Magic Statistics

The head of the commission charged with policing Zimbabwe’s draconian price control plan is selling chickens for at least 50% above the allowable maximum.  Godwills Masimirembwa is chairman of the National Incomes and Pricing Commission (NIPC).

Masimirembwa, who was appointed by President Robert Mugabe to chair the NIPC last month, is selling a bird weighing about 2kg for $1,5 million when the commission gazetted the producer price at $434 567 while the wholesale and retail prices are $478 023 and $573 628 per kg respectively.

The chickens at his farm, located south of Harare, are raised and slaughtered in unsanitary conditions.

Not only that, Mr Masimirembwa’s appointment as head of NIPC caused a stir in Zimbabwe’s legal community because he was struck off the register of lawyers in March 1997 for "unprofessional and dishonourable conduct".

Despite price controls, inflation continues on up into the stratosphere.  Figures leaked from the Central Statistical Office show that annual inflation reached the mind-boggling rate of 14,840.6% in October, up from September’s 6848.5%.

Why are prices rising so rapidly?  Here’s a clue: The money supply (as measured by M3) grew 17,806.8% in August.

Finally, Zimbabwe’s central bank is considering issuing a $1 million note and eliminating all denominations smaller than $10,000.  The US dollar, worth Z$50,000 four months ago, now trades for about Z$1.3 million.

Previous related posts:

• Zimbabwe villagers know the value of a dollar
• Zimbabwean currency crashes
• Zimbabwe now officially a socialist kleptocracy

Last week, the City of Halifax thought it had a deal.  The municipality agreed to cough up $150,000 to subsidise an appearance by super-wealthy pop diva Celine Dion.  She had purportedly agreed to perform next summer at Halifax Common, the outdoor park where the Rolling Stones appeared last year.

But then someone from Celine’s camp took a good look at the venue.

Montreal-based Gillett Entertainment Group issued a brief statement Friday saying the Halifax Common is not a suitable location.

"Following discussions with various professionals and experts, it was agreed that the venue is not appropriate for the concert's elaborate production needs and would not satisfy the best interests of Celine Dion's public,'' the promoter said.

That Celine is so solicitious of her "public".

City officials are choked.  Mayor Peter Kelly is suspicious.

“As I understand, she brings her own stage, it’s their own process,” said Kelly, adding that Gillett approached the city about a Dion concert through Events Halifax. “So if it’s the stage, then to me that doesn’t make sense …

“The Gillett Group have been here. They’ve seen the Common. They were very impressed with its potential … They seemed to be very proactive in choosing that location for a concert.

It seems some Haligonians don’t like Celine.  As soon as the concert was announced, two Facebook groups were initiated with the aim of keeping her off the Common.  Way to go, guys!

Previous related post: Halifax to subsidise wealthy entertainer

An interesting juxtaposition of items appeared today concerning Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori.

An international Anglican peace conference, Towards Peace In Korea (TOPIK), began earlier this week in Seoul, Korea.  Bp Schori was asked to preach the sermon for today’s Eucharist.  Here are some excerpts.

"Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." We have gathered here to do just that, and to work at tearing down the barriers between us that make enemies. We are here to practice peace-making, to un-learn our ability to make war, to shape communities that seek peace and harmony rather than division.
. . .
Peace-making requires confronting fear, both our own and the fear that keeps others in that grave. Loving our enemies means letting go of our fear of their perceived difference, letting go of our fear that they will take something precious from us, letting go of our fear that they intend only evil toward us. Loving our enemies means insisting that each is made in the image of God, that each of us can live in peace only when all live under their own fig trees and with vines bent low and heavy with fruit. It means insisting that there is abundance for all in God's great dream of a restored creation.

Also today, it was reported that Bp Schori’s taped deposition has been entered into evidence at the trial over eleven Virginia parishes that voted to leave the Episcopal Church.  The suit was initiated by the Episcopal Church in an attempt to recover the church buildings and other property.

Virginia Bishop Peter J. Lee was willing to negotiate sale of the properties to the departing congregations, but Bp Schori says she forced him to go to court.

"I told Bishop Lee I could not support negotiations for sale if the congregations intended to set up as other parts of the Anglican Communion," Bishop Jefferts Schori said, referring to the 77 million-member worldwide body of which the Episcopal Church is a part.

What particularly angered her, she said, was the presence of the Nigerian-controlled Convocation of Anglicans in North America, then headquartered in Fairfax. An American bishop for CANA, the Rt. Rev. Martyn Minns, had been consecrated that August.

”Love your enemies”.   Hmmm.

h/t for Washington Times: TitusOneNine

It’s been busy over at Anglican Essentials Canada Blog and, with Niagara Synod carrying on tonight and tomorrow morning, there will probably be more to report shortly.

These items have been posted at AEC during the past week:

• Bishop Ingham: I’m in charge here
• Anglican Network in Canada bishop received into Southern Cone
• Bishop Moxley: SSB controversy is “a power issue”
• Niagara episcopal oversight motion appeals to Windsor Report
• Niagara Synod to consider motions supporting same-sex blessings
• Contending for the Gospel Through Prayer
• Bishop Venables offers to affiliate with American dioceses

Also, in preparation for the Anglican Network in Canada conference to be held next weekend, 23-24 November, the daily meditation from the conference’s prayer guide “Contending for the Gospel Through Prayer”  is being posted early every morning.  Please check in as you are able and pray along with us.

The collect for today, the Feast Day of Saint Margaret (1046-1093), Queen of Scotland, Philanthropist, Reformer of the Church (source):

God, the ruler of all, who called your servant Margaret to an earthly throne and gave her zeal for your Church and love for your people that she might advance your heavenly kingdom: mercifully grant that we who commemorate her example may be fruitful in good works and attain to the glorious crown of your saints; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

For The Epistle: Proverbs 31:10-11, 20, 26, 28
The Gospel: St Matthew 13:44-52

More on St Margaret here.

Artwork: William Hole, The Landing of St Margaret at Queensferry, 1899, Oil on canvas, National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh.