On Sun, 06 Oct 2013 10:54:41 +0100, Stephen wrote:

>>>> LOL
>>>>
>>> I win. :-P
>>
>> D*mn you, I'll get you next time. ;)
>>
> I am sure that you will get your chance. :-)

I try never to miss a chance when it's important. ;)

>> When I broke my leg in the mid 90's, I was given a handicapped tag (a
>> temporary one).  It amazed me how many people parked in the spaces who
>> didn't appear to have a need
> 
> AFAIK we only give disabled stickers (handicapped has dropped out of
> use) to permanently disabled people. My wife qualifies because of her
> sight and I could use it to drive her places. But she has never applied
> for one because she is mobile and and can walk. (It seems strange to
> think of a partially sighted who cannot drive, getting a parking
> sticker.)

Most places in the US still do temporary ones AFAIK, but enforcement is 
not by law enforcement, but rather is on a voluntary basis.  That's 
probably why some people just don't care.

At a local grocery store, I even saw someone take up two spaces - they 
did have a disabled (I think that's the term we use here now as well, 
come to think of it) permit, but that still doesn't permit them to park 
like a jerk.

>> - but there are, of course, plenty of hidden causes, to - extreme
>> asthma comes to mind, and that's sadly all too common here in Utah -
> 
> Well here is another "no data" opinion. :-)
> I think that the increase in allergies, hay fever, asthma etc. Could be
> due to the amount of processed food, we eat.
> Discus. ;-)

I think there's something to that, actually.  Though I think a lot of the 
increase as well is due to better diagnosis.  I have a cat allergy, and 
have for most of my life (based on the symptoms and how long I remember 
having them before the diagnosis).  Respiratory issues also relate to air 
quality (and here in the Salt Lake Valley, especially during the winter, 
the pollution gets trapped under an inversion and stays in the valley - 
which makes for a couple very tough months for those with worse asthma 
than mine - I need to use an inhaler about two or three times a year).

>> because we often have such poor air quality, and the altitude doesn't
>> help.
>>
> I did not know about the air quality, the altitude, yes.

See "inversion" above.  There are days where the air here in the valley 
is actually a rather sickly yellow-green colour.

>>> 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 really seems there *are* a lot of selfish people here.  The really
>> odd thing (to me, anyways) is that the most selfish claim to be
>> following a guy allegedly from about 2,000 years ago who taught such
>> things as caring for the sick and the poor.  That was, in fact, one of
>> the core lessons taught.
>>
>>
> Taught but not learnt.

Clearly.  I keep trying to find the verse in the Bible that says "and 
Jesus spake unto the masses 'I got mine, Jack!'," but I keep not finding 
it. ;)

> It is funny how they pick and chose which parts of the bible they want
> to believe. And how it is mostly the old testament, they chose.
> It would make you boak. Funny how the Scots have a lot of words for
> unpleasant things. :-)

Yep, and aye. ;)

>>> 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.
>>
>> Arguably, we don't have "football hooligans" over here, nor have we
>> (yet)
>> had riots like the one in London a year or two ago.  Well, at least not
>> *recently*.
> 
> Tradition, really.
> The riots are sometimes the only way to get the politician's attention.
> Hell mend the lot of them!

We do know about using riots to get the attention of the English 
overlords over here. ;)

Jim

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