Yoof

[gus2]

Britains teenagers have one of the worst physical and emotional health in Europe. Out of a Unicef report using data from across Europe Britain came in 21st out of 25 countries. ( God help the last 4) Britains 15 year olds are Europes fattest. Only 66% of British children sit down to a meal with their parents, the lowest in Europe. 27% claim to be reguarly drunk, 38% use cannabis and over 33% have had sex.

Bring back the birch ;D

gus

[sandywinder]

Imagine being on a cruise ship (yes I'll get to the relevant bit soon) and it starts sinking. Would you prefer a lifeboat, a life jacket or knowing a hundred ways to treat jelly-fish stings?

Now let's use that as an analogy for our yoof.

They leave school with loads of certificates but are unemployable because their education is lacking in the basic skill of decent English and simple arithemtic. Nor do they have no skills that most employers want. They are cast adrift in a sea of mediocrity.

Contrast this with East Europe, where workers are trained at an early age as plumbers, builders, etc.

So is it any wonder that a lot of our yoof degenerate into casual unprotected sex,drug taking, alcoholism, self-harm, obesity, laziness, etc?

No problem should be looked at in isolation.

[Daz Madrigal]

True.

Now you can see why I like to nick/pinch/steal the posts on other boards. I have to find someone talking complete cobblers to get my morning fix of adrenaline.

Constant caffeine jolts aren't enough. A pox on those forums that have taken away mad rambling posts obviously influenced by daft rags like the Guardian and Independent.

Its akin to suffering a blood shortage when I've removed the stake and clambered out of the coffin like a modern day version of Nosferatu. Even Gus is talking sense nowadays..

[Daz Madrigal]

gus2 said:

Britains teenagers have one of the worst physical and emotional health in Europe. Out of a Unicef report using data from across Europe Britain came in 21st out of 25 countries. ( God help the last 4) Britains 15 year olds are Europes fattest. Only 66% of British children sit down to a meal with their parents, the lowest in Europe. 27% claim to be reguarly drunk, 38% use cannabis and over 33% have had sex.

Bring back the birch ;D

gus

The Labour Govt are tough on people eating cream cakes or smoking (in other words people hurting no-one but themselves) but are perfectly happy to open Pubs 24 hrs a day and loosen drug laws (where the takers are hurting US).

If anyone can explain this strange logic I'd be pleased to hear it.

[gus2]

madrigalman said:

gus2 said:

Britains teenagers have one of the worst physical and emotional health in Europe. Out of a Unicef report using data from across Europe Britain came in 21st out of 25 countries. ( God help the last 4) Britains 15 year olds are Europes fattest. Only 66% of British children sit down to a meal with their parents, the lowest in Europe. 27% claim to be reguarly drunk, 38% use cannabis and over 33% have had sex.

Bring back the birch ;D

gus

The Labour Govt are tough on people eating cream cakes or smoking (in other words people hurting no-one but themselves) but are perfectly happy to open Pubs 24 hrs a day and loosen drug laws (where the takers are hurting US).

If anyone can explain this strange logic I'd be pleased to hear it.

Although i am in favour of every pub, cafe, restaurant, whatever having a smoking or non-smoking policy and that they should be grown up enough to decide for themselves. I think you are maybe a bit hasty in saying that "hurting no one but themselves" do they not (the smokers and burger eaters) throw a strain on the NHS.
Solution: a pack of 20 cigs £50 each. Big Mac cheese burger 50£ french fries an option at 20£, Cola £35 a can with a £10 deposit on the can to make sure it doesn't land in someones garden. Of course sandy will object on the grounds of free markets.

gus

[mathilde]

Oh fcuk off gus, darling sweetie .

"throw a strain on the NHS"? If it's anything like it is here in Oz, we poor smokers pay such a horrendous level of "naughty" tax for every blimmin packet of fags that a week's worth of ciggy purchases'd keep the health service going for another 10 fcuking years.

And smoking is legal!

I really wish I'd chosen something illegal; heroin or crack cocaine or summat; as my addiction. Then the stupid stinken government'd be falling all over itself to give me lots of money, because I'd be a VICTIM rather than a VILLAIN.

As a mere nicotine addict, I get treated like the worst sh*t on earth, for paying well over the odds for my ::legal:: drug of choice.

I'm a bit cross about this, just in case you hadn't noticed.

[gus2]

mathilde said:

Oh fcuk off gus, darling sweetie .

"throw a strain on the NHS"? If it's anything like it is here in Oz, we poor smokers pay such a horrendous level of "naughty" tax for every blimmin packet of fags that a week's worth of ciggy purchases'd keep the health service going for another 10 fcuking years.

And smoking is legal!

I really wish I'd chosen something illegal; heroin or crack cocaine or summat; as my addiction. Then the stupid stinken government'd be falling all over itself to give me lots of money, because I'd be a VICTIM rather than a VILLAIN.

As a mere nicotine addict, I get treated like the worst sh*t on earth, for paying well over the odds for my ::legal:: drug of choice.

I'm a bit cross about this, just in case you hadn't noticed.

Well I do see your point but we have to tax some poor fookers to pay for our defence programme. and smokers are such an easy target ;D
PS: and motorists

gus

[mathilde]

gus2 said:

mathilde said:

Oh fcuk off gus, darling sweetie .

"throw a strain on the NHS"? If it's anything like it is here in Oz, we poor smokers pay such a horrendous level of "naughty" tax for every blimmin packet of fags that a week's worth of ciggy purchases'd keep the health service going for another 10 fcuking years.

