UK inflation as measured by the change in the Consumer Prices Index compared with 12 months previously fell again in March, to 1.6% in the year to March, from 1.7% in the year to February, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
It is the third consecutive month inflation has been below the Bank of England's 2% target rate, and the lowest rate since October 2009.
The largest contribution to the fall in the rate came from petrol prices.
Inflation as measured by the change in the older RPI measure (Retail Prices Index) also fell, to 2.5% in the year to March compared with from 2.7% in the year to February.
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Quote of the day 16th April 2014
The penultimate paragraph in the set of quotes below has appeared as a quote of the day before on this blog , and probably will again, as a particularly significant and rare example of a Labour Prime minister talking sense - from a man who, for all the faults of his government, had ten times the understanding both of what it is like to be born into a working class family and of how the economics of the real world works that Ed Miliband will ever have.
This is a series of quotes from the speech James Callaghan gave as Leader of the Labour Party to that party's conference in 1976 and it is astonishing how many of the things he said appear so very relevant nearly forty years later.
"Britain has lived for too long on borrowed time, borrowed money, borrowed ideas." ...
"For too long, perhaps ever since the war, we postponed facing up to fundamental choices and fundamental changes in our society and in our economy. That is what I mean when I say we have been living on borrowed time." ...
"The cosy world we were told would go on for ever, where full employment would be guaranteed by a stroke of the Chancellor’s pen, cutting taxes, deficit spending, that cosy world is gone." ...
"When we reject unemployment as an economic instrument - as we do - and when we reject also superficial remedies, as socialists must, then we must ask ourselves unflinchingly what is the cause of high unemployment. Quite simply and unequivocally, it is caused by paying ourselves more than the value of what we produce. There are no scapegoats. This is as true in a mixed economy under a Labour Government as it is under capitalism or under communism. It is an absolute fact of life which no Government, be it left or right, can alter." ...
"We used to think that you could spend your way out of a recession, and increase employment by cutting taxes and boosting Government spending. I tell you in all candour that that option no longer exists, and that in so far as it ever did exist, it only worked on each occasion since the war by injecting a bigger dose of inflation into the economy, followed by a higher level of unemployment as the next step." ...
"That is the history of the last 20 years. Each time we did this the twin evils of unemployment and inflation have hit hardest those least able to stand them. Not those with the strongest bargaining power, no, it has not hit those. It has hit the poor, the old and the sick."
This is a series of quotes from the speech James Callaghan gave as Leader of the Labour Party to that party's conference in 1976 and it is astonishing how many of the things he said appear so very relevant nearly forty years later.
"Britain has lived for too long on borrowed time, borrowed money, borrowed ideas." ...
"For too long, perhaps ever since the war, we postponed facing up to fundamental choices and fundamental changes in our society and in our economy. That is what I mean when I say we have been living on borrowed time." ...
"The cosy world we were told would go on for ever, where full employment would be guaranteed by a stroke of the Chancellor’s pen, cutting taxes, deficit spending, that cosy world is gone." ...
"When we reject unemployment as an economic instrument - as we do - and when we reject also superficial remedies, as socialists must, then we must ask ourselves unflinchingly what is the cause of high unemployment. Quite simply and unequivocally, it is caused by paying ourselves more than the value of what we produce. There are no scapegoats. This is as true in a mixed economy under a Labour Government as it is under capitalism or under communism. It is an absolute fact of life which no Government, be it left or right, can alter." ...
"We used to think that you could spend your way out of a recession, and increase employment by cutting taxes and boosting Government spending. I tell you in all candour that that option no longer exists, and that in so far as it ever did exist, it only worked on each occasion since the war by injecting a bigger dose of inflation into the economy, followed by a higher level of unemployment as the next step." ...
"That is the history of the last 20 years. Each time we did this the twin evils of unemployment and inflation have hit hardest those least able to stand them. Not those with the strongest bargaining power, no, it has not hit those. It has hit the poor, the old and the sick."
Tuesday, April 15, 2014
Quote of the day 15th April 2014
“Being faithful in the smallest things is the way to gain, maintain, and demonstrate the strength needed to accomplish something great.”
( Alex Harris )
( Alex Harris )
Monday, April 14, 2014
Quote of the day 14th April 2014
“Helen Keller became deaf, dumb, and blind shortly after birth. Despite her greatest misfortune, she has written her name indelibly in the pages of the history of the great. Her entire life has served as evidence that no one is ever defeated until defeat has been accepted as reality.”
( Napoleon Hill )
( Napoleon Hill )
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Quote of the day 13th April 2014
I have been unable to validate or confrm the author of the quote below and it took me a while even to find a definitive statement regarding the accuracy of the saying on which it is based, namely that the Great Wall of China is the only manmade object which can be seen from the moon.
