Seen in the News

[chinatyke]

The Governor of the BofE has announced that for the first time in modern history, Amsterdam traded more shares than London yesterday. I don't remember the Brexiteers telling us that this would be one of the results of leaving the EU.

Oh no! Not the Dutch tulip bulb market bubble again!

[Tripps]

The Governor of the BofE has announced that for the first time in modern history, Amsterdam traded more shares than London

My guilty pleasure / extravagance is a subscription to Andrew Neil's weekly Spectator magazine. Just arrived, but I don't see this Article in it. It seems to give a lot more detail and context to supplement the Governor's comments.

Not sure if it's behind a wall or you can take a look. If not I'll pinch a couple of paragraphs. Worth a read though I'd say.

[Stanley]

It let me read enough to get the gist David. The traders have made it so complicated. Best if we amateurs, including excitable reporters, stay out of it!

[Tizer]

The power of satellite imagery for checking on illicit gold mining in the Amazon. ..
`Rare Nasa photos reveal Amazon 'gold rivers'' LINK



Looking at the spectator article, perhaps we need something similar to check on the `'systematic internalisers' within large trading firms based in London..where banks and other financial firms match up trades internally between clients, such as people and institutions. Then there are block trades and 'dark pools'. The latter are private trading exchanges or forums where users have some degree of anonymity. They can be popular with institutional investors wanting to execute large orders without it becoming public and thus unduly affecting prices.

[Stanley]

Am I alone in thinking that all public trading of stocks and shares should be transparent so other investors know what's going on? Ban 'dark pools'!

[Tizer]

No, you're not alone in thinking that. Also I'd want to ban the micro-second trading and establish a rule that if you buy shares you have to hold them for a specified minimum time, measured in weeks if not longer. After all, share trading should be there to benefit businesses not for the money-making gamblers. Businesses need stability.

Here we go again...another attempt to defy the Beaufort Dyke. Instead of being the Boris Burrow it could be the Boris Grave...
`'Boris' Burrow' tunnel to Northern Ireland expected to get green light' Belfast Telegraph

[PanBiker]

I wonder if this is for smuggling purposes to avoid the border in the Irish Sea which we were told would never happen.

[Stanley]

File it with Thames Estuary airport, Garden Bridge and water cannon.....

[plaques]

It wouldn't need a tunnel in the traditional sense a large steel tube anchored to the sea bed and supported by air bags over deeper trenches could provide a rail link for goods and people in pre-loaded 'trains'. Remember you heard it here first.

[Tizer]

I'm glad to see this. We need to protect against hate speech which is intended to hurt victims but need to maintain the freedom to discuss all matters in public in a calm and measured way, especially at universities.
`Free speech plan to tackle 'silencing' views on university campus' LINK

[Tripps]

We need to protect against hate speech which is intended to hurt victims

Indulge me here .
I was tidying up my memory sticks last night when I came across my list of steam engine locomotive names. One section was a list of British overseas territories etc. The thought occurred to me that as a reminder of Empire, it would probably qualify as 'hate speech' to someone who wanted it to be.

Canada
Ontario
Quebec
Nova Scotia
New Brunswick
Manitoba
British Columbia
Prince Edward Island
Saskatchewan
Alberta
Australia
New South Wales
Victoria
Queensland
South Australia
Western Australia
Tasmania
New Zealand
South Africa
Eire
Newfoundland
India
Madras
Bombay
Bengal
United Provinces
Punjab
Burma
Bihar and Orissa
Central Provinces
Assam
North West Frontier
Mysore
Baroda
Kashmir
Gwalior
Travancore
Udaipur
Indore
Kolhapur
Bhopal
Southern Rhodesia
Bahamas
Barbados
Basutoland
Bechuanaland
Bermuda
British Guiana
Britis Honduras
Solomon Islands
Ceylon
Cyprus
Falkland Islands
Fiji
Gibraltar
Gilbert and Ellis Islands
Gold Coast
Hong Kong
Jamaica
Kenya
Leeward Islands
Malay States
Malta G.C.
Mauritius
New Hebrides
Nigeria
North Borneo
Northern Rhodesia
Nyasaland
Palestine
St Helena
Sarawack
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Somaliland
Straits Settlement
Swaziland
Tanganyika
Tonga
Aden
Trinidad
Tobago
Uganda
Windward Islands
Zanzibar
****************************************************

[Stanley]

I think that almost anything can be in danger of being classed as hate speech if someone really wanted to do it. I am confused about the university problem and Gavin's solution. It sounds very good but then I heard speakers who have suffered barring saying that the problem was nowhere near as serious as was being suggested. I have no personal experience of this.

