Re: Housing : Wed Dec 04, 2013 10:39 pm  

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.

That is all that is required.

We were all better off then.

Re: Housing : Thu Dec 05, 2013 7:44 am  

Ajw71 wrote:

Right, so you want more houses built. It's happening now but somehow this is not good news?

Have you answered all the questions you've been asked yet?

Re: Housing : Thu Dec 05, 2013 7:49 am  

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.

Re: Housing : Thu Dec 05, 2013 8:03 am  

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?

Re: Housing : Thu Dec 05, 2013 8:18 am  

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.

Re: Housing : Thu Dec 05, 2013 9:41 am  

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.

Re: Housing : Thu Dec 05, 2013 10:21 am  

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.

Re: Housing : Thu Dec 05, 2013 10:37 am  

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?

Re: Housing : Thu Dec 05, 2013 10:43 am  

cod'ead wrote:

Why am I getting this feeling of deja vu?

Because you have seen it before?

Re: Housing : Thu Dec 05, 2013 10:46 am  

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.