Brian Bollen's Blog

Thought For The Day

Today Rome. Tomorrow Port Stanley...

Christmas Already At Fortnum & Mason's

En route to visit Warburg Pincus yesterday afternoon (September 18) I popped into Fortnum & Mason's. On the first floor, I saw as I entered the side door, the Christmas Bazaar is now open. We haven't had the autumn equinox yet, and Christmas has started at Fortnum & Mason's. Heaven help us...

Liverpool Football Club, R.I.P.

If I were a Liverpool supporter I think I'd be looking at ways to fill the Saturday afternoons normally spent at Anfield from next season.

On its own, the sacking of Kenny Dalglish demonstrates beyond any doubt what little knowledge the US owners have of, let alone sympathy with, football in general and Liverpool FC in particular.

But to compound the sacking with considering the manager of Wigan Athletic as his successor? They're having a laugh, they must be.

Can you just imagine Gerrard and Carragher when Roberto Mancini walks in as boss? He doesn't stand a chance.

Liverpool FC, R.I.P.

Can I Sue George Clooney?

Can I sue George Clooney for the waste of nearly two hours watching Michael Clayton? It's easily the worst of his films I've seen so far, and on the list of my top 10 worst. Moreover, it puts me off watching any of his 'worthier' films.

If you haven't already seen it, don't bother.

Sarkozy Right Wing?

Sarkozy was right-wing? On what planet??

When The Snow Melts...

When the snow melts, you can see someone's not been cleaning up after their dog(s)...

Money Can't Buy Happiness, But...

Money can't buy you happiness, but it can help you get a short-term lease on it.

Why On Earth Is John Moulton???

Why on earth is John Moulton, a private equity specialist, being interviewed on CNBC's Squawk Box about the sovereign debt crisis? He's speaking about it as cogently as Mr Bill Blain, but it's not his area. It makes as much sense as Sky News yesterday interviewing someone who had never even met Amanda Knox as a character witness.

What is it with modern 'journalism'? To its credit, mind, Sky News hoiked the chap in question off air almost as soon as he dropped the 'I've never met her' bombshell...

Tremé: If You Haven't Already Seen It...

Just finished watching the first series of Tremé last night. This latest TV series from the team that created The Wire (Zola's La Bete Humaine for the 21st century) is a slow burn but well worth devoting the time to it. The last few minutes of the last episode left me sobbing. If you haven't already seen it, I recommend you get hold of the DVDs, set aside a few evenings and give yourself a treat.

Thought For The Day: When Did Salt Stop Tasting Of Salt?

When did salt stop tasting of salt? I have to use about half a packet of the stuff these days to get anything resembling a salty taste on food. Salt-free salt. Whatever next? Someone trying to sell alcohol-free alcohol???

The Strategic Importance Of Four?

Just because someone can add two and two together does not mean they understand the strategic significance of four. 

- Brian Bollen, on the misguided long-term elevation of number-crunching accountants to positions of managerial importance in the business world.

Modern Pencils Are Rubbish!

Anyone agree?

If Tax Doesn't Have To Be Taxing...

Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs regularly runs advertisements featuring its supposedly cuddly and friendly tax inspector Hector insisting that tax doesn't have to be taxing.

If tax doesn't have to be taxing, why does Hector have to be so hectoring?

Christmas Earlier Every Year

But dear me, July? I'm not often left speechless, but what else is there to say, but that this beggars belief. Mind you, I've just had my first 'back to school' special email, a whole three days after schools in this part of the UK (Milton Keynes) broke up for the long summer holidays.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Business/Harrods-And-Selfridges-Open-Christmas-Sections-Festive-Departments-Opening-In-July/Article/201107416036802?lpos=Business_First_Home_Article_Teaser_Region_3&lid=ARTICLE_16036802_Harrods_And_Selfridges_Open_Christmas_Sections%3A_Festive_Departments_Opening_In_July

Thought For The Day: Euthanasia, Coming Your Way

A story on the Investor Today website, based on what it describes as a ‘shock report’ by the UK’s Office For Budget Responsibility discusses how Britain will go bust by 2060 because of the cost of an ageing popultion. “Only the introduction of more taxes and spending cuts can prevent this happening,” it says.

One cost-reduction option is the introduction of euthanasia. I firmly believe it will become legal in my lifetime (I am 54) and that it happen because of the cost implications. It will of course be dressed up as something else but that will be the attraction to the nation's pursemasters. The debate has already started: witness the way in which the phrase 'end-of-life care' has suddenly entered the vocabulary. Spin is mightier than the sword. Once it's politically neutral to use that phrasing, the debate then becomes one about how and when the end of life in question takes place.

 

Recycling Has Become A Religion

Every time I put a piece of plastic into another piece of plastic, I am struck by how recycling has become a religious rite equivalent to saying prayers and venerating household gods.

Those who practise it have in effect reverted to the culture of the ancients: worshipping nature.

Those who don't are threatened with global warming, or, as we used to call it when I was growing up in the 1960s, The Big Bad Fire.

And simply paying lip service isn't enough for the eco-fundamentalists. You have to BELIEVE!

Thought For The Day July 4 2011

Keep your Sulgan separate from your Colgate.

A Stepping Stone To Nowhere?

'Nearly everybody is in favour of integrated European securities processing. The question is whether Target2-Securities will be a stepping stone towards this aim, or a dead end?' 

Henry Raschen, chairman of T2S UK National User Group

Let's Hope Microsoft Doesn't Screw It Up

'Skype is a great company with a great product. Let's hope Microsoft doesn't screw it up. They're good at that.'

Early stage high growth specialist investor.