tbourner Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 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 childproof 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 airbags - 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 law suits. We had full on fist fights but no prosecution followed from other parents. We played knock a door run 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! Pass this on to others who have had the luck to grow as real kids, before lawyers and government regulated our lives, for our own good. 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 Westlife 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, RedHand 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. Now let's check if we're getting old... 1. You understand what was written above and you smile. 2. You need to sleep more, usually until the afternoon, after a night out. 3. Your friends are getting married/already married. 4. You are always surprised to see small children playing comfortably with computers. 5. When you see teenagers with mobile phones, you shake your head. 6. You remember watching Dirty Den in EastEnders the first time around. 7. You meet your friends from time to time, talking about the good Old days, repeating again all the funny things you have experienced together. 8. Having read this mail, you are thinking of forwarding it to someone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SupraLuigi Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 Thanks Trev, I smiled. I'm forwarding this on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicmatty Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 Excellent, Born in 1971 and it all rings so true....Will forward it straight on to plenty of people i know will giggle too...............(And whatever happened to white dog poo???) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kopite Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 someone wanna pass me my pipe and slippers? reading that though made me realise one thing - bugger all this global warming shite, the end of the world will be caused by the kid's of today!! apart from Tony Blair, they're probably gonna be the most likely cause of the country going to shit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jspec Germany Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 Some good stuff in there. I can recall all but the unfamiliar British TV programs/movies for obvious reasons (I'm a "Yank"). Did you guys have "Sit and Spins" and "Big-Wheels" in England when you were kids? What about "Lincoln-Logs" (an American thing only I suspect) and Leggos? Thanks for the trip down memory lane. Remember when you'd tell your parents you were bored and they'd tell you to go outside and "play"? Kids don't know what the hell that means today. A shame to say the least. No wonder the world is so full of obese children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbourner Posted May 10, 2005 Author Share Posted May 10, 2005 Yeah it's quite scary, was talking about it to someone at work a while ago. Give a kid today a cardboard box and what would they do? The 'older' generation (I know I'm only 24 but people say I was born at 40!!) would have played with and done something with it!!! Pretend to be in a space ship or make a 'den' or something!!! [old man]I blame computer games.[/old man] Are the latest 'yoof' generation as imaginative as the older ones are? What does this mean for the future? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jspec Germany Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 someone wanna pass me my pipe and slippers? reading that though made me realise one thing - bugger all this global warming shite, the end of the world will be caused by the kid's of today!! apart from Tony Blair, they're probably gonna be the most likely cause of the country going to shit! Probably the wrong question to ask in a UK forum but I'm interested in the perspective of others: I've heard there's a lot of opposition to Tony Blair in the U.K. As an American in the military who backs Bush for obvious reasons, I like Tony Blair, but know very little about him and his policies. Can you guys give me some opinions based on facts that cause so much opposition? Remember, I'm asking purely out of curiousity and in a friendly manner. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penguin Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 very true.... old man mode\ back in my day, if you wanted to get free music, you'd have to hang about in a gang, walk into "our price" and steal the damn thing..... it took effort, planning and teamwork...... kids these days are missing out on vital lessons in life.... who would of thought 10 years ago you'd be able to download music/movies/games etc at the click of a button? .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigger Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 Thanks for the I know I’m properly one of the youngest to read this, but it really did bring back some fond memories. It certainly made me smile and will be passing it on to a lot of people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbourner Posted May 10, 2005 Author Share Posted May 10, 2005 As an American in the military who backs Bush for obvious reasons, I like Tony Blair, but know very little about him and his policies. Can you guys give me some opinions based on facts that cause so much opposition? I think he's alright, don't know why everyone hates him so much. The press say it's the war but that was decided by parliament (84% majority wasn't it?) and not Mr Blair himself. I'm annoyed by the anti-driver things that have happened in the last few years though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amazing grace Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 All the above and a load more ring so true lol. Give me a large box still and i can pretend it is a Formula 1 race car But i will be forwarding this on to a load of people ummmmm just as soon as i learn how to do it Regards, Sheena Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jspec