I agree with Gordon Brown shock! Just to counterbalance that shock I post the image (left) of No confidence; link through the image if you want "David Cameron to propose a motion of No Confidence in Her Majesty's Government in Parliament."

This post though is more about the tsunami of sleaze and expense claim scandals may be finally breaking through the thick skulls of our politicians; they finally seem to be understanding that the tax-paying voters don't GIVE A SHIT if it's 'within the rules', the rules stink and YOU made the rules!

Another thing, Brown must be intercepting my e-mail as he has announced tonight exactly what I put in a message to David Cameron today about sure-fire ways to win the next general election! "Gordon Brown has suggested scrapping the controversial second home payment for MPs as part of a wide-ranging shake-up of parliamentary allowances." [BBC]

Hang on a minute though...I may take back my agreement if much more of THIS comes out.

MPs are to be given the chance to edit receipts submitted as part of their expenses claims before they are made public in the summer, it emerged today.

Of course there are some perfectly correct and sensible editable exclusions like names of suporters etc but we all know what else will be edited...things like what films they get on expenses etc...

I agree with Gordon Brown shock! Just to counterbalance that shock I post the image (left) of No confidence; link through the image if you want "David Cameron to propose a motion of No Confidence in Her Majesty's Government in Parliament."

This post though is more about the tsunami of sleaze and expense claim scandals may be finally breaking through the thick skulls of our politicians; they finally seem to be understanding that the tax-paying voters don't GIVE A SHIT if it's 'within the rules', the rules stink and YOU made the rules!

Another thing, Brown must be intercepting my e-mail as he has announced tonight exactly what I put in a message to David Cameron today about sure-fire ways to win the next general election! "Gordon Brown has suggested scrapping the controversial second home payment for MPs as part of a wide-ranging shake-up of parliamentary allowances." [BBC]

Hang on a minute though...I may take back my agreement if much more of THIS comes out.

MPs are to be given the chance to edit receipts submitted as part of their expenses claims before they are made public in the summer, it emerged today.

Of course there are some perfectly correct and sensible editable exclusions like names of suporters etc but we all know what else will be edited...things like what films they get on expenses etc...

Observer: optimism's obituary...

Well, it's not really an obit but the title of the article in today's Observer does lend itself to my 'o's. "This time I've come to bury Cool Britannia" [Link] by Stryker McGuire: Newsweek's London-based contributing editor; he was London Bureau Chief from 1996 and started the snowball rolling in what became the root of the Cool Britannia phenomenum when his Newsweek article called London the Coolest City On The Planet. Amusingly in only the second paragraph of that piece he wrote:

"The fun won't last, of course. London swings violently between booms and busts."

...(but nobody told Gordon!) Stryker was right, it didn't last: that optimism of a new dawn, a whiter than white era has long gone and he doesn't give any answers (he doesn't need to) but it is IMHO a good article of comparisons between when he first came over - when London reigned - and now. Well worth a read!

Observer: optimism's obituary...

Well, it's not really an obit but the title of the article in today's Observer does lend itself to my 'o's. "This time I've come to bury Cool Britannia" [Link] by Stryker McGuire: Newsweek's London-based contributing editor; he was London Bureau Chief from 1996 and started the snowball rolling in what became the root of the Cool Britannia phenomenum when his Newsweek article called London the Coolest City On The Planet. Amusingly in only the second paragraph of that piece he wrote:

"The fun won't last, of course. London swings violently between booms and busts."

...(but nobody told Gordon!) Stryker was right, it didn't last: that optimism of a new dawn, a whiter than white era has long gone and he doesn't give any answers (he doesn't need to) but it is IMHO a good article of comparisons between when he first came over - when London reigned - and now. Well worth a read!

Off or out (III)...

The post below this was about putting lights-out for the good; this blogpost is about lights-out of a completely different kind; albeit, in my humble opinion, it indirectly led to the good. Strikes, strikes, strikes: The Winter of Discontent. For those too young to remember, 30 years ago today was the day that The Labour Party suffered a vote of no confidence; a setback from which they never recovered fully...And the truth is you've lost uncle Jimmy...until of course they morphed into the "boneless wonder". Incredibly they lost by a single vote and there was one Labour MP (Sir Alfred Broughton) on his death-bed, too ill to attend.

Update 29th March: I've just had my attention drawn to the yesterday's Blue Blog and an event that I remember well but not as being in the same week - such is one's memory! "Triumph and tragedy: the Conservative Party went through both within the space of two days in the last week of March thirty years ago." Alistair Cooke is writing a special series of blog posts to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the 1979 election. Cooke was political adviser to Airey Neave, murdered by the IRLA March 30th 1979.

