It's like a 1950s children's guide to the police, but ever so slightly different. Excellent comedy.
Month: June 2008
My personal inflation rate (RPI) is 3.5% to May 2008. What's yours?
Via Tim, Raedwald has a silly piece suggesting that the 30% collapse in new-build flat prices, rather than being the outcome of a speculation bubble, came because developers were required to build 30% social housing as part of the development. However, this doesn't fit the facts, or what we know about economics. If the new-build … Continue reading Another house price post
I've been living in rented accommodation for the last two years despite being able to afford a house/flat, because it was incredibly obvious that house prices were going to peak, interest rates rise, and the economy slow down. The fact that you did buy a house means that either you felt financially secure enough that … Continue reading An open letter to people who bought houses in the last two years
The redhead girl from the BA safety video really is cute, isn't she? Shame she's clearly still very much in love with the vaguely-Barack-Obama-lookalike father of her adorable kid. Ah well... - me, various points, the last 18 months. Even more tragically, for those of you who don't fly BA, the video is a cartoon.
I've a slightly snarky new piece at the Sharpener, on how 'fuel poverty' isn't nPower or EDF's fault (or, indeed, a very meaningful concept). Some of the discussion about this issue has reminded me of how bloody annoying it is when hacks and bloggers take £ profit numbers as meaning something in their own right. … Continue reading Newly sharpened
There's a great deal of controversy and bitterness over whether the parasitical Scots steal money from the hard-working English to spend on whisky and deep-fried Mars bars, or whether in fact the evil colonial masters are stealing the Scots' money to fritter away on Pimms and linen suits. The problem is, despite the statistical data … Continue reading On that ‘who subsidises whom’ thing
Retail sales rose 4.6% in May 2008 compared with May 2007. Oh noes, the sky is falling, worst recession evah!, etc.