In the midst of all the financial doom and gloom....

... you can always trust the genius that is Matt of the Daily Telegraph to come up with a slant that will make you smile.

42 Days is a long time ......

.... to be held without charge.

The genius that is Matt of the Telegraph strikes again!

The thing is, there was a heated debate about the 42 days for suspect terrorists yesterday evening in my local. Now I didn't read or hear this, but two people were absolutely adamant that the way that the Bill was worded, it effectively gave the police the powers to hold anybody for 42 days whatever the offense! I've had a quick browse and cannot confirm this one way or another. Can anyone out there cast any light on this?

So, if it is true, whether you are a potential terrorist, or naughty enough to have put the wrong plastic in the wrong recycling bin, beware!

And so it begins ....... again?

Another classic from cartoon genius Matt of the Telegraph to preface this post about rising fuel prices.



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Now the last time the haulage businesses started protesting at the price of fuel, it wasn't too long before it turned into a blockade of fuel depots and the UK ground to a halt.

As this from the Telegraph highlights, it looks very much like things are headed the same way. One thousand large lorries crawling through London is pretty much going to grind things to a complete standstill. And it seems human nature that when enough people protest, others start to join in.

I wonder what the chances of our Gov taking any notice are? Especially given the fact that some oil futures are now trading just short of $140/barrel and each 5p/litre rise sticks another several £Billion in their coffers each year.

Fingers crossed .......

.... that genius cartoonist Matt of the Telegraph is just not too prescient!

Brilliant!

Matt, genius cartoonist of the Telegraph, manages to sum up two key stories in one simple brilliant cartoon, yet again!

On Budget Day....

.... the genius that is Matt of The Telegraph yet again manages to say it all in a simple cartoon!



It will probably be irrelevant in the chancellor's overall scheme of things but I include a link to an article from back in January that highlights the parlous state of the British Beer industry.

Those of you that do enjoy a pint or two, and even, perhaps, those that don't, probably don't realise that pubs are closing at the rate of 55+ per month; and no, not the big town centre outlets associated with weekend drunk and disorderly behaviour, but the local village pubs, that are often the only local centre of the community, are the ones that are disappearing. And you certainly won't be aware that "Beer sales for pubs are now at their lowest since the Great Depression of the 1930s." and that "In the UK, beer is already the most expensive form of alcohol that money can buy."

"Unlike wine, brewing is a homegrown industry, employing 20,000 people with an annual turnover of £19 billion. Britain’s pubs employ 600,000 people. Current tax policy is encouraging the move to stronger, and often foreign produced, drinks such as wine - and from pubs to supermarkets."

As it would seem that our Gov's intention is to close down all village pubs, my guess is that the chancellor will take not a blind bit of notice.

Addendum:
Post budget: Another 4p a pint!! That will be 6p by the time it reaches the handpulls. And on top of the brewery rises last month, for most averaging 10p per pint. Our chancellor has probably just ordered the boarding up of another 1000+ village pubs!
Cheers! (Extremely sarcastically!)

Labour party donations

As ever, the inimitable genius that is Matt of the Daily Telegraph manages to sum up the whole sorry mess in a single amusing cartoon.

Coming on top of the cash for questions affair and more recently the missing HMRC data files, it looks as if this could create more than a few ripples.

Here's the Telegraph's take on the story.

The Guardian's take is worth a look too, as is this from The Times.

In fact, the more this story unfolds, it looks as if we may well see a few more heads rolling before long.

Addendum 29/11/07:
Hmmmm, looks like the plot is thickening already. See this from this mornings Guardian Unlimited. I find it extremely odd that the party's treasurer (who also just happens to be 'Harridan' Harman's husband; and of course, 'Harridan' herself did accept a donation via such a 'conduit' "in good faith") claims to know absolutely nothing about the use of 'conduits' for the acceptance of donations. On top of that they had one of the so called 'conduits' on Radio 5 this morning; a builder from the NE by the name of Ray Ruddock. What is very interesting is that the labour party donations record shows that he has paid in some £200,000 but he claimed he was only aware of handing over some £80,000 in donations.

Another interesting snippet via Guido Fawkes. This one is going to run and run!

Oh, check out Matt's cartoon today in the Telegraph too. Brilliant!