I had better make good on my promise to debunk myths surrounding the welfare state.
"I do not support the view that the DPB is a lifestyle choice." Steve Maharey, Minister for Social Developemnt and Employment, 2001.
Over the past few years questions I've put to the Ministry of Social Development under the OIA have revealed some interesting facts;
(21/7/05) 37,631 single parents currently on a benefit started on welfare before they reached twenty. Of those, 5.5 percent began on the DPB. Most began on the dole.
(12/7/04) 36,986 single parents on welfare have school-age children only.
(2/10/03) In the year ending 2002 4,860 newborn babies were added to a benefit that had been in place ten months or more.
Some people are using welfare as last-resort, temporary assistance.
Other people are demonstrably abusing it. Unfortunately they form a majority.
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Illegitimacy
Unsurprisingly I have been advised against using the term "illegitimacy". It is a word I've struggled with before (and been advised against using before).
But the following passage made me think again so I'll quote it (also from The Bell Curve.)
We use the older term "illegitimacy" in favour of the phrases currently in favour, "out-of-wedlock births" or "births to single women", because we think that, in the long run, the word illegitimacy will prove to be the right one. We are instructed in this by the anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski. In his research early in the century, Malinowski observed a constant running throughout the rich diversity of human cultures and indeed throughout history. He decided that this amounted to "a universal sociological law" and called it the "principle of illegitimacy". No matter what the culture might be, "there runs the rule that the father is indispensable for the full sociological status of a child as well as of the mother, that the group consisting of a woman and her offspring is sociologically incomplete and illegitimate." The rule applies to east or West, primitive cultures or advanced ones, cultures where premarital sex was accepted or banned, where children were considered as asset or a burden, where fathers could have one wife or many.
I agree that the religious connotations of the word, that a child is born of sin, is a "vile concept". (So is the idea of children being born into sin which is why I refused to have mine baptised.)
So I could use another word for the sake of diplomacy and not causing injury to the feelings of single parents and their children but then I would be doing exactly what has got us into this unhappy state of affairs; saying that it is completely legitimate for single women to have babies with no care for whether the father will support her or her child emotionally or financially.
I need to make one more point. It is none of my business if a woman wants to do motherhood alone and can do so independently. But she is the exception to the rule. The majority of single mums having babies alone go on welfare.
But the following passage made me think again so I'll quote it (also from The Bell Curve.)
We use the older term "illegitimacy" in favour of the phrases currently in favour, "out-of-wedlock births" or "births to single women", because we think that, in the long run, the word illegitimacy will prove to be the right one. We are instructed in this by the anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski. In his research early in the century, Malinowski observed a constant running throughout the rich diversity of human cultures and indeed throughout history. He decided that this amounted to "a universal sociological law" and called it the "principle of illegitimacy". No matter what the culture might be, "there runs the rule that the father is indispensable for the full sociological status of a child as well as of the mother, that the group consisting of a woman and her offspring is sociologically incomplete and illegitimate." The rule applies to east or West, primitive cultures or advanced ones, cultures where premarital sex was accepted or banned, where children were considered as asset or a burden, where fathers could have one wife or many.
I agree that the religious connotations of the word, that a child is born of sin, is a "vile concept". (So is the idea of children being born into sin which is why I refused to have mine baptised.)
So I could use another word for the sake of diplomacy and not causing injury to the feelings of single parents and their children but then I would be doing exactly what has got us into this unhappy state of affairs; saying that it is completely legitimate for single women to have babies with no care for whether the father will support her or her child emotionally or financially.
I need to make one more point. It is none of my business if a woman wants to do motherhood alone and can do so independently. But she is the exception to the rule. The majority of single mums having babies alone go on welfare.
Friday, January 13, 2006
Why the welfare state is self-perpetuating
Unlike conservatives I don't advocate government spending money on a plethora of "family strengthening" programmes. Neither do I think families should get taxbreaks over and above what single people qualify for.
On holiday I re-read Is there really a fatherhood crisis?
Stephen Baskerville, professor of political science at Howard University, puts it better than I can.
