A friend sent me a video about the wolves in Yellowstone National Park, Brilliant and as they replaced the wolves and kept the deer down, the plants started to come back. It's amazing and I wish I could share it with you. Look it up it is worth while watching. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did and it really is an eye opener that yes we can do things to get plants and animals back. Fracking has a lot to answer for and it is some thing that really should be banned. As well as all the others mentioned above and we really need to make sure all companies put the land back to the way it was. We live on a hill and we have the only trees around as it is all grazing and farming crops around us. We are proud of our trees and have added a few more with hopefully others to come in the not too distant future. Plus we would like to grow some food trees but not having much luck in that department, not a very good gardener but learning a lot which is really essential when wanting to grow things.

remember, a sign of intelligence is the capability to entertain other outside ideas and facts that differ from yours. :). Many were 1 n second wonder jabs The numbers have been tallied and the evidence is clear.WHY are we learning more from the European Parliament than our own CONGRESS? Not have our national newspapers reported on this. The cover-up is always worst than the crime...The best part of being a conspiracy theorist is not having Myocarditis. It\u2019s very hard to make an individual understand that they were fooled. Many will choose to live in denialThe FDA. If they\u2019re doing this to us with pharmaceuticals, imagine what they\u2019re doing to the food\u201dThere is no instance in history when censorship and secrecy have advanced either democracy or public health.\u201dWhat people need to understand is just because you feel fine doesn't mean you're not injured. Many often don't feel high blood pressure or diabetes for a very long time until other things go wrong.The European Parliament recently conducted a summit meeting about the ongoing COVID problem, and invited MRNA technology developer Dr. Robert Malone to address the conference. Dr. Malone shared truths with attendees about the reality of vaccine injury as well as the lies, misinformation and gaslighting that victims of vaccine injuries have been subjected to.https://youtu.be/5SaxqM_htjwDr. Malone\u2019s comments and the bravery of those who are actively challenging the dominant narrative on COVID.

Tipping is not done here in New Zealand, some overseas visitors do, but it is up to those diners, not expected by wait staff etc.

it is not okay to have secrets in a relationship, it's all about being honest and upfront because without trust there is no relationship, and having secrets in a relationship can cause troubles down the track.

Don't trap stray cats. Kill them if anything. I know this sounds harsh. but they are a pest to native birds etc in our country. trap and kill. do not trap and feed!!!! I'm horrified by your logic. We have now got open days here to kill all stray feral cats humanely.

I love Christmas and miss when I was young and would get together with most of my aunt and uncles. We would all get together at grandmas home. I miss those days,

I think it's important to reflect on what measurements were used to come to this determination. I'm old enough to remember Bob Hawk's promise that 'by the year 2000 no child would live in poverty in Australia " whereas the truth is that was NEVER going to happen! Today more children are living in poverty than EVER before and the rate will continue to rise. When you have families paying more than 20% of their total net income on housing, whether rented or mortaged, one of 2 things will occur. Either the family will reign in spending on non essential items or they will use credit to continue the standard of living without really being able to afford it. Many people, especially those with families, will often just use more credit because they don't want their children to miss out on things. Unfortunately, when interest rates go up, which is inevitable, people will NOT be able to continue gaining MORE credit to continue the cycle and either refinance their existing mortgage to gain equity in their home and have available funds for take out meals, holidays and education amongst other things or, if their home is foreclosed on they'll lose everything! Some will reign in spending but I know from personal experience that I'll say to myself "You'll have enough for that" only to discover something else comes along and I can't pay for this thing. I remember hearing at one time a butcher telling someone that in his expensive zip code there were FAR more people buying sausages than steak. But kids in family units where the annual income is only 20K are going to suffer WAY more. I have worked with people in poverty and although there are functional family units that put the children's needs above their own there are too many families where kids get the "scraps' quite literally. I FEEL for these disadvantaged children who often have poor educational and job prospects and a diet lean on nutrition and high on fast food or a diet of frozen fish fingers, which I enjoyed as a child, pies and chips. I once knew a family and those kids came into my home to stay for a while and when I served up fresh beans and other "exotic" vegetables these children didn't recognise them! Because a standard of living, to MY understanding, includes the total sum being measured which is then added together, divided and a mean average taken, there is going to be those living the life of Riley and others struggling to survive! I will ABSOLUTELY concede that measured against Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen and Madagascar we in Australia, even those of us on pensions, live like kings. Finally, I do not own a home anymore but rent. Women in my age group, the later 50's, are the fastest growing group to end up homeless. It makes me grateful that I have a place to live in instead of my car or even the street. I'm going to take care that I live within my means! Thanks for reading this.

