Quote of the Week

Sarah Palin has provided us all with some light relief over the past eight months. This is the latest instalment.

"Sarah Palin released a statement to the nation accusing the father of her grandbaby of not caring about the well-being of his child. How will Tripp feel the day he learns his grandmother publicly attacked his father? This is family, for goodness' sake... The governor ends her attack on Levi by saying, "Bristol realizes now that she made a mistake in her relationship and is the one taking responsibility for their actions."

There you go, Tripp. Your grandmother wants the world to know your mother considers your father a big mistake.

Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!"

Andrew Sullivan in his Daily Dish blog on theatlantic.com

Quote of the week 2 - Sorry, we couldn’t resist

"Bristol did not even know Levi was going on the [Tyra Banks] show. We're disappointed that Levi and his family, in a quest for fame, attention, and fortune, are engaging in flat-out lies, gross exaggeration, and even distortion of their relationship."

Meghan Stapleton, Sarah Palin’s spokeswoman

Person of the Week

A Sad Farewell......

Rodney Widdowson sadly passed way in late March. Rodney has been one of the leading figures of the London industry over the past three decades; as General Manager of the Cafe Royal during many of its great years in the 1970's and early eighties, Managing Director of Directors Table in its heyday and later as Managing Director of Eaton Group.

He was a man of great dignity and personal courage who bravely fought cancer over the past few years.

For those that knew him and wish to say farewell, there is a memorial service to be held on Friday, 24th, April 2009 at 2.30pm.
St Mary's Church, Goudhurst, Kent.

Facts of the week

US banks report first quarter profits

JP Morgan, the second largest US Bank, reported a $2 billion profit in the first quarter, partly due to a record $8 billion income from its Investment Bank.JP Morgan's share price has almost doubled in the last month on perceptions that the worst of the credit crunch may be over.
Source: Bloomberg

This follows Goldman Sachs reporting a $1.8 billion profit for its first quarter.
Source: Financial Post

In the UK bank shares also rose after Bob Diamond of Barclays Bank said that the improved first quarter earnings are not a 'one off' experience.

Is the banking industry turning the corner at last?

Greek tourism faces summer drought

After three years of growth, Greece's tourist arrivals were flat last year at 17 million, with German and UK visitors accounting for 30% of the total number.

• However, this article high-lights the potential risk to the local industry in light of economic downturn, reporting that summer bookings are down by 25 to 30 per cent.
• The €35bn tourism industry is Greece's biggest employer, but more than 50,000 jobs could be at risk if hotels shut down in the spring and autumn, opening in the summer with the goal of breaking even.
• Industry lobby groups are pressing the government to follow the example of Cyprus and cut value-added tax by 3 percentage points for hotels and restaurants

Source: www.ft.com