On Sat, 05 Oct 2013 21:23:25 +0100, Stephen wrote:

> 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.

Oh, no, I didn't think you were being personal at all

>> 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

D*mn you, I'll get you next time. ;)

>> 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.

It probably is - headlines are intended to be sensational, not to inform.

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 - 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 - because we often have such poor air quality, and 
the altitude doesn't help.

>> 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 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.

>>> 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.

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*.

Jim

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