So you're saying I'm at the bottom? Cheers! EDIT: Oh and people who class themselves as at the top, they are usually stuck up scumbags who look down on people, thinking they are superhuman just because they have more money. It's sick. I hate this b****y country and I'll freely say it.
Technically it was the right thing to do, trying to support ever increasingly massive institutions with ever increasing costs (nods at NHS) is only going to lead to higher taxes, it simply was not run efficiently under Governmental control. Unfortunately it didn't entirely get better under private control. Labour's policy of throwing money at a solution and hoping it will go away isn't helping matters. Technically I'm a middle class spoilt white boy, which is an annoying umbrella of a definition, even if it is one I cannot escape. The class structure is there to give people a place in the world, something definite, but it shouldn't be rigid and people should be freely allowed to traverse the structure. Middle to Upper class women (otherwise known as women who lunch) and their kids (usually annoyingly spoilt brats) get on my nerves, they don't treat everyone (usually only people in the same class) as human beings and that really really bugs me. The Euro well now theres a story. The Euro is closely tied in with the German economy (natch) and the interests rates rise and fall accordingly. This is fine for Germans, but not great for countries like Ireland whose economy isn't totally dead. Ireland have in recent years had to whack up taxes to stop their economy overheating, because naturally they have lost overall control over their economy. The Euro has fallen sharply against pretty much every currency and as yet hasn't proved it is a stable and viable proposition. The main problem I see is that the Euro isn't flexible, it is a huge restraining chain binding the countries that have submitted to it, it cannot possibly take into account the fluctuations and huge differences between cultures and economies. Its a macro scaled solution to a micro scaled problem. For those declaring patriotism to the pound, well its only been around for 30 odd years, so don't get too attached to it. The £s strength is causing significant damage to our exports and the likelihood of foreign investors staying/coming to this country to build their goods and ship them to Europe is dropping sharply. We have a problem, we need a solution, but I'm not entirely convinced the euro is it.
You're right, it needs reform. Major reform. Like, adopting the French system, where you pay what you can afford. It works, they have the best healthcare system in the world. Public here wouldn't go for it though, they are stingy enough about taxes as it is. But the costs of the NHS will keep spiralling with our increasingly elderly population, and something radical has to happen for it to support our changing demographic. There are snobs, and there are also inverted snobs who will dislike you if you don't happen to be working class. Class definitions are getting shakier however. Does a footballer, paid millions a year, count as middle or upper class, even if their dad was a manual labourer and they grew up in a rough council estate? Is it money or "breeding"? I never know, or care really.
I never meant to imply you were at the bottom m8! it is just my opinion of the situation. As for class being related to money, IMO it is actually the sum of far more than that. While it does have a little relevance, more importantly an individual's education, upbringing, morals, ideals, place of residence etc go far further in defining how a person will see themselves in the world!
Not to mention the vast numbers of people now taking up smoking, not taking regular exercise, kids drinking vast amounts, adults drinking vast amounts, people eating ever increasing amounts of fatty foods, then they demand to be treated for free when surprise they end up in hospital with lung cancer, heart problems, liver failure, unconcious and needing to have their stomach pumped... Part of the problem is no one at takes any damn responsibility for their actions, society as a whole as has ceased to care and the kids are absolutely focussed on the idea that to be part of the in crowd you have to start smoking, drinking and drug taking... not to mention the increase in violence that is leading to a lot more youths being hospitalised.
You've pretty much hit the nail on the head there... I get so wound up when someone I know is smoking/taking drugs, I really let rip on a mate when he was all impressed with himself cos he did drugs.. I don't mind drinking, although I don't smoke, drink or do drugs myself. I'm not stupid enough to smoke and I don't want to die early from drug abuse. Violence with youths has always been a problem, but it has esculated and people beat others up because they're in a different "crew" - Or because you're just different - which REALLY winds me up
we need to stop blaming the things that people do and BLAME THE PEOPLE......if ur stupid enough to smoke/do drugs...hell by all means roll over and die. theres nothing wrong with fatty foods, just people eat to much of them, blame the people not the food.....drinking well....drinking everynow and then isnt that bad, its those everyday for 20 years drinkers that usualy end up in bad shape.....hell my own father wuz a drinker and a smoker......it killed him, thats life.....alot of these so called "i did it to be part of the crowd" things are bs.....it all stems from home, if ur family is in chaos, then ur life will probably end up that way......IMO alot of the family problem/world problems especially in places like the us and uk come from people getting away from biblical ideals.....as i think ever sense the family structure kinda fell apart that the world has gone down hill pretty quickly...... i maybe just be 17 goin on 45, but those are my openions....and if u dotn like them, well thats life......get over it!
Even children from a solid respectable background can give in to peer pressure, some of the biggest drug areas in the UK are in rural districts as well as inner city areas. The family unit has dissolved, the kids are restless and society doesn't have an answer to keep them amused and out of harms way... or doesn't care enough to bother to investigate ways. Maybe the old addage "only the strong will survive" hasn't entirely been shaken, only now its moved from the physical to the mental.
yea but it depends on how the family is....most families that we see as solid and respectable are u usualy the most screwed up
what if we started charging (this is in NHS land now) ppl who seem to get lung cancer by smoking 60 a day. charge ppl who need their stomach pumped from drinking too much, or needing a new liver. see thats how i would like the NHS done. though quite near impossible. the class system works cept i hate the m,onarchy with a vengence. I also hate the rich not being taxed enough, we should tax them more. we should also put VAT way way way up on ciggarettes and make it harder for ppl to bring them back to the UK. drinking, well, i like drinking (don't like smoking) ermmm, yeah well not thought of that but tax should prolly go up some more. infact lets make the UK like calif. ban smoking, i hate it, and mobile phones (i have one) i hate mobiles, always going off in shops and everywhere. grrrrr. this makes little or no sense but one day it may come to it.. hmmmm i think i shouldn't of drank all that vodka. hicup
No. Don't ban mobiles. What if you were involved in an accident? Use the phone box across the road that has been smashed to little bits by yobs? No, I didn't think so. Mobile phones are essential - you gotta live with it. When BT decided they didn't like taking over an NTL line, we relied on our mobile phones to keep in contact with family. I agree with the rest though jaz
What caused the accident? Was it driving while talking on your mobile phone? I don't care if it was hands free. These idiots should be locked up.
Trust me that is a REALLY REALLY bad idea. Its been done before in this country and others, it causes a lot more problems than it creates. For example would you have a desire to earn more if you knew it was going to be all taken away from you?
