The Tea Party has much support among ordinary Americans

Anyone who follows United States politics cannot help to have noticed the meteoric rise of the so-called “Tea Party”. The political grouping combines socially conservative values (often backed by outspoken Christian sentiment) with a profound distrust of ‘Big Government’. Big Business though it seems is just fine.

climate change:
According to the Tea Party there is no such thing as climate change. There is a fundamental ideological objection to taking action on climate issues, viewing any restrictions or taxes that would be imposed as part of an unacceptable power grab on the part of Washington.

There are plenty of prominent Tea Party members who have no problem flat out denying broad scientific consensus on such matters as the geological age of the Earth and how plants and animals have come to have the forms that they do today. While any reasonable person would defend their right to hold whatever views they please, it is interesting to note who is putting forward money to promote the anti-climate action agenda.

It might seem odd for European companies to be financing American political candidates, but with the upcoming mid-terms that is just what is happening. James Inhofe and Jim DeMint are popular tea party candidates, climate change deniers and the recipients of funding from BP.

Up to 80% of funding coming from major European firms is going towards incumbent senators like DeMint and Inhofe who have a proven track record of blocking action on climate change. The total amount donated by large European corporates is about quarter of a million, reports the Guardian.

India is a really big country, much bigger than the USA and Europe combined in terms of population, so it is amazing how few places in Indian people have heard of.

As far as most Europeans are concerned, India starts and ends with Mumbai and Deli. There is a lot more to the place than just these cities – which, though they are great in there own ways are quite ‘in your face’. Don’t get me wrong,Delhi and Mumbai are great to visit in their own way, but they are unlikely to be everybody’s cup of tea when it comes to relaxing holiday destinations.

Thiruvananthapuram is probably on of India’s best kept secrets, but word is beginning to spread. India is a great place to get away for some winter sun – when you go on thaat kind of break you are going to want to be near some nice beaches no?

Formerly known as Trivandrum, Thiruvananthapuram is the capital of the Kerala region. Kerala is definitely the Indian holiday destination of Indians. As well as being the gateway to the region there are a quite a few really great attractions that the city has.

India has fantastic and diverse wildlife, and you can see quite a bit of it at Thiruvananthapuram’s zoological gardens. This zoo sure has to be one of the worlds best, as it has mile upon mile of enclosures that replicate the natural environments that the creatures would live in.

There has been an Indian space program since the ’60s. Thiruvananthapuram has been the home of this program – and has the high tech legacy from it. You won’t need a rocket ship to get their either, as flights to Thiruvananthapuram are among the most cost effective flights to India, especially when you take into account internal transfers. From just £423 – bargain.

For many the thought of running their own pub is a dream. It used to be said that a license to serve alcohol was the same thing as a license to print money. Times have changed though, and the licensed trade in Britain is facing hitherto undreamed of difficulties.

So what are the challenges facing the pub trade these days – and can a pub still be a good investment?

In theory the economic downturn should have been good news for pubs as unemployment and worry encourage people to drink more. Unfortunately for landlords there has been no let up in the endless tax increases on beer, spirits and other drinks, putting the cot of a night in boozer beyond more of their customers than ever before.

The smoking ban has also had an impact on the bottom lines of licensed premises. Pub owners who have not managed to provide a sheltered place for their patrons to light up have seen their patrons abandon them and stay at home with cheap supermarket booze and ashtrays on hand.

For all the difficulties that there undoubtedly are there is definitely still good money to be made by those who are able to understand and work with the coming trends. That said it is important that you adapt in the right way. During the ’90s at seemed as though nothing could halt the rise of the ‘gastro-pub’. Landlords up and down the land rushed to bring in pricey menus, and many found there was scant appetite for the change among either their loyal customers or anyone else.

Knowing what your customers want is important. A recent survey from YouGov targeting pub goers in Scotland found that what they wanted was wine and sofas. Cynics might say that what they are talking about is really a night at home, but if you are thinking about moving into the pub business you would probably do well to pay heed and budget for some leather sofas and the services of a reliable oenologist.