It turns out that the theory that theGreat Wall of China is visible from the moon dates back to at least 1938, e.g. 38 years before any men landed on the moon and might have been able to check.
NASA believes that it would be extremely difficult.to see the Great Wall from the moon but that it is possible with some difficulty to see and photograph it from Earth Orbit, and have proved that it is definately possible to detect it from orbit using Radar.
The quote I wanted to use refers to this saying, and I have to depend entirely on my memory, which may be fallible, both for the words and for the attribution to the famous economist John Kenneth Galbraith.
"It is hard to see why anyone would bother when, with almost the same difficulty, it can be viewed from China."
It turns out that the theory that theGreat Wall of China is visible from the moon dates back to at least 1938, e.g. 38 years before any men landed on the moon and might have been able to check.
NASA believes that it would be extremely difficult.to see the Great Wall from the moon but that it is possible with some difficulty to see and photograph it from Earth Orbit, and have proved that it is definately possible to detect it from orbit using Radar.
The quote I wanted to use refers to this saying, and I have to depend entirely on my memory, which may be fallible, both for the words and for the attribution to the famous economist John Kenneth Galbraith.
"It is hard to see why anyone would bother when, with almost the same difficulty, it can be viewed from China."
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Thoughts on a scandal
It is essential that all politicians of all parties should act with the highest standards of integrity and probity, and be seen to do so.
Sadly there have been some people in all political parties who have failed to do so and each party has a responsibility to do something about it, espeically with regard to their own members.
It is unacceptable that the impression has been created that MPs can get away with things which would result in anyone else gong to jail. Of course five MPs (all Labour) actually have gone to prison over fraudulent expenses claims. So should anyone else, of whatever party, who commits a crime for which someone who is not a politician would have been jailed.
Given the need to avoid creating the impression that the political class thnks it is above the rules, I thought it was right that Maria Miller resigned, and I am pleased that she is giving her pay-off to charity.
However, I have a question for those journalists and Labour politicians who are accusing David Cameron of an error of judgement in not throwing her to the wolves at the first sign of trouble.
Were you also one of those who criticised him for not immediately sacking Andrew Mitchell when he was accused of calling police oficers "plebs" ?
Or were you one of those who subsequently criticised David Cameron for accepting Mitchell's resignation?
That would be after Michael Crick demonstrated that the only published account of what happened at the Downing Street gates critical of Andrew Mitchell which is consistent with the evidence in the public domain is what Mitchell himself admitted to and apologised for, and also that some police officers - one of whom has subsequently been convicted of this offence and given a prison sentence for it, another dismissed for gross misconduct - had lied in an attempt to discredit Mitchell.
Sometimes there is smoke without fire, and even when the right decision is that one of your colleagues should go it is not necessary a mistake to take some time to think about whether sacking them is the right thing to do, or a miscarriage of justice, before taking the decision.
I was most amused by a piece in the Telegraph by Dan Hodges, titled "Labour's response to Maria Miller's resignation is an embarrassing incoherent shambles" in which he points out that
"According to Labour it is a disgrace an Asian man now has responsibility for equalities issues. And it is a disgrace the Conservative minister for women now answers to a man, even though she always has, and even though Labour’s women’s minister answers to a man, and always has.
It’s a disgrace there aren’t any mothers in the cabinet. And it’s also a disgrace that a mother has been promoted to attend the cabinet as women’s minister, because she didn’t vote for gay marriage.
And the person who’s been sent out to say all this is Labour’s shadow women’s minister, who also isn’t a mother, and has said categorically she doesn’t want to be a mother.
And Labour has the front to say David Cameron has made a mess of the Maria Miller affair."
You can read Dan's full article here.
Sadly there have been some people in all political parties who have failed to do so and each party has a responsibility to do something about it, espeically with regard to their own members.
It is unacceptable that the impression has been created that MPs can get away with things which would result in anyone else gong to jail. Of course five MPs (all Labour) actually have gone to prison over fraudulent expenses claims. So should anyone else, of whatever party, who commits a crime for which someone who is not a politician would have been jailed.
Given the need to avoid creating the impression that the political class thnks it is above the rules, I thought it was right that Maria Miller resigned, and I am pleased that she is giving her pay-off to charity.
However, I have a question for those journalists and Labour politicians who are accusing David Cameron of an error of judgement in not throwing her to the wolves at the first sign of trouble.
Were you also one of those who criticised him for not immediately sacking Andrew Mitchell when he was accused of calling police oficers "plebs" ?
Or were you one of those who subsequently criticised David Cameron for accepting Mitchell's resignation?
That would be after Michael Crick demonstrated that the only published account of what happened at the Downing Street gates critical of Andrew Mitchell which is consistent with the evidence in the public domain is what Mitchell himself admitted to and apologised for, and also that some police officers - one of whom has subsequently been convicted of this offence and given a prison sentence for it, another dismissed for gross misconduct - had lied in an attempt to discredit Mitchell.
