Don Brash, the leader of NZ's centre-right National party (think Tories but more incompetent), has been attacked for stating that if Maori die of lung cancer it's essentially their own fault. The attacks demonstrate the biggest problem with the modern age: everyone wants their rights but have no concept of responsibility.

We see this all around, smoking just being one example. Anyone who has kept smoking for the last twenty years, while the evidence of the damage it causes has become ever more clear, has only themselves to blame if they die because of it. And why is California suing vehicle manufacturers because the middle classes think a 4x4 is suitable for driving in town?

There are some great examples here as well. The BBC had a clip of some chav from Tower Hamlets stating that the council should pay or otherwise reward people for recycling, as otherwise there was no reason for them to do it. What can you say other than selfish tit? No wonder the western world is considered decadent, if people can't be bothered picking between two bins for waste.

Perhaps a better idea is to remove the council tax charge for rubbish collection and instead charge for rubbish bags - that way, waste costs money, recycling is free and the biggest generators pay for it. Sounds good to me.