"Identifying fathers rather than governments as the culprits behind family dissolution not only justifies harsh law enforcement measures, but also rationalises policies that contribute further to the absence of fathers, which they are ostensibly meant to prevent. Further - given the undeniable coorelation that the fatherhood advocates have established between fatherlessness and today's larger social pathologies, such as poverty, crime, substance abuse - it allows officials to ignore the simplest and safest solution to these ills, which is to stop eliminating fathers. Instead, governments devise elaborate schemes, invariably extending their reach and power, to deal with the problems that their removal of fathers has created: not only fatherhood promotion and marriage therapy, but larger anti-poverty programmes beloved of the left and law enforcement measures dear to the right. By concocting a fatherhood crisis where none previously existed, government across the spectrum has neutered the principal rival to its power and created an unlimited supply of problems to solve."
The paper also introduced me to a new term, "plethysmograph." It is not in my dictionary and I am not going to describe here what it means. Read the paper. I am sure you will be as horrified as I am at what is going on in the States, according to the author.
On holiday I re-read Is there really a fatherhood crisis?
Stephen Baskerville, professor of political science at Howard University, puts it better than I can.
"Identifying fathers rather than governments as the culprits behind family dissolution not only justifies harsh law enforcement measures, but also rationalises policies that contribute further to the absence of fathers, which they are ostensibly meant to prevent. Further - given the undeniable coorelation that the fatherhood advocates have established between fatherlessness and today's larger social pathologies, such as poverty, crime, substance abuse - it allows officials to ignore the simplest and safest solution to these ills, which is to stop eliminating fathers. Instead, governments devise elaborate schemes, invariably extending their reach and power, to deal with the problems that their removal of fathers has created: not only fatherhood promotion and marriage therapy, but larger anti-poverty programmes beloved of the left and law enforcement measures dear to the right. By concocting a fatherhood crisis where none previously existed, government across the spectrum has neutered the principal rival to its power and created an unlimited supply of problems to solve."
The paper also introduced me to a new term, "plethysmograph." It is not in my dictionary and I am not going to describe here what it means. Read the paper. I am sure you will be as horrified as I am at what is going on in the States, according to the author.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Home thoughts from abroad (the SI anyway)
Went on holiday. Not terribly good at it. I was "supervising" the kids in the pool. Another middle-aged lady was supervising her aged mother. She plops down beside me and makes lots of inviting-conversation noises. Then she starts peering over my shoulder. "That looks like heavy holiday reading", she says.
I stop. Think about it. Not unkindly, I said, "It's the only kind of reading I do. "
"It's the only kind of reading I don't do," she replied.
That was the end of that budding relationship.
I was reading the Bell Curve, by Charles Murray and another guy who died before it was published. Fascinating. Only half way into it but the hypothesis is that IQ (or lack of it) is driving a deepening strata in society. They build a compelling case.
Couple of things I noticed while away.
The witnesses to the lion-mauling at Wellington Zoo received counselling. I wonder which training module specifically covered counselling people who witness lion attacks? And did you notice the absence of condemnation of the male juvenile-deliquent lions?
Ex Labour MP, Mark Peck became the Smoke Free Coalition boss. How awful. He admits to fighting his own addictions of gambling and alcohol yet has no compunction about making a living out of heaping more guilty misery onto addicted smokers.
And finally, Judith Collins beefing about CYFS spending at least $300,000 on conferences for their social workers made me feel an uncharacteristic pang of sympathy (stopping short at Ruth Dyson) for this dogsbody of an agency. The National opposition is about as effective as a hawk hanging over a road-kill but none-the-less keeps CYFS name in the public's bad books, their "clients" hate them, and the government hates them (let's contract out to the private sector so we can't be blamed for the tragic and predictable failure of bottom-of-the-cliff services.)
What JC should be talking about is the government's ongoing encouragement of widespread illegitimacy (it's as good a word as any to convey my meaning) and associated woeful parenting. She has seen enough of it in her electorate.
Politically, I haven't missed much of moment.
I stop. Think about it. Not unkindly, I said, "It's the only kind of reading I do. "
"It's the only kind of reading I don't do," she replied.
