Pravda, London edition

One for Burning Our Money via Chark Blog:

Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, has become a publisher too. Another free newspaper dropped through my letterbox. It's The Londoner and it is absolute rubbish.

After a bit of badgering I've discovered that each issue costs £288,000.I'm still trying to establish whether that is the full cost, including overheads and distribution, and how many issues are planned each year. The reason for the questions is that I am paying for this newspaper through taxation and the newspaper is totally dedicated to the glorification of the politician who happens to be its publisher. It's too much like the old Soviet Union.

One might point out that Ken is more of a Cuba fan these days, but the sentiment is a valid one. And while the amount is piffling in the greater scheme of government waste, this doesn't alter the fact that it's immoral.