Letter from Europe

**maxx** · April-22-12, 02:49 PM

Originally Posted by Barbara Nadel

...So many ridiculous decisions have been made in the last few weeks [[cutting tax to the super rich, stopping tax relief to charities) and now there has been a call to investigate the finances of our leaders, most of whom do not pay the top rate of tax [[45%). So they're all quaking in their boots - as well they should. In addition ex-PM Tony Blair is also up for investigation too. This is not, in my opinion, a moment too soon. He is a multi millionaire many times over and yet what exactly does he do? Apart from looking pious and moaning about how the UK is such a godless society, he wanders around the middle east patronising people. There was a report into his middle east envoy job a couple of weeks ago where people in the middle east were interviewed about their dealings with him. They all thought that he was quite a nice man but none of them knew what he did. He certainly hadn't done anything for them.

Your super-rich should come to the States. We love them here. Forty-five percent tax rate? Not in the good old U.S., the land of equality. Someone is wondering what Blair does? Too bad a few more people don't wonder how Mitt got so wealthy.
http://front.moveon.org/robert-reich...716803-9yPhknx

**Barbara Nadel** · April-30-12, 06:00 AM

Originally Posted by maxx

Your super-rich should come to the States. We love them here. Forty-five percent tax rate? Not in the good old U.S., the land of equality. Someone is wondering what Blair does? Too bad a few more people don't wonder how Mitt got so wealthy.
http://front.moveon.org/robert-reich...716803-9yPhknx

As far as I can see Mitt is some sort of money making machine. Is that right? The only other thing I know about him is that he has clearly had some sort of personality bypass surgery.

**Barbara Nadel** · April-30-12, 06:02 AM

Have you heard the one about our government wanting to put missiles on top of a block of flats in the east end of London. This is apparently to deter al Qaeda from attacking the Olympics. But at this rate they've probably got more to fear from the locals actually. Missiles on your roof! It's like having a great big finger pointed at your apartment with the words 'Bomb me!' on it.

**Arkady001** · May-03-12, 08:29 AM

Originally Posted by Barbara Nadel

Have you heard the one about our government wanting to put missiles on top of a block of flats in the east end of London. This is apparently to deter al Qaeda from attacking the Olympics. But at this rate they've probably got more to fear from the locals actually. Missiles on your roof! It's like having a great big finger pointed at your apartment with the words 'Bomb me!' on it.

Not quite: the military will hardly leave them unguarded. These mobile launchers, as well as MANPADS [[Man-Portable Air Defence System) are part of a layered defence that will see an RAF CAP loitering high over the south-east, covering all civil air-corridors. Any flight deviating from its flight-path would be intercepeted first by RAF fighters well away from Urban centres.
Only as a very last resort would MANPADs be used - the resulting casualties from an airliner crashing into central London are still deemed preferable to it crashing into a packed Olympic stadium...

In any case it's more of a PR deterrent than anything likely to be used: MANPADS are routinely stationed on rooftops in Washington DC [[and any other city visited by POTUS, including London) and the locations rotated so they cannot be targeted easily.

**Barbara Nadel** · May-04-12, 01:51 AM

Originally Posted by Arkady001

Not quite: the military will hardly leave them unguarded. These mobile launchers, as well as MANPADS [[Man-Portable Air Defence System) are part of a layered defence that will see an RAF CAP loitering high over the south-east, covering all civil air-corridors. Any flight deviating from its flight-path would be intercepeted first by RAF fighters well away from Urban centres.
Only as a very last resort would MANPADs be used - the resulting casualties from an airliner crashing into central London are still deemed preferable to it crashing into a packed Olympic stadium...

In any case it's more of a PR deterrent than anything likely to be used: MANPADS are routinely stationed on rooftops in Washington DC [[and any other city visited by POTUS, including London) and the locations rotated so they cannot be targeted easily.

Thanks for taking the time to explain that. Reports here have been so vague and veiled it's quite difficult to know what the authorities have in mind. Unfortunately this 'veiling' of official information, the use of vague words and not answering questions is part of our culture now. Maybe you should come and work for the BBC!

**Barbara Nadel** · May-04-12, 01:53 AM

A bit of Olympic news. Apparently Ben Gordon of the Detroit Pistons is really looking forward to coming the UK to play for us at the Olympics. He was born here and although he has lived in the States for most of his life it is reported that he is going to be proud to play for his country. A nice Olympic story - well it is for us who are very lucky to have him.