Off or out (III)...

The post below this was about putting lights-out for the good; this blogpost is about lights-out of a completely different kind; albeit, in my humble opinion, it indirectly led to the good. Strikes, strikes, strikes: The Winter of Discontent. For those too young to remember, 30 years ago today was the day that The Labour Party suffered a vote of no confidence; a setback from which they never recovered fully...And the truth is you've lost uncle Jimmy...until of course they morphed into the "boneless wonder". Incredibly they lost by a single vote and there was one Labour MP (Sir Alfred Broughton) on his death-bed, too ill to attend.

Update 29th March: I've just had my attention drawn to the yesterday's Blue Blog and an event that I remember well but not as being in the same week - such is one's memory! "Triumph and tragedy: the Conservative Party went through both within the space of two days in the last week of March thirty years ago." Alistair Cooke is writing a special series of blog posts to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the 1979 election. Cooke was political adviser to Airey Neave, murdered by the IRLA March 30th 1979.

Off or out (II)...

"THIS IS THE WORLD’S FIRST GLOBAL ELECTION, BETWEEN EARTH AND GLOBAL WARMING"

[object removed 11/09: link dead]

"On March 28 you can VOTE EARTH by switching off your lights for one hour. Or you can vote global warming by leaving your lights on. The results of the election are being presented at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009. We want one billion votes for Earth, to tell world leaders that we have to take action against global warming."

By complete coincidence I will be doing exactly the same as I did when I posted about Earth Hour last year. By the way, if it wasn't too hard why not do it every day!

Off or out (II)...

"THIS IS THE WORLD’S FIRST GLOBAL ELECTION, BETWEEN EARTH AND GLOBAL WARMING"

[object removed 11/09: link dead]

"On March 28 you can VOTE EARTH by switching off your lights for one hour. Or you can vote global warming by leaving your lights on. The results of the election are being presented at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009. We want one billion votes for Earth, to tell world leaders that we have to take action against global warming."

By complete coincidence I will be doing exactly the same as I did when I posted about Earth Hour last year. By the way, if it wasn't too hard why not do it every day!

Outstanding...

What an outstanding reposte given by Daniel Hannan responding to the Euro version of Gordon Brown's fantasy-world ordure. Play it and pass it on: everyone should hear this: The devalued Prime Minister.

If the video doesn't appear or doesn't load corrrectly then follow the link; great comments after the video too on Playpolitical.com: Daniel Hannan MEP accuses Gordon Brown of sounding "like a Brezhnev-era apparatchik giving the party line"

Outstanding...

What an outstanding reposte given by Daniel Hannan responding to the Euro version of Gordon Brown's fantasy-world ordure. Play it and pass it on: everyone should hear this: The devalued Prime Minister.

If the video doesn't appear or doesn't load corrrectly then follow the link; great comments after the video too on Playpolitical.com: Daniel Hannan MEP accuses Gordon Brown of sounding "like a Brezhnev-era apparatchik giving the party line"

Opportunistic Orwellian ordure...

Gordon Brown, addressing citizens of Oceania, grins proudly at us above his article in the Observer: "We are about to take the war against terror to a new level." [Link] My God but that sounds scary; amusingly that URL link has the article written as gordon-brown-terrorism, and it's true! You'll note he gets his world-leading mantra in again, the man is seriously deluded.

Terrorism threatens the rights that all in this country should hold dear, including the most fundamental human right of all - the right to life. We know that terrorists will keep on trying to strike and that protecting Britain against this threat remains our most important job.

I believe that this updated strategy, recognised by our allies to be world-leading in its wide-ranging nature, leaves us better prepared and strengthened in our ability to ensure all peace-loving people of this country can live normally, with confidence and free from fear.

I defy ANYONE, of any political persuasion, to read the article without a tingle of apprehension and/or thoughts as to the sanity of the author. The comments afterwards are classic, especially when you consider that this is The Observer/ Guardian (comments now closed after seven pages of 100% [near enough!] slagging Brown.)

Opportunistic Orwellian ordure...

Gordon Brown, addressing citizens of Oceania, grins proudly at us above his article in the Observer: "We are about to take the war against terror to a new level." [Link] My God but that sounds scary; amusingly that URL link has the article written as gordon-brown-terrorism, and it's true! You'll note he gets his world-leading mantra in again, the man is seriously deluded.

Terrorism threatens the rights that all in this country should hold dear, including the most fundamental human right of all - the right to life. We know that terrorists will keep on trying to strike and that protecting Britain against this threat remains our most important job.