Sometimes there is smoke without fire, and even when the right decision is that one of your colleagues should go it is not necessary a mistake to take some time to think about whether sacking them is the right thing to do, or a miscarriage of justice, before taking the decision.
I was most amused by a piece in the Telegraph by Dan Hodges, titled "Labour's response to Maria Miller's resignation is an embarrassing incoherent shambles" in which he points out that
"According to Labour it is a disgrace an Asian man now has responsibility for equalities issues. And it is a disgrace the Conservative minister for women now answers to a man, even though she always has, and even though Labour’s women’s minister answers to a man, and always has.
It’s a disgrace there aren’t any mothers in the cabinet. And it’s also a disgrace that a mother has been promoted to attend the cabinet as women’s minister, because she didn’t vote for gay marriage.
And the person who’s been sent out to say all this is Labour’s shadow women’s minister, who also isn’t a mother, and has said categorically she doesn’t want to be a mother.
And Labour has the front to say David Cameron has made a mess of the Maria Miller affair."
You can read Dan's full article here.
Quote of the day 12th April 2014
"Do not free a camel of the burden of his hump; you may be freeing him from being
a camel."
(G.K. Chesterton, "Orthodoxy")
(G.K. Chesterton, "Orthodoxy")
Friday, April 11, 2014
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Quote of the day 10th April 2014
"When it is dark enough, you can see the stars. "
(Ralph Waldo Emerson)
(Ralph Waldo Emerson)
Wednesday, April 09, 2014
Quote of the day 9th April 2014
"The problem is not that there are problems. The problem is expecting otherwise
and thinking that having problems is a problem."
(Theodore Rubin)
(Theodore Rubin)
Tuesday, April 08, 2014
Jail for metal thieves
Those who have visited this blog in the past will be aware tht I regard metal theft of one of the curses of modern society and have been a strong supporter of effective action against the gangs and the people who buy stolen metal from them.
So I was pleased to see the ringleader or a major metal theft gang, who operated on what was described as an "industrial scale," and three of his associates given prison terms.
So I was pleased to see the ringleader or a major metal theft gang, who operated on what was described as an "industrial scale," and three of his associates given prison terms.
Birmingham Crown Court heard how the conspiracy was uncovered in June 2011 when West Mercia Police, assisted by BT, began investigating the activities of 48-year-old Gary Kitchin.
It was discovered that, despite not working or claiming benefits, Kitchin had more than £120,000 in various accounts, a mortgage-free property in Ledbury, Herefordshire, a part share in a property in Weymouth and an apartment in Spain.
Kitchin was found to be organising the theft of infrastructure cable belonging to utility companies in several Midlands counties which he sold on to scrap dealers across the region. Between October 2010 and July 2011, he was paid a very large amount in cash from one Gloucestershire dealer alone, the majority of the proceeds coming from stolen copper cable.
The court heard how during this period he recruited a workforce to extract miles of redundant BT underground cable at night using a 4x4 vehicle. Remnants of sheathing from BT cabling, together with copper cable and tools, were found at an address at Welland, Worcestershire.
Following evidence provided to the court by BT, all the defendants eventually pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal.
Kitchin was sentenced to 38 months imprisonment for conspiracy to steal and 12 months to be served concurrently for money laundering. A hearing is scheduled for later this year to retrieve assets from him under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Other gang members appearing with Kitchin were Simon Beardsley, 49, who was sentenced to 28 months imprisonment; Gareth Spooner, 30, who was sentenced to 27 months; and Alex Carr, 29, who was sentenced to 18 months.
Kevin Brown, BT Security general manager for corporate investigations, said: “BT has worked closely with West Mercia Police on this investigation, providing intelligence and evidence to assist with the police’s operation. We use many security measures to tackle cable crime and supporting police force visits to scrap metal dealers. We will continue to work with police and do everything possible to catch cable theft criminals.”
Quote of the day 8th April 2014
"The problem with troubleshooting is that trouble shoots back."
(Anon)
(Anon)
Monday, April 07, 2014
Quote of the day 7th April 2014
"Things are never so bad they can't be made worse."
(Line from the film "The African Queen" based on the book by C.S. Forester)
(Line from the film "The African Queen" based on the book by C.S. Forester)
Sunday, April 06, 2014
Osborne on supporting small businesses ...
Chancellor George Osborne writes:
Today marks another important step in our long-term economic plan to build a stronger economy and secure Britain's future.
   
George Osborne
|
Quote of the day 6th April 2014
"For thirty years now, in times of stress and strain, when something has me
backed against the wall and I'm ready to do something really stupid with my
anger, a sorrowful face appears in my mind and asks... "Problem or
inconvenience?" I think of this as the Wollman Test of Reality. Life is lumpy.
