US & UK are poor societies with some very rich people.

Why don't you just hide this thread for the sake of your blood pressure? It's not worth continuing in this aggressive manner. Walk away. It's not worth it.

volver

^But it's not all about you, is it volver? At the moment the majority seem to be content at the moment. At least it gives you people you can attack who can't answer back.^

Look DaisyAnne. This is getting silly. Everything I post, even when I post an answer to questions people have asked, your stock reply is "It's not all about you" or "You think you're always right" or "Everybody else thinks differently".

Its going to have to stop or I will have to report you for harassing me. Again.

At the very least people reading this will see what's going on.

Please stop it.

Goodness. That is the politest post I have seen you write. Even with the threats.

I haven't been on the forum today until this last hour so I have gone through and replied to those posts I might have replied to at the time if I had been on.

Are you now dictating who can post what and when? Or are we competing on who can report the other the most? I don't like the idea of either.

Aveline

We do see what's going on -and, unfortunately, why it might be happening.

Yes, she was bullied, but she brought it on herself?

That it?

Barmeyoldbat

We do not have poverty on the scale that some 3rd countries have. The person dying in flat from starvation died because they were let down by agencies that we have and 3rd world countries dont, we have free health care and people don’t live in make shift housing surrounded by rubbish and filth, we also have food banks. I have seen extreme poverty, naked children in cities just dropping down and sleeping on pavement for example. We have certainly have poverty but the poverty we have is not helped by decisions made by governments and agencies not doing their job properly

What sort of argument is it that compares our wealth to other first world countries but our poverty to third world countries.

Is this what it needs to make people vote ERG?

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

We do see what's going on -and, unfortunately, why it might be happening.

Just because the majority think something doesnt mean it's right or that people cant put forward an alternative view. I like to hear views that arent the majority.

But it's not all about you, is it volver? At the moment the majority seem to be content at the moment. At least it gives you people you can attack who can't answer back.

Look DaisyAnne. This is getting silly. Everything I post, even when I post an answer to questions people have asked, your stock reply is "It's not all about you" or "You think you're always right" or "Everybody else thinks differently".

Its going to have to stop or I will have to report you for harassing me. Again.

At the very least people reading this will see what's going on.

Please stop it.

We do not have poverty on the scale that some 3rd countries have. The person dying in flat from starvation died because they were let down by agencies that we have and 3rd world countries dont, we have free health care and people don’t live in make shift housing surrounded by rubbish and filth, we also have food banks. I have seen extreme poverty, naked children in cities just dropping down and sleeping on pavement for example. We have certainly have poverty but the poverty we have is not helped by decisions made by governments and agencies not doing their job properly

GrannyGravy13

Dinahmo

Whitewavemark2

What I do think is that the tax payer has been subsidising businesses for years by topping up the poor wages paid by so many with benefits.

There should be a sensible living wage, and it should be made mandatory.

Exactly.

I think that is something which we all agree on

I agree too but I am aware many companies say they would not be able to afford it. Hence my thoughts that they should be able to ask for help. Not many would if they knew their top salaries and dividends would be checked. However, some new businesses would struggle, and some community businesses might too. It could well be worth helping these.

volver

MaizieD

But in return, they shouldn't expect us to pay for extravagant events celebrating their lives and achievements, that they think they are entitled to.

What makes you think that they think they're 'entitled' to this, volver? Surely these decisions are made by the government, or are perceived traditions. Who is to say that the RF might prefer not to have such a fuss made?

Is it still the norm that schoolchildren in the US swear allegiance to The Flag every day? That seems really strange to us, but it is a way of 'attaching' the US citizens to their country. In the same way, the RF traditions can be seen as promoting attachment to the UK. I'm not saying it's good or bad, just that they can have a function beyond what you seem to think of as massaging royal egos.

Who is to say that the RF might prefer not to have such a fuss made?

Then they can say "No thank you" then, can't they. I'll not be holding my breath though.

I know fine that the RF traditions are about more than massaging royal egos. Although when I see them in the Ruritanian costumes, I do wonder. They are more to do with giving the masses what they want. One thing that I have realised through this last week or so is how happy people are to be "subjects" and how they will lap up the ceremony they are told is needed on the passing of a monarch. Even to the extent of queuing for 24 hours to spend a few minutes in the presence of the body of a former Queen.

The RF traditions do nothing to "attach me to my country", quite the opposite.

But it's not all about you, is it volver? At the moment the majority seem to be content at the moment. At least it gives you people you can attack who can't answer back.

Germanshepherdsmum

Employers making UC claims DaisyAnne.

I didn't say employers would pay UC claims GSM, which is the road you seem to be travelling down. They would be claiming against their own lack of income, not the workers. The amount would be set by the government at a level one person can live on. The spouse is not the worker, nor is the child.

According to the link she had savings Dinahmo, which she wanted to keep in order to buy a dilapidated bungalow. That’s why I made the comment that she did have money but chose not to spend it.

Dinahmo

Whitewavemark2

What I do think is that the tax payer has been subsidising businesses for years by topping up the poor wages paid by so many with benefits.

There should be a sensible living wage, and it should be made mandatory.

Exactly.

I think that is something which we all agree on

You are so rude. Miaow. ?

Does the State mandate several vigils in Ruritanian costume and a performative queuing system?

Whitewavemark2

What I do think is that the tax payer has been subsidising businesses for years by topping up the poor wages paid by so many with benefits.

There should be a sensible living wage, and it should be made mandatory.

Exactly.

volver

MaizieD

But in return, they shouldn't expect us to pay for extravagant events celebrating their lives and achievements, that they think they are entitled to.

What makes you think that they think they're 'entitled' to this, volver? Surely these decisions are made by the government, or are perceived traditions. Who is to say that the RF might prefer not to have such a fuss made?

