Comments on: ‘None of the above’ http://www.johnband.org/blog/2008/12/15/none-of-the-above/ The idle musings of John B Thu, 09 Sep 2010 12:27:37 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: ajay http://www.johnband.org/blog/2008/12/15/none-of-the-above/comment-page-1/#comment-80298 ajay Fri, 19 Dec 2008 17:02:46 +0000 http://www.johnband.org/blog/?p=307#comment-80298 Or, better still - vote UKIP to get rid of useless quangos like the Medical Research Council, the Teacher Training Agency, the Ordnance Survey, the Met Office and the Food Standards Agency. Or, better still – vote UKIP to get rid of useless quangos like the Medical Research Council, the Teacher Training Agency, the Ordnance Survey, the Met Office and the Food Standards Agency.

]]> By: Neil http://www.johnband.org/blog/2008/12/15/none-of-the-above/comment-page-1/#comment-79945 Neil Wed, 17 Dec 2008 21:20:10 +0000 http://www.johnband.org/blog/?p=307#comment-79945 "Vote UKIP and we'll lay off at least one of your friends or relatives!" Genius. “Vote UKIP and we’ll lay off at least one of your friends or relatives!”

Genius.

]]> By: Alex http://www.johnband.org/blog/2008/12/15/none-of-the-above/comment-page-1/#comment-79919 Alex Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:55:36 +0000 http://www.johnband.org/blog/?p=307#comment-79919 <em>Commision for Equality and Human Rights (or whatever it’s called).</em> Glad to see you've checked all the details, rather than just pulling some stereotype fogey bollocks out of your arse! Commision for Equality and Human Rights (or whatever it’s called).

Glad to see you’ve checked all the details, rather than just pulling some stereotype fogey bollocks out of your arse!

]]> By: Matthew http://www.johnband.org/blog/2008/12/15/none-of-the-above/comment-page-1/#comment-79913 Matthew Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:55:37 +0000 http://www.johnband.org/blog/?p=307#comment-79913 No, I missed that bit. You pointy-heads and your inability to stay in the real bit. No, I missed that bit. You pointy-heads and your inability to stay in the real bit.

]]> By: John B http://www.johnband.org/blog/2008/12/15/none-of-the-above/comment-page-1/#comment-79911 John B Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:35:48 +0000 http://www.johnband.org/blog/?p=307#comment-79911 You know I'm talking about Dan's hypothetical society but with the median ages of retirement and death set to those in the UK, rather than the actual UK, right? You know I’m talking about Dan’s hypothetical society but with the median ages of retirement and death set to those in the UK, rather than the actual UK, right?

]]> By: Matthew http://www.johnband.org/blog/2008/12/15/none-of-the-above/comment-page-1/#comment-79909 Matthew Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:32:00 +0000 http://www.johnband.org/blog/?p=307#comment-79909 I'm not sure - what does the 19% represent? Private and public pensions? I’m not sure – what does the 19% represent? Private and public pensions?

]]> By: John B http://www.johnband.org/blog/2008/12/15/none-of-the-above/comment-page-1/#comment-79897 John B Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:49:23 +0000 http://www.johnband.org/blog/?p=307#comment-79897 Pensioners make up 32% of the adult population and 24% of national income, surely? Pensioners make up 32% of the adult population and 24% of national income, surely?

]]> By: Matthew http://www.johnband.org/blog/2008/12/15/none-of-the-above/comment-page-1/#comment-79895 Matthew Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:10:33 +0000 http://www.johnband.org/blog/?p=307#comment-79895 "in 2008, they represent 19%" Is that right? It would mean per pensioner share of national income is higher than other adults? “in 2008, they represent 19%”

Is that right? It would mean per pensioner share of national income is higher than other adults?

]]> By: Mark Wadsworth http://www.johnband.org/blog/2008/12/15/none-of-the-above/comment-page-1/#comment-79889 Mark Wadsworth Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:39:27 +0000 http://www.johnband.org/blog/?p=307#comment-79889 Neil, it might go down pretty well with the 41 million voters who aren't climate change officers or street football advisors or heads of Commision for Equality and Human Rights (or whatever it's called). Neil, it might go down pretty well with the 41 million voters who aren’t climate change officers or street football advisors or heads of Commision for Equality and Human Rights (or whatever it’s called).

]]> By: John B http://www.johnband.org/blog/2008/12/15/none-of-the-above/comment-page-1/#comment-79869 John B Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:21:48 +0000 http://www.johnband.org/blog/?p=307#comment-79869 "by definition, half the population dies below the median life expectancy." aye, but most people who die were seriously ill before they died. you've convinced me that I was wrong about needing the median age - however, 62.5 is still pretty close to the retirement age in your example. If we use your model, but put in the retirement and median death ages of the UK in 1950 and in 2008, life expectancy rises from 67.5 to 80 over the period, with a retirement age of 62.5 (because men are overrepresented in the real-life working population, that's probably a bit low - but they die sooner, so that offsets it, back-of-envelope-ishly). In 1950, pensions represent 5% of GDP; in 2008, they represent 19%. To get the claim on GDP back down to 5%, the retirement age needs to rise to 70.5. “by definition, half the population dies below the median life expectancy.”

aye, but most people who die were seriously ill before they died.

you’ve convinced me that I was wrong about needing the median age – however, 62.5 is still pretty close to the retirement age in your example.

If we use your model, but put in the retirement and median death ages of the UK in 1950 and in 2008, life expectancy rises from 67.5 to 80 over the period, with a retirement age of 62.5 (because men are overrepresented in the real-life working population, that’s probably a bit low – but they die sooner, so that offsets it, back-of-envelope-ishly).

In 1950, pensions represent 5% of GDP; in 2008, they represent 19%. To get the claim on GDP back down to 5%, the retirement age needs to rise to 70.5.

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