It would seem the African Union has, at least in theory, succeeded where Western diplomats could not... Jacob Zuma, the President of South Africa, says he's sat and had talks with Mohammar about this situation, and that there's to be an 'immediate ceasefire' while some deal is worked out..
Just whether Mohammar will deal with this cease fire... The UN certainly had no effect..
The leader of the opposition party, Guma al-Gamaty who's based in Britain, has said there could be no deal brokered by anyone, if it included Gadaffi or his sons remaining in power..
However, the AU delegates will head to Benghazi on Tuesday to talk with the leaders of the 'freedom fighters'..
Jacob said the details of the plan would be released within days, but the ceasefire must start now.
Tell that to those in running gun battles in Benghazi today. Mohammar will stall the system for as long as he can, while he tries, by force, to regain control.
In his eyes, it's all, or nothing, and he won't settle for nothing...


This might be the first laugh of the day..
The British and Dutch governments are going to sue Iceland for defaulting on repayments made when 'IceSave' collapsed..
Depositors here and in the Netherlands were given full rebates for the Icelandic bank which went bust...
The sum they're looking to recoup is a mere 3.5 billion Pounds..
The suit itself could go on for at least a year... and then will there have to be further litigation to recoup costs...?
It's a Three Stooges act.. with only Hal Roach missing...

The Law comes into effect today in France, that bans the wearing of the Islamic women's head-dress, the burqa..
It's interesting what the various Muslim Communities consider proper dress codes for women.. A Turkish woman, for example, will wear a scarf over their heads, believing the face can be uncovered.. A Yemeni woman will wear a complete niqab, leaving only a slit in the cloth for them to see from.. And there are some Communities who have completely discarded the old interpretations, and women wear what they want, as long as it's demure..
But the interesting part of all of this, is the lack of impact this has had on the Muslim Community in France. A few straggling protesters are walking about in front of the Paris High Court, but the French seem so much more pliant in accepting laws which diminish their personal freedom.. It's almost a tacit agreement between those who enforce the Law, and those who break it, that the infraction will likely be ignored.. Yet reports are that two women have already been arrested, likely from among those staging a pallid protest..
Seems the French make Laws, simply to make Laws.. An exercise designed to keep up the appearance that Lawmakers are a busy bunch, working to protect the general public's interest..
Belgium has an even more stringent Law before their Parliament, but with the state of Belgian politics in general, it could be a while before it's Tabled..

Yet another tremor has shaken Japan, in the Fukujima Prefecture.. this one weighed in at 7.7 on the Richter Scale, and workers scampered from the damaged nuclear plants as yet another tsunami warning was issued, then lifted..
It's been exactly a month since the original quake and tsunami, and many are waiting with 'bated breath for "the big one" to hit the island..
The damage these quakes have caused, both in Japan and to all those they trade with and supply throughout the world.. will eventually be measured in the trillion dollar range.. and the loss of jobs and production in all downstream operations..

Some more government restrictions on our banks... Banks have several sectors within their infrastructure, and one of which is 'retail banking'.. the money available to the national business structure..small business loans in particular... This new report recommends that there be a "ring fence" around a certain percentage of any banks capital.. the investment section would be left with the rest.. but venture capital for local business would likely be in jeopardy....
It's been suggested that a tenth of the entire worth of a bank should be ring fenced, others are calling for something closer to 15% would be safer...
The entire report from the Commission will be published in September, but their idea, they say, is to protect the public.. to make the lender responsible for any losses, not the taxpayer..
Not going to be a popular move with the banks..
But what was interesting that the Chairman of the Commission threw out the remark that this could lead to a 'global banking system..with essentially two arms.. one dealing with venture capital and investments, the other dealing with retail banking..
a "global banking system"...?
Frightening..


Just a brief mention here of a somewhat delecate subject..
The Polish Government has quietly decriminalised cannabis... Not legalised, but made the use of the drug no longer a criminal offence..
How long will it be, before we shake off the weight of the US, and follow suit, joining Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, and now Poland...
How long will our government support organised crime...?

Iceland's become the second country to default on loans... this time not to the IMF, but to Britain and the Netherlands, for funds supplied by those countries when 'Icesave' failed in 2008..
It actually went to a referendum, as to whether this money should be repaid... 58% voted 'no'...42% said the money's owed, and we should honour the agreement..
This will now go to an international court, and with 4 billion Euro's at stake, the arguments will be vitriolic...

It's going to be somewhat of a lottery as to which Eurozone country will fold it's hands, and say it can't meet the interest payments on it's bailout funds..
With Spain's economy teetering on the edge, it must become questionable to the IMF as to just how far it's resources can be stretched..
If all of Europe's flagging economies fail, and in those France is included, then what can be the future of a single currency? The idea originally was to allow free trade and passage of workers between the allied countries, but this has nor come to pass.. As the economies of those nations which were prosperous before the fall of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mack begin to flag, and as automotive plants shut around the US and Canada for lack of parts from Japan, what will the CEO's of these various big companies, let alone those of the downstream industries, be planning..?
Britain, thankfully, did not join in accepting the Euro, but the Pound Sterling is losing ground against the Euro, in an attempt to make British goods more affordable for those on a strapped continent.. Eventually the Pound will have to take it's place as perhaps the most stable currency in Europe, and that's going to hit British industry, hard..
Germany's a step away from pulling out of the Euro..it's voters not at all pleased with the amount they're pouring into 'recovery loans', most of which will remain unpaid..
And while the IMF is a coalition of 140 or so countries, those members the likes of Canada and the US are steering clear of offering funds to European nations under the gun.. It's original mandate was to provide aid to countries hot by natural disasters, or insurrection.. not to bail, out banks which now find themselves far overextended in insecure debts..
It's amazing, that banks throughout the Eurozone, including Britain, are still handing out year end bonuses to anyone connected with an institution which was forced to ask for government money.. The taxpayer is starting to wonder why these sums are not being fed back into the Exchequer, to help bring down the rate of quantitative easing.. The man on the street is feeling the pinch, because Portugal, Greece, and Eire are either defaulting, or asking for even more financial aid..
One wonders how long this can go on...

Japan says it has..temporarily at least, stopped the pumping of radioactive water into the sea.. and this has China and South Korea breathing a little slower as the threat of contamination of their waters diminishes...
However, they're still pumping water into the reactors to keep the frozen rods cool, and liquid nitrogen to avert another hydrogen explosion which would send the radioactive waste airborne..
Japan's economy is so intertwined with that of so many countries, that this disaster, the worst since Chernobyl.. will have even more knock on effects globally...
We're knee deep in it now.. and the future does not appear to be positive...

Seems there is another blog entitled The Path Less Taken..
It deals with matters religious, predominately the happenings in the Roman Church..
If it's what you're looking for, you're at the wrong one..

More later..

The Eurozone is scratching their collective heads, as it's pondered what can be done for Portugal..?
IMF funds seem, for the most part, are being contributed by economies that themselves cannot afford to lend.. Germany in particular, Britain for another..
Yet, to maintain what's becoming a very fragile hegemony, it's expected some 70 billion Euro's will be handed to Portugal, after the next elections in June.
Greece has already defaulted on it's loan.. Ireland has a 0% projected increase in GDP, and is suffering with interest payments, and national unemployment...
Is the IMF simply throwing good money after bad in it's Portugal injection... should this tenuous coalition under the single currency be allowed to fall..?
It's under consideration..

You'll recall that it was in the Ivory Coast this pan-North African 'freedom' movement started, and still today, while they've had their election, they have troops and armed gangs roaming the streets of Abidjan. The man who insists he won the election, President Laurent Gbagbo, is hiding in a bunker within his Presidential Palace, while troops loyal to the Internationally accepted President, Alassane Ouattara, are verily at the gates..
This is the scenario which was bound to develop, and while Laurent has gone on State television and stated he was no martyr.. he was not prepared to die.. but he would not give up the Office of President, regardless of it's pretence..
The same could deveop in Yemen.. in Libya.. in Bahrain..
In effect, these countries are in civil wars which will lead to a Military rule, until such time compromises can be worked out and the people can get a fair whack at electing a fair government..
Oh wait, they've already done that.. and we're back to square one..
One belated tip...hold on to your cocoa holdings.. while the markets down, there will be a rise in the index... It's a poor crop this year, and supplies are only just beginning to flow again..

It would appear that China and India are the two economies among the Asian group, projecting more than seven percent growth over the fiscal year..
Yet as we posted earlier, figures are easily manipulated to give a false picture.
Take China, in real growth, GDP, it's projected that it will remain at zero percent.. which considering the state of the world economy, is exceptional..
India's GDP is expected to fall by at least three percent...
So when they say 'growth', they're talking about expansion of their capabilities both at home and abroad..
But both need foreign investment.. Eurozone or North American companies who can expand the Chinese and Indian workforce..providing much needed commodities and services to the 'new middle class'... and bringing their technology with them..
It's going to be a very short time, in the overall scheme of things, before China and India start overwhelming the productivity of the West.. for once they've seen it done, they can copy it as many times as their internal economies allow..

It had to happen sooner or later.. Portugal has asked the IMF for a bailout, and they'll find the interest rates they'll be charged to be even higher than those on debts from Eire or Greece.. one must wonder what the reaction will be from the German and French peoples, when they find themselves taxed to pay another government's debts..
More on this...