And a lump in the oatmeal, a lump in the throat, and a lump in the breast are
not the same lump. One should learn the difference. "
(Robert Fulghum, "Uh-Oh")
(Robert Fulghum, "Uh-Oh")
Saturday, April 05, 2014
DC writes: the Income tax calculator
The Prime Minister writes:
More money in your pocket, more financial security for you and your family.
As part of our long-term economic plan, we're cutting income tax for over 25 million people - and lifting 3.2 million out of income tax altogether.
From Sunday night, the tax-free personal allowance will increase to £10,000 - meaning you'll pay less tax and keep more of the money you earn. Use our quick income tax calculator today to find out how much you'll save this year.
This has only been possible because of the consistent action we've taken to cut the deficit.
So we need to let people know that the difficult decisions are paying off. Share the link to our income tax calculator with everyone you know so they can see how much they'll save: http://incometaxcut.conservatives.com/
Forward it to your friends and family, share it on Facebook and Twitter - let everyone know that the Conservatives are cutting income tax and helping hardworking people be more financially secure.
Thanks,
David Cameron
Quote of the day 5th April 2014
"If
you break your neck, if you have nothing to eat, if your house is on fire—then
you got a problem. Everything else is inconvenience. Life is
inconvenient. Life is lumpy. Learn to separate the inconveniences from
the real problems. You will live longer. "
(Sigmund Wollman, quoted by Robert Fulghum in "Uh-Oh")
(Sigmund Wollman, quoted by Robert Fulghum in "Uh-Oh")
Friday, April 04, 2014
Vote Farage - get Clegg ?
One of the most ironic aspects of the Farage/Clegg debate was pointed out by Mike Smithson - a former Lib/Dem PPC who now runs the hugely informative "Political Betting" website - in a post called
"They'll never admit it publicly but LD chances of retaining seats against the Tories rely a lot on UKIP doing well."
In many seats there is a risk that voters might, to coin a phrase, "Vote Farage, get Miliband"
But in Tory/Lib-Dem margins, they might find that it's "Vote Nigel, get Nick."
So the huge irony is that Nigel Farage's percieved win against Nick Clegg in the debate might actually help the pro-EU Lib/Dems win more seats.
Let's just hope voters have more sense than to allow this to happen.
"They'll never admit it publicly but LD chances of retaining seats against the Tories rely a lot on UKIP doing well."
In many seats there is a risk that voters might, to coin a phrase, "Vote Farage, get Miliband"
But in Tory/Lib-Dem margins, they might find that it's "Vote Nigel, get Nick."
So the huge irony is that Nigel Farage's percieved win against Nick Clegg in the debate might actually help the pro-EU Lib/Dems win more seats.
Let's just hope voters have more sense than to allow this to happen.
Quote of the day 4th April 2014
"The healthy and strong individual is the one who asks for help
when he needs it. Whether he's got an abscess on his knee or in his soul. "
(Rona Barrett)
(Rona Barrett)
Thursday, April 03, 2014
DC on West Cumberland Hospital
The Prime Minister was asked at PMQs yesterday about the West Cumberland Hospital. This was his reply (Source: They Work For You website, which took it from Hansard)
David Cameron (The Prime Minister; Witney, Conservative)
"The hon. Gentleman is right to say that I saw for myself what an excellent job this hospital does and how important it is. The clinical commissioning group total revenue available this year is an increase of 2.3%—£663 million. That is because this Government decided to protect NHS spending and not cut it, and that is why important hospital developments can go ahead."
Ten thousand new jobs head economic news
The Prime Minister will today announce the creation of 10,000 new jobs by businesses in Britain
A key part of our long-term economic plan is to create more jobs - so more people have the security of a pay cheque and are able to provide for their families.
So today we’re delighted to announce nearly 10,000 new jobs in businesses across the country, from Vodafone to Birmingham Airport. This is proof that our plan is working – the fundamentals are being fixed with firms expanding and taking people on.
Now we need to keep the momentum up and this week sees another boost for jobs with a number of tax changes coming into effect. Corporation tax is being cut again. Business rates are being reformed. And this weekend employer National Insurance contributions are going to be cut by £2,000. We’re proud to be making these changes as we take another step in the long but vital road of securing Britain’s future.
Tax changes coming into effect this week:
On 1st April:
· Corporation tax was cut by 2 per cent to 21 per cent. It has fallen from 28 per cent in 2010 and will fall further to 20 per cent in April 2015, making it the lowest corporation tax rate in the G7.
· Taxes on business investment were virtually abolished for most businesses. The annual investment allowance has now been doubled to £500,000, and has been extended by a further year to December 2015. This means 99.8 per cent of businesses could pay no tax on investment.