The rich get richer the poor get the picture... homelessness is the responsibility of all not just governments. You see many people on the streets yes but have you ever spoken to one? Battered bruised abused mental health issues untrusting all the results of what these people have been put through. It is hard for them to come back from the wilderness without proper care attention and medication. Yes governments could do more but we as a society must do our bit as well. By that I mean working the soup kitchens providing essentials clothing food etc. Sparing a little fir thise in need does a lot

I've got a hybrid dog...half sheepdog and half poodle...but I've had my renault locked up in the garage with a porche for months and still no result...maybe they just don't like each other......

the only debt we have is a mortgage which is literally a debt till death. Pay your credit card in full every time as debts like this grow exponentially. If necessary go hungry or this debt will eat you!

I just truly over them already. You phone a company and you get one of these voice activated robots that goes on and on and then they disconnect you. So much for customer service. Why do we have to prove we are not robots for heavens sakes.

I have no desire to give my DNA to ANYONE for ANYTHING! I don't believe that many people are aware that DNA is the new information source of the 21st century and that companies get paid big money for DNA samples from people who donate their genetic samples, thinking that their privacy will be maintained and that they still have a say in what their DNA is used for, but the industry is far more nefarious than that. I certainly have no intention of having MY DNA sitting in a database in China but China DOES have millions upon millions of genetic sequences from people around the 1st world who wouldn't themselves have consented to such violations of their genetic property.. The future is targeted vaccines and biological warfare,and bioengineering and DNA can tell a Scientist SO much!. Whether it's determining how to use racially diverse or gender specific targeting for "health care", the creation of organs through the creation of stem cells from the DNA and creating a '"cloned" organ, which IS possible within a laboratory setting, the use of DNA in Science would simply blow many people's minds. Whether it's buccal cells from the cheecks, mucosal samples from the nose, sperm, ova or blood, genetics can be manipulated in labs in Communist nations without moral or ethical safeguards we here in the West would anticipate and expect. I UNDERSTAND that people have a curiosity about their ancestral linage and good for them, but for me there are 2 reasons why I won't do a DNA test through 23 and Me, Ancestry. com or the other companies out there. The first is that I have ZERO interest in opening up a can of worms, which I believe would be the situation in my case and secondly my distrust in exactly where my DNA would end up! Science has given us many, many benefits over the years but we've gone too far with our curiosity and that can be a very bad thing! Thanks for reading.

That would be crazy to ban Air travel you know how many people who be out of jobs. And Cities & Countries would lose Tourism.

I intend to give one gold star each time my relatives visit, each star will be worth $100, so they can please themselves. Don't come don't get

All these viruses seem to appear suddenly. The pharmaceutical companies must be making a lot of money. It would help if GPs want to see you, because people end up in the ER of a hospital and have to wait for hours. That's really bad especially when you are in a lot of pain.

It is actually better for the woman and not the man. Married men who live with their wives live longer whereas it is the opposite for women. But whatever floats your boat, is okay I reckon.

One, only ONE small bank - Silicon Valley Bank is having financial problems and this (that) bank HAS NOT closed its' door. Two, it is not unusual for a few banks in the USA to collapse 'every' year - this is the first bank in the USA to have financial issues in six hundred 'days' which makes it stand out. If you have an account with Silicon Valley Bank and your account is not over $250,000 dollars you are insured and will get $250,000 dollars back from F.D.I.C. (a federal agency). The bank in question over-extend itself by making questionable loans to high-tech start-up companies without locking down real (physical) assets. The high-tech start-up companies are in trouble - not Silicon Valley Bank. FYI: The USA and the world survive the Banking Scandal of 2008 - 'one bank' - Silcon Valley Bank' issues is not going to cause a domino. effect and bring down the banking industry in the USA. However, it is a public relations nightmare, and the "feds" (aka federal government banking oversight agency) royally mishandled the Silcon Valley Bank situation.

