THE LAST TURKEY

Some of you know I'm off to North America in October: arriving to Miami, I'll be driving up Alligator Alley to Sarasota for a week before flying down to Cancun for 5 days in Mexico. I've been looking for things to see and do on my mini-road trip across Florida and have stumbled upon Roadside America. I will definitely be making a diversion to take in the Burt Reynolds Museum in Jupiter.

From Bloomberg:

If you were wondering why Britain's banks' market capitalisations are about 2% of their assets (when the rest of the world is about 10%), a trip to the Office of National Statistics website quickly makes the point. Of the UK's 61m population, 37m are of working age. Of that 37m, only 30m are actually working (there are more people on incapacity benefit than the dole). Of the 30m working, 6m work for the public sector. Of the 24m people working in the private sector, 16m are spread between financial services, construction, hotels & restaurants. That leaves 8m. It makes you wonder why Britain has the highest average property prices in the developed world: £175k vs. the USA and Western Europe at c. £150k. The UK's average house price to average earnings ratio doubled in the last decade to 6x leaving a GDP of £360bn supporting a housing stock of £4tn.

Government debt to GDP is more worrying. It's 40% (50% including PFI/Northern Rock/Railtrack) with an annual deficit that's been running at 3% for the last four years - and they were the boom years. A mild recession could take that to double digits. With the most unpopular government in the history of unpopular governments, chances are we get a desperate policy response going into the Autumn Parliament.

Biff's Question song

This is beautiful...

I don't really know what to say about this advert. Words fail me. It is a bit sick or just a bit of fun? What do you think?

I decided to go for a Nokia E71 last week. After looking at the alternatives, I thought this was the one for me. I found a good deal on T-Mobile, who I rated when I was with them two years back. My next job was to get the PAC code from O2 so I could transfer my number. As I bought my current phone through Carphone Warehouse and they manage O2 connections, I had to call them to get the PAC code. But they wouldn't give it to me! I had to use the reference number to write to them and request the code. PATHETIC. A desperate attempt to eek out some final cash.

I Googled "Carphone Warehouse O2" and unearthed pages and pages of complaints, including letters requesting PAC codes "lost" in the post. You should be able to get your PAC code over the phone. How can Carphone Warehouse justify this long winded way of terminating your contract?

My suggestion: NEVER BUY A MOBILE PHONE (ESPECIALLY ONE ON O2) FROM CARPHONE WAREHOUSE.

If this song doesn't put a smile of your face, nothing will. Only good'ol Rolf could pull this off. Now wet your whistle and sing...

I never really thought Mock the Week was that great - a sort of poor man's Have I Got News for You meets a tired version of Whose Line is it Anyway. But the current season is getting more than just a few chuckles out of me. However, it would be nothing without the brilliant Frankie Boyle.

A couple of weeks ago he had me almost on the floor with his response to "Things you are not likely to hear on Songs of Praise" - cue Frankie Boyle: "Good evening Canterbury! Make some f*ckin' noise!!"

Here is a compilation of Mr Boyle from appearances on various tv shows: