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Post by bracknellboy on Jul 12, 2021 20:21:28 GMT
Just seen on the news that Natalie Elphicke MP has been 'picked up' for saying post penalty shootout that Marcus Rashford should have spent more time "perfecting his game" rather than "playing politics". What a charming couple her and her convicted criminal husband and former MP Charlie must make. Perhaps they and Priti Patel get together for regular dinner parties, must be a joyous occasion. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-57807264 |
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keitha
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Post by keitha on Jul 12, 2021 21:21:37 GMT
Just seen on the news that Natalie Elphicke MP has been 'picked up' for saying post penalty shootout that Marcus Rashford should have spent more time "perfecting his game" rather than "playing politics". What a charming couple her and her convicted criminal husband and former MP Charlie must make. Perhaps they and Priti Patel get together for regular dinner parties, must be a joyous occasion. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-57807264Perhaps if some of our MPs spent more time on the day job, the likes of Marcus Rashford wouldn't need to get involved
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Post by bernythedolt on Jul 13, 2021 11:49:21 GMT
Does anyone know of any genuinely hungry kids in the UK in this day and age? My dad knew hunger during the war, and today's kids certainly look much podgier than when I was a kid. Looking back at old photos, I was skinny as a rake by today's standards.
The difficulty these days is in separating out the real truth from virtue-signalling fiction. I've heard him referred to as St. Rashford, presumably for a reason.
I wouldn't know if his crusade had validity of not, my eyes tell me one thing, but perhaps it is true in some parts of the country.
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Post by mfaxford on Jul 13, 2021 13:12:27 GMT
Does anyone know of any genuinely hungry kids in the UK in this day and age? My dad knew hunger during the war, and today's kids certainly look much podgier than when I was a kid. Looking back at old photos, I was skinny as a rake by today's standards. From seeing things in the past I think there are a number of families where in order to feed the children other important things are being missed - For instance the parents might be going hungry instead or they're not properly heating the home in winter or unable to provide other things that family needs (I heard/read comments recently that whilst many homes may have a device suitable for working/schooling from home it could be a single device shared between a working parents and several school aged children). So whilst the numbers of genuinely hungry children might be low (or we're just not aware of them*) that's down to things like free school meals, foodbanks and other things being given up that shouldn't have to be. * I wonder how many are really aware of what struggles other families a few roads over might go through if they're outside our immediate circles.
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JamesFrance
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Post by JamesFrance on Jul 13, 2021 13:29:25 GMT
I expect the ones who cannot pay for food for their children are spending the child benefits on expensive loan repayments. I never thought borrowing to buy something you couldn't afford to pay for should have been encouraged. It's something I only ever did for business rather than personal.
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keitha
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Post by keitha on Jul 13, 2021 14:16:59 GMT
I expect the ones who cannot pay for food for their children are spending the child benefits on expensive loan repayments. I never thought borrowing to buy something you couldn't afford to pay for should have been encouraged. It's something I only ever did for business rather than personal. Definitely untrue round here ! We do have kids going hungry especially during school holidays, it seems that the budget won't stretch. But then I have to say the local Greggs, chip shop and takeaways are usually busy. From local knowledge (of those on benefits ) we seem to have 2 sorts of financially poor parents round here, those for who the kids come first and go without themselves in order to provide for their kids, and those for whom their own personal enjoyment comes first so the sky subscription, big screen TV, Fags and booze, the I have no money left, the state should feed my kids. When Vouchers were issues last year to help out both Iceland and TESCO had to put up signs saying the Vouchers could not be used for alcohol, so even when given extra to feed the kids booze came first. A millennial I know personally, uses the foodbanks every week then uses the money she has for luxuries. For pity's sake the idea of a foodbank is to help out not provide every weeks and certainly not visit multiple. When I challenged her the response was "it's there, it's free, why shouldn't I take advantage"
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JamesFrance
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Post by JamesFrance on Jul 13, 2021 15:46:15 GMT
I expect the ones who cannot pay for food for their children are spending the child benefits on expensive loan repayments. I never thought borrowing to buy something you couldn't afford to pay for should have been encouraged. It's something I only ever did for business rather than personal. Definitely untrue round here ! We do have kids going hungry especially during school holidays, it seems that the budget won't stretch. But then I have to say the local Greggs, chip shop and takeaways are usually busy. From local knowledge (of those on benefits ) we seem to have 2 sorts of financially poor parents round here, those for who the kids come first and go without themselves in order to provide for their kids, and those for whom their own personal enjoyment comes first so the sky subscription, big screen TV, Fags and booze, the I have no money left, the state should feed my kids. When Vouchers were issues last year to help out both Iceland and TESCO had to put up signs saying the Vouchers could not be used for alcohol, so even when given extra to feed the kids booze came first. A millennial I know personally, uses the foodbanks every week then uses the money she has for luxuries. For pity's sake the idea of a foodbank is to help out not provide every weeks and certainly not visit multiple. When I challenged her the response was "it's there, it's free, why shouldn't I take advantage" My wife would have qualified for free school meals, however her father who was a proud man, injured while working down a mine, refused to sign the declaration saying that he was unable to provide food for his child, which was a requirement all those years ago before they invented PC.
