MJ Mad Dog

Author: Michael James

  • Week 302 – December 18th – Interest rates 

    Final meeting of the year, they decided to lower the interest rate from 4% to 3.75%, but by a close vote of 5-4  

    This meant the interest rate had been lowered 3 times this year, which is one more than they expected, going by the various financial institute at the start of the years. So even the experts don’t know what is going to happen in advance. 

    From the meeting –  

    Concerns about weak economic growth and rising unemployment outweighed worries about inflation, which is falling but remains above the Bank’s 2% target 

    The Bank expects inflation to near 2% by the middle of next year, partially due to the government’s tax and spending policies announced in last month’s Budget 

    Interest rates are likely to continue on a gradual downward path, Bank governor Andrew Bailey says, but he adds “with every cut we make, how much further we go becomes a closer call” 

    The Bank’s next meeting to consider interest rates is schedule for 5 February. 

    As this is the last meeting of the year, I will stop posting about this on my blog, has I been only doing this to see how good the experts are at looking in advance of the year. 

  • Week 301 – December 13th – Christmas Lights Part 5 

    London
    Lights on Piccadilly.

    London
    Lights in Soho.

    London
    The famous Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square, which is gifted by Norway.

    London
    Lights on the Strand.

    Looking back at last year’s blog posting, can see some of the shops in New Bond Street were displaying the same lights. So not much effort put in there.  

    The lights on Oxford Street were terrible.  Cost of living hitting everyone.  

    London was heaving, the busiest we have seen it, since Covid.

    Hope you liked the pictures? Feel free to comment.

  • Week 301 – December 13th – Christmas Lights Part 4 

    London
    The 12 days of Christmas in Burlington Arcade with the drummers.

    London
    Burlington Arcade with the partridge in a pear tree.

    London
    Lights in Saville Row,

  • Week 301 – December 13th – Christmas Lights Part 3

    London
    Tiffany lit up for Christmas.

    London
    More lights in New Bond Street.

    London

  • Week 301 – December 13th – Christmas Lights Part 2

    London
    More lights down New Bond Street.

    London
    The display at Christian Dior

    London
    Display at Cartier.

  • Week 301 – December 13th – Christmas Lights Part 1

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  • Week 301 – December 11th – Health Insight Survey

    Nothing really to mention apart from the waiting time on my SVT appointment. 

  • Week 300 – December 6th – Leeds United v Liverpool 

    Leeds United 3 – Liverpool 3 – HT 0-0 

    D. Calvert-Lewin (73′ pen)  H. Ekitiké (48′, 50′) 

    A. Stach (75′)                         D. Szoboszlai (80′) 

    A. Tanaka (90’+6) 

    Assists  

    B. Aaronson (75′)                 R. Gravenberch (80′) 

    Venue: Elland Road Attendance: 36,842 

    Leeds United rocked Liverpool with a stoppage-time equaliser from Ao Tanaka to cap a thrilling six-goal second half at Elland Road, where the drama continued after the final whistle. 

    The hosts had earlier come from two goals down to level, before Dominik Szoboszlai looked to have given Liverpool a valuable three points. 

    But Japanese midfielder Tanaka came off the bench and scored in the sixth added minute, sparking jubilant scenes among the home support. 

    Following a woeful run of nine defeats in 12 games, Arne Slot’s Liverpool are now unbeaten in three, but they threw away victory on a day where once again Mohamed Salah watched on from the bench. 

    After the game, club legend Salah made the stunning claim to reporters that he feels as though he has been “thrown under the bus” by Liverpool and that his relationship with head coach Slot has broken down. 

    It remains to be seen if his relationship with the Dutchman and the club can be repaired after such a startling revelation. 

    On the pitch, a goalless first 45 minutes was unmemorable, but the game came to life when Hugo Ekitike scored two goals in three minutes to put Liverpool in control. 

    They looked to have a firm grip but gave Leeds a way back into the game when Ibrahima Konate fouled Wilfried Gnonto in the box. 

    Dominic Calvert-Lewin struck from the penalty spot for Daniel Farke‘s side before Anton Stach fired an equaliser in the 75th minute. 

    Leeds may have sensed the game was there for the taking, but Szoboszlai finished in style five minutes later. 

    Yet there was one last twist, and it came when Tanaka blasted in at the far post from a Leeds corner deep into stoppage time. 

    The draw for Leeds pushes them up to 16th in the Premier League, three points clear of West Ham in 18th, while Liverpool sit eighth. 

    Though it was draw at home, it was the fight back that was needed to get the point that was important, especially against a team like Liverpool. 

    Also good to see that we are scoring goals, but we don’t want to be conceding so many. 

    Marching On Together.   

    League position 16th after 15 games. 

  • Week 300 – December 5th – Dinner with Wayne

    With Claire meeting up with her girlfriends at Bluewater. 

    I met up with Wayne again and had great conversation and meal at Pizza Express in Bluewater, with meeting up with Claire again afterwards. 

  • Week 300 – December 3rd – Moon capture

    Some pictures of the moon this evening. 

    Moon
    Moon in late afternoon.

    Moon

    Moon
    Time the picture well, to capture a bird flying pass.

    Moon
    Moon shinning brightly into the evening.
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