“Yabba-dabba-do!” Hawaiian K. forwarded us a link about some transportation improvisation in Prague. (The intact bark makes me think that this was a prank rather than an economy measure.)
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Simon in England sent us this gem from the British press: a serving soldier (Private Christopher Trussler) has been charged with the illegal possession and sale of ammunition in late May. The private’s arrest followed “a three-month investigation.” His arrest followed an operation into the sale of 9mm ammunition in the Chichester area of West Sussex. The Metropolitan Police said the move followed a “proactive intelligence-led investigation into the supply of ammunition.” Detective Sergeant Neil Lennon of Operation Trident said: “The ammunition we believe this soldier was selling would have been compatible with a number of types of firearms. It would undoubtedly have the potential to have an extremely harmful effect on a number of communities, and Trident remains committed to tackling those who seek to profit from the misery of others.” So how much ammo did he have to sell? 21 rounds of 9mm. (About $2.50 USD worth.) And how much did that “three month investigation” cost the UK taxpayers? This incident is absurd and laughable, but the hoplophobic Brit officials are taking it oh-so seriously.
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More countries cut loose from the tarnished US Dollar: It started with China, in 2005. Then Iran and Venezuela followed suit. More recently, Kuwait and Syria have made similar moves. This week, Bloomberg.com reported that the UAE may be next. If this continues, I predict an “emperor, sans clothes” epiphanous global revaluation of the dollar, most likely this fall. My advice: Diversify out of dollars and into tangibles, pronto!