A new and somewhat interesting approach from the Libyan government.
That while political reform could be granted the peoples, that there could be elections, but Mohammar must stay in power as a 'unifying factor'.. tying tribal factions together and maintaining a figurehead for the entire country.. The concern is, according to government spokesmen, is that a situation such as those in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan, not occur in Lybia। That removing Gadaffi would create a power vacuum, which could lead to further violence as tribal factions line up to take control.They have also asserted government forces have not been targeting civilians in retalliation for their opposition to the Gadaffi regime, but have only been fighting 'armed militias'..
What tripe..
Evacuees have been reporting 'massacres' of civilians by government troops in the coastal city of Misrata.. that hospitals are full of the wounded, and dead still lying in the streets..
This has been going on for almost two months now.. and one might think we're all getting sick of it.
Meanwhile Said Gadaffi, Mohmmars son, is ridiculing rumours that his family will leave Libya and take asylum in any other African nation.. that there's room for a compromise, local elections, set wages.. a better standard of living for the average Libyan man of the street..
He's underlined the possibility of chaos if his father leaves, projecting a civil war without Mohammar to hold the country united..
Still, the fight to oust the man continues..
















More later.

When will this insanity finally come to an end...?
A 25 year old Police Officer was killed in Omagh no less, by yet another car bomb..
This sectarian violence inspires the most virulent senses of outrage..
And that this has been going on for decades...
Utterly contemptible..

The word from our Foreign Minister, William Hague, is that this conflict in Libya will not end in a 'stalement'.. although just what more can be done to oust Mohammar without foreign troops on the ground is unknown.
The problem being, the 'freedom fighters' are disorganised.. fragmented.. poorly armed..They need military leadership to coordinate their attacks, which are, at the moment, seemingly at the whim of those driving the trucks they have their weaponry mounted on.
If the West is going to oust Gadaffi, then it must come that we go at the venture wholeheartedly.. If not, then we are looking at a conflict that will continue for some time, and likely end in the defeat of the rebels..
It's a case of having the bowel movement, or getting off the pot..

Seldom has an absolute act of idiocy had such repercussions..
Evangelical Pastor Terry Jones burned copies of the Q'ran outside his church in Florida.. He made no secret about it, and due to the First Amendment to the American Constitution, there was absolutely nothing the Law could do to stop it..
This is reminiscent of the splinter Evangelical family, who pickets the funerals of soldiers..
But the Law is the Law, and while it also guarantees the right to religious freedom, it also guarantees the right to free speech and assembly..
That that protects the American equivalent of Al Q'aida.. organisations based on hate and condemnation of those who disagree with their particular doctrine..
Vilification reflects on those who vilify.. and little more can be said..
But this act of hatred against Islam, has resulted in the deaths of seven UN workers.
Unforgiveable.

Collateral damage has such a callous ring to it, and the deaths of seven civilians, as repored by a doctor in Tehran falls into that category exactly.We've even killed our own troops before by mistake, more than many on occasion.. and Mohammar himself is responsible for far, far more..
And again, it begs the question, if those who were killed while being human shields around military installations, then they must be aware some will die. Again, as they chose to serve with their lives, makes them combatants..
A quandary..

Meanwhile in Syria, there have been spontanious protests spring up in a number of cities..protesting the killings of ten protestors over the two weeks of unrest..
So far today, government troops have managed to kill three more..
It's somewhat incomprehensible for the Western Mind to imagine what life in these countries is, has been for centuries, a tribal culture.. and the importance of the setting aside of these various tribal differences cannot be ignored.. It's a major step in a fundimental change in 'national' identity..
Now, whether it will be a permanent change, or merely a moral truce, is moot.
One would hope for the youth movement swing towards patriotism, for Syria's right to popular government.. But who can say what sway tradition plays in this part of the world, how much it will be brought to the fore in the establishment of a new 'popular' and stable government..
Friday is planned as the 'Day of the Martyrs'.. which would indicate the protestors must be aware of the possibility they would be killed, and in some numbers if necessary... a figurative sacrifice of the front ranks of all the marches..
One wonders when the UN will turn it's Security Coulcil's eye on that situation..
There's been a moral precident set, wherein the west is bound to help those attacking what's seen as a corrupt regime..
What have we stepped in here...
Syria itself has oil, but's peak in the 1980's has been followed by a steady decline.. In 1980 the per capita average wage was over 12 Syrian Pounds.. Today, it's 3.70, with inflation somewhere near 120 percent.. Again, what's driving these people to rebel... the motor of the whole shebang, is a drive for better living conditions, and a Western style of life, if not government..
It's the French and/or the American Revolutions in countries that had, until there was global instant communication, no idea what they could have themselves.. education.. and power..
The Ivory Coast was among the first to rebel, and form a government(sic).. and they still fight running battles.. A quiet change, as is being seen in Egypt, is not going to be the norm throughout these nations involved in Civil Wars..
But 'the Day of Martyrs' has such an emotive kick to it..

More later while the digestion process continues on the ultimate value of yesterday's London meeting..

It's interesting, the American take on the 'defection' of Moussa Coussa, spelt, by the way with only one 's' in both names.. The CIA is taking the man and draining him of all information, from the Lockerbie bombing, to the release of Abdul Al Magrahi from a Scottish jail. Certainly, it would appear, that any deal that might be cut will depend on what information on Mohammar's Inner Circle might be wrung out of the former diplomat..
The British take is by far more subdued.. less angry and more pleased such a high official in the Gadaffi regime has decided to resign, and defect..
Mind you, there's also a Scottish Court that wants to talk to Coussa, concerning Lockerbie.. and that Court will likely take precidence over an extradition request from the US..
However, there remains a chance that Coussa will stand trial(s), in order of precidence...

And just a sidenote here.. prescription charges, the fee one pays to the distributors and payed on to the NHS, have been abolished in Scotland as of today. We now join Wales and Northern Ireland who've also abolished prescription charges..
In England, the pharmacy will charge £7.40 per item, plus the cost of the medicine itself.. and there are as yet no plans for the government to fund such a as the rest of the Island has opted for...

Problems continue at the stricken Fukujima Diiachi nuclear facility.. As the flow of radioactive iodine continues to spread worldwide, local levels continue to rise, now at 4,385 times the danger level in the sea off the reactors.. Just how quickly them can stem the direct flow of pollution from the 4 damaged reactors is yet unannounced, but it remains a concern that will soon be found right around the Pacific Rim, a problem that could affect industries from Alaska to California.. Soon will come the allocation of responsibility for the loss of revenue from foreign industries affected by this disaster.. and that could add billions of dollars to the rebuilding process for Japan.. Meanwhile, as the seaports on the west of Japan remain closed, with only two of five still operational, the auto industry in North America has already felt the pinch.. Toyota Canada has cut all overtime, GM and Chrysler in Detroit have already announced a weeks closure, all for lack of parts usually supplied by Japanese manufacturers. The IAA has already recommended the Japanese government to extend the exclusion zone to double the current 20 kilometers around the plant, and until there is some positive news about the direct leaks from the reactors, this situation will only worsen.. In Libya, it appears the lack of military infrastructure is forcing the 'freedom fighters' to retreat from recent advances.. The fact is, that while they're willing to topple the regime of Mohammar, there's no central command to coordinate attacks and strategic withdrawals.. something that may well soon change.. Washington is remaining quiet about Barack's reference to the possibility of covert military help for the rebels, but it would seem that without outside help, this uprising could well be forced back to Benghazi, where they began.. And, it has been announced that the latest defector from Gadaffi's Cabinet will not be allowed Diplomatic Immunity, which means Moussa Koussa is still under threat of action against him by the International Court.. However, although his influence in the activities of Mohammar's government has diminished over the past year or so..since a reported disagreement with one of Gadaffi's sons.. doubtless it will be taken into account that he has offered himself for debriefing by British Intelligence..

Seems a rat has escaped through the hawsehole, and bolted from Mohammar's government... Libya's Foreign Minister has come to London, saying he cannot serve this regime any longer..
One had to wonder how many would leave this sinking ship, with the threat of inquiries by the International Courts.. further, will this one rat simply be the first in a steady stream..

And more trace rarioactive iodine have been found, further up the Clyde from Glasgow..
Levels are minute, but are an indication that this infusion from the Fukujima disaster will travel worldwide.
If it hits the eastern mainland, China, and all the Far East will suffer, as rice is grown in paddies.. if their water goes off.. so does their crop..

An interesting conversation concerning the upcoming Canadian election..slated for May 2d..
The consensus seemed to be the Conservatives would take a majority away from this, perhaps for two reasons..
One is the personality of Michael Ignatiev, the Liberal leader, and the generally agreed incompetence of his Vice...
But perhaps the most galling point for the majority of Canadians apears to be Quebec, and the Liberals have been in talks with the Parti Quebecois, the Provincial government. They appear too friendly.
It's the same in Ontario aparently, with the Liberals sure to lose power, after decades in control. The Tories are the odds on favourite..
Canada's a country not spoken about often in the foreign news.. but it's the second largest in the world.. it's the largest exporter of grain in the world.. it's the second largest supplyer of gold in the world... the list coninues..
More should be reading the Toronto Globe and Mail.. or the Toronto Sun.. more often..

Japan appears to have given up on trying to salvage the Fukashima reactors one, two, and three, and will apparently talk to locals about shutting the entire operation down.. The highest levels of radioactive iodine yet have been recorded off the western coast of the island, and there continues to be leakage from the coolant tanks into the waters offshore..
They say it won't be long before a 'special substance' will be poured into the stricken reactors, sealing the leaks, thereby reducing the amounts of runoff..
If it's anything like Chernobyl, we'll see concrete filling the reactors in the near future, leaving the area uninhabitable for at least 20 years or so...
The Japanese government says though, that it's not giving up on nuclear power. But the next they build, will certainly be state of the art..

Britain's going to expel 5 Libyan dilomats, calling them a 'threat to national security'... But the bigger story is William Hague supporting the idea of actually and openly arming the 'freedom fighters'. There is little doubt the French have been surreptitiously doing exactly that for more than a week, but to openly support the uprising is tantamount to calling for an immediate regime change, regardless of cost to Libyan casualties. It's diect interference in what's essentially a civil war, and has far reaching consiquences..
For will we next see the same action in Syria.. or Zimbabwe.. or any other country at war with itself... Our moral position is tenuous at best..

