Viva la Republique

Yes, it's silly but there's a (really not serious) suggestion that London should become a republic. And take back its tax revenue. London on its own would become the eighth wealthiest country in the world, and unless my calculations fail me, if we stopped subsidising the rest of the UK the revenue that would accrue back to its 8 million inhabitants would be approximately £1 million or so for each man, woman and child...

Gosh, it's becoming more attractive by the minute. *g*

Seriously, though, London's infrastructure is suffering and has for years. Diverting back a small percentage of that tax revenue to help with repairs is not a bad idea.

Thanks to seiyaharris for the heads-up. More info on the idea can be found on the Beeb's website here.

RIP Bill

A few weeks ago one of my parents' closest friends, who was the next door neighbour when I was growing up, died unexpectedly. My parents were gutted.

Yesterday he was the subject of The Times ( obituary )

He was a lovely man (even if he was the cause of one of the most excrutiatingly embarrassing incidents of my youth).