I believe that this updated strategy, recognised by our allies to be world-leading in its wide-ranging nature, leaves us better prepared and strengthened in our ability to ensure all peace-loving people of this country can live normally, with confidence and free from fear.

I defy ANYONE, of any political persuasion, to read the article without a tingle of apprehension and/or thoughts as to the sanity of the author. The comments afterwards are classic, especially when you consider that this is The Observer/ Guardian (comments now closed after seven pages of 100% [near enough!] slagging Brown.)

Old observations...

Old observations because they're not new, obviously: but they are interesting and telling. I'm using up a lot of my spare time reading various articles and sources about the current financial turmoil; I'm also discovering these old observations (but new to me if you see what I mean - as in my previous blog post): various accounts that over the years have predicted exactly what is happening and why. Reading Stephanomics (the blog of Stephanie Flanders, the BBC's economics editor) this morning some of the comments caught my interest: firstly comment 10 (John from Hendon; because he seemed so right!) but then further down another comment (number 12) mentioning that trying to compare this slump to others in history is not particularly accurate or helpful...and then, conversely, saying that if it can be compared then "John Law's Louisiana super-bubble" would be the nearest.



Now I knew of the South Sea Bubble but not John Law and the Mississippi Bubble so I began reading; to my surprise I find that BOTH these events, as well as being almost simultaneous - and nearly 300 years ago (!!) - show similarities to today's events.



Law pioneered the concept of a note-issuing bank, shares in the company acting as a form of paper currency - the need had arisen due to the lack of precious metal and 'real' money. The company was private but to all intents and purposes tied to government and Royalty; it was successful at first but its collapse - after rampant speculation - caused an economic crisis in France and Europe: the system was based on trading shares in the Mississippi Company in return for government debt, the subsequent collapse had been delayed until eventually the entire government debt became property of the company, the company became property of the creditors (now shareholders) and the effective control fell into the hands of the government. Sound familiar? [Wiki] Law was dismissed, fled France and died in poverty less than 10 years later.



Only a year later in Britain, an Investigation in 1721, after the South Sea Company stock value had collapsed - leaving a trail of personal and company bankruptcies (including banks) - revealed widespread fraud amongst the company directors and corruption in the Cabinet. The Chancellor of the Exchequer was imprisoned and the Postmaster General and other Lords (ministers) were impeached.



Financial guru Marc Faber, in 2003 whilst reviewing 'The Great Swindle - The Story of the South Sea Bubble' by Virginia Cowles (Collins, 1960) - [Lesson of History I] said he...

"...became more and more fascinated by the many parallels between this early period of speculation in our capitalistic age and today’s financial environment. In particular, I was astounded by the similar role that paper money, excessive credit creation, and highly questionable practices - by governments as well as businesses - played in fuelling the financial excesses in both periods. [sic]

"The 'bubble' model always involves a 'displacement,' which leads to extraordinary profit opportunities, over-trading, over-borrowings, speculative excesses, swindles and catchpenny schemes, followed by a crisis during which fraud on a massive scale comes to light, then by the closing act during which the outraged public calls for the culprits to be taken to account. In each case, excessive monetary stimulus and the use of credit fuels the flames of irrational speculation and public participation, which involves a larger and larger group of people seeking to become rich without any understanding of the object of speculation."



In a second piece Marc Faber also points out [Lessons of History II]:

"The Mississippi Scheme and the South Sea Bubble are also interesting from another point of view.The wave of speculation in the period 1717 to 1720 spread across the entire European continent and the subsequent crisis was international in scope"

I know the entire fault of the international aspect of this current recession/depression isn't you-know-who's but I do wonder if it will come to be known as Brown's Bubble.

Old observations...

Old observations because they're not new, obviously: but they are interesting and telling. I'm using up a lot of my spare time reading various articles and sources about the current financial turmoil; I'm also discovering these old observations (but new to me if you see what I mean - as in my previous blog post): various accounts that over the years have predicted exactly what is happening and why. Reading Stephanomics (the blog of Stephanie Flanders, the BBC's economics editor) this morning some of the comments caught my interest: firstly comment 10 (John from Hendon; because he seemed so right!) but then further down another comment (number 12) mentioning that trying to compare this slump to others in history is not particularly accurate or helpful...and then, conversely, saying that if it can be compared then "John Law's Louisiana super-bubble" would be the nearest.

Now I knew of the South Sea Bubble but not John Law and the Mississippi Bubble so I began reading; to my surprise I find that BOTH these events, as well as being almost simultaneous - and nearly 300 years ago (!!) - show similarities to today's events.

