Dear Aidan,

«Paul's too old for me to regard him as a future thinker. I'm not sure about Yuyutsu.»

I have no idea what a "future thinker" means: I was already thinking independently by the age of 1, I continue to think at present, and by God's willing and grace, my thinking capacity will be retained for many years to come.

Hi Aiden,

"Paul's too old for me to regard him as a future thinker."

That can be taken two ways. One, that Paul at 69 is too old to be capable of embracing thought in the here and now that would be of benefit to tomorrow's Australia. Or, two, Paul is simply now of an age that he is physically not going to be around in the future to be part of the future Australia, I favour the latter. I have always considered myself a progressive thinker, and readily embrace chance, when change is necessary for the good. I can still be of benefit, in affecting future thinking, in a small way with respect to discussion of ideas and attitudes with say my grandchildren, and the formulation in their young minds about how they will approach tomorrow, and their thinking into the future. I can actively support younger future progressive thinkers today, as in my help in a very small way to get young people elected to parliament where they can start to make a difference. I have high hopes for Stephan Bates, the now federal member for the seat of Brisbane. I am proud of senator Mehreen Faruqi, my friendship and the positive roll Mehreen is playing in improving Australia through her work in the Senate, I wish we had ten more like here, sorry we Greens have.

A guy like ttbn in his eighties is a regressive thinker, that's not because of his age, he would have been a regressive thinker all his life.

For all his great and noble ideals of a National Service for young people, all Indy can come up with is he would have them killing TOADS for a year or two! My grandaughter should put aside he great ideas for her future and go and kill toads. I have previously passed on my granddaughters opinion of Indy's National Service, it wasn't pleasant.

Indy assumes that as it was "young people" who vandalised his car, then all young people need to be penalised in some way and his boot camp nonsense will teach them a lesson.

Indy answer the question; When given the opportunity to participate in some form of National Service, ie, military service, YOU BLOODY SHIRKED IT. What a hypocrite!

Hi AC,

I'm down by The Bay, km away, great place to live, we spend every morning, almost, down there as the sun comes up.

Re, the Alex Hills deaths, I understand there is going to be an appeal of the sentence given for the manslaughter of Matthew Field, Kate Leadbetter along with the death of their unborn child. I don't know the facts in detail, but there seems to be general community outrage at the sentence handed down. In fairness, a detailed explanation is warranted. I don't see this in terms of winners and losers, just losers allround.

Just on juvie, some friends run a thing called "Sails" for young kids to get out on The Bay with experienced blokes and do some sailing. Its voluntary and there is no cost involved, everything supplied. They tell me most of the kids really enjoy the experience and want more. I was asked; "Do you want to join Sails", I said what are you selling? Not sales, sails. I don't have the time at the moment.

Hi Paul,
Ah yeah, I was down at the new Woolies this morning, it's pretty good now the newly opened Reddy Bay shops and I don't mind the Chinese from across the road.
I see they've got the circus tent all set up next to the pub at the moment.
I was almost thinking about taking my girlfriend and her 7year old daughter along.

Maybe I want a bit far with my earlier rant about dishing out some serious punishment to some of these adolescents, I just know that more people are going to end up harmed if we keep going down this path, something needs to change.
- I did make the point that I don't know what the solution to some of these kids is.

It's not a bad place around here, becoming more and more built up over the last few years.
It's probably better for older couples / empty nesters,
And maybe it's not so much as great for younger people.
- But it could be a whole lot worse.
There's not a great deal of things for younger people to do.
Sailing sounds like an idea that's about as good as anything.
If it gets them out doing something positive it's a step in the right direction.

And as Aiden mentioned, maybe it might foster some genuine respect.
It's good that there's no cost involved, with everything supplied.
- And that someone cares enough to try and put the young ones on a batter path.

If being silly were to be made a criminal offence, Paul1405 would receive several life sentences without parole !