China allows yuan to rise against Western currencies

China's central bank, the People's Bank of China (PBOC), has announced that it will allow the yuan to rise against the dollar and other Western currencies, according to the BBC.

At the moment, the yuan has been held at about 6.83 to the dollar since July 2008.

No timeline has been set for this.

The yuan's 0.5pc daily trading band will not change, according to Garry White in the Daily Telegraph, but daily reference rates will be used by the PBOC to guide the exchange rate higher.

United States President Barack Obama commented: "China's decision to increase the flexibility of its exchange rate is a constructive step that can help safeguard the recovery and contribute to a more balanced global economy."

Garry White comments that this announcement may deflect pressure on China to change its policy at the G20 leaders' meeting.

This development will improve relations between China and the Western world, and will improve trade with China.

International Monetary Fund head Dominique Strauss-Kahn also commentated that increased flexibility will:"help increase Chinese household income and provide incentives necessary to reorient investment toward industries that serve the Chinese consumer" according to Reuters.

Book Review: Roberto Bolaño's The Savage Detectives

The Savage Detectives may be classified as a novel, but its proper description is a masterpiece.

I read dozens of books each year, and I can think of few that have captivated, stimulated and enthralled me the way Roberto Bolaño's first novel has done.

The book follows the adventures of a group of Mexican poets called the Visceral Realists, some of whom are forced to leave town and attempt to locate the group's founder.

The Savage Detectives is divided into three sections, the middle section taking the form of a series of short narratives, and the other two taking the form of a diary written by Juan García Madero, a wonderfully fleshed out character.

Madero is full of teen angst, but never becomes cliched. His discovery of the Visceral Realists and his observations as an outsider are raw and realistic.

Juan García Madero flees Mexico City, along with Ulises Lima and Arturo Belano, who founded the poetry group.

The second and largest section of The Savage Detectives is a series of accounts by people across the world who came into contact with Lima and Belano, all of whom have rich and fascinating stories of their own to tell, each one revealing a little more of what the pair did after leaving Mexico City on New Year's Eve.

Daniel Zalewski in the New Yorker comments that: "These accounts, each preceded by a journalistic dateline, resemble extended interviews—and reading them feels like combing through the unedited footage of a documentary.

The final section reverts to the diary of Juan García Madero, beginning the day after the first section ends. The pair are searching for Cesárea Tinajero, who founded the Visceral Realists, and the book ends with a little puzzle, which I must confess I am unable to solve.

However, perhaps the puzzle does not have one correct answer but instead is what the reader imagines it to me.

The Savage Detectives fired my imagination and totally engrossed me in the lives of Madero, Lima, Belano, Tinajero and the people they spent a little time with.

I am a huge fan of diaries both real and fictional*, but even those who prefer more traditional formulas will love this magnificent tome, a book to be devoured for an hour a time in bed at the end of a day, to drown out one's surrounding on public transport, to take one away from dreary reality to Mexico City in the 1970's and a young man's adventures in the world of poetry.

I've only just started Bolaño's second novel, 2666, but so far it is as captivating as The Savage Detectives.



*Kenneth Tynan's are particularly worth a look.

North Korea versus Brazil: A dictatorship at the 2010 World Cup

Tonight's 2010 World Cup match between North Korea and Brazil was one of the most gripping matches I have seen.

I don't think I've ever wanted a football team to win quite so much as I did Brazil. Not so much because of their talent, but because of what the opposing team represented.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), which is neither democratic nor owned by the people, is one of the most odious regimes in the world.

Unable to travel to another country without state permission, unable to listen to broadcasts perceived as opposing the state, at risk of human trafficking, watched by secret police, suffering food shortages as well as a brutal penal regime, the life of the average North Korean is harsh.

North Korea's football team did put up an impressive display. They lost 2-1, with Ji Yun-Nam scoring a fantastic goal. No doubt he will be feted by the regime, as will goalkeeper Ri Myong-guk.

It is unpleasant to have such a vile regime competing in the World Cup. Are we legitimising North Korea, or are we putting pressure on them to open up to the rest of the world? I fear the former.

I understand the World Cup is not supposed to be political, but it stills feels wrong allowing North Korea to play. Still, at least the North Korean football team, recognised as Korea DPR by the FA, are spending some time in a democratic nation.

Their coach Kim Jong-Hun will be under instruction not to let his players become corrupted by the capitalist lackeys.

Korea DPR will be facing Portugal on the 21st June at Cape Town Stadium.

Come on Portugal! Vindo em Portugal!

In related news, equally vile Somali militants have threatened World Cup viewers with public floggings.

London Underground and Docklands Light Railway summer strike dates set

Strike dates on London Underground and the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) have been announced by the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) Union, following recent ballots.

On the Underground, the Piccadilly, Northern and Jubilee Lines will be affected between 19.00 hours on Wednesday 23rd June 2010 and 18.59 hours on Friday 25th June 2010, and between 19.00 hours on Wednesday 14th July and 18.59 hours on Friday 16th July.

During these times, maintenance workers belonging to the RMT union will not be working. You are strongly advised to seek alternate routes using Transport for London's Journey Planner.

