Monthly Archives: August 2017
Peter Fletcher
When we moved to our present home in 2004, we got to know our new neighbours, one of whom was Peter Fletcher. A gentleman approaching his 80th birthday, living on his own, having lost his wife to whom he was … Continue reading
What in a meal
In 1978, I was doing a Ph.D. in Electrical Metrology at the department of Electrical and Engineering and Electronics at UMIST (Manchester University) situated in the centre of the city. My supervisor was Dr John Rawcliffe. At the time his … Continue reading
Summer of 1972
In the summer of 1972, we have just finished our ‘A’ level exams. Having worked hard, we – that is myself and my good friends Walid & Saad -thought that we would reward ourselves with a 3-week holiday to Europe. To keep … Continue reading
Commute, Fate, & Regeneration
John Cunningham was the IT Manager at a client of mine in London’s West End. One day we were having a chat: Amir: Where in London do you live? John: I do not live in London, I live in Newcastle. Amir: Which Newcastle? … Continue reading
Manchester United
When I was a young lad, I remember my older brother telling me about this English football team, which was involved in an air crash, resulting in the death of many people including players. He went on to tell me … Continue reading
1979
I completed my B.Sc. degree in 1975, it was customary then for Iraqi scholarship students to carry on with their studies supported by the Iraqi government. So I and other fellow scholarship students moved on to doing our M.Sc. degrees. … Continue reading
Retirement and Pension Options
The summer budget of 2015 has given us more options as what to do with our pension pot than ever before. Here is a summary: 1. Lump sums: You can now take as much as you like from pension in one go, … Continue reading
1970
In the summer of 1970, I and some 30 young bright students were awarded 5-year scholarships to the study in the UK having achieved top marks at the Iraqi Baccalaureate examinations. Of course I had mixed emotions about such a … Continue reading
Mitigating Inheritance Tax (IHT)
With inheritance tax affecting thousands of families every year, you can’t assume your loved ones won’t be affected. For people who die with a certain level of wealth, a 40pc inheritance tax charge is levied against part of their estate. And … Continue reading
John Carden
In 1973, while studying for my engineering degree at Manchester University, I rented a studio flat in a house that belonged to a certain John Cardin. I stayed in that flat for 7 years during which time, John and I … Continue reading