I read in the papers today an article on the massive and what most of us would say obscene bonus payouts to the *ankers who work at Goldman Sachs...It wasn't the payouts that bothered me but rather the fact that Goldmans have decided to cut the money they give to charities this year. As I read this article I really felt angry and then sad that these large banks can earn so much money, pay out so much money to their staff and yet for those who are so less fortunate; they take away and deny.
This got me thinking; who really benefits from this huge payout; well we know the *ankers do, and we know the banks and institutions do, but through the 50% taxes that most of these city *ankers will pay;the government also stands to make alot of money from these bonuses.
So whose responsibility is it to look after the less fortunate and by this I mean charities? Is it the city folk, is it the banks or is it the governments? Now I am not sitting here all high and mighty suggesting that I give lots of time and or give loads of money to a good cause every week because we don't; but between myself and my wife we do what we can to help the real world.
Do you?
It can then be argued by the city folk and banks why should we care; we do enough! Yes; may be you do; but when the average payout is in excess of £270K per employee and cuts are made to charities one could argue there is a massive in balance in this world we live in. Is the worth of these young *ankers really worth more than a Charity that provides food or water to children, is the new £100K car more important than a charity that provide heat to the elderly; I for one feel so sad today that many hard working charity workers, social care workers and life angels are paid so little and give so much back.
The Institutions are too blame, they breed these people, nurture them into greed loving machines...you cant blame the young and middle managers as they are lured into this world of wealth, flash clothes and false attitudes. If the institution doesn't care then why should its people.
I haven't stopped thinking about this today, I only ask that whoever reads my words take a moment and do something special tomorrow... Go to a charity shop and give £1 or as much as you can spare...please. Let us show the city that we are the humans here, that we care for the fellow man, that we are not money hungry animals who fend only for themselves. If we were all to do this small generous act, then we would make a massive difference, we would keep a child fed and we would help keep the cold out for an elderly person.
From me to you..Thank you!
Thursday, 20 January 2011
Saturday, 8 January 2011
Saturday Night Saviour
I wasn't planning on writing my next blog so soon, however; on Saturday night in my local Indian restaurant. Whilst waiting for my order, I experienced a heart warming and true "Keep It Real" event.
My last two blogs have been about the lack of "keeping it real" by the Arabs & closer to home... *ankers and I have to say my opinions have slanted towards highlighting their pathetic behaviours and uber arrogance which is due to having some money.
Tonight whilst in my local Indian, a family much like my own of a father and 2 sons were sitting behind me and they were enjoying a drink whilst awaiting their large family takeaway. It was a Saturday night and it was busy. After some time the waiter announced that the father/sons take way was ready. The family walked over to the till to pay the bill and one by one they had realised they had all comically forgotten their wallets and left the house with no money.
They started to talk in Gujarati (my mother tongue) saying "how did this happen & what shall we do now?"... At which point two other men who were waiting; one of them stepped in and said in Gujarati "don't worry, I will cover it and you can send me the money later"...
There was some discussion and finally the addresses and mobile numbers exchanged, the £46 bill was settled by a complete random stranger. I was so surprised and started to scope this generous person up and down, he was wearing designer togs and had the typical Indian mans "Mercedes" key fob in his hands. One would surmise he was well off, judging by his outward appearance, but unlike many people with this look, he demonstrated tonight the true essence of this blog.....
I really felt hope and happy that people like this existed, people who trusted and helped out complete strangers, knowing fair well that he may never see his £46 again. It wasn't just the fact that he paid for this family, but he smiled and laughed as if it was OK and these things happen. He made the family feel on par and level with him. I don't know if i would have stepped into help, maybe I would have and this would have been a truly nice test for me. But this stranger made me realise that I could have easily and it is OK to help and not expect back.
What is it about people (well off or not) that makes them want to give back? A selfless action with no expectations or a helping hand to walk someone cross the road? Where does this come from? Is it a cultural thing, is it innate or is it just basic human kindness? It made me think that I should look inside myself, take stock of what happened this evening and go out and help someone, be it pay for someones bill, let someone out of the door first or for me not to expect anything back from someone who I have helped.
