Tr1boy

You sure you're not in a fun park?

mono

Agree that this is a world trend. People in the UK have a habit of thinking that these things are UK trends when in fact they are happening the world over.

Look at the volume of rules and regulations in Australia. Someone on TV the other day remarked that in many areas of Australia it would be easier to just list what you ARE allowed to do. Look at the language and tone of the ''guilty until innocent'' landing cards when you arrive in Australia and the police state atmosphere of the customs procedures.

Thinking that the nanny state silliness is only in the UK is misguided and naive.

elfman

duck feeding is also banned in our local park here in the land of the free and rugged individualism.

Lord_Farquar

So walking backwards or running is allowed?

I once got told off in Australia for jumping into a swimming pool. I told the rather grumpy women that as I was 29 years of age, I thought I would be ok to jump in a 1.5 metre deep pool!

Also the signs said no diving, so I presumed jumping was allowed. Needless to say she wasn't amused.

Lord_Farquar

That wouldn't get you much prison respect.

"So what are you in here for?"

"Oh, I fed the ducks"

Tr1boy

You could pretend it was street slang for something much worse.

Kirstine

I was just reading an article today saying how some scientists, surgeons or whatever they are want to ban butter...yeah because that's gonna do any good.

I do love this country but I honestly feel like giving the PC brigade a good shake and all these rules and regulations are getting seriously tiresome but I'm pretty sure most of the world is this way inclined these days. It's unfortunately just the times we live in!

JAJ

Perhaps, but it doesn't alter the fact that in the short period of 13 years, the United Kingdom has been transformed from the most free and easy-going developed nation into the most oppressive and authoritarian.

And unlike the United States or Australia, there is no constitutional order to check a goverment, no inherent public reaction against overpowering authority, and no separation of powers between the center and states, to act as a bulwark against a lunatic/malign government.

kenpom

You should come to NZ for a refreshing change.
At teh botanic gardens in Dunedin you are given free food to feed the ducks ( bread is banned though), and the kids love it even though there is duck sh1t everywhere.
When my girls started kindy 5 years ago they once came home with a piece of wood with loads of nals in it and yes at kindy they were given wood hammer and nails......... eek
One day my daughter came home with a pice of paper; it was an accident form, as she had fallen out of a tree and hurt her leg. One of teh questions on the form said what is the likelihood of thsi happening again and the answer circled was "very likely".
On my sons last day at kindy for his leaving do he had a cake; he sat at the front with it on his knee and then the teacher lit the candles while everyone sang a song before he blew them all out.
Children over here are expected to be children, just like in the good old days!!

Lord_Farquar

What a load of nonsense.

Tr1boy

Yes and look where that has gotten Oz. State and Fed Govs are so blinkered by their myopic haste to get re-elected they constantly blame each and pass the buck for whatever needs doing so consequently nothing gets done and another completely needless and costly layer of grubberment gets to keep its piggy little trotters in the public trough for another three years of coma like activity.

Public reaction to Gov? you're having a laugh surely. Australia's reaction to its Gov is so apathetic that one is forced by law to vote. I am constantly shocked at the general ignorance of the populi in Australia with regards to its electoral and political process.

Give one example of an Australian Fed Gov reversing a decision based on the 'inherent public reaction' to its inane power hunger. And don't cite a beer price increase.

mono

Rubbish.

Public reaction to government??! Unlike Britain, where there is a strong culture of being suspicious of the government and lampooning them half to death through often quite viscious satire, the Aussies tend to be quite trusting of their state and federal MPs - very possibly this is due to the belief that many Aussies seem to have in the myth of things being ''fair dinkum'' in Australia, a notion that you can trust an Aussie no matter what his walk of life.

I think Aussies trust in their governments in a way the British never do; we are inherently more cynical and suspicious than Australians tend to be.

Aussies are also complacent and apathetic - the ''she'll be right'' philosophy. They believe that things are all okay just because it's Australia. People in Britain have no such blind faith in either their government or the inherent brilliance of their nation.

Beedubya

A friend of mine here who has young children, well her dad made her kids class all little wooden benches with hammers and nails and stuff. Before they were allowed to use them, they had to send out a letter to all the parents to get their permission in case any of their little darlings got a splinter in their finger!!

God help the next generation, wrapped up in cotton wool as they are......

kenpom

Ahh bless them.
I am returning to the UK later this year and I think it will be very interesting.
Jesus what on earth has happened to folks?

livinginreality

Going overseas can be very refreshing!Last year we went to Turkey(non tourist areas I might add)travellling up through mountains,came across a guy with a jack hammer,working on the road,with BARE FEET!Imagine that??????? I'm nearly 50 yrs old and thank god can remember before all this rubbish kicked in,when I was a kid I could pretty much do what I wanted!!!Freedom was bliss!!!!I hope no one comes knocking my door and tries to tell me what portions I should be serving ect?I might just give them a portion of my mind back!