Stability Programme Update

The tolbooth economy / state may have taken its first direct life today.

According to some reports a Polish girl died on the North Cork Toll plaza as she reached for money to pay for access to a near empty road….she subsequently lost control of her car.

The European collapse continues……..

“COMMERCIAL VEHICLES: registrations down 9.6% in first quarter
Brussels, 27/04/2012 – In March, new commercial vehicle registrations dropped by 11.8%, totaling 184,235 units in the EU*. With the exception of Germany (+0.3%), all other significant markets shrank, from -7.0% in the UK to -11.2% in France, -22.1% in Spain and -45.4% in Italy. Over the first quarter of 2012, demand was down 9.6%, compared to the same quarter a year earlier. Downturn prevailed across countries as new registrations fell by 1.0% in Germany, 5.8% in France, 8.9% in the UK, 22.6% in Spain and 36.1% in Italy. In total, the EU* recorded 451,244 new commercial vehicles.”

However something very strange is happening to the Bus & coach market.. particularly in the UK with it showing another very strong month.

“In March, buses and coaches were the only segment to post growth (+17.9%), sustained by the strong demand in the UK (+86.7%) and Germany (+22.6%). From January to March, the UK (+70.1%) and Germany (+18.8%) remained the largest markets, followed by France (-11.5%). In total, 7,779 new vehicles were registered in the EU*, or 6.2% more than in the same period last year.”

Since only both the UK & Germany are operating withen a more optimal monetary envoirment I think we are seeing tentative effective good substitution withen this area (people are dumping their cars for buses)

The UK accounted for 28%+ of all bus regs in the EU so far !!! (Jan – March) at 2,192 vehicles….. this contrasts with Germany at 1,231 and Spain at 450.

Do we really need 53 pages to tell us what we already know? How about they publish some readable tables and charts for general use? Pictures can speak. How about they target some modest accuracy, rather than pretentious muddles. Or is that simply beyond their technical capabilities?

The Crawthumpers, Pumpers and Helium Heads are out in force over the 0.7% ‘growth’ rate. Duh! With underlying price increases up, and money supply down, that looks like a bad case of Deflation.

A 2% ‘growth rate’ needs 35 years to make a significant difference (doubling). At 3% you reduce that to 23 yr. At 5% you need 14 years. For 4 years – its a juicy 17%!

The politicians (in western developed economies) have driven their respective countries into, what looked like Wisteria Lane, but in reality it was a hazardous (fiscal) bog. The surface seemed dry and solid. Trouble was, the water table was only a few inches below the surface. Now their vehicles are up to their door-sills in a soggy ooze. Frantic phone-calls to the AA: continuous busy-tone.

Roll up trousers. Take of shoes. “Step it out chaps! Its reality time!”

@TO’T: That’s what I was afraid of. Make it as impenetrable as possible.

So, they produce what is mandated, stick it on a slightly inaccessible shelf, but give the Irish public something that they can understand. We are afterall paying for this. That should not be too difficult? It would appear, that it is!

Anyways, unless it is in the First Official, its not official! 😎