[Archived] Quality Of Life In Britain Is The Best It Has Ever Been

[thenodrog]

What about the work shy freeloaders who have never/hardly contributed and have a lifetime holiday?

Simple ........ knock a bit off base rate income tax and stop all breeding related benefits.

Next.

[JAL]

Again, complete and utter bull to group a massive group of people under one umbrella.

Nurses, doctors, teachers and policemen are all professionals.

You think their value for money is thin on the ground?

True, good teachers off value, Paramedics offer value, the Fire service offers value, doctors nurses I'm struggling to say they offer value maybe there are too many incompetents in this group to side with acceptible.

My outburst is mainly aimed at Industry, banking and the government.

[JAL]

That's why there's something called "opportunity" for ALL. Anyone can go and try a part time course in something that will give them a better wage. It's up to them to do it. The tools are there to use and that's why I like this country so much - total opportunity for those who WANT it.

Nowadays people are only stuck in a low wage bracket if they don't get up and do something about it.

Not disagreeing with you El Tombro but what your suggesting is severley limited at this moment in time. Even the education authorities know that the speed of change is so quick nowadays that once you've completed your degree 50% of it is quite possibly redundant or 'out of spec' come the end of your three years, such is the pace of change.

[Rover Down Under]

For those who think rising house prices are a good thing, the value of their homes has soared under this government.

No, rising house prices are NOT a good thing. When will people grow a brain and realise the housing market is the most hyped up, manufactured, deceptive hocus pocus there is - designed to transfer wealth en masse from the lower and middle classes to the elite / banks / major corporations every few years and keep us all mired in debt. Over-inflated land was the cause of Japan's near 20 year zero or negative growth, the only reason they are still limping along is because their nation and people SAVE money, they have no debt and massive trade surpluses in the 20 years before that helped cushion the blow. If it had happened in the West on the same scale it would have been catastrophic.

Here is another fact for you - a place called Heerenven in Holland has some of the worlds oldest records of land prices dating back some 500 years. Researchers plotted these on a graph and sure enough there were huge upward and downward spikes every few decades (although they became much more pronounced in the late 20th Century). But what they found was that the average increase in real terms of land over the 500 years was one percent. ONE PERCENT!!! Who the hell would want to invest in something that returned ONE PERCENT in the long term? Oh that's right, we would, cos we heard that someone who bought a 4 bedroom house for 100,000 ten years ago sold it for 500,000 last week. WOW! A 400,000 profit in ten years! No, you toolbox, you ain't made squat. Try going out and buying a new 4 bedroom house. Guess how much? 500,000. Cos everyone elses house has increased in value as well! Now how much profit did you make again? Oh that's right, sod all (or 1% if you like.)

Of course if you're totally stupid you will have borrowed money on your house. Yeah! What a great idea! Borrow money on an asset that isn't really an asset - in the incorrect modern meaning of the word - at all. If they plotted the debt ratio on that land prices graph I wouldn't at all be surprised to see them roughly match each other. Just how logical is that? Your "asset" is increasing in value yet you have a higher debt than ever...

But hey, EVERYONE is getting richer so of course house prices are going up and we can afford them anyway as our wages will keep in line right?

Wrong again. EVERYONE cannot get richer, richER is a comparative term. And more money in the system means inflation so comparatively you are no better off as prices for everything increase - oh and guess what, wages are the LAST thing that are brought in line (as has been pointed out in a few previous posts) so there are longer and larger gaps between rising prices and wages falling in line. Lets not even mention the fact that today a mortgage will be paid off in 30-40 years time as opposed to 30 years ago when it was 10-20. Surely that cannot keep increasing or we will be on 2nd generation mortgages soon (guess where that phenomenon is most prevalent? Yep - Japan.)

The illusion of prosperity created by the housing market is monstrous and will result in a cataclysmic crash, not the one we are experiencing at the moment, much, much worse. The Government cannot keep promising to prop up the housing market with taxpayers (OUR!) money and the market cannot falsely sustain itself on hotair, reality TV shows about successful property investors and easy credit. High property prices DOES NOT MEAN we are prosperous. During Macmillan and the "never had it so good" times property prices barely increased. Since the 70's they have increased five fold. My parents have been lucky enough to gain from this but where one gains someone else loses and the losers will be my generation and those who are about to buy or just bought property. We are almost certainly at another peak and about to head into a trough, a big one. It might be interspersed with minor fluctuations but overall the trend will be downward.

I, for one, am not looking forward to the ride.

[thenodrog]

True, good teachers off value, Paramedics offer value, the Fire service offers value, doctors nurses I'm struggling to say they offer value maybe there are too many incompetents in this group to side with acceptible.

My outburst is mainly aimed at Industry, banking and the government.

You mean the actual wealthmakers of the country? Those in your first sentence are simply constituent parts of this country's expansive service industry.

[JAL]

You mean the actual wealthmakers of the country? Those in your first sentence are simply constituent parts of this country's expansive service industry.

Debtmakers not wealthmakers theno dont get confused with extending debt is generating wealth!

[ABBEY]

OUT OF TOP 20

[broadsword]

Labour's 12 years in power have been excellent for our family but I would put that down to our own hard work and diligence rather than the efforts of any politicians.

Until the worldwide financial downturn took its toll the economy under Labour has been well managed with inflation benigh and business thriving.

