ARmy Rumour SErvice

Originally Posted by supermatelot

Bugsy, would you care to share with us your definition of poverty that you state is so rife in the UK?

He can't, it exists in that swirling void of a mind he possesses. He has chosen possibly the worst site on the internet to bang his poverty drum. A lot of the blokes here (including myself) grew up in what would today be called grinding poverty, the fact that we achieved what we did despite our status rankles him. We should have not succeeded without massive state handouts, when it's pointed out to him he retreats into "Ferse Were Wore" as if it had some relevance.

Originally Posted by BugzDaMick

Hmm, the Capitalist propaganda certainly seems to have taken a firm hold of you. The "western societies" that you deem so liberal and supportive have no real choice if they're to avoid the prospect of large bands of starving, desperated folks roaming the landscape. But even the meagre support that they offer is continually being cut to the bone. We might not be serfs at the moment, but we're well on our way to that situation.

Just look at the UK. There are homeless and destitute everywhere, who often become so through no fault of their own, and hundreds of thousands of children living below the poverty line. And that in one of the richest countries in the world! It's disgraceful and disgusting but reflects the total, ruthless indifference of the UK politicians and those who really run the country. The UK could ditch its national debts tomorrow - just nationalise the Bank of England! Then it could become a financial institution run for the good of the majority of the population and not remain a private enterprise serving only the mega-rich.

MsG

So why do you continue to live in this alleged capitalist hellhole?

Benefits better than Cuba, or are you another Toynbesque social warrior that lives a champagne socialist life while spouting shite about the virtues of poverty and socialism?

Originally Posted by supermatelot

Bugsy, would you care to share with us your definition of poverty that you state is so rife in the UK?

To obtain an overview of poverty in the UK, this is a good place to start:
Poverty in the United Kingdom - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
And these two websites also yield some interesting, and frightening, facts and figures:
Child poverty in the UK | Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Key facts - The Poverty Site

The thing is that it’s happening in one of the richest countries in the world. There’s no way to excuse such a situation, and constantly saying that the folks only have themselves to blame is convenient for the gobment, but does nothing at all by way of solving what is a very urgent problem that the present financial crisis can only exacerbate.

Originally Posted by CQMS

He can't, it exists in that swirling void of a mind he possesses. He has chosen possibly the worst site on the internet to bang his poverty drum. A lot of the blokes here (including myself) grew up in what would today be called grinding poverty, the fact that we achieved what we did despite our status rankles him. We should have not succeeded without massive state handouts, when it's pointed out to him he retreats into "Ferse Were Wore" as if it had some relevance.

You can add me to those who grew up in grinding poverty too. Or what do you suppose life was like in rural Ireland in the 1950s? Like you and the rest, I got myself and education, joined the British Army and carried on from there. Unlike you, we never received any “massive state handouts” but the various charities and Catholic church organisations were very helpful.


MsG

Originally Posted by BugzDaMick

To obtain an overview of poverty in the UK, this is a good place to start:
Poverty in the United Kingdom - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Poverty is defined by the Government as ‘household income below 60 percent of median income’. The median is the income earned by the household in the middle of the income distribution.^[21]In the year 2004/2005, the 60% threshold was worth £183 per week for a two adult household, £100 per week for a single adult, £268 per week for two adults living with two children, and £186 per week for a single adult living with two children. This sum of money is after income tax and national insurance have been deducted from earnings and after council tax, rent, mortgage and water charges have been paid. It is therefore what a household has available to spend on everything else it needs.^[22]

There is no way on God's green earth that almost £270 a week for mum, dad and two kids AFTER all the bills bar the electric and gas are paid is poverty. What a load of shit.

I'll take it from his stony silence that monosodium glutimate does not practice the socialism he so fanatically preaches.

Originally Posted by BugzDaMick

And these two websites also yield some interesting, and frightening, facts and figures
Child poverty in the UK | Joseph Rowntree Foundation


MsG

Yes, some very interesting facts such as the Joseph Roundtree Foundation appear to be a bunch of filthy capitalists


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Originally Posted by jarrod248

I got in the bath every Sunday whether I was dirty or not.

But it took a lot of effort to get the coal out of the bath first. Bet the water was honking (& cold) by the time your dad, mam & brothers had been through...

Originally Posted by BugzDaMick

... an' then you went off to fight inna "Ferse Were Wore" an' you was up to your neck in buck an' mullets (or however the saying goes). Twas hardship all the time. I know, I know.

MsG

Nope, I was brought up in a very comfortable middle class home and we had ice on the insides of the windows on winters mornings too.

Edit to add:

We also didn't have light and heat for long-ish periods because the fecking Union ****ers were on strike again.