Law pioneered the concept of a note-issuing bank, shares in the company acting as a form of paper currency - the need had arisen due to the lack of precious metal and 'real' money. The company was private but to all intents and purposes tied to government and Royalty; it was successful at first but its collapse - after rampant speculation - caused an economic crisis in France and Europe: the system was based on trading shares in the Mississippi Company in return for government debt, the subsequent collapse had been delayed until eventually the entire government debt became property of the company, the company became property of the creditors (now shareholders) and the effective control fell into the hands of the government. Sound familiar? [Wiki] Law was dismissed, fled France and died in poverty less than 10 years later.

Only a year later in Britain, an Investigation in 1721, after the South Sea Company stock value had collapsed - leaving a trail of personal and company bankruptcies (including banks) - revealed widespread fraud amongst the company directors and corruption in the Cabinet. The Chancellor of the Exchequer was imprisoned and the Postmaster General and other Lords (ministers) were impeached.

Financial guru Marc Faber, in 2003 whilst reviewing 'The Great Swindle - The Story of the South Sea Bubble' by Virginia Cowles (Collins, 1960) - [Lesson of History I] said he...

"...became more and more fascinated by the many parallels between this early period of speculation in our capitalistic age and today’s financial environment. In particular, I was astounded by the similar role that paper money, excessive credit creation, and highly questionable practices - by governments as well as businesses - played in fuelling the financial excesses in both periods. [sic]

"The 'bubble' model always involves a 'displacement,' which leads to extraordinary profit opportunities, over-trading, over-borrowings, speculative excesses, swindles and catchpenny schemes, followed by a crisis during which fraud on a massive scale comes to light, then by the closing act during which the outraged public calls for the culprits to be taken to account. In each case, excessive monetary stimulus and the use of credit fuels the flames of irrational speculation and public participation, which involves a larger and larger group of people seeking to become rich without any understanding of the object of speculation."

In a second piece Marc Faber also points out [Lessons of History II]:

"The Mississippi Scheme and the South Sea Bubble are also interesting from another point of view.The wave of speculation in the period 1717 to 1720 spread across the entire European continent and the subsequent crisis was international in scope"

I know the entire fault of the international aspect of this current recession/depression isn't you-know-who's but I do wonder if it will come to be known as Brown's Bubble.

Oracular oration...

Michael Howard, in a debate on the UK economy this week, has been reminding us (Conservative Home) exactly who were saying what and when! He notes that he himself gave various warnings over various years - some of us know and appreciate this - what I didn't know/remember was that his colleague said the following: Peter Lilley, shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer [Official Report, 11 November 1997; Vol. 300, c. 731-32.]

"With the removal of banking control to the Financial Services Authority...it is difficult to see how and whether the Bank remains, as it surely must, responsible for ensuring the liquidity of the banking system and preventing systemic collapse."

"The coverage of the FSA will be huge; its objectives will be many, and potentially in conflict with one another. The range of its activities will be so diverse that no one person in it will understand them all."

"...that the Government may, almost casually, have bitten off more than they can chew. The process of setting up the FSA may cause regulators to take their eye off the ball, while spivs and crooks have a field day."

[Official Report, 11 November 1997; Vol. 300, c. 731-32.]

Oracular oration...

Michael Howard, in a debate on the UK economy this week, has been reminding us (Conservative Home) exactly who were saying what and when! He notes that he himself gave various warnings over various years - some of us know and appreciate this - what I didn't know/remember was that his colleague said the following: Peter Lilley, shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer [Official Report, 11 November 1997; Vol. 300, c. 731-32.]

"With the removal of banking control to the Financial Services Authority...it is difficult to see how and whether the Bank remains, as it surely must, responsible for ensuring the liquidity of the banking system and preventing systemic collapse."

"The coverage of the FSA will be huge; its objectives will be many, and potentially in conflict with one another. The range of its activities will be so diverse that no one person in it will understand them all."

"...that the Government may, almost casually, have bitten off more than they can chew. The process of setting up the FSA may cause regulators to take their eye off the ball, while spivs and crooks have a field day."

[Official Report, 11 November 1997; Vol. 300, c. 731-32.]

Odd occupation...

Can you look at the photo below and tell me what this lovely lady does for a living? She's strong, very strong, nobody sees her cry, not even her husband...her words: "Soy fuerte, muy fuerte, a mí no me ve llorar ni mi marido". You won't be able to tell me so I might as well tell you...

She's Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, the spokewoman in the Spanish Congress for the Popular Party (Partido Popular), Spain's 'centre right wing'. Anyone got anyone in mind for David Cameron? Photo credit ELLE/ LVE (La Vanguardia)

Odd occupation...

