tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90542098298688996272008-07-25T11:11:44.411-07:00Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526351081081042485noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054209829868899627.post-3059579922055663232008-04-04T08:37:00.001-07:002008-04-04T08:37:56.977-07:00Is India the best place to live and why? Will it be in 20 years time?Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526351081081042485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054209829868899627.post-70359499859779718292008-04-04T08:36:00.000-07:002008-04-04T08:37:06.362-07:00Is Norway the best place to live and why, will it be the same in 20 years time?Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526351081081042485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054209829868899627.post-25397020744873049972008-04-04T08:33:00.000-07:002008-04-04T08:34:29.332-07:00Why is Canada the best place to live, and will it be in 20 years time?Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526351081081042485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054209829868899627.post-14709939732829911582008-04-02T09:19:00.000-07:002008-04-03T01:43:23.911-07:00Where is the best place to live? As a business owner in the UK I can see it being more difficult to run businesses here. We seem to have a mentality that's a bit messed up (of course I may well be missing something and be completely wrong). Over the last 10 years I have seen employment costs sky rocket. It's great that we have minimum wages etc, but what people don't seem to realise is we want better incomes but at the same time want services and products to be cheaper!!! This two don't work unless of course you manufacture in places like China. Most businesses biggest costs are labour, you want a higher minimum wage then you must be prepared to pay for it.<br /><br />The fact is in the UK we will find it difficult to manufacture and produce goods, because no one wants to pay the real price it costs to make it.<br /><br />I am in the fortunate position I own several businesses in India, this has certainly helped my UK business. There is no way in hell I could achieve half the things I've done if I employed people in the UK as I could quite simply not afford it. I remember saying this to a local council guy and his comment was "yeah it's all child labour over there". The fact is everyone I employ is highly qualified and on good wages compared to most in the area they live. I bet you though the guy who said it to me does not think about where his shoes, socks, trousers, shirts were made? Where the tyres come from for his car, I could go on and on. The fact is the PAYE cost for my company in the UK to employ 10 people equates to employ 30 full time members in India for 2 months (that's just the PAYE). So where would you invest your money as a company?<br /><br />The housing market has not only made it difficult for first time buyers but also for Businesses. There are very few office premises where we are. If you want to convert a private dwelling into an office, there are so many regulations now it's not worth it. Any land that comes up for sales is over priced for business use, only residential property developers can make it profitable.<br /><br />My point being is I'm not sure what the UK will have to offer the rest of world in the future? It really worries me as I have 2 young children and I'm not sure I want to bring them up in the UK. People have said things like what about the benefits of the NHS. That's a good point, but when you actually look at it, you pay so much in taxes to cover such services that any country I moved to, I could pay for top health insurance and it would still cost me a fraction of what I pay in taxes here.<br /><br />I now see many Indian companies learning from us and saying we don't need the UK any longer we can do it ourselves.... and you know what they are right. You only have to look at TATA!!<br /><br />As always would love to hear peoples comments!!!Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526351081081042485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9054209829868899627.post-28037676880573239062008-03-31T08:35:00.000-07:002008-04-03T01:47:44.077-07:00Having two young kids, like many parents, I am starting to look at life differently, my goals and ambitions have changed over the last few years. Today I am now seriously thinking where in the world would the best place be to live and bring up my children. My question to the people in the know is where on Earth would be the best place to live in 20yrs time.<br /><br />As a planet we are running out of resources, so what will be the first resources to go? I heard someone say that if the whole world moved onto Nuclear power, there would only be about 10yrs worth of resource left to produce the materials for nuclear power stations. Solar power is also not a long term option as the materials for making the cells would also run out very quickly. So which country has the most natural resources?<br /><br />Would love to hear peoples thoughts. Please leave a comment.Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11526351081081042485noreply@blogger.com