And smoking is legal!

I really wish I'd chosen something illegal; heroin or crack cocaine or summat; as my addiction. Then the stupid stinken government'd be falling all over itself to give me lots of money, because I'd be a VICTIM rather than a VILLAIN.

As a mere nicotine addict, I get treated like the worst sh*t on earth, for paying well over the odds for my ::legal:: drug of choice.

I'm a bit cross about this, just in case you hadn't noticed.

Well I do see your point but we have to tax some poor fookers to pay for our defence programme. and smokers are such an easy target ;D
PS: and motorists

gus

Oh, well, in THAT case, tax away. ;D

[sandywinder]

madrigalman said:

gus2 said:

Britains teenagers have one of the worst physical and emotional health in Europe. Out of a Unicef report using data from across Europe Britain came in 21st out of 25 countries. ( God help the last 4) Britains 15 year olds are Europes fattest. Only 66% of British children sit down to a meal with their parents, the lowest in Europe. 27% claim to be reguarly drunk, 38% use cannabis and over 33% have had sex.

Bring back the birch ;D

gus

The Labour Govt are tough on people eating cream cakes or smoking (in other words people hurting no-one but themselves) but are perfectly happy to open Pubs 24 hrs a day and loosen drug laws (where the takers are hurting US).

If anyone can explain this strange logic I'd be pleased to hear it.

And supercasinos too. That's really going to sort out the personal debt problem.

[sandywinder]

gus2 said:

madrigalman said:

The Labour Govt are tough on people eating cream cakes or smoking (in other words people hurting no-one but themselves) but are perfectly happy to open Pubs 24 hrs a day and loosen drug laws (where the takers are hurting US).

If anyone can explain this strange logic I'd be pleased to hear it.

Although i am in favour of every pub, cafe, restaurant, whatever having a smoking or non-smoking policy and that they should be grown up enough to decide for themselves. I think you are maybe a bit hasty in saying that "hurting no one but themselves" do they not (the smokers and burger eaters) throw a strain on the NHS.
Solution: a pack of 20 cigs £50 each. Big Mac cheese burger 50£ french fries an option at 20£, Cola £35 a can with a £10 deposit on the can to make sure it doesn't land in someones garden. Of course sandy will object on the grounds of free markets.

gus

Needless to say you are getting things very much mixed up again. Markets have always been subject to tax. As for burgers and other junk food, I prefer to put warning labels on the stuff and ban advertising but if you want to increase tax on them, I suggest we tax instead all aeroplane flights (passenger and freight). That would encourage more home grown food. And help save the planet as well.

[sandywinder]

mathilde said:

Oh fcuk off gus, darling sweetie .

"throw a strain on the NHS"? If it's anything like it is here in Oz, we poor smokers pay such a horrendous level of "naughty" tax for every blimmin packet of fags that a week's worth of ciggy purchases'd keep the health service going for another 10 fcuking years.

And smoking is legal!

I really wish I'd chosen something illegal; heroin or crack cocaine or summat; as my addiction. Then the stupid stinken government'd be falling all over itself to give me lots of money, because I'd be a VICTIM rather than a VILLAIN.

As a mere nicotine addict, I get treated like the worst sh*t on earth, for paying well over the odds for my ::legal:: drug of choice.

I'm a bit cross about this, just in case you hadn't noticed.

I think the tax on cigarettes is one area where the government here at least is actually doing something right. It is slowly making them more and more expensive (and so not as freely available) and reducing the number of new nicotine addicts amongst our children.

Unfortunately because of the same weak government things like cannabis, heroine, ecstasy and cocaine are being allowed to take their place,

[Pink Betty]

sandywinder said:

I think the tax on cigarettes is one area where the government here at least is actually doing something right. It is slowly making them more and more expense and reducing the number of new nicotine addicts amongst our children. Unfortunately because of the same weak government things like cannabis, heroine, ecstasy and cocaine are being allowed to take their place,

Price is what made me give up smoking. It works. Now....if only they would put a prohibative tax on olives....

[sandywinder]

admin said:

sandywinder said:

I think the tax on cigarettes is one area where the government here at least is actually doing something right. It is slowly making them more and more expense and reducing the number of new nicotine addicts amongst our children. Unfortunately because of the same weak government things like cannabis, heroine, ecstasy and cocaine are being allowed to take their place,

Price is what made me give up smoking. It works. Now....if only they would put a prohibative tax on olives....

And chocolate? Surely olives are good for you?

[Olivia Melon]

Olives may be good for you but they are also very, very fattening when eaten in industial quantities.

Olives + sedentary work + messageboarding =

I do try and give them up every so often - but I have craved them from a very young age and can only assume i need them....well, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

[purple joggers]

gus2 said:

PS: and motorists

Although I’m frequently a motorist for reasons of getting to work, and occasionally in my free time too, I don’t really have any qualms about tax on private motorists, whether road tax or taxes associated with petrol, because car usage is one of the problems of the current world, whether you’re talking of local traffic jams, worldwide global warming, or many of the problem aspects inbetween, like deaths in traffic accidents, recycling of car parts, and (according to today's news) 1 in 3 men in the UK being overweight.

I would happily accept if taxes made it just as expensive to travel by car as by public, and charges on motorways to limit car traffic; in the short term, this might make problems on non-motorway roads but in the long term I think people would then think less often about making unnecessary long journeys.