Can you look at the photo below and tell me what this lovely lady does for a living? She's strong, very strong, nobody sees her cry, not even her husband...her words: "Soy fuerte, muy fuerte, a mí no me ve llorar ni mi marido". You won't be able to tell me so I might as well tell you...

She's Soraya Sáenz de Santamaría, the spokewoman in the Spanish Congress for the Popular Party (Partido Popular), Spain's 'centre right wing'. Anyone got anyone in mind for David Cameron? Photo credit ELLE/ LVE (La Vanguardia)

Other overspending...

It seems the government need money from wherever it can come. The image below (link through to the Croydonian's post) shows quite clearly how the money from the UK's National Lottery is divided. Some change! Not only that but TC adds that the Big Lottery Fund spends 12% of its budget on bureaucracy, 3 or 4 times the amount other charities spend. Looters! The amounts spent on arts, heritage and sports have all but halved (we'll forgive the lack of millennium spending!) whilst half of the total amount now goes on "conventional tax funding". Looters!

Other overspending...

It seems the government need money from wherever it can come. The image below (link through to the Croydonian's post) shows quite clearly how the money from the UK's National Lottery is divided. Some change! Not only that but TC adds that the Big Lottery Fund spends 12% of its budget on bureaucracy, 3 or 4 times the amount other charities spend. Looters! The amounts spent on arts, heritage and sports have all but halved (we'll forgive the lack of millennium spending!) whilst half of the total amount now goes on "conventional tax funding". Looters!

On Orchila...

I wonder if many independent reporters will get there? (More on 'the reporters' below) Hugo Chavez says the offer to Moscow for the use of an airfield off its Caribbean coast on the island La Orchila for Russian strategic long-range bombers as a permanent base were not true. He only said they were allowed to land their at any time if needed as part of their startegic aims. Oh, and the runway is being extended just in case the long range bombers need to take off fully-fueled. That's alright then.

More Chavez news: he has personally launched a new mobile telephone and at a cost of under US$14 the C366 "El Vergatario" is sure to be a hit; this, on top of his recently announced "Restaurantes Chavez" "Con velita y todo, te la pongo como quieras. Con vino, si quieres vino te pongo vino venezolano, o chileno o brasileño. ¡Eh! lo que quieras. Buena atención, atención esmerada, de lo mejor. Vista al río, vista al mar o en una colina"

"With a pretty candle and everything, I'll make it however you want. With wine, if you want wine, I'll provide wine: Venezuelan or Brazilian or Chilean. Hey! Whatever you want. With good service, attention to detail, the best. With river views, sea views or on a hill."

What a guy! I presume they'll be serving lots of rice, right? I'm also sure that the unveiling of a majestic revolutionary statue - or several - of the mighty Hugo can't be too far in the future (constructed at the request of the people, of course!)

He won't be impressed that today the the Sociedad Interamericana de Prensa, Inc./ Inter American Press Association [SIP-IAPA] issued their biannual conclusions in Asuncion, Paraguay:

"Press freedom in the hemisphere worsened in the last six months as the longstanding violent enemies of free expression claimed new journalist victims while populist governments following the lead of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez stepped up their campaigns of abuse and ridicule of news organizations and individual reporters."

That's not all they say: full press release HERE. I expect a full force rebuttal by Venezuelan Ministers and an insult-fest by Hugo himself within a day or two.

The other very important news is that the Venezuelan government are seriously considering raising the price of petrol, not before time: "El presidente Hugo Chávez anunció en su acostumbrado programa dominical que su gabinete está estudiando seriamente un ajuste a los precios de la gasolina, que se han mantenido durante los últimos diez años" Translated this says: "President Hugo Chávez announced in his usual Sunday broadcast that his Cabinet is seriously considering an adjustment to the prices of petrol, which have been maintained over the past ten years." Note he says prices as in plural, that could mean nothing but it could mean an intention to have a scale of prices depending on who you are - or put another way, how much money you have - why do I think this? Well, he went on to say:

"Porque la gente que consume mucha gasolina en esos carros de lujo no es justo que no paguen por la gasolina, no es justo que los ricos no paguen por la gasolina aquí, que es una de las más baratas del mundo (...) algún día habrá que ajustar esos precios. Nosotros prácticamente estamos regalando la gasolina"

Ows translated:
"Because it's not fair that the people who consume lots of petrol in their luxury cars do not pay for petrol, it is not fair that the rich do not pay for petrol here, which is one of the cheapest in the world (...) some day we will have to adjust those prices. We're practically giving it away."

