The Funeral Expenses of Troy Davis
The execution of Troy Davis in Georgia has been rightly condemned by many.
I have just received an e-mail, which says that his family are responsible for the expenses of his funeral.
BT’s Copper Is Worth More Than The Stock Market Value
According to The Times today, BT has 75 million miles of copper cable, which at £5,000 a tonne is worth £50 billion.
Compare this to their stock market value last night of just £14 billion.
This figure came from an article on the massive amounts of metal theft in the UK.
How NuLabor Fiddled The Books
Two papers today; The Times and the Daily Mail have a story from an updated edition of Anthony Seldon and Guy Lodge’s book, Brown at 10, that Ed Balls asked Treasury officials to produce economic forecasts that Brown would like. The report in the Mail is here.
According to The TImes, a spokesman for Mr. Balls said it was all “absurd and untrue”. In other words a load of old balls!
The Hitchcock Gallery at Leytonstone Station
I’d never been to Leytonstone station, that I can remember until Wednesday. So I hadn’t seen the gallery of mosaics in the subway dedicated to Alfred Hitchcock and his work.
There are always things to delight like this, as one travels around London.
Were BBC Radio 5 and ITV Watching Different Rugby Matches?
At half time in the England-Romania match, I switched over to BBC Radio 5 to avoid the adverts.
Whereas the ITV commentators were gushing about England’s performance by leading comfortably, Ian Robertson on the BBC was more professional and clinical in his analysis.
Here is a typical comment from Robertson.
If I was a fanatical England supporter I wouldn’t be thrilled.
I know he’s a Scot and I know little about rugby, but England did seem to make too many mistakes for my liking against Romania’s second team.
But then ITV commentators are more interested in ratings to get more adverts, than good balanced commentary.
But could you expect any more from a channel that produces some of the rubbish it does?
Prostate Cancer Drug Trial Stopped Early
The headline was the bad news. But it was stopped because it would have been unethical to continue according to this report from the BBC, as the tests were so succssful.
So it was really good news!
The Greeks Can’t Spell Tax
Just heard David Bewick of BGC Partners on BBC Radio 5.
He said the above in a rather far-reaching appraisal of the economic state of the world.
He said two other points of note.
- The Greeks have no commerce or manufacturing of note.
- When did you last hear a profits warning, from a company that wasn’t a bank?
It was all very entertaining.
I’ll add some good news of my own. In July, I earned 5.88% before tax on the money I have in Zopa. In August, it was down to 5.40%. So what has been my return for the first 24 days of September? It’s back up to 5.88%! They always say about investments that they can go down as well as up.
The Daily Express Annoys Their Jewish and Muslim Readers
According to the BBC this morning, the Express is giving away a voucher for a free gammon steak today.
I would link to the Express, but as when you access that website, it opens another window selling the viewer something he or she doesn’t want, I won’t. I wonder how many others hate that practice with as much venom as I do?
I did find the details on the excellent Money Saving Expert website. Here is what you get.
Just spotted the add in todays paper
Weekday paper is 45p, Saturday 70p, Sunday £1
Get from Budgens & Londis
Saturday – Gammon Steaks
Monday – Crumpets
Tuesday – Natural Yoghurt
Wednesday – Pack of Wagon Wheels
Thursday – Ocean Spray Cranberry & Blueberry Drink
Friday – Quaker Porridge Oats
What a wonderfully balanced diet! Especially for a coeliac like me. Cranberries are also banned if you’re on Warfarin.
They didn’t mention that you could tear the newspaper into squares and use it for toilet paper.
The Anonymous Widower 