My last two blogs have been about the lack of "keeping it real" by the Arabs & closer to home... *ankers and I have to say my opinions have slanted towards highlighting their pathetic behaviours and uber arrogance which is due to having some money.
Tonight whilst in my local Indian, a family much like my own of a father and 2 sons were sitting behind me and they were enjoying a drink whilst awaiting their large family takeaway. It was a Saturday night and it was busy. After some time the waiter announced that the father/sons take way was ready. The family walked over to the till to pay the bill and one by one they had realised they had all comically forgotten their wallets and left the house with no money.
They started to talk in Gujarati (my mother tongue) saying "how did this happen & what shall we do now?"... At which point two other men who were waiting; one of them stepped in and said in Gujarati "don't worry, I will cover it and you can send me the money later"...
There was some discussion and finally the addresses and mobile numbers exchanged, the £46 bill was settled by a complete random stranger. I was so surprised and started to scope this generous person up and down, he was wearing designer togs and had the typical Indian mans "Mercedes" key fob in his hands. One would surmise he was well off, judging by his outward appearance, but unlike many people with this look, he demonstrated tonight the true essence of this blog.....
I really felt hope and happy that people like this existed, people who trusted and helped out complete strangers, knowing fair well that he may never see his £46 again. It wasn't just the fact that he paid for this family, but he smiled and laughed as if it was OK and these things happen. He made the family feel on par and level with him. I don't know if i would have stepped into help, maybe I would have and this would have been a truly nice test for me. But this stranger made me realise that I could have easily and it is OK to help and not expect back.
What is it about people (well off or not) that makes them want to give back? A selfless action with no expectations or a helping hand to walk someone cross the road? Where does this come from? Is it a cultural thing, is it innate or is it just basic human kindness? It made me think that I should look inside myself, take stock of what happened this evening and go out and help someone, be it pay for someones bill, let someone out of the door first or for me not to expect anything back from someone who I have helped.
Thursday, 6 January 2011
The *ankers in the city
What is it with these new breed of high earning, high city fliers and city go getter's...We have been told by the media that the world is in the poor financial state that it is because of the mess and dodgy dealings caused by the men in their TM Lewin shirts, Church's shoes, and crisp tailor made Saville row suits...namely the *ankers in the city or square mile.
Businesses, small and large have suffered a terrible fate, gone out of business as banks are no longing lending or lending at silly high rates and ordinary people are left to pay to bail out these big financial institutions. Yet, the bonuses keep on rolling in and the city folk still walking around as if nothing is wrong.
And I guess why should it be; for if you go into the city bars and just listen you will hear the young, arrogant and more then often loud *anker talk of his/her large bonus, what car they have just ordered and how expensive their latest watch is.
The interesting thing is the average *anker earns just as much a an average IT contractor, yet you don't see the IT contractor giving it the large, so where does this attitude come from? Is it the financial institutions themselves or the top level management who are the biggest *ankers and push this disgusting behaviour down to the junior *ankers?
As always, to make it real for me, my 30 year lawyer cousin came around to the house to see my daughter and in conversation; I asked, "how is dating going"? To which she replied, she met a few Asian *ankers in a bar in London, and as much as she tried to have a civil and normal conversation with them, unfortunately their self absorbed *anker traits took precedent and sure enough they started going on about their designer togs and how much one of them was going to earn this year. Looking disappointed, my cousin carried onto say "what is the world coming to, I didn't mind that they were doing well, but they just kept on going on about it".
Why don't these city folk look at themselves and be sensitive to the world they have damaged and mess created, the businesses they have single handily closed and families left hungry and broken. I, like many others have no time for these folk, they have lost all sense of reality and need to keep things real. "Earn the money city folks", we don't have an issue with that, "wear the clothes and drive the cars", we don't care! Just keep it in perspective, be sensitive to the people around you and to those you speak to and be humble because you are people who determine the financial world we normal people live in and it is your actions that will mean the difference between someone surviving or not.