· Business rates were reformed so that:
o The annual increase is now capped at two per cent;
o The small business rates relief has been extended for a further year, so that over half a million of the smallest businesses pay reduced rates and over a third of a million pay no rates at all; and
o Targeted help for the high street in the form of a £1,000 discount for retail properties takes effect, benefitting around 300,000 shops, pubs and restaurants
· Fuel duty has been frozen again.
On Sunday:
· The income tax-free personal allowance increases to £10,000. 26 million taxpayers will benefit, with a further 200,000 taken out of paying income tax altogether. From April, typical basic rate taxpayers will have gained by £705 from all increases announced by this Government. Three million people on low incomes will be taken out of income tax altogether.
· Employer National Insurance Contributions will be cut by up to £2,000. This new Employment Allowance will benefit over one and a quarter million employers, over 90 per cent of them small businesses. 400,000 small businesses will no longer pay employer National Insurance at all.
A Guardian view - is the left "trapped in the past?"
One usually expeets to find articles putting the case that the Left "Owns the Future" and the Right is "trapped in the past" in left-wing papers like the Guardian and arguments suggesting that the Conservatives are the party of the future and the left stuck in the past in more right-wing publications like the Spectator or the Telegraph.
But yesterday there was an interesting piece by John Harris in the Guardian expressing the fear (from his point of view) that
The Tories own the Future: The Left is trapped in the past.
The sub-heading reads
"Too many progressives remain wedded to nationalisation, the big state and jobs for life. If they can't find a more modern vision the battle is lost"
He argues that
"What underlines the sense that Tories are on an upswing is the fact that they, and the right more widely, have come up with a solid vision of the future, and may yet persuade a sufficient share of the public to buy in."
To put his summary of the right's case in more positive language than Harris does without shifting the essential meaning, the idea is to work out what qualities and behaviours will help Britain survive and prosper as we face the challenges of the coming decades and try to reward them. He goes on:
"And the left? Another lesson of history is that Labour wins when it does a good impression of owning the future – witness 1945, 1964 and 1997. On a bad day, though, it can feel like many of the people at the top of the party want to return to some mushy, statist version of social democracy redolent of 1993. Others seem to wish it was still 2006. And too much of the wider left is still rattling out the battles of the 1980s. The academic and Lib Dem peer Ralf Dahrendorf famously said that the SDP wanted "a better yesterday": the same is true of 90% of the left, not just here, but all over Europe, and beyond."
Harris argues that
"Two decades on there is still too much truth to the contention made in the "New Times" issue of Marxism Today, published in October 1988: "It is the right that now appears modern, radical, innovative … It is the left that seems backward-looking, conservative, bereft of new ideas and out of time."
"This runs much wider than the Labour party, out into the people and organisations who think of themselves as "radical", but usually fall short.
Listen to their current noises off, as they demand "a massive house-building programme", or the renationalisation of the railways.
The venerable Ken Loach suggests their task is to belatedly make the Labour manifesto of 1945 "into a reality".
The left's causes – greater equality, a public realm as distinct from the private market, security in an insecure world – are as urgent as ever, but this kind of politics stands no chance of advancing them."
Whether you agree with him or not -and obviously I don't share his politics but even if some of his conclusions were not helpful to my side of the argument, I think Harris makes interesting and useful points about how right and left alike need to adapt to a changing world - you can read the full article here.
But yesterday there was an interesting piece by John Harris in the Guardian expressing the fear (from his point of view) that
The Tories own the Future: The Left is trapped in the past.
The sub-heading reads
"Too many progressives remain wedded to nationalisation, the big state and jobs for life. If they can't find a more modern vision the battle is lost"
He argues that
"What underlines the sense that Tories are on an upswing is the fact that they, and the right more widely, have come up with a solid vision of the future, and may yet persuade a sufficient share of the public to buy in."
To put his summary of the right's case in more positive language than Harris does without shifting the essential meaning, the idea is to work out what qualities and behaviours will help Britain survive and prosper as we face the challenges of the coming decades and try to reward them. He goes on:
"And the left? Another lesson of history is that Labour wins when it does a good impression of owning the future – witness 1945, 1964 and 1997. On a bad day, though, it can feel like many of the people at the top of the party want to return to some mushy, statist version of social democracy redolent of 1993. Others seem to wish it was still 2006. And too much of the wider left is still rattling out the battles of the 1980s. The academic and Lib Dem peer Ralf Dahrendorf famously said that the SDP wanted "a better yesterday": the same is true of 90% of the left, not just here, but all over Europe, and beyond."
Harris argues that
"Two decades on there is still too much truth to the contention made in the "New Times" issue of Marxism Today, published in October 1988: "It is the right that now appears modern, radical, innovative … It is the left that seems backward-looking, conservative, bereft of new ideas and out of time."
