Will the Scots raid the Border Counties?

Yes I know you could buy booze when you was a kid caj, I was just tring to say that the law has not changed since those days, and as far as I know is still the same now.

And I agree its more to do with the perception of youngsters, its considered "big" to be smashed out your mind and laying in a gutter these days, when we were kids it was something to be ashamed of.
Nobody liked a drunk, I dont think, back then.

 

What bothers me most about this whole situation, is that nobody seems to ask why people feel it necessary to get smashed out of their faces.

I'm not being a beardy do-gooder here, just applying some common sense to it. If you have any aspirations, whether that is to have a good job or be good at some sport or something else, you would avoid anything that damages your chances. Perhaps the issue is that people just don't see any opportunity and therefore see no point in exercising moderation.

I'm not saying there are no opportunities, because there are. But perception counts for a lot. If people perceive there to be no reason not to waste themselves, then they will.

Let me give an example. When I was just coming up to school leaving age, there was a recession on, just as there is now. People were losing their family homes to repossession right, left and centre. Older folks would rant about how "in my day you could walk out of one job and straight into another", while we were being told that if you send out 100 job applications you might if you are very lucky get one acknowledgeable letter saying "there is nothing at the moment but we'll keep you on file". Some of us were actually told by school teachers that there is no point setting our sights high because there is no work for anyone. As a consequence of what the news was droning on about, what our teachers were telling us, and what we were seeing at home, a lot of folks in my age group decided there is no point trying to achieve anything. Petty, and even not so petty crime became common, and lots of kids turned to alcohol and drugs.

I, and some of my mates, are living proof that the pessimism portrayed to us was unrealistic. While some kids took the stance "there's no point", I took the stance "I'll just have to try harder than the rest" and went on to build a career. But I can remember asking myself many, many times if the effort would ever be worthwhile, and if it wouldn't be an easier life just to get smashed out my brain and wait patiently for it all to go past.

So instead of governments trying to stick an elastaplast over the gaping wound while axe that caused the wound keeps on swinging, maybe it would be better for them to look at the cause of the wound instead. Instead of tackling the symptoms, maybe they should try to cure the cause of the disease.

The government can't create good jobs for us all (despite them insisting that they will one day do just that) but they can provide the means for people to sort themselves out. Maybe sport should be encouraged, and maybe education should be made more relevant and fun.

The benefits system needs to be looked at properly too. It doesn't make it easy to get back into work. Last time I was out of work and had to claim benefits, I felt like I was stuck in a big hole. I had to save up to be able to afford to go to interviews. Sure they give you travelling expenses, but there is much red tape to get it and it can take several days to arrange. No good if a recruitment agent has just phoned and said "they want to see you the day after tomorrow". In one case I went for an interview and the bloke was unsure, so I asked the dole office if I could offer to work for free for a month and still claim benefits. The answer was no because I'd be unavailable to look for work, so I missed out on that job (he wasn't sure enough to take a risk on me, and I couldn't afford to go a month with no income whatsoever).

Perhaps the news could be a bit less biased too. We always get to hear when a big company is laying off thousands of staff, or when unemployment is nearing record levels, but we never get to hear when a new company has just started up and is looking to recruit people.

 

I take your points cluless but I cant see the binge drinking has much to do with being out of work or a resession, its been happening for a good few years now.
Many binge drinkers that I know have jobs and earn reasonable money, but nobody saves money these days, most I know spend their wages every week, or in some cases more than their wages.

Its a case of live for today and sod tomorrow.

 

And why is that I wonder?

Many people who saved for their retirement lost it.
Those of us who paid into endowments to 'more than' cover our mortgages lost it and have to pay again.

And the people on the wages that they can't possibly spend deserve bonus payments and expenses that are more than many people earn.

 

Yep, how did we get to this Hec.:(
10yrs of Gordon Brown running the money.
And now the idiots running the country.

**** interest rates are part of the problem, due to everyone living on credit and the government wanting everyone to spend spend spend, in order to keep the economy looking good, add a stock market crash and you get where we are now.

but I think thats a bit off topic.

 

I can't see the point of these political comments, I start from the premise that "All Politicians are liars, some worse than others". Journalists are the same.

 

THe only ones to benefit from the crash are those who gambled away our money,how clever gambling with others money and being rewarded for losing.I hope they do go elsewhere,they'r rubbish.Bet they are glad they are not in China ,they,d be spare parts now.