Many US pundits believe developing nations are the culprits responsible for oil prices doubling from around $68 per barrel a year ago to their current dizzy heights.
Rising demand from China and India has undoubtedly had an effect although other offenders have been identified too: the greedy oil companies for profiteering, those nasty A-rabs running an ‘illegal’ cartel called OPEC, and mysterious evil speculators with their esoteric hedge funds that somehow create billionaires by manipulating gas prices in ways normal people cannot fathom…
Oil production will start to decline as demand continues to rise
Now the champions of free market forces have found a new scapegoat to attack: the emerging economies’ disgraceful habit of subsidizing fuel.
Subsidizing poor people distorts the market…
“We know demand is increasing because a lot of nations are still subsidizing oil, which ought to stop,” said US Energy Secretary Sam Bodman last month as he lectured developing countries for artificially stoking oil demand.
If only their governments would let the price of gasoline reflect its true cost at the pumps, so the theory goes, demand would reduce, thereby creating equilibrium in the market and a reduction in price back to ‘normal’ levels.
Bill Veno, an oil analyst with Cambridge Energy Research Associates sums up the problem: “These subsidies artificially protect consumers from the high price of oil.” Eliminating them “would have almost an immediate effect to curtail demand.”
Well, these experts, good old Sam and Bill, are pretty clear where the blame lies, eh? And they seem quite adamant that all such anti-market practices should end. Shouldn’t they?
So let’s start with the great capitalist exemplar: America.
But subsidizing US corporations is okay…
The US government has subsidized big oil for years, diverting billions from hard pressed taxpayers into the coffers of overpaid oil executives and the bloated bank accounts of their shareholders – while artificially keeping gas prices at an acceptable level for voters.
There is no explicit per gallon subsidy at the point of sale like there is in, say, Indonesia, but there is plenty of money thrown at the US supply side. However, it is almost impossible to calculate the total of these direct subsidies, exploration incentives, royalty waivers and tax breaks bestowed on the great American oil industry, although estimates suggesting $20 billion a year are possibly conservative.
Hardly surprising then that this powerful lobby successfully stymied the Senate’s recent attempt to reduce taxpayers’ unwitting largesse, but regardless of spurious justifications for these oilcorp subsidies, the fact remains that the US is guilty of the charge it is now leveling at developing countries.
The Strategic Energy Security Premium
Dwarfing these overt payments is a much larger invisible subsidy: the price of gas in the States has consistently failed to reflect the energy security premium. What exactly is that? Quite simply it is the huge cost of maintaining an effective worldwide US military presence, largely deployed to protect the free flow of oil.
Regardless of whether you subscribe to Alan Greenspan’s view that the Iraq invasion was “largely about oil,” no one can deny the first Gulf conflict was about protecting oil supplies from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. In truth, much of American foreign policy has been geared toward securing oil supplies since WWII, and some analysts suggest the bulk of America’s massive military expenditure is currently incurred protecting strategic oil supplies. If market forces were rigorously applied and these costs passed on to the US consumer at the pump rather than collected through a myriad of other taxes, the price of gas would double or even treble.
Such a hike would be impossible of course; no US government would dare levy an energy security premium since any additional tax on gas is always hugely unpopular – and would be seen as an attack on American citizens’ non-negotiable ‘way of life.’
Hence America’s failure to raise prices to a level comparable to its developed neighbors, thereby ensuring the population’s blasé approach to oil consumption continues unabated.
By contrast, much of the industrialized world has applied oil conservation measures triggered by the original energy crisis. Since the 1970’s the Europeans have imposed increasingly penal taxes on gasoline to reduce consumption, encourage fuel efficient vehicles and, more recently, lower carbon emissions. Meanwhile the American government has consistently pandered to the public’s gas guzzling habit with an attitude that apparently elevates cheap gas to the level of a constitutional right.
The resultant difference in cost at the pump is stark.
Gasoline taxes have inflated European prices to levels that would create riots in America: the average is double that of the US. Even the Brits’ stiff upper lips are twitching at having to pay around $9 per US gallon, while militant French haulers have gone on strike at having to fork out more than $10.
These figures make a suggested Energy Security Tax seem reasonable, even if it had the effect of doubling retail prices in the US.
