Gordon Brown on the Politics Show

PM Gordon Brown claimed on the BBC Politics Show today that the global credit crunch was not forseeable. The structures to protect against bank breakdown were only designed for individual bank failure like the UK’s Northern Rock. Hmm, I thought, but haven’t we been told about the ‘global economy’ for years now, and its essential ‘inter-dependency’. And this no doubt would include banks. But the possibility that bank failure could be plural and inter-dependent in nature was not planned for, not by the FSA, not by all those clever  folk at HM Treasury. Really?

PS: ICAEW CEO Michael Izza suggests in his excellent post-Davos blog that ex-PM Tony Blair might still have a role to help communicate the complexity of the crisis.

New President, New Website

Loved this joke from the Onion on Obama’s new web strategy. More fun though less enlightening than the piece in Wired Magazine.

WhiteHouse.gov, the official website of the president and vice president, was relaunched Tuesday and includes links to Obama’s weekly video address and a blog. What do you think?

Asian Man
Mark Judson, Accounting Clerk
“I question the ethics of Rahm Emanuel’s ‘Blind D.C. Gossip Items’ page, but it is pretty dishy.”
Old Man
Scott Carpenter, Aircraft Deicer
“I’m going to miss the ‘Those Who Should Die’ feature on the old site.”
Old Woman
Kristina Keyton, Pharmacy Technician Instructor
“Finally, a president who understands technology. Oh, and human rights. And climate change, foreign policy, and the Constitution.”