"Yes in some ways the old days of the homogeneous society post war was a better place, but the much richer society makes all things possible for anyone who has a real go at it in the 60s & today".

Yes.

I was fortunate to have spent my childhood in the 1950s and teens in the 1960s.

What a fascinating period to go up. Life was easy and free and it was a period of peace for most of the world and we were not faced with the environmental problems we have today.

Misopinionated,

I think you're trying to channel your grand-dad :) I don't believe you're out of school yet.

Joe

Well, Mr OPINION...

Generally, sir, I know nothing from nothing. But unless the world's great powers do something to inhibit the military might that China now has, By about 2040, she'll no longer only possess the military might, but the economic strength as well, sufficient enough to rule the world, similarly as she's now applying to the residents' of Hong Kong - Overt bullying!

Whatever happened to the fifty years moratorium, the Brit's and the Peoples Republic agreed upon and promised for HKG's way of life to continue peacefully. A condition that was determined during the negotiations at the 'hand-over' in 1997?

China knows the British no longer possess the will and perhaps even the military muscle to enforce the 50 years of virtual peace and way of life, so she thumbs her nose at it, just 23 years later!

Of course, Taiwan is altogether different, in so much as she has a small but effective military arsenal; Moreover, and more importantly, she has a military treaty with the US, and that's what keeps her safe...for the moment at least. Until about the 2040s or whenever China thinks she got the necessary military and economic wherewithal to rule the world?

And what of Australia? We have just about everything here, sufficient enough to cause China to salivate? Masses of minerals, a land of plenty, with enough food to feed their masses, together with 24 million or so able workers, to toil away at China's direction. And those who fail to 'get on board' with Chinese expansionism? Well, there's always the mines for them to work. Save for that, a 7.92cal bullet for their troubles?

Dear Saltpetre,

Thank You for your kind words and Welcome back
to the forum

So glad that you're posting again.

You have been missed.

I wish that many others would come back.

But I am grateful for the ones, like yourself that do.

This discussion has worked wonders for my moral. There's
so many interesting posts that are appearing here.
Learning about people's backgrounds is interesting.
And makes me realise just how similar many of us really are.

It's great to have things that unite us to share and learn
from.

Paul, has done a great job with this discussion.

We're a fascinating lot !

I'm Sydney, Wagga, Darwin. I'm happy to report that when I was in Darwin in the late fifties, the Waratahs (the almost all-white football team) didn't win a single game in three seasons, even though they used to bring up Victorian players in their off-season. Not a single game. Beeooooodiful.

Yes, thanks, Paul :)

Joe