Gas prices distorted by anti-subsidies
Meanwhile, no US economists are demanding these massive European taxes – anti-subsidies – should be dropped as they ‘distort’ the international market price of oil by artificially dampening demand. Instead they happily accept this advantageous disparity, marveling at the naivety of their conservation minded economic peers, whilst pointing their chubby fingers at poor countries like Indonesia, heaping shame on emerging nations for daring to help their citizens compete with the world’s richest economies for the lifeblood of their rural communities.
It is a sad fact that, in developing countries, food and energy costs make up the most significant proportion of household cost. John Kilduff, an energy analyst at MF Global in New York has a typical view regarding these poorer nations whose “customers just don’t have the durability U.S. customers do.” He acknowledges that oil price rises resulting from removing subsidies will have “a real impact on them.”
It may seem naive and old fashioned to us in the enlightened capitalist West, but these subsidies are the response of governments who are trying to help their people. Rather than their corporations…
Of course, some subsidized oil inevitably ends up in the petrol tanks of the rising ranks of the middle classes, but in this age of globalization, everyone wants to live like an American - and surely that’s laudable, isn’t it?
Development is A Good Thing…
But perhaps we should take a moment to reflect on how long current reserves of oil would last if everyone did live like a US citizen: just eight years. Really. (See link below.)
That is a truly frightening statistic and one that suggests higher gas prices are inevitable. Rather than blaming the world’s poorest countries for their hardship perhaps this latest crisis will help Americans understand the impact of their gluttonous oil habit on the finite resources we have on our shared planet.
And maybe, just maybe, the most technologically advanced nation in the world will finally decide to inspire its brilliant scientists to innovate and create an economically viable alternative to the Bush/McCain solution of drilling for more oil.
Let’s hope so.
***
Links:
Reuters quoting Bodman as he casts the blame elsewhere.
CNN quoting experts Veno and Kliduf on foreign gas subsidies.
The calculation showing how oil would last only 8 years if we were all following the American Way…
For more on the true cost of oil check out this link and also the excellent 2004 book by Michael Klare: Blood and Oil.
Tags: Impending oil crisis · Current Affairs · Blogs
Looking for the cruise of a lifetime? Then you’ve come to the right place!
Sleep here…
…on this beautiful yacht - once she’s fully fitted out!
This fabulous new motor sailing yacht will shortly undertake her maiden voyage to Koh Samui in late August 2008.
We are now taking bookings for chartered day tours for up to sixty guests, or for those who would like to join us for one or more nights cruising the South China Seas or beyond, our six luxury ensuite cabins with king sized beds can comfortably accommodate twelve to sixteen people.
Work continues on board during our second sea trial - early June 2008
The Siam Junk has been under construction since August 2007 and she is now undergoing her final fitting out in Ranong, Southern Thailand. On completion at the end of July 2008, she will be a magnificent 280 tonnes of teak and ironwood, lovingly crafted and decorated with traditional Siamese features, including gorgeous working fan sails.
Twin handbasins adorn our two largest cabins - The Sea Breeze Suite and our sumptuous Siam Suite in the bow
At around 34 metres (110 feet) long and some 7 metres (23 feet) wide she promises spacious on board living coupled with stunning Asian style.
The Sea Breeze Suite - rear view from outside the ensuite shower room
The main superstructure was completed in March, and the above deck furniture and the five below deck suites are currently being fitted out to a deluxe standard. We could have doubled the number of berths on board but we have opted to give our clients a sense of space that is so often lacking in sailing boats these days… The Siam Junk harks back to an era when travelling was an experience to be savoured and enjoyed.
A view of the foredeck with custom seating/dining/chill out units under construction
Her foredeck is huge and we have designed our own customized pod seating units for optimal use of space… Each one cunningly converts from a dining table into a sunbed: the table top can be lowered to allow the whole platform to be used for chilling out during the day. As sunset approaches the table tops can be raised again and set for for fine dining, allowing our pampered clients to view Thailand’s wonderful tropical sunsets while enjoying a mouth watering feast. Teak decking will complete the stunning effect of beautiful natural materials finished to a high standard - the hallmarks of The Siam Junk.
Rearward view of companionway to Sea Breeze Suite - starboard side
We have fully tested our main propulsion unit - a massive 500 bhp Hino engine from Japan powering a gigantic 60 inch (1.6m) propeller - and sea trials have confirmed The Siam Junk’s stability and docile handling: she is a dream for our highly experienced Thai helmsman, Captain Yot - yes, really! The Siam Junk cuts through the water at a comfortable 8 to 10 knots under power, and about half that speed using our alternate source of energy: the wind in our sails.
