If Greece defaults on its debts it is a $1.3 trillion dollar number, forget [...]]]>

For a much more informative view on Greece, Spain and Europe in general than you will find in any of our MSM, look no further than Mark Grant writing at ZeroHedge where he finishes with this excellent quote :

If Greece defaults on its debts it is a $1.3 trillion dollar number, forget the drivel that you read in the press because it will not just be the sovereign debt but the municipal debt, the derivatives, the bank debt, the corporate debt and all of the obligations of the country that will fall into the sinkhole of no return.

Actually the correct response to all of this will surprise you. You must go out and get the correct pair of sunglasses. That is the answer.

“Joo Janta 200 Super-Chromatic Peril Sensitive Sunglasses have been specially designed to help people develop a relaxed attitude to danger. At the first hint of trouble, they turn totally black and thus prevent you from seeing anything that might alarm you.” 

               -Douglas Adams, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

As for why the money markets are turning their backs on Europe right now, Grant employs a Nietzsche quote which could equally apply to any politician anywhere if they have their mouth open :

“I’m not upset that you lied to me, I’m upset that from now on I can’t believe you.”

Too, too true and well worth a read.

Food manufacturers, supermarkets and health experts are to be asked their views on the best way to label the nutritional content of food.

There have been long-running battles over how to label the amount of fat, sugar, salt and calories in [...]]]>

A BBC article yesterday announces a consultation on food labelling :

Food manufacturers, supermarkets and health experts are to be asked their views on the best way to label the nutritional content of food.

There have been long-running battles over how to label the amount of fat, sugar, salt and calories in food – with several different systems in place.

The government’s UK-wide consultation will take place over the next 12 weeks.

The health secretary, Andrew Lansley, said getting everyone to use the same system was “common sense”.

Before a surprisingly open admission that there is fuck all ministers can do anyway as their hands are tied by Brussels :

Mr Lansley told the BBC it was “not possible” for him or other health ministers to “impose a solution other than the EU solution”.

However, he said he was keen to work with businesses to find a “consistent” approach which could be introduced voluntarily across the UK.

He suggested that combining both the traffic light and GDA systems could help consumers.

He said he was aiming for a system which “incorporates not only what Europe requires in terms of recommended daily allowance for calories and sugar and salt and saturated fats, but in addition to that to give a means by which consumers can look at a glance, for example, using things like colour coding.”

Followed by a link to another BBC article from 2008 which, surprisingly, announced a consultation on food labelling :

A Food Standards Agency spokeswoman said it welcomed the commission’s recognition of the importance of clear, front of pack labelling.

She added: “An independent evaluation of the three labelling schemes in use in the UK is now underway.

“The results of this study will tell us what is working best for consumers and will inform future negotiations on this EU proposal.”

I suppose all these consultations on the same thing is a way of keeping politicians and the myriad agencies occupied when they are just there to rubber stamp whatever comes over the channel.

There is also a hint of good old fashioned UK style “gold plating” where any old rule from Brussels is tarted up with extra costs and national legislation just so our own poor politicians feel they are actually making a difference while the rest of us die under their reams of paperwork and red tape.

You obviously need a stool producing machine :

Those look a little tame – I wonder if they produce a model that puts out unflushables and bog monsters as well?

What a whopper!

Nevertheless, here is a brief selection with the full set available for viewing here :

Miss January seems surprisingly au fait with [...]]]>

After last years racy selection, this years offering seems a little timid, especially as Miss October is, sadly, nowhere to be seen with her shotgun and hunting dog.

Nevertheless, here is a brief selection with the full set available for viewing here :

Miss January seems surprisingly au fait with holding a large horn – must be something they are taught at agricultural college over there!

More badgering and nudging from our beloved masters who seem to be more interested in their pet hobbies than getting on with government :

More than 12,000 cash machines in the UK are set to allow charitable donations from this summer, the government has announced.

Royal Bank of Scotland cash machines [...]]]>

More badgering and nudging from our beloved masters who seem to be more interested in their pet hobbies than getting on with government :

More than 12,000 cash machines in the UK are set to allow charitable donations from this summer, the government has announced.

Royal Bank of Scotland cash machines and those owned by independent operator Bank Machine will be the first, with others expected to follow.

The banks will select eight charities which people will be able to choose from when they use a cash machine.

People using a debit card will be able to donate between £1 and £250.

And some people using a debit card will mutter fuck off every time they use one, although that will probably result in an £80 fixed penalty ticket if the community warden (or whatever name they go by these days) happens to be within earshot.

The government has been looking at ways to make it easier for people to give small amounts to charity.

“By making it possible to add donations at cash points we can make an even greater difference to other people’s lives,” said Nick Hurd, minister for civil society.

Which bit of voluntary donation do these people not get?

With workplace giving courtesy of Corporate Social Responsibility, everyone and their grandmother shoving a sponsorship form under you nose, not to mention high street tin rattlers, it is perfectly easy to give your money away these days without yet another government nudge unit brainwave. That’s not forgetting of course the vast sums the government already gives on our behalf to professional shroud wavers and busy bodies.

Finally, we have this gem :

The plans for increasing charity giving were laid out in government proposals at the end of 2010.

The government’s consultation called on UK banks to look at copying a system pioneered in 1998 by Servibanca in Colombia, which allows customers to make a donation each time they withdraw cash.

It called for charitable giving to become a “social norm” and for public services to be encouraged to take on more volunteers.

At the time, the Labour Party welcomed the Green Paper but warned it would not stop the cuts facing charities.

Which reminded me immediately of this snippet from 1984 (hence the title in case you were wondering) :

” Look at him working away in the lunch hour “, said Parsons, nudging Winston. ” Keenness, eh ? What’s that you’ve got there, old boy ? Something a bit too brainy for me, I expect. Smith, old boy, I’ll tell you why I’m chasing you. It’s that sub you forgot to give me.”

” Which sub is that ?” said Winston, automatically feeling for money. About a quarter of one’s salary had to be earmarked for voluntary subscriptions, which were so numerous that it was difficult to keep track of them.

” For Hate Week. You know – the house-by-house fund. I’m treasurer for our block. We’re making an all-out effort – going to put on a tremendous show. I tell you, it won’t be my fault if old Victory Mansions doesn’t have the biggest outfit of flags in the whole street. Two dollars you promised me.”

Winston found and handed over two creased and filthy notes, which Parsons entered in a small notebook, in the neat handwriting of the illiterate.

I am not sure if Orwell would be pleased with his predictions playing out or furious for us letting the state get to where it has in such a short time.