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willsmac

Listed below are comments made by willsmac between Thursday, 16th October 2008 and Thursday, 3rd December 2009.

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Public servants on $20m a year 10:45am on 03 Dec 2009 OK - but if we were to separate the investment casino-style banking operations from the 'real' banks Glass-Steagal style (as David King thinks we should) we can decide on purely economic grounds whether to pay bonuses to the investment bankers (who seem to be the big earners).

If the bonuses are likely to pay off for us as taxpayers, then fine. But if they merely make it more likely that this operation will need bailing out again soon (very possible!) then we should not pay them bonuses (or perhaps at all) - indeed we might consider the idea of selling the casino operation to anyone who will buy it, or closing it if no-one will.
BAE: Can't pay, would like to pay 09:07am on 01 Oct 2009 where would any fine go to? The losers seem to be the peoples of the countries concerned and perhaps the workers in various foreign countries whose companies did not offer bribes (or offered smaller ones). Are they to be distributed this massive fine?
Not so special? 09:00am on 24 Sep 2009 Is it not odd that Obama's attitude is seen as a snub to the UK? Is it not more likely a snub to Brown, who might be seen as a fading PM not long for office trying to get a photo-opp to bolster his position?
Baby Peter and anonymity 9:13pm on 11 Aug 2009 What would really be nice is to give this case a rest - we must know everything we need to know by now and the coverage is getting excessive, even prurient.
On the trail of drug smugglers in prison 08:47am on 03 Aug 2009 It is perfectly technically possible, even easy, to prevent mobiles being used in prisons (basically by 'capturing' phones in a dummy base station). This could also detect and locate phones in use.

The authorities cannot be taking this very seriously.
Sharpening elbows 09:08am on 22 Jul 2009 Actually I think this quite positive - although Labour are still much inclined to patch the problem (rig university acceptances and the like in favour of their preferred groups) there seems at least some recognition that the poor performance of state schools might be at the heart of the problem.

When they finally realise that parents who save to send their children to private school (the majority) do so not as a class statement but because they are not happy with the state's offering. Of course parents this motivated could be an advantage, too; but you do not have to be wealthy to be motivated...
HBOS: Strong men will weep 11:45am on 27 Feb 2009 discrete not discreet (sadly anything but!)
Map of the Week - Murder UK 09:02am on 16 Dec 2008 There are indeed many weaknesses in these numbers, as noted above; particularly the definitional problems and the failure to correct for population size. I doubt that these numbers would pass the goverment's 'statistics czar'! Not up to your usual standard I fear - journalists as much as politicians need exciting/horrifying numbers to show and select accordingly.

All the same the more profound issue is how rare murder is as a cause of death, hence the need to bunch up years to get even half-way decent numbers. If we want to do some good addressing suicide or accident would be much more sensible.
The sanctity of the Commons 7:08pm on 29 Nov 2008 Is it not striking that the Home Secretary has not actually said she did not know? - everything else but not that. The PM has of course said so on her behalf, and she has said under questioning that the police have said no minister was involved - whatever that means exactly - but a nice clear 'I did not know of the arrest before it happened' is strikingly missing.
Banks still not lending 07:36am on 16 Oct 2008 Surely as the government owns or has majority control in at least two major banks it CAN order them to lend?

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