"This runs much wider than the Labour party, out into the people and organisations who think of themselves as "radical", but usually fall short.
Listen to their current noises off, as they demand "a massive house-building programme", or the renationalisation of the railways.
The venerable Ken Loach suggests their task is to belatedly make the Labour manifesto of 1945 "into a reality".
The left's causes – greater equality, a public realm as distinct from the private market, security in an insecure world – are as urgent as ever, but this kind of politics stands no chance of advancing them."
Whether you agree with him or not -and obviously I don't share his politics but even if some of his conclusions were not helpful to my side of the argument, I think Harris makes interesting and useful points about how right and left alike need to adapt to a changing world - you can read the full article here.
Quote of the day 3rd April 2014
"The only thing that overcomes hard luck is hard work."
(Harry Golden)
(Harry Golden)
Wednesday, April 02, 2014
Treasury Minister Sajid Javid writes - Please watch this short flm
Income tax - cut. The jobs tax - cut. Corporation tax - cut. Fuel duty - frozen.
Thanks,
Sajid Javid MP
Financial Secretary to the Treasury
Financial Secretary to the Treasury
A use for Roman numerals ...
You would not think that in the 21st century the old Roman numeral sytem, which is incredibly clunky and inefficient compared with arabic numbers, would have any real use outside of history and archaeology.
Guess agan.
I was using an online payment system today which is run on behalf of one of the organisations with I have regular dealings. Despite being one of the less user-friendly computer systems I deal with, it is still massively more convenient than making a round trip of at least an hour and a half to visit the organisation in person and much quicker than posting a cheque.
But boy is it user-unfriendly at times.
This morning I had to decide on a "nickname" for something. I wanted to include a date in the nickname so I could identify the most recent one.
No deal - the system did not accept numbers.
Then my wife said "Why not try using Roman numerals?" And it worked.
Extraordinary irony that a modern internet-based system will accept an inefficient numbering system which is well over 2,000 years old and has been obsolete for more than a thousand of them, but not the one we use in everyday life.
Guess agan.
I was using an online payment system today which is run on behalf of one of the organisations with I have regular dealings. Despite being one of the less user-friendly computer systems I deal with, it is still massively more convenient than making a round trip of at least an hour and a half to visit the organisation in person and much quicker than posting a cheque.
But boy is it user-unfriendly at times.
This morning I had to decide on a "nickname" for something. I wanted to include a date in the nickname so I could identify the most recent one.
No deal - the system did not accept numbers.
Then my wife said "Why not try using Roman numerals?" And it worked.
Extraordinary irony that a modern internet-based system will accept an inefficient numbering system which is well over 2,000 years old and has been obsolete for more than a thousand of them, but not the one we use in everyday life.
Quote of the day 2nd April 2014
"I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't
trust me so much."
(Mother Teresa of Calcutta)
(Mother Teresa of Calcutta)
Tuesday, April 01, 2014
UKIP MEP's to defect?
Rumours were sweeping Brussels this morning that almost all the remaining UKIP members of the European Parliament who had not already been expelled, resigned, gone to prison, or joined the Conserative party were about to defect en masse to the Conservatives.
UKIP has already suffered an astonishing number of losses from the MEPs elected in 2009 no less than 45% of them have gone - six out of thirteen.
The record is:
Nikki Sinclaire (expelled),
David Campbell-Bannerman (defected to the Tories),
Mike Nattrass (de-selected and then resigned),
Trevor Coleman (quit UKIP’s European grouping)
Marta Andreasen (defected to the Tories)
Godfrey Bllom (lost the whip after calling a roomful of UKIP ladies "sluts")
And when UKIP MEPs don't defect, the independent VoteWatch Europe website found that UKIP members of the European Parliament have the worst attendance and voting records of any political party from any country. (Footnote)
Now the Brussels rumour mill suggests that UKIP's remaining MEPS with the exception of the leader himself are about to jump ship to the tories too.
"UKIP policy doesn't allow us to cast our votes to fight for Britain's interests," said one of the defectors. "It's time for a change."
"UKIP can't deliver a referendum to give the Britsih people a say about Europe. Labour and the Lib/Dems don't want to. Only the Conservatives can and will - so vote Conservative!"
By the way, you do know what day it is, don't you? (This post was put up on the first of April.)
Footnote - amazingly, the list above about MEPS who have already quit UKIP's delegation in the European parliament isn't an April fool. Nor is the Vote Watch Europea report.
UKIP has already suffered an astonishing number of losses from the MEPs elected in 2009 no less than 45% of them have gone - six out of thirteen.