Question(s): Where you in danger of permanently losing use of your foot (trained medical staff at that rural emergency room came to the conclusion you were not)? Are you in danger of losing use of your foot - NOW? You were using a rural emergency room for a non-emergency issue. Rural emergency room are understaffed, and you should have set an appointment with a MD in your community/neighborhood for an initial diagnosis of the severity of your foot problem - which you did not do. I don't see a basis for a complaint - based on the information your provided in your post! Furthermore, I never understood why people use 'emergency rooms' for 'non-emergency ' medical issues which lead to horrendous 'wait" time.

Stop anyone that is not an Australian Citizen from buying property in our country. The cost of property has sky rocketed over the last few years making it hard for people to buy their own home. Lots of other countries won't let non citizens purchase homes and it is about time the Government stepped in.

All my children went to public schools, and both have good careers, PRIVATE schools are way way over priced and I believe the education isn't really focused on the real issues of today like (1) trade subjects, (2) Business Management and more, private schools are more into religion and that's not important in getting a real career, teachers are more dedicated to helping the kids in the public school system too. PUBLIC schooling gets my vote.

AS A YOUNG ADULT I HEARD ABOUT POLICE TAKING BENEFITS FROM SMALL BUSINESS, things like lollies, cigarettes all to be handed over for free to police, also the overwhelming corruption in the treatment of prostitutes by the police, I thought this had been corrected as I grew up but the last few years seem to show that such is not the case, some people cannot be trusted even with small powers because it leads to belief they can do whatever they want just by the power of wearing the uniform.

I have had severe physiological reaction to extreme stress - but I grow up - in 'rough neighborhoods' in the USA. I was able to identify the 'stimulus' - as I got older - (alcohol abuse, criminal justice, systemic racism, street drugs, police, etc.). It is everyday life for a minority in the USA (coping with racial discrimination) - 'dealing' with severe anxiety - Blacks have the second lowest life expectancy in the USA! I (personally) never let it 'get' to the point (panic attack) - were I thought it was a heart attack or I would already be DOA at a hospital!

I thank God, that we were born before USA gave Australia a regime change in 1973-6 when doctors were doctors and they knew that there are lots of natural items to keep you heathy, These things are still available but doctors cannot tell you, High blood pressure can be prevented and managed by natural means just like flu [2020-rename-ccv] etc etc. Amazing how natural things like Garlic, lemons, grapefruit, ginger, tumeric etc can keep you healthy. BUT I am thankful for the Australian medicare system, where we still pay 2.5% of our salary for the privilege. and I am not in USA where they murder people by over medication.... Love of Money is root of all evil.

romac i agree with everything you said. i live in nz and i find that today every body expects the govt to pay for every thing, i think children have all the sporting they want at school and if parents want more for them let them pay for it themselves

i think we are already under attack,just look at how politicians and big business are decimating our planet and lives,lololol

Unless you are disciplined when it comes to money, stay away from these kinds of things. Do it like it we did in the old days; save up for it! No credit cards in those days!

There is nothing wrong with capitalism. It is dishonest and greedy people who are the problem. Thing is, dishonest and greedy people are an even bigger problem in a socialist society. Socialism will only lead to poverty for many more people is a socialist society than in a capitalist society.

The reality is that the so called minimum wage has become an artificial construct. Very few people are on it. And with the increasing casualisation of the work force we need new measures to ensure workers are protected.

Plenty to say about the "new forum" but I wont... hang on....yuck! go back to the old format, apparently it's a trial..........pls do something and complain....

was in a fish shop yesterday another customer bought an iced coffee and took a swig whilst waiting he said this isn't even cold , reply came climate change sir everything is warming up [ he got a new one ]

Did I experience a career change? My career change came with my first job - I got a (federal) civil service job based on civil service exam score instead of having to take a job in the private sector! Was it worth it? YES! Am I happy with my choice? YES (my civil service retirement comes with a COLA every four years). Furthermore, I retired on 100% disability - aka my civil service retirement check is 100% tax free. Am I thinking about a changing career? NO (been retired over 20 years and counting) :-)!

we eat all our leftovers now. anything left in the pot like a few spoons of uneaten carrots goes in a tupperware container in the freezer, just on top of the other stuff that has already been layered in over the weeks. then when full we make a soup stock and dump the container of veggies, pasta bits etc. that we have saved up. that gives us 2 days of soup lunches, just add bread. feels like a free meal or two, stuff that in previous years I didnt pay much attention to those little bits of veggies or 20 pasta noodles left in the cooking pot, they just went in the garbage.

