REFLECTIONS

It was 1978 I think and I was standing on the Sloane Street eastbound platform having watched, by actual count, eleven District Line trains headed to Daganham East pass.  At long last the Circle Line arrived and having been forced to wedge my way inside we sat motionless for about 12 minutes;  seems it was, by union rules, time for the train driver to have his "cuppa," so we all waited for his return.  A conversation relating to the evens ensued.

"American are you?"

"Yes I am."

"Tell me, do these sort of things happen in America?"

"No they don't."

"Really?  Why is that you think?"

"Because we would shoot the SOB, take the keys and drive the train ourselves."

Of course anyone within hearing distance had confirmed their belief as to the state of civilization in the colonies but it did afford me a bit more of standing room for the trip to the City.  Not long after, things changed.

Margaret Thatcher died today at 87.  She was a remarkable woman and easily the p It was 1978 I think and I was standing on the Sloane Street eastbound platform having watched, by actual count, eleven District Line trains headed to Daganham East pass.  At long last the Circle Line arrived and having been forced to wedge my way inside we sat motionless for about 12 minutes;  seems it was, by union rules, time for the train driver to have his "cuppa," so we all waited for his return.  A conversation relating to the evens ensued.

"American are you?"

"Yes I am."

"Tell me, do these sort of things happen in America?"

"No they don't."

"Really?  Why is that you think?"

"Because we would shoot the SOB, take the keys and drive the train ourselves."

Of course anyone within hearing distance had confirmed their belief as to the state of civilization in the colonies but it did afford me a bit more of standing room for the trip to the City.  Not long after, things changed.

 My friend, Gordon, one of the great users of the English language wrote this today:

Farewell then, to Maggie. A woman, it occurs to me, of your time in London. It took a while, but it is a fact that more than 70 per cent of my countrymen now  clearly see what a poisonous affair the EU truly is. We will leave it, in the end. Along, therefore, with her comprehensive destruction of the Trades Unions, her legacy was the the fight she put up to protect us from it, when virtually every British politician either lied to us about it, or were simply to stupid to see the malign intent that underlies it. 

I print this without comment, agreement, or anything else but merely to highlight what I think will now become the beginning of the end as the memory of Mrs. Thatcher will spur the movement now afoot and, aided by the absolute on-going stupidity of the Northern Masters as witnessed by in their dealing with Greece, Cyprus and now Portugal, the movement will soon to reach the goal.  Will the UK be the first?  Perhaps not, as for once I tend to agree with Little Paulie Krugman who advised the Portuguese to get out NOW!  Maggie will win that battle as well although I suspect she always knew she would.

Our Treasury Secretary is in Euroland as we speak.  Is name is Jacob Lew and it appears he's there to tell the Euros that we--the U.S. of A--are getting tired of this austerity policy in Euroland and that they should shift to a growth policy and read more Paulie Krugman.  His predecessor, The Suit, said the same thing more or less but Jacob--or Jack as he likes to be called--couldn't do it at a private dinner but did it in a public speech thereby convincing everyone that he is far more stupid than the past, unlamented Secretary ever could have conceived of being although he tried like hell.  Oddly, his meeting with the French Secretary of the Treasury got cancelled.  I wouldn't worry if I were him because it was a straight-up meeting with no lunch involved and trust me, you don't want to deal with any French Treasury Secretary without food and wine being involved.  He's promised a chin-wag in a week or two in Washington which I'm sure will happen if he keeps his mouth shut but to what end I have no clue.

So, it was a hell of a day.  Maggie passed,  it was proven to be impossible to merge two Greek Banks, Cyprus needs more money than thought (Surprise!!), Portugal is really in the crapper having been told by it's supreme court that it's austerity measures are unconstitutional, Jacob/Jack make a fool out of himself and Massimo remains no where to be found--yet again!  But Herself's Peonies are showing; she's happy which means that I have a shot at getting through the rest of the week.  One small step at a time which is what I always say.