Loudmouth "'Look, you might have earned all that and amassed assets, but let's face it, you aren't going to last much longer, so why not give your wealth all to young people who need it desperately now - they could make use of it for far longer. "

Nice pot stirring, Loudmouth... but easily answered

I feel the lessons gained from working for a living will, in the long term, be far more valuable than using my own resources to provide temporary welfare and charity to the indolent youth who might, if they are lucky, eventually grow to be as old as I am.

But this is the same old story....

give a man a fish and feed him for a day,

show him how to fish and he feeds himself for the rest of his life.

I had to work hard to gain the advantages I have and as we both know, their is dignity in working than living and noting in off handouts.

as for lasting much longer... I am married to a multi-disciplined medic who knows how to keep me going (for her own selfish reasons :-) ) for around another 30 years or so. Which means I will probably out live many of your youthful folk, addicted to high-fat diets, morbid obescity and whoses exercise effort extends to clicking a computer mouse button

Later, in retirement, we plan on moving north, where life is easier, warmer days etc... and running our business interests via internet...

I am not sure if we can get free (council paid) home help and meals on wheels.... I will have to look into that.... (maybe a council paid pot stirrer too)

Of course... cruise ships beckon for some of that wealth.

Loudmouth... at least my "philanthropy" will ensure the dignity of paid work for the sailors and officers of the ships crew

mmm Pericles... I see you manage to keep yourself busy, using words of one syllable to say nothing...

keep it up... pointlessness becomes you

Never greatly in favour of accuracy, are you Col? Remember all that blather of yours about how Maggie cut back government spending... as if!

>>mmm Pericles... I see you manage to keep yourself busy, using words of one syllable to say nothing... keep it up... pointlessness becomes you<<

Y'know, it's not that difficult, counting syllables.

A psychologist friend of mine explained to me a while back, about people who spend their time telling the world how wonderful they are.

Fascinating.

(That's four syllables for fascinating, in case you are still counting).

Have a great day. Hope the surf 'n' turf at the Casino is up to scratch.

Hi Col,

Honestly, I don't think you owe younger generations anything - what you have worked for and sweated for should be yours, pure and simple. If you want to sell it off and blow the proceeds on a constant world trip, that's your right. If younger generations want to do the same, then they can emulate you and work for a few decades to save for themselves.

And I wonder what size the carbon footprint of the younger generations might be - one thing about the older generations, depression babies and baby boomers, is that they don't spend all that much on consumer goods or electronic goods. They might go on their round-Australia trips but even so, they probably use far less energy per year than the average younger person. On those grounds, perhaps we should be thinking about saving the planet by thinning the ranks of the younger generations ?

No, I don't think so either. Pump money into renewable energy research, subsidies on solar panels (individuals) and wind farms (local councils) if they work, and plant millions of trees/year, rather than wring your hands and pick on some scapegoat group. No more whingeing, we know what to do.

Loudmouth, thankyou for your response... I did catch on to your "pot stirring"... hence my suggestion ... seeing if I could get one paid for like meals on wheels :-)

I think investing in renewables is excellent, provided the renewable is economically viable, which means self financing, rather than funded through government subsidy. Same applies to recycling, from scrap metal to scrap PET bottles, glass, paper, even expanded polystyrene.

Regardless the output, any commercial enterprise which relies on government subsidy or government ownership (invariably a monopoly) of any kind is bad news. Commercial enterprises must compete openly or they will become bastions of stagnation and corruption.

To thinning out the younger generation.

Having experienced the joys of youth and older age, I think the young deserve to bring their own children into the world.

Ultimately the revenge for every grand parent, on their own children, is the impact of a grandchild.

So, I do not believe we should "thin out" any generation..

I think each person should decide, for themselves, how many children are they prepared to sacrifice their lives for (including opportunity and financial sacrifices).

Each generation should value the gift of life their parents gave them and that inheritance of the world, which so many seem to think is their entitlement.

It may not be in a pristine state and it may not have ready supplies of easily pumped oil...

but I remember some kids of my generation struck down with polio and a few other diseases which have been largely eradicated

so younger generations will inherit something... some of it subjectively worse and some of it better

the important bit, from my perspective, is to try to ensure the next generation are at liberty to enjoy what they "inherit" -

rather than be the slaves to some authoritarian government which regulates peoples every thought, every action and rations / limits their access to every resource, based on some stupid notion of "equality". -

Because such is not "living"

it is merely "existing"..

and a miserable existence at that.