A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though they know you are slightly cracked ....\ud83d\ude35\u200d\ud83d\udcab

Drink more beer, wine. eat extra chocolate, more ice cream. At least you might have some idea what is killing you.

It is called CAPITALISM (furthermore capitalism corrupts EVERYTHING it touches) :-( (. FYI: Capitalism is NEVER going to change (Examples: From the Start of Capitalism (in the Dark Ages (enough said)) to Jeffrey Epstein (Files)) - LOL.

British clever humour. The 2 Ronnies, Are you being Served, Porridge, Frank Spencer, Dave Allen, Hyacinth Bucket, Tommy Cooper, Benny Hill. So many great classics.

Sly and the Family Stone, arrived at The Doors, the Mummas and the Pappas were taking the tickets, The Band was already playing covers from Metallica, there were some Animals in the corner they were in Dire Straits but it was alright The Police were watching them like detectives, The Queen arrived didn't know she was a Blondie, our friends The Beach Boys REMembered the Cream cakes they were on Platters, but the Byrd's, they might have been Eagles ate them anyway, Yes the Outcast was there as well he was a Public Enemy because he shut down the A/C/D/C at the last concert Nirvana played at, ABBA yelled out hey U2 look out for the Turtles , The Yardbirds were squawking at us as well but i think it was because our hair was Pink, Floyd who was having a Green Day sat with Gladys Knight and the Pips, our seats were so uncomfortable it was like we were sitting on Nine Inch Nails, i noticed Alice Cooper had a bag of Guns and Roses, i was ok with that ,the Pet Shop Boys who have the power of Genesis were watching him, they could behave like Monkeys sometimes, but anyway the Led Zeppelin concert was over there are plenty of Talking Heads in the crowd

Younger generations have different life priorities than us older generations had. They want everything all at once, where we had nothing and slowly accumulated what we have. When younger generations are now staying in the family home sponging off their parents well into their thirties while still partying with their mates, of course they need the bank of mum & dad to help them. THEY are not our problem. They are their own problem.

I would not invite into the house at first; wave when you see them; speak and say hello if you are close enough. Chit chat when a random opportunity presents itself. That's what I do.

It can lead to a domino effect. More attention on your daughter. More boy attention on your daughter. More money spent on makeup. Daughter is not working yet to pay for makeup. I could go on and on. Delay her gratification. She is still young. No rush to grow up!

My mother was a HORRIBLE cook. My father was a HORRIBLE cook. Neither of my parents cooked anything that I wanted to eat more than once - sad but true - LOL!

The last trip I took was from Texas to Washington state, where I've lived for the past 12 years. My "husband" was moving us here to retire, so I thought. We left TX May 3'rd and arrived in Oak Harbor, WA on May 20th, 2013. Worst 17 days of my life! He "said" his bank card wasn't working, so he begged, borrowed and maybe even stole to get us here. Slept in the vehicles that night, then got a room at the Navy Lodge on base here on Whidbey island. I don't even drive off island! Oh, sorry...He went to his sons graduation in TX and never returned! I was evicted from the Lodge on July 3'rd, 2013, went back to work until COVID-19, when I retired, again, at age 72. Sorry, guess I'm still venting... ;-(

The idea of a sweet tooth is strange isn't it?...I wonder who thought that one up...whatever part of your body craves sugar..it is certainly not your teeth!

Your story is so confusing you need to set it out more clearly to understand in what are you trying to say

your expectation may or may not be reasonable. Did you research the hotel before booking? Did you speak to someone at the hotel to book? Or did you book online or through central reservations? If you spoke with someone and asked about what the check-in process looked like or somehow researched it in advance, you may be reasonable in expecting a more in-person experience. However, if you're booking experience did not involve any human interaction and you did not inquire about the check-in process, why would you expect a high-touch check-in experience.

The lives that narcissists ruin.. Now we have many country leaders who fall into that category. Their ability to wreck millions of lives is tragic. Do I need to name them? Let's say Russia, USA, North Korea, Israel. While the definition notes that there are more male narcissists than females, believe me, the female ones certainly exist. Often they are more difficult to spot.

My nightmares have been telling me that I was EXTREMELY traumatized by my ex-husband and with medication for PTSD I can usually just have bad dreams now where he's just yelling and threatening and not actually doing. I still have a nightmare now and then but not nearly as often. After 29 years it's frustrating that he still affects my life this way.

