Dream on

Nah, read it carefully, they have other medical conditions that allow them to get disability, and they're not necessarily caused by obesity. Epilespy for instance

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If they have those why ae they then saying they are too fat to work? that is whrre my problem is here - the demonsing of fat.

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It's in the Daily Fail aka worst newspaper ever

they didn't say they were too fat to work, said the opposite

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I beieve they are quoted tsaying they are too fat to ork in the subject line. Whereexactly are they statng anything other than that in the aticle?

Even if it IS daily fail...

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Oh for god's sake

Philip, 53, suffers from diabetes and heart problems.
Audrey, 57, has asthma and epilepsy

The daughter's health conditions aren't spell out, but there's mention of acid reflux (which wouldn't lead to disability), panic attacks (panic disorder), and something about going blind. It's not spelled out, so I dunno if they even get benefits? They're pretty young, though, 19 and 20.

I hate hate hate that article but I don't hate the family. The parents's health conditions are quite serious, and could possibly prevent them from exercising, not that exercising helps you lose weight exactly, and currently there is no way to turn fat people into thin people.

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Mmm, you do realize that is not the articlle I linked to, right?

My point being, the problem i here is not that they are fat, it is the fat that they are demonizng being fat. they are acting like all their problems would go away if they jsut werenät fat. Medical, job related, everything.

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It's more detailed than the other one, with more quotes and stuff.

Well, that's because that's what they're constantly being told, from their doctors, from the media, from the public. "If you lost weight all your problems would go away!" It's not true, of course.

They said they've tried dieting and exercise and they don't eat that much, in fact they sound kind of confused as to why they can't lose weight.

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lydiasings.livejournal.com

Grrr. Saw this on twitter. Their problem is stupidity not fat.

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Precisely - they are blaming everything on being too fat,. how the fuck is it that tpilepsy is caused by being fat?

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Other way around, sweetie. Anti-epileptics can make you fat, and anything that disturbs your sleep patterns can make you gain weight.

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"for epilepsy and asthma, both a result of being overweight. " from the article.

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ljooni.livejournal.com

Heard about these ones about a month ago. Here's a pretty good commentary that sums it up quite well http://fabulouslybrokeinthecity.blogspot.com/2009/03/no-seriously.html

They're just making stupid excuses "veggies are too expensive, I'm a student, I have no time!" my ass. They just don't want to do anything about it 'cause they get paid already.

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ffs., I weigh almost as uchas he parnts do - 22 st - and I work full time, dnace, exercse, etc, etc, etc.

they are using being fat as an excus for being lazy. do they have any medical conditions that make them unable to move? Last time I checked, diaetes didnöt make you incapable of moving. neither did epilepsy.

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How about asthma and heart conditions though. also being 60ish.

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Neither of those would stop them from doing many types of work. Fat or not, medical conditions or not, their attitude stinks almost as much as mine. And as for being 60ish... 57 puts him 8 years from retirement. He could do something.

Unlike others, I'm not suggesting stupidity is their problem though. They get paid for doing fuck all, so it's actually quite smart for them not to do anything.

S

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It depends on how severe the condition is. Most people can work with asthma, for instance, but some people can't.

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Hmm...

I think the main reason this is annoying is because they're demanding more money for still not working. Do you think they have a TV? A car? Washing machine? Tumble drier?
I have one of those things- although to be fair, I am looking to get more money. The way I'm looking to do this is by changing job. While it's very laudable to support people who can't support themselves, should they be given a lot more money than they need to survive? I wouldn't have said so, because doing so gives no incentive to actually try to do anything.

S

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You think people on disability shouldn't have enough money to buy a dryer? What?

should they be given a lot more money than they need to survive?

Nooo, let's punish people for being disabled. Give them a burlap sack and some dog food, they'll be fine.

doing so gives no incentive to actually try to do anything.

Well I dunno about England but in America they only give out for 100% disability (or blindness) and only for conditions that are expected to continue for their rest of the person's life, end in their death, or for a substantial amount of time (and they do reviews to see if your condition has improved). And if they find that you are non-compliant for medical treatment, abuse drugs or alcohol, or that your daily-life activities indicate that you could work, they don't give it to you.

