Peeplog

The Tale of the Neo-Liberal Regulator

Two pieces of evidence confirming the neo-liberal 'true belief' of Ofgem and suggesting that this stance might outlast Calum McCarthy. First, Alan Asher, the new energywatch Chief Executive reported at the Scottish National Committee meeting on Friday that his staff had trace the last ten Ofgem Consultations to find that nothing was changed as a result of comments received! Second, Ofgem is proposing (in its latest 'consultation') using to remove the 'Hydro Benefit' which subsidises electricity charges across Northern Scotland on the unsubstantiated basis that it is now prohibited by European Law. The new Ofgem Director is an ex-senior DTI civil servant. Say no more.

Author Acknowledgment

I have change the design to show the author of posts (I hope).

Protesters Carry the Fight to Executives’ Homes

The NYT has an article on something we have discussed. Consumer dissatisfaction with large orporations and how they might be held reposible and accountable to customers. In Protesters Carry the Fight to Executives’ Homes they look at an extereme and special case. But it helps us towards a specific issue...
Should corporations be held to account? How:
The Firm (company governance (shareholders, management)
The State (public audit through copmpanies legislation, standard and specific laws)
The Market (competive pressures etc)?

Similar issues are arised in less extreme (but more important?) contexts. Boeing’s Chief Steps Down a Week After Firings Over Ethics is one such are...

Blogging from Rome

I am writing this on free WiFi whilst eating a Crepe with Spinach and Ceps in lot87 a cafe in Rome. At the ERPA meeting I have been taking notes in Voodoo Pad a hypertext aware notepad - outputs in all sorts of things including a range of web things. A bit strange at first then really useful - will it output to my blogging environment. Like project pad I don't have to be connected to write the stuff - just to publish.

New Weblogs

Clearly the content of posts to this weblog is not fitting strictly within its original purpose. There is a need for new blogs: perhaps one called 'Ideolog' ?

Oakshott

Just a mark to raise the question of the senses in and extent to which Oashott's work could be seen as 'idealist' or 'realist'.

Sony plans massive job cuts

From the BBC:

The electronics giant aims to shed 20,000 jobs worldwide to combat its resurgent rivals and prop up profits. [BBC News]

Is this a further departure from the traditins of the "Japanese model"?

British Gas sends 'e-bills'

My colleague Alan Hutton has active interests in consumer affairs. We recently discussed a range of ways in which IT might be used in the energy sector.Here is another example:

Money: 10,000 British Gas customers have received their first demands via email today. [Guardian Unlimited]

Defence and Social Spending, Taxing and Expenditure.

Chris Karr says:

I admire the idealism of youth. Mr. Aaron Schwartz, the prodigal code-guy, has just come up with the most effective way to crash an economy that I've ever seen. He wants to cut the taxes on the lower and middle classes and fund extravagant social programs by drastically cutting the military and taxing the hell out of the rich. This looks like the surest way to ensure that capital leaves a country that can no longer fend for itself or matter economically since the business and investor classes have fled along with the American defense industry. Oh, that explains it -- he's been reading Michael Moore. :-P [Suicide Bombing is not a Team Sport]

So there is some interesting economics in there? Especially when you read my previous entry....

Defense Budget

US Defense Budget
This will be useful for students looling at the issue of defence and economic performance for our

LOCKHEED MARTIN
As the world's No. 1 defense contractor, Lockheed Martin gets approximately 80 percent of its revenue from the U.S. government alone. The company brought in more than $26.5 billion last year for its roster of military products, including missiles, jet fighters and communications satellites. Lockheed beat out Boeing in 2001 to become the main contractor for the Joint Strike Fighter. With a budget estimated at $200 billion, the JSF is the largest defense contract ever...