Of exceeding interest is the announcement of a new Christian Text found in Jordan, and smuggled into Israel some 4 or 5 years ago..
Now in the hands of the British Museum, this text is being touted as 'the greatest Christian archeology find, ever..', dating back some 1800 to 2 thousand years.
This is thought to be the work of the 'Jerusalem Church', the first of any of the many Christian denominations, and while still in the early stages of translation, could give a more accurate position Christ himself on his divinity, and his message to his followers.
Odds are, it will be allocated to join the Apocrypha..

Rising levels of radiation from the Fukujima nuclear plant have hit the west coast of the US, with fishermen from Washington State through California wondering if their catches will be safe to eat.. Begs the question, will there be court action taken against the Japanese government for loss of revenue in all affected areas..

More than 35 representatives from various governments and organisations are meeting this afternoon in London... all these people to decide the fate of Mohammar..
Perhaps primary among the discussions, is whether the west has the mandate to actually arm the rebels, a practice no doubt going on in an unofficial manner for some time now..
But the reports are stressing the main concern is, what will happen to Libya after Gaddafi's gone.. Representatives of the 'Freedom Fighters' are in attendance, as well as those still supporting the current regime..
If there is any clear consensus from this meeting, it will be loose and indecisive, with no country willing to commit themselves to any concrete action at this time.
This is perhaps going to be a longstanding problem..

And something to take from 'The Lancet' today..
A new study they've completed indicates that the death rate among teens and those in their early 20's, have overtaken that of younger children..
Violence, road accidents, drug and alcohol use, and suicides, have all contributed to this reversal in figures..
While our teen years used to be the healthiest of our lives, it seems societal changes have made the teen years the hardest to get through..
More than 50 countries were among those taken into account in this poll..

A high level meeting in London today, with leaders of the coalition working towards the defeat of Mohammar which will likely include members of the 'freedom fighters' in attendance.. The subject is what will happen in Libya post-Gaddafi.. and exactly what help NATO can do in relation to arming the rebels..
It's a major concern for those gathering today..Libya exports a lot of oil, and to whom and where it goes if Mohammar is ousted..
Barack had been accused of 'dithering' on the Libya question.. of not defining exactly what the American military role will be in this kefuffle. According to Obama, there will no American 'boots on the ground' in this conflict, they don't want another Iraq on their hands. It would seem that Barack's exceedingly concerned with this conflict being labeled 'Obama's War'.. Perhaps with that eventuality, or possibility, than in bringing this conflict to a speedy end..

Japan's in some hot water here..no pun intended..
The situation at Fukajima's getting worse, not better. Radiation levels are growing higher and higher in the sea off the northwestern part of Hokkaido, putting the fishing industry into a situation those in Canada's New Brunswick and Newfoundland could easily relate to. Japanese fish are eaten around the world, but not when they glow in the dark..
As to the effect this disaster is having on the Japanese public itself, it would seem they're taking this phlegmatically, dealing with rising food prices and power cuts with exceptionally stoicism. Had this happened in any western country, thousands of people would have taken to the streets already, blaming the government for that which nature doles out..
It speaks volumes about the difference between Japan and the rest of the world. One can bet, that while Japan may have it's problem for a while yet, it's people will deal with it, and that country won't be long in recovering..

And just a note here on a somewhat disturbing possibility in the British education system..
There has been a poll conducted, aimed at seeing how many students would be interested on sitting in on the recruiting interviews for new teachers..
This idea itself is risible, wherein there is a situation where a 9 to 12 year-old would have a voice in whether or not a candidate is hired.
What does this say for the credibility of teachers themselves? How deeply would their authority be undermined? We're moving in the wrong direction as a society as a whole, in that we're giving a voice to those who do not understand the issues, nor the long term consequences of any action their 'gut reaction' might take them..
We're breeding a contempt for all those in control, as though any problems we may face becomes the fault of those we put in authority, and this, in itself, is a great pity.. It contributes to the destruction of all that has been built up over centuries of consideration, without putting any responsibility on the man on the street at all..
Not good..

It's our turn today.. The TUC has announced a turnout of near 100 thousand protesters to crowd the center of London.. Scotland Yard says they'll have 45 thousand police watching.. Now, the Trades Union Congress have insisted this is going to be peaceful, and all precautions will be taken to keep troublemakers away, and the TUC itself says it will have a thousand stewards on patrol, but this is going to possibly the largest union protest in literally decades, and union gatherings have a history of 'enthusiastic' marchers, taking the Law into their own hands..
The purpose is to tell the government the proposed draconian cuts, are simply too much too fast..too many workers will find themselves on the dole with a recovery still uncertain..
It's moot what effect this action is going to have on Parliament, and the plans to reduce our debt load, but it's a certainty many are travelling to London today, to have their feelings known.. MP's have also said that's it's credible and right to come and protest budget plans, but it would be better for Union leaders to offer a 'credible plan' to bring down the deficit.. So far, the Union has simply offered a Keynsian solution.. spend that which we don't have, to maintain minimum payments on the interest we're paying on the debt..
Not an option says the government.
Something to keep an eye on..

However, this addition being made at just past 11PM.. this whole movement is not what the TUC had in mind when they planned this march.. There were factions, some carrying 'red and black flags', which split off from the main march, and began what's turned into utter chaos in downtown London. There are some 300 people being contained by the police, those who perpetrated the violence against shops and police themselves, near Charing Cross Station..
While the police are saying those who are still in evidence near Trafalgar Square came from the Picadilly area, and not protestors, but are criminals..Equally, a spokeswoman for the protestors is saying that's just Police spin, that this is what they claim in any protest of this size..
This is not the development the TUC wanted at all, saying this confrontation only detracts from their initial purpose..
Too right..

While those working on the Fukajima nuclear plant are not sure where the contamination is coming from, it's been noted idodine radiation levels are some 1250 times higher in the sea around the plant than they should be..
Could it possibly be a crack in the plenum, the cooling container itself, allowing runoff to go back to the waters just offshore..?
While this is a problem we've watched since the earthquake and tsunami for a couple of weks now, it's not to be assumed that the situation is under control. There is still the chance of a meltdown, and further problems for those on that island..

Our world is changing, and rapidly at that..
North Africa in turmoil.. NATO now leading the air attacks in Libya now, with expectation of that coalition taking responsibility for ground action as well within the next couple of days... France still calling for an 'inner coalition', the 11 original member states that pushed for UN Resolution 1973, to hold responsibility for ground attacks.. this, to keep Qatar and the UAE still involved in the decision making process.. It will be a disappointment for Sarkozy, but doubtless some accomodation will be reached..
The leaders of the 'freedom fighters', as they now prefer to be called.. have asserted their victory, and while there is an arms embargo, one wonders how many French and British supplies are surrepticiously appeared in the beaches of Benghasi..
Meanwhile, the turmoil in the rest of the Middle East continues, with Yememi protestors shot and killed by government troops.. and thousands on the streets again today..
And while yesterday's budget here should see petrol prices come down, one must wonder how long this respite will last, as the major oil producing States begin cutting back production once again..

The sigh of relief whispering throughout the halls of the American State Department must certainly be audible..
The US never wanted to be in control of the coalition forces fighting with the rebels in Libya.. and tonight that responsibility has been handed to NATO..
Now the US is a major partner in that coalition, but theirs will not be the final word..
While there are continued reports of shortages of water, food, and power in the cities still being fought over, western reports show a population willing to resist, regardless of the cost.. It's an image that we're being inundated with, that of defiant rebel forces sitting on destroyed government tanks.. We're also seeing pro-government crowds chanting their support for the man who's led them for 41 years.. the same fervent support was also seen in Cuba, for Fidel Castro and his particular form of Communism, in which the State nominally owns everything..
With the nightly bombing of Tripoli, bombers and fighter aircraft will continue their nightly missions, but now, under NATO command..
It would have been even better, had the entire responsibility had been placed on the UN itself, but the certainty of veto's from Russia and China makes that option untenable..
But again there is support from the Arab League.. a necessity for any western action whatsoever..
But, this could turn into another Bosnia.. a protracted campaign...
One can only hope that NATO commanders have a better idea of what it is, and what their role is afterwards should Gaddafi be ousted..
So many questions, but at this point, says NATO, they'll stick within the UN mandate allowed in Resolution 1973.. Maintain a no-fly zone.. and the responsibility to 'maintain the safety of civilians'.. but there will be a separate coalition within NATO, which will include the nations originally involved in this conflict..
Juristictional debates could turn this entire effort into little more than a joke..

Fifty Japanese workers are now willingly absorbing exceptionally high amounts of radiation, as they try and get a better idea of what's to be done to increase coolant, preventing a meltdown.. So far, two workers are missing, and 25 in hospital suffering extreme over exposure..
The effcts on household items already tainted as far away as Tokyo, where there are concerns about contamination of tap water ..

Yet another domino falls in the Eurozone, with Portugal expected to ask for a 'bailout' loan, to hold their economy together.. With yesterday's collapse of the government, and the resignation of Socrates, that country is now scrambling to arrange yet another general election, a process which could take months, and those who had supported the government in the past, are now left with a shambolic situation..
There is also concern here in Britain, with the possibility of our participation in this bailout.. with the budget only announced yesterday, there are questions as to whether we ourselves can afford to pump some 30 odd billions of Pounds Sterling to keep yet another economy from total collapse..
Should the Portuguese financial situation worsen, it will cause a ripple effect throughout the EU, with financial institutions watching closely the country's standing with analysts the likes of Standard and Poors, which has already downgraded Portugal to an A3 credit risk..
As yet, Portugal has not followed the actions of Greece and Ireland, both of which accepted loans from the IMF at rates which will not be condusive to a recovery within the forseeable future. But, the odds are stacked against such a loan not being asked for, leaving the future of the Eurozone, the Euro itself, and the EU in some question..
We'll see over the course of today, with the leaders of the EU countries meeting in Brussels, with the plan having been discussions on how the growing debt problems of the member nations might be addressed.
One must ask how many straws it will take, to bring this camel down..

