Latest Moan From You and Me 2024

When I was a student I got my first tax return. Being discalculic and also not having a clue about money (or really any money to have a clue about) I returned it with a scribbled note saying “Since you know more about my finances than I do, please complete the form for me. Thank you” I never got a tax return for over fifty years, by which time I’d found someone who could help me out.

 

I live in a big valley that was cut through many years ago, so i could be living under a ice sheet if we go back in time

 

Funding provided to any foreign Government should be directly controlled and supervised by the UK. Very little actually seems to get to where it's needed but those at the top become very rich indeed.

 

Can we have a list of all the countries that are giving us foreign aid.
Only we appear to be on our uppers if Starmer is to be believed and a few quid from somewhere to fill the much, and much, referred to 22 billion Black Hole would be appreciated.

 

Well you can count out the EU countries, sunshine

 

Ah but the official line would be 'if you hadn't, you'd all be wearing furry hats and drinking vodka by now'

 

Yeah they never gave us anything anyway, infact I think we were helping to prop them up, being a net contributor at the time.
Sunshine? what's that?

 

Furry hat I could probably put up with but Vodka, narr, I got drunk on that when I was a teenager, never touched the stuff since.

 

Eristoff do a lovely ginger-flavoured one. It's the nearest we get to ginger wine over here

 

"Climate Change" would really be better described as " Climate Changing Again" - the real issue is whether our activities have bought about the change we are now experiencing sooner rather than later. Some believe it has whilst others deny any form of responsibility whatsoever.
I heard this morning on the radio news that the coronation of Charles cost the taxpayer something in the region of £72 million. Don't know whether this is a true figure or not but surely popping a crown on someone's head can't be that expensive - or does the much vaunted British love of tradition outweigh any other consideration ? Likewise the late Queen's funeral - how much does it really cost to either pop someone in the ground or just burn them ?
Let's face it.........until the world leaders - be they Presidents, Prime Ministers, Royals or Dictators - stop trying to line their pockets and put available money to better use ( ie for their country ), things aren't really likely to change much.
Whilst we are constantly asked to donate aid to all sorts of charitable organisations - whether cash or otherwise - a lot ends up on the black market and it doesn't reach those who actually need it.
Many charities are undoubtedly worth our help but it's pretty useless unless it is used correctly.

 

I admit that the only charity I’m happy to support these days and feel confident the cash is going where it’s needed, is the Sally Army.

 

I dont see things like a coronation or a state funeral as personal to the person concerned, its part of the countries tradition, you could argue that we should drop tradition, but are we really going to stop what has gone on for centuries.

Its not like these go on every week, maybe we should stop the changing of the guard or trooping of the colour, but that wouldn't fill the 22 billion black hole.
Sorry, did I mention the black hole, for some reason I cant get that out of my head.