CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE KIDS WHO WERE BORN IN THE 1920's, 30's 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's !! First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us and lived in houses made of asbestos. They took aspirin, ate blue cheese, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes or cervical cancer. Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paints. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets or shoes, not to mention, the risks some of us took hitchhiking . As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags. Riding in the back of a Ute on a warm day was always a special treat. We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle. Take away food was limited to fish and chips, no pizza shops, McDonalds, KFC, Subway or Red Rooster. Even though all the shops closed at 6.00pm and didn't open on the weekends, somehow we didn't starve to death! We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this. We could collect old drink bottles and cash them in at the corner store and buy Fruit Tingles and some fire crackers to blow up frogs and lizards with. We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank soft drinks with sugar in it, but we weren't overweight because...... WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!! 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. And we were O.K. We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. We built tree houses and cubby houses and played in creek beds with matchbox cars. We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on cable, no video tape or DVD movies, no surround sound, no mobile phones, no personal computers, no Internet or Internet chat rooms..........WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them! We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no Lawsuits from these accidents. Only girls had pierced ears! We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever. You could only buy Easter Eggs and Hot Cross buns at Easter time.......no really! We were given BB guns and sling shots for our 10th birthdays, We drank milk laced with Strontium 90 from cows that had eaten grass covered in nuclear fallout from the atomic testing at Maralinga in 1956. We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just yelled for them! Mum didn't have to go to work to help dad make ends meet! Footy had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!! Our teachers used to belt us with big sticks and leather straps and bully's always ruled the playground at school. The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law! Our parents got married before they had children and didn't invent stupid names for their kids like "Kiora" and "Blade"..... This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever! The past 70 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 are one of them! CONGRATULATIONS! You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated our lives for our own good. And while you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave their parents were. Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it?!

Yeah! We have lots of fun discussing this in the staff room at school. If we could go back to this kind of life, we would have children who could entertain themselves and look after themselves (when a bully does bother them) among other things, and not need Mommy or Daddy to come into the school yelling and screaming because their little 'angel' is being bothered and nothing is being done about it. But then I am opening a whole can of worms by saying that. This is why it goes on 'behind' closed doors.

My mother died long before the internet age and I often wonder if she would have ever let me go online. Certainly my father will have nothing to do with it. (though I will say he is still a very young man) and thinks Im strange for liking it so much

Yes, let's hear it! Half of the problems kids have these days can be reduced by getting outside and playing. Being given the tools to solve their own problems and then being trusted / expected to USE THEM, and LIVE WITH THE RESULTS.

I'M A SURVIVOR! 1971 model wwhhoooohhoooo

C'mon guys, early '90 generation isn't that bad either. Maybe we're a little spoilt, but we were bred this way. I can't imagine my childhood without Tv , playstation, or junk food. I think all that juvenile deliquence is a bit exaggerated It's mom's fault that I was born ten years later. Or that I was born , for that matter.

I am reminded that current baby care advice is always to put the baby to sleep on its back to prevent cot death. This is pushed so strongly here that the health workers give the impression that if you put your baby to sleep on its front, then it really is going to die. But all my generation of kids were put to sleep on our fronts as babies. At the time, that was the right thing to do to decrease the chances of cot death (due to some research based on a family who had about 7 kids die of what was thought to be cot death, but turned out to be one of the parents smothering their babies because they liked the attention and sympathy - nasty Münchhausen's).

Originally posted by amyltrer C'mon guys, early '90 generation isn't that bad either. Maybe we're a little spoilt, but we were bred this way. I can't imagine my childhood without Tv , playstation, or junk food. I think all that juvenile deliquence is a bit exaggerated It's mom's fault that I was born ten years later. Or that I was born , for that matter.

It's good to hear that Gatchaman has reach another generation! I was married in 1992! (o.k very young and ahh wise...20yrs old, and we are beating the statistics so far!) We still had computer games, my husband has LANS at mates places over weekends! Junk food is for all generations, they are telling us Aussies are getting fat! (we are Rivaling the yanks can you believe it!) So put us on a national diet....take away the beer and Mcdonalds, pizza you'd have civil war here I think! The swan looks in the mirror at her behind and realizes, she does have a fat bum, must be Jinpei's cooking!

Originally posted by Ebonyswanne It's good to hear that Gatchaman has reach another generation!

Good to hear that, Ebony. I've become a Gatchaholic after Eagle Riders version aired in Romania 6 year ago. So far I haven't found a cure. Is not just the McDonalds but it's really difficult to find healthy food. The supermarkets are stuffed with ersatz , additives and high on fats products.

