A - Z - D Drink drivers and the drinking youth culture!!

According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Road accidents in 2011 there were over 10000 people injured by drink drivers. 280 people were killed whilst 1290 were seriously injured! (See source here...)

But most of the victims of drink driving accidents are those who are not under the influence - this includes the elderly and young children. Yet still some drivers still insist they are ok to get behind the wheel of a car!! I do not drive and nor do I drink but I am a daughter and a mum and worry on a regular basis how many idiots are on the road whilst under the influence. It is my worst nightmare that something could happen to my mum or my kids because someone could not make a responsible decision and either not have a drink or have a drink but not drive....

Times are hard in this country and I do not begrudge someone wanting a tipple to take the stress of the day away! But I do believe that one drink can lead to more and stresses can mean some people find it hard to stop drinking even when they are over their personal limit! 

And there are those people who do not work who spend all day watching telly and drinking - using benefit money to sit there paralytic  How does this happen?..... Looking around the supermarkets it is hardly surprising people can afford to drink so much and so often. There are offers on bulk buying alcohol all the time - and own brand alcohol is so cheap therefore it is not surprising that so many people drink so much so often......

For this reason unfortunately I can not see this problem getting better in the future- the government make so much tax on the sale of alcohol that they will not take measures to prevent this excessive drinking. They will not make it harder to buy alcohol when they can earn money from the sales. The state of the economy will mean more people will want a drink to eradicate the stress of life and in my opinion the country will get worse before the country improves. 

So I have a feeling this pet peeve of mine will continue for a long time - how many people will suffer from alcohol related accidents in the mean time???? 

A-Z the letter C (Coalition Government and how everyday families are suffering!)

This one was tricky - my first thought went to Cruelty to animals and then Chewing with your mouth open! 

But eventually I settled on the state of England and in particular since the Coalition Government came into power..... 

(This does not mean that I think Cruelty to animals is not as bad as this, however Cruelty is a common peeve or hate and the majority of 'normal' people agree it is wrong. I thought the Coalition Gov was a more 'risque' post and something specific to 2013 which is why I opted for this!!) 

I am not a political person, I know very little on the in's and outs of life in Westminster (in this era anyway - historically I know more about politics!) but I do know how everyday people up north feel about the situation created down south on the banks of the Thames. This maybe a generalisation because I can not speak for all us Northern folk, but everyone I speak to is disgusted at the state of the country now. It has been increasingly getting worse for many years, but since the two culprits above came into power the lower classes seem to have been made lower. The job market is poor yet benefits changes are been made which mean people suffer (bedroom tax is a prime example of this!). The only people who do not seem to suffer at these cut backs and the inflation rates are those sat in the houses of parliament and the fat cats in charge of major companies. 

But the worst thing in my opinion is the ignorance of this suffering and hardship. Tv programmes highlight situations for poorer people on a weekly basis. (Recently Skint on Channel 4, and even programmes like Secrets of Shoplifters illustrate how times are hard) yet we still have politicians stating they could live on £50 a week!!!!!!!!!!!

Do they know and appreciate how hard it is to feed people on a small budget? how difficult it can be saying no time and time again to kids who want an icecream or sweets? I sincerely doubt that!!!! Not all those people who shoplift or do perhaps 'dodgy' things are career criminals- they are parents who are struggling to put food on the table and clothes on kids backs. 

As a family we have not shoplifted or been reduced to low levels to provide for our children. But my husband has now lost his job due to health issues and is unfit to work for  the unforeseeable future. I am looking for work but with these gunky ear infections and deafness it is a struggle. So now we are going to be one of those families who struggle and have to survive on state handouts!! It is worth mentioning my hubby has worked full time and paid his taxes and National insurance for 27 years. So it is bad and wrong to be surviving on government money - but he has paid into the pot over the years! 

Never would we be reduced to stealing to cope with this downfall - but it gives us an understanding on how people can do this because there are more people out there who are much worse off than us!! As a family we are resourceful and can make cheap and healthy food and repair things instead of replacing but not everyone has the know how or ability to cook properly or mend things. 

I just wish that David Cameron and Nick Clegg could see this; not all people who claim benefits are avoiding work but the majority of them are people who are just down on their luck and struggling to eat and stay warm. They should look at families like mine and many others I know and realise how life is for people who are not in power and who do not have life savings and an inheritance! People who are ill or who have been made redundant because of the state of the economy should not be put in the same category as those idiots who purposely sit on their butts all day and have no intention of working (legally). 

I could go on about this because it a subject so close to me and many people I know and care about - and I accept that this government did not necessarily cause this- but they are not helping and still remain ignorant to a lot of people's plights!

But a magic wand can not be waved - I have a feeling the situation is set to get a whole lot worse before it gets better!!! 

Would be interesting to know what others think?

It will also be interesting to look back and review this situation and subject in a year or more and see my opinions on it then!!! 

A-Z - this time I am evaluating B .... (bad manners and bullying)

Next on my list is the letter B!!

Now for this I could not decide whether to select BAD MANNERS or BULLYING.

So I have gone for both on the tenuous link that bullying could be construed as bad manners!!! (Maybe I am clutching at straws there?!)

