[Tom White]

oi tosh,

i was just sat here chomping on a piece of nicorette and realised I was chomping in time to your avatar  

I've found a cheaper alternative to nicorette.  It comes in a small packet and you can buy it from any newsagents or supermarket. 

17th July I'm going to stop; properly this time; no NRT; I don't think it helps, it just swaps the method you take your nicotine.

[G Griffin]

One of the best things that could happen to this country would be for whoever is in power to develop a strategy for the rebirth of british manufacturing industry.

How's that possible when the cost of labour is far cheaper in poorer countries than over here, and employers aren't 'shackled' with health and safety regulations or trade unions and can make 'slaves' out of their 'employees'? 

And although most of this post doesn't reflect it, we're spoilt in this country.

Try living somewhere where if you get sick and can't afford medical treatment, you die.

   That`s true. We all want the cheap foreign made goods but some then get all moral and harp on about buying British. Where are the PC`s and lap tops that we`re all sat in front of now made?

[Tom White]

why the 17th? birthday?

I've got a 'stressful event' on the 14th July, so the first Saturday after that I'm going to stop smoking and maybe take a few days off work while my system detoxes from the nicotine.  It'll also give me a while to do some 'mind preparation' and read up on stopping smoking and stuff.

Good luck and apologies for hi-jacking this thread; it could be better in the off topic area?

[e newlands]

Police are a wate of money as are most other services
dOnt start me on the nhs
next biggest bunch of pricks next to the government I've paid in for 23 years as has my misses
my mother and father 45 years
between us we've paid over 25 grand to private healthcare as the treatment was not avaliable
the treatment both my misses and father recieved was distgusting
The nhs should be dispanded
private was fantastic but I shouldn't have to pay

[Tom White]

Have we had some lunchtime beer?
 

[e newlands]

Can't afford it any more all my money goes on tax and private healthcare

[e newlands]

Whether you agree with the system or not I personally believe it to be stacked against me
Spain is a great example
265 euros every month covers school healthcare and services if you are self employed- Max rate is about 300 dependant on age family etc ie how much you use as a family opposed to if u are single
flat rate doesn't matter what you earn
16 percent their version of vat
it is also common  practice not to declare all for vat
your contributions are hardly ever quiries unless you get to greedy

There healthcare services and schools are better than the uk
also they give nothing to immigrants unless they contribute
that to me sounds are better system

[Tom White]

Whether you agree with the system or not I personally believe it to be stacked against me
Spain is a great example
265 euros every month covers school healthcare and services if you are self employed- Max rate is about 300 dependant on age family etc ie how much you use as a family opposed to if u are single
flat rate doesn't matter what you earn
16 percent their version of vat
it is also common  practice not to declare all for vat
your contributions are hardly ever quiries unless you get to greedy

There healthcare services and schools are better than the uk
also they give nothing to immigrants unless they contribute
that to me sounds are better system

Yes, mate, Spain is a great example and the Spanish system is obviously working:

Spain has the highest level of unemployment of any OECD country. In the first quarter of 2009 Spain accounted for nearly 55 percent of total job losses across the Euro-zone, and around 35 percent of job losses in the European Union.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2009/jul2009/spai-j16.shtml

[e newlands]

And they still manage to run a fantastic system on a percentage of the contributions that the uk recieve
why
waste and mismanagement is rife here

[e newlands]

Tosh I don't reckon your a windy I suspect your a labour mp or work for local government
all bitter and twisted as you are out of a job where you could claim thousands in expenses second morgages and get people like me to pay for your pornos from my taxes

[Tom White]

Tosh I don't reckon your a windy I suspect your a labour mp or work for local government

 

I am a socialist I guess, but I'm a Geordie, so that's to be expected. 

But with regards Spain, there's lots of differences between Spanish healthcare and British.  The Spanish eat a better diet and don't trough battered deep-fried Mars Bars on a daily basis.  Also they have a different culture; you won't find many old age people's homes, since they're a family orientated society, they look after their elderly relatives themselves at home.

But with regards to your own views, they're generalistic and full of holes. 

I have actually lived/served in some rough places which didn't have ANY formal police force worth bothering with (Bosnia and Kosovo) and seen poverty at it's worst; I could've bought a prostitute for the cost of two cigarettes in one place (I didn't; it seemed more like exploitation than purchasing sex).  I also spent 8 months in Central America, and that was pretty rough too; there were many places I just wouldn't go - even in daylight - and being part of a big squad of lads, because of the drugs/poverty/crime/lack of real security.

So?  So what if VAT goes upto 20%?  We're still very lucky people.  Now stop your whinging!  The UK is still a great place to live. 

[Tom White]

I could've bought a prostitute for the cost of two cigarettes in one place (I didn't; it seemed more like exploitation than purchasing sex). 

what would have been a fair amount of cigarettes?

A 200 carton?  It was 1993 mind, and in Tuzla.  The Bosnian currency had crumbled and the German currency (DMs) and cigs had replaced it.  I actually gave the woman's son (the son aged around 12 spoke English and was prostituting his Mother), a few packs of free cigs, but I'm not into sexual exploitation so I left her alone.

[e newlands]

But it could be better rant over

[e newlands]

Gives new meaning to a 20 a day habit
wonder what a big fat king Eddie would have got me

[newbroom]

Same way as germans and americans manage to have manufacturing industry tosh

[boshravie]

Look guys stop winging and listen and read these words.  you feel much better after this.


//www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKiyT_RjOO4&feature=player_embedded

[boshravie]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKiyT_RjOO4&feature=player_embedded

[Tom White]

Same way as germans and americans manage to have manufacturing industry tosh

Have you any links comparing the US or German manufacturing output with China? 

How do you know Germany and the US are doing fine compared with the UK?  I'm not arguing, but again, I seem to hear one line generalisations that may not show the whole truth.

[boshravie]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKiyT_RjOO4&feature=player_embedded
 

[Window Washers]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKiyT_RjOO4&feature=player_embedded
 

Thank you for that bosh, great link