The airstrikes continue in Libya overnight, as coalition sources saying they now have virtual complete control of Libyan airspace.. British forces have conducted some 59 sorties against Mohammar's military machine, and there are no plans to bring this bombing to an end. In fact, with the Libyan airforce effectively out of the equation, those coalition aircraft can now fly lower missions, making targetting government military forces easier.
Meanwhile, the Libyan propaganda machine continues to pump out reports of civilian casualties, while the coalition counterpart insisting their attacks are on military targets only..The latest figures from Mohammar are, that more than 100 civilian deaths have been recorded so far..
Again, with the number of human shields that man has inspired, that figure may well be conservative. But it begs the question, if you choose to become involved in armed conflict, are you then a member of the armed forces, or are you still a civilian..?
Regardless, there are those loyal to the regime who are using themselves as human shields, and that would seem to guarantee there be some 'civilian' casualties, brought about by the actions of the regime itself..
There's a fine line between combatant and non-combatant when it comes to the issue of human shields.. Whether one takes up arms, or deliberately puts oneself in harms way.. one is making a choice to 'serve' the regeme..

It's budget day.. and there is some concern over what might be announced at half-twelve this afternoon..
We've been told that there won't be any drastic changes in our standard of living, that while public sector spending is going to be cut, the public sector should find it easier to borrow. The 5% increase in fuel duty, due to come into effect next month, has apparently been scrapped, and while inflation still makes the price of filling one's tank expensive, at least the government's not taking any more from our pockets.
But the problem is, that quantitative easing will continue to bring down our deficit..
We're not as badly off as say Greece, who's deficit stands at 144% of it's GDP.. Eire, who's deficit will stand at 100% of it's GDP.. We're at 77% of our GDP, and in all cases, it's the interest payments on these figures that will take perhaps decades to bring down to anywhere near where we stood before the recession two years ago..
The consensus is, that this budget will do it's best to ease the minds of corporations, and small businesses, and the odds are good that we'll see a rise in the Bank of England's benchmark interest rate, to help those who's retirements depend on their savings.. There is also the chance that families will see a slight decrease in income tax..
But all is moot, and the proof of the pudding will be what that red briefcase contains, and that we'll need to wait to find out until after Prime Minister's questions this afternoon..
One disturbing situation is that of Portugal, who's Parliament votes this afternoon on austerity measures. Their Prime Minister, rather foolishly, has threatened to resign if the Opposition does not back his measures, and the Opposition has already said it will not. If the Prime Minister does step down, that would leave the country in financial chaos. It would mean a coalition government, with no powers to negotiate a bailout, which may well be necessary. Again, this afternoon will be an important one for Portugal, with the one hope being, regardless of the vote, the Prime Minister will keep his seat. It would take months for another general election, and in that time, the country could collapse.

Meanwhile, Japan's estimate of the cost of repairs surpasses Standard and Poors by some $50 billion dollars.. The latest Japanese estimate is now $300 billionAm, and while the government says there's no chance of a recession, their are concerns about the length of time it's going to take to effect repairs.
There are real concerns about the amount of radiation levels detected in food and water.. Those near the Fukujima Plant have been told there are now 11 types of food they may not eat, due to contamination. Mothers have been warned not to allow their children to drink tapwater..
At the plant itself, there are still major concerns about reactors 3 and 4, with steam still rising from both.. While they have connected electrical supplies to reactor 3, the rate of coolant is still exceedingly slow in accumulating, leaving the possibility of a meltdown a real danger..

Meanwhile, Mohammar continues with his inflammatory rhetoric in Tripoli, as coalition aircraft continue their round the clock bombardments..
There was a report yesterday that one of his sons was killed by a kamikaze rebel aircraft, but confirmation is lacking..
The situation in Libya is becoming something of a problem for those involved in trying to oust the madman in charge.. Just how far the US, Britain, France, Canada et al can go, is as yet unclear. However, it's a sure bet those wanting to aid the rebels are limited in their scope. These opposing the regime are poorly armed, poorly trained, and while willing, are certainly unable to stand up to the government tanks and trained troops.
There's also unconfirmed reports that Mohammar's looking for a place of refuge.. a country which would take him in should he have to leave in somewhat of a rush..
Reports from the area are becoming more and more sketchy, as journalists are now targets themselves.
Yet, it seems we'll persevere in efforts to get the man out.. but how long this is going to take, is becoming more and more of a question..

Human shields around military compounds in Tripoli.. the last resort of a man who's days would seem to be numbered..
Airstrikes have Mohammars troops in retreat around Benghazi and Tobruk, but any push west will necessitate coalition ground troops to take on those who still support Gadaffi,and that's going to mean 'civilian' casualties. Since arms stores belonging to the government have been opened, it raises the question, who actually is a combatant, and who is a civilian, and this is going to undermine support from the Arab League for this action. The plan was, to strike a blow against the regime that would force Mohammar to take stock of his situation, and resign. That has not worked at all, with those loyal defiant in their defence of their Dictator..
What this seems to be leading to, is either an all out attack to kill Gadaffi, or a partition of the country.
It's obvious Mohammar's insane, and is determined to kill his own population by turning them into a threat to the coalition. Yet, the West still maintains their aim is not to kill Gaddafi, but only to remove him.
Internationally, this could well turn into a disaster, alienating the Arab League and Council.. and making those in the West anathema to Muslims in general.
It's not doing much for Barack at home either, as he appears to waffle in his determination to free Libya. Here, the consensus appears to be that one black op... one snipers bullet, could bring this all to an end.
In the east of Libya, there is exceptional support for the liberation of their country, and appreciation for the allied airstrikes..
However, in the west, the pro-Gaddafi population still backs their leader with a fanatic zeal, as demonstrated by their lining up in their numbers to endure civilian deaths when anti-aircraft installations are targeted..
It's a delicate situation, and Gaddafi's an expert in propaganda, understanding that disinformation is as effective as bullets.
While the allied commanders understand that slaughter of civilians must come to an end on both sides, the shadow of Afghanistan and Pakistan looms heavily on their strategy, and how long this action will take, is now a mystery..

It would seem the consensus among worldwide analysts is, that the situation at the Fukujima Power Plant, may well be beyond control. While all efforts are being made today to keep the reservoir tanks at reactor 3, including using helecopters to drop water into the containment vessel, they have to fly that high to escape the heavy radiation, that much of their loads are being dumped out of position.
Perhaps the worst fear, is what's going to happen when the depleated stores of rods heats to a critical point, melts the zirconium containment tubes, and dumps tons of nuclear waste into the air. To add to this, there's also the fear of the coolant level in the active tanks, for the same scenario could be seen there..
Also, adding to Japan's problems, the Yen has dropped to it's lowest level in decades, which will certainly affect it's international weight. Japan used to have the second highest economy in the world, but with the cost of boosting it's banks worldwide and the reconstruction effort, we could well see a considerable change in the world's economy overall.
And, to add to the problem, there are good possibilities more quakes are in the offing..


And finally, the UN Security Council has approved not only provides a nofly zone, but includes that provision which will allow for the 'reasonable protection' of the civilian government..
Thus, Benghasi's been saved at the very stroke...
This resolution has comitted British and French aircraft to do the job themselves for the time being, but Italy has announced it will allow the use of their airbases for the Eurofighters and bombers.. And what might be the fly in the ointment, the US has not comitted itself to active partake in this plan.
However, the Libyan Airforce counts out at 30 jets..
Not good odds..

Well.. officials misinterpreted figures, and workers at the Fukujima plant have been called back to work.. however, the miliraty's using helicopters to dump water into the caldera, and there appears to be little sign the situation's getting better..
One has to wonder when those helicopters will start dumping cement, after the meltdown..
There appears to be among the Japanese people a stoicism that would, or could, be seen elsewhere. Most of those in temporary accommodation will have literally nothing to go back to.. the cost of rebuilding will add even more burdens on a straining treasury, and they know it. But those who can walk to work, are doing just that. Those who's livings have been washed away, patiently wait.

It would seem that Japan's position of the third largest economy may well be under threat.. Japanese banks have injected more than 200 billion dollars into international banks to ensure loans can still be made without hindrance, but one must ask what will happen when the cost of the earthquakes and tsunami's finally has to be paid.
Conservative figures estimate more than 200 billion alone, to bring the country back to anywhere near what it was.. Workers, normally at their jobs, are either missing, dead, or searching for relatives..
The workers at the Fukujima nuclear plant have been evacuated because of radiation fears, and white smoke or steam can now be seen rising from the reactor. Now, they are using what might be called ad hoc methods, such as pumping sea water into the core as well as fresh.. would seem to indicate all measures are being taken to avert a meltdown..
But, this does not bode well, with comparisons being made with Three Mile Island, and worst, with Chernobyl..

And with Libya, Britain and France have tabled a draft resolution, demanding a no fly zone over the country.. but this dispite possible opposition from China.. the vote must be unanimous..
In the meanwhile, the rebel forces are continuously pushed back.Without international support this rebellion may well be finished..
Seems diplomatic reservations may well put Mohammar back in power again, and if that happens, may the gods help those who tried to change the system..

Twenty seven billion Pounds a year.
Not a figure one might think would be spent on Childrens Aid, or on traffic safety.. but it represents the money spent on dealing with alcohol overconsumption. It represents the costs for Police, for ambulances, for hospital treatments, for damage to private and public buildings.. The alcohol society is an exceedingly expensive lifestyle indeed.
Yet still, the government is rolling along with the alcohol producers, in attempts to cut down on public consumption.. raising prices is not on the table though, because tat issue would have to go through the European parliamentary system, and would take years. Politicians are instead concentrating on the alcohol producers and the outlets where alcohol is sold... and this approach is nothing more than a chimera, designed to give the impression 'something' is being done.
There is a paper to be signed in the Commons today, generally aimed at confining drinking, but senior Health Department officials are planning to boycott the vote, saying it simply doesn't go far enough.
All this, over a drug which historically caused personal and property damage, while cannabis is still 'the great gateway drug', a supposition which has been disproven many many times.
We're a perverse society, steeped in propaganda 70 or 80 years old, and for some reason, more than reluctant to change our ways..
Shame, that..

