Not for me but for my son and grandson, at my age the past is longer than the future. A mixed up ramble but all around I see and read about unrest, death and change. The Arab spring, forget the inns and outs of it all its the unrest and death. Iraq and Afghanistan, how many died and are dying. Iran and Korea. Greece, France and Italy where the people are fighting back through the ballot box but seem to be going to a more extreme form of government. The world in debt with no obvious answer. In our country we hear of kids being killed, old people being attacked, knives, gangs, mass unemployment, many without hope,families falling apart. Politics, love them or hate them there was a time when we respected them, how can we now. It started with expenses and just keeps on going with our leaders seeming more interested in image and sound bites than us. Leverston and what started with one or two bad journalists became a news paper, then a news group, The police then became part of the problem rather than the solution then politicians became embroiled in it all. One very big you scratch my back lets look after each other and **** the public system. We had terrorists called the IRA, you may not agree with them or their methods but at least they had a cause you could understand, apart from wanting to kill us what is the cause of today's terrorists? Maybe its always been like this but we did not know, its today's internet world that tells us how bad it is. Sorry its a mish mash I'm trying to give an overview of my fears rather than an in depth fear, and I have not mentioned global warming. Can anyone reassure me?
Cant talk for Italy or Greece, but how have the French voted for an extreme form of government? same as always, the 1st round votes going to extreme left and right were people showing that they are fed up with the current system. If either extreme parties had gotten to the 2nd round, they would have lost by a landslide % - same as in 2002. Internet and Media make modern times sound worse than they are. easy access to information and scaremongering. 1950 to 1990's saw growth in reported crime. since the, crime has dropped. still a lot more than 1950's, but crime is not getting worse anymore.
During the 60s 70s and 80s there was a very real chance of of nuclear war, then Aids was going be like the 'Black Death' and kill thousands and there was Thatcher of course. So Syd it never rains but it pours and really things are better than at some times, I was just sorting out my Mum's old papers, there were bombs dropped on Jarrow in thr 1940s and she along with lots of others were evacuated to farms near Stanley... So go out somewhere and look at some pretty women and stop sounding so down kidda
My biggest worry is the expanding global population, which unlike crime, murder etc, is genuinely out of control, and in my opinion, the biggest threat we have to face up to.
The world is ****ed Syd. I can see the world going towards some form of world revolution/war, as where we are at now is unsustainable.
It must be an age thing - but I deplore the state of the country at the moment. I'm bitterly disillusioned with the politicians, bankers and media for their behaviour over the last few years. We should be clamping down on immigration but the politicians are too scared, the bankers (politicians too scared again or too cosy with them) and busting a gut to help industry and get back to actually making things again ! The behaviour of the media is like a barometer of society - and in my opinion it's pretty bloody awful ! We get the media we deserve I'm afraid and if people weren't buying tabloid rags for salicious stories on celebrities and politicians the papers wouldn't bother to hack phones etc for stories ! Society generally is worse off and the economic downturn is likely to encourage those who do bother to vote towards the more extreme parties left and right. As a single, middle aged white man I'm taxed to the hilt to help pay for other people's kids and welfare, treated like a second class citizen by the NHS and ignored by the politicians ! I could rant for hours but I won't - this is the first time in my life I really feel like emigrating - and I've already lived overseas while in the Army. Just my thoughts !
This. Over 7billion of us ****ers on this planet now... will run out of water soon, and like in Quantum of Solace, it will become the #1 natural resource of the future. Also, in regards to energy, we are running out. Everytime I have to go drill a new well, we are moving further and further out in the ocean. Ultra-Deepwater wells of 2000-3000m are becoming more common place, which makes it a hell of alot more dangerous. And we dont really have a viable source of re-newable energy that is both cost efficient and environmentally friendly.
That's what it is Syd, scaremongering. I would ask you to look about in your own life and people around you in your community and not focus on what is not affecting you. I am pretty sure your belief in humanity will shine through as there is still many decent people about. Take this forum for example, seems to me there most people on here good, honest decent people. I look about work and in general, I see a lot of hard working good decent people. As we say, keep the faith.
Remember Monty Python and always look on the bright side of life. By the way the WW11 ended 6 months before I was born so did not have any sweets as a young kid.
Wait till you see the announcement from Espana later in the week! Any of you cats going on holiday soon, not the € rate at the minute, and take advantage, we are refusing payment in € and taking everything in sterling.
An age of the 50s and 60s singing about young girls ..................... Sweet Little Sixteen She's got the grown up blues Tight dress and lipstick She's sportin' high heal shoes Oh, but tomorrow morning She'll have to chang her trend And be sweet sixteen And back in class again .................................................................................. Little Queenie I got lumps in my throat When I saw her comin down the aisle I got the wiggles in my knees When she looked at me and sweetly smiled Well there she is again Standin over by the record machine Well she looks like a model On the cover of a magazine But she's too cute To be a minute over seventeen
Well Syd just when you thought we were making you feel a lot better I will begin. My eldest daughter has lived on Crete for 10 years or so, she has a good job, well she did have a good job, now her Greek boss can no longer pay her during the last winter months, she has started work as the tourists are back this month, last year she worked 12 hours a day, she is now on six hours a day and obviously half wages, she tells me of school children sharing school books 1 between six and little ones going too school without breakfast as the parents cant afford to feed them, she also is aware of babies being abandoned on church steps, it sounds as if the Greeks are going back to Victorian times. Then we have the new French leader wanting to move away from austerity, and the Germans telling them they cant, I lived in France for five years and know at first hand how volatile the French are, and can see large street demos in the next six months if the rest of the Euro zone tells them how to run their country, they just wont put up with it. I feel we are on the cusp of some difficult times ahead, today's union strikes and Police demo in London could be the start of a lot more and I don't know what the answer is, we need some very astute leaders in Parliament at the moment and I feel our current MPs are not up to the job. Only time will tell.
Spot on mate. The problem is that countries seem to think reducing peoples income and increasing prices is a solution, it's the opposite, it compounds the problem. You need to get people spending, not make it impossible for them to do so.
I know I'm not clever, old public school boy and I know its been asked before, but, why not.. unemployment high rents high shops sacking people because no custom people cant get a house lots of spare land build houses for sale and rent, nothing fancy just solid houses unemployment drops people spend money so shops stop closing unemployment falls so benefit payments fall brick layers feel good and buy new beds, chairs, cars and people who make them get job people who make beds, chairs and cars spend money and create jobs tax revenue rises and benefit payments reduce everyone smiles but, I know I'm not clever
Thing is Syd, it almost IS that easy. The housing crisis interms of value is one thing, people not being able to afford, or barely being able to afford, rent is another. I rented a house in Chichester when I was a young un, it was £250 a month (mortgage free). The fella who owns the house now asks for £650 a month, and his gaff is empty.
My son is getting married tomorrow - all I'm worried about is wether it will rain on the day - but if it does the wedding wil go ahead - life goes on and things always looks worse when your in the middle of the piddle. Some of the comments above really say it all - I was born at the end of the war and my parents spoke of bombs dropping each side of their house just missing them, then the cuba crisis and couples did not want to bring kids into the world to be A bombed, then sunderland got relegated for the first time. Life just goes on and we have to adjust to it - I much prefer to be here and worried then 6ft down and not worried!!
