ecuk268

I think that my generation was the first that refused to grow old. Thus you still have the Rolling Stones performing to sellout crowds even though they're pushing 70. Bruce Springsteen's the same age as me and he's still doing world tours. When we were first married, we got to know our neighbours at our first house quite well. Although they were only 7 or 8 years older than us, their attitudes were so old-fashioned to us. I think that there was an enormous step-change in the mid 60's and, if you were that bit older, you missed it.

You needed to be the right age. I spent my teenage years in the 60's and I was old enough to remember how boring and repressed and conformist the late 50's were. The 60's were a breath of fresh air for those that weren't already set in their 50's ways. Young people had their own fashions, music and attitudes which I suppose you could say started in the 50's with rock n roll, but really took off in the 60's. Although my parents were everything that parents should be, I didn't want to be like them.

"Pedantic grammar" is a phrase used as an adjective and should be hyphenated.

So, because famous grown men exploit naive young girls, we should change the law so that it's legal. What planet is this woman on?

He owes it all to Saints. We beat them 4-1 in an evening game in 1986 and Ron Atkinson was sacked the next morning, with Fergie taking over. What's often forgotten was that he really struggled for a couple of seasons but they stuck with him. Doubt if that would happen today.

From their website: Qualified as: Chartered Architect Optician Pharmacist Chartered Surveyor Qualified Accountant Solicitor/Barrister Dentist Magistrate/Advocate Chartered/Civil Engineer Current or retired employee of: Banking/Finance Civil Servant Education Fire/Rescue Insurance Local Government Airline Post Office Police Force Medical/Health Service

They had an open evening on Friday. Went down with the missus. Loads of free food and soft drinks, coffee etc and lots of samples of the fish, meat, cakes etc that they sell. Haven't been to Makro for years so can't compare but they have an impressive range of stock, even tyres. To get an individual membership you have to involved in (or retired from) certain professions like local government, civil service, education. There's a slight restriction in when you can go. Basically, the mornings are restricted to trade members only.

I went to Grammar school in the 60's (mixed) and it was certainly no bastion of middle-classedness(?). We had a wide range of social backgrounds and the message given to us was that we were as good as anyone else regardless of our origins.

I didn't vote at all as there were no elections in Southampton. It'll be interesting to see what they actually do now they've got some councilors. It's easy to sit on the sidelines sniping away at other parties but they now have to come out and state their policies on all sorts of issues as well as their usual rants about Europe and foreigners. Power brings all sorts of problems as the Lib Dems have discovered.

The Childhood of Jesus by J.M. Coetzee. About a man and boy who arrive in a new land with little memory of what went before. It's the first of his books that I've read. Trouble is, it ends just as it's getting interesting.

Brief preview from the Grauniad: Many folks foresaw Steve Clarke struggling in his debut campaign as a No1 manager but the only bother that West Bromwich Albion have been in all season came via that slapstick Peter Odemwingie skit. Still, the early-season challenge for Europe has long since faded and the task now is to ensure a top-half finish – anything else would be a disappointment given their start to the season. Southampton, however, are well equipped to leapfrog them during the run-in and fulfil Nicola Cortese's ambition of not merely avoiding relegation but doing so in style. Finishing in the top 10 may just convince Roy Hodgson to give Rickie Lambert and Jack Cork (as well Adam Lallana, Nathaniel Clyne and Luke Shaw) a chance and remind Didier Deschamps that Morgan Schneiderlin is French and fantastic.

Wasn't he Lebanese? Also Shakespeare's birthday and anniversary of his death.

Bit on the news last night about how rail travel in the south is far more expensive than Scotland, Wales and the north of England due to the inequality of the subsidies. Here, it costs about 21p/mile to travel by train whereas in Scotland and Wales it was between 9p and 14p. I suppose London and the South-East is very much a captive market where commuters have little alternative to the train.

I would say it was equally the fact that the models they were bringing out were poorly designed, poor quality and didn't appeal to the mass market. Cars like the Allegro, the Maxi, Princess and Ambassador couldn't compete with the Fiesta and Cortina, Vauxhalls and the increasing presence of Renault.

The answers are all here: http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/the-mash-guide-to-the-final-journey-2013041765817

Petrol coupons were under Heath in '73 (still got mine). They were a response to the OPEC oil embargo after the Yom Kippur war.

I met her once. She's was a lot shorter than she appeared to be when you saw her on the TV.

Exactly. Benefits paid to people in work are nearly £50 billion, as opposed to about £7 billion to the unemployed. The other large outlay is about £25 billion in housing benefit, a considerable amount of which goes into the pockets of private landlords. Why not give the money to local authorities to build more social housing. It would give a boost to the building industry and they would get some of the money back in rents.

There are options but I'll probably get some professional advice next year. Anybody know a good pensions IFA in Southampton?

I'm in IT and a lot of our functions have been moved to our European HQ so I'm a bit bored and, to be honest, probably overpaid. I'd like to combine the extra free time with still earning a reasonable salary at least for a couple of years. 60% of my current salary + my state pension + the removal of NI contributions would keep me comfortable for that period and I could have long weekends.

Better off as we paid off our mortgage a couple of years ago. However, with 65 on the horizon, I'm starting to think about retirement income. Annuities are rubbish at the moment so my personal pension won't be very generous. Probably try to negotiate a 3-day week with my employer when I get to 65, draw my state pension but not the private one and hope annuity rates improve. Also, you stop paying NI after 65 so that'll save a couple of grand a year.

They have £70m of debt which they have to clear before moving in (partially by flogging Upton Park). Many clubs borrow using their stadium as security. That will no longer be an option for them as they will be tenants.

If you look at the age distribution of voters, the number of pensioners who actually use their vote is quite a high proportion of the total. All governments are very wary of upsetting them as it would cost them a lot of votes at the next election. I'm over 60 with a well paid job but I get a bus pass and winter fuel payment which I don't really need but, if I'm entitled to it, I'll have it.

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/sport/sport-headlines/ferdinand-in-hair-appointment-clash-2013031963144

At the risk of sounding like a SOG, in the 60's and 70's, the Cup Final was THE football event of the season. Played at the proper time of 3.00 on a Saturday after the season had ended, it was a rare opportunity for players to play at Wembley. Turn on the telly at about midday (BBC of course) for 3 hours of buildup. The streets were noticeably quieter that afternoon and the winners got a lot more attention that whoever had won the old 1st Division. Everyman and his dog plays at Wembley now and the FA Cup has declined in importance, presumably because it's not worth an enormous amount of cash.