The Guardian gives this stark summary of the findings of a Populus opinion poll conducted for Searchlight Educational Trust: Some 39% of Asian Britons, 34% of white Britons and 21% of black Britons now believe all immigration into the UK should be stopped permanently, or at least until the UK’s economic situation improves. Meanwhile, 52% [...]
READ MOREFebruary, 2011
Some Warren Buffett words of wisdom on housing
From the latest letter to his shareholders by Warren E. Buffett, Chairman of the Board “… a house can be a nightmare if the buyer’s eyes are bigger than his wallet and if a lender … facilitates his fantasy. Our country’s social goal should not be to put families into the house of their dreams, but rather [...]
READ MORESometimes you get a prediction right: my 1984 view on the future of wine retailing
My great friend and wine drinking mate Phillip White has better historical records than I have. In Adelaide’s Independent Weekly this weekend he has remembered an address I gave to the NSW Wine Press Club back in 1984 where I made some predictions about what the future held for wine retailers and boutique wine makers. [...]
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Finding an alternative measure to gross domestic product
The former Australian National Party Leader Tim Fischer no doubt will be applauding the efforts of the Conservative UK Government to find an alternative measure of progress to gross domestic product. Mr Fischer was a supporter of the Government of Bhutan’s efforts to develop the concept of gross national happiness as a measure of progress. [...]
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The Crikey Oscar Indicators
Here are the Crikey Indicators for the Oscar elections with the percentages based on what the prediction markets say:
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All over bar the voting in Ireland
If the market is any guide at all then it is all over bar the voting in Friday’s Irish election. The Crikey Election Indicator has Fine Gael’s leader Enda Kenny as nearly a 99% chance to emerge as Prime Minister. The percentages on Betfair have moved in this fashion: The only real interest seems to [...]
READ MOREA sad day for democracy as Gillard joins the outright political liars
When solemn election promises can be broken without even a pretence of explanation parliamentary democracy is in a sad, sad state. So it is in Australia now that Julia Gillard has confirmed that her word means nothing. Before the last election she vowed that there would be no carbon tax if she became Prime Minister. [...]
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An inflationary kick along
Uncertainty in the Middle East has a price. The price of oil as measured by 1 April futures for Brent crude on the ICE Exchange last night at 11pm:
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The case of two men shot dead and a claim of diplomatic immunity
My colleague Shakira Hussein wrote on this blog back on 9 February that the Pakistani government was reportedly keen to find a way to release Raymond Davis, the American diplomat (according to Washington) or CIA/Blackwater agent (according to the Pakistani rumour mill) who shot dead two Pakistani youths who he claims tried to rob him at [...]
READ MORECricket quote of the night
Glenn Mitchell, currently broadcasting the England versus Netherlands match for the BBC’s Test Match Special, comments on the BBC live website: “It’s almost like England against England, with so many South Africans in the Dutch team.”
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