7 year old suspended from school for shaping breakfast bar into "gun."

[OldGuy43]

The boom years are over and we need to realise that. Many of the gadgets we take for granted are not essential to life. people never had such luxuries as air conditioning, even central heating and still survived.

Agreed! During my days in the cable TV industry in the '80's we were doing the initial construction bringing the wonders of cable to a small, rural community in Pennsylvania. It wasn't uncommon in those days for someone to try and keep us out of their yard. It was usually only necessary to explain that as a public utility we had right-of-access because of the utility easement laws.

One elderly gentleman wasn't buying it and said, "No, cable TV isn't a utility. Utilities are necessities like electricity or telephone." I must admit that I'd been waiting for this opportunity. I pointed out that about 30 miles down the road there was an Old Order Amish community where they did not consider either of those things "necessities".

Please don't misunderstand; I like being able to throw a switch and get light. I like central heat and TV. I'm not so sure about the telephone, but I have lived without any of those things. I even lived in a tent for almost a year once. Living to an old age does not necessarily guarantee wisdom, but it does give one a certain perspective.

 

[chickened]

In the good old USA there is no such thing as minimum wage. We have low income housing where your rent is based on income we have food stamps we have welfare if you have children we have free healthcare here in Oregon we have WIC we have... So minimum wage has its perks we even have a program where you can buy a home on low income.

 

[missnu01]

Wow...I mean we need more security, but enough is enough...Then again I guess if you want guns out of schools you have to crackdown on any off behavior...
My 4 year old makes anything a gun though. Rocks, sticks, swords even shoot...we don't own not one firearm...so it's odd, but it seems to be a boy thing.

 

[newfoundland]

No I don't think it is neccesarily a boy thing, I believe it is a TV thing. When I was a child we made bows and arrows. I'm not quite so ancient that these were popular weapons in my youth but I do recall watching Robin Hood and the adventures of Sir Galahad on the TV. I think we re-enacted the scenes form the TV shows.

As for neccesities, all we really need is shelter, food, water and warmth. We make ourselves as comfortable as possible with what we can afford. We could cook on open fires but mostly we don't because it is safer, cleaner and easier to use gas or electricity. In many homes here people still have and use open fires, with coal or wood. Wonderfully warm but a bit messy and inconvenient. Central heating is great for whole house warmth but it is expensive to run. We accept this because we can. For many it is just too expensive to run other than for a couple of hours a day. I don't know of anyone who has air conditioning at home, our climate just doesn't justify it. I suppose we just have to learn to live within our means. For many it is the way they were brought up and they have never lived any differently. For others it means facing the horrid truth that you really just can't have everything you want.

 

[Gomes Bantams]

Agreed! During my days in the cable TV industry in the '80's we were doing the initial construction bringing the wonders of cable to a small, rural community in Pennsylvania. It wasn't uncommon in those days for someone to try and keep us out of their yard. It was usually only necessary to explain that as a public utility we had right-of-access because of the utility easement laws.

One elderly gentleman wasn't buying it and said, "No, cable TV isn't a utility. Utilities are necessities like electricity or telephone." I must admit that I'd been waiting for this opportunity. I pointed out that about 30 miles down the road there was an Old Order Amish community where they did not consider either of those things "necessities".

Please don't misunderstand; I like being able to throw a switch and get light. I like central heat and TV. I'm not so sure about the telephone, but I have lived without any of those things. I even lived in a tent for almost a year once. Living to an old age does not necessarily guarantee wisdom, but it does give one a certain perspective.

this post intigues me and further makes me want to ask, HOW OLD ARE YOU?!?!?!

 

[OldGuy43]

I was born January 27th, 1943. My father fought in the "Big One" (WWII, you've heard of it? It was in all the papers.

) I didn't see him until I was over 3 years old. That is my first clear clear childhood memory. I remember when teachers, members of the clergy and policeman were expected to conduct themselves in a manner befitting their occupation and were held in high regard as a result.

I served in Vietnam as a "Military Adviser" (Wanna know a secret about military advisers? After they've been dead in the jungle for 3 days they smell every bit as bad as a soldier that's been dead in the jungle for 3 days!)

The first President that I remember was Harry Truman. I grew up in a country where people were ashamed of accepting "handouts" from the government, and "welfare" was a dirty word. I remember when a feature length film from Disney was always worth seeing.

I grew up knowing that you always tipped your hat to ladies and held the door open for them. Women in those days were not treated as equals, they were special.

Inside every old person is a young person screaming, "What the hell happened?"

I'm 70.

 

[Gomes Bantams]

I was born January 27th, 1943. My father fought in the "Big One" (WWII, you've heard of it? It was in all the papers.

) I didn't see him until I was over 3 years old. That is my first clear clear childhood memory. I remember when teachers, members of the clergy and policeman were expected to conduct themselves in a manner befitting their occupation and were held in high regard as a result.

I served in Vietnam as a "Military Adviser" (Wanna know a secret about military advisers? After they've been dead in the jungle for 3 days they smell every bit as bad as a soldier that's been dead in the jungle for 3 days!)

The first President that I remember was Harry Truman. I grew up in a country where people were ashamed of accepting "handouts" from the government, and "welfare" was a dirty word. I remember when a feature length film from Disney was always worth seeing.

I grew up knowing that you always tipped your hat to ladies and held the door open for them. Women in those days were not treated as equals, they were special.

Inside every old person is a young person screaming, "What the hell happened?"

I'm 70.

wow, i never would have guessed seventy! My Great grandpa served in WWII, although he died when i was 3. My dad gives me accurate lessons on WWII every day, so yes i have heard of it

.

My dad and grandfathers still believe that welfare is not worth the trouble it brings.

I still love old disney movies.

I was raised to be polite, curtious and to respect all that were older than me, even if they never showed respect back.

haha, my grandpa says the same thing.

My age cannot be told, but i can tell you that highschool graguation is 3 years away for me.

 

[OldGuy43]

Well Michael, I'm pleased to meet you. We share the same first name.

An attitude towards others such as yours is rare in one of your generation. My compliments to your parents!

Best wishes,
Mike

 

[Gomes Bantams]

Well Michael, I'm pleased to meet you. We share the same first name.

An attitude towards others such as yours is rare in one of your generation. My compliments to your parents!

Best wishes,
Mike

haha, thank you Mike.

It is Lucas by the way, Michael is my middle name. sorry if my signature confused anybody.

 

[Mike Winters]

Ya TV is rubbish nowadays. TV in the 60's - early 90's may have been A little bit racist, sexist or exploited ethnic stereotypes but they where never obscene or extremely obnoxious or tried to out right offend people. They always fit into the exceptable social norm, If you couldn't say it in front or your parents and company at dinner with out getting back handed, you couldn't find it on TV.
Now all you see are scripted reality tv that is nothing but a cussing contest.