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Friday 6 December 2013

My thoughts alone ...

For crying out loud will the news programmes, newspapers, assorted journals papers, the internet and other media stop telling me what I am thinking. Collectively you have absolutely no idea.  I have a brain which is still functioning as far as I am aware, it has been successfully educated to Degree level and is capable of making decisions and choices.

It seems now habitual for media and commentators to hijack my brain processes, or so they would have me believe.  I am heartily sick of hearing today that everyone or even the whole world mourns the passing of just one person without consideration for others who have died.  How dare they presume such on my behalf without so much as a passing nod, by your leave or even a thank you.

My opinion is mine and mine alone, it is not answerable to the often incorrect assumptions of mass media, lobbyists, politicians, propaganda merchants and some seeking to manipulate popular opinion, particularly mine.

Undoubtedly there will be some reading this who will immediately jump to false conclusions.  Most likely, given the current media hysteria, it will be concluded that I am unsympathetic to recent events in South Africa, should that be your conclusion then so be it.  My preference is that my thoughts are exactly that and nothing else.

Now go away to your sleazy news dens, tawdry little rags, television studios and radio lairs, think about your erroneous assumption then perhaps, just perhaps real news rather than speculation and non facts may be reported - hopefully ...

It's a bloody hard life ...

.. but I suppose someone has to do it.

Gideon Osborne was born 23 May 1971, therefore under his latest proposals to increase retirement age to seventy he could have a further twenty eight years before that happy day arrives.  Did I hear derogatory remarks such as FFS or 'No, No, No'.  Heaven fore-fend especially seeing the damage he personally and collectively has wrought upon a once proud and prosperous nation.

Should he so choose, however, as an MP he is entitled to retire at the age of fifty five on an MP's full pension which will be considerably more than than the majority of UK retirees.  Currently police officers and firefighters alone may retire at that age due to the rigours and physical demands of their occupation when they will receive only their occupational pension until state retirement age.

Just how the rigours and physical demands of a Chancellor equates with those of fire fighters and police officers would take a much better brain than mine to explain let alone justify.  If re-elected, there may be a further fifteen years or more of grabbing everything permissible and some not quite so from the Westminster communal trough.  The proposed increase in MP's pay in round figures of £10k should not be forgotten either, that must make life very frugal and difficult for the privileged few when retirement beckons. 

It must, to most people, seem a very difficult life to follow under such largesse and potentially reduced circumstances remembering, of course, that he has an estimated stash of around £4m.  Invest shrewdly and a potential annual income from that should be at least 5% at today's rates rather than the miserly 2-3% for small investors.  That 5% will return around £200k per annum, most likely  more when higher rates are possible, given other ex MP perks and pension a cool £250k to live on each year.  Unlike state pension increases restricted recently to around 2% per annum his pension will be inflation proof, gold plated.  Additionally he is entitled to claim state pension for both himself and wife upon qualification.



What a distinctly impoverished future beckons ...