That was the end of that budding relationship.
I was reading the Bell Curve, by Charles Murray and another guy who died before it was published. Fascinating. Only half way into it but the hypothesis is that IQ (or lack of it) is driving a deepening strata in society. They build a compelling case.
Couple of things I noticed while away.
The witnesses to the lion-mauling at Wellington Zoo received counselling. I wonder which training module specifically covered counselling people who witness lion attacks? And did you notice the absence of condemnation of the male juvenile-deliquent lions?
Ex Labour MP, Mark Peck became the Smoke Free Coalition boss. How awful. He admits to fighting his own addictions of gambling and alcohol yet has no compunction about making a living out of heaping more guilty misery onto addicted smokers.
And finally, Judith Collins beefing about CYFS spending at least $300,000 on conferences for their social workers made me feel an uncharacteristic pang of sympathy (stopping short at Ruth Dyson) for this dogsbody of an agency. The National opposition is about as effective as a hawk hanging over a road-kill but none-the-less keeps CYFS name in the public's bad books, their "clients" hate them, and the government hates them (let's contract out to the private sector so we can't be blamed for the tragic and predictable failure of bottom-of-the-cliff services.)
What JC should be talking about is the government's ongoing encouragement of widespread illegitimacy (it's as good a word as any to convey my meaning) and associated woeful parenting. She has seen enough of it in her electorate.
Politically, I haven't missed much of moment.
Sunday, January 01, 2006
The price of security is too high
I don't know T.L.Rodgers from a bar of soap but this column has made more impression than others on the same subject.
"I would much rather live as a free man under the highly improbable threat of another significant Al-Qaida attack than I would as a serf, spied on by an oppressive government that can jail me secretly, without charges."
And.....
"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security." Benjamin Franklin.
If, on occasion, the issue seems somewhat remote to me I think about the extreme reactions I sometimes get from politicians when making submissions to select committee. Then I ask myself, if they had the powers to shut me up, would they use them?
We mustn't become so distracted by bogeymen that we lose sight of our freedoms being chiselled away.
"I would much rather live as a free man under the highly improbable threat of another significant Al-Qaida attack than I would as a serf, spied on by an oppressive government that can jail me secretly, without charges."
And.....
"They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security." Benjamin Franklin.
If, on occasion, the issue seems somewhat remote to me I think about the extreme reactions I sometimes get from politicians when making submissions to select committee. Then I ask myself, if they had the powers to shut me up, would they use them?
We mustn't become so distracted by bogeymen that we lose sight of our freedoms being chiselled away.
Saturday, December 31, 2005
My nomination for a New Year's Award
Back in 2002, or thereabouts, I kept hearing this guy Aaron calling talkback radio going on about a movie he wanted to make. He was determined. But more than that he was full of passion and self-belief. The talk hosts kept giving him a go because he was trying so damn hard. The only way his dream was going to come to fruition was if he could sell enough shares.
I've never bought shares in anything but I really wanted this guy to get a chance. I contacted him but had to admit I couldn't afford more than half a share so he matched me up with someone else in the same boat.
Since then Aaron has made his movie, hawked it around the international film festivals, won several awards and made the front cover of a Hollywood mag. BUT still no distribution deal.
Just before Xmas I received a greetings card from Aaron and his family (one of many communications he has sent to keep his investors constantly in the loop) to say that he has at long last secured a deal!
I was thrilled to bits. And I feel privileged to have been able to help in a tiny way, what was a superhuman effort on his behalf.
Oh, and the movie. POP. Go and have a look.
I've never bought shares in anything but I really wanted this guy to get a chance. I contacted him but had to admit I couldn't afford more than half a share so he matched me up with someone else in the same boat.
Since then Aaron has made his movie, hawked it around the international film festivals, won several awards and made the front cover of a Hollywood mag. BUT still no distribution deal.
Just before Xmas I received a greetings card from Aaron and his family (one of many communications he has sent to keep his investors constantly in the loop) to say that he has at long last secured a deal!
I was thrilled to bits. And I feel privileged to have been able to help in a tiny way, what was a superhuman effort on his behalf.