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keitha
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Post by keitha on Jul 13, 2021 15:49:38 GMT
JamesFrance one of the big differences from when I grew up many were too proud to accept handouts, now we have a majority taking everything they can.
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agent69
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Post by agent69 on Jul 13, 2021 16:57:30 GMT
Just seen on the news that Natalie Elphicke MP has been 'picked up' for saying post penalty shootout that Marcus Rashford should have spent more time "perfecting his game" rather than "playing politics". What a charming couple her and her convicted criminal husband and former MP Charlie must make. Perhaps they and Priti Patel get together for regular dinner parties, must be a joyous occasion. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-57807264If you wan't paragons of virtue the HOC probably not the best place to start looking.
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adrianc
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Post by adrianc on Jul 13, 2021 18:10:07 GMT
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Post by bernythedolt on Jul 13, 2021 19:27:30 GMT
"I got my first tattoo when I was 18 (no baby, in work) and continued spending my wages on my tattoos until I didn't have wages to spend on them any more. I did not spend my "benefit money" on tattoos. End of. I do still have them, because tattoos are permanent, so even when you're freezing and starving you can't sell them for a bit of cash." - www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/01/richard-littlejohn-wrong-about-jack-monroe-daily-mailStrange set of priorities. Some of us save it for a rainy day, and to feed our future children, instead of peeing it all up the wall on mindless tattoos, an iPhone and other tat, as she did. You certainly wouldn't give up your job, as she did, until you'd saved up a pot to tide you over until the next job. What does it tell you, that her fire service employer would not consider her for a sideways move (with more suitable hours for a single mother) anywhere else in the service? Probably glad to see the back of her. I've read all your links, but nowhere have I see any pictures of actual hungry children. If we genuinely had such a problem, we'd have seen photographic evidence of them by now.
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starfished
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Post by starfished on Jul 13, 2021 21:39:24 GMT
People sometimes equate "food poverty" with "starvation". We are simply not going to see loads of images of emaciated children in the UK today (thankfully). Having said that children with irregular feeding patterns, particularly if eating junk type food when they have food available will present bigger/chubbier than those with better eating habits and quality of food (due to impact on metabolism/insulin/etc). Those kids with better feeding habits are also likely to have parents that see the value in exercise, exaggerating the effect. Kids in "old" pictures are very slim partly because of the diet (including drinks) that dominated during that period but also because they moved a hell of a lot more than we do now (parents are now terrified of what might happen to their kids if left to wander on their own). Lockdown has shown just how damaging, even a small increase in inactivity can be to waistlines. Some parents of course make bad decisions and some also try to game the system. We all have different views to what extent we want their children to suffer as a consequence of that. But in an increasingly time poor world, really bad but quick food is far too cheap and accessible... Anyway this chat reminded me of this article from last year which touches on how what "poverty" looked like and how it has changed since 1992 which some here might also find interesting: www.theguardian.com/society/2020/nov/14/this-photo-of-children-living-in-poverty-caused-shock-waves-in-1992-where-are-they-now |
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Greenwood2
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Post by Greenwood2 on Jul 14, 2021 5:23:10 GMT
"I got my first tattoo when I was 18 (no baby, in work) and continued spending my wages on my tattoos until I didn't have wages to spend on them any more. I did not spend my "benefit money" on tattoos. End of. I do still have them, because tattoos are permanent, so even when you're freezing and starving you can't sell them for a bit of cash." - www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/01/richard-littlejohn-wrong-about-jack-monroe-daily-mailStrange set of priorities. Some of us save it for a rainy day, and to feed our future children, instead of peeing it all up the wall on mindless tattoos, an iPhone and other tat, as she did. You certainly wouldn't give up your job, as she did, until you'd saved up a pot to tide you over until the next job. What does it tell you, that her fire service employer would not consider her for a sideways move (with more suitable hours for a single mother) anywhere else in the service? Probably glad to see the back of her. I've read all your links, but nowhere have I see any pictures of actual hungry children. If we genuinely had such a problem, we'd have seen photographic evidence of them by now. In the UK context hungry children doesn't mean starving emaciated children, it means children going to bed feeling hungry, then not getting a proper breakfast and arriving at school hungry with school lunch being the best meal of the day. Marcus Rashford was one of those children, according to him he and his brothers and sisters were often hungry, his mother did her best (she worked hard and I don't think she is a drinker or a smoker!), but there wasn't enough food to go round, that is why he is so concerned about child poverty and making sure children get enough food, especially when children were not in school during the pandemic and many were therefore missing their only substantial meal of the day.