Libya.
The UN is almost in agreement in declaring a no fly zone over the country, as pro-Mohammar forces are taking back rebel territories. If Benghazi falls to Mohammar's forces, that's it for the revolution, and all this while the UN sat about twiddling it's thumbs, endlessly debating the 'proper' response.In the meantime, Mohammar is flying mercenaries in en masse, and using weaponry far superior to those untrained troops making up the rebel forces.. It would seem at the moment, that the uprising may well be crushed..
Recall the failure of the international community in intervention in Bosnia, through diplomatic dithering..
Meanwhile, a thousand Egyptian troops have hit the ground in Bahrain, to help settle the problem there. They're there at the request of the government, not to open fire on protestors, but to contain a situation which could eventually lead to open elections.. Some in the government have taken the stand that the appearance of any foreign troops, would be tantamount to a declaration of war, and this in itself is going to unsettle UN diplomats, and further delay any actions taken in the rest of the Middle East..
Not to be accused of Madisonian Manifest Destiny, it would appear that we in the West, because of our addiction to Middle Eastern oil, should be considering these recent developments as matters of National Security, and should be acted upon as such.

Meanwhile, in Japan, it appears the fuel rods of one of their reactors in Fukashima are now fully exposed, which officials are now saying 'could lead to a possible meltdown'..
The situation in that country is deteriorating by the minute.. and yet, the Japanese themselves are holding themselves within their code of conduct. No looting, no riots, just, where possible, life goes on as usual.
Admirable, to say the very least..

Interesting, this situation we're in the West..
We are that dependant on a continuous supply of gas and oil from the Middle East, we're between a rock and a hard place as to whether there can be a consensus, voted by the UN this time, that would allow foreign boots to hit Libyan soil..
Not to say they can't be supplied with arms, but certainly not those as large or sophisticated as Mohammar's army.. and they're not trained to fight seasoned troops..
There hasn't even been a decision yet on a no-fly zone..
There is a very good chance, that should the world act quickly, Libia will remain a dictatorship, and this uprising will fail..
There are current talks between the west and the Arab League and the Confederacy of Arab States about how far the west can go, but we have nothing from that yet..
One chip the Arab States hold, and that's who's going to get some of the rights to the richest oilfield in the world..
Watch Saudi Arabia..

So it's civil war in Libya, with international diplomats scrambling to find some unassailable position to support the rebel cause..
Britain, the US, and France have advocated a no-fly zone over the country, but before such a move can be made, they want not only the support of the international community, but a resolution from the UN itself. There are real fears of any 'unilateral' moves towards putting foreign feet on the ground to aid those in revolution, but with all this diplomatic wrangling going on, it could be too late by the time they reach consensus..
At the moment, the rebels are retreating from the key oil port of Ras Lanuf, and while Libya has cut off all oil exports to the west, they continue to supply Russia and China, and it's to be remembered we in the west depend on that country for 12.5% of our total oil supply.. That's no small potato's..

Pensions and those living on retirement savings were hit again today by the Bank of England.. the Interest rate has once again been held at 0.5%, keeping it it's two year level.. There had been some expectation that the rate would rise today, to ease the increases 'quantative easing' has imposed, but no such luck there..
With inflation over 2%, it's not going to be long now before elected officials will find themselves fighting growing popular unpopularity, and at this rate, the Labour Party may well find itself back in power at the next election sinply for no other reason than a backlash against those who're trying to level this country's massive debt load.
It must be said, that unless Labour adopts some form of Keynsian economics solution, putting us further in debt, they'll have no option to continue the policies now in effect.
We.re between a rock and a hard place here.. and the sqeeze is getting tighter..

It appears the Chinese government had been forced to promise some 200 million to build new homes, post haste.. They're facing a FannyMae/FreddieMac situation, with housing prices rising exponentially.. an average of 8% in the cities, and a staggering 25% in the smaller villages.. suburbs effectively..
One would have thought that this would be the result of increased demand by the new workforce who've left the rice paddies, educated themselves, and now want a piece of the pie.. and should have been integral in the plan China's followed so far in aping 'westernism'.. They left out the factor which allowed more and more to afford housing of their own, and of the demand for such accommodation..
It's been noticed that China appears to be following a series of five year plans. From the industrial beginning, to the competent use of the vast pool of talent that country possesses, to slow acceptance of US products and companies.. to entry well into the Western business world...but the question is, what next..?
Is there the remote possibility that the billions of Chinese rise, and demand the franchise..? Very doubtful one would think, their very lifestyle makes that possibility null..

Interesting times in France.. with the far-right leading the polls..
Seems Sarkozy's shenannigans coulod cost him his job...

More later..

Tuesday, 17 August 2004

Working hours, for a writer. The concept boggles the mind, tell the truth.
As though someone involved in the creative act so intimately, that they pour the visions within their minds upon paper, so to speak, and they do it to the sound of a whistle, the tick of a time clock, the measured beat of a metronome.
Ah, would it were so easy, to regulate the creative juices as though with a tap, using only that which one wishes to expend within a certain time limit, while storing the rest in a mental reservoir, ‘til the next appointed hour.
Yet one must not bemoan one’s fate, for it is what one makes of what one is capable. Thanks must be given that any form of expression is possible, despite the times the well appears to dry.
Indeed, there are those who have no well, no fountainhead, no means to express, articulate, exorcise, and they are those perhaps who should be attended to. They are those who should be subject to studies, tests, measurement and census, for they are those who might count themselves the majority.
Vicarious life, or lives, through mass communication, and continuous improvement on the virtual reality of gaming, are among the tools we’re using to forge a worldwide society, linked by apathy.
Regardless, if this story is to be told, it will not be by a schedule, nor written solely in the authors favourite brand of pencil on foolscap in longhand, nor while sitting on one’s childhood stool by the light of a bedside lamp using an Underwood typewriter..
It will spurt in irregular pulses, as life’s blood from a severed artery, and bulge from the main body occasionally, as intestines from a gaping belly wound. It will spurt upon the reader, as pus from the lancing of a long-festering wound.
Few lives are what might be called pleasant; fewer still those which might be happy. Life is for most, a series of events, seemingly unconnected, which lead from one catastrophe to another. For most, stress is so ubiquitous, it has become the norm, and we exist from one crisis to the next.
It might even be uncomfortable to be between agitations, for there is always the knowledge this well-being cannot last.



Thursday, 3d March 2011

We seem to have proven our point with the events of the past seven years. It’s as though the Four Horsemen have been set loose, with Famine, Pestilence, and War
worldwide. Even in the most prosperous nations, there are the starving; even in the most prosperous of nations there are those going untreated for debilitating diseases; especially the most prosperous nations are undergoing Civil Wars. The rider on the Pale Horse, is everywhere.
We have built a world which revolves around economics, and it is failing. The common greed of even those overthrowing oppressive regimes are doing so to gain what they see as a piece of the pie..
Man has lost, for the most part with the exception of Zealots, lost a moral and spiritual direction. People are far too busy earning, to take the time for introspection.
The debts of the various countries of this world are beyond calculation, and will prove impossible to repay given any time frame, and interest payments of IMF loans will continue to stifle any real improvements for the common man, and at those point, this system is heading for a grand fall..
Morality seems to be the main victim in this change, for it’s no longer possible to fail. The entire house of cards rests on the strongest economy holding the weakest afloat. This is not a moral action, but obfuscation and deceit on the part of those who have led us to this point. Too long we have been inculcated with material possessions we truly cannot afford. Too long have we given in to the base compulsion to mortgage ourselves for unnecessary luxuries.
Now, we find ourselves in a situation wherein any government we elect will, of necessity, cut back on things we considered ‘rights’.. And the unfortunate outcome of that, will be a constant change in leadership, each facing the same problems, none of which will they have a more palliative solution for.
We are quickly approaching the year 2012, in which the Aztecs predicted that in December of that year, this world will end.
Be it the world inn it’s entirety, or that which we have to know, 2012 could indeed be a decisive year..

Must make a note of Libya here.. Mohammar remains ensconced in Tripoli, while to the east of the country Benghazi's in rebels hands. It's as though a line has been drawn through the middle of the country, and both sides are concerned that neither have the military might to dislodge the other.
But Mohammar's worried. He's had those air force squadrons still loyal to him, bomb ammunition dumps in the east.
What's perhaps going to happen is Mohammar will followed a scorched earth policy using the Imperial Guard, who have a vested interest in keeping their leader in power..But a problem exists, with defections from the Revolutionary and Imperial Guards..
Either way, this may be a protracted slugging match between the two factions, with the consequence for us being higher petrol and heating oil prices, for the foreseeable future..

Amazing, that which is happening in North Africa..
Libya, Oman, Ymen, all in revolt against timeless regemes..
These people are willing to face, and take up arms against their leaders, and is perhaps the first such action since the establishment of America. While thousands crowd to leave the country in fear of violence in the streets, Libya in particular is on the verge of civil war. If the other countries don't recognize the will of the people, the same could happen again, and again..
What is curious, is that while David Cameron stood and threatened Mohammar with a no fly zone, Hillary hinted at the possibility, and Barack's said nothing at all..
It seems the fact that Libya has deposits of sweet oil surpassing Saudi Arabia, it may well be that if the need arose, Barack could stand and say 'hold on, let this man leave on his own terms..'
Odd, that Britain, this time, is the one to sabre rattling..

