Do you feel old?

According to today's regulators and bureaucrats, those of us who
were kids in the 60's, 70's and early 80's probably shouldn't have
survived, because our baby cots were covered with brightly coloured
lead-based paint, which was promptly chewed and licked.

We had no child-proof lids on medicine bottles, or latches on
doors or cabinets and it was fine to play with pans.

When we rode our bikes, we wore no helmets, just flip-flops and
fluorescent 'spokey dokey's' on our wheels. As children, we
would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags - riding in the
passenger seat was a treat.

We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle and it
tasted the same.

We ate chips, bread and butter pudding and drank fizzy juice
with sugar in it, but we were never overweight because we were always
outside playing.

We shared one drink with four friends, from one bottle or can
and no one actually died from this.

We would spend hours building go-carts out of scraps and then
went top speed down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes.
After running into stinging nettles a few times, we learned to
solve the problem.

We would leave home in the morning and could play all day, as
long as we were back before it got dark. No one was able to reach us
and no one minded.

We did not have Play stations or X-Boxes, no video games at all.
No 99 channels on TV, no videotape movies, no surround sound, no
mobile phones, no personal computers, no DVDs, no Internet chat rooms.
We had friends - we went outside and found them.
We played elastics and rounders, and sometimes that ball really hurt!

We fell out of trees, got cut, and broke bones but there were no
lawsuits.

We had full on fistfights but no prosecution followed from other parents.

We played knock-on-the-door-and-run-away and were actually afraid of
the owners catching us.

We walked to friends' homes.

We also,believe it or not, WALKED to school; we didn't rely on mummy
or daddy to drive us to school, which was just round the corner.

We made up games with sticks and tennis balls. We rode bikes in packs
of 7 and wore our coats by only the hood.

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke a law was unheard of.
They actually sided with the law.

This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers and problem
solvers and inventors, ever. The past 50 years have been an explosion
of innovation and new ideas.

We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned
how to deal with it all.

And you're one of them. Congratulations!

For those of you who aren't old enough thought you might like to read
about us.

This my friends, is surprisingly frightening, and it might put a smile
on your face: The majority of students in universities today were born in
1986. They are called youth.

They have never heard of "We are the World", "We are the children", and
the Uptown Girl they know is by West life not Billy Joel. They have
never heard of Rick Astley, Bananarama, Nena Cherry or Belinda Carlisle.
For them, there has always been only one Germany and one Vietnam.

AIDS has existed since they were born.

CD's have existed since they were born.

Michael Jackson has always been white.

To them John Travolta has always been round in shape and they can't
imagine how this fat guy could be a god of dance.

They believe that Charlie's Angels and Mission Impossible are Films
from last year.

They can never imagine life before computers.

They'll never have pretended to be the A Team, Red-Hand Gang or the
Famous Five.

They'll never have applied to be on "Jim'll Fix It" or "Why Don't You".

They can't believe a black and white television ever existed.

And they will never understand how we could leave the house without a
mobile phone.

 

That was beautiful. But I'm 30 years YOUNG damn it!!

 

I totaly agree with that, except it fails to point out that WE are the parents who are bailing the kids out and filing lawsuits against other kids' families because of a fight.
I loved that part about going out to play from sunrise to sunset, with my parents not knowing where I was, but the truth is that it isn't any more dangerous for kids these days, people just worry too much because the media are willing to talk about kiddy-fiddlers where 20 years ago they weren't. So people are left with a vision of the world being a much more dangerous place, which it isn't.

 

That's true Canine, i was watching a program the other week and it said that since 1970 on average 6 children are taken and murdered by strangers each year ( this is in England).The amount hasn't gotten any higher since we were kids as you say it's the fact that's its publicised now to such a great extent.I for one as a parent know the fear you feel letting kids go out.My logic side of me says " it's ok, they'll be fine " coz of the chances of anything hanppening to them is tiny but my mum side of my brain says " no way, even a small chance is too much" i figure as there's less kids out there playing the ones that are taken are form the few that are out playing to all hours and mines not gonna be one of them.I really wish i didn't feel like it but i do and there's not much i can do about it.I do bite the bullet and left my older one go down the road to buy stuff but he's got no roads to cross and it's a 3 minute walk.The whole time he is gone i stress,thinking about all the what ifs and maybes.
Maybe one day i wont be such a paranoid parent but i doubt it.

 

Excellent post that UT, I agreed with everything... made me realise I'm not getting any younger!

Remember 'Spangles'?

 

the media is annoying, its always the bad shit they show, always gettting you hyped up convincing people that they are in more danger than they are. "tonight at 8 see how infected with bacteria your house really is" or "how safe is that blanket you cover little jimmy with? find out tonight at 8" all these people do is highten the parinoia that is already present. like after 9/11 people scrambled to buy duct tape and plastic sheeting to cover doors and windows, what their are no other holes in your home? makes about as much sence as duckin and covering under you desk in a nuclear explosion, shit hows is desk gonna cover your ass from an explosion that can be felt for over 1500 miles in every direction of the blast? i guess its the idea, the mentality of being more secure more protected when in actuality they are not.

