PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THE YEAR OF THE GRISLY KILLER POLICY RABBIT
IT seems you can hardly call yourself an analyst these days without issuing a long list of annual predictions, and Societe Generale’s Michala Marcussen keenly threw his hat in the ring yesterday.
But while his SocGen colleague Dylan Grice analyses “Popular Delusions” in his regular note, Marcussen went for the more unusual theme of “Policymakers and Rabbits”.
It seems 2011 is to be a year in which the world holds its breath as regulators, governors and politicians pull “rabbits from the policy hat”.
So, what kind of rabbit? It seems it’s about “white policy rabbits” versus “ugly policy rabbits”. But there are precious few of the former, and plenty of the latter.
Ugly rabbits, it seems, include the possibility of European market bans (along the lines of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s naked short-selling ban) and “protectionist measures” resulting from ongoing currency wars.
But The Capitalist isn’t quite sure that “ugly rabbit” quite captures the grisly prospect of 1930s-style protectionism. How about “killer rabbit of Caerbannog”, the legendary murderous rabbit featured in Monty Python’s Holy Grail. In the words of Tim the Enchanter? “That’s no ordinary rabbit. That is the most cruel, vile, bad-tempered rodent you ever set eyes on!”
And if protectionism is the rabbit, what terrible economic risk or character will take the role of the Legendary Black Beast of Aaaaarrrrrggggghhhhh, whose cave the killer rabbit guards? Nominations are open now at thecapitalist@cityam.com.
CITY A.M. WINNER
Congratulations to Ewa Assaker who has just won a holiday for two at one of Sandals’ luxury resorts in Saint Lucia as part of the readership survey we conducted at the end of last year. More than 1,500 readers responded to the survey, telling us all at City A.M. what they like and dislike about the paper.
Assaker is a manager at Smilepod, a walk-in dental hygiene centre based in Covent Garden, which is opening new locations in Bank and Canary Wharf in the middle of January. She travels from Mill Hill to Covent Garden, mainly reading City A.M. on the Tube.
Bottles of champagne are also going out to seven lucky readers: Kenneth Fitzgerald, Carolyn Lenton, Cameron Beveridge, Charles Cooper, Paul Riches, Ben Critchley and Alice Black.
RECYCLE
Is your house still festooned with the sad trappings of a bygone Christmas? Recycle for London is hoping that, this year, you’ll avoid the temptation of tossing it all in the nearest skip and head responsibly to your nearest recycling point.
After all, London gets through an awful lot of Christmas bric-a-brac every December. According to the Greater London Authority, we churn our way through enough wrapping paper to cover the Equator and enough tin foil to put a shine on 225 square miles. That’s not to mention the 75 tonnes of Christmas lights ruthlessly discarded each year, the 2,000 tonnes of glass and the 450,000 Christmas trees tragically abandoned.
If all this rubbish excites a twinge of guilt in your mortal soul, you might as well work out where you can send the trash on to a better life, at www.recycleforlondon.com.
CITY SONATA
If your New Year’s resolution was to imbibe more of London’s cultural offering in 2011, swing past Canary Wharf, Bank, Waterloo or Liverpool Street tube stations during your commute today. Musicians from the BBC Symphony Orchestra are heading underground to promote Radio 3’s Mozart season and will be entertaining commuters during the morning and evening rushes, alongside regular buskers and members of the Rhythm of London youth music programme. London Mayor Boris Johnson says the Mozart buskers are meant to “brighten up the daily commute, especially on the first day back after the holidays. As another musical genius said, it is truly ‘sweet sunshine’.” From Mozart to Antonin Dvorak in a single sentence – consider yourself cultured.
WE NEED YOU
Do you enjoy lunching, partying and meeting the best and brightest in the City? If so, City A.M. wants you to become the new Capitalist.
We’re looking to hire someone who’s already familiar with the ebb and flow of City life, with its constant stream of parties, champagne receptions and galas.
You will already know some of the City’s biggest characters, and will need to quickly learn the names and faces of the rest.
You don’t need formal experience as a journalist, but must have a knack for picking up gossip, an eye for the comic and curious and potential as a witty wordsmith.
Those interested should apply by writing a sample article for The Capitalist page, based on a good party or an interesting snippet of news, along with a CV and covering letter.
Applications should be sent to news@cityam.com.