What I'm saying is someone only qualifies for disability if they are A) unable to work because of a medical condition, B) this medical condition will not improve, c) they've received the best medical treatment for this condition and been completely compliant with it and yet haven't improved to the point where they could work, and d) they don't use drugs or alcohol (most of the time, this one can get complicated).

Basically, they can't get any better. Therefore, incentives don't work.

Also disability considers jobs you could be retrained to do, doesn't care whether jobs are available or not, and it's a real bitch to get disability for asthma, epilepsy, any mental disorder, and pain disorders, the last two because it's hard to prove you genuinely have on, and the first two because they won't give it to you unless you're completely compliant with your medication but you're still flopping around/having asthma attacks incessantly.

So ... yeah I can see how it can be annoying to know that someone is getting money and not working for it, but it's usually more annoying to be disabled in the first place. The most annoying one is to be disabled but denied disability benefits, because then you're screwed.

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You know what? I don't have enough money, or space to buy a dryer. A dryer is NOT necessary, however. So no, I don't think it should be considered one.

I'm actually using quite a generous form of survive here, including washing machines and televisions in it. You really don't need those- there are libraries, etc.

Agreed that there's no point giving incentives if there's no means for improvement.

However, where there's possible means for improvement, why encourage idleness? I know it happens over here because I've known people who were on benefits because it was easier than actually getting a job.

And yes, disability being annoying I can see. However, people who are already being paid enough that they can eat junk food all the time and almost certainly (let's face it) watch TV every night... and day... well, don't you consider it repulsive of them to be demanding more?

S

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British people don't use dryers anyway, from what I heard.

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...

S

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They use clotheslines! Wait, am I crazy?

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Aww, I didn't mean to get that dramatic. I'm sorry for snapping at you. I'm sensitive about these issues and I'm off my meds.

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Nah, you weren't that bad- I can understand the irritation at what you saw as a persistent attack on people who were maybe that way through no fault of their own.

Except... if they can't work up the effort to fix themselves, who can?

So yeah, no worries! I also should remember to read multiple sources... except hearing about people freeloading isn't anything that interesting, so...

*smiles*

S

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ljooni.livejournal.com

Yep. I have epileptic friend, managing just fine at work, diabetic overweight friend, managing just fine too, and I myself am combined GERD (acid reflux) + panic disorder, working almost fine too :D

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ms-anthrophy.livejournal.com

Okay, the reason why I prefer to stay unemployed is that I'm so fukken lazy but at least I'm honest. (Okay, not to the authorities but still...:D)

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smtfhw.livejournal.com

My take? Too sodding lazy to work. If they moved more they wouldn't be so fat so work would be good for them... When I was 20 stone I worked as hard as I do now I'm only 12 stone and the health issues I had then went away because I lost the weight.

Edited Date: 2009-04-15 08:32 pm (UTC)

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the daily fail article makes it so that they are incapable due to sai healoth issues.. but as such, the partnts might have a reason there. the girls? not so much. I am so fucking angry the girls have been aised to be defeatist and circular logicg y - "everything bad happens to us beuase we are fat. but we canöt help being fat. so we anöt do anything"

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brennaraven.livejournal.com

18 stone is 252 pounds... I way more than that! Stupid lazy bitches.

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impudent-twilek.livejournal.com

My mom is overweight and has type 2 diabetes and survived breast cancer. She works and weighs more than these people. They eat 1,000 more calories a day than the recommended amount. They eat crap. Those microwavable dinners can be cheap, but they are mostly junk calories. If they tried reducing their intake, they might be able to drop some weight and solve some of their health problems.

I think they like the free money too much to even try though.

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THey are trying to play a sob story to the press and thepress is demonizing being fat. it is ugly ugly ugly.

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aurora100.livejournal.com

I know a lot of folks who weight more and have worse health issues who still work.

Being overweight does lead to a lot of health problems, but if you are eating 3,000 cal/day of junk, because you 'can't afford' good food (which is bs), give up cable t-v so you can get your health back on track. You can't trade in your body, so you've got to at least make the effort to be healthy.

These people clearly aren't making the effort. And it gives a bad name to anyone who has weight issues.
The thing that makes me angry about this article is that I struggle with weight all the time. I work my ass off... literally.

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