Have things got better

[Shaker]

More to the point, the overwhelming majority are performed early.

[ad_orientem]

Yes - you would have thought God would have arranged things more efficiently than having all these miscarriages.

Very droll, but you know I'm referring to abortion. Miscarriage is a result of the fall.

[Aruntraveller]

Very droll, but you know I'm referring to abortion. Miscarriage is a result of the fall.

What's autumn got to do with all this?

[floo]

Very droll, but you know I'm referring to abortion. Miscarriage is a result of the fall.

I didn't have a fall before I had my miscarriage in 1972!

[Outrider]

The war machine is more effecient than ever and what about the mass killing of the unborn in the womb?

Better to bring unwanted children into the world? Better to burden women (mainly) with financial and social weight that they may not be equipped to carry?

Or better to prevent a few cells becoming a person?

It's a tough choice, I don't envy anyone that's had to make the call, but the availability of abortion improves people's options. Of course, I'd always advocate contraception as a better option.

O.

[jeremyp]

Religion has nothing to do with this OP

Correct.

And the OP should have been, more accurately worded as, "Have things got better for all of us;  or just some?"

Incorrect.

Finally, to argue that if you earn two dollars now, instead of one, you're better off, is pure derision.

You should watch the video to find out what was actually said instead of just making crap up.

[floo]

Better to bring unwanted children into the world? Better to burden women (mainly) with financial and social weight that they may not be equipped to carry?

Or better to prevent a few cells becoming a person?

It's a tough choice, I don't envy anyone that's had to make the call, but the availability of abortion improves people's options. Of course, I'd always advocate contraception as a better option.

O.

I agree. It is far better to prevent an unwanted pregnancy rather than to have to have an abortion.

[jeremyp]

There is no doubt that in Africa the number of people living in abject poverty has decreased.  Access to basic health care has improved as have other measures used to assess the quality of life.  Nevertheless, speaking from the perspective of an African born and raised in Africa, I would suggest that the reaction of the great majority of the inhabitants of this continent, when informed that the stats shows significant improvements to quality of life, would be to refer to that Oscar Wilde quote about there being lies, damn lies and statistics.

So what you are saying is that most Africans do not have a grasp of what life is and was like on their own continent, the implication being that, despite things being better, they don't think so.

Also, I'm not familiar with Oscar Wilde's quote about lies, damned lies and statistics. Could you tell us what it is? I am familiar with Mark Twain's quote (that he attributed to Disraeli) and that quote is a bit of a millstone as it is used far too often to dismiss true statistical facts.

[ippy]

The war machine is more effecient than ever and what about the mass killing of the unborn in the womb?

Stone age man makes a comment.

ippy

[jeremyp]

The war machine is more effecient than ever and what about the mass killing of the unborn in the womb?

There were 8.9 million deaths of infants under one year of age in 1990. There will be an estimated 4.5 million  deaths of infants under one year of age in 2015.

I can't find equivalent stats for abortions, but between 1995 and 2003, the number of abortions dropped from approximately 46 million to 42 million and it is still at about 42 million today in spite of the increased population.

So things are better than they were in the past, even taking into account abortions.

[jeremyp]

What's autumn got to do with all this?

He means the fall down the stairs.

[DaveM]

So what you are saying is that most Africans do not have a grasp of what life is and was like on their own continent, the implication being that, despite things being better, they don't think so.

Also, I'm not familiar with Oscar Wilde's quote about lies, damned lies and statistics. Could you tell us what it is? I am familiar with Mark Twain's quote (that he attributed to Disraeli) and that quote is a bit of a millstone as it is used far too often to dismiss true statistical facts.

Thanks for the correction on the source of the quote.  I was quoting from memory - not necessarily a wise move nowadays.

Africans are only too aware of what life is and was like on their own continent.   Unfortunately, in many instances the stats on Africa represent little more than the poor quality of the source data.  Plus plenty of massaging to reflect a situation which those in authority wish to project.  Only too often the facts on the ground reflect to the contrary.