I manage an op shop/thrift store, and have noticed we are getting more customers. Mainly because so many of the chain stores have closed in our area (Rivers, Millers etc.) Our shop is manned by volunteers so are prices are lower than some of the shops that pay coordinators and managers. We also go with standardised pricing across the shop with a sperate rack for higher cost items. Our proceeds after expenses are given back to the community via donations to a variety of local groups such as the local food hub, carers groups, youth groups etc. It also a great opportunity to stop items going to land fill, we sell bags of rags to mechanics etc to dispose of clothing which is badly stained or torn.

I find myself saying things like, "stay, don't move," to inanimate objects when I'm cleaning around them, lol, because I'm afraid they'll fall if I accidentally bump into them. Weird?! Yes, lmao

Before you became ill, what did you do for work? Maybe you could use those skills to help you make some money? I haven't been able to hold down a PT or FT job since 2019 due to various health issues and I am a similar age to you (but have 4 kids). I would ask your family Dr or chemist where you get your medication for a Medicines Review, they will go over them with you, and if you let them know you're finding it hard to pay for your medication, they may be able to recommend a cheaper option. Your kids are still young, they will be fine with basics- buy no-name clothes (KMart, Big W, Best & Less if in Oz) and shop at op shops. You'll be fine without the brands and labels too- that will help to save a lot of money. Buy generic/store brand foods at the supermarkets and grow the more expensive fruit and veg if possible. When grocery shopping, don't pay more than $5/kg for fruit/veg and $15/kg or less for meats- these items are usually in season and affordable cuts that can be used in a variety of ways. As others have mentioned, join up to other survey sites, if you're in a metro area do focus groups- they often pay $40-$100/hr, but your often limited to doing 2-4 of these a year. Be honest as all market research places share a data base as well as a black list and they do know who is trying to do these on a regular basis to get more money or don't contribute honestly. Contact your utility providers and see if they can review your account/s, is there a different plan that would work better for your family. Cancel all TV subscriptions, only watch regular TV (ABC, 7, 9, 10 & SBS all have 3-6 channels offering different types of shows). Only buy new technology when what you currently have breaks or no longer works, you really do not need to update to a newer model just because it's new. Kids really do not need phones, the longer you can hold off getting them phones, the better (My kids get a basic phone for their 16th birthday, but i would have preferred to hold off until they turned 18). As for what else you can do to make extra money- sell those items around the house that you haven't used in a year or more. Sell on FB Marketplace, ebay, garage sales, gumtree, etc. Just make sure you're aware of your potential buyers as scammers are everywhere, meet in a well lit, CCTV monitored public place (in front of Police stations can daunt those dodgy buyers/scammers), especially for goods of a higher value.

I already have "craptcha" and I should submit it for approval. You all know what it means but if you can't figure it out: " when an antibot puzzle (captcha) is difficult to see, hear or solve making it impossible to log into a site or an activity thereby defeating its purpose of proving you are human as the human doing it cannot solve it"

I am 76 in a few months so hopefully healthy and still enjoying life. I have read a lot of posts that seem to be doom and gloom. There are no guarantees in life but surely you can enjoy the time you have whether short or long instead of being so defeated. We all have ups and downs, losses and gains. I just lost my 15 year old dog to cancer 2 weeks ago and she was the love of my life and I am still grieving. She was a fighter and it was only the final 2 days that I decided to call time. I have lost both parents and 2 of my sisters all to cancer but they never laid down or felt defeated. They kept going till the end. Enjoy the time you have whether it be long or short. Look forward not backwards. We all have regrets, hopes that were dashed, pain, sickness and loss. Try to have a laugh at least once a day.

The biggest waste of money I have ever spent! I was told by friends that I needed to get one so I bent to the peer pressure and paid good money for a good brand. I have used it once! I can do more in the oven using the same amount of fats and oils. It took longer using the air fryer and there's only the two of us to cook for. How families make meals in them is beyond me! I do cook from scratch rather than use processed products so maybe that's the difference. Does anyone want a Brabantia air fryer?..... going cheap!

I don't know and I don't care 'if' there is a possibility life exist on other planets in a vast universe. We (humans) have enough ongoing environmental issues on this planet (over-population, lack of fresh water, climate-change, etc.) - that life might cease to exist on this PLANET - other words spending money on space exploration is a COMPLETE WASTE OF TAXPAYERS' MONEY. Furthermore, if E.T. decides to phone home - MAKE SURE - it is a COLLECT CALL. FYI: I think planet is spelt planet instead of plant (but English is not my first language - LOL)!