Spa power showers are being fitted to all 5 lower deck cabins
The major electrical equipment has been installed, including two diesel powered generator sets capable of producing 50kw and 20kw respectively. We need plenty of electric power for our fantastic spa showers - we are currently installing these luxurious all round/seated power showers to complement each of the five lower deck cabins.
The Sea Breeze Suite is now being decorated
Our spectacular motor yacht will comfortably sleep 12 to 16 or so guests in a total of six gorgeous cabins each featuring a King Sized bed (72″ x 78″). The Siam Suite (bow cabin) and the Sea Breeze Suite both offer maximum living space, but even our smallest suites are some 6 metres (around 20 feet) by 3.5 metres (almost 12 feet) - spacious enough to compare with an average sized hotel room. All five below deck rooms are air conditioned to offset the humidity and high temperatures we enjoy in the tropics!
Ensuite units being fitted in lower deck midship cabin - our smallest room…
The Siam Suite and the Sea Breeze Suite (on the upper deck) both boast some 37 square metres (about 370 square feet) of contemporary Asian living room. The latter is air cooled - as the name suggests - and features patio doors that open onto a private wooden sundeck, almost doubling the available area.
Starboard steps lead to the upper level and Sea Breeze Suite, port steps to a wc and the captain’s helm. Teak deckhouse gives access to lower cabins.
You can rest assured The Siam Junk is not a ‘floating caravan/trailerhome’ like so many of the ‘luxury’ plastic boats offered for charter these days. And she is nothing like the massive cruise liners that offer pre-packaged floating resort hotels with fixed itineraries.
View from the Sea Breeze Suite entrance showing seating pods under construction - each will seat up to eight diners when raised, and three sun worshippers when lowered for ‘chilling out’
From our base in Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand we can glide past Koh Phangan, cruise to Koh Tao or loiter at the best snorkeling sites in the Angthong Marine Park - a total of some 50 tropical islands. For the more adventurous we can tailor the cruise of a lifetime, exploring the many beautiful paradise islands dotted throughout the South China Seas and the Indian Ocean in luxury and style.
The Sea Breeze Suite boasts two dining tables that can be lowered for extra sleeping capacity for overnight guests - or set up for just chilling out on day charters…
The Siam Junk is available for private charter throughout the second half of 2008 and beyond. We are taking bookings and offering special introductory rates right now.
If you would like further information please use the comment box below to contact me - don’t worry, all comments come to me for moderation and any enquiries or personal contact details will not appear on this site - nor will they be passed to third parties. Confidentiality is assured.
The Sea Breeze Suite deck party night!
Watch this space for more details and photos of the interiors as we near completion in July. None of the images here do this magnificent motor yacht full justice as she is being viewed in her naked glory… We will be posting some professional shots here once she is properly dressed for her August debut!
Bow view of The Siam Junk during sea testing for the Marine Office
Meanwhile, for more pictures of this fascinating boatbuilding project please click here.
Tags: The Siam Junk
Running my own website has had the surprising bonus of filling my email inbox. Sadly I am not inundated with fan mail or fabulous offers from publishers… instead I am the target of numerous internet scams of varying sophistication.
I thought at first that I must have a gullible look about me as these scams seem totally transparent, but apparently I am merely a random target plucked from automatically generated mailing lists. Most of the scams I receive have been the subject of alerts posted on public awareness forums such as the link here.
My favourite scam first came to my attention in the early eighties – a few years before I had started using the internet. An airmail letter arrived in my letterbox and I was quite excited. Until I opened it.
Purportedly the scruffy note inside was from a Nigerian diplomat who had secreted government funds in a local bank account and now needed someone ‘trustworthy’ like me to transfer his money to the UK, otherwise it would be confiscated. The letter was barely literate, looked as though it had been typed on an old ribbon fed typewriter before being chewed by a dog then posted. It went straight in the bin.
Nigeria 419
At the time I had never heard of the Nigerian 419 scam and did not recognise the modus operandi, but it has been one of the most common forms of mail fraud for decades, and these days it is as likely to originate in London as Lagos. The 419 got its name from the Nigerian penal code listing this type of advance fee fraud: the victim is conned into believing that he needs to stump up a relatively small amount of cash for ‘administrative purposes’ to release a much larger sum of money – which will then be split with him for his effort.
