23 Comments

Hi Rob, sorry to miss you this time; hope to see you next time, I'm over, which is regularly. Onwards and we will lift a glass in you honour!

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Glad you are enjoying Hayek, Terri; he's one of those thinkers who made me look at the world differently and better (best thing you can say about anyone). Yes, we will be sure to take pics and put online, I promise. I also promise ordering a bold, dry Cab for you! Fondly John

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Yes, Kieran, in France particularly it is important we keep our eye on the ball; focusing less on who happens to be the PM this week on more on the fact that they simply cannot govern in policy terms, as the 5th Republic slips back into the 4th, due to Macron's hubris and hauteur. Look forward to seeing yo Wednesday! Yes, the Langham has long been my favourite hotel in the world; I had my first date with Sara there, so a very important part of my life. See you soon!

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Hey Paul, you sure have; welcome aboard and see you Wednesday!

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Hi Phil, looking forward but I am afraid I've retired! See you Weds, fondly, John

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Ok John - I'll believe that when I see it 😂 See you tomorrow 😁

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Dear Simon, Excellent look forward to meeting up Wednesday with you all! Ought to be great fun.

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Hey Simon, We are staying with friends who have a house in the mountains. I love a good long hike in the snow (or anywhere for that matter), good wine and endless chats. So I'm looking forward.

Great, hope to see you at the Langham at 5.30; should be fun!

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Dreamy! And agreed on all fronts.

Sounds great, see you next week hopefully....

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Hayek has come up in some interesting story lines for me this week! Have a great trip and I hope some members do get together at the Langham, would love to see pictures.

Someone have a bold, dry Cabernet for me!

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France hasn't got the economy any more.

What de Gaulle built and Giscard/Chirac more or less run for a while longer, is gone.

There is no leadership in any technology, there are no companies I yet admire.

Maybe Amundi in asset management, but this is not a great income sector. A few people earn a lot but we're not that many.

BNPP is all risk and no margin. SocGen is all risk squared. Agricole is alright.

The great technical firms are all gone.

Total (probably best oil in Europe) but the US oilers outperform them and have no net zero to worry about.

EDF is all but bust (after being forced to take over Areva, busted by Mittérand's girlfriend Anne Lauvergeon, wears the right dresses).

Alcatel went all but bust.

Générale des Eaux became Vivendi but it is scarcely living.

Peugeot (now Stellantis with Fiat, Renault...) is struggling as it is driven into the ditch by EU electric vehicle regulation.

Airbus is alright but there the game is subsidies to build new things, not profits on building things you developed last year (Boeing is no better).

Bloated government and public sector where people turn their thumbs. Can't work if they wanted for lack of equipment and supplies.

The gilets jaunes were the canary in the coal mine and people like Sarkozy and Macron were too haughty to listen to the peep peep peep... I find troublemakers interesting because they funnel information into your ear drums that you as a decision maker don't want to hear, so all the more important to listen - you might be surprised what they tell you.

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Entirely agree about France being a busted flush; tragic really, but very very Greek. Hubris and arrogance lead to nemesis. The Gilet Jaunes was a huge story, you are right as it was the populist canary we talk of, and no one in the elite bothered to listen, instead in class terms saying how 'beneath them' they were, when their complaints (from the Green scam to not being heard to living conditions) are entirely on the money. This is how revolutions start. Sorry to miss you, but next time, fondly, John

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Will be in Miami 2-12 February...

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Sorry to miss you, Erik; definitely next time. Enjoy the sun as I enjoy the Langham!

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Good morning, John. Love the ‘shuffling deck chairs on the Titanic’ analogy—spot on! I suppose the Germans have got their towels on them too. Next Wednesday sounds great—what a venue!

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Hiya John

Came looking for you, but could not find you at The Langham.

Maybe next time!

Simon

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Will try and put in an appearance tomorrow evening.

Regards

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Great Misbah, look forward to seeing you at 5.30!

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Aiming to be at the Langham, Wednesday. Hope I’ve responded in the right place?!

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See you Weds John - really looking forward to finally catching up again. I like to check every few years that you can still drink me under the table (everywhere we went last time that guy kept ordering 'Old Fashioneds all round' I was extremely worse for wear by the end of the night😂🍸 - )

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Hiya John,

Looking forward to meeting you on Wednesday at The Langham

Will be cool to catch up and to meet others in the community

Simon

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Hi John, another great podcast, thank you. It is comforting to see arrogant ideologists on the left begin to get their comeuppance. Starmer's reckoning cannot come fast enough. I would love to make Wednesday but unfortunately work and family commitments mean I cannot, thank you very much for the invite though and hopefully I can make the next one. Enjoy!

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