A massive blow up sculpture (24 metres
tall) in the Place Vendome in Paris has raised a few French eyebrows. American artist, Paul McCarthy, told Le Monde
that he got his inspiration from a sex toy and a Christmas tree. Social media
has been awash with comment about sapin,
the French word for fir tree. By chance,
the cabinet minister presiding over France’s finances is called Michel Sapin. Perhaps the sculpture hints at what has happened
to the French economy! Not that it matters since a group of art lovers cut the
supporting cables and the sex toy, no longer upright, has been deflated. There
are plans to re-inflate the ‘sex toy’. It sounds more like the French economy
every day!
The outgoing head of the European
Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, has paid us a visit, appearing on television
with Andrew Marr. He was at pains to
explain that freedom of movement was written into EU law and any arbitrary cap
on immigration would not be acceptable.
He also suggested that our influence in the World would be negligible
without the backing of the EU. Barroso clearly has a blind spot about growth.
Any company with the economic performance of the Euro zone would be seen as a
lame duck in the business world. It certainly wouldn’t be seen as a powerful
influence, more as an example of what not to do. We would also find it
difficult to have less influence in the world than we do in the EU, if we need
a comparison! With arch federalist, Jean-Claude Juncker, soon to replace
Barroso, we foresee some interesting point scoring as David Cameron hints at
methods of reducing immigration. The Rochester and Strood by-election might
force him to put his money where his mouth is if he’s to beat UKIP!
A medical innovation bill will be debated
in The Lords on Friday and could become law early next year if peers and MP’s
agree on it. It would allow new untested
drugs to be given to dying patients who volunteer for the treatment. It is already happening with ebola
patients. The route to market for any
new drug is painfully slow, evidence based treatments taking years to reach the
patient. It makes sense for new
treatments that show promise in the laboratory be offered to those with no
hope. There will be no lack of
volunteers.
Only a person who has no understanding of
business could suggest that new fathers have the same paternity rights as
mothers following the birth of their child.
No surprise then that Nick Clegg is promoting the idea. He wants new parents to be able to share the
52 weeks parental leave currently available to the mother. Clegg insists it needs a culture change to
tackle clapped out attitudes to flexible, family friendly working practices. Clearly
Clegg has never faced the management nightmare of a small company trying to
cover a staff shortage brought on by illness. On reflection, he’s never had to
manage anything that matters. It may be that students have their say next May, as
they reckon up the fees Clegg swore he would oppose.
Amanda Holden has just published a great
picture of her backside on Twitter. She’s probably reacting to all the pictures
of our mate Rihanna that keep appearing. If the competition ‘hots up’ we can
probably expect a few pictures that normally appear in The Journal of
Gynaecology. Jez was ecstatic when he
saw the picture, calling it a selfie. He still doesn’t get it.
We often talk about aging when we get
together in the pub and inevitably start sharing our symptoms and current
doctor or hospital visits. I saw this great piece from an aging conference in
the USA. If you’re like us old gits,
treat yourselves to 15 minutes of humour that will remind you of your everyday
life.
Grayson Perry,
Turner Prize winner, the Beau Brummell of cross dressers, begins a three part
series on television tonight. He
believes we all wear masks in public and he could be right. In the series he
sets out to create portraits that capture people behind their public façade. It
should make good viewing. Just a thought – will it include a self-portrait?
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