Well he's certainly right about that; it is still around 5 US$ cents per litre (yes, that's more or less 4 Imperial or 5 US gallons pero dollar) the last time there was a major effort to raise the price of petrol, under President Carlos Andres Perez 20 years ago last month, there was a bit of a hiccough, or put another way, all shit broke lose, now known as the Caracazo. CAP wasn't the best President they could have had but what he did was part of a series of free-market reforms and in reality what the country needed. Anyway, it went pear-shaped and what began as peaceful student and worker protests against the petrol increase (many Venezuelans used bus transport and the fares increased) soon became rioting and, you guessed it, looting and violence. Serial looting of eveything that, after Police and National Guard failure to control it, finally had to be quelled with a harsh military clampdown and curfews. The ensuing instability led indirectly a few years later to two coups...and we all know who was involved with that!

On Orchila...

I wonder if many independent reporters will get there? (More on 'the reporters' below) Hugo Chavez says the offer to Moscow for the use of an airfield off its Caribbean coast on the island La Orchila for Russian strategic long-range bombers as a permanent base were not true. He only said they were allowed to land their at any time if needed as part of their startegic aims. Oh, and the runway is being extended just in case the long range bombers need to take off fully-fueled. That's alright then.

More Chavez news: he has personally launched a new mobile telephone and at a cost of under US$14 the C366 "El Vergatario" is sure to be a hit; this, on top of his recently announced "Restaurantes Chavez" "Con velita y todo, te la pongo como quieras. Con vino, si quieres vino te pongo vino venezolano, o chileno o brasileño. ¡Eh! lo que quieras. Buena atención, atención esmerada, de lo mejor. Vista al río, vista al mar o en una colina"

"With a pretty candle and everything, I'll make it however you want. With wine, if you want wine, I'll provide wine: Venezuelan or Brazilian or Chilean. Hey! Whatever you want. With good service, attention to detail, the best. With river views, sea views or on a hill."

What a guy! I presume they'll be serving lots of rice, right? I'm also sure that the unveiling of a majestic revolutionary statue - or several - of the mighty Hugo can't be too far in the future (constructed at the request of the people, of course!)

He won't be impressed that today the the Sociedad Interamericana de Prensa, Inc./ Inter American Press Association [SIP-IAPA] issued their biannual conclusions in Asuncion, Paraguay:

"Press freedom in the hemisphere worsened in the last six months as the longstanding violent enemies of free expression claimed new journalist victims while populist governments following the lead of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez stepped up their campaigns of abuse and ridicule of news organizations and individual reporters."

That's not all they say: full press release HERE. I expect a full force rebuttal by Venezuelan Ministers and an insult-fest by Hugo himself within a day or two.

The other very important news is that the Venezuelan government are seriously considering raising the price of petrol, not before time: "El presidente Hugo Chávez anunció en su acostumbrado programa dominical que su gabinete está estudiando seriamente un ajuste a los precios de la gasolina, que se han mantenido durante los últimos diez años" Translated this says: "President Hugo Chávez announced in his usual Sunday broadcast that his Cabinet is seriously considering an adjustment to the prices of petrol, which have been maintained over the past ten years." Note he says prices as in plural, that could mean nothing but it could mean an intention to have a scale of prices depending on who you are - or put another way, how much money you have - why do I think this? Well, he went on to say:

"Porque la gente que consume mucha gasolina en esos carros de lujo no es justo que no paguen por la gasolina, no es justo que los ricos no paguen por la gasolina aquí, que es una de las más baratas del mundo (...) algún día habrá que ajustar esos precios. Nosotros prácticamente estamos regalando la gasolina"

Ows translated:
"Because it's not fair that the people who consume lots of petrol in their luxury cars do not pay for petrol, it is not fair that the rich do not pay for petrol here, which is one of the cheapest in the world (...) some day we will have to adjust those prices. We're practically giving it away."

Well he's certainly right about that; it is still around 5 US$ cents per litre (yes, that's more or less 4 Imperial or 5 US gallons pero dollar) the last time there was a major effort to raise the price of petrol, under President Carlos Andres Perez 20 years ago last month, there was a bit of a hiccough, or put another way, all shit broke lose, now known as the Caracazo. CAP wasn't the best President they could have had but what he did was part of a series of free-market reforms and in reality what the country needed. Anyway, it went pear-shaped and what began as peaceful student and worker protests against the petrol increase (many Venezuelans used bus transport and the fares increased) soon became rioting and, you guessed it, looting and violence. Serial looting of eveything that, after Police and National Guard failure to control it, finally had to be quelled with a harsh military clampdown and curfews. The ensuing instability led indirectly a few years later to two coups...and we all know who was involved with that!