It would seem the upset in the Middle East has hit home.. £1.30 a litre for unleaded petrol, and £1.35 for diesel.. Food prices have risen on this island by some 5%, driving more and more to generic brands. An interesting point, while we have the highest food prices in Europe, it's come out that discount grocery stores the like of Aldi, are used by only $.5% of our public, compared to say Germany, where those same outlets are used by 43% of the population.. It would seem the use of Tesco or Safeway or Morrisons, is ingrained in the British psyche. But this is not a temporary situation.
If this nonsense in the Middle East does not die down, the price of crude will continue to rise, with some analysts expecting $130 to $150 a barrel.. Brent Crude stands at $114 a barrel today, and that is risible..

As for Libya, Mohammar is defiant, as tens of thousands try to leave the country to escape what they see as an eventual armed conflict. David Cameron proposed a 'no fly' zone over Libya to control government forces from using aircraft and gunships against the population in the east of the country, which has effectively separated from the west. This is under serious consideration by the US and the UN, and would be tantamount to an armed response to oust Mohammar..

But by far, the effect these disruptions are having on the British man on the street, is starting to hit pocketbooks.
We've marched to war for less..

Looking from it from the perspective of those who have grown, and have a history of democracy and Constitutional Monarchies, the events on Africa take on an interesting aspect. For years the Western lifestyle has been vilified by those who lead, and swallowed whole by their various populations. But since the event of the Internet, with it's quality of instant communication, those populations have apparently become exceedingly unhappy by what they now see as 'oppressive regimes'.. what was normal, is now obviously abnormal.. and the movements began.
Yet we are also seeing, in Gold Coast particularly, what can happen when a leader is outsted by popular demand and with public accord, the military has assumed control, with promises of open elections in the near future. In Gold Coast today, the crowds are now demonstrating against the 'caretaker' government, still demanding the same concessions they originally took to the streets for.
In all of these liberated countries, their respective armies are in control, and it is moot whether democracy is close at hand.
As for Libya, Gaddafi will certainly hold on to the reins as long as possible, and will then look for a safe haven to spend the rest of his life. Although Switzerland and the US have frozen his personal assets, it is a certainty he has millions upon millions salted away, in perhaps offshore accounts. These have not been touched..
Then again, the man may well be that megalomaniacal, that he would prefer to die as a martyr.. again, to what cause is unclear.
Can't be for Islam, for he has blamed Al Q'aida for fomenting this insurrection..
Curious man, that Mohammar..

It was 41 years ago that Colonel Gaddafi seized power in Libya, and it appears that his time may soon be up.. Not that the man's going to slip gracefully into the glim though.. at last count there have been 300 killed in protests against his regime.
Makes one wonder what the count will be, when the movement hits Iraq and Iran.. and what if it spreads to the lynch pin in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia...
But there's a certainty here, that the cost of oil is going up, again.. in fact there are those who say $150 for Brent Crude, and gods know how much for Saudi Sweet.. that country has already increased output..
Yet the question remains, how long will Mohammar hold out in Libya.. It has the largest deposits of oil and gas in the area, and while they only supply about 12% of exported oil from the area, that must be seen as a significant amount.. And while the UN, Britain, the US, have all vociferously condemned the violence.. there appears to be a spilt, right down the middle of the country..
The East, with Bengazi as it's centre, has seen military commanders destroying their own airfields, to stop Mohammar from landing mercenaries.. There, the army seems to be in accord with the people. But in the West, while there are still demonstrations with thousands of Libyans taking part, they are the ones being killed..
Mohammar came on State television this evening, and vowed he would never leave his 'sacred homeland', and added that he would prefer to die a martyr..
To what cause though, other than his own..
It is amazing how these relics of a bygone age cling to power, absolute power.. The Middle East finally seems ready to join the 21st century, and while countries might burn and people die, the citizens have voiced their discontent, and have the weight of numbers..
More later...

Another one of those dinner table debates touched on Kant's reasoning of an 'absolute imperative'.. a moral code that each will come to hold as their own, and who herd with those of like mind..
It was proposed that there be no 'absolutes', and thus left Kant's argument hanging..
Now when it comes to morality, one has to take into account the tribe mentality that drives the individual towards a community which hold similar values, and the history each individual chooses to be relevant.. Such can be easily seen from the US to the Middle East..
If there were to be a common ground that all accepted as moral, internecine disagreements would shrink to something the old men mull over as they debate the intricacies of their own peculiar views..
If there were..
More later..

Rather strange that Barack himself came out to preach the gospel of peaceful transition in the case of Egypt.. that it's Hillary who has this time stated firm support for the protestors in Iran..'firm support'..
Even our own Foreign Secretary, William Hague, has stated baldly that there should be no harm done to peacefull Iranian protestors..
Now this is not the first time this has happened.. a while back in December 2009, thousands marched through Tehran demanding better wages..lower prices.. They were met with a police presence that utterly shattered the protest..
This time though, it's not prices or wages the crowd's demanding, it's a change in government, a fundimental change from a theocracy to democracy.. Komeini and Akmadenejad will not allow that, and this time the security forces are not with the crowd.. they appear to be in government hands.. and will not deal kindly with those on the street chanting 'down with the regeme..'.

But the phenomina we're watching in Africa and the Middle East, is something Western leaders have had on their wish lists for decades.. Their only concern is the possibility Arab Fundamentalist Brothers will have sway.. thus allowing Hammas a voice in any Parliament..
It has yet to be seen how far these popular movements will spread.. there's marches in Bahrain..Algeria..Yemen.. all asking for a voice in their government, or at least an honest group leading the country..
In all the cases in which governments have fallen the military took, and is keeping control, for the time being.. They have dissolved Parliaments, and suspended Constitutions..
We'll see how quickly those in control set wheels in motion which would roll on general elections and revamped Constitutions..
Something to watch.. and the show's not over..

And just like that.. not with a bang, but a whimper..
And it has to be said, that one could wish Barack would shut up about what lies ahead for Egypt until a clearer picture emerges.. He's quoted as saying that "..there are hard times ahead.." for Egypt, but he's sure they're on the road to democracy and has implied Egyptians will embrace the Western lifestyle..
Facts are, we have no idea at this point what's going to come to pass, and it could be a wise step on the part of Western leaders to keep their plans for the country to themselves..
It's a volatile time in that country.. too much is at stake to be drum banging from outside..
A quiet 'congratulations' would be sufficient..

This from today's Toronto Globe and Mail.. Full quotations rarely appear in this peripatetic journal, but this is...
"Suleiman may have questioned tortured Canadian"
COLIN FREEZE
From Friday's Globe and Mail
Published Thursday, Feb. 10, 2011 9:11PM EST..
"Omar Suleiman – spymaster, CIA ally and heir apparent to Egypt’s throne – has been accused in the interrogation of a Canadian citizen tortured overseas.
The allegation appears in the federal findings from a former Canadian Supreme Court judge, who faulted Canadian intelligence practices for setting into motion a snowballing series of global investigations in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks."
We've made a habit of strange bedfellows though..

Meanwhile, back at the ranch.. tens of thousands are in Tahir Square, at the Presidential Palace and the State Television building.. More are expected to come out again..
This is where the army is going to be a decisive point. The supreme military council yesterday assured the crowd they would 'get what they wanted', which of course included the immediate resignation of Hosni.. That's not the stance they've taken today though. They now say they'll be there to ensure full democratic elections will take place..the demands for democracy will be met.. but rather than have mobs running through the streets, the armed forces will allow the timetable set out by Hosni..
It's completely ambiguous. One hopes is doesn't come to Egyptians shooting Egyptians.
Odds are now, this will be a protracted process as Hosni's pushed out.

And as soon as that, Hosni leaves for his seaside residence, and steps down as Prime Minister.. Now, as the crowds celebrate their victory, the army will step in, with the supreme council administrating..
Omar Suleiman announced, ""In the name of God the merciful, the compassionate, citizens, during these very difficult circumstances Egypt is going through, President Hosni Mubarak has decided to step down from the office of president of the republic and has charged the high council of the armed forces to administer the affairs of the country.May God help everybody."
What remains to be seen is how the army follows through with preparations for a general election..
The politicians are speechifying already.. but there are those among those observing that commented on this being very close to a military coup..

It's getting hot in Egypt..
Mohammad el Baradei announced the 'country will erupt' following the last statement from Hosni.. and called for the Army to intervene.. meanwhile Vice-President Suleiman is pressing for 'an orderly transition', but the odds on that seem to be slipping... the White House is showing perhaps a tad too much in the way of 'forceful diplomacy'.. for it could , if escallated, be seen as a 'gunboat diplomatic' move..
This whole Middle Eastern brouhaha could have an enormous effect on our way of life, this popular revolt in a country that for 30 years has been a close associate of the West.. and while charging swingeing prices for their only commodity, we've been an eager customer.. Theirs is control of the Suez Canal.. the major shipping route for so many exporters that it would take some time to count..
As mentioned, both Israel and the US are watching this change closely, and with good reason.
Egypt is known for it's religious tolerance.. Copts, Roman Christians, Muslims, Jews, work, live, and accept each other, for the most part.. There are some places radicalization has opened rifts, but stability is the norm.. With the inclusion and concurrent recognition of the Muslim Brotherhood into the political forum, there is yet another volatile faction in that country..
There are some analysts who have announced their take on the subject to suggest either another dictator, or an army strongman can assume the reins and restore order, with the promise that elections will be held in September as planned..
But there is also a considerable pro-democracy group.. The youth of the country appear to appreciate a possession driven culture, which means if there is a move by the military, then they themselves will face mass demonstrations at some point. Once in place, it's so very difficult to remove an army..
This could be very interesting..

