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Thatcher, Thatcher, Milk Snatcher...
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Margaret Thatcher - the perfect advertisment for euthanasia?
"Perhaps my best years are gone, but I wouldn't want them back. Not with the fire in me now." - Samuel Beckett
"Perhaps my best years are gone, but I wouldn't want them back. Not with the fire in me now." - Samuel Beckett
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I happened to agree with the comments she made a couple of days ago. <IMG alt="image" SRC="http://www.thesite.org/ubb/biggrin.gif">
I do think she should graciously step aside and get out of politics. In todays world you have to act like an impotent whiney little twat like Tony...A huge pair of bollocks dont go to well with politics these days. She tells it how shes sees it rather than letting your press guy dictate every thing you say in public.
"Let's roll......" Todd Beamer, American Hero
she was alive in the first place. and she had william hague as an evil love-child. and she trashed the country. and she's not dead.
Nolite te bastardes carborundorum
Much like dictator for life and arrogant pr*ck Blair then.
Trashed the country, did she?
You know, I really do long for those good old days when the government was in thrall to the trade unions, when the power went off four hours a day, when rubbish went uncollected, when bodies went unburied...
You're damn right we need a rational code of morality and ethics. But not much progress can be made in that direction while we've still got a majority ranting about gods, devils, souls, and absolute morality, and using an ancient book written by ignorant nomads as a guide.
Nolite te bastardes carborundorum
Although I disagreed with most of what she stood for, I admired her ability to fight her corner, to stand up to the wets and the Unions - the biggest balls in UK politics since Winnie and they were on a woman!
Now, though she is just a shell of her former self. Apparently out of touch with reality (she should have retired in 1987, whilst she still had some marbles - and wasn't a meglomaniac) she should keep her moronic opinions to herself, rather than help a situation she manages to inflame it, just to maintain the ego trip.
Her comments this week were bullshit. How many times did the Muslim Clerics of this country have to comdemn the attack, how many times did they have to comdemn those who supported the attack? Problem is that this doesn't support her right wing view and so she dismissed it completely. Unfortnately too many Tories still listen to her...
"Perhaps my best years are gone, but I wouldn't want them back. Not with the fire in me now." - Samuel Beckett
are you serious?!?!?!?!
about the hague thing? absolutely <IMG alt="image" SRC="http://www.thesite.org/ubb/biggrin.gif"> and the rest too. silly old trout. should've resigned in 1787, let alone 1987.
Nolite te bastardes carborundorum
18 years of Tory rule - fucked this country up!
Good to see that Labour is doing such a better job in their place init. <IMG alt="image" SRC="http://www.thesite.org/ubb/biggrin.gif">
"Let's roll......" Todd Beamer, American Hero
People like to say all this is a tory legacy but I dont see labour doing a thing to change anything.
"Let's roll......" Todd Beamer, American Hero
True, but they have had time and so far failed. Not one promise that was made in the New Labour, New Britain speeches has been kept and IMo they can only blame the tories for so long. I think that we are worse off. Blair and his cronies are too busy making themselves look good and proving on paper how wonderful they are and of course out "torying" the tories.
I expect to get screwed by the Tories, but not by Labour, I think it's taken them a lot less time to get their noses in the trough.
Half the labour party are still left wing and the rest are lookig sounding and acting like tories. They do not practice what they preach.
so who would you have in power?
Should we all be voting Plaid Cymru/SNP?
or do we want the conservatives back in?
I wish I knew, the problem is that it's always either Labour or Tory neither have made a good job of it in the long run, although for a time I thought the Tories had got it right.
A vote for one of the other parties is a wasted vote IMO.
I'll vote tory in the next election, mostly because I can't stand that smug faced git Tone or 2 Jags Prescott and because they haven't kept any promises, I know politicians rarely do but they got power because people believed he meant what he said. Maybe Tone did but it's not happened.
peaceblob
Very true but Labour have done nothing to improve anything and things just keep going downhill. Hes had 4 years now and everything has continued to go down the shitter.
Well if the ENP had any hope in hell then id probably vote for them...if they are even fielding any candidates.
The Tories and Labour are as bloody awful as each other. I'll probably vote tory simple for their stance of Europe. Theres little to tell them apart in every other area of policy.
Oh and not forgetting that Tony Blair is the single most hypocritical, arrogant, smarmy bastard ive ever seen in my entire life.
"Let's roll......" Todd Beamer, American Hero
Problem is that you fall into the usual trap of expecting overnight results, and improvements are being made...
I speak from experience, becuase I am actively involved in the improvements in the NHS. The changes I am making now won't have full effect for another year - do you know how long it takes to build new operating theatres, hospitals etc from scratch? You can't just pick one off the shelf you know. Design, tender, build - takes minimum one year...
In the past 12 months I have spent over £1m on ONE area, of ONE hospital - do you have any idea just how much funding is still needed? I could spend another £1mill. tomorrow if I was given it - and thats just on eye surgery...how many other specialties are there...
We now do 1000 more cataract operations per year than we did before Labour (3030 in 2000/2001 - or 8 EVERY day). That's just One Trust...nationwide we are looking at an increase of over 100,000 per year by March 2003. But that's not an improvement, is it?
