Z

They're beginning to piss me off.  The Independent reports: Passengers planning to fly Ryanair next summer, beware: charges on Europe's biggest budget airline will soar in 2012. Checked-in bag fees paid in advance increase by two-thirds, while travellers checking in a bag at the airport without booking ahead face a fee of £100 – up 150 per cent. The airline has divided 2012 into

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-45257306262124322822011-12-09T09:08:00.001Z2011-12-09T09:36:58.203Z

Well nobody did.  And, in any case, it doesn't really work like that. Cameron put the kibosh on another EU Treaty (or on an amendment of the existing Treaties), as advocated by Frau Merkel, and thus earned her undying enmity.  The City of London has apparently been saved from rule by Brussels, but it is only bankers who will care.  And in the longer term, the City cannot expect any favours from

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-83238485850165932822011-12-08T09:35:00.001Z2011-12-08T09:55:45.313Z

By their words shall ye know them.  What is Cameron's main priority going into the summit negotiations?  The Telegraph provides the answer, albeit in somewhat cynical tone: David Cameron has been talking tough on Europe. Addressing the nation via a newspaper article yesterday morning, the Prime Minister made his position stirringly clear. If Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy do

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-15606405803276361742011-12-08T09:07:00.001Z2011-12-08T09:09:26.136Z

Never mind about the euro.  Let us concentrate on important matters, such as brussels sprouts.  The Telegraph reports: It has been an exceptionally good year for the much-maligned vegetable, which has ripened three weeks earlier than usual. Most weigh 25g instead of 20g and are particularly sweet and flavoursome, thanks to the unusually warm winter weather. Last year Britain

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-89705756126809451502011-12-06T19:09:00.001Z2011-12-06T19:09:35.031Z

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-26166657313306976162011-12-06T14:31:00.001Z2011-12-06T14:51:11.939Z

It's a shame.  Poor old Alex Neil, Scotland's Infrastructure Minister, sought to make a song and dance about it as the centrepiece of his programme (here): A proposal to extend the high-speed rail network north of the border was part of a 20-year investment plan announced today by the Scottish Government. The infrastructure “mega-plan”

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-48198375409313597432011-12-06T08:11:00.001Z2011-12-06T08:14:59.156Z

From The Guardian (here), with regard to the Turner Prize: Boyce has a more developed sense of the place and engagement of the spectator. His is the more generative and generous art. From the drifts of waxy, geometric paper leaves on the floor, to the dappled lighting; from the wonky litter bin, to the library table as the room's centrepiece; Boyce's room is both impressive and affecting.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-15382511186917347412011-12-06T06:29:00.001Z2011-12-06T06:44:23.053Z

Very pleased for them both, I'm sure.  Long life and happiness, and may all their troubles be little ones.  The Independent reports: President Nicolas Sarkozy and Chancellor Angela Merkel will ask other EU leaders later this week to approve sweeping ideas for a new, or amended, EU treaty to punish countries that allowed deficits to spin out of control. Although falling short of the federalist

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-43318389688835620242011-12-04T10:20:00.001Z2011-12-04T10:26:41.610Z

"Probably not" seems to be the answer.  The Independent reports: Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) is set to press ahead with an estimated bonus pool of around £500m, despite claims by the group’s finance director that the industry has wasted money on remuneration. The group, which is 84 per cent owned by the taxpayer, was one of the targets that Sir Mervyn King had in mind when he said last

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-19605348732467262612011-12-02T16:34:00.001Z2011-12-02T17:00:29.339Z

It's all the fault of the Germans, isn't it?  Well maybe, and maybe not.  But don't take my word for it, cos I'm biased.  When I worked for the European Commission, building the new Europe (or something), my closest office chum was a delightful young lady from Berlin who worked in the office next door.  Sonja was an Ostie, and she and I would regularly adjourn to the smoking room to commiserate

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-31247112372393463892011-12-02T12:14:00.001Z2011-12-02T12:33:04.532Z

Much (probably wayward) talk of  "discipline".  What is it that Merkel and Sarkozy want?  And is it the same thing?  The Guardian eurozone blog exposes the difference - at least I think it's a difference. There are different interpretations. Merkel wants the European commission to have a veto over countries' tax and budget plans, whereas the French want national parliaments to be involved

