Health Tax - a proposalFollow

Don't forget to add in social security funds that dead people can't collect.

I don't think it's that simple.

Smoking: Lots of people take up smoking when they're young. Especially in this country. The parents smoke, so the kid, at 12-13, starts smoking. He smokes 20-a-day for 10 years, and it's bloody hard to stop after that. He might develop lung cancer, or throat cancer, at 35. Who knows? Should we blame the kid because his parents set a bad example?

Eating: In the UK, eating healthily is expensive. At least in London. Organic food is super expensive, free range chicken is expensive, cooking from scratch with fresh ingredients is expensive. Not only that, but it's not really in teh national culture to do it. I don't want to generalise too much, but the cheapest food in the UK is processed, disgusting ready meals, junk food, or fast food. If you're very poor, and plenty of people are, you can't really afford anything else. If you're a kid, and that's what your parents feed you, you are conditioned to eat badly. Of course, you can break the habit and start eating healthily, but it's not the most common course of action. Same with exercise. There are virtually no sports field left in this country. No basketball courts on street corners, no green area where you can play footy, unless you joina Gym with an expensive membership, it's not taht easy to do sports. I play football every week, and our pitches are under the motorway in Latimer Road. And we pay for that.

Drinking: Same. Lots of people start drinking very young because their parents don't gie a ****. And the UK is very much a drink-orientated culture. Everyone does it, a lot.

So no, I don't agree it's down to personal choice. It might be this way if at 18 you suddenly got a new body and mind, but you don't Many of the "lifestyle choices" are not choices at all, they are the continuation of conditioning from when you were a kid. And then there is all the genetic stuff.

I agree some of the money being spent by the NHS is not always spent wisely. But that's part of the game. If I devide to not have kids, should I stop paying taxes for other parent's kids education? If I'm against the war in Iraq, can I not pay the taxes that go to fund it? I don't think the UK should renew it's Trident ******** can I not pay taxes on those? Etc, etc...



Hmm, what? Did I read this correctly? Cos I would say the population has not been this healthy at any other time in History. Life expectancy has never been higher. People have never been given better health care. Think to pretty much any period in History before ours, and it was amazingly unhealthy. The Victorian and kids working in factories or begging in the sewer-filled streets? The people working in mines? The plagues in the Middle-Ages? The starvation pretty much through out history? I really can't think of a single time in History where people were healthier. They might not have the same ailments as we have today but they had others and these were much worse.

Nobby, I think we're being a bit harsh on Gwyn, so maybe we should say something nice to her...

DON'T WORRY GUYS, I'VE GOT THIS ONE!!

Gwyn, are you over 21?

Planning to go to America, Red? I'm afraid I can't let you do that.

/closepodbaydoors

That's very true, but with a bit of luck and a sharper economic downturn, it might one day become an European colony.

Man, can't I just belittle my country of adoption in peace??



Me too, but strong is the Euro-sceptic force in this country, and Conservative the next government will be.

I'm praying for a miracle in the next year and a bit. Although neither side is particularly appealing at the moment.

Maybe I should go to Australia. It might be just as bad over there, but at least I'll be warmer.



Isn't is -2.8% for us? Still, you're right. It's nice to see someone suffering more.

Edited, Jan 30th 2009 6:38am by Kavekk

Maybe the Great Depression will radiaclise the politics in this country, leading the BNP to gain power. Then they can rearm the country, cancel foreign debt and begin annexing small European countries, resulting in a lightning fast campaign of conquest that revitalises the country with plundered goods until everyone gets mad and invades.

Mmmmm, Empire Line clothing Although I'm certain that the wars with him put paid to the long running fashion of make-up worn by men, which makes me



...although I think Kavekk was picturing Hitler.

Which was probably a lot of fun while it lasted, too.

Would you rather the health care employees try and lift heavy people, possibly injuring themselves in the process.

My guess is, if the UK is anything like the US, cigs, booze, fast food are all taxed heavily - no?

You answer your own question. Sounds like a societal problem.

It doesn't seem as if you are lacking for health care. You probably live comfortably in your country of choice.

I conclude this is a whine post. Just what friday calls for.

Wine suggestions for the weekend anyone?

My local wine shop recently started selling some Brouilly, and it is absolutely delicious. Quite cheap and unpretentious, too. It's from the Beaujolais region, but it's one of the nicer beaujolais wines. Fleury is not bad either, but not quite as nice.

That's my tip for the week-end.

I had this really nice cherry wine once. I can't remember what it was called, but you should try it.