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BILLIONAIRE DAVID KOCH, a major donor to the Republican party, has died at the age of 79.
Koch Industries, the Kansas-based energy and chemical company which he co-owned with his brother Charles, reported his death today.
“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of my brother David,” Charles said in a statement, according to US television network NBC.
“Anyone who worked with David surely experienced his giant personality and passion for life.”
In a tribute to him, Koch Industries said he contributed more than $1.3 billion to cancer research, medical centres and arts and cultural centres during his life.
According to Forbes, he was the 11th richest person in the world – tied with his brother- at the time of his death.
He previously survived a plane crash and was given five years to live when he was diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer 27 years ago.
The two brothers had a significant influence on the conservative movement in the US, and David ran for vice-president as a Libertarian candidate in 1980.
They founded Americans for Prosperity, a charity which has supported conservative presidential candidates who adhere to the ideals of a free-market and small government.
However, the group has frequently clashed with current President Donald Trump, particularly over his trade tariff policy.
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Hopefully they’ll get a reduction on their bill although the standing servicecharges
@Tommy Haze: The standing/service charge is what pays for connection/reconnection services.
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: The standing charge is how they really screw us. They get you to compare their prices against what little competition is in the market and make themselves look better.
Answer me this: If it’s for connection, why do all new houses have to pay massive connection charges.
When the network is in need of a major upgrade, why does the regulator add it on to customer bills. One of the current upgrades, smart meters has been added on to customers bills for the next 20 years. I wonder how they will all explain what will happen when the telecom networks switch off 2g on which these meters work.
@Donal Ronan: I heard the smart meters being installed in Ireland weren’t giving live data to yet esb which is bad enough but I never knew they were using the old mobile data network until now!
Hopefully it will just be a case of swapping in new sim cards, though even that would result in a large standing charge increase!
Was is it anything to do with the ESB lads heading off to France to repair the French infrastructure!
Will probably still apply.
No ESB,= No water, no heating, no cooking, thankfully I have a diesel car to get food and water.If Eamon and his clan get their way I would die of thirst,hunger,cold or abandonment.Roll on GE
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