BS: Government Bows to Pressure(UK)

Subject: BS: Government Bows to Pressure
From: GUEST,John Spears
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 07:56 PM

Looks like the government will increase road tax for drivers of four by fours. Also the boom in cheap airfares will end with higher taxation on the way too. Smoking ban comes into force in April. Bloody pressure groups of old hippies seem to get the ear of this government on a daily basis. Followed by the do gooders in our society making sure life prisoners get a good education and a comfortable lifestyle and 50% knocked off their sentences. If a country was ever in a mess it's this one.

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure
From: Peace
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 07:58 PM

I don't get what it is you're trying to say . . . .

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure
From: jeffp
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 08:04 PM

Which country?

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure
From: bobad
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 08:18 PM

Today's budget in Canada does include a gaz guzzler tax and incentives toward the purchase of fuel efficient vehicules, don't know about the other stuff though.

Gas-guzzling vehicles face new fees under Flaherty budget
Mike De Souza, CanWest News Service
Published: Monday, March 19, 2007

OTTAWA — New fees for gas-guzzling vehicles, rebates for their fuel-efficient counterparts, and a tightening of tax regulations for petroleum producers are among some of the key environmental measures introduced Monday in Finance Minister Jim Flaherty's federal budget.

While consumers who buy or lease fuel-efficient vehicles could benefit from rebates of up to $2,000, motorists who buy gas guzzlers could see the price tag increase by $1,000 to $4,000 because of a new "green levy on fuel-inefficient vehicles.

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure
From: Don Firth
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 08:20 PM

Bloody well about time this country got civilized.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure
From: Bobert
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 08:27 PM

I'm an old hippie...

Where do I sign up to have my governemnt listen to me???

I have voted for one pwerson in my life who actaully won: Jimmy Carter...

I have supported pro-human, pro-Earth policies and my governemtn has killed perhaps millions of people in my life and for what???


The only folks that my governemnt has any interst in listening to are rich people... Yeah, if rich people don't want to breath in other folks fowl cigarttes smoke then smoking will be banned from areas where rich people congregate... You won't find such no ban at no NASCAR races and you cvan take that to the cancer bank...

Yeah, where do I, as a old hippie, sign up to be heard???

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure
From: GUEST,John Spears
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 08:28 PM

So sorry. The United Kingdom.

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 08:42 PM

Rather a ragbag of things to object to.

Why should anyone object to us being allowed to go to pubs and cafés without having to breathe in secondhand smoke from people who don't have the elementary manners to go outside to smoke without being compelled to by law?

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure
From: Don Firth
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 09:00 PM

The American Cancer Society publlished figures recently indicating that 40% of those who die of lung cancer didn't smoke, but they lived or worked where others did.

I uses to smoke, but I quit twenty-nine years ago.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure
From: Dickey
Date: 19 Mar 07 - 11:21 PM

I don't see anything wrong with the CAFE system. Just keep raising the average. The car makers will have to make more high mpg cars and fewer gas guzzlers. That will raise the price of the guzzlers and lower the price of the gas sippers. The buyers of the guzzlers will be subsidising the sippers.

I remember in the last shortage, when a dealer got a econo vehicle in like a Tercell, they would not put a price on it. They would set it out front and take bids on it. The lead balloons were being sold below cost because there were so many of them. A higher CAFE should turn that scenario around.

Good going Doug. I quit too. As they say in West by God Va, Ah Queeet.

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure
From: Teribus
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 02:58 AM

"Followed by the do gooders in our society making sure life prisoners get a good education and a comfortable lifestyle and 50% knocked off their sentences."

Amazing John, did the same "do-gooders" happen to mention what was going to be done for the victims of those life prisoners? Damn sure the Chancellor won't tomorrow.

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure
From: bubblyrat
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 06:06 AM

Now that they"re going to ban the cildrens" story about the Wolf & the Three Little Piggies ( Oh yes !! Friends in the US & Canada----this is TRUE !! ) , in case Muslims are offended by references to pigs, then surely the time for revolution & armed uprising, to rid ourselves of these MORONS, is NOW !!!

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure
From: Bee
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 06:28 AM

Bubblyrat, do you have a reference for that - not sayin' it ain't true, just curious.

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure
From: Rasener
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 06:48 AM

Here is a link to a current situation in the UK concerning the 3 little piggies
3 little piggies

I am appalled that the above even got changed in the first place.

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure
From: skipy
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 06:52 AM

Just put:- Three Little Piggies ban    into google, article in telegraph newspaper.
Skipy

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure
From: skipy
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 06:53 AM

Cross post, Villan beat me to it,
Skipy

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure
From: Rasener
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 06:54 AM

LOL

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure
From: Scrump
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 07:11 AM

Looks like the government will increase road tax for drivers of four by fours. Also the boom in cheap airfares will end with higher taxation on the way too. Smoking ban comes into force in April. Bloody pressure groups of old hippies seem to get the ear of this government on a daily basis. Followed by the do gooders in our society making sure life prisoners get a good education and a comfortable lifestyle and 50% knocked off their sentences. If a country was ever in a mess it's this one.

