Between the anniversaries...

Hang on, I managed to print the photos from holidays. In Piaseczno, where I finally bought the colour cartridges, I spoke to the Epson technical service manager. He frankly admitted printer-blocking system is an element of company’s policy, the firm’s justification are safety reasons (ink could leak into the printer and soak up some parts…). I installed the new cartridges, the printer failed to recognise them (first such occurrence in six and a half years time), so this time I called Epson support desk. The consultant supposed there was something from with contact points, but at the end advised me to hit and turn the device on simultaneously. I followed his orders, the printers indeed kicked in immediately, but the front panel cracked, there’s a big rupture on it. I protected it with a stick tape, but in spite of my attachment to the printer, its days are numbered. It’s getting too hard to get the cartridges, to boot it’s getting unreliable and tussling with its whimsies or shooting troubles in a very peculiar way is too time-consuming.

Yesterday – first and thus round anniversary of the outbreak of financial crisis – the day Lehman Brother Banks went bankrupt – for some that was a shock, for some the aftermath of wobbly financial system based on derivatives, dicey undertaking and misestimating risk. Today LB is a thing of the past and I wonder if the human will learn from their mistakes. When will the speculators blow up the next bubble? When will the banks take excessive risk? When will the monetary authorities run the sensible monetary policy? How will the markets be supervised? Will the prevent the next crisis, just like the government didn’t let the downfall of LB trigger an avalanche of bankruptcies? Will we remember what the knock-on effect means and how dangerous it is for the economy?

Tomorrow – also round but already seventieth anniversary of Soviet invasion of Poland. Marked by the politicians who, trying to capitalise on the remembrance of Katyń Massacre, argue whether it was a war crime or a genocide… Study those definitions (if necessary, switch to Polish) and shape your own opinions. The resolution to commemorate the victims of Soviet regime will probably be passed almost a week after the raid’s anniversary…