Anyone having a day off today?
Y’know… they could easily solve the pensions crisis by bringing back The Black Death or something. Would create employment too… Grave Diggers, House Clearers etc… 
Fk - Even something “outside the box” - like getting rid of Jamies School dinners & replacing them with Turkey Twizzlers AGAIN - might help :D
Well I don’t actually work on Thursdays - however went doen to the picket line at my college as i know a few people there 100% support from teachers and students alike
Whats the trade off though?
I’d seriously love to see a fkn pie-chart of people who would prefer to die at the same age as their forefathers…
rather than live… & have to experience job cuts / pay decreases / changes to pensions & increasing of retirement age AND a general deterioration of living standards.
I’d love to see how many people would say… YES - I’ll go early 
Then… 20years down the road… there will be all these Companies advertising:
“Missold your Death? - Death Fighters 4U will investigate on your behalf on a no win, no fee basis…” :hehe:
Honestly though - I’d love to see how many people would offset their life for a better standard of living.
In this case, the poor must eat cake - but it looks as if you can’t have your cake & eat it. Tough times ahead.
Well the poor liive less longer anyway - due to ****e cheap food, long physical jobs usually suplemented by overtime - which leads to stress related ilnsses etc etc - so people are given the choice - don’t be working class
Plus the money is their just in the wrong peoples pockets
Please…the motto here is “die quickly.” That way, all the money that went into your pension and social security and everything else DOESN’T have to be paid. Actually, I’m leaving this thread. I woke up in a good mood and plan to stay that way. :P:D
J
Yeah… but its not the “Classical” Poor that we are talking about here.
The middle class are the new poor … and the working class - fk knows what tag they’ve got now.
The people being affected by this arent the lowest socio-economic group (just yet).
They’d be middle class? They have pensions?
Surely they are educated & know thats its cheaper (and healthier) to buy fresh food & cook it rather than buy sh!te in Iceland… eh well, maybe Iceland is a bad example - but you can live very cheaply on fresh food if you cook it yerself.
Working hard & doing overtime doesnt hurt as long as you are not abusing your body, filling it with junk food and smoking loads & drinking yr head off. That catches up with anyone.
Thats where intelligence should kick in. These people - If they have a decent job / life now… surely will carry that with them regardless. If not its natural selection & good luck to them!
I dont work atm… and I’ll tell ya, I dont eat anything out of a box or thats been processed in a factory. I’d say I’ve never ate better in fact. Just cos I’ve got less money - I havent switched my brain off (totally :hehe: ).
To address some of those points
Yes the middle class is being hit hard and we certainly at the CAB nationally have seen an increase of middle class clients on the usual issues that the less off usually come in for - however their has been an even more increase of what you call the lowest socio-economic group which is generally debt problems (these are working families)
Also with the drastic cuts in benefits for working families also is a worrying issue - where people can simply not afford their mortgage since they were only just making ends meet - we predict a large number of repossessions when the interest rate finally goes up
Agreed their is nothing wrong working hard and doing overtime - however the UK has the longest working hours in europe (this was when I last looked) and the majority of that is unpaid (I can certainly vouch for this myself) but overtime was mean’t to be a bonus for workers not the only method of paying the rent etc.
Now on the food issue - someone who say works 70 hours a week in London and commutes may simply not have the time or energy to buy and cook fresh food despite knowing it is the healthy option
Also the effect of working such long hours and commuting on under funded transport systems is also going to lead to stress like illnesses as well as put pressure on that persons family. partner and children so we have seen on a local level an increase on domestic abuse cases and relationship issues
As for working class health I don’t have the stats with me but I attended a Primary Health Trust workshop on an area near me which even I am afraid too walk around at night - due too deprivation, under funding, poor housing etc etc - their life longativity is roughly 10% lower than in the rest of the county - obviously there are going to be number off issues, health education, workless generation families, poor public transport under funding in most ares etc etc - with all this going on there is bound to be an increase in drinking and substance abuse as residents in this area simply have nothing else to do
I can’t tell ya what the answer is but to me common sense says if you want to boost an economy you need to put cash into it rather than what ours yours and other countries who are struggling is actually withdrawing money which long term effect will hit the private sector too
Yeah man… the whole thing is fkd. Theres no right section of society to hit.
Unpaid overtime - WTF is that?! Sounds like slave labour to me. Obviously happens though.
True about the working long hours thing Vs. Food - but I dont really accept it totally, cos my Wife commutes to her job & brings a healthy lunch every day. Thats because she doesnt want to eat cr ap in the canteen in work. Its healthier (much nicer) & also saves money. She works between 65 - 70hrs per wk (works when travelling)… suppose thats a kind of unpaid overtime right there.
Never thought about the excercise thing actually… if its not safe to go for a walk etc… in the evening. Thats just made me realise how lucky I am to live where I live. Fk’s sake. I’ve just got a bike with a seat on the back for my Son… We go out every evening. Would be miserable if I couldnt do that.
If only we could siphon the cash out of our 2 countries & buy an Island somewhere & start again.
ASBO’s not invited.
I was going to type that maybe your missus is educated ICN - but then she married you 
[quote]slender (30/06/2011)[hr]I was going to type that maybe your missus is educated ICN - but then she married you :D[/quote]
Twice - Long (and expensive) story :w00t:
[quote]ICN (30/06/2011)[hr][quote]slender (30/06/2011)[hr]I was going to type that maybe your missus is educated ICN - but then she married you :D[/quote]
Twice - Long (and expensive) story :w00t:[/quote]
In that case she needs medical help 
But you are right commuting is a kind of unpaid work