Chancellor in tax shock

When I read that the Chancellor of the Exchequer was shocked at the level of tax avoidance, I at first thought that the level of avoidance was not as high, given the circles he moves in,as he expected and that is why he was shocked. After all, I'm sure he must know  people who have had trust funds set up for them in order for them to avoid Inheritance Tax. I heard of an example where approximately 4 million in Inheritance Tax has been avoided by that very means. I think the family run a home decorations business. I'm sure the Chancellor must know them. But apparently he was shocked at how much was being avoided. I think the Chancellor must have a very low opinion of the public if he thinks he is going to get that one past us. He's the Chancellor of the Exchequer for crying out loud! He is supposed to have his finger on the pulse and know what the tax take is for the country. That's his job! So I can only presume that either he is incompetent or he is crying crocodile tears and thinks we are all idiots.


The Titanic


When I read about the Titanic, it comforts me. I think it is a great advertisement for shipbuilding and demonstrates how safe it must be to travel by ship. I base this on the simple fact that given the amount of coverage the Titanic receives, no other ship has ever sunk.Or is it that the lives lost on the Titanic are considered more important than say, the lives lost in the sinking of a ferry in Indonesia or a ship full of immigrants trying to reach the European mainland. What it is really all about is class. I know there were poor people,mainly poor Irish, travelling in steerage. But they are treated as extras in the story, ignored, portrayed in a cartoonish manner as a bunch of  jolly Micks, Paddys and Colleens enjoying the 'craic' down below. When I see and hear more about the lives and deaths of the people in steerage then I might show a bit more interest in the posh privileged people up on deck.

MPs and jobs.


You should not be allowed to become an MP until you have worked in another job or jobs for at least 10 years. Cameron and Osborne are classic examples of politicians who have no understanding of ordinary lives. They come from a privileged entitled upbringing that leaves them out of touch with the ordinary person and breeds in them a contempt for anybody that is not of their ilk. To them running the country must be like playing a computer game where there are no personal consequences to their actions. The only difference being, that when they have trashed the country they will not be able to reboot and start again.

Nurses


A tip: If you are in Hospital and you are trying to get the nurses attention but failing. Do not continue to ring the buzzer, they can ignore it. Do not shout and scream, they can ignore it. Do not lob a bedpan down the ward, they can ignore it. What I suggest, is you light up a fag, sit there puffing and wait. They will come, oh yes, they will come.

The Boat Race


Come on admit it. When Trenton Oldfield swam out and stopped the Boat Race you didn't think 'oh the humanity' and wept a tear for the broken dreams of 16 strapping six footers and 2 very small people. I know what you did. You laughed. I laughed. We all laughed. I'm still smiling now. But not at Trenton's high jinks but at all the pompous, indignant and self regarding nonsense that has been written and spoken about it since.