Big Mistake!

PERTH – An SAS trooper collecting toys for children was stabbed when he helped
stop a suspected shoplifter in east Perth .

The ‘Toys-R-Us’ Store Manager told ‘The West Australian’ that man was seen on
surveillance cameras last Friday putting a laptop under his jacket at the store.

When confronted, the man became irate, knocked down an employee, pulled a knife
and ran toward the door.
Outside were four SAS Troopers collecting toys for the “Toys For Tots” program.

Smith said the Troopers stopped the man, but he stabbed one of them, in the back.
The cut did not appear to be severe. What happened next?

Tax! (2)

Let’s think about taxes in a different way. Let’s consider what happens to money in the real World. I put up a comment on Zen’s post about taxes that pointed out that just one major company in the UK contributed half as much, on it’s own, to scientific research as the Government did in it’s entirety. But there’s more. Private enterprise at all levels does one thing successfully, (or goes out of business,) it takes money and adds value to it. It provides things to the community, money, yes buckets of of it, and lots of them, to the families of the people who help them make it all happen (known as employees); and as if that’s not enough, they pay more than a third of all they get after that to the people of the nation (its called tax). The things the enterprise provides also generate more added value as they are moved and traded, providing benefits to the peopl who do the movin’ and tradin.’ More than that they increase the social stock of the country by developing people, educating them and training them – or, more correctly, providing the opportunities for education, training and development.

And Government? Continue reading “Tax! (2)”

the economic benefits of public health

The discussion about public funding and its history got me delving into the literature. I thought Boadicea, Zen, and the other participants might be interested in this.

Basically it says the perceived need for public health, and sanitation in particular, was driven by the economic benefits of having a healthy workforce

http://www.lboro.ac.uk/well/resources/Publications/Briefing%20Notes/BN%20Learning.htm

Diary of an Ironman Marshal

 

Not me

Some of you may remember my post where I told you that we (Autism Eastern Cape) were offered a cool 5 grand for marshaling various intersections during this years Ironman Africa.

Here’s how it went:

5:00 As I reversed the car out of the garage I noted the temperature, 20°C, lovely, not a breath of air, it’s going to be a beautiful day.

5:45 Arrived at my station, Hannes was already there (he lives a lot closer than I do), unpacked my camping chairs, grabbed my flask of tea and got comfortable on the grass verge. There were already 4 or 5 young black teenagers present dressed in the volunteer caps and shirts, they told me that they were from the local school.

It was still dark, a pal of mine when hearing of our exercise had donated me two brand new ‘high-viz vests’ we put them on.

6:00 There’s a lot of traffic, Continue reading “Diary of an Ironman Marshal”

University displeasure.

Today a joint student-faculty strike was called in opposition to cuts to California’s university and college budget. The strike received a great deal of publicity, at least on campus. In the end it was simply a noisy nuisance. My primary professor, whose class I had at the time the walk-out, continued to lecture as usual and class went on much as it always has. Well, except for the noise-patrol chanting the same tired slogans from the 1960s over and over again. “Affordable quality education is a human right”.

No, a basic education is a universal right — university is a privilege. Frankly, it is a privilege too freely given to the inept and hopeless. There should, in fact, be fewer spaces available and fewer programmes offered. That taxes go to support degrees in dance, theatre management, and “liberal studies” is simply beyond and rationale. If people wish to learn to dance, by all means they should — there are always a number of private dance academies that offer lessons, some at reasonable prices. If people wish to learn theatre management they should be allowed to — at theatres and private schools. Studying Japanese is a hobby, so I take it privately at both a language school and with a tutor. My whim, my money, my time. As for cost… Grants pay for my tuition and even then there is money left over. My debts are incurred not because of university fees, but because I insisted on living in one of the USA’s most expensive cities and having my own flat.

As for liberal studies… If students are so utterly inept as not to be able to choose a primary course of study, why should they be allowed to create one for themselves? Am I supposed to somehow, hearing the plight of mediocre dance students whose marks in actual subjects such as language, history, and the sciences, be moved?

Perhaps unsupported accusations that the chancellor of the California State University system is corrupt and spelling his name as (G)reed. Is he inept, clueless, and out of his depth? Likely so, yes. These points are subjective and can be argued either way. But to label him as corrupt? That is somewhat more an objective term, one with legal definitions. Actually, libel as legal definitions, too. Rant over.

Relationship with the Banks!

A number of UK Banks, especially RBS, Lloyds and Santander , have banded together to express their gratitude to the British people for helping them out in their time of need.
They have commissioned a limited edition commemorative pencil sharpener which will be offered to selected customers in gratitude for the billions of pounds profit they got out of us last year.
It’s designed to remind us of the friendly and, even intimate relationship the banks have built up with the British public.