Wow, Hassy, and from whom were you defending US, people like yourself? All that in model air planes, I'll be damned! Boys and their toys. Enjoy.

Paul1405,
What are your credentials regarding contributing to society for it's benefit ?

Well Indy, since you asked,

I have worked all my adult life, in productive employment paying my share of taxes. I spent many years as an Engineer in several fields, having qualifications in mechanical, structural and production engineering. Years spent both as an employee and for a time operating in partnership a successful consultant and design business, employing others. Then after about 30 years, and the death of my father, who had worked over 50 years "in the trade". I moved into more interesting pursuits dealing with people, but still managing to work part time at what I knew best. Married to my first wife, a career woman, had two boys. Divorce after 35 years, seen me come out with a relatively large amount of assets, mostly property, but it was not all plain sailing, had my ups and downs. Married to my second wife, who I met through social work, a totally different person to my first, I think she reflects the change in my life.

I'm not against you receiving an Aged Pension, even though I don't. What I oppose is the blinkered nasty attitude towards others, including the 95% of the dreaded public service, but of course its really 95% of people you oppose, those not like YOU! But otherwise I think you are a decent bloke.

What else do you want to know?

BTW I'm a pacifist, and i never felt the need or desire to be "defended" by people like Hassy, although he claims he did it anyway, and implies that I should be grateful in some way to him, I'm not so that might be a failing on my part.

Typical Greenie/leftie bit of work, Paul has no answer to my advice on increasing cost of batteries so attacks the messenger. & don't worry Paul, I certainly wont be defending the likes of you anywhere, any time.

Of course you're a pacifists, most nasty gutless wonders are.

Paul,

oh dear, you were doing so well there for a moment.
May I elude to where you went wrong?
The fact that you say, "you are a pacifist and did not need defending", is a very cold, thoughtless and callous comment towards those who, possibly, unwillingly did put there lives and their families futures on the line.
I am sorry, believe it or not, I was young, could only contribute to the cadets level, I was not accepted into National Service or never got to see any action, for that matter.
As someone, even though born here, but with foreign lineage, I felt compelled to want to "sign up", willingly, disappointed I never got to "do my bit", and sometimes feel unworthy because of it.
So Paul, whether you think you were so special as to not need protecting or whatever, you can say that now, now that we ended up on the right side of the war, because of people like Hassy.
Your condescending, arrogant attitude goes a long way to understanding who you really are, and now we know.
By the way Paul, Indy asked what societal benefits you offered, NOT what benefits YOU personally gained from society.

I had noting to say about Hassy's military employment until he posted this;
// flew while in the navy to defend my country, it seemed a worthwhile activity back then. Having discovered far too many Pauls in Oz, I wouldn't bother defending the place today.//

All I asked was; //Hassy, and from whom were you defending US, people like yourself?// US being all the Pauls in Oz, including me. Something I can not recall asking for, defence. Hassy claims he was defending, who were attacking? Hassy like the local garbo was employed by the taxpayer, voluntary I assume, and that's nothing that requires any special gratitude, or some meritorious citation from others.