For those who think rising house prices are a good thing, the value of their homes has soared under this government. The country has never been richer and to quote MacMillan, We've never had it so good.

Anyone who blames the government for their problems should look at their own failings.

That was a party political broadcast by the Monster Raving Loony Party.

[American]

Not sure of the best place to put this, but this is as good as any. It really is easy to sign up for NHS with no proof of legal residency. Just needed proof of address which we showed our council tax bill. Got a council tax bill just by calling up the council and signing up. Even when we signed our lease, we needed no proof of legal residence.

Not shocked that people come over here to take advantage.

[Paul]

Not sure of the best place to put this, but this is as good as any. It really is easy to sign up for NHS with no proof of legal residency. Just needed proof of address which we showed our council tax bill. Got a council tax bill just by calling up the council and signing up. Even when we signed our lease, we needed no proof of legal residence.

Not shocked that people come over here to take advantage.

Oh well at least we know you'll be paying council tax.

[sleepyjack]

Not sure of the best place to put this, but this is as good as any. It really is easy to sign up for NHS with no proof of legal residency. Just needed proof of address which we showed our council tax bill. Got a council tax bill just by calling up the council and signing up. Even when we signed our lease, we needed no proof of legal residence.

Not shocked that people come over here to take advantage.

It's just as easy in America. I've got a bank account and health insurance and I'm not yet a legal resident.

[American]

The difference is that your health care isn't provided by the government. They have no proof I'm paying for mine - over there they'll cover anyone willing to pay.

[neekoy]

OUT OF TOP 20

2. Australia

Abs you are more then welcome

[ABBEY]

awwww shucks

[philipl]

But.... the British are paid the most whilst being the most miserable people in Europe according to this

[FourLaneBlue]

That link doesn't work Phil.

[cn174]

But.... the British are paid the most whilst being the most miserable people in Europe according to this

http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=95582

working link ^^

[JAL]

Quality of life ?

This is a tale of todays UK were the bottom end of society lose out.

Currently six local women have just enetered into consultation were they are about to lose their jobs, the firm they work for has been successful. Year on year traded at a small profit of around 35k to 50 k profit for the past tean years.

Now they have been swallowed up by another rival and this new owner has decided its strategy is to take their brand absorb it into theirs and be done with the staff.

Of these six women only one is financially self sufficient the other five are devastated with thier low skill base but extremely hard working ethics, these women go into christmas with an uncertain future. Come the end of january they are out on their ears and into the cold looking to share in the evil chancellors misery.

Their severance packages wont be great as they are on part time contracts 8-16 hours, plus length of service, plus being a couple of pence above the minimum wage. So these unfortunate hard working soles will soon join the unemployed asking themselves is there a future and what is the point if, making a profit cant sustain or even secure their own future.

A fine life we all lead.

[Bazzanotsogreat]

But.... the British are paid the most whilst being the most miserable people in Europe according to this

Rather confused by you posting this article. Firstly, you argue that under new Labour; quality of life is better than it has ever been- then you post an article stating that qol in the UK is extremely poor.

Which is it?

[BuckyRover]

Quality of life ?

This is a tale of todays UK were the bottom end of society lose out.

Currently six local women have just enetered into consultation were they are about to lose their jobs, the firm they work for has been successful. Year on year traded at a small profit of around 35k to 50 k profit for the past tean years.

Now they have been swallowed up by another rival and this new owner has decided its strategy is to take their brand absorb it into theirs and be done with the staff.

Of these six women only one is financially self sufficient the other five are devastated with thier low skill base but extremely hard working ethics, these women go into christmas with an uncertain future. Come the end of january they are out on their ears and into the cold looking to share in the evil chancellors misery.

Their severance packages wont be great as they are on part time contracts 8-16 hours, plus length of service, plus being a couple of pence above the minimum wage. So these unfortunate hard working soles will soon join the unemployed asking themselves is there a future and what is the point if, making a profit cant sustain or even secure their own future.

A fine life we all lead.

That doesn't mean that quality of life is not much better than it ever has been though does.

You have just made reference to 6 women who may be losing their jobs. 100 years ago they would be in work houses, lucky to ever see the light of day.

[ABBEY]

THE SCUM WILL ALWAYS BE SCUM....

just done nights in manc land and to goto gorton every day....we got greeted with eggs at our vans and apparently one driver stopped and the night after the eggs were bricks...scummy chav scrotes.

[JAL]

That doesn't mean that quality of life is not much better than it ever has been though does.

You have just made reference to 6 women who may be losing their jobs. 100 years ago they would be in work houses, lucky to ever see the light of day.

These women will be looking for similar low skilled jobs which are very scarce at this moment in time. Do you imply that their quality of life is much better, and if so, how ?

[neekoy]

These women will be looking for similar low skilled jobs which are very scarce at this moment in time. Do you imply that their quality of life is much better, and if so, how ?

Well they don't live in Sierra Leone, Angola, Somalia or Afganistan.......always look on the bright side of life

[thenodrog]

THE SCUM WILL ALWAYS BE SCUM....

just done nights in manc land and to goto gorton every day....we got greeted with eggs at our vans and apparently one driver stopped and the night after the eggs were bricks...scummy chav scrotes.

Prob like that years ago until we invented Australia. We desperately need a modern version.

[philipl]

The Economist explodes the Britain is broken myth.