Sir Mike's Comments: January 2016

People one of the very few advantages of getting old – that is providing you have not gone “ Doolally ” in the meantime – you have past experience which ofcourse cannot be bought it has too – as the word demonstrates – be lived one way or the other!

Now over my 75 years – some 7.5 decades – I have found – experienced that the scenery, the way we go about our lives whether that be as a result of laws past, community attitudes and prejudices,technology, etc; or whatever ?? the basic human and the many basic needs such as food, shelter, clothing,protection from those that will harm us and our loved ones and the elements never changes and all the rest is just fabricated window dressing.

A House.

This therefore brings me to the poem I have received – author unknown – well to me anyway scroll down – called “ Poem for those of a certain age ” which I believe would be a foreign language to most people under say 50 years of age?.

I have read it a couple of times and at the same time asked myself the question having lived through that era has my life from an overall prospective for myself and those around me or in fact the world in general benefitted, promoted and enhanced our lives from these vast and multiple changes in our lives?? and who were the beneficiaries?? well certainly me to a certain extent other wise I would not be typing this and thanks to the good old and young Aussie Tax Payers having my basic needs met thanks to the old age pension.

When I was born in 1940 it was estimated that there were 2-3 billion people on this planet and now some 76 years later we have an estimated 7.3 billion an increase of at least 5 billion in just 76 years and it is anticipated that it will reach 8 billion by 2024 and double in the next 200 years.

As at the 19/1/2016 at 2.31 pm – Sydney time – according to www.worldometers.info the births today at that particular time are estimated to be 293,647, deaths 123,000 therefore the nett increase to the worlds population a 2.31 pm on the 19/1/2016 was 170,147 .

People ? is it any wonder that the world powers, the rich and powerful, pollies, current and past that are still alive ofcourse, are spending billions plus of scarce Tax Payers Funds trying to find suitable planets ? Mars and the like – to escape too before this good old planet Earth becomes uninhabitable?.

Unless there is some wonder drug developed I am sure glad I won’t be around to see the human devastation and chaos world wide!! it is bad enough now in 2016 and that is without out any consideration in regard to climate change!!

World Devastation – something the human race and all other living things can look forward to!

Mark Scott AO – ABC’s MD.

Now people we hear about just how the Aussie ABC are so far behind the times, where on the 18/1/2016 they announced via their news media in general, that Oxfam have stated that quote “ Richest 62 people as wealthy as half of the worlds population ” unquote.

If anyone – and I send the ABC plus all the other major media copies – had read my blog dated the 22/12/2015 Subject: “ Aussies we are being ‘ Ripped off ’ ” you would – they would have read where I quoted the Guardian and Oxfam summary which was dated the 15/1/2015 and according to Elliott and Pilkington of the Guardian it was 85 people down from 388 in 2010 being wealthier than the “ Poorest ” 50 percent of the worlds population.

Larry Elliott – The Guardian.

Ed Pilkington – The Guardian.

However and never-the-less I ask the question again“? Better off for whom ”,“? who are the beneficiaries”.

I should also point out that to “ Add insult to injury ” and according to the many and various international reports that the “ Poorest ” 50 percent of the worlds population do ‘NOT’ have the following:

1. Domestic or community running piped disease free water!
2. Domestic or community connected electricity!
3. Domestic or community sewage!
4. Little if any adequate medical or hospital facilities!
5. Little if any formal education systems!
6. Domestic violence – Aussie Domestic Violence would pale into insignificance by comparison!
    and the list goes on! and on! and on!

So again I ask the question ? “ Better off for whom ? ”, ? “ Who are the beneficiaries ”.

People on the 21/10/2014 I published the following and by all accounts nothing has changed and if anything since the GFC it has got worse due to the lack of international funds:

Mike’s Comments – I had not Knighted myself at that stage – 21/10/2014.
Also on my blog: www.beautkoot.blogspot.com.au.
URL: http://beautkoot.blogspot.com.au.

Subject: “ Ebola and political point scoring ”.

The latest Ebola outbreak has killed more than 4000 people with I gather a further more possible 8-9000 confirmed although this is a very difficult to establish if correct because of the country’s involved and the lack of effective communications and systems.

However compare the following:

Malaria statistics:

Malaria is a deadly mosquito-borne disease that effects millions each year in Africa and around the world.

1. Over half a million – 627,000 – people die from malaria each year, mostly children younger than five years old.
2. There are an estimated 207 million cases of malaria each year although the vast majority of malaria cases occur in the sub-Saharan Africa.
3. The disease is a public-health problem in more than 109 countries in the world of which 45 are in Africa and at least 90 percent of all malaria deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa.

