What I’ve been up to, week ending 2010-01-31

Saigon seems clean and orderly. I think I've spent too much time in India. # Comedically, Facebook is blocked in Vietnam (for Subversive Activity reasons), but Twitter isn't # So I can incite the toiling masses to twevolution, but I can't post my holiday snaps for my mates to see # Current trending topics include … Continue reading What I’ve been up to, week ending 2010-01-31

What I’ve been up to, week ending 2010-01-24

#ebz The snow that falls in the Neath every December is something of a mystery. Condensation from the ... http://fallenlondon.com/c/7853 # Bombay wins awards for excellence. Enjoying life far too much to be inspired to poli-blog/tweet... # One exception - the cops involved in this, and anyone who defends them, need their skin removed by … Continue reading What I’ve been up to, week ending 2010-01-24

What I’ve been up to, week ending 2010-01-17

#ebz What we have instead of moonlight, down in the Neath: the uncertain glow from phosphorescent thin... http://fallenlondon.com/c/4939 # #ebz The Masters of the Bazaar - Mr Wines, Mr Spices, Mr Veils and the rest - speak in high-pitched wh... http://fallenlondon.com/c/5342 # #ebz In a city where death can be temporary, lunatic murderers are not … Continue reading What I’ve been up to, week ending 2010-01-17

Reversion to the mean

The BBC has an article based on an interesting House of Commons report on alcohol consumption... well, more accurately, it's a very bad report on alcohol consumption with some interesting data. The data shows that, before the global descent into miserable puritanism around World War I that led to prohibition in the US and draconian … Continue reading Reversion to the mean

What I’ve been up to, week ending 2010-01-10

Certain of the Masters of the Bazaar - Mr Stones, Mr Apples and Mr Wines, and possibly others - s... http://fallenlondon.com/c/3522 # Longrider is good on Anjem Choudary: http://bit.ly/5CiYsj # Icelandic president bottles out, bows to public demand to steal our money: http://bit.ly/4F06ax # Remind me not to go on Twitter between 10pm and 11pm … Continue reading What I’ve been up to, week ending 2010-01-10

I’ll drink to that

An excellent piece on CiF on the neo-puritans and their efforts to wage class war on the poor through banning and taxing booze. Killer quote: The 19th-century temperance movement was defeated by an alliance of liberals and the working class, and it looks like a repeat performance might be required. A prohibition bill was squashed … Continue reading I’ll drink to that

Quick Icelandic banking redux

Just for the avoidance of doubt: 1) the democratically elected Icelandic government, under EU/EFTA financial regulation equivalence rules, agreed long before the crisis even began that it would guarantee compensation of the first EUR20887 of deposit to retail depositors in Icelandic banks from other EU countries. 2) the Icelandic banks, with explicit permission from the … Continue reading Quick Icelandic banking redux

Obvious scam is obvious

The usual suspects are in full-on froth mode about the non-news on Goldman Sachs allegedly moving to somewhere godawful to escape a small, one-off tax on salaries. Obviously, like nearly all right-wing frothers nearly all the time, they're talking complete and utter bollocks. US culture site the Awl nails it on why: Goldman Sachs “is … Continue reading Obvious scam is obvious

What I’ve been up to, week ending 2010-01-03

Bloomberg to close its non-business news team, outsource European coverage to the Daily Sport: http://bit.ly/6jKSjT # INSTRUCTIONS: 1) read this headline: http://bit.ly/6gBgBi 2) despair 3) emigrate. I hate NIMBYs and BANANAs *so* much... # ...and it's particularly sad to see T Pratchett on the side of the arseholes: http://bit.ly/5hsbwb # Brilliant piece on Crooked Timber … Continue reading What I’ve been up to, week ending 2010-01-03