Obama's OK...

---

[Edit: 'dead' image/video removed] OK Corral that is...where the famous gunfight was (link through image) One industry seems to be cocking a snook at the recession: "A pledge by US President Barack Obama to tighten gun control laws has led to firearms sales soaring across America."[Daily Telegraph] Yep, gun sales. "His pledge has proved a potent catalyst, with manufacturers recording soaring profits since his election." The legal personal background checks that under federal law are essential for people purchasing rifles and handguns - "jumped 42 per cent at gun stores to a record 1.5 million in November after Mr Obama was elected. Since then, they have risen by an average of 25 per cent each month"... that's a major increase. Smith and Wesson pistol sales leapt 46 per cent and tactical rifle sales more than tripled (Oh Jeez!). Sturm Ruger & Co.'s takings jumped 81 per cent. It's helping unemployment too, imagine the shop staff needed but also Florida state authorities hired an 61 extra staff just to help process the gun permits. I foresee many news reports of Americans kissing goodbye to their toes as well as giving intruders something to think about.

Obama's OK...

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[Edit: 'dead' image/video removed] OK Corral that is...where the famous gunfight was (link through image) One industry seems to be cocking a snook at the recession: "A pledge by US President Barack Obama to tighten gun control laws has led to firearms sales soaring across America."[Daily Telegraph] Yep, gun sales. "His pledge has proved a potent catalyst, with manufacturers recording soaring profits since his election." The legal personal background checks that under federal law are essential for people purchasing rifles and handguns - "jumped 42 per cent at gun stores to a record 1.5 million in November after Mr Obama was elected. Since then, they have risen by an average of 25 per cent each month"... that's a major increase. Smith and Wesson pistol sales leapt 46 per cent and tactical rifle sales more than tripled (Oh Jeez!). Sturm Ruger & Co.'s takings jumped 81 per cent. It's helping unemployment too, imagine the shop staff needed but also Florida state authorities hired an 61 extra staff just to help process the gun permits. I foresee many news reports of Americans kissing goodbye to their toes as well as giving intruders something to think about.

Ominous...

Update Friday 13th: copied in full from Guido: Ponzi State

Jeff Randall in the Telegraph nails it:

Q: What's the difference between Bernard Madoff and Gordon Brown?

A: One has drained fortunes from gullible victims, plundering their income and savings to create an illusion of prosperity. The other is going to jail.
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Thursday 12th: "And the truth is, there is something terribly wrong with this country, isn't there?" I have used the word 'ominous' at least twice in Owsblog titles and as far as I can remember it was always about Hugo Chavez or some terrorist threat. This time it's about Gordon Brown. "When I first heard Mr Robbins’s story, it seemed hard to believe"...Fraser Nelson in the Spectaror [Link (print)] That's not all; it really is getting too much; there were about 10 stories about Gordon Brown I wanted to post this week: his failures, the banks, his meddling, the borrowing, the foreign and independent investors scarpering. Yesterday in the Coffee House: "How Brown plans to borrow more money than the market would ever let him". Christ, how depressing. "Now he has his new toys, he can tweak banking regulations to have the nationalised British banks buy his crappy debt instead, and thereby divert the nation’s savings into the Treasury’s coffers"..."In any other circumstances, this would leave Brown with a major funding problem – and we’d be in Dennis Healey IMF bailout territory. .[but] These nationalised banks have been gripped by a mysterious sense of patriotism and have started to buy Brown’s IOU notes."

"The terrifying fact is that Gordon Brown and his colleagues are now in charge of most of the British banking sector, and they have only just started to play with it. It is, as Mr Brown says, a 'wholly new world'."

Sorry for the lack of Ows comment but I am fighting the urge to just post a string of expletives and ferment revolution, and no, the irony of the fact that V was broadly influenced by the political climate in the UK during the early 1980s and what V for Vendetta was really about - "It was about fascism, it was about anarchy, it was about England" - hasn't escaped me.

Ominous...

Update Friday 13th: copied in full from Guido: Ponzi State

Jeff Randall in the Telegraph nails it:

Q: What's the difference between Bernard Madoff and Gordon Brown?