Unfortunately, I don't think they are bowing to pressure. Listening to the electorate isn't what this government does. It just suits them to tax 4x4s and air travel because they increase revenue. The 'environmental concerns' are just an excuse they use to get away with it.

As for smoking, while I sympathise with smokers who will have to choose between giving up and staying outside the pub (go on! give up, you know it makes sense!), the ban can't come soomn enough for me - on Saturday my voice was reduced to a croak by the end of the evening, partly because of the smoke.

As for the prison sentences, that's mainly because of the government's mishandling of jails. They knew space would run out and did folk all about it, so they reduced sentences or give suspended sentences as a way of keeping people out of jail.

I agree with your last sentence though. Nothing is likely to change until Blair vacates the throne, which he still shows no sign of doing. My only hope is that they find something soon to implicate him in the cash for honours scandals, and get him kicked out of office (preferably before his 10th "jubilee" - heh, heh!)

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure
From: jacqui.c
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 07:24 AM

This government, on the whole ARE a bunch of old hippies or, at least, children of the sixties. However, I can't disagree with measures to cut fuel consumption or ban smoking. I think that the smoking ban is probably in keeping with the majority of electors and any way of cutting carbon emmissions and persuading people that they REALLY don't need the gas guzzlers can't be bad.

I laughed when I read about the Three Little Pigs! Is it any wonder that the BNP are getting a higher take up? Political correctness is an area that needs to be dismantled and rebuilt with a large dose of common sense built in. Sadly, that is something that seems to be sadly lacking in the do-gooders who think up these crazy ideas.

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure
From: Bee
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 09:13 AM

Telegraph hangs instead of loading story, but Daily Mail seems to have same story.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=442555&in_page_id=1770&ito=newsnow

Exerpt:
But Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra from the Muslim Council of Britain branded the move 'bizarre'.
He said: "The vast majority of Muslims have no problem whatsoever with the Three Little Pigs. It's always been the traditional way of telling the story and I don't see why that should be changed.
"There's an issue about the eating of pork, which is forbidden, but there is no prohibition about reading stories about pigs. This is an unnecessary step."
Mr Mogra said: "How far are we going to go? Are we going to change the seven dwarves because it's discriminatory towards people who are physically less able? Where do you draw the line?
"Every time we get these stories Muslims are seen more and more as misfits. We have to accept there's a predominant culture here."

I personally abhor the whole idea of religious condemnation of any species as 'unclean'.

Bee

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure(UK)
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 10:40 AM

Scrump 7.11am

I agree.

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure(UK)
From: jacqui.c
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 11:34 AM

I've been thinking on this one and I think that the people who make these decisions are basically racist themselves.

I find it strange that no-one worries about Jewish sensibilities in respect of pigs or of Hindus when it comes to cows. If we are going to be totally PC these groups need to be considered as well. All that seems to be important is the feelings of the Muslims and it is clear that even they find this sort of nonsense to be totally crazy.

Baa Baa Black Sheep is another example - I've seen black sheep but never a rainbow sheep. Why is it that so many white people get so precious about race and colour?

What sort of example are we giving to the children these days? The way things are going they will be ashamed of their own heritage. I hope that my grandchildren will grow up being proud of being English. If I've got anything to do with it they will!

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure(UK)
From: Scrump
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 11:50 AM

I agree, jacqui.c and I think most 'ordinary' people do too, including those who happen to be Christians, Muslims, Jews, Hindus, and other religions and athiests.

I don't believe that (for example) 'ordinary' Muslims are really offended by somebody mentioning a pig, any more than a Jew would be. OK, there may possibly be some who would be, but I would guess they are very small in number and I would consider them over-sensitive if they exist.

I don't believe that most black people really found 'baa baa black sheep' offensive before some member of the PC brigade pointed out that it could possibly be taken as racist (on spurious grounds IMO).

I believe that this sort of misguided attempt by the PC brigade to control our language and heritage, on spurious grounds of 'racism' or similar, does more harm than good for race relations, and people in ethnic minorities I've spoken to agree with this. I believe that many Muslims would find the '3 Little Pigs' ban stupid too, and moreover would agree it hinders race relations rather than helps.

Obviously, I (and again I think most 'ordinary' folk) deplore the use of real racist remarks. But the PC brigade should stop trying to stir up problems where none exist.

All IMO of course. Maybe I'd better get my flameproof coat at the ready, just in case...

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure(UK)
From: autolycus
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 11:53 AM

not read every post.

Maybe a reason older people are getting heard is that there are more people over 65 in the UK than there are under 16.

Don't like people who 'do good'.

You'd prefer people who 'do bad'?






      Ivor

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure(UK)
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 12:15 PM

This is a quote from the three little piggies link posted by The Villan. Gill Goodswen, who is one of the organisers of the festival behind the changes, had said: "We have to be sensitive if we want to be multi-cultural. It was felt it would be more responsible not to use the three little pigs." People who make these decisions based on being "multi-cultural" should consider everyone, and when they come up with ridiculous ideas like this one then that is not considering everyone. Sometimes I feel like a second class citizen in my own country.