Of course, the large sum of money is merely bait, a fiction designed to hook into our greed. Unfortunately, the only outcome for any victim involved in this type of scam is the loss of maybe a few hundred pounds – or sometimes thousands of dollars – for the empty promise of millions to come.
Increasingly sophisticated
Initially these attempts to con money from unsuspecting souls were littered with grammatical errors and lacked credibility, yet some people were still successfully relieved of their savings. These days the creative masterminds behind these schemes have become far more sophisticated and the plausibility of some of their offerings has reached new levels.
I have posted a few examples below for those of you unlucky enough never to have received emails from barely literate widows whose husbands had accumulated ill-gotten funds in the Ivory Coast, or bankers whose Iraqi clients died having secreted millions in oil revenues that now need to be released, or even from a fairly believable and admittedly corrupt ‘fund manager’ with Fidelity investments.
Corresponding with the conmen
The authorities recommend deleting 419 emails without responding to them, and generally I receive far too many to bother replying anyway. A couple tickled me and I just could not resist having a bit of fun with them. The first was from this very religious ‘lady’ in Africa…
From: Mrs Rose Martins Toyo
Our Lord Jesus Christ is my only comforter.
I have the sum of Five million,One hundred thousand US Dollars($5.1m) The fund is presently deposited with a financial company for security reasons and all the documents concerning the fund are in the custody of my lawyer.
I inherited the money from my late husband who was an industralist and international businessman.I have prayed concerning this donation for God‘s guidance and if in your heart you geniunely and faithfully desire-to use this fund for the propagation of God‘s work in any form whether for charity, ministry evangelical work,building a Clinic, school, orphanage, library and drilling of water for the orphans, local community, widows, Old Aged, and people living with HIV AIDS who can not afford to pay for health, school and foodstuff or otherwise in relation to God‘s work,do get in -touch with me for further arrangements with my lawyer on how you will receive my Charity donation.
God bless you once again and as you receive,give and give God all the Glory. ‘My obligation is to do the right thing, the rest is in God‘s hands’ * One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life. Psalms 27:4, 8-9
Remain blessed in the Lord
Yours in Christ,
Mrs. Rose Martins Toyo
Reply from: Will Patching
Well thank you!
I am not religious but would love to contact your lawyers to find out how they can help me spread love, compassion and education for those too poor to help themselves.
My own view is that water is the most important commodity - clean drinking water should be available to everyone worldwide and if I were to receive these funds I would use most of the money to provide it to the world’s poor.
Thank you for contacting me and I look forward to hearing from your lawyers.
Will
From: Barrister Peter Okwute :
ROYAL TRUST CHEMBERS AND COMMERCE ABIDJAN COTE D’ IVOIREWEST AFRICA
FROM THE DESK OF BARISTER:
ATTENTION:
Mrs Rose Toyo Martins sent an e-mail to me that i should contact you. What can i do for you?
Regard
Barister:
Peter Okwute
For the firm.Tel:+22509329382
Reply from: Will Patching
Hi Peter
Good to hear from you as I tried to email you with no success. Perhaps there is an intermittent problem with your server? I hope this email arrives safely.
Apparently Mrs Rose Toyo wants to give me some money to help me support worthy causes. I am not religious, nor am I trustworthy and my expenses are quite high. However, if she feels that this feckless drunken atheist can be trusted with her $5.1m dollars I will happily make sure it is spent in a most worthwhile way.
Please let me know if there is something else you need from me. Perhaps you would like to visit me here in Thailand to complete the necessary paperwork. No doubt Mrs Rose will happily pay for your flight and hotel costs and I can arrange for some very friendly ladies to look after you, if you see what I mean.
By the way, Royal Trust Chambers is misspelt but that may be purely a translation issue. What language do you speak in Abidjan? Is your law degree from there or did you train at Harvard too?
I look forward to hearing from you,
Will
–
Strangely Peter did not reply… Perhaps he realized he had misspelt his client’s name too!
As this letter contained a UK fax number I forwarded it to the UK police. They normally don’t get involved unless the victim actually loses money, but they do request information on these types of frauds when there is a traceable lead – as in this case. Contact them at fraud.alert@met.police.uk.
–
Remember - not all fraudsters are as easy to spot as this one:
Hi Fidelity?
This one is very clever – the links to Fidelity’s site and ‘Tim’s cv’ at the end of the letter give the illusion that the sender really is part of the company.