For the same surgery, waiting times have dropped from an average of 18 months to 12 months - that's from referral to operation...and not just the time the patient spends on the 'waiting list'.
As that is an example of only one specialty, let me give you some more examples...
1. time to diagnosis of ovarian cancer from 5 weeks to 7 days in Sidcup
2. bowel cancer from 13 weeks to 8 days in the Wirral
3. prostate cancer from 6 months to 14 days in West Middlesex
4. NHS Direct has brought -
8.4% reduction in Outpatient Waiting List
Non GP or self care advice given to 22% of triaged calls
38% of triaged calls directed to less intensive services
These improvements have happened since 1997.
It took the tories 18 years to completely fuck the NHS, Labour have been in power for 4 years and things are starting to change...
Here's another interesting fact for you, in the past 12 months over 56,000 people have failed to turn up for outpatient appointments where I work - we only have 26,000 on the waiting list for appointments...you do the math.
"Perhaps my best years are gone, but I wouldn't want them back. Not with the fire in me now." - Samuel Beckett
at last someone who knows what he's talking about!
Could i also add that there have been a lot of good changes for the elderly too
Sounds like things are going well at your hospital..Unfortunately im sure its not true all over the country.
You say it takes a year to setup and build an upgrade to your hospital. Well theyve had 4 years so far and its only just starting to look up? 4 years isnt overnight.
One million pounds is nothing in the budget of the United Kingdom. I have no idea how much the government makes a year but you can bet its hundreds of billions of pounds.
We pay some of the highest taxes in the world and yet our public services are little better than those in India or Pakistan.
They kill and maim us on the substandard railways then ship us off to Germany because the NHS is in such a state. Hardly looking up in my eyes.
"Let's roll......" Todd Beamer, American Hero
UK Tax Rates
Individual: 0 - 40%
Corporate: 10 - 30%
VAT: 17.5/5%
Germany Tax Rates
Individual: 0 - 48.5%
Corporate: 25%
Dist'ns: 25%
Foreign TPs' PE: 25%
VAT: 16/7%
France Tax Rates
Individual: 10.5 - 54%
Corporate: 33 - 40%
VAT: 19,6%
Greece Tax Rates
Individual: 0 - 45%
Corporate: 35 - 40%
VAT: 18/8%
Ireland Tax Rates
Individual: 24, 46%
Corporate: 25, 28%
VAT: 21/12.5%
Italy Tax Rates
Individual: 10 - 51%
Corporate: 19, 37%
VAT: 20/10%
Poland Tax Rates
Individual: 19 - 40%
Corporate: 34%
VAT: 22/7%
Romania Tax Rates
Individual: app 20 - 60%
Corporate: 38%
VAT: 22/11%
Sweden Tax Rates
Individual: 0 - 31%
(plus municipal taxes)
Corporate: 27.5, 37.5%
VAT: 25/12%
If the taxes our government charges arent as high as those in Europe then how come we pay more on pretty much every single thing we buy in our everyday lives.
Why are cars made in England more expensive to buy from England than they are once theyve been shipped to the continent or Japan and shipped back to england?
Why do we pay the equivalent of $6 per gallon of fuel when the US pays less than $1.50 per gallon. Why do cigarettes cost $6 dollars here and less than 3 in the US?
Every single thing you can think of costs more in the UK than in Europe or the US..Now if thats not down to tax then can you tell me why its so.
"Let's roll......" Todd Beamer, American Hero
I don't care a piss pot about cars and fuel to be honest
If I had my way petrol would be twice as much as it is now.
We rely too much on Oil and should be thinking of alternative forms of fuel.
I suppose if you are obsessed with the price of fuel and having a car it must be a reall bummer having to pay so much to run one.
As far as VAT and Income Tax go though - I'd say we do OK!
Doesnt matter what you think. The fact is that those thinks are massively more expensive in the UK than elsewhere and thats down to taxes.
You think petrol should be twice the price eh? So how do you suggest people get to work when the public transport system is in such a shambles? I agree that we should be looking for different types of fuel and you can be assured that there are scientists doing just that BUT until that time theres no other option but to use a car.
Unfortunately I dont have a choice whether to drive or not. My job requires me to travel around the country a lot. So how do you get around byny? I assume the public transport system is wales is no better than here in england?
"Let's roll......" Todd Beamer, American Hero
I guess it's different for those who want to go far and wide and I'm lucky that I'm able to do the 4 or 5 mile trip to work there and back by bike come rain or shine.
I'm only stirring really. But you only gave Fuel (and cars) as an example and I do get a bit bored of the 'Fuel Lobby' banging on.
The truth is that there are lots of people out there who could make the trip to work by bus or train but they decide not to because they just want to drive round in their car, just them in a five seater, 2 yards to the shops, 2 miles to work...... It annoys me - the people who do that anyway.
But I suppose that's a different posting on a different day
Im not a great fan of driving, I find it extremely boring but its the only way for me to get around..I go shopping once a week and I usually fill my boot so no choice but to drive there. Anything I need to do in town is done on lunch breaks which also confines me to a car.