 

yea, i dont care if it was my kid or any ones, let that little ass work to pay back the ticket or to bail their own ass out of jail. s/he desided it was better to fight then to leave it for another day or talk it out, some times its over the stupidest shit. for example: about a year and a half a go when i was a senior in hs, these two black bitch were arguing and talking shit back and forth till one swings an hits the other. consiquently a fight breaks out between the two and peaple crowd around, cheering out to the two competitors. so the administration comes to break it up, but guess what, they cant get to the fighting girls in the center. there are just too many people crowded around to get to them. the total outcome of this story is one critically wonded girl with severe trauma to the head from the other beating the shit out of here with her foot. so now she faces attempted murder with a deadly weapon, and all for what? over some dumbass nigger guy who cheated on the cripple girl for the criminal. so its now policy that any one who crowds around a fight scene with be giving a $500 ticket and be put in detention. fuckem let them rot in thier own filth that they created. they are too stupid to look ahead cause they are lookin back to see if any one is comming for them.
the only thing that would make this time any more dangerous than any other time is more fucking ignorant fucks. shit the 50s and 60s and 70s were a much more dangerous place with trigger happy leaders with fingers on the launch button. the last thing we need is more stupid asses.

 

Enlighten my ignorant Southern mind, Dr. R.
Exactly how many launch buttons were pushed by "trigger happy" leaders during the 30 year period you reference?

My history book says zero. Maybe, just maybe, the ignorant f*** is you.

Have you ever considered that the reason the 60's was so "dangerous" is that unstable, aggressive nations (communist Russia) had nukes? Is there any doubt in your mind they would have used them if not for the fact that the US would have annihilated them in response? Doesn't it make sense now for the US to ensure that countries such as Iran and N Korea not become a nuclear power so that we don't return to the "dangerous" times of the 60's?

I remember hiding under my desk as a 2nd grader in 1966, practicing for the "air raid" that was sure to come. My kids have never heard of such.

Since I have a real job and responsibilities, I have to go now.
I have one last idea for your rants though - GROW UP.

Barry

 

so whats to say that "captalist US" is was not and is not a "agressive country? when did i say that any of these people pushed a button? never once in that whole post did i say "the US" or "USSR (United Soviat Socialist Republic)" push a button to a weapon that could apon impact obliterate every thing in a split second within 3 miles, now did I? i remember do remember reading about communist russian, about their plans to build a nuke in a boat so big that it would obliterate the world, so that in any case where they thought they couldnt succed in winning they would take every one. and when did i give out one inkling that we shouldnt do anything about Iran or NKorea, even Pakistan, or cleaning up the left over mess of the Soviets nuclear era? you wanna talk about them we can. so why did we go to Iraq when it was much more fesable to go to NKorea? NKorea is a much larger threat isnt it? or selling weapons and drugs creating nuclear weapons starving your citizens while maintaning a million army on the ready isnt something to worry about is it now?
i cant say that ive ever had to worry about getting hit with nuke, but i do remember something that paralles your nuclear preperation. domestic terrarism , IE bomb threats. ive gone through tons of them befor i left, theres nothing like a disgruntled citizen to make a bomb and place it where tons of people are is there now? how about being scanned for guns and weapons in middle school and highschool every day?


Since I have a real job and responsibilities, I have to go now.
I have one last idea for your rants though - Read Better

Mike
hey Barry just remember I <3 U

 

hmm.. barry... i suggest you find, download, and watch a BBC documentary called "the power of nightmares - the rise of the politics of fear"...

if you are familiar with bittorrents there are copies on suprnova.org right now

 

Dr Roboto ask the question
-so why did we go to Iraq when it was much more fesable to go to NKorea? NKorea is a much larger threat isnt it?

Here's my opinion of why

1. Diplomacy still had a chance in N Korea, and had completely failed in Iraq.

2. Iraq posed a clear and present threat to our dear friend Israel, and N Korea didn't.

3. We knew we could kick Saddam's ass in a hurry, and we weren't that confident about our chances in NK. (We bogged down there once in the 1950's, and our scrimmage game with Iraq in 1991 was a turkey shoot.)

4. Saddam shot at Dubya's Daddy, and NK didn't.

5. North Korea doesn't have any oil, and Iraq has lots of it. (no brainer)

6. We were already right next door in Afghanistan, kind of like a two for one thing.

7. After 9-11, Americans didn't like Arabs. We still kind of find Orientals cute though. Easier to sell the idea to the American people. Don't believe me? When was the last time you saw a porn site for " hot muslim mama's?" Asians are hot, Muslims are not.

8. We weren't sure just who might side with NK if we attacked them (can you say WWIII) but we were real sure no other country would come to Sadddam's rescue. After his ltttle invasion of Kuwait, his Muslim brothers were a little distrustful and most were glad to see him go.

9. And the last big reason - after we steal all of Iraq's oil, we will be much better fueled for the drive over the 33rd paralell. Go Army!

Barry

 

*googles 'hot muslim mama's'*

Might have a point there...

 

Okay, I'm sixteen and most of that stuff up there.."kids" still do.


-I know I share my drink with whoever the hell wants a sip.

We get in cars with random strangers that offer us rides.

We jump out of trees, cut ourselves, break bones..and I know nothing of lawsuis, hah.

Me and my brother don't come home for days at a time sometimes and my parents still don't really give a damn.

Screw my car, I walk everywhere: gas is way high.

My parents would gladly let us rot in jail/juvie if we broke the law.

And the whole knocking on the door and running away: we don't really give a damn if they owner catches us. It's just fun to see if they'll actually get up. And the anticipation of actually getting caught when we know there's absolutley no chance.


So this generation isn't much different from the 60's and 70's children. *Shrugs* Maybe it's just me..but pretty sure I'm not the only one.

 

Tut tut tut, you bad boy.

 

One, I'm a female. Two, *shrugs* who gives a damn if I'm not eighteen?

 

..so you mean I was actually suppose to read the Terms of Agreement?

 

Strike one

 

thats a plus, they will get the b& for just being retarded..

 

Fuckin hell a 16 year old female on Fugly..put your cocks away lads.

 

i wouldnt pm this one if i were you guys... i smell an undie... and not the kind they sniff in japan