4. Malaria costs an estimated $12 billion in lost productivity in Africa.
5. When insecticide-treated nets are used properly by three-quarters of the people in the community, malaria transmission is cut by 50 percent, child deaths are cut by 20 percent, and the mosquito population drops by as much as 90 percent.
6. It is estimated that less than 5 percent of children in sub-Saharan Africa currently sleep under any type of insecticide-treated net.

7. It is estimated that a child dies every ‘ MINUTE ‘ of malaria.

So I ask the question again ? “ Better off for whom ”, ? “ Who are the beneficiaries ”.

Michelle Hutchinson – Head of PR & Money Expert of finder.com.au.

According to a Press Release put out on the 12/1/2016 by Michelle Hutchinson with the heading " Australia ranks 13th highest national debt out of G20 nations ” where Australia’s national debt is US$485.1 billion – A$549.8 billion – which represents 32.6 percent of the country’s GDP and where Australia has the ninth-highest debt per person, at US$20,971.00 – A$23,769.00.

Michelle Hutchinson went on to state that this is a significant strong position considering that Australia has the smallest population out of all the G20 nations, of 23.1 million.

Now far be it for me to argue with the like’s of Hutchinson or any of the other many members of the community that profess, say or declare their expertise and qualifications in regard to economics.

However purely from a layman’s point of view surely I have the right to question the logic ? because I would have thought that having such a small population and by comparison a corresponding small domestic market living on the driest continent on the planet which amounts to 5.5 percent of the worlds landmass that basically relies on the very fickle export market in all it’s forms, resources,tourism, agriculture, services etc; for the country’s financial survival, security and well being that even A$23,769.00 for every Aussie man,women and child and thereby living off the international credit card should be of great concern ?? especially considering the like’s of Brazil, the worlds seventh largest economy, and Canada, both like us with export reliant economies now being technically in a recession?.

So I ask the question again ? “ Better off for whom ”, ? “ Who are the beneficiaries ”.

Now when our Australian Bureau of Statistics – ABS – interview every month some 25 – 30,000 Aussie homes – I gather it is the same homes for about 8 – 9 months then they drop off some ? about a third,
and introduce a new third and proceed on for another 8 – 9 months – and ask the question who has,
or not, been employed for the past 2 weeks and from that they then produce our employment and
unemployment national, state by state and territory figures.

Now when the ABS express these figures of say 5.5 – 6.5 percent – which the pollies love – it doesn’t seem so bad does it?? because the average Aussies plebb could say to themselves “ Well that means that those eligible to be gainfully employed must be in the region of 94.5 or 93.5 percent respectively? ”.

Well that’s good ain’t it??.

However, when these figures of 5.5 or 6.5 are expressed as some 750,000 to 800,000 plus Aussies, and climbing, being unemployed, based on this “ Mickey Mouse ” system where if a person works for at
least ‘ ONE ‘ hour per week they are considered employed and therefore are not included in the
unemployment figures and where according again to the ABS there were only 200,000 new jobs created
in 2015 so surely you do not have to be my old mate Einstein to calculate the massive accumulative
employment deficit that is occurring year on year, and by expressing the figures in 10’s of 1000’s and
not just percentages is a far greater reality check, obviously not what our pollies want!

Therefore, this should be of great national concern, regardless what gloss our pollies and so-called experts put on it? because with our ever increasing – ballooning out of our welfare expenditure in regard to not only the unemployed but an ageing population as well? plus a reduction in Aussies export revenue this could blow out the Aussie A$23,769.00 national debt per man, women and child to just look like “ Petty Cash ? ”.

Ofcourse as I have mentioned many times before these ABS figures do not take into account the estimated, could be a lot more? the 2 – 3 million so-called working poor ( 10 – 12 percent of the Aussie
population, and climbing according to the many Aussies charities ) where many earn to much to receive
any, or little financial assistance from the Aussie Tax Payers in the way of welfare and rely on the many
Aussie charities for food and supplies after paying their rent, electricity etc;.

So I ask the question again ? “ Better off for whom ? ”, ? “ Who are the beneficiaries ? ”.

Aussie homeless.

Currently estimated at 1- 200 or 105,237 and climbing I gather – ? no pollies amongst them I bet.

Charities feeding Aussies.