From: Mr.Tim McCarron
E-mail : mr.tim_m02@yahoo.co.uk
Greetings,
I am a Fund Manager with Fidelity Investment UK and I handle all our Investor’s Capital Project Funds that enables me to divert 1.2% Investors Excess Return Capital Funds to our Magellan Trust Funds Account whereby anyone can be presented to claim the funds.
On this note, the total sum of US$60.5M has been diverted representing the 1.2% Excess Return Capital Funds from the Investor Capital Project Funds for 2005/2006. I need a reliable and trustworthy person that can work this deal out with me so that we can claim the funds as mentioned above.
There is no risk attached and the funds in question can never be dictated or traced. Our sharing ratio is 60:40.If you are interested, please send your direct telephone numbers for discussion of this deal in further details. I am counting on your sense of confidentiality, as it is my desire that you keep this business to yourself.
Anticipating to hearing from you.
Best Regards,
Mr.Tim McCarron.
www.fidelity.co.uk/wealthmanager/funds/europe/oeicsandunittrusts/european.html
www.fidelity.co.uk/wealthmanager/fundmanagercvs/pdfs/TMcCarron.pdf
–
I forwarded this one to Fidelity – no strangers to these types of scam as a less sophisticated version had already hit their US offices in 2006. I also sent a copy to abuse@yahoo.co.uk.
–
An offer of a partnership…
…with a man who can’t even spell his own name:
From: andren_smith2@hotmail.com
Dear Friend
This letter must come to you as a big surprise, but I believe it is only a day that people meet and become great friends and business partners. I am Mr. Andren Smith, currently Head of Corporate affairs with a reputable bank here I write you this proposal in good faith, believing that I can trust you with the information I am about to reveal to you.
I have an urgent and very confidential business proposition for you. On November 6, 2003, an Iraqi Foreign Oil consultant/contractor with the CHEVRON PETROLEUM CORPORATION, MR. KHALIL AL NASSER made a (Fixed deposit) for 36 calendar months, valued at US$17,500,000.00 (Seventeen Million Five hundred Thousand Dollars only) in my bank and I happen to be his account officer before I was moved to my present position recently. Upon maturity in 2005, as his account officer and as well the bank manger, it is my duty to notify him on the maturity date so I sent a routine notification to his forwarding address but the letter was returned undelivered.
After sometime, I tried sending back the letter, but it was again returned and finally I discovered from his contract employers, Chevron Petroleum Corporation that Mr. Khalil Al Nasser died as a result of torture in the hand of Saddam Hussein (former Iraqi President) during one of his trips to his country Iraq, as he was accused of leaking information to the Americans.
On further investigation, I discovered that MR. KHALIL AL NASSER. family wife and two sons died during the Gulf War in Iraq and was the reason why he did not declare any next of kin or relation in all his official documents, including his Bank Deposit paperwork in my Bank and did not leave any WILL.
This sum of US$17,500,000.00 have been floating and placed under dormant/unserviceable account by my bank management since no one have heard from the owner since 2005. I wish to let you know that all the investigation I have made so far, my bank management is not aware of it, I am the only one that have the information.
With the recent change of government in my country and with their efforts to support the United Nations in check mating terrorism aid, the government will pass a new financial control law which will give the government authority to interrogate account owners of above $5.000. to explain the source of the funds, making sure it is not for terrorism support. If I do not move this money out of the country immediately, the government will definitely confiscate the money, because my bank cannot provide the account owner to explain the source of the money.
I cannot directly transfer out this money without the help of a foreigner and that is why I am contacting you for an assistance. As the Account Officer to late MR. KHALIL AL NASSER, coupled with my present position and status in the bank as Head of Retail Banking Group, I have the power to influence the release of the funds to any foreigner that comes up as the next of kin to the account, with the correct information concerning the account, which I shall give you.
All documents to enable you claim this fund will be carefully worked out and there is practically no risk involved, the transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of law,
If you accept to work with me, I want you to state how you wish us to share the funds in percentage, so that both parties will be satisfied. If you are interested, contact me as soon as you receive this message so we can go over the details.
Thanking you in advance and may God bless you.
Please, treat with utmost confidentiality. I shall send you copy of the deposit certificate issued to Al Nasser when the deposit was made for your perusal.
I wait your urgent reply .
Regards,
Mr. Andren Smith.
–
Reported to abuse@hotmail.com - this address can be used where there is the intent to defraud, or where an institution has been misrepresented.
–
Born yesterday - again?
