Guest Clint Posted January 15, 2003 Report Share Posted January 15, 2003 I Can't Believe We Made It!If you lived as a child in the 40's, 50's, 60's or 70's, looking back, it's hard to believe that we have lived as long as we have...As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags.Our cots were covered with bright coloured lead-based paint. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors, or cupboards, and when we rode our bikes we had no helmets.We drank water from the garden hose and not from a bottle. Horrors.We would spend hours building go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times we learned to solve the problem.We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day.No mobile phones. Unthinkable. We got cut and broke bones and broke teeth, and there were no law suits from these accidents. They were accidents. No one was to blame, but us. Remember accidents? We had fights and punched each other and got black and blue and learned to get over it.We ate cakes, bread and butter, and drank cordial, but we were never overweight...we were always outside playing. We shared one drink with four friends, from one bottle and no one died from this. We did not have Playstations, Nintendo 64, X-Boxes, video games, 65 channels on pay TV, video tape movies, surround sound, personal mobile phones, Personal Computers, Internet chat rooms ... we had friends. We went outside and found them. We rode bikes or walked to a friend's home and knocked on the door, or rung the bell, or just walked in and talked to them.Imagine such a thing. Without asking a parent! By ourselves! Out there in the cold cruel world! Without a guardian - how did we do it?We made up games with sticks and tennis balls, and ate worms, and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes, nor did the worms live inside us forever.Footy and netball had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't, had to learn to deal with disappointment.....Some students weren't as smart as others so they failed a grade and were held back to repeat the same grade. Tests were not adjusted for any reason.Our actions were our own. Consequences were expected. No one to hide behind.No speed humps!!The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke a law was unheard of.They actually sided with the law - imagine that!This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers and problem solvers and inventors, ever. The past 50 years has 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! If you feel inclined pass this on to others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before lawyers and government regulated our lives....... for our own good...... :blink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popeye Posted January 15, 2003 Report Share Posted January 15, 2003 Nice one Clint2, That brought back a few memories or three. :D :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ellas Posted January 15, 2003 Report Share Posted January 15, 2003 2 forever friends going down memory lane together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark2 Posted January 15, 2003 Report Share Posted January 15, 2003 If yiou got a clip round the ear from ANY adult and told your dad you got another cos you must have done something to deserve it.playing on the swings at the rec over tarmac, answering back the parkie when you thought you were big enough and fast enough to get away with, but he had a good memory for faces and always caught you in the end ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popeye Posted January 15, 2003 Report Share Posted January 15, 2003 One of these days Ellas you are going to come face to face with one of us, so keep a sharp eye out. :lol: :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popeye Posted January 15, 2003 Report Share Posted January 15, 2003 Mark2. Scrumping apples and getting chased by the farmer. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark2 Posted January 15, 2003 Report Share Posted January 15, 2003 Getting chased by the bull after you got away from the farmer, :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ellas Posted January 15, 2003 Report Share Posted January 15, 2003 One of these days Ellas you are going to come face to face with one of us, so keep a sharp eye out. Â just one,I thought you always were together like forever friends,so I will have to look over my shoulder all the time for two old salts :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agent Smith Posted January 15, 2003 Report Share Posted January 15, 2003 Well said Clint2. Whilst not quite as seasoned as yourself, I can still relate to most of what you say. And a better person for it, I hope. It's a shame we don't have a house of politicians made up of people like yourself, I think this country would be Great again Regards, Mr. Mouse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ellas Posted January 15, 2003 Report Share Posted January 15, 2003 whats that new title you have clint2 :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popeye Posted January 16, 2003 Report Share Posted January 16, 2003 Clint! I need some help. Ellas is getting out of hand again. :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clint Posted January 16, 2003 Report Share Posted January 16, 2003 Thank you Mr Mouse, I am not claiming authorship of the views expressed.They were sent to me by a friend.Though I think a lot of us recognise the views stated. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clint Posted January 16, 2003 Report Share Posted January 16, 2003 popeye, have you noticed the edit to our avatar panels. I wonder who could have done that? :blink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doug Posted January 16, 2003 Report Share Posted January 16, 2003 Yes we ave come through such exciting times. It is awinspiring to think of the potential hazards that with the past rate of progress we have let the nuclear genie out of the bottle. The potential of plentiful energy with minimal greenhouse problems seem to be dragged back by other environmental hazards where's the investment to overcome the issues. War demands resulted in big bucks research then come to a halt with barely adequate peaceful uses. Chemical and molecular engineering have led the all the issues up to and including Dolly and other clones either with us or just around the corner. It seems that there is only "progress" when there is a perceived demand. This technology has part of it's roots in the US nuclear research - predicting neutron propagation although the wives over there just beat the, then, computer using well shuffled cards under the direction of a great mathematician. Why did the Balkans produce such great Mathematicians at that time but that is a little off the subject. Nanotechnology would appear to be a potential forthe future. the next generations will be facing the demand for abundant energy - fossil fuels wont last and we have a reducing number of trees to convert the carbon dioxide to coal even if there is enough. Now that's typical for an oldie to hark on the past and bemoan how the world is going down hill and forgetting the bad times. The next generations have always stood on te oldies shoulders and gone on to better futures. Come on you youngsters show us what you are more than capable of. We will be proud of you. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doug Posted January 16, 2003 Report Share Posted January 16, 2003 Those d****d dropped h's again. Before I could post this addition I put my wellies on because of the flood control warning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Shirley_Crabtree Posted January 16, 2003 Report Share Posted January 16, 2003 We got cut and broke bones and broke teeth, and there were no law suits from these accidents. They were accidents. No one was to blame, but us. Remember accidents? We had fights and punched each other and got black and blue and learned to get over it.We ate cakes, bread and butter, and drank cordial, but we were never overweight...we were always outside playing. We shared one drink with four friends, from one bottle and no one died from this.How times have changed./me wipes tear from eye.OK I'm only 37 but I remember/DID most from the origional quote.Polititians (sp?) nowadays like to tell us that things were never better.I think WE know better. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
popeye Posted January 16, 2003 Report Share Posted January 16, 2003 Clint2. I guess that Ellas is playing the fool again but it does suit him. :lol: We always needed a class clown at school. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ellas Posted January 16, 2003 Report Share Posted January 16, 2003 remember your place old salt may have to demote you to windows95. :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ordep Posted January 16, 2003 Report Share Posted January 16, 2003 "Knock down ginger".Knocking on doors and running away before any one can answer it.Great fun.Think its call Parcel Force now... :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tankus Posted January 16, 2003 Report Share Posted January 16, 2003 and ate worms, and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes, nor did the worms live inside us forever.Drugs were around then...........eh.....the swinging 60's flower power child ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LB Posted January 16, 2003 Report Share Posted January 16, 2003 if you tried to play knock down ginger now, you are more likely to get attacked by a rottweiller or have a gun pointed at you....not worth the risk.Seriously, is television to blame for the downfall of society such as has been described? Or is it just those darned americans and their so called progress and the "American Dream" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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