BAD MANNERS.   Being a parent I have tried to install in my kids the importance of saying please and thank you, and just being polite in general! But it still shocks me how many children in their peer groups that do not even say a simple 'Ta!'

 I was raised that manners were more important than anything, the last words uttered to me before a party or tea at a friends house were "Remember your P's & Q's!" and I find myself repeating this to my own 2 if they are invited out. And I always get that flush of pride on their return when I am commended on their manners.

But still there are so many other people out there, adults as well as children who can not utter a word of thanks or show any manners. Is it any wonder that kids out there are growing up rude? 

Now I am not victorian in my standards - my children are taught to respect those who respect them. They are taught to consider other peoples feelings when out in the street or on public transport but I also try to teach them that there are older people out there who can be rude so in those cases civility is all that is needed. 

It is so simple to install good manners in children who tend to lead by example, children should be attending pre-school or nursery with the basics of manners already second nature. Although I have recently read something which states it should be the teachers job to teach manners.... I think this is codswallop!! Teachers suffer most of all from ill-mannered kids and they are constantly pulling them up on manners (they are when I am working in school anyway!!) So yeah... teachers should reinforce how important please and thank you are... but so should any adult who is contact with youngsters......

And BULLYING... I was a victim of bullying when I was at school, at one point I even had to move schools because of the trouble I faced. Mainly because I looked 'different' but also because I was gobby and answered back... I liked to shock with my appearance and this tended to cause comments from the more 'Trendy' people. In fact I used to have my own come backs stored in my head read for any hatred thrown my way. In this sense I was not bullied to the extent you read about in today's press. I was not beaten up or attacked physically. But I did end up in tears several times. I tried to be tough but found it unfair that how I looked made people hate me... 

Bullying is on this list because it has escalated now to the point where teens are stabbed and seriously hurt for no reason. TV programmes like Hollyoaks do serve to highlight the dangers from bullies but again it is mainly down to the parents. It is children who live with bullies and narrow mindedness who then repeat the process by picking on others. Again it is not difficult to teach children that all people regardless of colour, religion, sexuality, music tastes etc.... are the same inside. 

So there you have the letter B.... rather long winded and a bit of a rant but hey ho....

A-Z of things which annoy me or I don't like ..... today is the letter A (Alphabet challange!!)

I am a bit late in the day with this series of posts but I have been neglecting this blog a bit because I have hit a bit of a rut.....

Seeing this type of thing on other people's amazing blogs made me want to start my own so the letter today is A.

The  little image at the side of this might just give the game  away because  adverts on telly are one of my pet peeves. Yeah I know its a trivial matter and not important in day to day life - but to me there is nothing more annoying (which  begins with an A that gets on my wick!!!) 

Because of this one of my fave inventions of the 21st century is Sky+, been able to record programs so you can fast forward  them at the annoying bits is bliss for someone like me.

In general I use adverts to try and conquer a level on Candy Crush Saga  or read several chapters of my boo, so I will admit they are handy for that reason. But the same repetitive slogan or song time after time makes me tut at the telly.... (Go Compare anyone?!?!)

(Added the day after) - thinking about this post I thought I was unfair. I know advertising is big business and employs a lot of people in its various forms, I also appreciate how much media influences us in day to day life. Which does not remove this 'peave' of mine - but perhaps makes me less annoyed about it. 

(Hopefully the letter B will not be far behind this post!!) 

My prize winning April!!! Long may my luck continue!!!

My last post told you all about my comping frenzy - it seems that it has paid off!! 

• 4 Boxes of Kelloggs Cereal! Won through a blog (Received 30/04/2013) 
• The Girl Behind the Mask - book by Stella Knightly. Won from Shaz's book blog via facebook (Recieved 27/04/2013)
• Jack the Giant Slayer goodie bag - 2 tshirts, hoodie, notebook, pen, hat and earphones! Won through a film website!! (in march) (24/04/2013) 
• JollyWobbles DVD (childrens Justin Flecter aka Mr tumble!) Won through a blog rafflecopter comp - (23/04/2013)
• Primavera Intensive revitelising face cream. Won through a like and share competition on facebook. (18/04/13) 
• Sightseers on Blu-ray! Won through a film website! (17/04/13) 
• £20 scratchcard win After deliberation decided to put any lottery wins £10 or over on here. (16/04/13) 
• Mariella Mystery - childrens book! Arrived 15/04/13
• Mackies icecream Voucher Won from answering a Mackies Survey! (Received 13th April) Worth £3.50
• Office goody bag (Pink pen, chocs, teabag & cup) Celebrity angels - Received 6th April) - entered through a website. 
• Nestle Oats and more cereal - full size box- won through facebook (Recieved 5th April) 
• Google Nexus 7 tablet - 16gb - Gumtree competition - (Received 4th April) worth £180
• Hotel Chocolate Easter egg - You crack me up - from the good natured company.A surprise win received 3rd April - must have won in March. Worth £27

This massive list is my total prizes for the month of april - even though I won some of them in March I received them on the dates stated! 

Yesterday I also got another 3 winning emails (WEM) so hopefully that stands for how lucky I will be in May! I am really loving these competitions I find on http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/  the people on there are so lovely and friendly and there are a lot of comps added daily! Plus I like being able to help manage the forum yourselves by reporting expired comps and adding new ones!