That many things? lol. I can't leave home without my apartment building key...cuz then I cannot get back into my building to be able to get into my apartment.

I survive a notorious, street gang CONTROLLED neighborhood during my childhood days. Other words some of NEVER had a CHILDHOOD. My childhood memories consist of gun(s), ski mask(s), and Playtex glove(s).

Perhaps if you are caught or cause an accident and found to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs then your licence should be removed permanently.

I'm Blessed because my bank doesn't charge for ATM withdrawals, or their checking or savings accounts ($50 saving minimum), so I never have any fees to pay! They even give nice gifts on our birthdays if we come into the bank. I've received an umbrella (with their name on it, of course), coffee mugs, and others. I love my bank, and will never change! ;-D

Ok brace yourself .. l was actually at one time delivering leaflets and trying to sell herbalife products as a side hustle . Young and gullible myself and two girlfriends even took the damn pills ,,we all broke out in a rash .and got told by the team manager that was our bodies detoxing .. I did manage to lose a few kgs ( probably all the walking I did doing letterbox drops ! ) I even lost money as we had to pay for our initial kits .. absolute rort. Needless to say none of us made a single sale and we all went back to our unhealthy ways and loving life soon after . \ud83e\udd23

I do not remember having either. I grew up with playing with sticks, then cars/trucks, then Zorro mask and cap guns.

Everything that does our thinking for us, including calculators, and that's quite a long list. When we quit using our God given brains, and let machines do our thinking and creating for us, we're dehumanizing ourselves. You may agree to disagree, but please be kind. I was born in 1947, before technology. I love living simply, and using my own brain! ;-D

What is my dream (no need to be greedy) - for 2025 - to be ABOVE ground (let the 'good times' continue to roll) - ROFL!

NO! It was a bad idea during the GREAT DEPRESSION, and it is a worst idea during these ongoing tough economic times - because the money should be spent on feeding kids!!

This one, for sure! They don't know what 'play' is anymore, just iPhone games! They are probably the least happy and healthy generation we've ever had in history! They went through COVID-19, and isolation, they are bullied and body shamed on Social Media! My God, please save them from themselves! \ud83d\ude2d

I prefer to think of a time where all the good stuff from the past combines with all the good stuff from the present, and there's reincarnation so I'll get a chance to live there. As corny as it sounds, I'd love for a time where all the nonsense stops and everyone has a chance to really be happy.

My family doesn't believe in giving physical gifts. Have ever I still have a lot of very fond memories of my step-grandmother (I do not have any fond memories of my birth mom, biological father, stepfather, stepmom, stepsiblings, siblings, DNA relatives or non-DNA relatives except one) - when I think of my step-grandmother - she STILL brings a smile to my face and an ache in my heart - EVEN in the year 2024 - she was the only person in-my-so-called-family - HAHA - who ever care about me when I was a kid! My step-grandmother explained to me more than once - lol - YOU DO NOT GET TO PICK YOUR FAMILY, THEREFORE BE VERY PICKY WHEN IT COMES TO PICKING YOUR FRIENDS!

I do not believe in "ghosts" but I do know there are evil demonic spirits that impersonate loved ones. We need to be very careful about such things. Scriptures says to not engage them and command them to depart in The name of Jesus Christ.

my trans son/ daughter has gone from Brian to Brynn it did upset me quietly as he was named after my father but it is his life, as a parent I have honored that but I do find it hard to address his /her name and tend to use terms of endearment,it has been 10 years since his change, I still miss my son although I love what he/she has done with her/his life since the change, it has been a really tough thing to deal with its like going to a funeral but no one died

When I first joined the Navy, my mother told me to save a deposit and buy a house in Devonport on the north shore of Auckland and get flatmates in to help pay the mortgage. At 19, the last thing I wanted was a $200,000 mortgage!!! Those $200,000 houses are now worth in excess of $3mil.

Beauty pageants have been around for many years especially in the USA and mothers are really competitive to the detriment of their children. I have to agree with Christina, competition with kids, their birthday parties, etc. is all to do with the parent/s whereas children generally just want to have fun with their friends. We used to call it keeping up with the Jonses, now it is way out of control. Putting little children in full makeup, hair, expensive outfits is just sickening.

