varsovian
21.04.06, 13:32
Poland
International rugby in Warsaw - April 29 - see www.frogsco.pl
Irish private investors buying up flats in Warsaw - fuelling the property boom
Kwasniewski has been invited to run for mayor of Warsaw (I wouldn't if I were
him)
UK
Govt admits in the Commons that the only reason they are doing public-private
partnerships is because it makes the govt's books - and the man in charge of
them - look better.
Tony Blair is pretending to be friendly with his deadliest enemy - Finance
Minister dour Scot Gordon Brown. Meanwhile, the Brunnis keep giving the
Blairites bad press.
The govt has arrears of GBP 3bn towards English (not British) farmers. Farms
Minster Lord Bach is unconcerned at the bankruptcies caused and the
consultants in charge of the project - Accenture (ha!) - has received a major
new contract - privatisation of the NHS pathology labs.
British tax law has been successfully challenged in Europe - the govt was
found to be unfairly discriminating against UK firms (in favour of EU ones)
and will have to pay out around EUR 7bn.
Sinead O' Connor is mad, and has an unhealthy interest in Irish journalists.
Gardener's World magazine put a brain teaser in the back of their latest
issue - make as many words as you can using these letters D Y F A T C U N T
The EU complained about China destroying competiton by using subsidies ...
The latest UK Budget contains a multi-million pound tax break for proprty
companies (REITS). Kevin McGrath made a completely unconnected GBP 56k
donation to the Labour Party. He also happens to be a partner in REIT Asset
management.
GBP 800m - now this could have gone to:
(A) fund military operations in Iraq/Afghanistan, or
(B) cover the entire expected health service budget shortfall...
The UK now has animal welfare legislation in force. The results:
1995 - 87% sufficient in foodstuffs which could be produced in the UK - 70%now
e.g. then 789k pigs - now 468k
chicken imports: then 1k tons a year, now 70k
Fortunately, dairy farmers are going bust - milk's bad for you (triggers
osteporosis, prostate cancer and loose stools!)
Tourism Australia's TV ad "So where the bloody hell are you?" was pulled from
UK screens for obscenity. Tourism Oz claimed Brits had no sense of humour.
Then Downwind Media produced a spoof ad portraying the Cronulla riots,
entitled "So where the fucking hell are you?" Tourism Oz has threatened
legal action - no sense of humour, you see ...
2 EU directives aimed at the hazards of discarded electrical goods on public
dumps have inadvertently banned all church organs. The UK is implementing
the ban with respect to all maintenance work. Get out your guitar, Cliff!
Quote of the week:
(Brendan Foster) "You won't win silver medals at teh Olympics uless you're
teh very, very best."