We’ll let this classic by Emerson, Lake and Palmer kick off this post:
In politics, all the world’s a stage… Continue reading “Of Liz Truss, the UK and asparagus”
Of Liz Truss, the UK and asparagus
Surfing the zeitgeist in the UK
Zeitgeist: \ ˈtsīt-ˌgīst , ˈzīt- \: the general intellectual, moral, and cultural climate of an era, or ‘the spirit of the times’. The spirit of the times in the UK is not exactly flash at the moment. There are long queues at airports and ports all over the UK, especially in Dover. COVID remains a thing, which worries many people still. Inflation is sharply up. Food, petrol and energy prices are sharply up. In fact, the UK has the highest inflation of all the G7 countries, at nearly 10% as of this writing. Winter is around the corner. And now the British public is being shown the spector of two libertarian candidates to lead the Tories for until the next general election. The zeitgeist of the UK is not one for happy campers, unless one happens to have heaps of dosh. Continue reading “Surfing the zeitgeist in the UK”
The 2022 Australian federal election, for a start
In case you haven’t heard, Australians just endured another federal election. From what I hear from my friends there, it is kind of like the refrain from this old favorite. After the song, read on:
Continue reading “The 2022 Australian federal election, for a start”
COVID-19 and the EU
It is probably not hyperbole to state that Europe, or specifically the EU, is facing its worst crisis since WWII. That is, at least economically. A little virus has brought on a crisis that neither Brexit nor years of neoliberal austerity could produce. And so far, the COVID-19 crisis is showing up all that has been at the base of the problems with the EU. More to the point, it is showing the north-south divide between EU member states that has been there all along, but which is never really stated in polite company. Just as a divorce tends to bring out the worst in couples who promised “to love, honor and cherish ‘til death do us part” when they married, so this virus is bringing all the skeletons out of Europe’s closets. And those antagonisms usually revolve around money and possessions. It is quite a spectacle. Continue reading “COVID-19 and the EU”
The coronavirus heist and the future (Part II)
We continue our investigations into the effects the current US epidemic is having on the economy and the likely results with a look at the current administration and its handling of events. There will be a ‘new normal’ after the pandemic has passed, with questions and much-needed discussions all around. The first primary impact is being felt hard in the strain the US epidemic is putting on its health services, and then in the social distancing and shutdown of businesses the former has mandated. One might disagree about the mandate, but the Italian and Spanish experience has shown the need for it. There will be more on that later. Continue reading “The coronavirus heist and the future (Part II)”