More things which may have been overlooked - - -
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"The increasingly habitual use of the full power of the state to
attack opponents of the government, be they whistleblowers or
political rivals, is inimical to our entire liberal democratic
tradition... If we took the law literally, namely "misconduct in
public office", this week we might end up arresting the Home
Secretary." - Former shadow home secretary David Davis writing in
The Independent (17/4/09)
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MEP rankings on activity put Robert Kilroy-Silk top
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reports on an investigation -- - into
activity and attendance rates of MEPs, using criteria such as
attendance of plenary meetings, number of parliamentary questions,
amendments, reports etc. Robert Kilroy-Silk achieved the highest rate
of activity over the five year period, although he was not active by
the end of the period.
(via Open Europe 22/4/09)
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RSPB's knee-jerk support for wind-farms
The RSPB has come out with a strong endorsement for wind energy,
immediate?ly (and predictably) welcomed by the British Wind Energy
Association. But one of the RSPB's own officers takes a very
different view. Ornithologist Roy Dennis, the charity's North of
Scotland officer, attacks the RSPB position for distorted priorities
and writes: "The RSPB, have for years, been feathering their nest
with a cosy deal with Scottish and Southern Energy in which they get
paid for every customer they sign up to so-called 'green energy'.
This latest announcement is particularly cynical as they are more
than aware that thousands of birds are killed every year around the
globe by wind-farms. [PRESS & JOURNAL ?/4/09)
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Sardonically, the leader of a left-leaning think tank remarks:
'Scrapping Trident and ID cards would make a lot of sense, which
immediately disqualifies such a move by the government.' (A panel
quoted on Politics Home 28/4/09)
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New study: French support for EU falling
Le Figaro and Cevipof have undertaken a study on the changing
attitudes of the French population towards the EU. The study
emphasises that France and Greece have experienced the sharpest
decline in confidence in the EU and also cites the Eurobarometer
survey, in which only 49% of French people said that France being a
member of the EU was a positive thing. In 1987, 74% said that it was
a positive thing ('Open Europe' report 28/4/09)
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Perloff sounds off about, well, everything
You rarely hear from Panther Securities, Andrew Perloff's listed
property investment vehicle, more than once a year, but it's worth
the wait.
This year's annual round up, or "chairman's ramblings", opens with
the line: "The thieving incompetents who currently are in control of
the commanding heights of our economy are intent on distributing
money everywhere in an effort to stem the problems either caused by
them or allowed to happen under their watch."
He closes by signing off with the title "chairman" crossed out in
favour of "angryman". In between we are offered ditties on banks,
councils, chopped liver, his grandmother and the four horsemen of the
Apocalypse.
Oh, and some details about the company, a bad year, but bearing up
quite well. [It's worth buying some shares to get those gems! -cs]
(Telegraph City Diary 30.4/09)
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French people spend the most time sleeping and eating
The French spend more time sleeping and eating than most people and
also live longer, a fresh study by the Paris-based Organisation for
Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has shown.
With an average of almost nine hours per day, "the French spend more
time sleeping than anyone else in OECD countries,".
The French are followed by the Americans and the Spanish, with both
nations sleeping around eight and a half hours per day. (EU
Observer 5/5/09)
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Why do WE bother?
Member states had until 30 April to publish information on the
beneficiaries of farm subsidies for 2008, but the study found that
only eight countries had fully complied with the rules.
Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Romania,
Slovenia and the UK were the only countries to implement the
commission's transparency law well. (19 countries DON'T comply -cs]
(EU Observer 8/5/09)
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Two lavatory seats in two years for John Prescott
John Prescott had mock Tudor beams attached to the front of his house
and put the bill through on his Parliamentary expenses.
He also had his lavatory seat repaired twice in the space of two
years at taxpayers' expense. (Telegraph)
Friday, 8 May 2009
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