Joined: Aug 12 2002 Posts: 5064 Location: Not Didcot
Mintball wrote:We are, in general, worse off than we were 30 years ago.
That is a fact, pretty universally acknowledged.
I'm sure we all hark back to the halcyon days of:
JerryChicken wrote:The era ?
1974 to 1984, an era of complete political turmoil, an era of two recessions, of three day weeks, of long strike bound periods when we couldn't get any steel onto sites - and still the political will found a way to raise finance for these huge investments.
Joined: May 10 2002 Posts: 47951 Location: Die Metropole
SBR wrote:I'm sure we all hark back to the halcyon days of:
We were all better off then.
I suspect you know what I mean, but to clarify ...
The income gap has massively increased in that period. Only those at the very top have seen their incomes grow, for the rest, it's been a downward pattern, while the cost of living has also risen massively.
On the income gap: as has been mentioned – more than once – evidence reveals that, the wider the income gap, the worse outcomes for ALL in society on a range of social issues, from education to health to crime.
Mind, if you think that the massive rise in food banks, the Red Cross handing out food parcels in the UK, Save the Children Fund spending money in the UK as opposed to just collecting it, the demonisation of anyone who is poor or otherwise vulnerable (there has been a rise in attacks on those disabled scroungers) are somehow signs of a healthy society, you may need to think again.
"You are working for Satan." Kirkstaller
"Dare to know!" Immanuel Kant
"Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive" Elbert Hubbard
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." Oscar Wilde
Joined: May 25 2002 Posts: 37704 Location: Zummerzet, where the zoider apples grow
Ajw71 wrote:Right, so you want more houses built. It's happening now but somehow this is not good news?
Life must be wonderful in your simple, simpleton's world. Are you really that stupid?
The older I get, the better I was
Advice is what we seek when we already know the answer - but wish we didn't
I'd rather have a full bottle in front of me than a full-frontal lobotomy ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ kirkstaller wrote: "All DNA shows is that we have a common creator."
cod'ead wrote: "I have just snotted weissbier all over my keyboard & screen"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "No amount of cajolery, and no attempts at ethical or social seduction, can eradicate from my heart a deep burning hatred for the Tory Party. So far as I am concerned they are lower than vermin." - Aneurin Bevan
SBR wrote:I'm sure we all hark back to the halcyon days of:
We were all better off then.
I suppose it depends if you simply see being "better off" purely in terms of pounds, shillings and pence.
Life expectancy in the past 30 years has risen by 7 years, from approx 73 to approx 80.
The poor bugger who my brother among others is carer for (on his local authority zero hour contract), would never have the higher learning opportunities 30 years ago, in fact he probably wouldn't have the ability to actually breathe as the ridiculous levels of surgery he's had to endure probably woldn't have been available.
Joined: May 10 2002 Posts: 47951 Location: Die Metropole
BobbyD wrote:I suppose it depends if you simply see being "better off" purely in terms of pounds, shillings and pence...
You might well do, for some reason, if you're hoping that the local food bank can give you some food.
And as I pointed out above, evidence shows that the wider the income gap, the worse the social outcomes for ALL in society: ie health, crime, education etc.
"You are working for Satan." Kirkstaller
"Dare to know!" Immanuel Kant
"Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive" Elbert Hubbard
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." Oscar Wilde
Mintball wrote:You might well do, for some reason, if you're hoping that the local food bank can give you some food.
And as I pointed out above, evidence shows that the wider the income gap, the worse the social outcomes for ALL in society: ie health, crime, education etc.
10 years ago we had foodbanks. Before that I remember my Gran getting tins of "meat" (among other stuff) given to her, which she lovingly gave to us, which we lovingly gave to the dogs. (There didn't seem to be any sort of requirement needs taken into account, more, "You're a pensioner, have this") Before that I remember the Harvest Festival at church where people donated food which was doled out to the community. I suppose in an ideal world we wouldn't have foodbanks, but then we wouldn't have "Children in Need", the RSPCA etc etc. perhaps the Trussell Trust should find it's own equivalent of a one eyed bear or get people to sit in a bath of beans for a day every 12 months.
Joined: May 25 2002 Posts: 37704 Location: Zummerzet, where the zoider apples grow
BobbyD wrote:10 years ago we had foodbanks. Before that I remember my Gran getting tins of "meat" (among other stuff) given to her, which she lovingly gave to us, which we lovingly gave to the dogs. (There didn't seem to be any sort of requirement needs taken into account, more, "You're a pensioner, have this") Before that I remember the Harvest Festival at church where people donated food which was doled out to the community. I suppose in an ideal world we wouldn't have foodbanks, but then we wouldn't have "Children in Need", the RSPCA etc etc. perhaps the Trussell Trust should find it's own equivalent of a one eyed bear or get people to sit in a bath of beans for a day every 12 months.
Why am I getting this feeling of deja vu?
The older I get, the better I was
Advice is what we seek when we already know the answer - but wish we didn't
I'd rather have a full bottle in front of me than a full-frontal lobotomy ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ kirkstaller wrote: "All DNA shows is that we have a common creator."
cod'ead wrote: "I have just snotted weissbier all over my keyboard & screen"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "No amount of cajolery, and no attempts at ethical or social seduction, can eradicate from my heart a deep burning hatred for the Tory Party. So far as I am concerned they are lower than vermin." - Aneurin Bevan
Joined: May 10 2002 Posts: 47951 Location: Die Metropole
BobbyD wrote:... I suppose in an ideal world we wouldn't have foodbanks, but then we wouldn't have "Children in Need", the RSPCA etc etc. perhaps the Trussell Trust should find it's own equivalent of a one eyed bear or get people to sit in a bath of beans for a day every 12 months.
"You are working for Satan." Kirkstaller
"Dare to know!" Immanuel Kant
"Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive" Elbert Hubbard
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars." Oscar Wilde
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