National Debt

Interesting article by Liam Halligan in the Telegraph, a long time advocate of honesty about the cost of the bank bad debt, and the cost of the bailout. This time it is just admitting that by 2015 our debt will have merely stopped growing. As he puts it in laymans terms the first year we will not need to extend our mortgage.

Both sobering and incredible.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/liamhalligan/8408664/Britains-leaders-should-come-clean-on-the-true-depth-of-the-fiscal-crisis.html

Oracle ending support on Itanium

An interesting move by Oracle, preumably to make to their hardware offering to look more attractive and to muscle HP-UX out of the market (although I always feel it has not long to live!)

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/03/24/oracle_hp_ux_itanium_analysis/

Focusing on x86 is also interesting, Itanium has always felt like an expensive operation - and maybe is was only going to find niche markets. Will a clean design processor's time ever come to relieve us of all the x86 baggage.

Air Strike Verdict

Good but harsh analysis from Lewis Page - you might think the strikes are a way for the RAF to justify Euro Fighter.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/03/25/libya_analysis/

But not according to Lewis! I am not sure I totally agree with a cruise missile approach, what about reconaissance - I suppose an area where we would always have to rely on the US spy satellite network.

He also makes a good case for the Harrier, although I'm not sure how effective they would have been even with the advantage of being nearer the operation.

Still the basic points remain we should be getting much more value for money for defence spend, and buying well proven things from the States - even with the option of fitting out the internals ourselves to maintain a certain degree of independence would beat the Euro Fighter fiasco.

Libya Air Strikes (2)

So now Europe gets to feel what it is like to not have the Americans lead the operation. They are looking to not command the allies, and Nato looks fragmented and weak - lucky the Russians never came knocking!

Still I think it is Obama wanting to keep it low profile, not shirking the need to do the operation but not wanting to have it labelled an American action with the Nato allies making up the numbers (although as always that is exactly what it is)

Libya Air Strikes

Cameron called it right it seems, part of me thinks the Americans let him take a lead on requesting the no fly zone - knowing they would be the major partner with their forces, but perhaps not wanting to look like the rest of the world being dragged along behind them.

Of course the question is how much can be done purely from the air, there must be zero appetite for an ground offensive given Iraq and Afghanistan.

From the British point of view a important reminder on the unpredictability of defence need. Despite all the 5,10,15, 20 year studies I bet not a single one could predict this campaign. Balanced flexible forces for the unexpected is the only way to provide defence, and do not get too stuck on building defence for perceived threats that never materialise.

Stoic Japenese

Despite all the tradegy in Japan you cannot help but be impressed by their quiet determination. From the fire fighters at the plant down being asked to risk their lives to those clearing up.

One cultural thing is the boiler suit wearing leader - apparently as a signal of the work ahead. I was thinking could that work here, maybe Cameron to wear combat fatigues - maybe not. Then you would have Tony Blair, the guy would never have been out of combat uniform!

Budget 2011

Budget time this week, and talk of simplification of taxes - something Brown was never ever capable of. Although likely to be steps to simplify, I really hope the merge of NI and income tax happens - a very outdated tax and now just another revenue raiser long outliving it's original intended purpose.

This was first talked about by Osborne back in 2005, let's hope he starts to deliver on the promise. Although it is all too easy to promise from the opposition benches - just look at Labour coming up with good ideas like VAT reduction for home improvements, shame they didn't do it while in power!

Eurofighter national audit office report

Lewis Page writing for The Register gives some details of the whole sorry Eurofighter procurement.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/03/03/eurofighter_nao_analysis/

The much reduced number of planes may just have a few years of realistic life, at least as ground attack aircraft, before the JSF comes into service.

Although it is a showcase for European engineering capability, this has to be one of the most mis-managed defence projects of all time.

Film: The King's Speech directed by Tom Hooper

Finally went to see this Oscar winning film, I must admit when I first heard the story line I did wonder how much of a film this could be.

But it does a great job of describing both the history and atmosphere of the era - and not since Enigma has a film done that so well for this period. It also puts you right there in the emotion of the problem and the weight of expectancy that the future king would have. I did not realise back then the monarch was more a figurehead and was expected to speak for the nation.

Colin Firth plays superbly closely followed by Geoffery Rush who plays the speech therapist. It is rare for a film to touch my emotions, but you really felt the crushing pain of his problem and the acute sense of fear and frustration - and also the elation of making the pre wartime speech without too much fault.

The film is also about the coming of broadcast, and particularly radio - those around it knew it was the new medium that had to be mastered to communicate effectively.

Great film 9/10

SAS Libya

I suppose all special operations have a good chance of failing, but the SAS reputation kind of goes before them - even if it does make them seem larger than life or infallible.

So a little disappointing to be captured by rebels in transit with diplomatic staff in Libya. Although it probably made sense to have some protection, travelling clearly as special forces kind of makes a big target and open to the option of capture and being used for propaganda.

Still the internet was down, we could not really send an e-mail.

Car Insurance

In a completely logical yet at the same time mad ruling the EU has dictated that you cannot price insurance based on the sex of the driver. So women, often the winners in equality legislation, are set to lose out.

The news yesterday had two teenage drivers who were brother and sister twins. The brother was quoted £3400, and the sister £1700. Both of these are unaffordable and ridiculous insurance pricing. Surely the better use of EU time rather than blanket rulings like this would be to make the insurance companies offer better pricing for better behaviour (no late night driving, no modified cars). The question of sex discrimination would then never come into the equation.