May. 15th, 2003

whotheheckami: (Default)
I guess you may have seen this because it seems to be doing the rounds. However, I thought it was worth posting here because it focuses the mind on a number of issues about bringing up children in today's society.

According to today's regulators and bureaucrats, those of us who were kids in the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's probably shouldn't have survived.

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 clackers' 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 - tasted the same.

We ate dripping sandwiches, bread and butter pudding and drank fizzy pop 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 play all day, as long as we were back before it got dark. No one was able to reach us all day and no one minded.

We did not have Playstations 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 Internet chat rooms. We had friends - we went outside and found them.

We played street football and street rounders, and sometimes that ball really hurt.

We fell out of trees, got cut and broke bones and teeth, and there were no lawsuits. They were accidents. We learnt not to do the same thing again.

We had fights, punched each other hard and got black and blue - we learned to get over it.

We walked to friend's homes.

We made up games with sticks and tennis balls and ate live stuff, and although we were told it would happen, we did not have very many eyes out, nor did the live stuff live inside us forever.

We rode bikes in packs of 7 and wore our coats by only the hood.

Our actions were our own. Consequences were expected. 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 have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned to deal with it all.




And you're probably one of them.



Congratulations!

Please pass this on to others who have had the luck to grow up as real kids, before lawyers and government regulated our lives, "for our own good."
whotheheckami: (Default)
I guess you may have seen this because it seems to be doing the rounds. However, I thought it was worth posting here because it focuses the mind on a number of issues about bringing up children in today's society.

According to today's regulators and bureaucrats, those of us who were kids in the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's probably shouldn't have survived.

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 clackers' 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 - tasted the same.

We ate dripping sandwiches, bread and butter pudding and drank fizzy pop 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 play all day, as long as we were back before it got dark. No one was able to reach us all day and no one minded.

We did not have Playstations 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 Internet chat rooms. We had friends - we went outside and found them.

We played street football and street rounders, and sometimes that ball really hurt.

We fell out of trees, got cut and broke bones and teeth, and there were no lawsuits. They were accidents. We learnt not to do the same thing again.

We had fights, punched each other hard and got black and blue - we learned to get over it.

We walked to friend's homes.

We made up games with sticks and tennis balls and ate live stuff, and although we were told it would happen, we did not have very many eyes out, nor did the live stuff live inside us forever.

We rode bikes in packs of 7 and wore our coats by only the hood.

Our actions were our own. Consequences were expected. 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 have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned to deal with it all.




And you're probably one of them.



Congratulations!

Please pass this on to others who have had the luck to grow up as real kids, before lawyers and government regulated our lives, "for our own good."
whotheheckami: (Default)
Hmmm not a lot to say really.

I’m still in France and stuck in the office even though the sun is shining brightly outside. I collected a lot of information yesterday including a very interesting report that had been left by a printer – all grist to the mill!

Back to the hotel to set up the laptop and then swear profusely when it didn’t connect. Spent several angry minutes pissing about with modem, internet and AOL* settings. In disgust I unplugged the phone line and reconnected it the phone to all AOL and moan at them – no signal! This muppet had forgotten to check the phone line first and the hotel muppets had not activated it! Duh!

Met some other colleagues in the hotel bar and had three large beers on an empty stomach – this was not “A Good Idea”. Two or three more large beers accompanied a mexican “feast” (So much for tasting the culinary excellence that is available in Beauvais) and they were rounded off by two more as nightcaps from the Irish Bar and the hotel. Consequently, it was a less than coherent Mel that sent a number of text messages to the world – sorry if you got one!

I poured myself into my room and discovered that [profile] tatsdixon was online. We had a long chat and I think I promised her the moon, stars, eternal happiness and a plant! One hopes that one did not make too much of an arse of oneself.

No surprises for guessing that I’m feeling a bit on the rough side of normality this morning, but I’ve had a can of Coke and chocolate and I haven’t had to resort to any pharmaceuticals.

* Yes, I do use AOL, but only because I travel a lot and it seems to be the most cost-effective way to log on from anywhere.
whotheheckami: (Default)
Hmmm not a lot to say really.

I’m still in France and stuck in the office even though the sun is shining brightly outside. I collected a lot of information yesterday including a very interesting report that had been left by a printer – all grist to the mill!

Back to the hotel to set up the laptop and then swear profusely when it didn’t connect. Spent several angry minutes pissing about with modem, internet and AOL* settings. In disgust I unplugged the phone line and reconnected it the phone to all AOL and moan at them – no signal! This muppet had forgotten to check the phone line first and the hotel muppets had not activated it! Duh!

Met some other colleagues in the hotel bar and had three large beers on an empty stomach – this was not “A Good Idea”. Two or three more large beers accompanied a mexican “feast” (So much for tasting the culinary excellence that is available in Beauvais) and they were rounded off by two more as nightcaps from the Irish Bar and the hotel. Consequently, it was a less than coherent Mel that sent a number of text messages to the world – sorry if you got one!

I poured myself into my room and discovered that [profile] tatsdixon was online. We had a long chat and I think I promised her the moon, stars, eternal happiness and a plant! One hopes that one did not make too much of an arse of oneself.

No surprises for guessing that I’m feeling a bit on the rough side of normality this morning, but I’ve had a can of Coke and chocolate and I haven’t had to resort to any pharmaceuticals.

* Yes, I do use AOL, but only because I travel a lot and it seems to be the most cost-effective way to log on from anywhere.
whotheheckami: (Default)
...next thurday afternoon.

I've got a meeting in London next Thursday (22 May) which is due to finish at 14.00. I could then:

a. Rush back to Corby and do another few hours in the office
b. Rush home and spend some time doing Dad stuff
c. Have some Mel time in the capital doing...?

Here's where you lot can suggest something that will capture my interest. I'm also up for meeting anyone who can skive off work / finish early and fancies a drinky.
whotheheckami: (Default)
...next thurday afternoon.

I've got a meeting in London next Thursday (22 May) which is due to finish at 14.00. I could then:

a. Rush back to Corby and do another few hours in the office
b. Rush home and spend some time doing Dad stuff
c. Have some Mel time in the capital doing...?

Here's where you lot can suggest something that will capture my interest. I'm also up for meeting anyone who can skive off work / finish early and fancies a drinky.

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whotheheckami: (Default)
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