The dispute centers around the failure of Transport for London to "give concrete assurances on jobs, pay and working conditions", according to the RMT, after Tfl took over Tube Lines.

Tfl has refused to comment.

In a separate dispute, RMT members on the Docklands Light Railway will be striking between 04.00 hours on Wednesday 23rd June and 03.59 hours on Saturday 26th June.

There is also an overtime ban between 00.01 and 23.59 on Monday 28th June, which may lead to a shortage of staff.

The RMT claims that Serco, the company which runs the DLR, did not compensate staff for the increased workload and responsibility that occurred when a third carriage was added to trains.

David Godley, managing director of Serco Docklands, told the BBC: "This threat of industrial action is an opportunistic demand for cash for employees who have not had any change to job descriptions or terms or conditions of their employment.

Both strikes were voted for by a large majority of members.

It is interesting to note that the Transport for London website does not inform passengers of either disruption.

Twitter Fail Whale is back

As a regular Tweeter, I am well aware of the content-looking Twitter Fail Whale who pops up whenever the site is overloaded.

I have been tweeting for a couple of years and have noticed the appearances of this happy little warning sign lessen.

However, the whale has been popping up a lot in the past two days.

I originally thought that the increase in tweets was related to the 2010 World Cup, or perhaps the debacle of BP and the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

According to PC Mag,however, Twitter has described the problems as "a system-side issue."

I see that the "Find accounts and follow them feature" is also disabled. Let's hope Twitter gets back to normal soon.

Walthamstow town centre's giant television

Just before the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, a giant television screen was installed in Walthamstow, in the borough of Waltham Forest.

It is still there today.

Paid for by National Lottery money (through the Olympic Lottery Distributor) and Olympic partners Lloyds TSB and BT, the television screen is 25 metres wide and broadcasts from 7am to 11pm.

I have lived in Walthamstow for almost a year.

During this time, I have often walked past the television on my way into Walthamstow town centre.

Only once have I seen people actually watching the television. During this rare sighting, the television was showing a speech by Prime Minister David Cameron.

The television is one of several installed across the United Kingdom, and according to the London 2012 website, was intended to show "all the action from the Beijing Games and the moment that London becomes the Summer Olympic Games Host City – the "Handover" - on August 24, as well as major occasions leading up to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and beyond."

If the screen is only intended to broadcast Olympic events and major occasions, why is it on every day for over twelve hours each day?

Most of the screen is taken up by BBC content, with a small section devoted to local notices.

If, as I suspect, taxpayers are paying for the television, I would argue that the giant piece of technology should be cut to save money during this recession.

Aside from being a waste of money, it also pollutes the environment and wastes electricity.

The cost:

A film by Simon Monk of the Cleveland Park Residents Association quotes the cost as £135,000 to install the television, £12000 a year to maintain and £6000 a year on electricity.

Linked at Archipelago of Truth, Simon has made a short film about the television, including an interview with a spokeswoman from the BBC. This film can be seen on Youtube below:



Freedom of Information request:

I have put in a Freedom of Information Request to Waltham Forest Council, which asks fourteen questions about the cinema, including who pays for the maintenance and how much positive and negative feedback has been received.


I will also be asking the BBC for information about the television.

Once I have a reply, I will post the information on my blog. If the request is refused, I will also let you know.

Waltham Forest Council has twenty working days to respond from the date of the request.

As I sent the request on the 6th June 2010 (today), the council has until the 5th July.

Do you live or work (or both) in Walthamstow? What do you think about the giant television screen? Should it be cut to save money?

Find out about making a Freedom of Information request.

Location:

If you're coming out of Walthamstow Central underground station, take the exit nearest the bus station.

Cross over the road towards the shopping centre, turn right and walk down the tree lined avenue.

The road opens out into a town square, coated with pigeon excrement and the odd piece of litter.

Turn left until your back is to the NatWest cashpoints.

You will then see the monstrosity.

The last of the summer wine

Britain's longest-running sitcom, Last of the Summer Wine, is to be cancelled after thirty-seven years.

The show was one of the few programmes on British television focusing largely on elderly people.

There is a tendency for channels to focus on younger markets, with shows such as Skins and Hollyoaks being obvious examples.

Those aged 13-34 have a higher disposable income, meaning that advertisers will be more likely to purchase space during programs devoted to this market.

Also, a higher disposable income means greater sales of DVDs and related merchandise. I imagine sales of Hollyoaks DVDs have been rather higher than sales of Last of the Summer Wine DVDs.

However, the BBC has a commitment to producing diverse programming aimed at all sectors of the population.

Life is difficult and lonely for many elderly people as well, and it may get a bit lonelier for some now Last of the Summer Wine has been cancelled. New Tricks is a fine program, but I feel it is not enough

I understand why the BBC wanted to cancel the sitcom and I feel that the show's best days were over long ago, but I hope they do not lose focus on entertaining and informing elderly people, as well as reminding other age groups about the lives of those who have lived the longest and experienced the most.



Foggy Dewhurst was my favourite Last of the Summer Wine character. Who was yours?