I wear whatever I am comfortable wearing and care nothing for anybody else's opinion of what I wear or don't wear. I have no idea what 'acting your age' is supposed to look like & quite frankly wouldn't give a rats. I'd probably tell them to go take a long walk off a short plank, but in much more colourful language.

At first glance it seems like a lot of money has been spent on the space program. However, when you look at it in total, many amazing scientific discoveries have been made. Camera phones. Scratch resistant lenses. CAT scans. LEDs. Athletic shoes. Water purification systems. Dust busters. Home insulation. Jaws of Life. Wireless headsets. Memory foam. Baby formula. Artificial limbs. Computer mouse. Portable computers.

Amen to that! I've never worked a job where the women didn't have some kind of problems. Jealousy, envy, prejudice, gossip, who knows. I just know I worked better with men than with women. ;-D

I would say, selfishness. Only being concerned about what they want and what makes them happy. Couldn't care less about what the other partner wants or needs, doesn't care about the children. Some how I found myself married to such a person, the marriage officially lasted 12 years.

Watching a child be amazed at something they are experiencing or seeing for the first time. That look of wonder and giddiness is so fulfilling

Last week at 8pm, driving home from Wellington airport, it was raining and windy, just came out of the Terrace tunnel, saw a car on the road shoulder with a man bending over the engine trying to get it going {middle couple with grandson}.His wife and a child were in the car, I pulled out infront of them, I could not start their car. so I tow them all the way to Plimerton. They were so happy, the man say, he will have his son look at it in the morning.They thank me so many times I left, I drove through the red light , I didi not see a cop car, he pulled me over. Just as he was about to write me a ticket his private phone rung. He went back to the patrol car. He came back and ask me where i just came from. I explained.what i did , I mention a certain address. and he say thank you for helping them. so please don't drive through a red light again. I would have faced a huge fine

No, they are fun and good entertainment. If you are responsible with them its fine. Its part of being in a free country.

I say no to daycare if you don\u2019t have to. I watch my grandsons while mommy goes to work. I definitely did not want anyone else raising my grand babies.

I always thought a Silver Fox referred to a good-looking older man. I have never heard it used about a woman before. We live and learn.

I will sum up this problem I see repeated again and again in just one statement. Modern woman seeks traditional man.

For Christ sake enough of the political correctness already..if you don't like Australia find another country to put up with your bullshit

Men start off playing football, they move to cricket or tennis and finally to golf. This shows that as we get older our balls get smaller.

One would think the government would have a lot more important things to concentrate on. Everything seems to be out of control such as the cost of living in general it is absolutely ridiculous what you pay in groceries now not to mention everything else. If I have cash in my purse and a store did not want to except it, I would never shop there again.

That's OK. By the time you are in your 80s not only are you not noticed, you become invisible. They send you little notes of how good their retirement villages are, I'm still here still gardening, still cooking and hey I can still vote, still laugh with friends and silly me, I'm still here in Rewardia. So there.

A bit the same only a bit older, would like to say and wiser but th at is open to debate. One can be alone and at the same time never lonely.

The Maquarie bank in Australia is going cashless by 2024. This means that you won't be able to draw cash from your account through the ATM. This is all about control of the people. The shops & business' are charged by the banks when you use your card to pay for goods & services. These charges are being passed onto the consumer by business' because of the crippling costs. I'll leave you with these thoughts..... The Commonwealth Bank in Australia made something like $10 billion profit for the first half of this year. What interest rate do you get on your savings in the bank ? BTW negative interest rates will be introduced very soon, like they have in some European countries. That means the banks will be charging you to keep your money there, money that you can't withdraw in cash. The banks operate illegally, the governments know they do, the banks put money aside to pay the fines & everyone goes on their merry way !

They need to be desexed whether you decide to keep them or not, or else you will have many, many homeless kitties to worry about.

*Everything* is a "medical condition" and has to be labelled these days, because nobody can take responsibility for their own decisions and actions. \ud83d\ude44

Property has ALWAYS been beyond the reach of working Australians, They were lucky to have a car per household, not one per person, Now we have credit cards, tech and everyone wants everything now,

for some reason, no one seems to be able to say pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis except me... A lot of people I know with the same last name say things like 'fravourite' instead of favourite. I have no idea why, it just seems to be what comes out. At least three kids I know from the same family also say 'free' instead of three and other things like that. There was even an old lady I heard of that said 'coinkedink' (pronounced co-in-key-dink) instead of coincidence.

