Surfing and economics

OK, so it’s Monday, but it’s a better Monday than usual because it’s not raining and it’s supposed to be nice all week. I’m hoping we are actually going to get some summer weather now because the Naked Bike ride is less than three weeks away and I do not want to partake in arctic conditions. It’s also very nearly payday, which is good.

The dragon learnt last week that her contract at the school is likely to be extended. It was due to come to an end in July, but they are asking her to attend a course to prepare her for looking after children with special needs. This is something she is extraordinarily good at anyway, and something she wants to do. It also takes some of the guesswork out of what is going to happen in the summer, because it was left pretty open ended. She’s suddenly going to be seriously busy because she is also going to be doing some evening classes at collage from next month. On top of that she’s also been asked to make a bunch of soft toys for a family business in Taiwan. She likes to be busy.

Nick Clegg is talking rubbish again, or perhaps more accurately I just have no idea what he’s ranting about. For some reason he thinks that the Eurozone crisis is going to fuel “extremism and xenophobia”, though he doesn’t seem very clear on exactly why. He makes it sound as if there will be a lurch towards terrorism and anti everything. But the odd thing is, he’s about as pro-European as it’s possible to get. He’s not really selling it by telling us everyone is about to lose faith in the union and start fighting. As I say, it could very well be that I just don’t know what he’s talking about.

I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m really not very good at economics. For instance, I have no idea why it’s in UK’s interest to prop up the Euro. As far as I can see we might as well just let it crash and burn. It’s not like we’re in it and it will cost us huge amounts to do it. And how come facebook has been valued at $100 billion? How can 1 billion users be worth $100 each? I’ve had the lecture from the financial heads in the office who say they can sell each person’s data for $0.05 or something, hundreds of times over, but I still don’t see it. I reckon that share price is going to drop like a stone.

Last week I mentioned a story about a New York woman who wandered into a couple of shops naked and was subsequently arrested. If you missed it, click here, there is even some uncensored video footage from the security camera in the lumber store. After the arrest Barbara Lefleur was apparently judged sane and charged with public lewdness. She is now facing a possible 90 days in jail, which seems harsh to me. Ms Lefleur is claiming it’s all about freedom of expression.

There are apparently less dangerous ways to exercise one’s freedom of expression however, and Australian beaches appear to be the place to do it. Check out this story, which was covered in the Sun and several other news outlets. Apparently people have recently noticed New Zealander Marama Kake surfing naked on the Sunshine Coast. Ms Kake has not been arrested or charged as far as I am aware. In fact she is surfing naked to raise awareness of sustainability issues and seems to be peddling the message “get naked, get sustainable”. I like that message and I may have a flag made up. I would urge you to click on the photo gallery there too, as long as you aren’t at the office.