Foodbank Australia – Hunger in Australia.
www.foodbank.org.au/

Quote:
While there is a great deal of data available on poverty in Australia there is very little information specifically on hunger.
As a result, the two million figure we quote is an estimation based on several pieces of data.
According to the ANU survey, 4 % of Australians are accessing emergency food and supplies and, in total 8% say they are unable to afford food.
Up to 16% of respondents say they are often or sometimes worry that their food will run out before they have enough money to buy more, and 13 % say that they cannot afford to eat nutritional and balanced meals.
http://lyceum.anu.edu.au/wp-content/blog/3/uploads/food%20security_Poll.pdf
Unquote:
Which equates to:
1. 4% of the Aussie population is =    920,0000 Aussies.
2. 8% of the Aussie population is = 1,760,000 million Aussies.
3. 16% of the Aussie population is = 3,680,000 million Aussies.

Therefore shown as whole numbers as compared to percentages, this gives a far more realistic view of the number of the estimated Aussies involved!!!

So I ask the question again ? “ Better off for whom ? ”, ? “ Who are the beneficiaries ? ”.

Tropical Snapper.

According to the Australian Marine Conservation Society over three quarters of the Global fishing stocks are either over-fished or fished up to their limit and as fish is the staple diet of most of us but especially the 50% of the “ Poorest ” 3.5 billion people on this planet ? what next.

Illegal Drugs.

People we Aussies are portrayed as happy go lucky with a “ She’ll be right mate ” attitude and nothing is impossible ? “ Give me a roll of wire and a pair of pliers and I’ll fix anything ” ? what’s happening ??.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Quote:
According to government and community organisations, the use and abuse of illicit drugs is a social, legal and health issue that creates an annual illegal market estimated to be worth A$6.7 billion.
Unquote:

Prescription Drugs

Prescription Drug Addiction in Australia is out of control.
The Cabin Sydney, Blog, September 15, 2015.
Quote:
The Australian Medical Association has recently declared prescription drug addiction is a “ National Emergency ” as Australia is currently in the same situation as America in regard to the unprecedented harms being caused by the abuse of prescription medication.
Australian abuse of prescription drug addiction was reported as second highest in the world last year only second to the United States, and afflicts 3-4% of the population ( from 690,000 to 920,000 Aussies).
Unquote:

Alcohol Abuse.

Foundation for Alcohol Research & Education ( FARE )
Quote:
Alcohol harm in Australia is significant. More than 5,500 lives are lost every year and more than 157,000 people are hospitalised. Making alcohol one our nations greatest preventative health challenges.

Unquote:

So I ask the question again ? “ Better off for whom ? ”, ? “Who are the beneficiaries ? ”.

Increase the “ Goods and Services Tax from 10% to 15% ”.

Malcolm – the magnificent – Turnbull – Currently ? who knows for how long ? The Aussie PM.

Jay Weatherill – The Labor Premier of South Australia.- An advocate for an increase in the GST.

Jay Weatherill’s state of South Australia has the highest unemployment figures in Aussie of 7.5% and has hit a 18 year high of 69,000 with the addition of another record high of 84,000 SA citizens
needing more hours work to make ends meet.

SA’s Gross State Product is forecasted to grow by only 1.5% which is about half the national average.

Therefore I suggest that Jay Weatherill the Premier of SA put as much thought into his obvious serious states problems as in regard to jobs and productivity as he seems to be doing with regard to “ Gay Marriage ” and this very lucky English Gay bloke who was fortunate enough to die in “ Gods Own Country of Aussie ” – let’s face it we all have to die some where, sometime – where I gather this
blokes marital status – ie; because gays are allowed to get married in the UK and this bloke was out
here on his “ Honey Moon ” with his partner or husband?? was not stated on the “ Death Certificate ”
so Weatherill deemed it of such a national disgrace and a priority that he had to come on to the ABC
Radio National on the 22/1/2016 and announce Aussie wide and to sincerely apologise on behalf
of South Australia and assure us it would never happen again and he would have SA’s law’s changed
to recognise overseas “ Gay Marriage ”
?? How bloody pathetic??.

People is it any wonder that this bloke Weatherill is pushing for an extra 5% GST paid for in the majority by all those Aussies ‘ NOT ‘ living in SA just to save Weatherill’s political arse when this bloke
sets state priorities like this – ? what a bloody hypocrite !!!

Andrew Barr – The Labor Party Chief Minister for the ACT. Yet another advocate for a 15% GST.

In my view this bloke Barr is just as bad as Weatherill if not worse!