[BashfulAnthony]

Correct.
Incorrect.
You should watch the video to find out what was actually said instead of just making crap up.

All the adjectives of the English Language to choose from, tens of thousands of them, and all you can come up with is that.  Absolutely pathetic!

[Walt Zingmatilder]

We need to be vigilant, because there are forces out there looking to cut back against these improvements,

Yeh, You guys are OK as long as you can conjur up an ''out there''
and ''Forces''......what you mean is a ''within'' and ''people''.

Mystical bollocks designed to keep oneself off the hook.

[Shaker]

Yeh, You guys are OK as long as you can conjur up an ''out there''
and ''Forces''......what you mean is a ''within'' and ''people''.

Mystical bollocks designed to keep oneself off the hook.

I wonder if you can expect a reprimand from BA for your obscene language?

[BashfulAnthony]

I wonder if you can expect a reprimand from BA for your obscene language?

Of course, but you will find it engaging:  poor you!

[Walt Zingmatilder]

I wonder if you can expect a reprimand from BA for your obscene language?

He hasn't spared me before. He is his own man and I realise I do not do cross the T's and dot the I's for him.

As you know like Icelandic rotten fish....I am an acquired taste.

[Shaker]

He hasn't spared me before.

I can think of at least one occasion when he did exactly that.

[BashfulAnthony]

I can think of at least one occasion when he did exactly that.

Point it out to me, and I will severely reprimand him  -  unless your mind is playing tricks, and you are mixing him with one of the resident atheists!

[Hope]

Which is awful, and due in no small part to the effect of religious teaching.

Any evidence for this assertion, bhs.

Another horrendous stat was one I heard on the Beeb's Breakfast Show this morning - regarding the prevalence of child abuse.  It is thought that only 1 case in 8 is actyually known about by the authorities.  We like to call ourselves a civilized nation - but can a society that has the level of abuse that appears to exist really be regarded as a civilized one?

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hope,

Any evidence for this assertion, bhs.

Yes. Now then, should I point you towards it, or should I "do a Hope" and claim loudly and repeatedly to have posted it already and then disappear?

Hmmm...

Another horrendous stat was one I heard on the Beeb's Breakfast Show this morning - regarding the prevalence of child abuse.  It is thought that only 1 case in 8 is actyually known about by the authorities.  We like to call ourselves a civilized nation - but can a society that has the level of abuse that appears to exist really be regarded as a civilized one?

Of course child abuse of any kind is horrific, but that has nothing to do with whether or not the underlying trends have improved or worsened. Victorian child abuse for example was much more commonplace than it is now. 

[Bubbles]

Hope,

Yes. Now then, should I point you towards it, or should I "do a Hope" and claim loudly and repeatedly to have posted it already and then disappear?

Hmmm...

Of course child abuse of any kind is horrific, but that has nothing to do with whether or not the underlying trends have improved or worsened. Victorian child abuse for example was much more commonplace than it is now.

We like to tell ourselves so, but is it?

It seems it's hidden nowadays more, but there has been so much in the news over the last few years.

[Outrider]

Yeh, You guys are OK as long as you can conjur up an ''out there''
and ''Forces''......what you mean is a ''within'' and ''people''.

Mystical bollocks designed to keep oneself off the hook.

I guess that rather depends on what groups it is you think I'm referring to, and what groups it is you think I'm in. It didn't seem the right forum to go into the specifics of whom and how, and I certainly wouldn't include myself in any of them, but you just keep on believing whatever you'd like in the absence of evidence, it seems to be your modus operandi.

O.

[Outrider]

Point it out to me, and I will severely reprimand him  -  unless your mind is playing tricks, and you are mixing him with one of the resident atheists!

For some reason, I read this in the "Come again and I shall taunt you once more!" voice

O.

[jeremyp]

All the adjectives of the English Language to choose from, tens of thousands of them, and all you can come up with is that.  Absolutely pathetic!

Of all the replies you could have made, you chose to whine about the language.

Fuck off. Just go away. I've had enough of your hypocritical "bad language" derails.

So just fuck off.