Businesses, small and large have suffered a terrible fate, gone out of business as banks are no longing lending or lending at silly high rates and ordinary people are left to pay to bail out these big financial institutions. Yet, the bonuses keep on rolling in and the city folk still walking around as if nothing is wrong.
And I guess why should it be; for if you go into the city bars and just listen you will hear the young, arrogant and more then often loud *anker talk of his/her large bonus, what car they have just ordered and how expensive their latest watch is.
The interesting thing is the average *anker earns just as much a an average IT contractor, yet you don't see the IT contractor giving it the large, so where does this attitude come from? Is it the financial institutions themselves or the top level management who are the biggest *ankers and push this disgusting behaviour down to the junior *ankers?
As always, to make it real for me, my 30 year lawyer cousin came around to the house to see my daughter and in conversation; I asked, "how is dating going"? To which she replied, she met a few Asian *ankers in a bar in London, and as much as she tried to have a civil and normal conversation with them, unfortunately their self absorbed *anker traits took precedent and sure enough they started going on about their designer togs and how much one of them was going to earn this year. Looking disappointed, my cousin carried onto say "what is the world coming to, I didn't mind that they were doing well, but they just kept on going on about it".
Why don't these city folk look at themselves and be sensitive to the world they have damaged and mess created, the businesses they have single handily closed and families left hungry and broken. I, like many others have no time for these folk, they have lost all sense of reality and need to keep things real. "Earn the money city folks", we don't have an issue with that, "wear the clothes and drive the cars", we don't care! Just keep it in perspective, be sensitive to the people around you and to those you speak to and be humble because you are people who determine the financial world we normal people live in and it is your actions that will mean the difference between someone surviving or not.
Monday, 3 January 2011
The Desert lands
Me and my family decided to go away for a 7 night break, and we decided to visit Abu Dhabhi in the middle east. Now; as many people know the Arabs have become very rich very quickly with the finding of Oil some 60 years ago and with this new wealth there has come a new uber level of arrogance and rudeness.
I was expecting a certain level of rudeness and snobbery, however, after day 2 of exploring outside of our hotel; it became very clear that the locals looked down on anybody who wasn't English (white skinned or a fellow Arab). And here was my problem...you see; if you took a closer look at the middle east, and peeled back the artificial palms trees, man made sea fronts and all the glitz; you will find that the core backbone of the UAE is formed and built by Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Philipino's...It it these people who are the reason why we tourists see what we see in the splendour of the 7* Emirates Hotel, the new super highways and all the other many reasons you would visit the UAE. Yet, why do the local Arabs treat the low working class so badly?
To make it real for me, myself and my wife who are both Indian and being a British born Indian, I am both proud of India and equally proud of the UK for the equal chances the country gives to people of all classes. So when in a queue in a store waiting to pay, an English women walked straight past us and intended to pay ahead of us. At that point my wife in her well spoken English voice said "Excuse me, there is a line here", to which the woman realised we weren't local Indians workers in the line but British tourists she replied "Oh excuse me, I didn't realise there was a line" and moved behind us.
At this point I realised that the money has really gone to all of this people heads; the way we felt discriminated was hard to accept and also made us feel very angry; yet the local working force accept this kind of behaviour everyday by the local Arabs and people with more money and they have a grin and bear it. The workers are not there because they want to be for the small money and attitude they get but because they need to support their families back home.
The sad thing was, my daughter, an innocent beautiful soul aged 15 months only would wave to passers by with a lovely smile and not one single local Arab had the basic decency to smile/wave back at her, but instead looked at her as if she was just another not "worthy human being". As a parent this was difficult to watch but also made me realise these young Arab teens driving around in the $$$$$$ super cars were desert people not so long ago and common courtesy can not be brought with money, it is a positive human trait, something we either want to share or don't. Clearly, with these people and I suppose many new wealthly people, arrogance and rudeness are now part of their new human traits.
So why do people with money behave with this attitude, that they are holier then thou, that their shit doesn't smell, that they are better then others. The thing is , most people don't mind that people are rich and in fact; I for one in some ways aspire to that better lifestyle and trappings that are associated with more money; however, I Keep It Real, as I am sure many of us do when we are on this journey of making money.