Mike Baird – The Liberal Party NSW Premier. Another pollie on the 15% Tax Payer gravy train.

Now we have Mike Baird joining the chorus for a 15% GST and the reason for this is that this Baird mob have sold off the Electricity Poles and Wires for billions of dollars and the way they are spending
the billions it will only take a couple of years and all the billions will either be allocated and or spent!!

So you know what people?? there ‘ AIN”T ‘ a plan ‘ B’ so in order to save Baird’s political arse bring on the 15% GST !! bloody hypocrites the lot of them!!!



The Aussie Chook Raffle.

The Aussie School Canteen.

People surely “Enough Is Enough ? ”.

Years and decades go by and we continually get a steady stream across all political persuasions of this amateurish, lazy, unimaginative, uninventive, uncreative, pedestrian, self political interest first, with a political shell life of 3-4 years, if that, if you happen to be the Prime Minister?? and because
they have ensured that they are very well paid plus perks of office – with superannuation schemes
which are second to none when we consider their very poor productivity – all political waffle little
constructive action – any tax increase, GST or other wise, will have little if any effect on their way of
life and most won’t be around in politics when the proverbial hits the fan they will be off into
retirement at the Tax Payers expense writing their biographies or memoirs?

The majority of the current and past pollies across the political spectrum and across the 3 levels of this over governed country of ours could not successfully run an “ Aussie Chook Raffle ” or the
” School Canteen ” without stuffing it up and going into deficit!!!!

So I ask the question again – ? “ Better off for whom ? ”, ? “ Who are the beneficiaries ? ”.

Now this is obviously a very complex matter where probably 100’s of equations have to be considered?

However I believe the “ K.I.S.S. ” principle – KEEP, THINGS, SIMPLE, STUPID – has long been abandoned for “ K,T.C,A,S,E ” principle – KEEP, THINGS, COMPLICATED, AND, STAY,EMPLOYED.

Self reliance.

I believe the attached poem epitomises the attitude of this nations population during the 1940’s, 50’s and the early part of the 1960’s where “ Self reliance ” was the order of the day and I also believe was the reason the nation got through the second World War and the aftermath over say the next 10 years or so when trying to get the nation back on an even keel.

This was achieved largely without Tax Payers funds, notice I say “Tax Payers” not “ Governments ” who across the political spectrum do ‘NOT’ own any funds what-so-ever!!, were rarely if ever issued because the funds were just not available and the population recognised that unlike the current
population which has in the most part become welfare dependent and believe the access to Tax Payer
funds are a right and an entitlement not a privilege and as such this “ NANNY STATE ” nation has
capitulated and as a consequence we have local,state and federal government deficits costing the
nations international credit card debt billions of dollars per year in interest something I believe our
future generations will be unable to pay off especially as there is every possibility that Aussie will be
in a recession within say the next 12 to 18 months.

Aussie the “ Over governed and bureaucratised Nation ”.

People we can no longer afford this 3 tiered “ Over governed and bureaucratised Nation ” we have because all this triplication of bureaucracy with it’s taxes,fees, levies and charges is draining the
household incomes and is just taxing this Aussie nation into poverty, which in turn will increase
the demand for Tax Payer welfare funds and the “ Never-ending-story ” cycle of welfare dependency
continues and our international credit card debt continues to expand??.

We have local government General Mgrs and Executive staff, plus state and federal bureaucrats that are paid by the Rate and Tax Payers 100’s of 1000’s of dollars each plus perks PA, plus would you believe annual “ BONUSES ” for doing what?? the job they were, by any stretch of the imagination! more than very well paid for in the first place!! and I can tell you from meeting-dealing with some of them where I lived for some 40 years in the Blue Mountains, they were bloody hopeless and as an
employer in those days I would not trust them to make the tea properly !!!

The so-called “ Top end of town ”.

As far as I am concerned considering the average Aussie plebb, excluding overtime, shift allowances,or any other loading that can be legally withdrawn by the employer should they no longer apply or are applicable to that position – job the majority of Aussies earn less than A$50,000 PA or about a A$1000.00 per week.

Therefore I believe the so-called “ Top end of town ” mob are not only the mega rich but people or couples per household that earn – not taxable income that can easily be fiddled with – a gross salary of a A$100,000.00 pa is the commencing point where all Tax Payer funds are declined ! because if
these people cannot manage their circumstances on at least A$2000,00 per week and cut their cloth
to suit their needs and not their life style ? why should the average Aussie plebbs on their meager
wages and conditions have to pick up the tab for a life style they and their loved ones could only
dream of – nice home, nice leafy suburb, private schools and lessons, two maybe a three car family?.

