Quality of Life Today

[Bugsy]

Now this is not meant to be a party political thing, but I want to know whether people think that life in this country has improved in the last decade. I am feeling particularly hacked off today, hideous commute, crappy project and grumpy toddler pre-work but I think my quality of life is slowly going down the toilet.
Since I started working, some 10 years ago, I've watched the tube service get worse, the train service get worse, local hospitals close departments & wards, traffic congestion increase, parking become more difficult & expensive. One way or another through NI, VAT, road tax my tax burden has increased and I can't help wondering what is going on.
Do other people feel like this, or am I just Mrs Misery today? As I say, I am not trying to get at any one political party but I would be interested to know how others feel about their quality of life in the UK over the last 10 years.

Rosy, I hope I didn't come across as being resentful about paying tax as that wasn't really the aim of my moan. I was really making the point that the whole service infrastructure seems to be diminishing or disintegrating. Everything seems to be so underfunded and IMO appears to be in a considerably worse state than 10 years ago. However, I can only comment on my experiences and I was wondering whether it was a London thing or if other people have observed it too.
I know that in many ways we are very lucky in this country but I just feel that we are currently in a downward spiral rather than an upward one.

Oh and what about the teenage pregnancy rate, isn't it the highest in Europe? I can't believe that young men are so stupid to get girls pregnant, the emphasis is always on the girl but what about the boys, all they need to do is wear condom for God's sake. It seems so sad that 13/14/15 year olds seem happy to be pregnant! R

With regard to the asylum seekers, on a recent day trip to France on our return we saw some asylum seekers that had been rounded up and were sitting huddled on a bridge. This is the 21st century and can't believe that this continues! Surely the Afghans should be returning home anyway as peace has been restored? R.

Oh God Rhiannon, these boys are only interested in a quick f* (excuse me) and don't really think or probably even know how likely they are to get them pregnant. It seems more and more girls WANT to get pregnant to 'have something to love' and so maybe even say they are on the pill anyway. I actually think this is really sad and reflects on how bad a lot of childrens' home lives are. And your maternity ward probably closed down because they could no longer staff it, ie a real shortage of midwives etc. There was probably no other choice and not just a way to save money by the government.

Rhiannon, I would stop with the asylum thread now while you've not been too badly attacked! What do you suggest these asylum seekers do when they return, is there work they can just take up, do they have homes anymore?

Rhiannon, have you taken JBR's place, sorry only kidding - I thoroughly agree with you on every issue!

Re asylum seekers, here are some facts:

Of all the asylum seekers in the world, 3% come to Europe, and of that, the majority go to Germany. The UK receives just 0.5% of the world's asylum claims.

Asylum seekers are not directly funded by British taxpayers, they are funded by the UN.

Many asylum seekers in the UK right now are locked up, some with convicted criminals, while the Home Office takes months to process their claims. If anyone's ever dealt with the HO immigration dept, they will know that banging your head against a wall is a far more fulfilling exercise.

Yes, it is true that many asylum seekers are bogus, and our govt knows it. But don't worry about Britain being swamped - they have no plans to stay here. Mostly, they just want to make a bit of money and get back home as fast as possible. Imagine what it's like to be young and adventurous in a country where you can't get a visa to visit all the places you dream about. You can't go inter-railing, so you do bogus political asylum (the bad ones) or find some more resourceful method instead. There are loads of doctors, teachers and other professionals, working illegally as waiters and cleaners in London right now! And our govt knows it. And London survives on the low wages paid to illegal workers. Remove them from the economy, and things would change big time.

But please, don't worry about illegal immigration/bogus asylum seekers etc. En masse, these people pose no threat to Britain, rather the reverse. As fast as they pour in, they pour out. Hey, that's living. Britain has benefited since the dark ages from wave after wave of immigration (anglo-saxons, normans, hugenots, flemish, hanoverians, west indians, irish) as well as emigration. Life is dynamic, not static. Except in the Daily Express. Rhiannon, there's really nothing to worry about, and if you doubt me, turn round and LOOK at the news. Start to question it instead of accepting nebulous scare stories which only tell you half the facts.

well said, sml.

It does worry me when you see men rounded up like sheep on the floor with their hands round their knees in France. Waiting to be sent back I presume to Sangatte again. I wonder if perhaps if the EU had a common policy with regard to asylum seekers and they all got the same benefits then perhaps people wouldn't risk their lives to get here.

I am not trying to upset anyone, I appreciate everyone has their opinion and I certainly won't lay into anyone else because of theirs. R

Good post sml, thanks for that.

Thanks sml, well put.

Thanks sml. Beautifully put.

Sml, thank god for the voice of reason, it was all getting a bit Daily Mail

sml - I've printed that off for future ammunition.

Thanks Sml for presenting an alternative to the Daily Mail position.

Signing off for 2 weeks you'll be happy to hear! Going in search of the shining orange ball in the sky. Really hope Will wins tomorrow night.

Byee R.

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Aaaahhhhh, I know that our standard of living has improved almost beyond belief in the last 100 years & I am deeply thankful that I have a flushing loo, washing machine etc. etc. However, I can't help feeling that instead of pushing this progress forward in the last 10 years, we are starting to slip behind other first world countries and where we were a decade ago.
As I've said before I could be completely wrong about this and that is why I'm seeking other people's views.

Rhiannon - sorry, didn't mean to attack you. I understand the fears you expressed because I grew up in that sort of atmosphere ("they're flooding in and swamping our culture" ) but I shed those fears as I learned more about the history and present situation, and now I am keen for others to shed them too!

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I read recently that half of those aged between 50 and 60 are already retired. My DH is about to start a complex new job at the age of 55+. We reckon he's one of only two 50somethings in our area still at work!! But if you are made redundant, it isn't easy to find work when you are older.

suedonim, it's such a nonsense that companies seem to value youth over experience isn't it? Only a few (B&Q spring to mind) actively encourage 'older' people to apply. What's wrong with employers that they think someone over 50 doesn't have anything to offer the workplace?

I know what you mean, WWW (is it okay to call you that???). I'm sure if my DH's company 'disposed of his services' he wouldn't be able to get another job, now. Yet he has an exemplary record, has probably taken a total of five weeks off for illness in 40 years and can spell, unlike the quine he has to deal with in HR, who spells her own name a different way in every communication she issues!!!

Bugsy, I agree with you. I'd hate to live without modern convieniences but can't help but feel that Britain is somehow lagging behind the rest of Europe. My experience of commuting daily on the trains is hideous (& my journey is less than 15 minutes!). How can an economy continually run well with such a inadequate transport system?

Furthermore, house prices are staggering. I live in rural Wiltshire and two incomes are needed to buy even a basic home... families have a huge struggle keeping their heads above water at the moment. Why aren't there more affordable homes that one can rent? Why do we live in a buy, buy, buy culture where so may things are actually on the never, never?

I could go on for ever but my last rant today is about the sexualisation of children. I am sorry if I offend anyone but when I see eight year olds wearing tops with 'porn star' on it I do not think 'irony', 'postmodernism', 'feminism' or 'girl power'... I think 'did that child have a childhood?