As the night has progressed, it's become clear that Hosni may well have an agenda, a 'to do list', before he relinquishes the title..
One issue he's carved in stone, is the peace treaty with Israel..
And another may simply be hubris.. not wanting to be seen as running from a mob..
There were Pharaohs who ruled shorter terms in office... and in fact he's a shell of a power, having handed over most of his executive powers to his Vice President, but the weight of the title 'President' is something Hosni, for whatever reason, is clinging to.. It might be as simple as removing evidence.. or as complex as Middle Eastern Security.. or a serious concern for a return to normalcy while preparations for a September election could be set into motion.. a concern that any knee-jerk reaction from his people could lead them into chaos, with no government in control any longer..
Interesting as well that Mohammad ElBaradai is wafting the flames, and calling on the Military to effectively stage a coup..

Also interesting is the lack of reports within Israel itself on Egypt's revolt.. News is thin on the ground.. not much media attention..
Of course there's the Net, and countless live feeds.. But the State itself has not made plain to the population just how important this 'revolution' in Egypt, is to them. While it is almost a given that the relationship between the two countries will continue as they have since Sadat was assassinated, there is always the fear, that something completely difficult might arise..

No deal, says Hosni.. He's going in September when he previously promised..
Now, the largest rally yet is slated to hit Tahir Square, and they will not be pleased.
Just how this one will play out is moot for the moment, but consider what half a million people, with no interference from the army, could do to Cairo..
Indeed, to Hosni himself..
It's the late part of the night in Egypt, and what could dawn bring.. already reports are they're marching towards the State television centre..
Israel will be watching this closely, of that we can be sure..
If it comes to violent overthrow, the prevalent mood could work on the fanatic few..

An interesting debate in the Commons this afternoon, as to whether the European Courts have the right to demand legislative changes in the member countries..
Shadow Secretary of State George Osborne perhaps put it well in saying "If you break the Law, you can't make the Law.
That has always been one of the foundations of British Jurisprudence, that while prisoners do have the right to humane treatment while incarcerated, they lose the rights of law-abiding citizens, one of which is the franchise.
But perhaps the salient point, is how far are we as a nation going to be influenced by a foreign Court.. will Parliament itself be subject to the Hague..
Speaking as one who would prefer a return to the old Free Trade Agreement and a stepping away from the Eurozone, It is deplorable that we should abrogate, effectively, the right to govern ourselves..

It may be that we'll see Hosni retire today or tomorrow.. Reports are that he's about at the end of his rope, with the Egyptian Security Supreme Council announcing to the protestors that they have the army's support, and it appears Hosni's going, perhaps today.. Even the Director of the CIA agrees that today might be the day..although what part the CIA is playing in this drama is as yet, uncertain. We'll have to wait for Wikileaks to tell us..
Interesting as well is a phone conversation between Barack and high Egyptian politicians, again urging an 'orderly transition'..
But Hosni, through his media spokespeople, has said this all is so much bumph..
We'll see.. tomorrow's meant to be the largest demonstration yet, and if all goes well, it could be a gigantic party..

The Bank of England has held interest rates at 0.5%, and indicates there'll be no quantative easing for the time being..
Yet, small businesses are still paying some 14.5% interest on loans.. with many deciding to shut down for the time being until the economic situation in general improves.. One hopes they're a patient lot..
The head of the Bank of England, Mervyn King, indicated that this was a surprise decrease in GDP of 0.5%, coupled with a 3.5% increase in the Consumer Price Index..
Food, gasoline, heating oil, the basics on this island, have gone up exponentially over the past few months, and Mervyn says inflation could perhaps reach 4.5% to 5% next month.. bad news for those among us on fixed incomes..

Home grown terrorists appears to be the focus of the American Homeland Security people.. Janet Napolitano, who's the head of that agency, says more and more terrorist scenarios are from within, and they're monitoring the internet closely..
That gives one a certain feeling, perhaps not a comfortable one at that, knowing Big Brother exists, and is fully active.
What's happened to the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave..?
Bad enough the knee jerk reaction in the 2d world war when they gathered up all those of Japanese extraction and interred them, flagrantly flouting the Constitution.. What they are doing now is immesurably worse, for it's all of us under the microscope not..
All in the name of 'security'.. to save us all..
Jesus wept..

Seems the US is willing to throw some weight behind it's 'suggestions' to Hosni to make a quick gettaway.. Joe Biden has asked for an immediate end to the manner in which Egyptian forces deal with protestors, with Egyptian Foreign Minister Abdul Abould Gheit firing back with 'sovereign rights' and reiterating Hosni's promise not to run again in September..
Although what that man hopes to accomplish by spending the next seven months in power is an utter mystery, unless it a plan to destroy in Egyptian economy entirely..
We need the Suez clear, and without threat. Our oil supplies depend on it. We need to see the Egyptian public assuming a regular lifestyle again, preferably with a government that represents them..
Interesting that the Muslim Brotherhood has been included in talks to re-stabalize the situation, for it's the Islamic threat that has Israel most concerned..
From Tunisia, or actually from the Gold Coast, revolutions have tossed incumbent politicians out.. Now we wait to see what 'reforms' are brought into effect.. whether the tribalism of that continent can be overcome..

Egypt continues to dominate reports.. The battle for Tahrir Square in the centre of Cairo has turned worryingly violent, as those dubbed 'pro-Mubarak thugs' have introduced firearms to the equation.. 10 dead and more than 900 injured today..
This is a development that's costing the country billions of dollars.. The tourism industry is in tatters.. oil production has slowed.. the cotton industry has virtually come to a stop, with exports falling drastically..
Interestingly, while the Internet and mobile phone networks had been shut down during the peacefull demonstrations, are now back up, coinciding with the appearance of the pro-Mubarak movement. That, in itself, is to allow the 'pro' faction to release their own video's and messages. Another development is the growing inability of the army.. there are far too few deployed and those on the ground appear to be less and less effective
Somewhat dicey, that..

Yemen may well be the next to revolt.. Today was meant to be a 'Day of Rage', but while tens of thousands turned up to demonstrate..quietly.
However, it's early days..

A disturbing report released today, indicationg that fully a third of students attending British University are under qualified.. It may well be a fee issue, for there are many students here that come from abroad, where qualification levels could well be less than those demanded here. A British education used to mean the graduate had an excellent quality and well equipt to take on senior positions. This has changed to some degree over the past couple of decades, but figures the like of these will de-value our credibility even more.
Shame, that..

More later..

A somewhat disturbing trend developing in this country..
Some patients are simply too obese to fit in the normal size ambulances, so the NHS is planning to buy a fleet of what they call 'bariatric' vehicles to accomodate the growing number of overweight patients.
These bariatric ambulances cost £90 thousand apiece.. Might be cheaper to subsidise liposuction to all those who need it..

The appearance of government supporters has turned Egypts protests into something violent..
What were peacefull mass demonstrations has turned ugly, with the introduction of firearms..three are reported dead already, and more than 600 injured..
This would apparently show the lengths Hosni will go to, to retain power..Speculation is that thugs have been imported to brew trouble..
As mentioned earlier, he has promised to step down in September, but has made the same pledge three times before. These latest deveopments indicate the schism developing in that country between the young and the old, and as Mubarak orders more and more government workers, afraid of losing their jobs in a transition, the suggestion is that this will not be an orderly handover of power, but a running battle to oust the autocracy..
Shame, for the initial movement was a template for orderly protests, but again, the voice of the people has been drowned out by gunfire, and the promise of further confrontation to come..

A point to ponder..
Here, the Social Welfare system has an application of 'housing benefit' which allows those on the dole can stay in their rented accomodation without reducing their disposable income..This benefit is about to be capped, at £400 per week, causing some concern for landlords..
'£400 a week ?!' you say. Incredible..
Yet there's more to the system here. When you're chucked out of your home at 16, a common occurance over here, the system starts you on a treadmill. You start be being sent to bed-and-breakfasts 'til there's room for you at a half-way house. These accomodations can cost £20 to £25 a night. Then you are sent to the half-way house, where you will be paying upwards of £380 a week.. Once you have a Council House, unless you are on full benefits, you'll pay some £56, a week..a fair whack for those single folks, who bring in a total of £78 per week..
While appearing to be perhaps overly generous, in some cases this cap is going to be quite a hardship..
Perhaps it's time for the landlords, who've been raking in these fees, to cut their profit margin, thereby doing their own part in the recovery..
Yes. And that's going to happen.

Egyptian protests have taken a turn.. the pro-mubarak faction was out in numbers today, clashing in some locations with their counterparts..
The army has asked that people go home..start normal life again.
They have already achieved several concessions, the primary being a statement from Hosni assuring that he will not run again in September..
Mind you, this is the third time he's made that promise..

The largest cyclone on record has hit the northeastern areas of Australia.. There are some saying that in comparison to Katrina, this one has the capability of being even more damaging.
Considering the extremes we've seen worldwide weather of late.. record snowfalls in Britain and the Continent.. blizzards sweeping the American midwest.. drought in Africa..
It's apparently won't be long before, as in the late 17th and 18th Century, be roasting oxen on the ice covered Thames..

We appear to be witnessing another successful African coup.. Hosni hasn't much time left before he's removed. One would hope the mood on the street is one Egyptians embrace, that of a universal franchise and imediate elections.
Mohammad el Baradi would appear to be the front runner, and his leaning has always been towards a pro-West stance..
But Barack has also thrown the weight on the issue, having told Hosni it's time to take a powder.. calling for an orderly change in government, now..
And the trillion dollars p.a. the US gives Egypt may be on the line gives that man a stick to wave..
Interesting, the role of the military in this effort.. by announcing it would not use force against their own people it has prompted an amazingly orderly series of massive protests.
Any day now...
Although there is another point of view. The older generation seems for the most part, to be content with Hosnis word that he'll step down in September..and if these protests continue, they may well find their ranks dwindling as some return to work and get on with business. There's undoubtedly a hard core who will continue with their demonstrations, but there is the possibility this may come to nought, as far as an immediate end to Hosni's 30 year rule..

To watch the transition in North Africa is somewhat like watching a wave of mainly the young demanding an end to the inculcated attitudes of their parents.. It's a wave generated by this electronic medium, this internet.
It's beyond comprehension, the effect this medium has had on this movement.
Goes to show, that instant communication of information has an impact..

