thatcher

sometimes it's the small things in life that make you smile.
sometimes it's the unexpected that makes you happy.
for me it is mark thatcher's current predicament.

there he is part of a failed coup (look i know it should be innocent until proven guilty but it's mark thatcher and frankly even if the pope said he was innocent i would doubt it) that was going to overthrow the government of equatorial guinea. caught with his trousers down, accused of funding the mercenaries who were going to overthrow the government. like iraq this was all for altruistic reasons and not for the oil that is there (no, nope, nada it was not about oil!)
thatcher supposedly funded the attempt to the tune of $275,000 and now that it was foiled not only is he out of pocket but he is out on bail and confined to cape town.
and i know it is not very christian of me but i am already tired of hearing about how he is ruined and from an interview with vanity fair he says "I will never be able to do business again. Who will deal with me?" (obviously vanity fair for a start....)
or how he is so glad his dad didn't see this happening to him (i guess that shows there is little love lost between maggie and her son or perhaps it is just an admission on mark's part that magaret "iron lady" thatcher no longer has her marbles so isn't aware of what a mess her son is in!)
he is apparently furious that he is confined to south africa and that his phones and email are being monitored - well that will teach him not to get involved in the overthrow of governments.

it's not like his moaning is a proof of innocence more a case of petulance and fear (though i can't blame him - he faces a possible 12 years inside a less than nice african jail.....) and now some of his friends are claiming that this is all about some people still wanting to settle scores with baroness thatcher.
not sure many mining communities are up for this sort of ruse - though i wouldn't past arthur scargill.
go here and here for the story