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Post by mfaxford on Jul 14, 2021 8:22:34 GMT
"I got my first tattoo when I was 18 (no baby, in work) and continued spending my wages on my tattoos until I didn't have wages to spend on them any more. I did not spend my "benefit money" on tattoos. End of. I do still have them, because tattoos are permanent, so even when you're freezing and starving you can't sell them for a bit of cash." - www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/01/richard-littlejohn-wrong-about-jack-monroe-daily-mailStrange set of priorities. Some of us save it for a rainy day, and to feed our future children, instead of peeing it all up the wall on mindless tattoos, an iPhone and other tat, as she did. You certainly wouldn't give up your job, as she did, until you'd saved up a pot to tide you over until the next job. What does it tell you, that her fire service employer would not consider her for a sideways move (with more suitable hours for a single mother) anywhere else in the service? Probably glad to see the back of her. To add to the two previous comments (from starfished and @greewnwood2) have you considered how difficult it can be if you find yourself living off minimum wage or benefits. After the expenses of rent, council tax, essential bills, food you might not have much left over for saving or a few small pleasures from a 40+ hour week at work. At that point things like hire purchase and mobile contracts can look a better deal as you don't have the money (and wont save it quickly) to buy something outright (even if that might be cheaper in the long term). You also seem to have missed the part two lines down where she indicates her tattoos didn't cost that much. Whilst I don't know what she would have spent or over what time period I suspect it wasn't excessive amounts at any time, why shouldn't she do some things that she enjoys if there's a spare bit of cash at the end of the month (or possibly saved up over a few months) ?
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agent69
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Post by agent69 on Jul 14, 2021 9:21:09 GMT
"I got my first tattoo when I was 18 (no baby, in work) and continued spending my wages on my tattoos until I didn't have wages to spend on them any more. I did not spend my "benefit money" on tattoos. End of. I do still have them, because tattoos are permanent, so even when you're freezing and starving you can't sell them for a bit of cash." - www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/01/richard-littlejohn-wrong-about-jack-monroe-daily-mailStrange set of priorities. Some of us save it for a rainy day, and to feed our future children, instead of peeing it all up the wall on mindless tattoos, an iPhone and other tat, as she did. You certainly wouldn't give up your job, as she did, until you'd saved up a pot to tide you over until the next job. What does it tell you, that her fire service employer would not consider her for a sideways move (with more suitable hours for a single mother) anywhere else in the service? Probably glad to see the back of her. I've read all your links, but nowhere have I see any pictures of actual hungry children. If we genuinely had such a problem, we'd have seen photographic evidence of them by now. In the UK context hungry children doesn't mean starving emaciated children, it means children going to bed feeling hungry, then not getting a proper breakfast and arriving at school hungry with school lunch being the best meal of the day. Marcus Rashford was one of those children, according to him he and his brothers and sisters were often hungry, his mother did her best (she worked hard and I don't think she is a drinker or a smoker!), but there wasn't enough food to go round, that is why he is so concerned about child poverty and making sure children get enough food, especially when children were not in school during the pandemic and many were therefore missing their only substantial meal of the day. I have great respect for Rashford, but I wonder if his own circumstances stand scrutiny. His father did a runner and left his wife to raise a family as a lone parent. Despite having a low paid job his mother thought it appropriate to have 5 children.
Looks like many of the famlies problems were self inflicted.
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