Germany Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 I think he's alright, don't know why everyone hates him so much. The press say it's the war but that was decided by parliament (84% majority wasn't it?) and not Mr Blair himself. I'm annoyed by the anti-driver things that have happened in the last few years though! What kind of anti-driver things? I've heard the war blamed a lot as well, but as you noted, Parliment makes that decision, as does our U.S. Congress. I'd find it hard to ever believe that given our two countrys' long time solidarity, we wouldn't support each other when it comes to wars and conflicts around the world. The U.K. is one of the few places in the world where I as an American know that our two nations will always agree and stand together on matters of global security. Need I tell you how I and my commrades in arms felt (when we were watching the news during numerous conflicts while deployed to not so nice places I might add) when France, Germany, and Russia opposed the war? I've heard stories from fellow service members about Anti-Americanism sentiment experienced while drinking in a pub during a stopover in the U.K. returning or headed to some deployed location. I for one have never met with such feelings. Comments? I probably should have started a new thread in Supra chat for this one, huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzeh Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 Some good stuff in there. I can recall all but the unfamiliar British TV programs/movies for obvious reasons (I'm a "Yank"). Did you guys have "Sit and Spins" and "Big-Wheels" in England when you were kids? What about "Lincoln-Logs" (an American thing only I suspect) and Leggos? Thanks for the trip down memory lane. Remember when you'd tell your parents you were bored and they'd tell you to go outside and "play"? Kids don't know what the hell that means today. A shame to say the least. No wonder the world is so full of obese children. American here (born in 1980) All of the stuff said sounds familiar, except for the stingy nettles, but boy did my friend (also american) find out the hard way what those were when we went to England last year We used to play legos and ghostbusters and atari Had a cell phone when I finally got to college (1998), and even then I used it only to call my mom when I got off the bus at school It was "cool" to have a pager in high school Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tDR Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 Bwahahahah, all so true - Another child of 1980. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supragal Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 Hate to do it but... from a while ago though Very true though. Wasn't there a thread on white dog poo on here too? Or was that tv? Meh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supragal Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 Lizzeh- New York? Where abouts? Was there in January!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter richards Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 spot on , 1962 i arrived, can relate to those observations. nice . the last smilie is what some of the kids today need to show a bit more of . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martynb Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 Those were the days,all the evidence you needed that the world was in an irreversible slide to doom was the existence of Rick Astley. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt T Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 That is older than t'internt Mostly true tho! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muffleman Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 Give a kid today a cardboard box and what would they do? The 'older' generation (I know I'm only 24 but people say I was born at 40!!) would have played with and done something with it!!! Pretend to be in a space ship or make a 'den' or something!!! Or hurtle down the stairs at a rate of knots ......apparently Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanessa Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 Or hurtle down the stairs at a rate of knots ......apparently Stairs were great !!! I remember my first broken bone,aged 5 Deciding that I was bored driving my favorite red pedal car up and down the hallway decided that the stairs looked great fun !!!!! Made it down the first 3 ok, then the bloody thing flipped over, bounced the rest of the way down on my head car on top of me !! = Broken collarbone . All good fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigger Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 Yes I remember the good thing with stairs, Plastic bags under bum and slide down then I think we moved on to a mattress. Until I did a rolly poley down them, never broke anything though but had a few bruises, Great Fun:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roboldham Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 don't forget though, gentle people, that the "kids of today" were brought into the world by us - "the kids of the 70s" So if all of our carefree and risk-taking attitude has somehow degraded into money-obssessed law-suit culture then we only have ourselvs to blame. I'd say that was more scary than the usual poignant reminiscing... so get back out on your chopper and stop covering your kids with Domestos R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sideshowbob Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 lol, born in '69, can remember pretty much everything listed here! I can remember pinching a pkt of 'hubba-bubba' from the corner shop, all my mates thought i was 'well cool!', nowadays the kids hold up the shops with shooters & knives! Can anyone remember their first 'raleigh burner' bmx? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesC Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 I'm getting old. I do most of them things. I'm only 23, born in 1982. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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