Egypt appears to be the main topic of news reports these days..
With hundreds of thousands of Egyptians taking to the street in four major cities, it cannot be long before Hosni gives up the ghost and resigns.. But what happens afterwards is the major concern to the West. As Henry Kissenger, in an interview said, 'We don't truely know what the Egyptian people mean by 'democracy' and if there is a swing towards the Muslim Government in Septembers general elecions, Israel may well find itself facing new threats, something the US will not look kindly upon.
This spirit of insurrection has spread over these past few weeks from Gold Coast to now, Egypt, and the next regeme likely to be attacked is Jordan..
And what that will mean for the price of oil, we can only expect our household costs to rise, and rise again.
Even more ammunition for those lobbying for drilling in the arctic, and fuller fevelopment of the Gulf of Mexico. Alberta's shale deposits, dispite the extra costs involved in extraction, could once again be important..
We're in an interesting time these days..

It must be questioned by a number of people in a myriad of faiths, the nature of their peculiar gods.
Roman Christians live in guilt..the other Christian denominations live in the hope of life eternal, and are overjoyed to pray to a benevolent god.. Muslims believe of proselatizing the entire world and the re-establishment of the Caliphate, and are quite willing to die for it.. The Jews believe their salvation has yet to appear, while praying to a god who throughout history has led from from one disaster to another...Buddhist believe in reincarnation, as do Taoists.. yet another turn around the wheel..
But at some time throughout their lives, they undoubtedly wondered if they were following a dead end track..
It would require an epiphany not unlike that reported by Saul of Tarsus to bring each back to a stste of total confidence.
Especially with the world in it's present state.

Seems the government isn't too concerned with it's popularity, while it pares down the massive debt this country is staggering under.. New tax laws indicate that theww quarters of a million British workers will shoulder a new burden with the new levee due to start on the 5th of April. The averale family, or for that matter singles, will pay £200 more p.a. to support this austerity move..
A bitter pill for those who voted LibDem.. One wonders what effect that will have come the next election, for certainly, it will get worse.
Just as a side note, those less fortunate, some 250 thousand, will payless tax..

Egypt continue to be a problem.
One indication has been the increase in the price of oil.. soon to be reflected in British homes as they grow colder, and British motorists who will soon be paying £4 per gallon.. And that figure will also rise..

One of the basic problems with globalisation, is the lack of attention to those countries outside the EU, and the West in general. We are living in a society that polarizing the rich and the poor. A sweet sixteen party for a wealthy girl can cost upwards of $100 thousand dollars, not including the £100 thousand spent on a Jaguar for the girls present from her parents..
How many children are raised with 'expectations'.. those who live at home off their parents income through those who have the world given to them on a platter by the 'haves'..
We live in a fantasy world these days, and when the bubble bursts, it will be catastrophic.

Now Egypt.
The recent events across the top of Africa have given rise to great concern in some circles.. We have still to see what's to happen in Syria..
The problem is Israel. Their peace treaty with Egypt had about a thirty year shelf life, and oddly enough, that time is up.. And if Hosni bows out after 30 years in power, the next government may not be so friendly. The Muslim Brotherhood's Party has significant popularity.

Add that to Palistinian displeasure with their government, since the leak of documents indicating the Palistinians were willing to discuss some Israeli expansion into Gaza..
Africa's a hotpot at the moment. It would be reasonable to think exports from much of that area are cut back. The cocoa situation in Ivory Coast has been mentioned earlier..

An era may soon come to an end. Nelson Mandala's not well. Mind you he's what..91?
It's been interesting to watch public opinion, and public attention on and about Mandala has evolved over the years. He was a political extremist, a terrorist, definately a murderer when he was sentenced to Roben Island. But perhaps the credit belongs to Winnie, who never stopped trying to effect his release. She raised public awareness of aparteid from alpha to omega..
But now the man is old and frail..
One wonders why Steve Biko didn't raise a vox populi..

Oddly, indications are that in the countryside, support for Hosni is strong. They're quite happy with the way he's dealt with their particular problems..

Ben Ali in Tunisia, anw Hosni Mubrarak in Egypt.. What's next for North Africa..?
Not that much attention is paid to that part of the world, at least those who don't provide those photo's for African support.. Yet look at the price of cocoa these days because the military leader in charge has stopped all exports of the bean.. It's all part of a plan to diminish the rebels flow of cash.
No idea if it's working, but when that chocolate bar costs close to £ can at least, be understood..

That and of course, inflation. Last reported at a revised 5%..
And unemployment at 20%.. that figured reached by benefit records and does not include those who're relying on family, or going from friend, outside the system. There's a growing number of those who can't, or won't deal with the bureaucracy of getting government help..
We seem to have bred another 'Lost Generation'..
That's not even pessimism, but observation..

On a somewhat brighter note, Baracks State of the Union Address was perhaps the most uninspiring speeches heard of late. It seemed seems 'Yes We Can' has turned to 'Yes We Can, And To Do Less Would Be Unpatriotic'..

More later..

A journalistic feast is underway already, as the pundits cue to have their opinions broadcast or read.. we wait for Tuesday, and Barack's State of the Union Address..
What we can be certain of, is 'the economy' will be central, and his government is going to tout bi-partisan cooperation in the House and Senate, the common ground being the recovery.. It's likely that he'll call on the workforce to improve the quality of their products and services, while perhaps suggesting educational programs to produce a trained second team to fill the gaps.. He'll be outlining his plan for a strengthening 'recovery'.. his plans for new growth in the Far East..
These topics are a given though.. to go farther would put us into speculation..

An interesting development.. Pope Benedict XVI has called on priests to be more diligent as they council a couple before marriage.. And that indeed, the Sacrament can be denied, should the indications of an unhappy union become evident during the mandatory counselling sessions..
Seems the Church is going to flex some muscle.. discomfit some of the faithful while perhaps attracting a young mind looking for a decisive direction..
Perhaps we'll see a return to the Vulgate Mass, making the whole experience for the majority totally mysterious again..

While the government has released figures indicating another 49 thousand of us lost jobs in the quarter ending last November, putting the number of new claims for Council Benefits as a watermark.. That, says the government, means officially 2.5 million workers, aren't..
One might wonder though, if that calculation includes those barred from benefits for, say, quitting their last job.. or those who simply live on family these days, inured to a system which simply hasn't places for all, and waiting for a post to fall in their lap.. or those on disability for whatever medical condition gives them a pension..
It was suggested today by the old fellows in the pub that the true figure would show that fully a quarter of those who were once part of the workforce now are 'not working' for the government, paid fortnightly..
Some have made a career of it.. and so many.. too many.. are in their early twenties.

Keeping an eye on China?
Their growth figures are impressive, and despite a blip last Friday, their market appears strong.. And a figure of 10% is not bad, ever better than expected, in GDP.. And while there are already a dozen or so American retail chains already on the mainland.. the talks between Barack and Jintao will be pointed, and somewhat in China's favour..

It would appear that the government is re-thinking it's proposal to give the franchise back to prison inmates, should their sentence be 4 years or less..
It would be natural for us to be somewhat bemused by the suggestion.. for certainly when one is sentenced to prison, one loses the privileges afforded those who keep the law..
A dangerous precedent to give prisoners a voice in the government..

Interest rates are rising, as had to be expected.. The rate of inflation appears to have been underestimated by the Exchequer.. Mind you, while we're superficially better off than the EU.. it's going to hit those on Benefits and the 'working poor' the most almost to the point pensioners would be freezing, were it to get any colder..heating oil and gas have risen a staggering 49%.. while we pay the highest for retail goods in in Europe.. Students have been massing in protest of increases in tuition fees.. and while not quite Paris, the 'voice of the people' has turned against the government..
But we're civilised about it.. for the most part..
One has to wonder, that without any doctoring of the figures with abstractions and momentary variation.. what the true unemployment figures are..

'Baby doc''s been arrested in Port au Prince.. he has so many outstanding charges against him one could paper a room..
But he's old, and frail.. and has a return ticket to Paris..
If, by some remote chance the man rally's Haiti's people..and it's to be remembered he ruled 25 years ago, and memories can tend to be short.. then may the gods turn their eyes away from that island..
Malevolent creatures, these gods can be.. to imply that man could heal the country..
That's cruelty beyond reason..

There are times the information we ingest on a daily basis, is overwhelming, especially if one's purpose is to leave a personal view of the world.. It has been some time since the last entry, and some greater time between that, and the one before.. but time has reestablished itself in the order of things, and much is to be commented on..
Barak's increasing unpopularity for one..Having spent more than a year in office, some of his austerity programs are pulling some purse-strings..
Mind you, with the Conservative/LibDem coalition announcing cuts to the budget of the NHS, and plans for further privitisation.. we here in Britain will have much to think on as our resident population ages, as we all do..
Something more topical and worth watching, is the unexpected appearance of 'Baby Doc Duvallier' in ravaged Haiti.. a country still reeling from the effects of bad government and natural disasters..
But it's been an unusual winter worldwide, thus far.. Snowfalls unprecedented have closed Europe, Britain, Scotland, for days this past holiday season.. Australia's flooding is catastrophic for those in and around Brisbane..
The cost of this weather cannot be counted precisely.. and it's left us all wondering what could next year be bringing us...
We are creatures of habit, and it's unnerving to see something as constant as our weather changing, even subtly.. The thought of having to adapt, is a great concern.. Coping with the cost adds to the weight of the situation..
It must be mentioned, that wherein 'chat rooms' were a source of popular opinion in the past, they have lost the thread somewhere in the vicarious joy of insulting strangers, and endless 'hello's' and 'goodbyes'..
Pity, that..
More to come.

While there may well have been speculation concerning my whereabouts..
I am well.
More later, with a veritable raft of events to discuss.