From Fox News we have this little reminder of why planes and volcanic ash don't mix : BRUSSELS (AP) — A senior Western diplomat said Monday that several NATO F-16 fighters had flown through a cloud of volcanic ash and that that one had suffered engine damage. The...
Volcanic Health Issues – Fluoride Edition
Yes, more vulcanism related matters, this time health. One thing I have not seen a deal of in press coverage here are the potential health implications from the current eruption other than the advice of our own health authorities that you should carry your inhaler...
Volcanic Economics – Iceland Edition
An interesting analysis from RBS via FT Alphaville on the potential monetary impact of the ongoing volcanic ash disruption to travel and transport in Europe : Two assumptions are critical in getting a handle on the short-run impact of the eruption: the fraction of the...
BBC News not telling the whole flight ban story?
The BBC reporting of the closure of European airspace appears to be somewhat short on the actual facts and it would seem to me that their angle on the story is designed to portray the ban as un-necessary. Compare and contrast. Firstly the BBC : One of the airlines...
Election Leaflets
Just as I was beginning to wonder why I was being left out of all the fun, I received my first election leaflet today from the serving MP for the Labour party. It starts off much as I would have imagined : Don't let the Tories wreck our future - vote for investment,...
Petrol at £10 a liter?
It soon will be if the Middle East kicks off. Over at Zero Hedge, a very well sourced read on the rising tensions between Syria, Israel and Hizbollah : The middle east powder keg is on the verge of exploding. After repeated warnings of possible escalation between Iran...
World Debt in Pictorial Form.
Via Financial Armageddon the world map below shows countries scaled in size by the amount of their external debt. One of those rather large red blobs in the middle looks somehow very familiar!
Even more Greek Intrigue.
FT Alphaville covers a report by SocGens Dylan Grice on why Greece probably wont be the last Sovereign in difficulties. Starting with this graph, which I wouldn't be surprised to see used by Labour at some point before the election, to illustrate how the UK is "best...
Insanity is here!
According to Zero Hedge at least - some more excellent (tongue firmly in cheek) commentary on the US markets : At today's rate of market melt up, we will hit Dow 36,000 in 332 days, or on March 12, 2011. This should occur a few days before Bernanke finally agrees to...
Voting and Paedophilia.
How could you resist a headline like that? A slightly sneaky (on my part) way to introduce two articles from The Adam Smith Institute Blog. Firstly, voting and does it even matter : Voting is a civic duty, but does it really make a difference? For anyone living...