Oh, and the movie. POP. Go and have a look.
Friday, December 30, 2005
Is he for real?
Transport Safety Minister Harry Duynhoven yesterday called for Parliament to consider tougher penalties to bring down the toll but, in the meantime, urged motorists not to tolerate bad road behaviour and to report dangerous driving.
"If you come to a place where you see someone who has driven like an idiot, talk to them, tell them. That might result in a punch in the head, so you've got to exercise a bit of discretion. "
Brings a whole new meaning to getting "clocked" on the road.
"If you come to a place where you see someone who has driven like an idiot, talk to them, tell them. That might result in a punch in the head, so you've got to exercise a bit of discretion. "
Brings a whole new meaning to getting "clocked" on the road.
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Partner violence
The Women's refuge centres are apparently overflowing. Their National Manager, Heather Henare says, "If anyone knows a violent person within a family they must ensure the safety of the women and children."
She was obviously trying to be diplomatic on one hand with her use of the word "person" but then drops any ambiguity about the sex of the person by referring to the safety of women and children.
Unfortunately men hit women and they injure them. It's nasty and it's cowardly.
But scant attention is ever given to the fact that women hit men.
The highly regarded and on-going Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study followed a cohort from ages 5 to 21. One aspect of the study looked at partner violence.
Although the research relied on self-reporting, when the reports from each of a couple were matched up there was a high correlation, that is 70-80 percent of one partner's report agreed with the other partners.
What did the reserchers find?
"About 27 percent of women and 34 percent of men among the Dunedin study members reported they had been physically abused by their partner. About 37 percent of women and 22 percent of men said they had perpetrated the violence."
Yet we assiduously avoid the issue of women hitting men. The portrayal of domestic violence is nearly always about women as victims. Treating the issue in black and white terms isn't honest and it isn't helpful.
I am reminded too about about an anecodote from the British pyschiatrist Theodore Dalrymple.When he asks a female victim of abuse, if she thinks he could have predicted the male's behaviour, she responds, yes. He asks how? She then lists all the clues which she herself had determinedly ignored.
She was obviously trying to be diplomatic on one hand with her use of the word "person" but then drops any ambiguity about the sex of the person by referring to the safety of women and children.
Unfortunately men hit women and they injure them. It's nasty and it's cowardly.
But scant attention is ever given to the fact that women hit men.
The highly regarded and on-going Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study followed a cohort from ages 5 to 21. One aspect of the study looked at partner violence.
Although the research relied on self-reporting, when the reports from each of a couple were matched up there was a high correlation, that is 70-80 percent of one partner's report agreed with the other partners.
What did the reserchers find?
"About 27 percent of women and 34 percent of men among the Dunedin study members reported they had been physically abused by their partner. About 37 percent of women and 22 percent of men said they had perpetrated the violence."
Yet we assiduously avoid the issue of women hitting men. The portrayal of domestic violence is nearly always about women as victims. Treating the issue in black and white terms isn't honest and it isn't helpful.
I am reminded too about about an anecodote from the British pyschiatrist Theodore Dalrymple.When he asks a female victim of abuse, if she thinks he could have predicted the male's behaviour, she responds, yes. He asks how? She then lists all the clues which she herself had determinedly ignored.
Why NZ broadband uptake is low
A recent DomPost Gareth Morgan column commented "...uptake of broadband in New Zealand is pathetic and Telecom is already on the public record as not fulfilling earlier undertakings to facilitate a competitive broadband market."
A letter responding appeared today. One John Goulter of Telecom says, "An economist might note that New Zealand's broadband penetration almost exactly matches our GDP per capita. It is a fact that broadband closely matches GDP per capita in most OECD countries and we are no exception."
Let's check that. The highest broadband subscription per 100 inhabitants occurs in Korea, which is incidentally below New Zealand in GDP per capita. The richest country, Luxembourg, has only average broadband uptake. A quick look at the US shows it second from the top in GDP per capita but 12th in broadband uptake. There's three exceptions.
(Do you notice when somebody, usually a politician, is on the defensive, they default to 'we are only like the rest of the world' and when they are on the offensive or taking credit for something, we are 'world beaters - innovative, number-eight wirers punching above our weight.')