[Tizer]

It's bad enough that students have to start their lives with big debts but this makes it even worse...
`'I'm paying £3,400 for student housing I can't use'' LINK

[Whyperion]

I'm glad to see this. We need to protect against hate speech which is intended to hurt victims but need to maintain the freedom to discuss all matters in public in a calm and measured way, especially at universities.
`Free speech plan to tackle 'silencing' views on university campus' LINK

We discussed this, ad infinitum in the Students Union at college in 1980 (we had an interesting mix of Jewish Lawyers and Finance students , and a number of Islamic humantites students at the other main campus location). Invites to the PLA to attend were regularly raised (and withdrawn).

[Stanley]

Peter, I think you are right. Students were sold a pup this year, instead of the uplifting and exciting experience they were promised they could have done better with a correspondence course from the Open University and far cheaper. The Trade Descriptions Act should apply!

[Tizer]

A happy day fort the Uber drivers...
`UK Supreme Court rules Uber drivers are workers' LINK

[Stanley]

I heard that report as well Peter. About time too. The Supreme Court seems to please me every time it gives a judgement. Does this mean it's working well?

[Stanley]

See THIS BBC report on Wilfried Zaha's attitude to 'taking the knee'. I can understand his reasoning and think he is right. It started as an imaginative way of making clear peaceful protest but perhaps needs rethinking now. Moving away from taking the knee doesn't imply any lessening in commitment.

[plaques]

My understanding was that 'taking the Knee' was a visible sign of support for the cause against racism. Such symbolism has only a given life span after which people may lose the original intent.
--------------------------------------------------
Knee tattoos especially in the Russian gulag prison system had a different meaning'

When worn on the knees, the stars are a sign of a prisoner who commands respect. The implied meaning is “I will never get on my knees in front of anyone.” ... The tattoos must be earned, and an inmate wearing an undeserved tattoo risks a beating or worse.
.............................................
While on the subject of obsolete and outdated symbolism this one is now making headlines.

MEGHAN Markle and Prince Harry have officially quit the Royal Family with the Duke stripped of his military titles, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.

What on earth are we going to do without them??

[Tizer]

Faggots and peas are off the menu on Facebook!...
`Black Country: Facebook censured local dish chat' LINK
This illustrates the problems with big companies, especially American ones, when they want to be global but can't cope with local variations in word meanings.

[chinatyke]

MEGHAN Markle and Prince Harry have officially quit the Royal Family with the Duke stripped of his military titles, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.

What on earth are we going to do without them??

Stripped of his Honorary military titles only, not the ones he earned by service in the armed forces.

[Tripps]

Stripped of his Honorary military titles only, not the ones he earned by service in the armed forces.

I'm not well up in the subject, but I doubt he earned any titles in his military sevice. As I understand it HM Queen is 'well oyned' and has taken away all she can. He's lost his 'Royal patronages' such as Patron of the Rugby League. He'll be devastated at that, and doubtless when he explains to her what Rugby League is - so will Meghan. I don't think his Princeship can be removed, as that is his brthright. I stand to be corrected there though.

[Tizer]

More on the Facebook `Faggots and peas' fiasco that I mentioned above. A letter in Today's edition of The Times relates how Facebook have banned a local cafe in Newport, Gwent, because they too list faggots and peas as one of their offerings. What surprised me is that they weren't already banned - the cafe's name is `Fanny's Rest Stop'!

[Wendyf]

Harry must still be a possible future king, as apparently Eugenie's new baby will move down the list once Sussex Baby 2 is born. Eugenie looks just like Anthony Armstrong Jones in today's publicity picture. How could that happen??

[Tripps]

I can't believe I'm commenting on the Royal Family on a Saturday afternoon, but there's no snooker and I don't care for Jump racing.

I saw that photo too, and I thought she was (unfortunately) very like Prince Andrew. I see what you mean though. Is that a runner in the rumour stakes? They've called him August Philip Hawke which doesn't sound too bad if you pronounce it Owgust but a joke if you say August,

The photo is a delight - shows genuine people with a beutiful baby. No manipulating Hello magazine type nonsense, about just showing his toes in black and white. I'm taking it as a studied slight to the " 'Princess across the water', and I fully approve.