Meanwhile another group of conmen in Abidjan(?) came up with this gem:
From: Mary Mark
Dearest in Christ,
I am Mrs Mary Mark from Kuwait. I am married to Mr. Jerry Mark who worked with Kuwait embassy in Ivory Coast for nine years before he died in the year 2002.We were married for eleven years without a child. He died after a brief illness that lasted for only four days. Before his death we were both born again Christian.
Since his death I decided not to remarry or get a child outside my matrimonial home which the Bible is against. When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of US$4.5million dollars in a Bank here in Abidjan Cote d’Ivoire. Presently, this money is still in bank.
Recently, my Doctor told me that I would not last for the next Eight months due to cancer problem. The one that disturbs me most is my stroke sickness. Having known my condition I decided to donate this fund to a church that will utilize this money the way I am going to instruct herein. I want a church that will use this fund for orphanages, widows, propagating the word of God and to endeavor that the house of God is maintained.
The Bible made us to understand that “Blessed is the hand that giveth”. I took this decision because I don’t have any child that will inherit this money and my husband relatives are not Christians and I don’t want my husband’s efforts to be used by unbelievers. I don’t want a situation where this money will be used in an ungodly way. This is why I am taking this decision. I am not afraid of death hence
I know where I am going. I know that I am going to be in the bosom of the Lord. Exodus 14 VS 14 says that “the lord will fight my case and I shall hold my peace”. I don’t need any telephone communication in this regard because of my health hence the presence of my husband’s relatives around me always. I don’t want them to know about this development. With God all things are possible.
As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the Bank here in Abidjan Cote d’Ivoire. I will also issue you an authority letter that will prove you the present beneficiary of this fund. I want you and the church to always pray for me because the lord is my shephard. My happiness is that I lived a life of a worthy Christian. Whoever that Wants to serve the Lord must serve him in spirit and Truth.
Please always be prayerful all through your life. Any delay in your reply will give me room in sourcing another church for this same purpose. Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I Stated herein.
Hoping to receive your reply.
Remain blessed in the Lord.
Yours in Christ,
Mrs.Mary Mark
–
Mary is probably a group of Ivory Coast students who have blitzed this letter to millions in the hope of catching a few mugs willing to stump up some cash. It may even be the same group who created Mrs Toyo/Martin above. I forwarded this one to abuse@yahoo.com.
–
Phishing on behalf of the US government
This is not a 419 scam but is particularly interesting as I am not even a US taxpayer – in fact I never have been and never will be. They just want information for an attempt at identity theft, and no doubt some US citizens will be suckered.
From: Internal Revenue Service
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
United States Department of the Treasury
Dear Taxpayer,
After the last annual calculations of your fiscal activity we have determined that you are eligible to receive a tax refund of $184.80.
Please submit the tax refund request and allow us 6-9 days in order to process it.
A refund can be delayed for a variety of reasons. For example submitting invalid records or applying after the deadline.
To access the form for your tax refund, use the following personalized link:
http://0×7C.0×3.0×3A.0×85/www.irs.gov/taxrefund.php
Regards,
Internal Revenue Service
–
This one is just trying to get me to give them my bank account details and my social Security number. The fact I am not a US citizen merely confirms the random nature of these types of approach.
–
Microsoft software - a lottery?
Finally, this phishing scam from ‘Microsoft’ with my reply:
Subject: Congratulations!!
MICROSOFT HOUSE PRESCOT, LONDON E1 8RP. UNITED KINGDOM.
REF NO: M154S/WL06.
MICRO (LOTTERY) CHIP NO: 9465206
Dear Mr/Mrs/Sir/Madam:
Today, we announce the 10 lucky winners of the MICROSOFT NEW YEAR LOTTERY PROGRAM held on 27th of Febuary 2008. Your company or your personal e-mail address, attached to the Chip Number: 8977742, won in the First lottery category 001.
Your email address has brought you an unexpected luck, please read through this message. You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of 1,000,000 GBP (One Million Great Britain Pounds) in cash credited to file MSW/9 080118 3 08/02/LA.This is from a total cash prize of 10.000,000 GBP (Ten Million Great Britain Pounds) shared amongst the ten (10) lucky winners.
Contact Person:chambers_teddywilliams@yahoo.co.uk
Barrister Teddy Williams
Fax.:+448704783718Do email or call the above mentioned person,
Best Regards,
Mrs. Edlyn Albert
Secretary
My reply to ‘Barrister’ Teddy
Ooh, yes please!