Whatever, it seems to me we have a chicken and the egg situation developing here. We supposedly have low broadband uptake because we are relatively poor but our lack of access to broadband at a competitive price will continue to impede our economic growth. Something has to give.
A letter responding appeared today. One John Goulter of Telecom says, "An economist might note that New Zealand's broadband penetration almost exactly matches our GDP per capita. It is a fact that broadband closely matches GDP per capita in most OECD countries and we are no exception."
Let's check that. The highest broadband subscription per 100 inhabitants occurs in Korea, which is incidentally below New Zealand in GDP per capita. The richest country, Luxembourg, has only average broadband uptake. A quick look at the US shows it second from the top in GDP per capita but 12th in broadband uptake. There's three exceptions.
(Do you notice when somebody, usually a politician, is on the defensive, they default to 'we are only like the rest of the world' and when they are on the offensive or taking credit for something, we are 'world beaters - innovative, number-eight wirers punching above our weight.')
Whatever, it seems to me we have a chicken and the egg situation developing here. We supposedly have low broadband uptake because we are relatively poor but our lack of access to broadband at a competitive price will continue to impede our economic growth. Something has to give.
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Go Jonah
Great to see Jonah Lomu back in the winner's circle.
Thumbs down to the curmudgeons who think he owes it to all those waiting on a kidney, to lead a "careful" life.
The benevolence of government
Here is a fine example from Canada, awarded Reason.com's daily brickbat.
Provincial authorities in Manitoba, Canada, say they will fine the Maples Surgical Center. Not for botched surgery or unsanitary conditions, but for charging patients for MRI scans. Government statistics show Manitobans wait an average of eight to 15 weeks for an MRI in the government-funded system, and that's after a specialist says it's needed. Scheduling that visit can also take months. But Maples says it will allow patients to get an MRI within 48 hours, if they are willing to pay for it. The government says that violates the Canada Health Act. "If the minister of health wishes to be heartless enough to sanction people who provide health care to people who need it, then that's certainly his prerogative," said Dr. Mark Godley, medical director for the clinic. But Godley says the clinic will fight any sanctions in court.
Provincial authorities in Manitoba, Canada, say they will fine the Maples Surgical Center. Not for botched surgery or unsanitary conditions, but for charging patients for MRI scans. Government statistics show Manitobans wait an average of eight to 15 weeks for an MRI in the government-funded system, and that's after a specialist says it's needed. Scheduling that visit can also take months. But Maples says it will allow patients to get an MRI within 48 hours, if they are willing to pay for it. The government says that violates the Canada Health Act. "If the minister of health wishes to be heartless enough to sanction people who provide health care to people who need it, then that's certainly his prerogative," said Dr. Mark Godley, medical director for the clinic. But Godley says the clinic will fight any sanctions in court.
Alternative headlines
Drink young and crash is the frontpage headline in the DomPost today. Fair enough. It relates reasonably to a study which has shown road crash rates increasing for young people.
One inference is the lowering of the drinking age is to blame.
But the headline could have read,"Road crashes up since Boyracer legislation introduced". It all depends on which angle the media wants to push.
One inference is the lowering of the drinking age is to blame.
But the headline could have read,"Road crashes up since Boyracer legislation introduced". It all depends on which angle the media wants to push.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Tagging the ragtags
The British Child Support agency is considering new measures to make 'deadbeat dads' cough up.
I'll say it again. If the welfare state wasn't paying an income for single parenting most of the genuine 'deadbeats' wouldn't find a repository for their sperm.
And when are we going to hear about the 'deadbeat mums'? The number of fathers raising their kids on welfare is growing steadily. In NZ it is particularly noticeable with Maori. In February 49 percent of the almost 13,000 single fathers on welfare were Maori.
The Child Support agency is wasting its time and more of the taxpayers money. Deal with the problem at its heart or forget it.
I'll say it again. If the welfare state wasn't paying an income for single parenting most of the genuine 'deadbeats' wouldn't find a repository for their sperm.
