The week in the UK has been dominated by more ludicrous proposals from the Coalition Government. Smoking products hidden in shops, discreet labelling of cigarettes, confectionery and alcohol, online snooping and more. After the recent fuel panic buying, this week it was stamps. Yes postage stamps. Faced with a huge increase in the price of stamps the Royal decided to preempt stock piling by shops and householders. In order to "protect its profits" it opted to ration the availability of said product. As the increase is not due until the end of April understandably customers have complained.
So much for free enterprise. Still with technology outstripping traditional methods of communicating the posted letter's days are numbered.
A ceasefire was implemented in Syria on Tuesday but already it has failed. The government of Syria could not guarantee it would not respond to more civil unrest and those wanting change were in no mood to stop protesting. The situation remains volatile with UN monitors making their way to Syria.
The US continues to be dominated by its forthcoming election. The GOP candidates campaigns are currently big news. Rick Santorum who had been in second place decided to withdraw this week but failed to endorse any one of the three remaining candidates. Although it is widely assumed that Mitt Romney will win the nomination it is not quite over yet.
As the week drew to a close Tax returns were up for inspection in the US. That is to say President Obama's tax return was. It seems that the political spin doctors are trying to wage a war on who paid the highest rate of tax, who has the most money and who pays less tax.
Whilst it is easy to see why the tax return issue in the US is important it detracts from the election proper. This applies to the option the GOP took to make a big deal out of Ann Romney. Allegedly accused of never working a day in her life it was in truth a valid assessment of so many politicians and their partners. They do not live in the real world nor face the ordinary day to day struggles of the man, woman or child on the street. They will of course have their own demons and challenges to face.
Mitt Romney as the heir presumptive to the White House has pulled out his etch a sketch and attempted to wow a wider group of GOP supporters. On Friday he spoke to the NRA, national rifle association. He managed to retain some credibility by not simply promising the earth, unlike Newt Gingrich.
The sad death of Trayvon Martin is still awaiting justice in the US but at least this week that moved one small step closer. The man who shot and killed him, George Zimmerman, will face trial for second degree murder late in May 2012.
This weekend in the UK the Annual Grand National steeplechase was run at Aintree. The field was quickly reduced in what became almost a farcical race (false starts) and a deadly one. Two horses lost their lives. Today one jockey has been on TV trying to justify this race. In doing so he said that in sport there is always the potential for injuries and fatalities.
Whilst that may be true the argument is flawed. People have a choice whether to participate or not. People reap the rewards of successful competing. Sport should not rely on the potential suffering of an animal. If a person breaks a leg he or she does not receive a bullet to the brain. The latest race has renewed calls for race horsing to be banned or at the very least major animal welfare improvements to be made.
Till next week, ttfn
Tags: Grand National, ban horse racing, UK politics, Trayvon Martin, GOP, US 2012 election
So much for free enterprise. Still with technology outstripping traditional methods of communicating the posted letter's days are numbered.
A ceasefire was implemented in Syria on Tuesday but already it has failed. The government of Syria could not guarantee it would not respond to more civil unrest and those wanting change were in no mood to stop protesting. The situation remains volatile with UN monitors making their way to Syria.
The US continues to be dominated by its forthcoming election. The GOP candidates campaigns are currently big news. Rick Santorum who had been in second place decided to withdraw this week but failed to endorse any one of the three remaining candidates. Although it is widely assumed that Mitt Romney will win the nomination it is not quite over yet.
As the week drew to a close Tax returns were up for inspection in the US. That is to say President Obama's tax return was. It seems that the political spin doctors are trying to wage a war on who paid the highest rate of tax, who has the most money and who pays less tax.
Whilst it is easy to see why the tax return issue in the US is important it detracts from the election proper. This applies to the option the GOP took to make a big deal out of Ann Romney. Allegedly accused of never working a day in her life it was in truth a valid assessment of so many politicians and their partners. They do not live in the real world nor face the ordinary day to day struggles of the man, woman or child on the street. They will of course have their own demons and challenges to face.
Mitt Romney as the heir presumptive to the White House has pulled out his etch a sketch and attempted to wow a wider group of GOP supporters. On Friday he spoke to the NRA, national rifle association. He managed to retain some credibility by not simply promising the earth, unlike Newt Gingrich.
The sad death of Trayvon Martin is still awaiting justice in the US but at least this week that moved one small step closer. The man who shot and killed him, George Zimmerman, will face trial for second degree murder late in May 2012.
This weekend in the UK the Annual Grand National steeplechase was run at Aintree. The field was quickly reduced in what became almost a farcical race (false starts) and a deadly one. Two horses lost their lives. Today one jockey has been on TV trying to justify this race. In doing so he said that in sport there is always the potential for injuries and fatalities.
Whilst that may be true the argument is flawed. People have a choice whether to participate or not. People reap the rewards of successful competing. Sport should not rely on the potential suffering of an animal. If a person breaks a leg he or she does not receive a bullet to the brain. The latest race has renewed calls for race horsing to be banned or at the very least major animal welfare improvements to be made.
Till next week, ttfn
Tags: Grand National, ban horse racing, UK politics, Trayvon Martin, GOP, US 2012 election
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