A: One has drained fortunes from gullible victims, plundering their income and savings to create an illusion of prosperity. The other is going to jail.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thursday 12th: "And the truth is, there is something terribly wrong with this country, isn't there?" I have used the word 'ominous' at least twice in Owsblog titles and as far as I can remember it was always about Hugo Chavez or some terrorist threat. This time it's about Gordon Brown. "When I first heard Mr Robbins’s story, it seemed hard to believe"...Fraser Nelson in the Spectaror [Link (print)] That's not all; it really is getting too much; there were about 10 stories about Gordon Brown I wanted to post this week: his failures, the banks, his meddling, the borrowing, the foreign and independent investors scarpering. Yesterday in the Coffee House: "How Brown plans to borrow more money than the market would ever let him". Christ, how depressing. "Now he has his new toys, he can tweak banking regulations to have the nationalised British banks buy his crappy debt instead, and thereby divert the nation’s savings into the Treasury’s coffers"..."In any other circumstances, this would leave Brown with a major funding problem – and we’d be in Dennis Healey IMF bailout territory. .[but] These nationalised banks have been gripped by a mysterious sense of patriotism and have started to buy Brown’s IOU notes."

"The terrifying fact is that Gordon Brown and his colleagues are now in charge of most of the British banking sector, and they have only just started to play with it. It is, as Mr Brown says, a 'wholly new world'."

Sorry for the lack of Ows comment but I am fighting the urge to just post a string of expletives and ferment revolution, and no, the irony of the fact that V was broadly influenced by the political climate in the UK during the early 1980s and what V for Vendetta was really about - "It was about fascism, it was about anarchy, it was about England" - hasn't escaped me.

Overt obituary...

Not particularly new but certainly very relevant...

"Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: knowing when to come in out of the rain; why the early bird gets the worm; life isn't always fair; and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an Aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement...[several similar spurious winning claims continue to dance on Common Sense's grave]

Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason. He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers: I Know My Rights, I Want It Now, Someone Else Is To Blame and I'm A Victim.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.

If you still remember him, tell your friends. If not, join the majority and do nothing."

Overt obituary...

Not particularly new but certainly very relevant...

"Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: knowing when to come in out of the rain; why the early bird gets the worm; life isn't always fair; and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an Aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement...[several similar spurious winning claims continue to dance on Common Sense's grave]

Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason. He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers: I Know My Rights, I Want It Now, Someone Else Is To Blame and I'm A Victim.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.

If you still remember him, tell your friends. If not, join the majority and do nothing."

2232 (UK time): ARSENAL BEAT ROMA 7-6 ON PENALTIES [BBC] Not the best game to watch but now all four English teams are in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. My heart can't take this...but football has its ups:

Click on the image (anywhere you like) for the a great Champions League performance tonight.

2232 (UK time): ARSENAL BEAT ROMA 7-6 ON PENALTIES [BBC] Not the best game to watch but now all four English teams are in the quarter-finals of the Champions League. My heart can't take this...but football has its ups:

Click on the image (anywhere you like) for the a great Champions League performance tonight.

Outliving oldies...

Pretty in Pink, no, not Psychedelic Furs but Happy Birthday to international icon Barbara Millicent Roberts. Born 50 years ago today to proud parents George and Margaret Roberts...and better known to you and me as Barbie. OK, the versions on sale don't look like the image here (image credit and link to Blogofago) but I guess she may have aged. "Barbie has always represented that a woman has choices... ...I believe the choices Barbie represents helped the doll catch on initially, not just with daughters – who would one day make up the first major wave of women in management and professionals – but also with mothers." Ruth Handler (creator of the Barbie doll),

Outliving oldies...

Pretty in Pink, no, not Psychedelic Furs but Happy Birthday to international icon Barbara Millicent Roberts. Born 50 years ago today to proud parents George and Margaret Roberts...and better known to you and me as Barbie. OK, the versions on sale don't look like the image here (image credit and link to Blogofago) but I guess she may have aged. "Barbie has always represented that a woman has choices... ...I believe the choices Barbie represents helped the doll catch on initially, not just with daughters – who would one day make up the first major wave of women in management and professionals – but also with mothers." Ruth Handler (creator of the Barbie doll),

International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8th. Hundreds of events occur to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women. One hundred years ago in the USA a National Women's Day was held and this was followed up in 1910 when Clara Zetkin tabled the idea of an International celebration. In some countries a common theme is followed and this year that theme is 'Women and men united to end violence against women and girls'. Link through image to IWD site. Today is also my sister's birthday. :-)

International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on March 8th. Hundreds of events occur to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women. One hundred years ago in the USA a National Women's Day was held and this was followed up in 1910 when Clara Zetkin tabled the idea of an International celebration. In some countries a common theme is followed and this year that theme is 'Women and men united to end violence against women and girls'. Link through image to IWD site. Today is also my sister's birthday. :-)