Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Misery

Apparently the misery index is now at its highest point since ... er ... the last time the Tories were in power. Here is Faisal Islam of Channel 4 News:
The concept of the “Misery Index” is a simple economic concept that adds the ills of inflation and unemployment together into a single measure of our financial despondency. Today’s figures mean that in February 2011 it hit the highest level since Oct ’92 just after Britain was forced out of the ERM (and the then Chancellor was advised by a young Tory hotshot called David Cameron).
So at a time of gathering gloom, international crisis and natural disaster, compounded by deeply irritating news coverage and someone filling my wheelie bin with builder's rubble, how about some reasons for me to be cheerful.

The Arab revolutions are hanging on in there (with a little belated help from their friends). Hull has displayed its best republican traditions by being the only city in the UK not to host a street party for the royal wedding (actually, to be precise, nobody has applied for a license - good Yorkshire folk won't waste money on a bit of paper allowing them to get pissed when they can do it for nowt). Swinton Rugby League Club are on the up, winning again, with supporters coming back and being fun to watch (a grand old club is reviving; we just need that new stadium). I already have my pension. And finally, there is a very welcome new life in the world.

Yep, I can find reasons to be cheerful - hope you can too.

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