The record is:
Nikki Sinclaire (expelled),
David Campbell-Bannerman (defected to the Tories),
Mike Nattrass (de-selected and then resigned),
Trevor Coleman (quit UKIP’s European grouping)
Marta Andreasen (defected to the Tories)
Godfrey Bllom (lost the whip after calling a roomful of UKIP ladies "sluts")
And when UKIP MEPs don't defect, the independent VoteWatch Europe website found that UKIP members of the European Parliament have the worst attendance and voting records of any political party from any country. (Footnote)
Now the Brussels rumour mill suggests that UKIP's remaining MEPS with the exception of the leader himself are about to jump ship to the tories too.
"UKIP policy doesn't allow us to cast our votes to fight for Britain's interests," said one of the defectors. "It's time for a change."
"UKIP can't deliver a referendum to give the Britsih people a say about Europe. Labour and the Lib/Dems don't want to. Only the Conservatives can and will - so vote Conservative!"
By the way, you do know what day it is, don't you? (This post was put up on the first of April.)
Footnote - amazingly, the list above about MEPS who have already quit UKIP's delegation in the European parliament isn't an April fool. Nor is the Vote Watch Europea report.
Quote of the day 1st April 2014
"Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in, except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.”
( Winston Churchill )
( Winston Churchill )
Monday, March 31, 2014
Quote of the day 31st March 2014
“He that can have patience can have what he will.”
( Benjamin Franklin )
( Benjamin Franklin )
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Quotes for Mother's Day, 30th March 2014
“There is something about losing your mother that is permanent and inexpressable - a wound that will never quite heal.”
( Susan Wiggs, )
"when you look at your mother, you are looking at the purest love you will ever know.”
( Mitch Albom )
"The natural state of motherhood is unselfishmess. When you become a mother you are no longer at the entre of yor own universe. YOu relinquih that position to your children."
(Jessica Lange)
( Susan Wiggs, )
"when you look at your mother, you are looking at the purest love you will ever know.”
( Mitch Albom )
"The natural state of motherhood is unselfishmess. When you become a mother you are no longer at the entre of yor own universe. YOu relinquih that position to your children."
(Jessica Lange)
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Quote of the day Saturday 28th March 2014
"What the First Minister is saying is he wants a divorce but to keep the joint bank account."
(Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont, referring to the SNP wanting Scotland to seek "Independence" from the rest of the UK but to keep the pound.)
(Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont, referring to the SNP wanting Scotland to seek "Independence" from the rest of the UK but to keep the pound.)
Friday, March 28, 2014
Fact-checking Clegg and Farage
Both Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage made some good points in the debate but both of them also rolled out a few ancient and discredited sayings which they should have known, and intelligent and open-minded observers do know, to be at best highly misleading and at worst very unlikely.
E.g. to argue that 3 million jobs would go if Britain left the EU you have to assume no trade with the remaining EU after we left, which seems most unlikely, while the "75% of our laws are made in Brussels" claim by Viviane Reding is not taken seriously by anyone except UKIP, although the House of Commons Library's briefing which gives that figure as 7%, quoted by Nick Clegg in the debate this week, only counts primary legislation and is therefore not the full picture. The truth is somewhere in the huge area between those two numbers.
There is a good fact-check on the Open Europe blog, which pours highly-appropriate cold water on some of the wilder claims by both men, here.
E.g. to argue that 3 million jobs would go if Britain left the EU you have to assume no trade with the remaining EU after we left, which seems most unlikely, while the "75% of our laws are made in Brussels" claim by Viviane Reding is not taken seriously by anyone except UKIP, although the House of Commons Library's briefing which gives that figure as 7%, quoted by Nick Clegg in the debate this week, only counts primary legislation and is therefore not the full picture. The truth is somewhere in the huge area between those two numbers.
There is a good fact-check on the Open Europe blog, which pours highly-appropriate cold water on some of the wilder claims by both men, here.
Quote of the day 28th March 2014 - Hanlon's razor vs. Henlein's razor
Hanlon's razor, attributed in this form to Robert J Hanlon but similar to sayings attributed to many others including Napoleon, Jane West, Goethe, and Robert Henlein, is
"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity"
A slightly more nuanced version from Robert Henlein, sometimes known as Henlein's razor, is
"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity, but don't rule out malice"
Another similar comment, which is a comibation of the above and Clarke's law about technology and magic, is known as Gray's law:
"Any sufficiently advanced incompetence is indistinguishalble from malice."
"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity"
A slightly more nuanced version from Robert Henlein, sometimes known as Henlein's razor, is
"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity, but don't rule out malice"
Another similar comment, which is a comibation of the above and Clarke's law about technology and magic, is known as Gray's law:
"Any sufficiently advanced incompetence is indistinguishalble from malice."
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Farage in Fantasyland
There were some interesting comments made by both leaders in the Clegg vs. Farage debate about whether Britain should be in the EU.
