odds and sods

This website tells you how to blend your iPhone. You've always wanted to know this, haven't you? If you try this at home, make sure you wear safety goggles. Also mum or dad might not be too pleased.

Was flicking through a number of websites today, in the interests of research (on what percentage of GDP goes on child welfare in different countries, since you ask), and found this. I thought the president of Latvia was Ms Freiberga - but it seems that it is now a man, Valdis Zatlers. And very nice hair he has, too - looks quite the Scandinavian. Funny how Latvia now has Valdis, and Lithuania has, for a short while, Valdas as president.

Reading the Georgian papers today I note that the Labor Party in Tbilisi city council is thinking of getting rid of the marshrutkas (the minibuses, serving much of Tbilisi). The reason? The municipal buses have just doubled their fares, and surprise, surprise, the number of customers has dropped considerably. So instead of increased revenue they now have an even bigger hole in the city's coffers. The proposed solution? Get rid of the competition, the private marshrutkas and force people to use the public buses. Let's just remind ourselves that in any conversation about the future of child welfare the words 'privatization' and 'market' fall with monotonous regularity. Does not seem to relate to public transport, though. What's next? Get rid of taxis?