Icelandic Buckinghamshire

According to the BBC News Buckinghamshire has been caught with about 5 million stuck in Icelandic banks. Well Kent has 50 million at stake. Traulling down the list I see that our county is in good company. If I am not mistaken the county’s budget for next year is around 270 million.

I think Brown should announce that he suspect the Icelandic government is aiming WMDs against the American base there and take a joint action with Bush.

Sharon Bowles: Statistics are not boring

I just learnt that Sharon Bowles, my favourite MEP, has recently been appointed as the European Parliament’s representative on the European Statistical Advisory Committee.

Good on Ye Sharon!

This committee is very important as it will focus on making sure that statics used for controlling EU funding are reliable, and held to the same international standards. In other words she will be promoting informed decision making instead of just going on stereotypes and prejudices. For instance I came across an article comparing the EU states road safety track. It showed how viewing the standardized statistics comparing states and cities leverages new insight into the issue of death on the roads. So how do you think the UK faired? Not so badly as you would think. And the reason is we are highly congested so the actual driving speeds are reduced resulting in less people getting killed. Where congestion was not that of an issue, poor road maintenance was the main driver for accidents.

So I have to disagree with Sharon when she sais: “Statistics may not be sexy, and may be thought boring, but they are very important!” I would say that about rules and regulations (law in short). Once one sees good statistics in action and experiences the pleasure of making an informed decision, one realizes that they are essential and sexy when placed in the right hands.

By the way, check 'What Has Europe Done?' out

Another step towards resolution

The Chair of the Wendover Watchdogs wrote to BCC questioning the dispute regarding the ownership of the paved area used by Rumsey's for their tables and chairs for which they paid Wendover Parish Council (WPC). This small area right up to the corner of No.26 Back Street has always been maintained by WPC, and was repaired less than two years ago by WPC and in its entirety also included in the rent. The rent ceased when the "Green Affair" erupted resulting in a loss of income for the people of Wendover.

Mr. Colin Perrottet's response is enlightening:

"... . Buckinghamshire County Council have not indicated to Mrs. Green that it
belongs to her.
The area of land to the side of No 26, High Street, where Rumsey's place
their tables and chairs was considered to be part of the public highway, but
at the early on in the dispute with Mrs. Green, it was established that this
is part of the Manor Waste and therefore under the jurisdiction of Wendover
Parish Council."

If A is an integral part of B and B belongs to P then it is clear that also
A belongs to P. But he will not go as far as to say that until an
investigation that has begun about a year ago discovers this mathematical
truth.

Nu well, at least it is a step in the right direction.

I really hope that Mrs. Green has not put in motion a trail of events that will cause a situation where Rumsey's will not be able to use the pavement - I love their chocolate and I love the European feel they bring to Wendover.