Don't want to take this off at a tangent but there seems to be growing evidence (not collected by me you understand) that we have water on earth because we have been hit in our history by one or more of these dirty snow balls. If this did happen, it is possible that some of the chemicals within the comet reacted with others on earth and formed the first primitive bacteria....... Which is nice.
It's just another tax to try and balance the books and to be honest I see it as an inconvenience rather than an extortion racket. If we loose the VED, the tax would have to be collected somewhere else.
If you put it on fuel I guess the hauliers would have a justifiable moan, alcohol and tobacco are taxed within an inch of becoming luxury goods. So what does that leave? Sweets and sunshine?
The smaller engined car you get the lower the VED. Some vehicles are rated at zero so whilst it may not have funded road building since the 1940's it does go into the tax pot.
He = bi, first erotic dreams involved guys! in truth has had more male lovers the female.
She = straight, just doesn't do it for her. Never has, never will.
So suppose the answer is that it hasn't changed us in that regard.
We don't mind the odd unsolicited whisper, if someone has been following the conversation in the chat room, has obviously read our profile and whispered something related to either then fine.
We don't reply to the "hi, I live down the road from you, do you want to meet?" ones and if we are engrossed in conversation in the room will politely say "in the room please"
But to get back to the original question, everybody is different! we do find that the socials are very good as it will give others a chance to get to know you.
In the chat room, if you go on at about the same time of day most times you chat, you will probably find yourself joining in and developing friendships quite naturally anyway.
Each to there own but we don't have an age, sexual orientation or gender criteria. Personality is the thing for us so what it says in the profile is far more relevant than the age.
Quick owl update, according to my eye-spy book of birds it is a Tawny Owl, according to my neighbour it means I have mice in my shed!(won't be going in there for a sly ciggy for sure)
I am someone who has not smoked for 15 years, I never intend to smoke again but I do not consider myself an ex smoker,more a smoker that doesn't.
It is not just a habit but an addiction, one that the lead singer of Arrowsmith once said was harder to give up than hard drugs and booze.
So it's not a case of why do people smoke, more a case of why did they start. Most smokers want to give up, if it was easy they would. When I was smoking I thought the worse thing was (what I perceived at the time)sanctimonious, holly do gooders who wrapped there prejudice up in the statement "but I don't understand why!" Only since my last fag (well last fag in the smoking sense) can I see why never smokers can't understand. There is no incentive in saying "price of a car" none at all. The body craves the nicotine and the next one will be the last, but it isn't. It takes will power and support and in my case a few trial runs (failed attempts) on the way.
PS. As I am writing this an owl has just landed on my shed, utterly stunning not sure what type but it has very feathery legs, sorry got to go take a closer look.
I am sure the vast majority of care workers are dedicated individuals who strive to give the people in their charge the best possible care within the limitations of time and budget. I am equally sure that some go beyond what is called of them and they are more than willing to do this as they see it as a vocation rather than just another job.
Unfortunately (as in virtually all other walks of life) there is a small number of people who abuse their position, whether it be the care home owners or managers who just think of it as an accounting exercise and the product (vulnerable people) is there to maximise profit or to keep costs down or the staff who are either lazy, sadistic, selfish or a mixture of all 3 it is a small minority. It is beyond my comprehension that (all be it a small number) people can be so disrespectful.
I don’t see that CCTV is the answer though, it doesn’t seem right to me that people should have their private life invaded like that. I know that it is said that it would be in the communal areas but even in communal areas, it is their home.
I don’t like disagreeing with someone if I don’t have an alternative suggestion but on this one I don’t. I just think that the dignity of people will be compromised in an effort to stop them being abused. It’s not just the elderly either! Mentally and physically handicapped, orphans, the list goes on.
I know nobody likes a smart arse but!
A hell of a lot of what we call "traditional British fayre" is continental. The humble spud is from the Americas (find and listen to Bob Newhart's nutty Wal sketch on you tube)and it was the Spanish Jews who first battered and fried fish in the East End after being forced to leave during the inquisition. Turkey? American. Rabbit? Romans, even the humble nettle was introduced by the Romans to make though was mainly what grew locally until the arrival of the railways in the 1800's (I remember it well) and then not to the masses until after the 2nd world what we may see as foreign now maybe considered as traditional to the next generation.
I am afraid that I am a little predictable considering my Scandinavian ancestors, anything from anywhere as long as it has fish in it. From Sushi to dried and salted you haven't tried dried cod in a sea weed wrap you can't believe how tasty it is.
It maybe a dangerous job, but it's no more dangerous than when they took the job. Nobody forced them at gun point and why is it different to other forms of manual labour? farm labourers, machinists all get older and all work with equipment that can kill either them or others. It may seem unfair and I don't disagree but if you want to pay more in tax then the state might be able to afford for firemen to retire and have full pension, if you don't then don't moan!
Don't blame this government alone for this situation, or the last one but every government since the end of the second world war who have fuelled expectations beyond there power to deliver. If we want better public services and the ability for those being paid for by the state to have a nice life whilst serving the public and after they have retired (early) then put 10 pence more tax on every pound you earn! not a vote winner! If you don't and it seems unfair then you are fooling yourself.
Perhaps we could start raiding neighbouring countries and steeling there treasures to sell on the open market to pay for better public services? but please wake up and smell the coffee, no government for over 60 years that has promised jam tomorrow has ever, ever delivered! quite simply, they can't, it's not in there power, it's in ours, we make your choice and vote accordingly.
In recent history ;- Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Rwanda, the Balkans.
Factions fighting largely innocent people with the sole aim of eliminating all opposition to there view.
Thankfully we live in a (now) peaceful corner of the world but our own history is full of similar events. I don't think I will ever become de-sensitised to the horrendous events that humanity seems to inflict with ease on it's own kind. Maybe it is within us all to undertake such repulsive acts?
I would not block it out of my life though! If we are also capable of great acts of kindness then we may have to help those who have been effected with shelter and medicines. Every innocent life that is taken has a knock on effect to there loved ones. It may not be correct to say watch, listen and pray for them but to have them in our thoughts costs nothing.
Lord knows how we are going to get the other two small jobs done after that :sad:
