On 05/10/2013 5:58 PM, Jim Henderson wrote:
> On Sat, 05 Oct 2013 11:37:19 +0100, Stephen wrote:

>> This may be a cultural thing. In the UK about that time, fat or over
>> weight was seen to be a sign of greed, gluttany or self/over indulgence.
>> When I reached 210 lb at 5' 10" I was shocked into going on a crash
>> diet.
>
> Well, yeah - but we also have causes that aren't due to overeating, but
> the stigma is still applied to those who have other issues.
>

Indeed it is. I had an uncle who had something wrong with him. He was 
small, even for Glasgow, and rotund. Which is the nicest way I can say 
it. It made his life a misery. He did live to a ripe old age, though. 
And my mother and brother were/are on constant diets.
I hope that you don't think I was being personal.

> The result is that there are lots of people here who don't know enough to
> mind their own business.  Many people feel the need to comment - directly
> - to people they don't know about their weight.
>
>>> That still doesn't strike me as "data" though.
>>
>> It is not, be a climate change denier, if you will. :-P
>
> LOL
>

I win. :-P

>> The choice being that it was not acceptable to show fat (or unattractive
>> people) as being normal.
>
> Except that in many cases, they /are/ normal.  It's not really for others
> to judge -

Yes and yes.

> just like people who get angry at those who have no *apparent*
> disability parking in handicapped spaces.  We don't get to ask them for
> their whole health history to determine if they meet our expectations for
> someone who should or shouldn't have one of the mirror hangers that lets
> them park there.
>

A couple of years ago, we had a spate of forged disability stickers, 
going around. And there was a lot of hard stares going on. It would only 
be a very boorish person that would ask. Having said that, there has 
been an increase in road rage. And a man was killed, recently over a 
parking space at a supermarket. But then when things like that make the 
headlines. It must be rare.


> As much as we here in America want health care decisions to be between
> doctor and patient, our current system has insurance companies there, and
> a large proportion want to stick their noses in others' medical business.
>

I am reading the news stories about obamacare and I'm thinking that 
there must be a lot of evil selfish people over there.
But I know what happens when a socialist says anything on the internet. ;-)

>> It is often said that we are about 30 to 50 years behind the states.
>> That gap is closing rapidly.
>
> Perhaps so.
>

I think so. Kids and much older are aping American youth culture. Just 
like in the 50's but not James Dean or Marlon Brando.



-- 
Regards
     Stephen

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