Davos Man Plays the Fool

Tuesday, 3rd February 2009

British tycoon Richard Branson participates among other people and actors in a 'Refugee Run simulation' during the World Economic Forum on January 30, 2009 in Davos. During this event, participants have to face an 'attack from rebels, a 'mine field', border corruption, language incapacity, black-marketeering and refugee camp survival'. Photo: PIERRE VERDY/AFP/Getty Images

Simply because it is easy to mock the rich and famous is no reason not to do so. Has even Branson (whose airline I like, incidentally) ever looked quite so ridiculous?

[Hat-tip: Foreign Policy]

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THX1138

February 4th, 2009 9:09am Report this comment

I see from the Sunday papers that the bearded VAT fraudster is moving so he's not under the flight path for the new runway at LHR.

If it is going to be built, him and Wille Walsh should made to live right under the flight path as part of the planing consent.

magneto

February 4th, 2009 9:35am Report this comment

'Has Branson...ever looked so ridiculous?'

Erm...yes.

Look here:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-486997/Branson-takes-leap-flies-seat-pants--rips-them.html

THX1138

February 4th, 2009 11:17am Report this comment

Bloody mods- Branson was convicted of VAT fraud however much he and the supine media wants to air brush it out of history it did happen.

Why are you so neurotically sensitive about any criticism of Richard Branson?

I'm sorry guys he was convicted of VAT fraud I didn't make it up

From Dominic Lawson In The Independent

http://tinyurl.com/4gd92g

The Money Quote

"Yet how can Richard Branson not be described as a fit and proper person, you might ask: has he not been knighted by Her Majesty the Queen? Well, yes, he has; though I'm told that this award was greeted with a certain gnashing of teeth by the Inland Revenue, and not just because Branson is a consummate practitioner of legal tax avoidance. They haven't forgotten that in 1971 the young Richard Branson was arrested and charged for a complex and wholly illegal tax avoidance scheme involving his nascent records business. He also managed to avoid prison, although not a substantial fine."