Importance of keeping Leviathan under control

Last week's good news (The Guardian, 6 November) that Transport for London (TfL) is to scrap the ill-advised Thames Gateway Bridge Project - see http://janetmackinnon.wordpress.com/ - should be some consolation for Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell, who is today fretting about the costs of London 2012 in the current economic climate.

TfL had originally hoped that the bridge would be in place for the opening of the Games, and it's demise should therefore be welcomed by Government on financial and well as environmental grounds.

Let us hope also that those involved in the promotion of this ill-fated scheme have learnt some lessons, and, namely, the importance of the options process in decision-making on major/mega projects and other enterprises.

This brings me back to "Shock Jocks" George Mathewson and Peter Burt, former chief executives of Royal Bank of Scotland and Bank of Scotland respectively, who yesterday issued a further press regarding their proposal to take temporary management control of HBOS and consider alternative options for the bank :

"A properly recapitalised, properly run and independent HBOS appears to be in the interests of the shareholders, its employees, its customers and all stakeholders, avoiding the dangers of an anti-competitive over-mighty leviathan...".

Government, again, please take note ! Incidentally, I write as one who been involved in the sagas of East London river crossings and a customer of the Halifax (HBOS) for over 20 years.

What did the Scottish Bankers say to the English Banker ?

Please see http://janetmackinnon.wordpress.com - I very much like this story from The Press Association. Here are some real "Shock Jocks" for you !

Smart Limits to Growth

In response to my "syndication" of a recent New Scientist editorial ("Time to banish the gods of growth") Derek Wall of http://another-green-world.blogspot.com/ has posted a comment (see below).

I have to say that this is a difficult subject area and my own "takes" on it are explored @

• http://smartlimits2growth.wordpress.com (Smart Limits to Growth) &
• http://limits-2-growth.blogspot.com (Social Limits to Growth)

Mr Wall is a key figure in the Green Party. Most intelligent young people plan to vote Green according to a recent survey. Perhaps their votes will lead to the kind of changes Britain and the wider world need.

Election of Barack Obama as US President

Perhaps some new "Glasnost" as "Perestroika" are indeed on their way. The election of Obama as President of the United States is certainly a much-needed victory for people exerting power ie their vote.