Lazy bones.

Gah, I thought it was Friday when I woke up, but it is not, it is Thursday, which means I have one more day of this wretched week to get through. I really really hate it when that happens.
Anyhoo, A quck read of the papers this morning has set me to thinking. I speak only of Irish folk here but I'd imagine the situation is not too far removed from folk in other countries.
We are turning into a lazy shower of lazy arses...

'IRISH car owners are driving shorter distances than previously believed, covering an average of 10,500 miles annually.

This is well below previous estimates of 15,000.

However, energy consumption is continuing to rise thanks to the increasing number of cars, commercial and freight traffic on our roads.

As a result of strong economic growth there has been a 151pc jump in energy use for transport between 1990 and 2005."

Loosly traslated, this means Irish people are too lazy to walk even short distances. I'm going to use my mother has a prime example. Follow me.
My mother lives just outside a village, she is over weight. She buys a newspaper and a pint of milk every day. She gets into her car and drives the one mile to the village shop and drives the one mile back again, probably snacking on jellybabies (common family addiction).
Naturally this behaviour adds roughly one pound of fat to my mother ever two to three months or so which she then complains and moans about to whichever child might be stupid enough to pick up a ringing phone in their otherwise peaceful home.
Now, see what we have here? Cause and effect. If my mother, oh say, walked to the shop for the paper and milk every day she would be doing a few things, she would be getting exercise -good for bones and heart- she would lose some weight- good for blood pressure and heart and mental well being, she would conserve fuel and energy-good for environment. Pretty much win win? No? Wouldn't ya think?
We are not a nation of walkers. But as every years passes and waistlines expand and fuel prices rise maybe someone might-some day- ask the pertinent question. Do we really need to drive there? All those people waiting on Dawson Street to catch a bus to Rathmines, a fifteen minute walk at best. Grey faced, bored, chewing gum, shuffling their feet. Teenagers standing outside Gigs Place in Portollo waiting for a bus to take them to O'Connell Street... walk dammit. It will do you good.