Who Bought The Books?

Sometimes I wonder if people in the public sector actually stop and think when they rant on about the tax and national insurance contributions they claim to make as deductions in their pay slip. On taking a closer look its simpler than you might think. lets call our public sector worker Adam. He's a teacher say and earns £400.00 per week pays 20% in tax and national insurance so to keep things simple he ends up with £320 in his pocket and the government by virtue of the deductions retains £80.

Adams friend Bob works on an oil rig in the north sea say, he earns £2000 per week and like Adam has 20% deducted from his salary by his boss who sends the £400 on to the government to pay for Adam. The system is an automated system and the computer places £320 in Adams bank account with the other £80 it pays to heat and light the school and provide all the learning materials ,books pens ,computers, etc; for that week.

The Question we have to answer is who paid for the books Bob or Adam?

Lets ask them.

Bob says "obviously I did, the government bought the books on my behalf so that my son Billy and, get this, Adams daughter Anna both had books to learn with. Not only did I buy the books but I paid Adam to teach his own daughter along with my son".

Adam says "obviously I did the money came directly from my pay packet and it was me who bought the books bob just paid my salary.

The government computer printout states that the books where paid for through general taxation so in effect both bought the books!

During the good times while Bob keeps earning does it really matter who bought the books it seems it is not an issue really.

The following year however the price of oil drops and Bob only earns  £1000 per week so the tax revenue his employer sends to the central government computer is now only £200 per week.

The computer engages its artificial intelligence chip has the numbers dont work this week and it prints a letter off to Adam stating that a further deduction of £120 per week will be made for his pension.

This is a lucrative final salary pension of £200 per week for when he retires, however if he wishes to be part of the scheme he must use last years books this year, but in the long run he will far better off than anyone else. adam ticks the I accept box and in his paypacket that week it reads £400 less tax £80 less pension £120 net £200.

Later that day Bob and Adam meet up for a drink and discuss how they both are earning less this year and agree things are tight but we are all in it together its the same for both us.

Who bought the books?

A few years go by and Billy goes to work on the oil rigs just like his dad Bob , now retired, earns £3000 per week the price of oil is up and he will be getting married soon to his childhood sweetheart Anna who just like her dad is a teacher and now earns £600 per week, good times lets roll.

Billy gets deducted 20 % by the automated government computer and his employer sends £600 per week of which £200 is deposited in Adams account for his pension,  Anna's payslip reads £600 gross Tax £120 Pension £180 [ for final salary of £300 per week} net £300.

The government computer orders new books as the old ones are worn out at a cost of £80.

Later Bob and Adam meet up for a drink Bob gets the first round from his £20 state pension {billys tax £600 pays £200 Adams pension, £300 Anna's net salary, £180 Anna's pension and £20 Bobs state pension.

So who do you think actually bought both sets of books?

Hands up for Billy !

Football, its a funny old game or is it?

FIFA Corruption and scandal at the top, again, when they aren't selling tickets through the back door it seems they simply insist on bungs from the Qatar officials for the world cup. Now I am not being funny in any sort of stretch but Qatar come on.

The corruption does however look as though it will mean the postponement of the presidential election, until someone bungs, bribes and slips em a backhander no president will be elected.

But what of the ordinary fan what does he think of all this with ticket prices always rising year on year will it affect turnout. No I don't think so.

The average fan including Sheffield Wednesday fans know that a portion of their ticket price doesn't go on keeping the ground, staff wages, transfers or new balls for the upcoming season but legal costs yes legal costs wet her your a ref, footballer, or FIFA official the cost ultimately is built in the ticket price.

Thank God for the Sunday amateur Leagues no corruption or nepotism there hey!

Middle East Spring or just more Arab news

So Egypt has opened up the crossing into Gaza, they should never have closed it in my opinion, but i am just a regular guy who gets most of his information through the news channels, yes I watch Aljazeera [English] and think it is well informed and unbiased so sue me.

Like most working class people in the UK this sort of news passes me by just as the weather forecast does and the sports final score on a Saturday evening seemingly without serious consequence and far far away, soon to pass and replaced with some other more up to date no nonsense exclusive breaking news.

However that said, give me one good reason why the ordinary Joe should continue to remain quiet with the Internet and globalisation I have just realised, excuse me for being late to the party, that if we don't speak whats the point of ever having learned a language in the first place.

So for all you Arabs out their regardless of your faith know this in my opinion it was either naive, hypocritical, Stupid or downright disgraceful that Isreal was formed as a jewish state in palestine in the first place and given that the American, French and British where democracies at the time who seperated church and state it was hypocritical to form a 'jewish state'. On somebody elses land as well regardless of how many Jews where killed during the war, lots of nations lost people and there is no preferred way to have your life taken, surely this can not keep being the reason the west use for its 'so obvious mistake'.

I wasnt born then and just as slavery was ok in not so long ago history then overturned I am for overturning that decision [Forming Isreal not slavery]. While this might seem a big task it is not impossible but would it stop the killing. I doubt it and unless the Jews where given land somewhere else it would never work and then of course it wouldnt be the land that god gave to the isrealites.

The solution to me then is clear as no party with a claim on isreal / Palestine will ever be satisfied everybody should leave and it should be set aside as the worlds first state museum and national park, let all the religious sites be maintained with nearby hotels and amenities then let the rest overgrow and go back to nature as God created before the introduction of Man. No Industry other than the tourism from the obvious religious pilgrims and sightseers, with palestinians being absorbed by the surrounding nations and the Jews moving to the USA where the other 5.5 million of them live anyway. Oh and the proceeds and profits given to the united nations as a revenue stream.

Job done.