How much do I need to send you to claim my winnings - or do you just want all my on-line banking details?
Thank you so much as I am a destitute alcoholic. No doubt I will drink myself to death. Can’t wait.
Yours in breathless anticipation.
Will Patching
–
Funnily enough I got no answer Barrister Teddy… however, I also reported this one to the police and Yahoo. Let’s hope he’s heard back from them!
***
Link:
The best site logging these types of fraud actually turned the tables on one scammer and managed to get him to send money to the ‘victim’ - really! Check it out at http://www.scambuster419.co.uk/.
Tags: Current Affairs · True Stories
At the weekend Hillary Clinton finally admitted defeat in her battle for nomination as the Democratic Presidential candidate and threw her ‘full support’ behind Barack Obama.
For the many people around the world who normally shun politics, especially the interminable US nomination/election process, this historic battle finally grabbed their attention: the ballsy lady and the eloquent black man, fighting for the privilege of running for the most powerful position on the planet.
Numerous pundits have blitzed the media – especially the blogosphere – dissecting the results and pondering the reason why Hillary went from heir apparent to runner up in a few short months.
Some blame errant campaign tactics, others blunders and infighting in her team, a few look to her relationship with lobbyists and the negatives of her Beltway background, others see her failure to capitalize on Obama’s weaknesses as the key, while a few PR types blame the confusion of messages about who and what Hillary stood for: from an experienced pair of hands, to her toughness as C-in-C when the phone rings at 3 am, to her blue collar credentials, and her desperate attempt to represent everywoman as the female candidate.
The truth is that all these things combined to destroy her ambition, yet Hillary is now bleating about the so-called glass ceiling: her failure was obviously down to her sex.
“…like millions of women, I know there are still barriers and biases out there, often unconscious.”
Hillary Rodham Clinton, 6th June 2008
Is it true that America is still not ready for a female leader? Even after Britain’s Thatcher proved to have more testicular fortitude than Rambo? Or two decades after Pakistan became the first misogynistic Muslim state to elect a woman leader in the form of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto?
Are Democratic Americans really that myopic and narrow minded? And how, if the Democrats are so reactionary, could Obama’s colour still manage to break through the racist barrier?
Maybe it was Hillary’s character rather than her sex that determined the outcome…
Believing you have the right to lead does not make you a natural leader. Believing your experience as ‘somebody’s wife’ gives you a career edge is misguided. Denying the strengths of your opponent while flaunting your egotistic belief in your rightful destiny is courting disaster. And wheeling out your ex-President husband while claiming your common touch and cynically mouthing the word change merely exposed a breathtaking degree of arrogance.
For many of us it was both illuminating and disappointing to observe Hillary’s death grip on her waning campaign as it lurched, faltered and finally nosedived into oblivion. Witnessing her desperate hunger for power said more about her failings as a human being than any of the political pundits’ analyses.
Bleating about the ‘glass ceiling’ – and trying to paint yourself as the victim of ‘misogyny’ when in fact it was you and your team who screwed up – is not a worthy attribute of anyone who aspires to power. Fortunately the American public saw through her.
Hillary Clinton’s remarks implying sexism as the reason for her downfall merely confirm the simple truth about her fight with Obama: the best candidate won.
Tags: Leader of The Free World · Current Affairs
Poor Gordy. His advisers keep trying to help him overcome his media deficient personality by coming up with off the wall ideas to make us love him. The spineless sucker feels obliged to go along with them.
He probably realises he’ll be history if he doesn’t, but to anyone who saw his excruciating appearance on American Idol, it’s clear he’ll demean himself in any way deemed necessary by Labour’s spinmeisters in his desperation to cling to his ill-gotten power.
Brown needs to drop his bogeyman image…
His Idol appearance - where he gave away millions of tax payers’ money in a cynical publicity stunt that misfired - reminded me of that other stellar Labour leader’s big-blunder… Michael Foot wearing what looked like an old donkey jacket while laying a wreath at the Cenotaph.
Like a brace of gasping fish, wrenched out of water and exposed to the harsh public gaze. Shame… Gordy only craves to be as popular as unelectable Oxbridge-working-class-hero Footy.
He’s got some way to go.