Do I believe in Alien Life Form (aka ALF)? DEFINITELY! FYI: ALF can also be spelt as: D O N A L D J O H N T R U M P.

Well I really hope not but a long time ago my parents would eat Chinese at a shop some where in Brisbane any way the shop was caught enticing the local street cats and they served them up as chicken. Yuk so my parents do believe they have eaten cat, not by choice of course. The shop was closed down obviously. A woman I knew was really upset by some people that lived near her as they were trying to catch ducks in the local park. Setting traps for them and yes using them as food. I am pleased we don't have wet markets here in Australia but I am sure if you knew where to look there could be a black market and you could get what ever you wanted at a cost. We use and abuse animals for a lot of things and food is only a part of the whole situation unfortunately. I do eat meat don't get me wrong but I do feel for the animals especially if we treat them so badly. Big problem we have now is eggs, a dozen is now going to cost us $15 because we aren't allowing caged hens. All hens have to be free ranged or barn laying. I was a little put off as I will refuse to pay that much for eggs. An alternative to using an egg/eggs in a cake is 1. Apple Sauce 2. Banana and 3. 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1 tablespoon of vinegar (per egg) 4. plain or vanilla yoghurt. Maybe when they realise some people will refuse paying that price the price will drop but only time will tell. We do have alternative solutions for this problem and we are not reliant to them for our needs. We will adapt and find other ways. I like eggs but I will slowly learn to live without them.

Absolutely. Someone came knocking on the door, said he was collecting for the orphanage, so I gave him my 2 kids!

on my own until 17, no siblings, joined the army, 8 year infantry,, raised 2 boys, life is good most of the time,,, when you have to learn life on your own, the hard way, you appreciate life more, you try to help when help is needed, as i got help when i needed it, so i pass it on, i have no use for narcissistic people, people that start unfounded conspiracy theories, i reckon that includes those that like their own posts as nobody else will, lol,, folks that constantly complain,, they should just be happy to have a roof over their head, a lot of folks in this world do not,, people dividing the USA with their far right conspiracy crap, but i reckon they have that right to be buttholes, as someone's son/brother/father/mother, gave their all so y'all can

Not a bother to me. Surely it could only be a worry to people who are not doing the right thing or who want to be hiding from the authorities or whatever.

I think to a certain degree..Americans are more into worrying about and agonising over their relationships...mental health...and my pet hate mindfullness (whatever that means)..and some like talking about themselves a lot, because they maybe find themselves interesting....I have never ever been lonely and very very rarely been anything less than enthusiastic about life...I have a very limited group of friends that I trust..maybe 8...and two who would take a bullet for me or give me anything I asked for if it would help without question...two great sons...a wider social group that I see sometimes but do not worry about too much...and a network here on Rewardia that I value ..I'm happy with that...and don't need anything else...and I'd probably be fine with far less...I do not need or want any medication...my head is in a good place...and always has been... I'm just happy and grateful to be here....I don't understand why so many people ... living in a fortunate country with no serious problems..can have so many problems...and make themselves sick... you don't have to look very far to see people living in horrific conditions...they would love to have your lifestyle..or even clean water... that Surgeon General...is he concerned with the number of dead people...hundreds of children.... due to gun ownership in his country?..or maybe that is an area that he is not allowed to talk about..... I would not want his job.... leaving a loaded gun lying around is bad for a lot of people's health...

In no way. I don't use Smart phones. Though I did loose my little 15 dollar mobile I bought at big W, that is annoying to loose all the contacts, though I still keep a lot of Em written on a peice of paper not all of them but, and I know it a hassell putting it all on again. Found it again. Don't use smart phones they are part of a sceem to take over the world for the eleite. waste of money.

I once made a baked potato with ham and cheese on top for dinner, My son even liked it, I love real baked potatoes, I also have learned to drink hot decaf tea. YUM

Trouble is Woolworths and Coles have the monopoly and keep giving excuses for prices increasing whilst their profits are soaring . We need more players, when you look at how many grocery chains the UK has in a much smaller country it is ridiculous

I worked in aged care and the pay was not high but be able to help the elderly when they needed it the most was more important to me there were some carers that only wanted to collect they pay check and didnt give the older people the care they needed that made it hard for me working with them