foreversnow 5 Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Here in Aus They are looking at subsidising gym memberships for obese people, Banning fast food ads and displaying the calories of fast foods in the restaurants!! HELLO if they didn't spend so much money on CRAP food then they could afford a gym membership. If you are eating at McD's KFC etc are you really the sort of person that is interested in the nutritional/calorie content of your meal I THINK NOT!! If you are obese (subsidy's), a single parent ($5000 per baby - stimulus package for each child), and jobless (unemployment benefits) life is pretty good here in australia!! Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Many reasonably well off Aussies do seem to have this concept that those on unemployment benefits are able to lead somewhat charmed lifestyles on the backs of hard working Aussies. Having been involved in certain jobs dealing with single parents over the years I can assure you that their lifestyle is generally anything but pretty good! It's normally one of basic subsistence and little things such as having to buy the kid new shoes for school can cause significant hardship. They certainly couldn't even imagine the kind of lifestyle many on here lead where the biggest stresser may be do we spend one or two weeks in Japan skiing this year? Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 True to some extent GN. I have also known of a family where Mum and Dad lived together with thier 3 kids, but his address was listed as the grandparents - so that between them they could rake in Unemployment Benefits, Supporting Parents Benefit, Child Allowance, Additional Child Allowance Supplement as well as subsidys on phone, rent, health care etc etc. Both the mother and father worked for cash in the family business on a part time basis, and because they were home much more than the gainfully employed made cost savings on DIY where a working person might have to hire a tradesman, or pick up takeaway after a long work day. The minority who rort give a bad name and image to the majority who dont, and also make it SEEM like the majority are living the slack life - where *particularly for supporting parents* in most cases this is not true. Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 No matter what system you have when it involves money there will always be some who rort it. Just like the self-employed who often have rather ingenious ways of hiding income earned to reduce their taxes. Or the rich using family trusts or offshore accounts and the like to help reduce their taxes. Rorting the dole in Aus is not that easy anymore and eventually the measures put in place to stop rorting can end up costing more than is being rorted if you try and stop it all. Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Never heard that expression before - rort...... Link to post Share on other sites
Go Native 70 Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Mostly an Aussie expression... Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 nor me, rort. I thought it was a sound from the bttocks or something. Link to post Share on other sites
BagOfCrisps 24 Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Haha yes I was thinking that. Link to post Share on other sites
foreversnow 5 Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 GN sorry I sound like a pompous arse but I work very hard in my business and do without a lot so I can have my 2 weeks in Niseko. Would love to be one of those people who can jet off to Europe for a few weeks or Canada but a lass the funds don't allow that (may have something to do with all the orphan animals I have to take care of!!!!) What gets up my goat when you have Miss 19 in front of you at the supermarket with every snack food ever manufactured, 4 kids all under 5 who then purchases 2 cartons of cigarettes and then heads off to the bottle shop for her cask of wine and slab of beer. NOW I am not begruding her that but I know when times are tough for me alcohol and a few little yummy extra's are the first thing wiped off my list. As for the over weight people I can totally sympathise with them as I used to be a Sz 18 and weighed 75kgs. Through very disciplined eating and exercise I lost 30kgs was a Sz 6. I know it is hard and believe me at 6am when the alarm goes off and it is dark outside i would much rather stay snuggled down under the doona but I drag myself off and hit the road for my morning run. What I just don't agree with is the easy hand outs for these people. Give me a subsidy for eating healthy and exercising and not being a burden on health Care!! SORRY RANT OVER Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 just being able to ski, even just once a year makes you previleged. Rorting post though. Link to post Share on other sites
Jynxx 4 Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 I can relate to everyone's opinion and feeling here.. But I am troubled about the fact "Image is Everything" in this current world. Some people cope through stress by putting on weight, some by losing it. Sure there's the genetic factor but isn't it not fair that fat people are a social stigma compared skinny people? Like in the old days, fat meant rich people. Now, skinny is trend. I used to get verbally scoffed at being skinny by my parents and kids around. Basically, some people don't have motivation. I have been there. We use to say, if only we can find it. Wrong! It's either one has it or not. And these people really don't give a toss what other's might think. As for easy or hard, sure with money things are generally easier but who knows.. Daily Mail. Why do they put crap in news papers. News should not be censored but this is utter maddness selling crap about peoples lives. At least Jerry Springfield had a purpose.. Link to post Share on other sites
TheOrange 0 Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 Nothing to get troubled about in my case - I simply want to lose the bit of a belly I have grown the last few months before summer, when I will proceed to eat lots of yummy stuff. Simple as! Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 ahem... it is summer. Link to post Share on other sites
rach 1 Posted July 6, 2009 Share Posted July 6, 2009 Fat ghettos?! Quote: One in six children is clinically obese when they start primary school in parts of the UK, new figures show. Medical experts say there is growing evidence that parents are unable to distinguish between 'puppy fat' and the sort of obesity that puts their health at risk. Figures released by the Department of Health show one British child in 10 is obese at the age of five - while one in five children is obese at the time they start secondary school. However, the statistics also show huge regional variations - and emergence of 'fat ghettos' in the poorest parts of the UK. In Stockton-on-Tees in north-East England, around one child in six starting primary school is so overweight that their health is at risk. That compares to the comparatively wealthy district of Adur in West Sussex, where one in 25 children is obese. Tam Fry from the National Obesity Forum charity said there was compelling evidence that childhood obesity laid down health problems later in life - and that the dangers began before children are able to walk and talk. 'There is a lot of literature now that confirms the first year of life is absolutely critical - and that fat children are in danger of staying fat for the rest of their lives,' he said. Link to post Share on other sites
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