And when are we going to hear about the 'deadbeat mums'? The number of fathers raising their kids on welfare is growing steadily. In NZ it is particularly noticeable with Maori. In February 49 percent of the almost 13,000 single fathers on welfare were Maori.
The Child Support agency is wasting its time and more of the taxpayers money. Deal with the problem at its heart or forget it.
Monday, December 26, 2005
Gender Politics
The DomPost has run an interesting article from the Times today. It concerns research published by two British academics which shows that parents of daughters are more likely to be left-wing. Naturally, as you will do, I ran through the families I know to see if the theory checked out. Having three brothers and no sisters my own parents should be right-wing. Wrong. (Although one did party vote ACT but the circumstances are slightly unusual and would probably be tossed out of any data set being analysed.)
The researchers analysed "one of the most comprehensive sets of data available to social scientists" and only decided to release their findings after they found "the same pattern in German households."
It really is the most thought-provoking read. For me it re-inforces my view which is, people vote with their hearts, not their heads. Now that wouldn't be a bad thing if their hearts were in the right place.
The researchers analysed "one of the most comprehensive sets of data available to social scientists" and only decided to release their findings after they found "the same pattern in German households."
It really is the most thought-provoking read. For me it re-inforces my view which is, people vote with their hearts, not their heads. Now that wouldn't be a bad thing if their hearts were in the right place.
Sunday, December 25, 2005
Conservatives confused
This amuses me no end. Confusion breaks out in the ranks of the British Conservative Party (just what Cameron needs). Are they turning into socialists? Sorry. Are they becoming more socialist?
Maybe his new policy chief meant that wealth redistribution is good and desirable when it is done through the job market (voluntary and mutually advantageous) as opposed to when governments do it (through coercion and damaging to both parties).
Somehow I don't think so.
Maybe his new policy chief meant that wealth redistribution is good and desirable when it is done through the job market (voluntary and mutually advantageous) as opposed to when governments do it (through coercion and damaging to both parties).
Somehow I don't think so.
Men's rights
It has been suggested on Peter Cresswell's blog that my posts about child support are an attack on women and that I must be associated with those "losers" who promote men's rights.
For the record I am not interested in men's rights. Neither am I interested in women's rights. The only rights I care about are those of the individual. I explain why here in an article published by The Press last year.
By the way, I have changed the settings to allow anyone to make comments. I am still learning how this thing works and hadn't realised there were options available.
For the record I am not interested in men's rights. Neither am I interested in women's rights. The only rights I care about are those of the individual. I explain why here in an article published by The Press last year.
By the way, I have changed the settings to allow anyone to make comments. I am still learning how this thing works and hadn't realised there were options available.
What's in a word?
Pansy Wong has changed the name of her newsletter to Pansyspeak. The DomPost's Last Word made this comment today;
"Given the growing number of gay MPs in the House, it's surprising one of them hasn't grabbed that title first."
Is it OK to infer that Parliament's gay MPs are pansies? I guess we will find out.
It's possible to avoid political correctness without actively practicing political incorrectness. As comments go, it's not even very funny. Which brings me to another question. Would it be OK if is was?
David Farrar makes a comment on his blog today that a woman who swallowed her cellphone must be a blonde. The blonde stereotype has delivered some of the best jokes which I can't repeat here. As a blonde I enjoy them.
I guess it's a fine line between bad taste and humour and where that line gets drawn is very subjective.
"Given the growing number of gay MPs in the House, it's surprising one of them hasn't grabbed that title first."
Is it OK to infer that Parliament's gay MPs are pansies? I guess we will find out.
It's possible to avoid political correctness without actively practicing political incorrectness. As comments go, it's not even very funny. Which brings me to another question. Would it be OK if is was?
David Farrar makes a comment on his blog today that a woman who swallowed her cellphone must be a blonde. The blonde stereotype has delivered some of the best jokes which I can't repeat here. As a blonde I enjoy them.
I guess it's a fine line between bad taste and humour and where that line gets drawn is very subjective.
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Do life-improvers have value?
