Have baby boomers stolen the family silver

I'd love to know where you could find a part-time job these days which would pay for uni costs (£57k +) .

Or a house for £1750!

apologies for typo error of age instead of wage.

J

I have to smile, I went to school to school during WW2 brought up on rations until mid 50's, first wage was at 18 after leaving High School, when I did a sandwich course 6 months at work 6 months Uni for four years and my first age was 27shillings and six pence. worked 44 per hours per week. To pay for my Uni costs I worked 4 nights a week after work from pm until 10pm and all day Sunday at the International telephone exchange. I got married in 1956 & bought a 3 bed room semi for £1750 with 20 years loan. did three years in the RAF extended National service.
Life was hard but I have never regretted all the enjoyment of family life. I do not begrudge any youngster the benefits and support they get today because they still have to struggle. We got no child allowance for our first child and only a few shillings for the second. However, whilst life was a struggle we certainly did not have to the face all the dangers and pressures that young people face today, whether it be drugs, social media, peer pressures, the greed of society today, sexual pressures and harassment, not even same levels of housing shortages.
In every decade ways life changes, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse, as might still happen under Brexit. I used to think about the Dickens period and the depression of the 30's as I grew up.
Forget pointing fingers at younger people, think about the good things in life you have enjoyed, try to remain active and enjoy what you can, whilst you can.

Cheers James

NfkDumpling said
Well, when we do eat out - and the choice of venue around here is huge now - the places are crowded with young families and groups. So, yes, I do have a stereotypical view. There are more young people around with more disposable income. Otherwise they wouldn't be able to afford to eat out. Or afford to go to places like Centreparcs which quadruple their prices in the school holidays and are still booked up way ahead.

Things were hard for us at that age and yes, they are hard for a lot of families now. That's the way of things. But does it mean that we have to feel guilt for now having a home of our own? One which we worked for? We did downsize to a small house near the centre of town so we don't need to rely on a car. And our rambling four bed family home with half an acre was bought by a young couple with no intention of having children. They're not penalised for living in somewhere far too big for their needs.

Topping post NfkDumpling!

It funny how the breadstick bunch don't complain about the pesky furriners owning British companies.
I have never heard of breadstick bunch

Oh, read the next post, got it now!

And anyone from outside Devon is a pesky furriner aren't they? (with the possible exception of the Cornish).

Can we call them breadstickers? My grandaughter loves breadsticks.

So the breadstick bunch are people who talk gibberish - like "brexit means brexit" Right?

Theresa May's speech on Tuesday is apparently going to mention not calling the other side names.

Good luck with that, Theresa!

Aha! Get it!

It's just from an anecdote, a government spokesman at dinner was giving a speech and said " we do agree that breadsticks mean breadsticks " , not sure if it was a joke or a Freudian slip.

PS. Who are the 'breadstick bunch'? I hadn't heard this expression before.

I can't follow it either, suzied. Maybe I'm just thick .

There's nothing to stop a British person from owning shares in a foreign-owned company. Most pension funds invest in a range of foreign-owned companies, as do some individuals.

It doesn't matter who owns a company. It might not be based in the UK for tax purposes anyway, even if it is British-owned.

I think I'll butt out now and go and do something else.

It funny how the breadstick bunch don't complain about the pesky furriners owning British companies. I'm not quite following Mair's argument here is s/he in favour of nationalised European railways owning privatised British railways or not? Are European railways better than British ones? No, because there are corrupt officials in post offices or something seems to be the logic ? .

It seems to me that you turn a discussion on almost anything to your obsession with foreigners, mair.

Don't be silly mair

All those complaining about foreigner buying British companies>

No in your definition of globalisation it wouldn't matter. But who's talking about globalisation but you?

What's your definition of a foreigner, Ana?
You've criticised me twice for using that word. Why?
What are they?

"Them furriners"eh? They buy our railways, they make our chocolate (and it aint what it used to be) So the 'xenophobic' 'Little Englanders' whine! They'll be buying the NHS next!

Seems its fine to "demonise" them when its coming from the left!

Thats what globalisation is! A world with no borders. Anyone can live where they want, and buy what they want, and why not theyre 'humans' aren't they? Does it matter if a Brit or American owns Cadbury's?

Brilliant, Eloethan. He called them foreigners as well.

Mark Steel with his usual slightly surreal commentary on the issue of the day - this time his take on the state of our railways:

www.independent.co.uk/voices/southern-rail-british-railways-typical-europeans-a7511756.html

Most sensible countries value their railways, invest in them, take pride in them. Some of our family lived in Switzerland for a while and when we went there we couldn't believe how great the Swiss railways seemed to be compared to ours.

What's your definition of a foreigner, Ana?
You've criticised me twice for using that word. Why?
What are they?

Mair So its fab for the UK to have overcrowded trains which cost a fortune, profits going into state owned railways in Italy /France /Netherlands then?
I know there are some institutions which aren't great in ....(name any country you like including the UK) but that doesn't mean we should dislike/ criticise everything else about that country. We possibly should learn from the things which work well.

That's an interesting take on the train service, Mair, and not one that I've really considered before. I just feel envious of the service offered in most countries we go to - they can't all be financial liabilities, surely? I do know that Germany's railways are very heavily subsidised, and their economy's not doing too badly.

Not normal for a socialist to refer to the inhabitants (even if they're business people) of other countries as 'foreigners', surely?