Drink all about it

Increasingly, I feel that I could do with some 'booze' in order to stomach the depressing 'nooze' we hear about these days. Unemployment, for example - general unemployment, but perhaps particularly, youth unemployment and the increasing number of so-called NEETs - young people 'not education, employment or training'. It feels to me that the level of social inequality is increasing on a daily basis. Honestly, if I hear the phrase that we need to 'share the pain' one more time I am going to scream! It is not being shared, it is being piled on to people who already have enough of it.

I was also annoyed by the news coverage today about the possible economic impact of the pensions strikes planned for 30th November. This somehow adds to the feeling that anyone - particularly those working in the public sector - should just feel lucky to have any kind of job and be prepared to put up with anything.

Perhaps many others feel the same way. I saw plenty of people clutching cans of extra strong lager when I went out for my walk this afternoon...