http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17822387

Government hits annual borrowing target.

The British government has borrowed more than expected but has still met its target. They borrowed 11 bn.  pounds less than last year. The Tax increases and the rise of VAT made this possible. The total debt of the UK is now as much as 66 % of the gross domestic product. This week it will become clear if the economy is in recession. By 2016-17 the Government aims to have paid back all her debt.

 Specialists are relieved but it might also mean that the cost of borrowing goes up. When the economy doesn't grow the government won’t be able to pay back their debts.

Comment by Anne Marieke

How is it possible that all these governments can borrow so much money? Where does it all come from? Or is this just one gigantic bubble that can blow up any time. All these years the finances have been in the hands of specialists supported by many financial advisers. How is it possible that they didn’t realized that borrowed money must be paid back some time? It is not like it never happened before. This is not the first crises but it looks like nobody ever learned from former experiences.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/apr/23/british-empire-crimes-ignore-atrocities

Deny the British empire's crimes? No, we ignore them

The myth of the civilized English colonialism still believed a true story by most people. When evidence is found and presented of distortions, they are ignored. Moreover the British Government has even destroyed prove of misbehavior.

Caroline Elking, a professor at Harvard,  has found that during the Kikuyu revolt in Kenia in the 1950s prisoners were killed and tortured systematically. She has written a book about it that won a prize but was for the rest ignored.

This is one example of how British people deal with their colonial past.

Comment by Anne Marieke

I always wondered how countries like England and the Netherlands can be so selective in remembering their history. They feel like they can judge other countries but don’t reflect on their own past.

Balkenende said we should be proud of the VOC mentality. It is true they earned a lot of money but so many people had to suffer because of that.

This article says that not only dictators write their own history, most countries do.

London 2012 McDonald's extends Olympic sponsorship

McDonalds will sponsor the Olympic Games for another 8 years. Jacques Rogge the IOC President says he is very happy that Mc Donalds has prolonged its sponsorship: Mc Donalds supports the Olympic movement and also the Athletes. They will give 100 miljoen dollars.  McDonald's said the restaurant chain would use the extended partnership to introduce several new programs "focused on balanced eating and fun play for children".

This is another example of how the Olympic Games have become a toy of big companies. For an individual even in England it is almost impossible to attend the games. Seats are bought by companies. Moreover how can they accept a sponsor like this who is producing and promoting extremely unhealthy fast food.

Why are there people who think they can decide on what is or isn’t art? David Lister says this is specifically the case with visual art. He  has never heart anybody say: This isn’t theatre or this isn’t a film.

Because of the opening of  a retrospective on Damien Hirst  in the Tate Modern,  this discussion has again started. Lister states : “Art is in the eye of the beholder”. It can be any kind of visual form that alters your feelings which is to him the only criteria to define art. This is why he asks the art police to step down.

I agree with David Lister when he gives his definition of art, however this can also mean that the majority of people will decide on what is or isn’t art. Only artists that sell will be able to make a career and what is or isn’t going to be in musea. In our modern society we want to give young artists the opportunity to experiment and challenge us.

Unlike David Lister I think the same discussion is going on about theatre and literature. What art forms deserve extra financial support and who decides on that?

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-/art/news/david-lister-ive-had-eough-of-the-critics-who-insist-on-telling-the-world-what-is-and-isnt-art-7624762.html