Things that are WAAY overdue

[Sparrow]

When Corinne Maier was on BBC radio promoting her book 'No Kids', she said she regretted having children and got lambasted by furious listeners.

The general response was that it was something no parent should ever say; even if was true.

A lot of the people phoning in inferred that they agreed with her, but thought it was taboo to say so in public. It was a bit weird, and I ended up wondering how many people really do regret having children.

[yvanleterrible]

Having kids is difficult. You need all the help you can. If someone doesn't want to have any, you can tolerate it. After all it's a team endeavour, I don't recommend single people to attempt it alone. But having someone who's had kids say they shouldn't have is disheartening. I joke about it but I'm not serious when I do. I'm just cynical as in humo(u)r.



Now, back to farming practices.
Most land that was cleared, thereby robbing the planet from part of its lung(trees), is not well utilised. The new high rises with windows reserved for plantlife(no, not your boss) are quite promising. A single 30 story building taking a half acre of land will replace a field of 60 acres production wise. An other benefit is that delivery can be done on foot! I love it when I see a delivery guy walking the sidewalk with his buggy!

[Lady Blue]

Originally Posted by balok

Some people buy a plane (get married), but just spend their time and fuel taxiing on the runway and never take off.

I'm not sure I know what that means.

Some couples get married, choose not to have children for whatever reason, or can't have children (maybe they're not biologically able), and go about their lives in an otherwise mature, loving, productive, prosperous and fulfilling way. Does that mean that the time and energy spent is less worthwhile because they never take off (have kids)? Is that what you mean?

I don't mean to sound difficult, but I'm not sure I understand what your posts about kids is all about. Maybe I'm just not reading you correctly.

It sounds like you believe there can be no other reason for marriage besides having kids . . .

and that if you don't like or want kids, there's something wrong with you . . .

Actually, those subjects (marriage and children) probably deserve a thread of their own rather than monopolizing this one, so I'll say no more.

[yvanleterrible]

The subject started with population control as a manner to save the planet.

[balok]

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

Now, back to farming practices.
Most land that was cleared, thereby robbing the planet from part of its lung(trees), is not well utilised. The new high rises with windows reserved for plantlife(no, not your boss) are quite promising. A single 30 story building taking a half acre of land will replace a field of 60 acres production wise. An other benefit is that delivery can be done on foot! I love it when I see a delivery guy walking the sidewalk with his buggy!

Hey, that's exactly the kind of thing I was referring to when I wrote about planning communities so that you don't need a car to get around. My point was that hybrids/EVs give politicians an excuse to avoid making difficult decisions in urban planning.

[balok]

Originally Posted by Lady Blue

It sounds like you believe there can be no other reason for marriage besides having kids . . .

In my opinion, having a family is the primary reason for marriage (I see the word has two Rs in English, thanks), but not the only one. At the individual level, people are free to marry and not have children, but not recognizing this fact at political level leads to bad policy and undermines the family.

and that if you don't like or want kids, there's something wrong with you . . .

Let's just say there's something peculiar about such a person. Just as there's something peculiar about a person who doesn't like ice cream and Christmas.

Actually, those subjects (marriage and children) probably deserve a thread of their own rather than monopolizing this one, so I'll say no more.

You know, I'm getting a bit tired of being told to stay on topic. This subject was derived from posts that were on topic, and it's difficult to draw the line between what's on and what's off topic. I don't see why it even matters. You know, at the bank when there's nobody in line, some people follow the maze with those felt separators to the "wait here" sign, while others just go straight to the teller box. Sometimes that's ok... no need to stay in line.

[GlennD]

I would qualify that a bit, Balok. Producing and raising children is a major reason for marriage from a social and especially a religious view. It certainly varies on an individual level however, as we can see just from the responses in this thread. And in the United States at least we've attached a lot of legal and financial rights to marriage that have made it a desirable formalization of a relationship regardless of the intent to have children.

I know I get that "oh, you're going to tell me I should have kids" look a lot from childless friends, because my wife and I have made our children a high priority. I never encourage anyone who doesn't want children to have them though - there's enough unwanted kids in the world as it is. Kids (and parents!) need all the advantages they can get, why limit them from the start by bringing them into a home where they're not particularly wanted?

[Lady Blue]

Originally Posted by balok

In my opinion, having a family is the primary reason for marriage (I see the word has two Rs in English, thanks), but not the only one. At the individual level, people are free to marry and not have children, but not recognizing this fact at political level leads to bad policy and undermines the family.

Once again, I don't understand what you mean about the polital level not recognizing the fact that people are free to marry and not have kids, and that fact leading to bad policy and undermining the family.

Let's just say there's something peculiar about such a person. Just as there's something peculiar about a person who doesn't like ice cream and Christmas.

I recognize that statement as a subjective opinion. Just as I might think it's peculiar to not like puppies or kittens.

You know, I'm getting a bit tired of being told to stay on topic. This subject was derived from posts that were on topic, and it's difficult to draw the line between what's on and what's off topic. I don't see why it even matters. You know, at the bank when there's nobody in line, some people follow the maze with those felt separators to the "wait here" sign, while others just go straight to the teller box. Sometimes that's ok... no need to stay in line.