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-13265141911126595302011-12-02T08:06:00.001Z2011-12-02T08:25:22.883Z

What does the Cameron administration do when it fails to meet targets?  Does it try harder in an effort to succeed?  No, it changes the targets.  Two examples in this morning's Guardian; here and here: The government is planning to review official targets for reducing poverty, arguing that simply comparing relative incomes leads to perverse incentives and does little to promote better life

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-21780613332391739362011-12-01T09:20:00.001Z2011-12-01T09:21:55.842Z

It wasn't all brickbats, you know.  Slasher Osborne found room to confer the occasional goodie, such as this one, reported in The Guardian: "We're all in this together" sounds more hollow the more you tap it. Back in March, the chancellor George Osborne announced that passengers on private jets would have to pay the same air passenger duty (APD) the rest of us do. "The wealthiest should not

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-83189102280877322332011-11-30T16:45:00.001Z2011-11-30T16:45:44.129Z

Something of a special treat:

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-59223813454532612662011-11-30T12:36:00.001Z2011-11-30T12:39:47.739Z

It's a bit lame.  The Scotsman reports: Finance Secretary John Swinney said today that it was his duty to cross a picket line and lead a Holyrood debate on public sector pensions. Mr Swinney will be at the Scottish Parliament, despite calls from Labour and the Green Party for politicians to take to the streets with striking public

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-57379096039946097962011-11-30T08:56:00.001Z2011-11-30T09:02:54.007Z

You have to understand that the leading politicians in the coalition are not very sophisticated.  The Guardian takes them to task: Memo to the coalition front bench: JLS called, and they want their colour-coded look back. From their early days on The X Factor, the boyband developed a formula whereby each member wore a similar outfit in different colours. This worked brilliantly on a TV

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-29246927819465603712011-11-30T04:29:00.001Z2011-11-30T04:33:15.215Z

Just a thought from The Independent (here): ... one can't help but notice that the £975m cost of next year's fuel duty concessions is, according to the Treasury's balance sheet, identical to the gains being made from cancelling child tax credit increases. The poorest families are, in other words, subsidising all drivers. Think about that the next time you fill your tank.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-14965091787517661782011-11-29T17:18:00.001Z2011-11-29T17:18:47.178Z

I appreciate that you are hanging on for my pearls of wisdom anent the Autumn Statement.  Notwithstanding the above assessment, I will ponder overnight and let you know if anything emerges by morning. Meanwhile the eurozone ministers have begun their meeting, anxious as ever to avoid committing themselves to a decision, which may have more significance for the UK economy than Boy George's

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-38438947018254898962011-11-28T13:58:00.001Z2011-11-28T13:58:43.013Z

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-82680874223323409492011-11-28T08:33:00.001Z2011-11-28T08:33:30.904Z

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-42138287183014451232011-11-27T09:20:00.001Z2011-11-27T09:23:01.700Z

Some advance notice on Tuesday's announcement (here): New Year price rises for motorists and train passengers are to be curbed by George Osborne this week as the Chancellor strains to avoid Britain reversing into recession. Tuesday's Autumn Statement will include high-profile pledges to limit rail fare increases to about 6 per cent instead of 8 per cent, while the planned 3p rise in fuel

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-37257648115225762312011-11-27T09:02:00.001Z2011-11-27T09:06:06.068Z

Ed "Crybaby" Balls, in The Independent (here): Mr Balls, who will face the Chancellor for a Budget-related statement in the Commons for the first time, said: "This isn't about trade union leaders – this is about dinner ladies and teaching assistants and people in local government who feel as though they've worked hard for 30 years and suddenly are being stung at a late stage in their career

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-47322740744593427622011-11-24T09:44:00.001Z2011-11-24T09:48:04.771Z

Why are they doing this?  There is no evidence that it will contribute to increased employment or to the growth agenda.  The Independent reports: It is the most radical shake-up of employment law for decades – but even the Business Secretary admits there is no evidence it will boost the economy. The controversial Downing Street plan to allow employers to fire three million workers "at will"

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-22360606534385314412011-11-24T06:39:00.001Z2011-11-24T06:42:04.344Z

