[Daisy]

Daisy, I know where you're coming from but with all the compassion you give to your people you greet at the hospital where you give so much of your free time - spare a little for those we know on here who are genuinely in need of state help or at least give them the benefit of stating their case

I don't think anyone on here has been deprived of stating their case - certainly not by me.

Not everyone is transparent on here about the problems of their day to day lives

Quite true ... there are a lot of people on here who prefer to keep their problems to themselves - myself included. Just because I don't post a running list of problems does not mean they do not exist.

Maybe it's not such a good idea to get to know each other too well but I have come to know you as a very caring human being and while I get angry at those frauds who literally play the benefits system for all they can get, I have to know someone a good deal better before I criticise them

I wasn't aware I was criticising anyone on here - I thought I was defending myself against some very rude remarks.

Thank heavens they have supportive families

I agree - I think this is exactly as it should be for people who are single/living at home/unemployed.

[Daisy]

PAYE has nothing to do with having children. Everybody gets charged the same rate, although hundreds are illegally avoiding it.

How do people manage to avoid paying PAYE ... am thinking I must be naive here ... unless you're talking about moonlighting?

[janscribe]

Daisy, please don't take offence by anything I have said because it wasn't intended to offend, just to make a point and I rarely enter into these strongly voiced arguments. You perhaps are the wiser in prefering not to be so open about yourself, maybe I should follow suit, but I'm a bit naive sometimes. Nevertheless, by the same token, as I know so little about your life personally neither can I possibly understand the reasoning behind your arguments, however valid they may be.

[Hazybear]

Hazel, don't let them get you down. There are people who live on benefits because they can't be bothered to do anything else or because thatis the way they are better off. Sometimes you cant blame them - our society has been made a benefit society over the years so why bother with anything else - that seems to be the attitude of many. I have been trying to keep up with this thread and hate the way that some people group others into a category without knowing anything about them or their circumstances. We know the problems you have been having with your back and occasionally James tells us about his own problems. Two intelligent, decent and well-educated young people trying to do something with their lives whilst coping with so many problems.
Daisy, I know where you're coming from but with all the compassion you give to your people you greet at the hospital where you give so much of your free time - spare a little for those we know on here who are genuinely in need of state help or at least give them the benefit of stating their case. Not everyone is transparent on here about the problems of their day to day lives, sometimes MW is an escape where they are just another member, normal etc and can forget their problems while they are on line. Maybe it's not such a good idea to get to know each other too well but I have come to know you as a very caring human being and while I get angry at those frauds who literally play the benefits system for all they can get, I have to know someone a good deal better before I criticise them. I have often wondered why James, with all his academic qualifications chooses to stay as a progressing students, this thread has told me why and I can only applaud the efforts he is making.
Hazel is another matter, what she feels, religion or no religion,  is common human decency as far as I'm concerned and I am so sorry that two such promising young people are so handicapped with physical problems that they are unable at the present time to continue their intented careers and support themselves. Thank heavens they have supportive families. Believe me I would be the first to condemn if they were 'swinging the lead' so to speak. 

How have we managed without you Thank you for being you and reminding us all (myself included) that we should try to be more understanding of each other

[Hazybear]

This is an internet forum ... I don't see how ^^^.  Very few people here know other members personally, therefore how can they possibly try to be more understanding without that personal insight

That's why the word try was in there And I did contemplate adding and so will do so now

...based on the information that we have and trying not to make too many assumptions to fill the gaps in our knowledge

[Hazybear]

And here's another assumption ... I thought online forums were supposed to be fun, rather than places where there is much wailing and gnashing of teeth - especially a tennis forum.

Online forums can be and are what the members make and the moderators allow for. In this case we are lucky to have the choice and a great deal of flexibility to discuss anything from tennis to the topic in hand
The benefit means that there is generally something for everyone to chat about and if people don't like a topic because it's not in their interest or not what they're looking for from the forum then they can comment on other threads that suit them better instead

[janscribe]

Unfortunately the subject of this thread and a few others too is an emotional topic especially in view of all the proposed changes so I suppose there's not too much fun attached to it.

[Daisy]

It’s just funny that the rich don’t seem to criticize tax-fraud

Think I've heard it referred to as tax evasion George ...  

I'm replying to you George, and you just pulled the rug out from under my feet .... where did you go??