1% of the population get to earn 24% of the wealth is the correct figures, as I posted below.

Artful Dodger: now if I have of said that it would have been deleted by now lOL

(V): OK :)

(V): can you tell us why then when we "google" NHS competancy/efficiency etc there is nothing but bad news....or is it different on your computer?

Übergeek 바둑이: over here the bludgers on the Govt. assistance get everything for nothing, but must pay $5.40 per script for medication. The working man/woman pays a total of 3% of their total earnings , but must pay full price for scripts, some of which are exorbitant prices. You can have private health care if you pay for it but it doesn't cover everything. If you have served your country in any way militarily in combatitive service you get a gold card which entitles you to EVERYTHING.
Retirees get all medications for $5.40 and can choose whether they go public which is free or private, which is paid for by themselves,

Lets see if this post is left here, as my last 2 posts have dissapeared for some reason..

why is it that 1% of Americans take home 24% of monies earned?

Does this mean they are overpaid?

or does it mean the other 99% are underpaid?

The USA seems to be having one hell of a lot of problems at the moment. Our dollar this morning was at a dollar to the USA 99.1c...90 minutes later..the USA dollar was worth 100.55c....first time in living memory. I think it is about time Somebody took things more seriously in the USA when it comes to the selection of your politicians....well after the elections last week it looks like a good start LOL

seemingly a 15% swing....that should make a difference shouldn't it?

SL-Mark: Yes it is beautiful, and Magnetic Island is Magnetic LOL....on account it draws you back over and over.....It was so named by Capt. Cook because as he sailed past his compasses went awry (according to historians)
It is a very hot/wet place in the summer and dry and hot in the winter. Gardens all die in the winter because of the dry winds and the heat ;(

SL-Mark: Julian Assange is from the city where I live...a very clever person when it comes to IT.

Im just asking and not wanting the "know it alls " to pounce on me

The Col: now I don't know too much if anything about "that" side of the world.....but isn't that an Iranian news station, and wouldnt they be a bit biased?
But on the other hand they could be doing the world a favour.

The Col: BULL---T, what has news commentators got to do with wankers beating the living daylight out of someone, especially a female. What if it was your wife or GF? How would you feel then? Oh I forgot.......that wouldn't happen.

The Col: ****I'm sure there is a valid excuse ****

there sure is.....THEY ARE GUTLESS MORONS

http://wikileaks.org/

this is big news here at the moment.

Mélusine: no you retire when the Govt. thinks you should LOL....at the moment it is 65 for men and about 63 for women, but that will change in 2012 when they bring in the new ages.

Mélusine: we dont have to contribute anything....we pay taxes on our money is all.

Mélusine: The base rate for a single person is just over $700.00 per fortnight, and for a couple it is about $1100.00

Mélusine: I see :) our pensions are all the same base rate, but then it depends on how much money/property you own. you are allowed to own about $300,000.00 worth of property/cash before you get penalized I think...

Mélusine: Do your people get Government pensions when you retire or do you have to fund your own retirement?

Melusine: I heard on the news this morning where France is raising retirement age to 62 and the french people aren't very happy. 12 Months ago our Govt. raised our retirement age from 65 to 67....and hardly a word was said about it. In my opinion if a person is healthy and able to do his/her job 65 is too young to retire. The Govt. here also gives an incentive to people who wish to work beyond retirement age for 5 or more years a $30,000.00 (thirty thousand dollars) payout to do so.
Why would you want to retire.?

SL-Mark: love the dogtail bit LOL....my dogs tail doesn't wag, if he gets excited it goes round and round, how he does it I dont know ROFL....

SL-Mark: ROFL....that is why I posted that ...

ITYAR = not telling, If it hasnt been discovered yet let people wonder as I did about your post ROFLMBO

SL-Mark: ITYAR...definately

Artful Dodger: I didn't think Whooppeeee would be such a big baby (don't know the other baby) but I guess it is OK...The old saying "If you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen" I guess neither of these women are cooks/chefs, as they couldnt stand the heat.....but babies they definately are.

lizrising: Clinton was too busy with his box of cigars.

A few countries have what could be called clowns in power, but what about Brazil and their seat in congress clown?

Pedro Martínez: ROFL.....I love your sense of humour

Artful Dodger: you said..."too lazy" and that is another reason why obesity is so rife in our communities.

Weekday,get up out of your comfortable chair and twiddle a nob for gods sake. LOL

It is amazing as you say how people want to be controlled, but then some find that is a turn-on.

rod03801: we have the same set up of Govt...3 levels that is...it is generally thought where I live that, that is one too many, so really the only one to go would have to be the Local one. The cost of the 3 is phenomenal and getting rid of the lower levels would save billions of dollars per year that could be put to better use.

as for the level of noise in TV advertising....what the hell is stopping pefople from using their "mute" button...

I find this an hilarious conversation on free speech

it sure as hell doesn't happen in here does it, when your opinions have to be passed by someone who thinks they are a higher being.

I wonder if this will get passed.....

Artful Dodger: and just how true is that....thank god I live in Australia where the recession sort of by-passed us.

if he said 120yrs, then a hell of a lot of the people (past) have missed out on so much.

Or is it only those that are churchy that get the 120yrs.?

Artful Dodger: I wish you and Tuesday would get a room....the attraction is so obvious.

"do not resusitate" orders can be overridden by the family in Australia....

