Off triple Nelson (look it up) with post number 334

Cyprus and us

There’s outcry in Cyprus because their government has openly said give us 10% of your money everyone, then said okay, so give us 6.75% of your money everyone. Understandably, people, when asked to bail out corrupt bankers and administrations, have a collective hissy-fit.

Through quantative easing, which is jargon for printing money, using that money to buy government bonds (we print our own and spend it on our own pretend shares, win-win for us…suckers), and inflation overhauling interest and pay, we’re being fleeced, albeit more stealthily than the Cypriots, for much more than the 6.75%, or the 10% that they’ve rebelled at.

There’s loads of sums and formulae the chancellor is using to show that that actually isn’t the case, but there’s as many, more logical ones that stand up to scrutiny that prove that we’re in Cyprus-plus territory in terms of funding the ongoing bail-out of the rich.

Just when you though it might be safe to listen to radio 2

Radio 2 was always for the old folk. Terry Wogan. Pringle jumpers. Something you’d never, ever see yourself as old enough to embrace. Like tartan car rugs and striped pyjamas with those white trouser cords. Plastic, fleece-lined slippers. That sort of thing. Apologies if you own any of the above, they’re only meant to be examples.

Then, just when you’re (ok, just when I’m) thinking “maybe, just maybe…” they publish the Radio 2 listeners’ top ten albums of all time:

1. Coldplay: Rush of Blood to the Head. I’d go one further than that quote: music by bedwetters for bedwetters.

2. Keane: Hopes and Fears: hopelessly lacking whatever herbs and spices make rock ‘n’ roll rock ‘n’ roll.

3. Duran Duran: Rio: loved by the royal family, the establishment, all the powers that be.

4. Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon: fluke #1.

5. Dido: No Angel: described by someone as music for people who don’t really like music.

6. The Rolling Stones: Sticky Fingers: fluke #2. Could’ve had Exile or Let it Bleed. The big three.

7. The Pet Shop Boys: Actually: actually? No. No way, Jose.

8. The Beatles: Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band: fluke (all too predictable fluke) #3.

9. U2: The Joshua Tree: Nope, don’t do it for me.

10. Queen: A Night at the Opera: they did make one or two good albums. The first one or two. After that they became just another pop group and this is just another pop album.