Plums!

[Joolstacho]

Dead right Berger. It's easy to shoot down the low-hanging fruit who are easily scandalised by the right wing press. But it's the amount we're being ripped off by capitalist greed and self-righteous greed-is-good tribalism that is totally off the leash nowadays is really where it's at. It's why people can't afford housing -many working two jobs -and are still going backwards. Heat or Eat.
Start by looking at the mega-rich who run the 'social media' outfits who leech on ordinary gullible folks, pay no taxes, and inflict the most base moral standards onto our kids. It's our kids who are the cannon-fodder for these mega-rich, who's moral values are counted only in dollars.

[berger]

joolstacho i thought the depths of this topic had been plumbed out.  you know the dance and so do i . thankyou for the comment i feel much better now and have a 110 year old kitchen floor and a 40 year old living room carpet  a 25 year old phone and i don't care if someone scrounging on the dole has a 60 inch telly on the never never they probably have never had anything else because of different complicated or non complex circumstances .

[RichardL]

I have absolutely no idea what any of you are referring to with respect to the picture GB shared. Anyway, regarding the picture, anyone else think the girl on the bike is smoking a joint?

Richard L.

[Joolstacho]

Well maate... credit where credit's due... I did sneak in "low-hanging fruit" and Berger got in a "plumbed out".
  And well, the chickee on the 'bike does look as though she's having a toke. 

[jhg1958]

Apologies for stirring a hornets nest about wealth. I would say our system seems to be fairly broken unless you are looking at it from the top but then sadly hasn’t that always been the case?

I was having a winge at waste. From the fantastic old pictures and the memories perhaps this is has been the same for decades or longer.

Perhaps I had better stick to “I have a problem/disaster with my BSA” questions.

John

[Joolstacho]

Don't think apologies are necessary John. What I like is that us very similar blokes with a very similar interest can have a bit of a tiff without getting shitty about it... know what I mean?

[Rex]

Don't know about any "tiff" just a discussion, isn't it?
I've never really understood the ahyeahbut thinking where comments on the bottom-of-the-heap scroungers instantly is met with the response about multi-millionaires, media owners, blah blah.
They're both leeches on society and the Average Joe  worker in one way or another, so it shouldn't be either/or.

[berger]

sucking on my plumb now, i see it as cam moron preaching to the gullible about dole wallers twitching their curtains while you go to work. he then gets found out about his dodgy dave dealings with grensill capital that does not involve a few quid here and there. then we have scandal after scandal about others creaming off MILLIONS from the public purse but there is never ever anything to see there. the dole waller who now needs an i phone to log into the dwp is not the problem THEY ARE!

[Worty]

Don't know about any "tiff" just a discussion, isn't it?
I've never really understood the ahyeahbut thinking where comments on the bottom-of-the-heap scroungers instantly is met with the response about multi-millionaires, media owners, blah blah.
They're both leeches on society and the Average Joe  worker in one way or another, so it shouldn't be either/or.

Just to clarify - this is where I'm at.

I have as much disdain for those 'at the top' leeching off society as I do for the 'scrote' types who tried to get into Berg's place.  I wouldn't suggest every wealthy person was a b%$£%^d in the same way I wouldn't regard everyone on benefits as scroungers.

What I would like to see is more incentive to people trapped on benefits.  For example, if they get a job, instead of cutting benefits, continue giving it to them for a period of time (maybe to the end of a probationary period) as an act of encouragement and/or goodwill.

Unfortunately, there are too many in every strata of society that want to use and abuse as much as they can, which ain't helpful.

Free plums for everyone!

[Rex]

Unfortunately, there are too many in every strata of society that want to use and abuse as much as they can, which ain't helpful.

Never a truer word...

[fffcycles]

Agreed Rex. Well said Worty.
There are a lot of folks out there that just need a bit of a hand and it is up to some to be aware of this fact.
Frank

[RichardL]

 For example, if they get a job, instead of cutting benefits, continue giving it to them for a period of time (maybe to the end of a probationary period) as an act of encouragement and/or goodwill.

Love this concept.

Richard L.

[BagONails]

Plums for all!  Seems like we are getting perilously close to the idea of the 'universal basic income' where everyone gets a basic minimum wage to live on, no strings attached and they can further improve their lot by working without fear of losing the UBI up to say a fairly high standard of living.

Pros. ...could effectively do away with real poverty, lift the tyranny of debt off of people's shoulders, enable people to take risks, develop ideas and be more entrepreneurial, eat better and have time to exercise, improve health and wellbeing, care for others, do voluntary work etc.
UBI advocates claim it can reduce or eliminate the bureaucracy around welfare and government work programs.

Cons. Likely to be very costly and require increased taxes to compensate. Some might say could encourage many to do less and just sponge but if they do they will not be having the best life...

Personally I have faith that the vast majority would take full advantage and improve their lives immeasurably, most would continue to work and / or volunteer and would benefit from improved self worth. Overall society would reap the benefits of reduced crime, happier general population, less anxiety, stress and illness etc.

It could be huge...

[Catz]

..... a bit like a utopia. Nah, wouldn't work. Too many people would want more than their fair share.

[Rex]

Overall society would reap the benefits of reduced crime, happier general population, less anxiety, stress and illness etc.

I suppose that depends on whether you believe criminals are criminals because they're hungry, or because they see it as an easier and more lucrative way to live than punching clock.
The first choice is amazingly naive in my view, and even if they were given this basic amount they'd still go out and commit crimes. Those massive 4X4's and Porsches don't pay for themselves after all.