Terminal 4 at Heathrow is a complete mess but the most notable thing about it was the absolute lack of any unusual security prior to boarding our flight. Frankly, I could see very little difference in what I experienced 15 years ago except that passport control is non-existant in the boarding area. Perhaps it is all done at check-in but the comparison between even our little local airport and Heathrow is remarkable. Much tougher personal checks here even without the super scanners. Odd, I thought.
Then again, after lunch at the Met me and the boys went out for a pint. Right around the corner is a new, gleaming Dept of Justice with nary a security cordon outside. Sez I, "I guess you boys are confident in your intelligence." Sez them, "Yes we are." End of discussion. Tight little island, that. I have the distinct feeling that over there, "There are strange things done 'neath the midnight sun" that ever make the papers. Something to ponder.
Well, the tax "compromise" got signed today and the trillion dollar spending bill got stopped cold last night which sets us up for some real interesting discussion early on in 2011 as to what our tax policy is going to be...or at least there should be some real interesting discussions. Just in the past few days I've detected a new sense of optomism among a few of our friends and neighbors but then again, we are in a fairly conservative community and the results of the past election were well-received. Unfortunately, this was tempered, in my mind at least, by the suggestion that Ben and the Boys are proceeding full speed ahead on QE II which, by the by, I can confirm as being thought of as a pure Dumbo act by the folks in the U.K. and the Euro zone as well. Despite the exact opposite effect--so far--on capital markets that was planned, off we go into the depths of unexplored economic space...at warp speed as far as can be determined. Of course the stock market loves the vision of some little gnome in the bowels of Liberty Street saying to himself, "I want to buy bonds!!!!!" Oh, in regard to madness, little Paulie Krugman was particularly ridiculous in the Times today. Can someone please tell him to get a clue, or an idea, or ANYTHING that isn't a rant against the Republican party. Wouldn't it be funny if this economy begins to recover because his guys LOST? Wall padding anyone?
We begin honest discussion again next week. Have a great weekend.
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