I was expecting a certain level of rudeness and snobbery, however, after day 2 of exploring outside of our hotel; it became very clear that the locals looked down on anybody who wasn't English (white skinned or a fellow Arab). And here was my problem...you see; if you took a closer look at the middle east, and peeled back the artificial palms trees, man made sea fronts and all the glitz; you will find that the core backbone of the UAE is formed and built by Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Philipino's...It it these people who are the reason why we tourists see what we see in the splendour of the 7* Emirates Hotel, the new super highways and all the other many reasons you would visit the UAE. Yet, why do the local Arabs treat the low working class so badly?
To make it real for me, myself and my wife who are both Indian and being a British born Indian, I am both proud of India and equally proud of the UK for the equal chances the country gives to people of all classes. So when in a queue in a store waiting to pay, an English women walked straight past us and intended to pay ahead of us. At that point my wife in her well spoken English voice said "Excuse me, there is a line here", to which the woman realised we weren't local Indians workers in the line but British tourists she replied "Oh excuse me, I didn't realise there was a line" and moved behind us.
At this point I realised that the money has really gone to all of this people heads; the way we felt discriminated was hard to accept and also made us feel very angry; yet the local working force accept this kind of behaviour everyday by the local Arabs and people with more money and they have a grin and bear it. The workers are not there because they want to be for the small money and attitude they get but because they need to support their families back home.
The sad thing was, my daughter, an innocent beautiful soul aged 15 months only would wave to passers by with a lovely smile and not one single local Arab had the basic decency to smile/wave back at her, but instead looked at her as if she was just another not "worthy human being". As a parent this was difficult to watch but also made me realise these young Arab teens driving around in the $$$$$$ super cars were desert people not so long ago and common courtesy can not be brought with money, it is a positive human trait, something we either want to share or don't. Clearly, with these people and I suppose many new wealthly people, arrogance and rudeness are now part of their new human traits.
So why do people with money behave with this attitude, that they are holier then thou, that their shit doesn't smell, that they are better then others. The thing is , most people don't mind that people are rich and in fact; I for one in some ways aspire to that better lifestyle and trappings that are associated with more money; however, I Keep It Real, as I am sure many of us do when we are on this journey of making money.
A little about me...and why write this blog?
So why write this blog at all, who cares, who gives a 2 pence worth...well; I believe like myself, there are so many people out there who are fed up and a little annoyed at the way the slightly well off, getting there well off or very rich behave towards the fellow man kind!
Before we begin this journey; I guess I should let you know a little about me... I am 35 years, earn a decent living, live in a nice part of the world, go on fairly decent holidays and have what some would say is a fairly middle class lifestyle...so why bother write about people with money (when one could say..."your doing alright")...what is bothering you so much about this and people who are either rolling in it or are on the path to making loads of it....well, it is very simple....
I don't care that you are rich...Just Keep It Real...rich people! Between me and my wife we earn a fair amount of money..but we keep it real, we smile, are friendly towards everyone (rich and less fortunate), are not arrogant and this is what this blog is about...for myself and many like me to shout out about the other half and their pathetic behaviours towards other cultures, castes, religions, working class etc...when they have some money...so enjoy and have your say!
Before we begin this journey; I guess I should let you know a little about me... I am 35 years, earn a decent living, live in a nice part of the world, go on fairly decent holidays and have what some would say is a fairly middle class lifestyle...so why bother write about people with money (when one could say..."your doing alright")...what is bothering you so much about this and people who are either rolling in it or are on the path to making loads of it....well, it is very simple....
I don't care that you are rich...Just Keep It Real...rich people! Between me and my wife we earn a fair amount of money..but we keep it real, we smile, are friendly towards everyone (rich and less fortunate), are not arrogant and this is what this blog is about...for myself and many like me to shout out about the other half and their pathetic behaviours towards other cultures, castes, religions, working class etc...when they have some money...so enjoy and have your say!
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