Wall Street’s rally halts over economic fears December 13, 2012 THE S&P 500 ended its six-day winning streak yesterday, retreating as worries intensified that Washington’s “fiscal cliff” negotiations were dragging on with little progress. Anxiety about the drawn-out talks between Democrats and Republicans was enough to offset encouraging data on retail sales and jobless claims . There is concern that tax hikes and spending cuts, [...]
Green light for shale: Now Britain will benefit from the dash for gas December 13, 2012 FORGET the Energy Bill; the announcement that exploration for shale gas can now resume is the big energy story of 2012. In Lancashire alone, there is enough shale gas in the ground to meet Britain’s needs for decades. But the big question is what proportion can be developed at a reasonable cost. Yesterday’s decision means [...]
At the end of the day the business cliche just masks woolly mindedness December 13, 2012 LET’S open the kimono. The language of business is a joke. It now seems to be best practice to get your ducks in a row for corporate meetings by memorising phrases like value proposition, point person and core competency. At the end of the day, buzz phrases and bizarre metaphors may take it to the [...]
Charities take the burden as parties harden on welfare December 13, 2012 ONCE upon a time, we had to read the old classics to hear about the two kinds of people in need – the labouring poor and the undeserving poor. Dickensian scenes of the hard-working Bob Cratchit, abused by his employer Scrooge, contrasted with the feckless, drunken Bill Sykes. But is it too far fetched to [...]
Is Eurozone banking union a danger to the City of London as a global financial centre? December 13, 2012 YES Philip Booth The rationale for an EU banking union is clear: if Eurozone bank bailout costs are socialised, then bank regulation must be centralised. But this is the wrong approach. Instead, we should focus on ensuring that banks can fail safely, without bailouts. Roland Vaubel explained the dangers of a banking union in yesterday’s [...]
Rapid responses December 13, 2012 Bankers respond [Re: British Bankers’ Association mulls merger in hunt for cash, yesterday] The British Bankers’ Association (BBA) has not been directed by its members to seek to merge with any other trade association. At its recent meeting, the board voted unanimously to approve the budget for 2013, which accommodates the expected loss of income [...]
The Hobbit: A journey worth taking? December 13, 2012 FILM THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY Cert 12A *** Afew months ago I went to a reading of The Hobbit by Andy Serkis, the actor most famous for providing the voice of Gollum in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy. He was reading the part where Bilbo Baggins first encounters the mysterious Gollum, [...]
An affectionate glimpse into the world of Neil Young December 13, 2012 FILM NEIL YOUNG: JOURNEYS Cert PG *** As a portrait of an artist at work, Neil Young: Journeys is as intimate as it gets. Director Jonathan Demme has created a concert movie interspersed with footage of the rocker guiding him around rural Ontario where he grew up. Journeys delves into Young’s formative years: we see [...]
Smashed isn’t your standard addiction flick December 13, 2012 FILM SMASHED Cert 12A **** Kate AND Charlie are a couple who drink together. A lot. And, for the most part, they have a pretty good time doing it, barring the sledge-hammer hangovers and wet mattresses. Except, in Kate’s words, things start to go from embarrassing to scary, not least when she goes to her [...]
Grandouet can stake his claim for Champion Hurdle glory December 13, 2012 IT took a while for the Nicky Henderson bandwagon to start rolling this jumps season, but it has gone into overdrive in the past two weeks thanks to huge wins for Bobs Worth in the Hennessy and Sprinter Sacre in the Tingle Creek. The highlight of this weekend is tomorrow’s Stan James International Hurdle (3.05pm) [...]
