A divided society-what can be done?

Surely life style has an affect, is the north more 'fish and chips' than the south ? Is it beer in the north and wine in the south?

I think it's better to read the research report and not just come up with pet theories - it's much more complex than just diet

And the importance of this research is that it provides an evidence base that should inform government policy

We spend a lot of time up north and it surprises me how many illnesses the people we know there seem to have, considering they live so far removed from pollution. Idid wonder if the fall out from Chernobyl heading more in that direction? When I lived in Cornwall a lot of people seemed to suffer from cancer and I think some of it was caused by radon [?] gas. Having said that, I know there are big problems with drink and drugs in places like Ashington where the young have lost all prospects of meaningful employment with the closing of the mines etc. When something like that happens governments should find ways of providing employment for everyone.

Does that mean we shouldn't have moved back up North?
Never eaten fish and chips for 40 years, despite being born in Hull.

It's all those little terraced houses up north of that magic line between the Wash and the Severn, everyone lives too close to each other.
Someone I worked with when I moved down souf years ago was astonished when I told her it wasn't all like that.

inews.co.uk/essentials/lifestyle/food-and-drink/pay-feel-manchester-cafe-fighting-stigma-food-banks/

Brilliant idea, from up north.
Maybe we need one in all our deprived communities. Only up north, of course.

My MP.

inews.co.uk/opinion/comment/i-will-not-sit-universal-credit-roll-pushes-constituents-poverty-christmas/

Well clearly I'm not getting the joke - aren't we allowed to be serious about some devastating research? There's plenty of light hearted threads around.

That was to Jalima

I don't know if it's more fish and chips in the north than the south Annie but I do know that my friends from the south, where I lived before moving to North Yorkshire, prefer them cooked up here because they think they taste better.

There's plenty of wine drunk up here too and I know that our northern friends (male mostly) don't like the beer down south in comparison to the northern brew. Mr. S. who now prefers wine, despite being a Yorkshireman, to beer always said that southern beer was like gnats pee.

What did Jalima say that upset you so much maryeliza? She was only being pleasant! And please don't be inviting people to leave threads, that's bad manners.

Maryeliza didn't say that, chewbacca.
She just said there were lots of light hearted threads around.
She's right.
Do you live up north?
It's quite serious research.

By the way, Jalima, I think your line is a bit too far south.

She's right, there are plenty of "light hearted threads around", but people will post wherever they wish and they don't need scolding for being pleasant. Just because it's "serious research " doesn't mean pleasantries cannot be exchanged.

Apologies, Jalima, they do use that line, which I am surprised about.
They reckon it equates to two more or less equal halves of the population, which again I am surprised about.

Jalima, we let all the southerners think we wear clogs and cloth caps; live in little squalid back to back terraced houses and live on chip butties and fags so that we can keep the real beauty of the North to ourselves! don't tell 'em!

I thought the north was very much 'when the boat comes in' ?

Nearest boat near here*Anniebach * are the tourist barges on the canal!

Maryeliza It's actually a very interesting report. I've been out this evening and just catching up on the threads, but at first glance through, I think they've found something interesting.

All you need is a map to see where the Wash goes across to the Severn Estuary.
The Severn Estuary is south of Wales. That's what makes it confusing.
The idea of the people near Altrincham living in little terraced houses. Osborne would be most upset.

Osborne is for Knutsford. And they'd be even more upset!

Is there a section anywhere which has the Gransnet posters unwritten posting rules explained?

If one poster objects to what another poster says do we really need a third one (or fourth and fifth even) to wade in? Can't we let them sort it out between themselves?

Is Knutsford not near Altrincham?
It was when we lived over there. About as far away as we are from Durham.

It's pretty much next door durham but Knutsford likes to think that's even posher than Altrincham! Altrincham has an excellent high school but Knutsford is more rural and prettier.