Is it still the norm that schoolchildren in the US swear allegiance to The Flag every day? That seems really strange to us, but it is a way of 'attaching' the US citizens to their country. In the same way, the RF traditions can be seen as promoting attachment to the UK. I'm not saying it's good or bad, just that they can have a function beyond what you seem to think of as massaging royal egos.

Who is to say that the RF might prefer not to have such a fuss made?

Then they can say "No thank you" then, can't they. I'll not be holding my breath though.

I know fine that the RF traditions are about more than massaging royal egos. Although when I see them in the Ruritanian costumes, I do wonder. They are more to do with giving the masses what they want. One thing that I have realised through this last week or so is how happy people are to be "subjects" and how they will lap up the ceremony they are told is needed on the passing of a monarch. Even to the extent of queuing for 24 hours to spend a few minutes in the presence of the body of a former Queen.

The RF traditions do nothing to "attach me to my country", quite the opposite.

But they can't say no thank you; this is a "State" event. As Head of State the King has responsibility and this is one of them.

You might want to update events and scrap all our history but you are not the one who decides. The government does that.

I rather think you must have a cat. You always seem to need to find someone else to blame. Cat's come in useful for that.

Germanshepherdsmum

I haven’t seen the film Dinahmo. I’m aware of the difficulties there can be when someone is assessed to be fit to work. Help is available from various sources for completing forms. It’s something I have done as part of the requirement for solicitors to undertake pro bono work. A good many people who need to claim benefits are completely illiterate, or speak English insufficiently well to complete forms.

so why are they still called for PIP assessments and why are they called regularly for fit for work assessments?

My own daughter has to attend them every 3 months and she is never going to improve, she has always had a severe learning disability and always will have. She has to attend with 2 carers to support her, rather than the 1 she has in her home as she finds the situation too challenging. Why is she is being called? She also has a Mother. Why are all of those living in the LD communities being called? Wouldn't this money be better directed at providing care for these groups of people rather than a private firm getting paid for each appointment.

Germanshepherdsmum

Not sure what your point is volver. The woman had money but wouldn’t spend it on food or bills. We will never know what caused the problems with her benefits but it’s possible that, given her mental health issues, she didn’t engage with the DWP to provide the necessary information.

I've just read the link provided from which I gather that there were several periods where her benefits were withdrawn so you cannot say that she had money. She obviously didn't.

The officials at the DWP are quite capable of running rings around claimants with mental health problems. The daughter of friends who suffers from mental health went to a tribunal to get her benefits restored. She was lucky because her adoptive parents are articulate and also know some influential people who assisted with their daughter's claim.
The tribunal came down in her favour and granted benefits for x number of years.Within this period the DWP has taken benefits away from her and they are now having to go through the process again. This is not a rare occurrence.

I haven’t seen the film Dinahmo. I’m aware of the difficulties there can be when someone is assessed to be fit to work. Help is available from various sources for completing forms. It’s something I have done as part of the requirement for solicitors to undertake pro bono work. A good many people who need to claim benefits are completely illiterate, or speak English insufficiently well to complete forms.

I honestly don’t think the vast majority think of themselves as ‘subjects’ in anything like the true sense, volver. It’s just a word, like many others, whose meaning has changed or diminished over many years.

Germanshepherdsmum

Not sure what your point is volver. The woman had money but wouldn’t spend it on food or bills. We will never know what caused the problems with her benefits but it’s possible that, given her mental health issues, she didn’t engage with the DWP to provide the necessary information.

If you haven't seen the film by Ken Loach, I Daniel Blake, might I recommend it to you.

Daniel Blake, a widowed 59-year-old joiner from Newcastle, has had a heart attack. Though his doctor has not allowed him to return to work, he is deemed fit to do so after a Work Capability Assessment and is denied Employment and Support Allowance. He is frustrated to learn that his doctor was not contacted about this decision and thus applies for an appeal, a process he finds difficult because he must complete forms online and is not computer literate.

Although fictional it is an accurate description of what often happens to people who try to claim benefits.

The Film won the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 2016.

Employers making UC claims DaisyAnne.

MaizieD

^But in return, they shouldn't expect us to pay for extravagant events celebrating their lives and achievements, that they think they are entitled to.^

What makes you think that they think they're 'entitled' to this, volver? Surely these decisions are made by the government, or are perceived traditions. Who is to say that the RF might prefer not to have such a fuss made?

Is it still the norm that schoolchildren in the US swear allegiance to The Flag every day? That seems really strange to us, but it is a way of 'attaching' the US citizens to their country. In the same way, the RF traditions can be seen as promoting attachment to the UK. I'm not saying it's good or bad, just that they can have a function beyond what you seem to think of as massaging royal egos.

Who is to say that the RF might prefer not to have such a fuss made?

Then they can say "No thank you" then, can't they. I'll not be holding my breath though.

I know fine that the RF traditions are about more than massaging royal egos. Although when I see them in the Ruritanian costumes, I do wonder. They are more to do with giving the masses what they want. One thing that I have realised through this last week or so is how happy people are to be "subjects" and how they will lap up the ceremony they are told is needed on the passing of a monarch. Even to the extent of queuing for 24 hours to spend a few minutes in the presence of the body of a former Queen.

The RF traditions do nothing to "attach me to my country", quite the opposite.

Germanshepherdsmum

That makes no sense to me DaisyAnne. A company employs X and pays them maybe considerably more than the statutory minimum. However X has a stay at home spouse and quite a few young children. If as a result of their chosen personal circumstances X is paid UC, why should the blame be laid at the door of their employer?

What makes no sense? You didn't refer to anything I said or quote it, so I have no idea what you are talking about. Where did I mention stay at home spouses or children? You do seem to be twisting what I said although I am sure you would never do such a thing.