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As its nearly our 1st birthday, I thought I’d go back to some of the old resources I used in my very first blog. Henry David Thoreau tells us exactly why we should have a vision, and apply some action. The sky’s the limit baby!

“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.”
       - Henry David Thoreau

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As boring as sitting in a lecture about taxation was, I actually found some interesting findings.

From figures based in 2005-06, take one guess what came top of the list…..

Well it was income tax at a heafty £154billion! Yes those of us who complain that tax is either too high, those which have been taxed and shouldn’t have… or like me you just stick your fingers in your ears when you hear the ‘t’ word.

Next up its National insurance or NI. Something which we’re all familiar of. At £97billion, it doesn’t favour those who are lower earners.

Corporation Tax is at £47billion. Surprisingly low for the UK due to competition with the rest of Europe and to attract more Murdoch’s and Branson’s to invest in the country.

Other notable areas on the list were VAT at £81billion (an increase since the early 1990s) and Council Tax which is only £24billion… Ok maybe it’s still a lot of money!

So the UK does generate a fair bit of money, a lot of which goes back into health (£105billion), Education (£78billion), and many others.

A lot of billions to take in I’m sure. I actually feel slightly short changed now. Theres plenty more figures on the National Statistics website.

It does feel strange waving goodbye to summer. Firstly because no one actually does it. Secondly as it’s still hot! And if you’re wondering, I am still in the UK! 

However… things move on.

Not sure if I’d class it as the best season, but as much as I like the sun and the snow and  the rain in Spring… Ok may be not the last part… but Autumn has to be cool.

Here’s a chinese poem by Wu Men called 10 000 which will brighten up your day. 

Wu Men - ’10 000′ 

Ten thousand flowers in spring,
the moon in autumn,
a cool breeze in summer,
snow in winter.

If your mind isn’t clouded
by unnecessary things,
this is the best season of your life.

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As it is Black History Month, it’s important we recognise a civil rights movement which inspired so many. I think the following quote by W. E. B. Du Bois is pinnacle not only back then but now in how we can strive to better ourselves. Du Bois’ work also involved being the first African American Man to receive a Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1895.

 “Now is the accepted time, not tomorrow, not some more convenient season. It is today that our best work can be done and not some future day or future year. It is today that we fit ourselves for the greater usefulness of tomorrow. Today is the seed time, now are the hours of work, and tomorrow comes the harvest and the playtime.”

- William Edward Burghardt Du Bois (1868-1963)