The point howeer, where I thought Nigel Farage completely lost it was his preposterous attempt to blame the EU for what is happening in the Ukraine.
The European Union gets many things wrong but the idea that the EU is in any meaningful sense responsible for the change in government in the Ukraine or for Russia's subsequent actions only makes sense in the looking-glass world of Russian propaganda - and now apparently also of UKIP propaganda.
The EU tried to negotiate a trade agreement with the previous Ukranian government. Signing trade agreements is what the EU does and it's one of the things they are actually fairly good at, though I have some sympathy for those who urge counting your fingers after shaking hands on such negotiations.
Such trade deals do not have to involve detatching the countries with which we agree to trade from their existing alliances. Granted, if Ukraine actually joined the EU there might be border control issues but we were years away from that.
The situation now is way past there being any chance of the solution everyone should have aimed for: nevertheless best option for Ukraine would have been to act as a bridge between East and West with good relations and lots of trade with both the EU and Russia. This need not have been a threat to Russia, as anyone except a paranoid ex-KGB man ought to have been able to see.
Unfortunately the President of Russia is a paranoid ex-KGB man and he decided to offer the previous President of the Ukraine a deal for closer trade with Russia which was clearly presented as an alternative to the one with the EU.
When the former Ukrainian President went for that deal, everyone in the West accepted it as a fait accompli. The idea that the EU encouraged the people of Ukraine to overthrow their government is preposterous nonsense.
The problem was that the rejection of the trade deal was the latest in a pattern of unpopular, bad or corrupt decisions which many Ukranian people were already angry with, many of which had nothing to do with the EU. Nobody forsaw quite what an explosion of anger it would touch off, though perhaps in hindsight the regime should have.
When there were protests about it, it was the former Ukrainian government, not the EU, which decided to order snipers to shoot down people in the demonstrations - which instead of frightening people, provoked further outrage. And don't lets forget, it was the Ukrainian parliament, not the crowds on the streets or the EU, which passed a motion of no-confidence in the Ukrainian president and set up the new interim government.
If anyone has "blood on their hands" it is the former Ukrainian government, not the European Union or the British government, and Mr Farage should know better than to throw that sort of language around without justification.
The point howeer, where I thought Nigel Farage completely lost it was his preposterous attempt to blame the EU for what is happening in the Ukraine.
The European Union gets many things wrong but the idea that the EU is in any meaningful sense responsible for the change in government in the Ukraine or for Russia's subsequent actions only makes sense in the looking-glass world of Russian propaganda - and now apparently also of UKIP propaganda.
The EU tried to negotiate a trade agreement with the previous Ukranian government. Signing trade agreements is what the EU does and it's one of the things they are actually fairly good at, though I have some sympathy for those who urge counting your fingers after shaking hands on such negotiations.
Such trade deals do not have to involve detatching the countries with which we agree to trade from their existing alliances. Granted, if Ukraine actually joined the EU there might be border control issues but we were years away from that.
The situation now is way past there being any chance of the solution everyone should have aimed for: nevertheless best option for Ukraine would have been to act as a bridge between East and West with good relations and lots of trade with both the EU and Russia. This need not have been a threat to Russia, as anyone except a paranoid ex-KGB man ought to have been able to see.
Unfortunately the President of Russia is a paranoid ex-KGB man and he decided to offer the previous President of the Ukraine a deal for closer trade with Russia which was clearly presented as an alternative to the one with the EU.
When the former Ukrainian President went for that deal, everyone in the West accepted it as a fait accompli. The idea that the EU encouraged the people of Ukraine to overthrow their government is preposterous nonsense.
The problem was that the rejection of the trade deal was the latest in a pattern of unpopular, bad or corrupt decisions which many Ukranian people were already angry with, many of which had nothing to do with the EU. Nobody forsaw quite what an explosion of anger it would touch off, though perhaps in hindsight the regime should have.
When there were protests about it, it was the former Ukrainian government, not the EU, which decided to order snipers to shoot down people in the demonstrations - which instead of frightening people, provoked further outrage. And don't lets forget, it was the Ukrainian parliament, not the crowds on the streets or the EU, which passed a motion of no-confidence in the Ukrainian president and set up the new interim government.
If anyone has "blood on their hands" it is the former Ukrainian government, not the European Union or the British government, and Mr Farage should know better than to throw that sort of language around without justification.
Quote of the day 27th March 2014
"Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool"
(Anon, sometimes attributed to Robert Frost or Winston Churchill)
Similarly Douglas Adams wrote in Mostly Harmless,
"A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools."
(Anon, sometimes attributed to Robert Frost or Winston Churchill)
Similarly Douglas Adams wrote in Mostly Harmless,
"A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools."
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