The Co-Operative Bank are grand, in one way. I do the self-satisfied smugness I get from banking with them, safe in the knowledge that I can crow about my ethical consumerism when being baited by lefty mates.

However, they are a pretty pish bank. Take ages to sort yer stuff out, and piss about with it once they do.

Jo, I have a really interesting, entry-level philosophy book by a guy called Jamie White, in which he rants about the shocking grasp of logic displayed by advocates of alternative medicines. I imagine it's a bit simplistic for you, but it's dead good, all the same.

Dunno where I'm going with this.

I used to bank with the Co-op. I know from my experience working in direct debits for British Gas Services that they're one of the most competent banks in the country. Unfortunately, that competence didn't extend to my account. I got pissed off with their making the same mistake on the same date every year (which stemmed from their inability to grasp that I had graduated from university some three years earlier, no matter how many times I told them I was no longer a student, and despite the obvious non-studential paypacket entering my account), and switched to First Direct, who are simply the best bank in the world, ever. I like my bank to treat impoverished puppies and deaf Mongolians well, but I'd prefer it if they didn't combine that with treating me like shite.

Mostly you're right.

But don't start me on flouride.

First, it's quite toxic in large quantities (adding it to the water supply doesn't result in a very well-controlled dosage rate does it); second, it makes your teeth go brown; third, and this is the point - it's MY bloody choice what medicines I take. Whatever next, Ritalin in the water supply? MMR vacccine stuff in the water supply?

I don't have to take Aspirin or Paracetamol or Paroxetine or Prozac or anything else unless I want to, and neither should I be dosed with Flouride. Like so much else it's not the gubmint's business. A slippery slope indeed.

Fortunately this is one aspect - perhaps the only one - where Scotland is more enlightened: compulsory medication via the public water supply is currently illegal up here.

You are General Jack D Ripper and I claim my 5 pounds!

Nice post Squander Two.

Andrew,

It's your choice whether you destroy the bacteria in river-water before drinking it. So are the government's bacteria-killing programs an intrusion on your freedom? How about their putting lime in the water to neutralise the bactericide? No, neither of these makes you less free, because you are free to collect water however you like and do whatever you want with it before drinking it. You have gutters, don't you? And a kettle?

"... even the slowest mind might realise that mustard gas is made out of mustard"

No it isn't. It's called mustard gas because it smells and stings like mustard, but it's a bona fide Dangerous Man-Made Chemical.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustard_gas

It should be noted that dioixins like DDT are not considered dangerous unless in massive qualtities. An early proponent of DDT used to take a teaspoon of the stuff prior to giving a lecture.

Viktor Yushchenko was exposed to the second-largest ever recorded dose of dioxins and he's happily busy being President of Ukraine, admittedly he does have a severe skin complaint which will clear up over time, but he's alive and relatively healthy.

What does kill you is the perfectly natural bioloical diseases of west nile virus and malaria, passed from mosquito bites. A small amount of DDT repels mosquitos, even those resistant to its effect, and prevents death and illness.

Bacteria in drinking water is killed using Chlorine gas. This evaporates long before the stuff reaches the taps (otherwise your kitchen would smell like a public swimming pool, at best). Lime precipitates out. Both are used to treat the WATER, not the consumer, and leave no residue that's even potentially harmful or unwanted.

My point stands. I will decide what medication to take, not the State, thank you.

> Both are used to treat the WATER, not the consumer

You're playing with semantics, badly. Clean water supplies are generally recognised as the greatest medical advance ever. Cleaning the water supply is done for the benefit of consumers, not of the water itself.

andrew: there has been many a tap where you can smell (taste?) the chlorine..

http://seannalexander.com/lj/ Mel...daMessenger.jpg