From the Adam Smith Institute, December 21;
The Times reports that "a hospital has drafted in a 'nicotine policeman' to patrol its grounds to catch rogue smokers." The official title is 'tobacco information officer,' and he is employed by Aberdeen Royal Infirmary to stop smokers congregating outside the hospital at entrances and car parks.
He joins real nappy officers, walking officers and five-a-day officers in helping to promote the kind of society which government wants us to live in. More to the point, he is one of several hundred thousand new public sector employees (the highest figure is 2m, but that includes all the state services as well). This has enabled Gordon Brown to boast about Britain's low unemployment compared with our partners. It has also diverted funds which other people have earned away from investment, savings, pensions and consumer spending.
It is possible that tobacco information officers and the others will help Britain's competitive position in the world, and participate in producing goods and services that people want and need. It is also possible that we value their services so highly that we will willingly pay the extra national and local taxes it takes to sustain this army of life-improvers. Then again, it could just prove that Groucho Marx was right when he said there ain't no sanity clause.
Footnote; notice that although our economy grew by a mere 0.2 percent in the September quarter, the government sector grew by 3. That's three too many.
The Times reports that "a hospital has drafted in a 'nicotine policeman' to patrol its grounds to catch rogue smokers." The official title is 'tobacco information officer,' and he is employed by Aberdeen Royal Infirmary to stop smokers congregating outside the hospital at entrances and car parks.
He joins real nappy officers, walking officers and five-a-day officers in helping to promote the kind of society which government wants us to live in. More to the point, he is one of several hundred thousand new public sector employees (the highest figure is 2m, but that includes all the state services as well). This has enabled Gordon Brown to boast about Britain's low unemployment compared with our partners. It has also diverted funds which other people have earned away from investment, savings, pensions and consumer spending.
It is possible that tobacco information officers and the others will help Britain's competitive position in the world, and participate in producing goods and services that people want and need. It is also possible that we value their services so highly that we will willingly pay the extra national and local taxes it takes to sustain this army of life-improvers. Then again, it could just prove that Groucho Marx was right when he said there ain't no sanity clause.
Footnote; notice that although our economy grew by a mere 0.2 percent in the September quarter, the government sector grew by 3. That's three too many.
Wayne's world
I confess to a masochistic streak. Most days I have a look at written Parliamentary questions, published daily. I wouldn't recommend it.
And to save you the trouble I will post noteworthy questions as I come across them (which isn't often.) Today's is chosen for its gravitas.
11031 (2005). Dr Wayne Mapp to the Minister of Transport (7 December 2005): Is the Ministry of Transport holding an end of year or Christmas function for staff during the month of December 2005; if so, are there to be any Christmas decorations at the function?
Friday, December 23, 2005
More on Local Govt
In my last post I said local government is getting out of hand. Here is why;
The Local Government Act 2002 (LGA 2002) requires local authorities to ‘play a broad role in promoting the social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being of their communities, taking a sustainable development approach.’
Coincidentally these are the words of Mike MacAvoy, CE of ALAC, who is reminding local govt that they "have legal obligations towards planning for alcohol in their communities."
To this end ALAC has produced a toolkit which includes information about the cost of alcohol-related harm for communities. I wonder if they include the cost of producing this toolkit in their calculations?
We should each individually take responsibility for planning for alcohol in our communities. Especially at this time of year. There is no need to spend over the odds on good bubbly but don't be stingy. If you are invited over to the neighbours make sure you take a bottle. But remember, if you are taking beer, one is not a good look.
The Local Government Act 2002 (LGA 2002) requires local authorities to ‘play a broad role in promoting the social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being of their communities, taking a sustainable development approach.’
Coincidentally these are the words of Mike MacAvoy, CE of ALAC, who is reminding local govt that they "have legal obligations towards planning for alcohol in their communities."
To this end ALAC has produced a toolkit which includes information about the cost of alcohol-related harm for communities. I wonder if they include the cost of producing this toolkit in their calculations?
We should each individually take responsibility for planning for alcohol in our communities. Especially at this time of year. There is no need to spend over the odds on good bubbly but don't be stingy. If you are invited over to the neighbours make sure you take a bottle. But remember, if you are taking beer, one is not a good look.
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