• Let's start out with a little banker bashing, first focus of our ire is former RBS chief Sir Fred Goodwin. Fred the shred, ruthless costcutter failed to live up to his reputation when it came to private jets, global ambassadors or his own pension pot. Target number two is Sir James Crosby, the useless man from HBOS. National Express is considering him as their new Chairman, your correspondent despairs at the state of modern capitalism.

• Internationally, it's not looking good in a lot of places Russia has problems and looks like it might be defaulting on it's debts. Japan is bad, China has it's own problems too, the nationans of Asia also seem to be putting a $120bn war chest together to fight off the speculating hordes.
• Closer to home the EU is asking the IMF for more cash to help out Eastern Europe, Ireland's banking system has been bailed out but isn't out of the woods yet. This chap reckons that the lack of a unified debt market could leave the Euro open to sinister manipulations by China.
• There is a god, and his name is Barack Obama.
• The mystery vehicle manufacturer turned out to be van maker LDV, a little light shone on the situation revealed a connection to none other than Russian Oligarch Oleg Deripaska. From the looks of things no loan is forthcoming so LDV looks to be another remnant British Leyland consigned to the history books.
• 100% mortgages also appear to be headed for the history books, the words "stable door","horse" and "bolted" come to mind. In other mortgage new Northern Rock appears to be reviving it's mortgage lending and Lloyds also appears to have made a pledge on lending, all good although your correspondent still reckons houses are overpriced.
• Downwards has been the direction of FTSE, the Dow also hit a twelve year low, pound is slightly down on last week.

And finally, since Sadie was otherwise indisposed this morning, let me wish a Happy Birthday to the blog of Sandwell Labour Councillor Bob Piper.