The current Turnbull mob are looking at our nations Tax system:

1. The GST of any sort hurts the bulk of the Aussie population under A$50,000 PA and the one off subsidies given to pensioners and low income earners are just that and in no time evaporate into
the financial ether because the GST rises with the cost- sales price of the Good and Services supplied
which is continuous “ For Ever and Ever, Amen!! ”

2. The lowering of personal income tax – well as most pensioners, probably all the estimated 800,000 unemployed and the so-called “ Working Poor ” don’t pay personal tax that takes care of literally
millions of Aussies and many people that are supposed to pay income tax, as a result of a smart
accountant and some very fast foot work and accounting methods minimalise their tax anyway!!

3. The lowering of Company Tax – ? what a joke this is!!!!! getting the bastards to pay their due tax liability now ?? refer my Mike’s Comments, Subject: “ Aussies we are being ‘ Ripped Off ’ dated
the 23/12/2015 where 579 local and foreign based companies with a turnover of A$409.9 billion
with a taxable income bill of A$4 billion paid ‘ NO’ tax for the period 2013 – 2014.

   Therefore before this Turnbull mob, Jay Weatherill of SA, Andrew Barr of the ACT and Mike Baird of NSW hits us with another belt tightening for the good citizens of Aussie with an increase to the GST to 15% ? how about getting their mates at the top end of town to pay their fair share or ?? are they concerned they might need them after politics ?? jobs for the boys hey?? well who would have thought??????.

People to conclude this second edition of “ War and Peace ” I would suggest that if you are going to continue to put up with this rubbish handed out by our pollies that all these cost increases are for the
general good of the Aussie nation as a whole and we should just lay back, grin and bear it, then you
should be very careful because this will set a precedent for future GST rises because as sure as we can
be that the sun will rise in the morning 15% will never satisfy the financial appetite of the bureaucrats
at all levels of this over governed nation of ours !! it is not in the bureaucrats DNA to save or make money
they only know how to spend it!! “ YOURS!!!”.

However people if your happy with that then don’t whinge when you wake up one morning and find as that song sung by Tennessee Ernie Ford – “ Sixteens Tons ” states:

Quote: “ You load sixteen tons and what do you get ? another day older and deeper in debt St Peter don’t you call me because I can’t go I owe my soul to the company store ” Unquote.

Quote: “ The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch and do nothing” unquote.
                Albert Einstein.

Sir Mike Howe – but you can call me Mike. scroll down.

POEM FOR THOSE OF A CERTAIN AGE

I remember the cheese of my childhood,and the bread that we cut with a knife,

When the children helped with the housework,And the men went to work, not the wife.

The cheese never needed a fridge
And the bread was so crusty and hot,
The children were seldom unhappy
And Mum was the center of the lot.

I remember the milk from the bottle,
With the yummy cream on the top,
Our dinner came hot from the oven,
And not from the fridge; in the shop.

The kids were a lot more contented,
They didn't need money for kicks,
Just a game with their mates in the road,And sometimes the Saturday flicks.

I remember the shop on the corner,
Where a pen'orth of sweets was sold
Do you think I'm a bit too nostalgic?
Or is it....I'm just getting old?

I remember the 'loo' was the lavy
And the bogey man came in the night,
It wasn't the least bit funny
Going "out back" with no light.

The interesting items we perused,
From the newspapers cut into squares,
And hung on a peg in the loo,
It took little to keep us amused.

The clothes were boiled in the copper,With plenty of rich foamy suds,But the ironing seemed never ending,As Mum pressed everyone's 'duds'.

I remember the slap on my backside,
And the taste of soap if I swore
Anorexia and diets weren't heard of
And we hadn't much choice what we wore.

Do you think that bruised our ego?Or our initiative was destroyed?
We ate what was put on the table
And I think life was better enjoyed.

But a huge fact not hereto mentioned
In this mushy tale of nostalgic rejoice,the reason we all "enjoyed" our lot wasthat we had NO BLOODY CHOICE!!!!

Unlike Aussies today in our abundance of riches and our
switch on! switch off! chuck away society and the soft
bellied, Tax Payer funded welfare dependent Nation we
have become where the use of scarce Tax Payers funds is regarded as a right and an entitlement not a privilege.

Sir Mike's Comments

Sunday 24 January 2016

" Poem for those of a certain age "

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