John B wrote:
Am I incredibly lucky,
incredibly blasé, or is everybody else just paranoid...?

Don't know, but having read;

"Work Secretary John Hutton promises a crackdown on the long-term
unemployed. He says a 'hardcore' of benefit claimants are spending
years on the dole and should be forced to take opportunities or have
their benefits cut. Whereas in fact we'd be better off just giving
them their dole and leaving them alone."

On a site you write for (http://www.thesharpener.net), I am even more
worried about your outlook on life!

Jonathan