One thing that really pisses me off, and I see this all over the country, is the SUV mums..Some 5 foot woman peering over the wheel of a huge landrover or something that she only uses to take the kids to school and back.
Id love to cycle more..Ive turned into a right lazy unfit git since I started the new job. Unfortunately its the way of the world these days. Hopefully hydrogen fuelled engines will be along soon enough.
"Let's roll......" Todd Beamer, American Hero
Neither did Labour, a systematic review took place, including the consultation. The NHS plan was only produced last year...
Things ARE happening, but it depends on what you want. Do you want a quick fix or do you want robust significant changes?
Oh and byny. Changing the laws regarding Nursing Homes was NOT a good move. There are now less nursing homes spaces which means that the elerly spend more time in acute hospitals. This means that emergency and surgery take second place. Its called bed blocking and is one of the biggest problems facing the NHS.
"Perhaps my best years are gone, but I wouldn't want them back. Not with the fire in me now." - Samuel Beckett
Nope, I dont have a clue whats wrong with the NHS, im just a lowly end user. I know that I sat for close on seven hours in A&E with my sister when she had a car crash. I read the papers and see all the horrific stories of the way people are treated. I read the stories about how the govt is sending people to be treated abroad.
Im no expert by any means, I just know what I expect as a tax payer and im afraid its not happening.
I dislocated my kneecap in the south of france at 4am. The local doc couldnt put my knee back in so an ambulance was called. I was at the hospital and having my knee xrayed within 1.5 hrs(due to distance), the doc saw me within 10 mins of getting to hospital and I was fixed within 20 mins..I dread to think how many hours I would have been in pain had this happened somewhere in the English countryside.
Dont get me wrong here, the NHS staff are doing a great job with what they have. Its just the govt isnt giving them enough money.
"Let's roll......" Todd Beamer, American Hero
My Trust alone sees over 150,000 people per year in A&E, the NHS was never designed to meet such demand and year's of neglect (mainly by the Tories who are proud to point out that they have spent more time in power since the war than Labour have...) has meant that it has been unable to upgrade with the times...
The number of beds in the NHS has reduced EVERY YEAR for the last 40...
Yep, tragic and unacceptable. Except wait... what about the story about the 250,000 people who can see better now, thanks to the NHS, or the thousands who have had broken bones mended etc... All you get in the papers is the bad news, blown out of proportion. Last year, the NHS recieved more letters of thanks than it did complaints...
To suit the demands of people like you. it is a political gesture, nothing more. How much do you think this costs the NHS? Not to mention the nurse to accompany the patient - at a time when nurses are in short supply. Personally I'd rather that the money stayed in this country and supported OUR services, and I include the private hospitals in that.
Expectations are a problem. Most patients expect to need a bed for all operations. most will come in to hospital get into bed, even those who don't have their op until the next day. This is one area we are trying to change. Many ops can be done as daycases now, so why clogg the system by insiting on a bed? Why use an ambulance to take you to clinic when you usually walk further to the shops...? Consider if you REALLY need to go to A&E, would a GP treat you instead? There are many times when patients need to take responsibility too (my 56,000 non atenders for example)
If you want a first class service then you will have to pay for it, higher taxes even. Are you willing to bear that cost?
My eldest son dislocated his elbow (actually it was my fault, but I've had enough of the guilt trip now), he was seen within minutes. In the NHS. It does happen. Remember that you only hear the bad stories, good news doesn't make prime time TV.
and do you have any idea how demoralising it is to have that thrown back at you? Do you know how demoralising it is to read constantly that the NHS will collapse at any given moment, or to read to constant attacks like yours.
yes the people in the NHS are working really fucking hard with the limited resources we have. So give us more money and stop being so negative - bad press stops people applying for jobs (would YOU want to be a nurse after all that you have read?)...
"Perhaps my best years are gone, but I wouldn't want them back. Not with the fire in me now." - Samuel Beckett
Simple solution, pump more cash into the system.
Ah well, now they can see while they are dying of cancer or whatever other more serious diseases that we die of more often here in the UK.
I mentioned the use of European hospitals as a bad thing. I completely agree the money would be better off in the NHS. Im not saying that having to send people off the france is a good thing.
Well im afraid that im totally unable to diagnose myself for anything more serious than a cold. Surely its the job of the NHS itself or the govt to educate people on when they need to go to the a&e.
Higher taxes arent needed..The govt has all the money it could ever need to get the NHS up to par. They squander the cash on total shit..We are not a poor country, the high taxes we pay should be able to cover a working health system. Unfortunately our successive governments refuse to spend enough cash on the NHS.
Is it such an achievement that *occasionally* people get seem swiftly?
Nobody is throwing anything at you. Its the govt that has fucked the NHS, not the NHS itself.
That is EXACTLY what I just said.
Sorry but if the NHS is in such a great state then why is it in the news every other day having had some other awful incident. You cannot deny that the NHS is currently substandard and isnt achieving its goals. This is down to nobody else but the govt. They have tying the hands of the NHS staff and literally killing us.
"Let's roll......" Todd Beamer, American Hero