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure(UK)
From: Rasener
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 12:20 PM

>>Sometimes I feel like a second class citizen in my own country<<

Exactly eanjay

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure(UK)
From: MMario
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 12:25 PM

I never realized the "big bad wolf" had religious dietary restrictionbs.

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure(UK)
From: GUEST,lox
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 01:15 PM

So some nut in some unheard of council makes some stupid decision for some school play in some unheard of part of the UK,

And it is promptly overturned by their colleagues

=> meaning that nothing has changed

=> the play is going ahead without hindrance

And suddenly we're second class citizens in our own country?


The telegraph and the mail love pressing those buttons and they will do so as long as it continues to fire up peoples "righteous" indignation.

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure(UK)
From: Jean(eanjay)
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 02:07 PM

Lox, it isn't just this event that makes people feel like second class citizens - it's a never ending stream of things.

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure(UK)
From: jacqui.c
Date: 20 Mar 07 - 02:25 PM

Like during the World Cup last year my taxi driver son was banned, along with the rest of those licensed by a particular council, from showing the flag of St George on his cab, on the basis that it might offend other races. They were told that their licences would be pulled if they did not comply. Now, that I got direct from my son, not from any newspaper and that ban was NOT rescinded.

It seems to be hard enough to get the English to show any national pride without that sort of nonsense.

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure(UK)
From: folk1e
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 03:45 AM

There is a Taxi firm in Rochdale called "Tiger Cabs" .... should they be banned?
And whilst we are about ti what about "Black Cabs"?

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure(UK)
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 21 Mar 07 - 08:49 PM

I have friends and colleagues from a variety of ethnic origins, Black, Muslim, Chinese, East European, White British (yes, that is an ethnic group too).

We tend to share a view of what constitutes a non racist society, and it's basically this:- That we are all seen, and treated, as human beings without reference to our origins. That we are not patronised by well meaning fools trying hard to make a point of not offending us. That we are free of the other kind of fools deliberately trying to offend or exclude us.

As of today, we don't feel that Britain is that non racist society, and it is not the BNP who keep it that way, but the PC brigade who pigeonhole us into stereotypical groups, and so perpetuate racial differences, rather than celebrate human likenesses.

As a white Brit, I DO feel like a second class citizen, and it is my white, middle class, politically correct countrymen who make me feel so. It is they who tell me I'm wrong to be proud of my origins.

My ethic minority friends couldn't give a toss where I came from. It's ME they like.

Don T.

Don T.

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure(UK)
From: Scrump
Date: 22 Mar 07 - 12:09 PM

As of today, we don't feel that Britain is that non racist society, and it is not the BNP who keep it that way, but the PC brigade who pigeonhole us into stereotypical groups, and so perpetuate racial differences, rather than celebrate human likenesses.

As a white Brit, I DO feel like a second class citizen, and it is my white, middle class, politically correct countrymen who make me feel so. It is they who tell me I'm wrong to be proud of my origins.

My ethic minority friends couldn't give a toss where I came from. It's ME they like.

I couldn't agree more, Don - well said. The government constantly emphasises the differences between us, instead of treating us all the same.

Whenever I fill in a form and I'm asked to give my Ethnic Origin, I will always put "Other" instead of "White British" (well, I'm not white, am I? I'm a sort of pinkish colour). I resent contributing to these government statistics which constantly seem to be working against integration of ethnic groups, instead of for it.

And I'm opposed to any form of "positive" discrimination, because if it's positive to one group, then by definition it's negative to another. All forms of discrimination are wrong, IMO.

It would probably take a generation or two for everybody to lose the prejudices of previous generations, but this type of probably well-intentioned but counter-productive government interference is just making that day further away.

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure(UK)
From: GUEST,Seiri Omaar
Date: 22 Mar 07 - 01:00 PM

The government constantly emphasises the differences between us, instead of treating us all the same.
I do telephone surveys for the govt and I had a guy list himself as a visible minority because he was a white man in Toronto!
^_^ According to the definition of "visible minority" provided to me he could. I felt like cheering.

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure(UK)
From: Strollin' Johnny
Date: 22 Mar 07 - 01:13 PM

Nice one Don. Precisely correct.

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure(UK)
From: Mr Fox
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 08:36 AM

"Telegraph hangs instead of loading story, but Daily Mail seems to have same story."

Ah, the Daily (hate) Mail. The paper that supported Hitler.

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure(UK)
From: Bee
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 10:24 AM

You're saying the DM should hang instead of the Telegraph, Mr. Fox?
;-D

BTW, was the story any different in the Tel., or was it the same article?

Note: I am not versed in the political or other leanings of British papers.

Subject: RE: BS: Government Bows to Pressure(UK)
From: Tootler
Date: 23 Mar 07 - 06:41 PM

Bee,

The Telegraph and the Mail are both right wing newspapers.

The Telegraph is moderately right wing and aimed at a middle class readership

The Mail is very, very right wing and plays on its readers' prejudices.