War, Winter and Damp

Gorbachev has warned NATO that victory in Afghanistan is not possible. I tend to agree with the old boy on this one. We have been there 9+ years and have achieved very little, apart from killing a few tribal leaders, civilians, insurgents and increased the supply of Opium.

The USA should have read the history books before venturing into this neck of the woods. And what about Osama Bin Laden, why is nobody talking about him anymore? Do we believe the rumours that he died a few years ago or the rumours that say he doesn't actually exist?

Pointless - Public opinion no longer matters in this day and age. People in power will rough trod over all to achieve their objectives and throw the necessary spin so that the prols wont rise up.

The weather is getting me down, it is damp grey and miserable in the way that only the UK can be.

And the long predicted winter of discontent is on its way..
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Greed

For the last few months we have been told that Greed is bad and that we need to tighten our belts and be more frugal with our money.

So, how can one jumped up little oik have a hissy fit one day and then demand a £200,000 per week salary the next?

Two questions remain;

1 - Has Sir Alex lost his usual managerial acumen?
2 - Why hasn't Rooney been stoned to death or lynched at the very least?

On the one hand you have this media show and on the other Portsmouth FC are fighting liquidation.

I predict that the people of Manchester will rise up and say they have had it with Mr Rooney and his complete disregard for reality and the public and his total and utter bare faced greed.

If i were the spud face nipper i would go into hiding post haste.

PS - as for the re-opening of the whole David Kelly affair, well, I shall be coming on to that later...
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Cuts, Riots, Apathy and being away

Has it really been that long?

I have been in the Far East recently, a mixture of work (which due to HM's OSA I cannot divulge) and a bit of R&R.

I have only recently returned and this weather is causing me all sorts of problems. Spending time in 30 plus degrees then coming back to single figures can be a shock to the system to say the least.

I spent yesterday in the club watching that frightful Osbourne chappy mumbling on about this and that interspersed with conversations with Baxter and a fine 12yr old malt.

I am surprised today that the prols haven't taken to the streets like our friends across the water. Our Govt has made cuts and changed retirement ages considerably more than Zarcosy has.

The public sector are up in arms and waving their marxist flags in the air, still some say that this will give them a taste of what the private sector is like.

And why ring fence the NHS? There's a pit that seems to guzzle lots of money. Keep A&E as that is a wonderful service, but get rid of the back end bit which is where all the money is squandered, do away with NI contributions and make everyone go private, like the USA.

Politics is tiring, everyone has an opinion, we have a massive debt and are headed the way of becoming a 2nd rate country that everyone vaguely remembers. A bit like Liverpool FC. But without the Red Sox bail out.

Im off to see Finbar, my old hedge-fund / investment banker friend later, Im sure he'll have a lot to say on whats going on. He's also consulting with one of the top UK companies on how to move more tax liabilities off shore, cant disclose for obvious reasons. If HMRC got their arse in gear that would be an £8bn gain.

Perhaps trading in Opium again is the answer, its worked before.
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