It’s amazing but we compare our wealth to that of our colleagues, family and neighbours. But it’s a big world! Some people, well most people in this world are so poor that they have to do fairly desperate things to survive. It is this instinct to survive that can make them very dangerous. Worse, if they lose the instinct to survive they become suicide bombers and they are even more bloody dangerous! So how wealthy are you? You have to count up your income – family or household income and then take in to account assets like your savings, property, and so on.
This website will help you compare how you measure up:
http://globalrichlist.com/
I was in the top 11% - strange I was richer last week. I dropped out of the top 10% in the space of a week. The poorer people are maybe getting richer. But there are still 700,000,000 people poorer than I am. That website doesn’t give a really accurate picture. It only counts income. It should count assets. People in England now have assets in the form of their own homes worth £250,000 and they aren’t wealthy – they say. One millionaire said he needed at least £3,000,000 to live a good life – to be considered wealthy today – that’s about $5,000,000 for the benefit of you poor Americans on food stamps.
The United States according to President Bush and the White House is getting poorer – so poor a long term action plan is in place to cut welfare benefits for the most vulnerable in society. The old, chronically sick and disabled in the United States of American have to cut down. I was worried for a while – I thought he might scrap the mission to Mars and curtail the space program…
This is a quote from the White House:
In 1950, there were 16 workers to support every one beneficiary of Social Security.
Today, there are only 3.3 workers supporting every Social Security beneficiary.
In 2008 – just three short years from now – baby boomers will begin to retire. And over the next few decades, people will be living longer and benefits are scheduled to increase dramatically. By the time today’s youngest workers turn 65, there will only be 2 workers supporting each beneficiary.
You can read more at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/social-security/
I have already done a blog on all that Welfare reform crap. I sick of hearing about social support instead of social security – support meaning a kick up the backside to get you back to work! Even the UN – who should know better are using the words “social support”.
But, at least here in Europe some countries are getting cash from the wealthy countries to get out of trouble. In some countries like Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria they have people going there buying up property and causing a property boom like in Britain – this of course forces up rents and by the time they have paid their rent – they have no money left for food! What can they do – especially in countries where contraception is often frowned on? They sell babies to foreign childless couples and use the money to buy their home – and get out of the rent trap. Wealthy foreign couples can go in – bribe officials and buy babies. But the bad guys go to the rescue! Yes, here in England the European Commission are always the bad guys. They make silly rules about how straight bananas have to be before they are allowed to be imported in to the European Union. But now they are allowing some countries to join the EU, on certain conditions – mainly concerning stopping corruption – earlier than was planned. So some countries will get huge EU grants to help stabilise their economies as early as next year. Of course the wealthy countries complain. Microsoft is complaining because the EU commission have increased the fine on them for stifling competition, again. But it’s peanuts for Microsoft – they will just increase the price of Vista and pay the fine out of that. But helping these poorer countries now – will eventually lead to a Europe that is big and very wealthy – an enormous market place – and they are even making an effort in most European countries to learn the International language – English! Alright, the French aren’t so keen. But if they want to mess about and make microprocessor, microprocessorique or whatever – who cares! We made their discothèques – discos! Lol
The future…
The future looks bleak if you are sick, disabled, old and American – and it could be bad if you’re British too! But Europeans seem to have things worked out better. We English in the old days would have been out in the world selling Industrial accident insurance to the Chinese that covered all industrial accidents not involving machinery. That is the modern way to make money – not getting you hands dirty. I wonder if they have a National Lottery in China yet. We are quite good at organising those. Way back we had premium bonds – buy a bond and Ernie an electronic number picker – picks your number and you can win £1,000,000 and if you don’t win – you can claim your money back! Great eh, that was in the good old days. You can still buy premium bonds – but now they cost £100 – not £1 – for the well off only – the poor buggers have to buy the lottery tickets. The poor being a bit, well not too bright – have their numbers picked on TV by balls in a revolving drum. It makes it appear fairer than using a new fangled computer – you can see balls! I think that TV show where they pick the Lotto balls must be the worst TV show on British TV – if not the planet! It is boring as hell – you miss the draw – you’re asleep by then! In fact, Independent television, ITV is in trouble and rumoured to be sold off. Rumours are that Sky Television is after it – they are owned by News International who bought Myspace and covered it with advertising – God help us if they get ITV. I won’t buy a new TV set then – there is bugger all to watch most of the time now. I’m sick of those words “and another chance to see” – another repeat! But it’s not all bad. I think when the elderly of the United States of America get out of their gas guzzlers – and go in to work on their Zimmer frames in 10 years time – things will be much better on this side of the Atlantic. The Europeans will sit outside their cafes and talk about it – as they always have done. In Britain – it’s too bloody cold. So we will adapt – we always do. The main thing that holds us back is bloody bureaucrats. They really mess things up. Why can’t I write a blog without mentioning bloody bureaucrats? My car usually passes the annual safety test easy – some idiot is putting traffic calming everywhere – so now you have to have a bloody big 4 wheel drive Chelsea tractor to get around over the humps and things. Of course it’s wearing one of my wheel bearings out already – after just 6 months of driving over all that stupidity. The head of the ambulance service and paramedics complained! For obvious reasons! The bureaucratic response from the paper pushers at the traffic department was? You always complain! I would not wish illness on anyone, but if that guy has a heart attack. That would change his mind about paramedics getting to the scene of an emergency fast! I was in the back of an ambulance a couple of years ago; and was advised to change my seat – I was sat over the back wheel! Ouch!
Advice….
Go back to the beginning of this blog and click the link to that site and see where you are on the Global rich list. You need to know, especially if you are old, sick, disabled, American or British. If you have any bad habits that the government taxes heavily – give them up. I mean smoking, driving when you don’t have to. Go to the supermarket once a month instead of once a week and stock up. Then I might get a bloody parking space when I go! You like the booze? Drink less – or make your own! I used to make my own – it isn’t difficult. Now I drink just a little but only really good stuff. I might have a go next year at making vintage wine – really good vintage wine. I would get the best of both worlds then. I make it and get the best! The Russians are doing well – they are coming here billionaires and buying our soccer clubs. But they have oil in Siberia. At one time that was a threat that Russians dreaded – being sent to Siberia. Now being sent to Siberia is good – you come back an oil rich billionaire! They are getting more capitalist than the capitalists – even the American’s are complaining because Russian websites sell Mp3’s at a reasonable price. That isn’t fair. Mp3’s should either be sold for a proper extortionate price or pirated in the traditional way. I’m trying to think of someone to insult – that I haven’t already in this blog or a previous one. There is only Bin Laden left – how do you insult someone who never comes out of his cave except to make his annual television broadcast telling everyone the allies are all evil infidels. No one watches except fanatics – he gets less of an audience than the Queen’s speech.
Best wishes from England;
Mike10613
