For some reason, I haven't made an entry for about 6 weeks now, but I finally feel moved to. Look at the tumultuous events occurring on the world stage for a start. So much to talk about.

So it seems that Barack Obama is being more tentative about the change agenda than at first we thought. By filling his cabinet with a great number of former aides-de-camp of Bill Clinton, he is avquiring wise old heads but also charges of a lack of nerve to upset the status quo in Washington as he promised he would. This all adds up to moderate-leaning administration which may not have the inclination or cross-party appeal to carry through the radical overhaul of policy that the US badly needs.
What has to be borne in mind is that Barack comes in when the very cetainties of Western liberal capitalist democracy are under severe strain. The consensus that having a former Wall Street executive run the Fed, for example, is being challenged on all sides, especially when that exec may at the current rate be handed the job the afternoon of the day his bank collapses. But a kneejerk reaction on all sides is not the way to develop sustainable policy. We will always need experts in the field at the head of the financial sector, who have had vested interests in the money markets and are in a position to properly direct policy.
One more serious sticking point could be the foreign policy outlook of Obama's ensigns. Hillary Clinton is set for State, and I was involved in a debate this week that asserted this a risky move. Bearing in mind her soundings on the obliteration of Iran and less than clear approach to the Iraq exit, she could present a view to foreign powers that does not tally with those of her boss. Any gap between them is then open for Ahmadinajad and other geo-political rivals to drive through.

I suppose it's all far too early to condemn the Obama term before it even starts, just interesting how quickly doubts have been raised. What concerns me even more is that the race for Minnesota rumbles on. I looked into the background of it when I heard Al Franken was running, to my surprise, on the Democrat ticket. Never for one minute thinking a comedian could present a credible candidate for Senate, I am now convinced that Al is a good an alternative as anyone to the suit with a parachute who is Norm Coleman. What I don't understnad is why the intemrinable process of recounts is so engrained in the electoral system. It's been 27 days since most results were declared, and yet here we are still waiting for legal challenges over literally handfuls of votes to be decided. There's even talk of an appeal to the Supreme Court. Why not just re-run the contest? This murky scrapping in far-flung corners of the state undermines the mandate of the eventual winner, which can only be restored if the voters minds are made plain again by a re-casting. I just think it sullies a victory if it's dragged out this long.

The Damian Green affair has also left me confused. Sifting through the timeline yesterday, I realised he must have behaved out of the ordinary for the police intrusion to reach the stage it did. Leaks occur all the time but arrests never occur as a result. There is talk of him having induced these leaks, which is apparently not the same as plain old receiving them. This appears in some way to be linked to a Tory mole at the Treasury. If this is the same civil servant who is being investigates, surely they didn't need inducing in the first place? Are we talking about blackmail here, or simply bribery? Why does any of this even matter when the four instances of supposed breach were not even national security issues, just mildly controversial and embarassing admissions? It all seems pretty kneejerk to me, but we shall see.

As for me personally (!), got back from a weekend in Cardiff yesterday, had a super time at the match, that last five minutes was the longest of my life! Glad Gatland's nerve held in keeping Jones on the pitch depsite his usual erratic efforts with the boot. He was integral to the midfield play and dictated the pace of the match. It may not have been pretty but it got the job done. Onwards to the grand slam!

What else? Back to work this week really, currently wading through powers of directors, lovely solicitors accounts to crack this evening. Still, not long till Xmas, kinda occupying a big corner of my infantile mind right now. Can't help it when there's frost outside and I'm all warm indoors. Think I'll reach my peak of giddiness when the Radio Times comes out: then it's official for me! Been getting into the mood for a good week or so though, repeated visits to the German market yielding brandied drinking chocolate and delicious biscuits. Best part of Xmas in Manchester.

Well, best get back to work, deadline approaching!