His latest attempt at joining the human race involves answering letters from ordinary Joe’s like you and me. Nothing unusual in that. Except he is doing it by telephone to create “good word of mouth” according to his top strategist…
In truly spontaneous Labourite fashion, voter correspondence is scrutinised for content/relevance/gullibility/ethnicity/degree of difficulty/political correctness/Tory-bashing potential, then picked “at random” before a team of over-paid vacuous flunkies formulate an anodyne response for the sub-Prime Minister to mouth at some startled citizen.
Rumour has it that he once called someone at 6am to prove he works as hard as Thatcher, but his aides have reined him in to avoid giving a mixed message, aiming for a man-of-the-people spin rather than the lofty-workaholic-surly-ineffectual-miserable-git personna he usually adopts.
Off the record, an anonymous Number 10 kingmaker said, “Poor love, he really can’t give good oral… He just finds it so difficult pleasing ordinary mortals as it is; trying to prove a point at the same time as communicating platitudes is well beyond his limited interpersonal skills. Now where’s Miliband’s number..?”
In a shocking example of an off message moment and an apparent U-turn in government policy, Brown has apologised to the Iraqi citizens for Blair’s war crimes. Apparently Mr Rafique, a voter picked “at random”, said the PM chatted through his letter and “apologised on behalf of the Labour government for what had happened to the people of Iraq”.
Mr Rafique made no comment but was described as feeling all warm and fuzzy. Clearly he’s not a Labour voter.
Brown also assured Rafique he will “give his full concentration” to withdrawing our troops.
A previously sycophanitc-senior-Number-10-loyal-insider expressed concern at the comment and blurted, “I wish he wouldn’t try to think on his feet. He should stick to the script. Now some wise-arse blogger will end up pointing out the bleedin’ obvious: ‘So Brown won’t be able to think of anything else until the troops are out then, will he? Good.’ Poor Gordon. If only Tony had banned all free speech like I suggested we wouldn’t have this problem…’
The harried lackey scuttled off, murmuring, “Now, where did I put David Miliband’s number?”
Meanwhile twenty-seven million Iraqi citizens remain unaware of the apology.
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Leadership Odd(itie)s: Darling 100/1, Clarke 50/1, Hoon 20/1, Balls 4/1, Milliband 3/1, Cherie Booth-Hillary-Blair 1/10 odds on fav
YouGov poll: Labour 23% - only 24 points behind the Conservatives with 47%. The Liberal Democrats - officially irrelevant.
Big media’s version: news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7427297.stm
Tags: Current Affairs · Fun stuff
Tags: Current Affairs
Tags: Current Affairs
UK Health Minister Ann Keen has paid premiums of over £10,000 a year for a joint life insurance policy she took out to cover her and her 70 year old husband.
Nothing remarkable about that - except she claimed the premiums as expenses which means they are being funded by the British taxpayer.
Both these Labour MP’s are eligible for generous pension/death benefits, so how could they even think such a claim is even vaguely justified?
And why does Keen need the old man insured for £430k? Apparently she says she had to buy insurance to cover their mortgages for their expensive second home.
Well that’s a reasonable expense isn’t it?
Er, well no, it’s not.
In fact the Inland Revenue should investigate Keen’s expenses as they were paid free of income tax, but to qualify as such they must be “wholly, necessarily and exclusively” incurred for work or business purposes.
Public pressure must be brought to bear on this issue - according to the Sunday Times the Keens have siphoned off £100,000 in expenses to pay for their second property in the heart of London. Perhaps the Keens feel their first home, in Brentford, West London, is a little far from the House of Commons to commute…
This latest example of Westminster’s moral vacuum and abuse of position should guarantee all MP’s expenses are made public.
But what will happen to Keen?
Nothing, apparently - though in my view this is tantamount to fraud. It seems she won’t even get a slapped wrist. A Department of Health spokesman said the Keens’ claims were within the rules.
And I note The Sunday Times, with masterful understatement, calls it a ’scam’. Unbelievable.
This is a serious issue on two counts: firstly the abuse of taxpayers’ hard earnt cash and secondly the money should be taxed as income unless it is being claimed for a legitimate business purpose.
The Inland Revenue should send a team of inspectors to go through all MP’s expenses for the last seven years and demand back taxes in every instance where the “wholly, necessarily and exclusively” rule cannot be applied.
Otherwise it literally is one rule for them and another for us.
As I said before, it seems to me that anyone who aspires to be a politician these days is probably not fit to be one… Pigs and troughs come to mind.
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‘Scam’ Link:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3999122.ece
Tags: Current Affairs