I'm a 79 Model and boy do I remember a lot of that stuff above!

I'm a tiger from the 70's (soo who can work out that year ... heh heh) Flash is a rat. I pretty much did ALL of the above ... ALL of it! I also got spanked (quite frequently actually - bad me) ... and I survived it. I just heard they're trying to ban fairy tales and nursery rhymes ... because they're violent ... Gawd. What, and the video games aren't? SJ

1974, making Flash '72. All I'm saying is I'm a Ram. Gawd! If they ban Fairy Tales there goes six weeks of my curriculum. I will have to think up a new unit. I must say though it is amazing the number of students I have who do not know the fairy tales or nursery rhymes. All these little rhymes we memorized to help with memory and rhyming and the children these day are not being taught them. Instead they are learning 'computereze'. All those terms and acronyms roll off their tounges and I am left standing there wondering what hit me.

I was born in 72 and I am a Lion in the Western Zodiac and a R$at, and both are quite close to what I am.

I'm a fire horse. And a virgo. I believe the personality traits of both sort of cancel each other out. I have a friend who's a fire horse and an aries - I'd say both personality types are spot on for her. Staggeringly brave, but too impulsive and temperamental to be easy to get along with.

Originally posted by clouddancer 1974, making Flash '72. All I'm saying is I'm a Ram. Gawd! If they ban Fairy Tales there goes six weeks of my curriculum. I will have to think up a new unit. I must say though it is amazing the number of students I have who do not know the fairy tales or nursery rhymes. All these little rhymes we memorized to help with memory and rhyming and the children these day are not being taught them. Instead they are learning 'computereze'. All those terms and acronyms roll off their tounges and I am left standing there wondering what hit me.

Yeah, it is political correctness gone into over drive! We will have to start writing our own... I'm not sure were you are from CD but it's the same stuff happening in schools here as well, some of my friends who are teachers are getting sick of it... Go with wrath you can start showing the kiddies star trek and Gatchaman as new curriculum!

As non-PC as this will sound (read), I know several people born in the 80s and 90s and they're pansies. And not because their young. Part of it is because their parents and teachers allowed them to be so emotionally coddled by that stupid self-esteem movement which made it a bad thing to tell a child that 2 + 2 didn't equal 5. As a result, these young folks don't seem to have the basic skills to deal with run-of-the-mill challenges and every day obstacles. Protecting our kids should mean equipping them with the skills to handle the many cruelties of life, not teaching them to believe that such cruelties don't exist. It's narcissism run amok. Sorry, my post sounds really serious. Let's return to a lighter fare. How 'bout them Baby Boomers!

Well Ruthie don't think this 70's girl would be considered a baby boomer but hears what I say to all those that try to ban anything that made me the person that I am today. = experience ( next thing you know, bike riding won't be allowed because of this)

I'm not sure were you are from CD but it's the same stuff happening in schools here as well, some of my friends who are teachers are getting sick of it... Go with wrath you can start showing the kiddies star trek and Gatchaman as new curriculum!

I am from Canada. And don't think I wondered about showing Gatchaman to my students. I have to get a new generation interested, especially since a movie will be coming out. Unfortunately I think parents of 6 year olds may find Gatchaman a little offensive with all the swearing and violence. Although I could go a long way talking about being environmentally friendly and repecting the environment. My favourite soapbox right now. Now I wondered about BOTP but unforunately I do not have the DVD's ..... yet. I am hoping I will be able to purchase them at some stage. (Not sure if I purchase them from a USA site, whether I will need to pay customs to get them across the border. I need A) someone who has done this, SW have you? or B) a friend in the USA who would be willing to ship them to me.)

CD where in Canada, darling? (Ebay Ninja/Sniper here, I know ALL the customs bullshit/loopholes - can definitely help you with all that crap) I have all the BotP DVD's available (Just ebay'ed the 25th anniversary one - am eagerly awaiting its arrival ) soooo... LEt me see if there is any way I can obtain a copy or two for ya. Of course, if you're in the GTA, I can always just loan them to you for a wee bit - if I can drag them away from Joshie, of course... Of course, head in to Future Shop or HMV and you can pick up the Rhino releases. I got the box set and the original 6 releases from there ... I believe they're going pretty cheap right now. The kid can't talk at all, but I kid you not, he knows the team by name and points them out to me. Oh damn, I'm good! SJ

I am a GTA resident. But I never go into the big City, (Brampton and Missisauga are even too big for me.) I am a country person. Get lost in the noise and crowd of the city (panic starts to set in). I will try Future Shop and HMV but I belive they do not have the early/first releases any more, only the Ultimate and 25th anniversary. (I was given one for my B-day but can not remember which one it is.) Will check further tonight from home, or (more than likely) this summer.

