St Patrick's Budget

Yes, it's that time of year again: time to drink as much as possible in as short a time as possible.

No, I'm not talking about wearing green and drinking Guinness in commemoration of a composite of at least two and probably three historical figures, despite the fact I hold an (out of date) Irish passport as well as the UK one. Wise Uncle Gordon is on his feet, telling us "we've never had it so good" (have I not heard that somewhere before?), and putting up excise on beer and wine but not, praise be, spirits. Hurrah. So the rest of youse who are with me in this sceptered isle had better drink while you can and I'll stick with the whisky and gin, I think. 8p on cigarettes though...

Soddit.. I'm actually trying to find out things about more serious taxes, in preparation for a meeting my co-writers and I have next week on our forthcoming work The Little Book of How Not To Pay Much Tax When You Die, or whatever name we decided upon. Frankly, however, I'm finding the betting at Cheltenham more interesting...

Oh, and Jimmy White has been arrested for a "white powder found in his room". There's a thing.

Still can't find any cheap flights to New York for the middle of next month. In fact they seem to go up by the second. Sorry H but even for such a good reason £450 for a flight via Amsterdam isn't very attractive.

Guy Kay has a new book out: seems he's gone Norse/Anglo-Saxon this time, in his usual parallel multiverse-type-thing.

Style

There are barristers in this inn who are younger than I am but seem to make a point of looking about 45. And a boring 45 at that, none of Alan's air of having lived life to the full. Christ, while I agree it's important to look professional when dealing with clients or in court, and long hair and jewellery on men don't go down too well in the High Court, there's a difference between that and looking like a total dweeb every hour of every working day.

Just went to the bank to pick up some foreign currency I ordered yesterday for a forthcoming Adventure (for various reasons I shan't explain more until it's happened).

Turns out they had a Real Proper Heist this morning, security van taken at gunpoint an' all. One knows these things happen but I'm still slightly taken aback when they happen Here! In High Holborn! To My Money!

Edited to Add, since this is a run-of-the-mill ramshackle bits and bobs post.. Confess Here To Being BelledeJour. Brilliant. (See here if you're confuserated.)

Guinness

Oh and one final thing... I always think that there's a certain irony that Guinness, or rather Diageo, a multinational built on a business founded by a strongly Unionist Church of Ireland Ascendancy family, does so well out of St Patrick's day.

In the 1830s O'Connell's supporters argued for a nationalist boycott of Guinness because of the strong opposition of the family to home rule. It was largely because O'Connell himself said nay that it didn't happen.