Headlines – Shock news – UK intelligence aided Syrian rebels and Kevin Pietersen betrayed the England cricket captain with covert texts to the South Africans. Who would have thought advice on bowling round the wicket could de stabilise an autocratic regime but that’s cricket for you. If only Assad was vulnerable to the short ball, the Middle East crisis would be over in no time.
Not so the Assange crisis. Rod Liddle suggests we should storm the foreign office, the Wikileaks author has sent William Hague loopy. Plans are afoot to invade Ecuador, or at least the embassy. Where is Ecuador, just outside the food hall at Harrods the answer. Epicurean delight, Ecuadorean gunfight, the SWAT team mantra as snipers could be deployed in a “take the shot” edict from the normally level headed Foreign Secretary. Puzzling.
David Smith, is equally puzzled. Booming, slumping or flatlining, what is happening in the UK economy. How can an economy, generate 200,000 new jobs and be back in recession the conundrum. Yes it is ..
Economics news this week, inflation up, unemployment down, retail sales rally but the MPC minutes suggest more QE is on the way. Apparently the ceiling for QE is 50% of total gilt stock. What is going on in the UK economy?
Download The Saturday Economist for more details. This week our resident head of research, Professor Milton Keynes explains a model based on output and employment, suggests the economy grew by around 1% in the second quarter and will grow by around 1.2% for the year as a whole. So much for the paradox of productivity.
Back to the day job, Monday, team meeting in the morning, then a presentation at City Hall. As part of Summer Camp a group of young people are invited to critically review the planned upgrade to facilities at the Town Hall and Central Library complex following the £160 million upgrade. Always interesting to be involved. In the afternoon, Jonathan Diggines from Enterprise Ventures is in the office for a lengthy catch up and update on the North West Fund developments.
Tuesday, early start, it is the Bank of England Inflation Report presentation at City Tower by John Young. Good turn out and a good presentation by the North West agent. I sit with Dr Sloan as we form the QE critique group North West panel. Nice walk back to the office with Michael Hartig as he offers views on the Barclays “reshuffle”.
Wednesday, Matthew Platt from SEONext in the morning, examining link strategies for the web sites. Later lunch at Rosso’s with Fiona Kelsey, the new head of audit for North West with PwC. In the afternoon, I greet a large delegation from Nanking Province, interested in the prospects for Financial and Professional services in the city. A lengthy session, I receive Chinese silk as a precious gift, offering much needed Manchester umbrellas in return as the heavens open.
Thursday, the team are packing up, – am banished from the office and work at home on the SMEx business plan and other things. Midday tennis lesson breaks the monotony. Discover Andrew Sentance has a bigger Klout Social media score than my own. Worse still the ex MPC guru then offers me Twitter tips – gutted.
Friday, it is moving day, the long planned move to Tower 12 Spinningfields takes place. Good day to stay out of the office and work on the week-end Saturday Economist and Sunday missive.
Saturday, working in the morning, the day starts as usual with tea, the FT, and the Economist app. The Economist leads with Microbes maketh the man. People are not just people, they are an awful lot of microbes too – explains the sagacious weekly. Have often thought that.
In the afternoon, Tennis, – an honorable eight all draw. Ah well you wants to win ‘em all.
Hope all is well, more news next week,
John , join me on
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