Oh ho!! Another Ontarian!! Unfortunately I live in the big city, in what used to be called York (Eglinton & Jane area) ... I NEVER EVER go downtown! I hate the place. Flash works at a golf course smack-dab in downtown, and he seems okay with it, although the two of us are definitely country. I always said to him that if we win 649 I want to move to Belleville or Bancroft. I think Flash would like Pickering, Milton or Oshawa as he plays a lot of baseball out there. Of course growing up in the West Australian Outback, I am most definitely into the whole small-town thing, so I'm happy with anything small. So. This in mind ... My fellow Centre of the Universe dweller ... If you have difficulty in finding any of these disks, let me know. I can head on down to my local Future Shop or Best Buy and pick them up for you. I know exactly where to find the entire set. (was scoping them out on the weekend, actually, looking to see if there was anything new) ... Don't go for the online purchase, the shipping will double the cost of the DVD's. I got the 25th Anniversary cheap because - well - I am an Ebay Ninja and know how to sniff out the best prices, and then I pull that last second sniper attack ... Of course making sure to confirm shipping prices first, so they can't sting me later to jack up the sale. Can't wait to get my DVD's now. I have a 4 hour bus ride next week for our company golf tourney ... I'm snagging Flash's portable DVD player and a butt-load of BotP DVD's - oh heavenly day!! SJ

Lets try this again. Something happened the first time. If you think Belleville and Bancroft are small towns, then you would have to call the town where I grew up tiny. 2000+ people. And I lived a 5 minute drive outside of that town. We had 8 houses around us. I was the oldest of the children around. Besides my brother there were only 2 other children. All I had to amuse myself were cows, coyotes, deers and other assorted wildlife. (This is why I assume I created such a vivid BOTP world, to keep myself entertained.) Now you know why I am nervous of Biiiiiig cities. I now live in the outskirts of Brampton and that was a huge adjustment for me. I have houses all around me and only .25 of an acre of property, (no room to stretch my legs. Can't go out into the corn fields and run.) Ask me to drive in the city and I freeze up, I can't think/react fast enough for the traffic. Take the subway? Only if you are one step in front of me and have a string tied to my wrist, (you know like they do with two year olds to keep them from running away.) I have this nightmare of getting on the subway wanting to get to Oakville and ending up in the opposite direction, somewhere around Oshawa. Why I would want to go to either place I have no idea, but that is my subway fear. A bonus for living in the city. Technology. I now have high speed internet and more channels on the TV than I know what to do with. *********** You are going on a four hour bus ride? Have fun, and make sure a storm does not blow up and throw you off course, into some deserted town. Or that Skipper, Gilligan or the Professor have A GPS unit to get you back on course. Or ...... maybe you would like to get lost and we could send out the Eagle and Condor to find you. Make sure you have your bracelet on.

Somehow I missed this thread...but, Ebony, I'm a 1971 model too...we are the year of the boar...does that mean we eat too much? LOL The 70's was an awesome time to be a kid...*grin*

Originally posted by Springie Somehow I missed this thread...but, Ebony, I'm a 1971 model too...we are the year of the boar...does that mean we eat too much? LOL The 70's was an awesome time to be a kid...*grin*

That's awsome! Well I do love my food and I like to cook 4 course dinners for people so I guess I was born in the right year...1971 was a good year don't you think... My birthday is 3rd October 1971...Libra a dreamer and artistic!

Oooo...I totally agree...I love my chocolate! I was born on March 1st...Pisces...and they are supposed to be artistic and creative, too...

Originally posted by Ebonyswanne My birthday is 3rd October 1971...Libra a dreamer and artistic!

This libra here in an exception. I'm totally awful at art. I could try horror comics at best.

Originally posted by amyltrer

Originally posted by Ebonyswanne My birthday is 3rd October 1971...Libra a dreamer and artistic!

This libra here in an exception. I'm totally awful at art. I could try horror comics at best.

Amy you create pictures with words and that is a talent you have...that involes being creative, and trying to do it in a second language. Your have the goods girl use them.. Good Morning all...time for my

Thanks Ebony! That is veery encouraging. I think I'll start some sketch drabbles. If I manage to do something nice, I'll post it.

Woohoo, looking forward to it, Amy!

Go, Amy! Go! AMY! AMY! AMY!