Excuse me, but I wasn't telling you to stay on topic. I was saying that I would no longer (myself) try to monopolize the thread regarding children. I was observing the OP's (Steve Jordan's) remark several posts back, quote: (I've been pulling at the wheel, but I just can't seem to get us off this road...) I took that to mean that he would appreciate, or was hoping, to get back to the original subject of things that are Waay Overdue, rather than having/not having, liking/not liking, children.

I apologize if I misinterpreted the OP's inference.

[kazbates]

Originally Posted by Lady Blue

Excuse me, but I wasn't telling you to stay on topic. I was saying that I would no longer (myself) try to monopolize the thread regarding children. I was observing the OP's (Steve Jordan's) remark several posts back, quote: (I've been pulling at the wheel, but I just can't seem to get us off this road...) I took that to mean that he would appreciate, or was hoping, to get back to the original subject of things that are Waay Overdue, rather than having/not having, liking/not liking, children.

I apologize if I misinterpreted the OP's inference.

You didn't, LadyBlue.

[GlennD]

Steve, sometimes a dead horse just won't stay flogged.

In the spirit of the original topic then....

There MUST be a way, somehow, somewhere, to count votes in an election reliably. Maybe even come up with the same result twice in a row.

[kazbates]

Originally Posted by GlennD

Steve, sometimes a dead horse just won't stay flogged.

In the spirit of the original topic then....

There MUST be a way, somehow, somewhere, to count votes in an election reliably. Maybe even come up with the same result twice in a row.

What?!?! No more "hanging" or "pregnant" chads!

Sorry. I was living in South Florida at the time and just couldn't resist.

I'm also originally from Chicago. I wonder if there's a connection!

[Lady Blue]

Originally Posted by kazbates

What?!?! No more "hanging" or "pregnant" chads!

Sorry. I was living in South Florida at the time and just couldn't resist.

I'm also originally from Chicago. I wonder if there's a connection!

Sounds suspicious. Have you been to Iran lately? Sounds like they're having election questions there too. Something about the winner getting more votes than there are people, or some such nonsense?

[kazbates]

Originally Posted by Lady Blue

Sounds suspicious. Have you been to Iran lately? Sounds like they're having election questions there too. Something about the winner getting more votes than there are people, or some such nonsense?

I told my husband it sounded like the Chicago machine was alive and well and living in Iran! They loved getting all those people residing in cemeteries to do their part for democracy!!

[LazyScot]

Originally Posted by GeoffC

majors lee .... :chortle:

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

I don't wanna by the Fall Guy, either. I wanna be... uh... Jim Rockford!

(Buh-duh-dump-bum! Wee-doo, we-de-doo-doo, wedowedowe-do-do-doo...!)

Dammit Janet! Why does my intercontinental ballistic trebuchet targetting and firing loom keep jamming? And why does the ammunition keep biting back?

That's something that is way overdue. A highly reliable, computer controlled and aimed intercontinental trebuchet.

Originally Posted by yvanleterrible

You would be amazed at the mental changes in a pregnant body. I witnessed miracles in just about every woman I've met.

Sadly, some can suffer very badly from depression. It can go both ways (and the consequences for the child may not be particularly pleasant).

Originally Posted by balok

If you can have sex, you can become a parent. How well you do it, that's a matter of opinion (in both cases).

No. I have a couple of friends who can have sex, but cannot become parents. And, before anyone jumps to the wrong conclusion on the point I'm making here, I'm talking about heterosexual couples.

Originally Posted by Steve Jordan

Well, I'm sure that if we work hard enough at it, it won't happen again...

Strangely, that was more or less exactly what a friend said a few months before they found out they had another child on the way....

Originally Posted by pshrynk

Another thing that is way overdue is getting this thread back on track. So I think that having a medical system in the US that is fair to all parties and allows for basic medical care for all is long past due.

Here, here! Something that is WAAAAY overdue here in the UK is a bit of respect for the truely horrible job over drugs that NICE have been tasked with doing. I can't think of a better definition of a thankless task.

Originally Posted by GlennD

Steve, sometimes a dead horse just won't stay flogged.

Originally Posted by GlennD

In the spirit of the original topic then....

There MUST be a way, somehow, somewhere, to count votes in an election reliably. Maybe even come up with the same result twice in a row.

I hope you mean the same result given the same votes... (Actually, I wonder if for anything other than a purely electronic system -- which makes me somewhat nervous -- exactly the same result is a sign of tampering?)

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by balok

Let's just say there's something peculiar about such a person. Just as there's something peculiar about a person who doesn't like ice cream and Christmas.

No... actually, let's not.

Originally Posted by Lady Blue

I apologize if I misinterpreted the OP's inference.

You didn't. Okay, everybody now, grab that wheel and... yank!

Originally Posted by LazyScot

Dammit Janet! Why does my intercontinental ballistic trebuchet targetting and firing loom keep jamming? And why does the ammunition keep biting back?

(stuffs lock washer into pocket)

Originally Posted by LazyScot

Strangely, that was more or less exactly what a friend said a few months before they found out they had another child on the way....

D'Oh!

Originally Posted by LazyScot

I hope you mean the same result given the same votes...

I hope you mean the right result with the same votes!...