First new Cohen song since 2004:

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-33794527356168226652011-11-23T20:21:00.001Z2011-11-23T20:21:50.358Z

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-56760479987907919482011-11-23T12:40:00.001Z2011-11-23T13:00:21.964Z

Hey, I know you guys get a bit bored with all this stuff about Euroland, but it's important (I think). If you want to keep up with the details, you can read about it here.   But things are not going well.  Even the mighty German economy may not be doing as well as Frau Merkel und Freunden think, if the result of their sale of bonds this morning is a sign.  And the yields on bonds for the Club

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-38805683615162211432011-11-22T07:56:00.001Z2011-11-22T08:10:06.135Z

The CBI big cheese (from The Independent here): The president of the CBI has warned that Britons need to shed their "sense of entitlement" if the economy is to recover. Speaking at the employer body's annual conference in London, Sir Roger Carr argued that people in the UK are experiencing a "cultural cold shower" thanks to rising global competition. "Most of us... have grown up in

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-4225960041499149782011-11-21T09:22:00.001Z2011-11-21T09:39:34.862Z

Is this not where we went wrong last time around?  The Independent reports: Under plans to be unveiled by David Cameron and Nick Clegg today, the Government will underwrite a proportion of mortgages for newly built homes – the first time any such scheme has been attempted in the UK. By taking on some of the risk of lending, the Government hopes to bring down deposits of up to 20 per cent

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-84077535201664594632011-11-21T01:25:00.001Z2011-11-21T01:33:49.437Z

When in doubt, blame the weather.  The Guardian reports: Retailers knew they were in trouble when a swallow was spotted this month at the RSPB bird reserve at Saltholme on Teesside. This freak harbinger of spring was bad news for store bosses whose shops are packed to the gunnels with faux fur coats, cashmere jumpers and fake snow. On Sunday the topsy-turvy weather was being blamed for a

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-41611063073857189282011-11-18T08:50:00.001Z2011-11-18T08:57:56.498Z

Would you pay £5,000 for this outfit?  Well, somebody did.  The Independent reports: Kylie Minogue's underwear has sold for £5,000 at auction. The red silk La Perla lingerie set - comprising of a bustier with lace trim and silk and tulle body - quickly surpassed the predicted £2,000 to £4,000 bid when it went under the hammer at Christie's auction house in London on Tuesday (

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-71481618305595130522011-11-18T04:19:00.001Z2011-11-18T04:30:37.951Z

Would you really trust this guy with your savings?  Thought not; nor would I ... (Interesting to note that Virgin Money is offering a paltry 0.1% interest on its cash ISA.)

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-91696849186648930422011-11-16T16:19:00.001Z2011-11-16T16:44:40.564Z

While I'm on the subject of defence, I note that we are running short of attack submarines.  PA reports: The Royal Navy faces a shortage of attack submarines as a result of decisions taken in the Government's Strategic Defence and Security Review, the Whitehall spending watchdog has warned. The National Audit Office said delays to the new Astute class would leave the Navy without

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-67776769340602794692011-11-16T13:11:00.001Z2011-11-16T13:24:36.267Z

What do the US Marines know that we don't?  The Guardian reports: Britain's entire fleet of Harrier jump jets, the veteran plane scrapped in last year's defence review, has been saved - by the American military. All 74 of the planes are to fly again for the US marines in a deal that is expected to be closed within a week. The Ministry of Defence said last night that negotiations were in

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-4545902817722248032011-11-16T07:39:00.001Z2011-11-16T07:39:33.087Z

If I tell you that I am a suave, sophisticated, handsome and intelligent chap, you might think I was telling fibs.  But I'm not; it's just that this is 'management information', a newly discovered nice-sounding euphemism deployed in government circles.  The Independent explains all: Home Office ministers faced a fresh crisis last night after being rebuked for manipulating drug-seizure figures

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12590519.post-50452485901610255562011-11-15T17:32:00.001Z2011-11-15T17:35:08.913Z

More gas-oven rock, I'm afraid.  Why?  Because we're not a happy blogger - generically, I mean, rather than at this precise instant.  Anyway, the music is cool.

Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02841453685669883035noreply@blogger.com0