Speaking from experience, the non resusitation wish has been asked for and signed for when the patient is in the worst condition....pain and health wise. Then the patient gets well and it is forgotten, for anything up to *shrugs* could be years. Then they get sick again and it isn't mentioned. WHen the "care" isn't as it should be and it is queried - e.g. breathing aparatus's aren't turned on or connected, the reply is...DNR's have been signed. By this time the patient is unable to revoke what was signed for maybe years ago.

They have their good and bad points.

Artful Dodger: yep I agree and there are more idiots in some groups than others....do you both agree with that?

(V): that would make you want to go to work, wouldn't it?

Not a bad wage....

The chief of the Commonwealth Bank here in Aus, is now being paid 16 Million Dollars per year....no one is worth that.

(V): if you look down to AD's post, the one below (and it hasnt been corrected)....he says

***Two Los Angeles departments have received $111 million in federal stimulus funds yet have created only 55 jobs so far, according to a pair of reports issued Thursday by City Controller Wendy Greuel.
***

this must be a case of not reading things properly....

and it is good to see you are learning your do,ra,me's. (sp)

Übergeek 바둑이: yes I believe what you have said is correct....this Lady friend of mine, about 3-4 years ago had a very small bowel cancer...she had to have a bag for 6 weeks...this upset her and worried her something terrible, and it was from that point that she started to go downhill. No one realized it until I had to do an audit on her partners books. I found where she had entered/raised invoices 4-5 times for the same thing...when I asked her about this she knew nothing of it. I was able to fix it all up, but she wasn't allowed to touch the computer (in the accounts dept.) again. Over the next 18 months of my having to do their bookkeeping I noticed her regressing back into childhood memories more often. She also would tell you the same thing over and over. To speak to her if you didn't know you wouldnt know there was anything wrong with her at all. In fact you wouldn't know now except she is very vague and is seeing people (that are still alive) that aren't there. Not in the same room with her but if she looks out the window she sees them in the garden outside her "gaol" window.

I agree with you in using embryonic cells to advance the life of people who can be helped.

I agree that an embryo is a human being but if it can be proved that THAT embryo isn't going to have an excellent quality of life for some reason unbeknown to people like us who know nothing about this, then I think stem cell research should be a priority to help those in need.

Im not trying to start another useless discussion on abortion as we have gone over that about a dozen times on here at different times over the years, and never get any wiser :)

Vikings: :)

The Col: unfortunately she has only been in a home for about 3 months...before that she was running a home, and had a great social life. As soon as she was put on meds the incontinence started. She had started to wander the neighbour hood. Her alzheimers/dementia is in the frontal lobe which is a total different disease than the rear part of the brain. She is allowed home but her partner can't handle it...sad though it is, he hasnt the mental strength to cope. He already sold his business so he could look after her but it got too much for him:(

I have just found this that applies basically to her....
Frontotemporal Dementia
Frontotemporal dementia (frontotemporal lobar degeneration) is an umbrella term for a diverse group of rare disorders that primarily affect the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain — the areas generally associated with personality and behavior.
In frontotemporal dementia, portions of these lobes atrophy, or shrink. Signs and symptoms vary, depending upon the portion of the brain affected. Some people with frontotemporal dementia undergo dramatic changes in their personality and become socially inappropriate, impulsive or emotionally blunted, while others lose the ability to use and understand language.
Frontotemporal dementia is often misdiagnosed as a psychiatric problem or as Alzheimer’s disease. But frontotemporal dementia tends to occur at a younger age than does Alzheimer’s disease, typically between the ages of 40 and 70. And the memory problems associated with Alzheimer’s disease are not as prominent in the early stages of frontotemporal dementia.
The term FTD as a ‘general term’ can also be referred to as:

◦Pick’s Disease
◦Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration
◦Progressive Aphasia
◦Semantic Dementia

The Col: this friend is on meds as well, and Im sure she would be alright (albeit a little confused) if she wasn't on them....what has happened to her is she dirty's her knickers all the time which never ever happened before, proof that medication isnt good. of course it is common knowledge that the medication is to keep them quiet so the nurses don't have to work as hard.

I might add this lady is only 54 years old

Bernice: the person she is seeing is her living partner...in fact as long as "god" lets him he will be here for dinner tonite.

Mousetrap: A friend has alzheimers...from her room in the "gaol" that she is locked into she sees her partner out in the garden all the time...she is as healthy as a buck rabbit and isn't anywhere near death...nothing wrong with her eyes either...but why is she seeing him and I can't...maybe your nerves theory is correct....

Artful Dodger: I know that this is addressed to ROd but that would fit me....the reason...I was forced into becoming a catholic so that I could get married when I was carrying a catholic mans child LOL...he had a Sister a Nun and a Brother a Priest, so of course the family lived and breathed religion....it was force fed down my throat...I even had to sign a document that I would school my children in a catholic school. I didnt send my 2 to a RC school and they both did real well, thank you very much.....so you MAY understand why I am hostile.

Also I was made go to church every Sunday come rain, Hail or shine...not pleasant when up until then my religious experiences were voluntary.

Pedro Martínez: oh, damn.....I may as well get up off my knees then

Artful Dodger: Well Im afraid Im not hostile but I just don't believe....give me proof and I would apologise unequivocably(sp)

Pedro Martínez: well if he is as good as they say he is.... why not?
but by the same token please don't ask me to hang by my fingernails waiting for the pics

rod03801: yep.....me also :)