Discussions of the day

Calgary Alberta, Canada is where I call home Calgary is a great place for families to live because it is clean and safe, relative to other big cities. It has the most extensive urban pathway and bikeway network in North America. You will never run out of gorgeous places to explore, for hiking, mountain biking, and fishing in the summer and skiing the list is endless. Calgary gets the most sun of any of Canada's major cities. This year Calgary was ranked the 3rd most...
Chosen
Auckland. Was good but has gradually deteriorated as a result of the many hundreds of thousands of immigrants that have been allowed in over the recent years and yet there was not the infrastructure to handle it. As a result blocked motorways, deteriorating water mains etc, schooling shortage, housing shortage etc etc. So now we all work in the city but escape to our holiday homes near the beach when we are not. All sad but true.
16-Apr-23

When you purchase your clothing, is it important to you to have brand name labels for your own security and others to see? Or will you wear and purchase clothes that don't have designer labels and prices, but are nevertheless, still decent and nice looking and comfortably fitting (and age appropriate)?
Christine M 323842
I wear whatever I bloody well want too. If I like it, it\u2019s a good fit, I can afford it, I think it will last, I\u2019ll get it. Purchasing cheap disposable fashion or clothing is nothing to be proud of.
Age appropriate? Not interested in people\u2019s preconceived ideas of what I should or shouldn\u2019t be wearing.
27-Mar-23

Do people today have a more self-centered attitude than in past generations, putting their own wants and desires before anyone and anything else?
Luna
Everyone has this trait but it just depends to what extent. There is nothing wrong with putting your needs/wants before others because you have to do what it best for you and look after yourself. But don't do it at the expense of others. There needs to be a balance.
29-Mar-23

From inputting your data and signing up for a phone plan to handing over your number to a real estate agent, our personal details are collected, stored and shared on a daily basis. What happens when that data is breached, and our identity is stolen. Is privacy even possible anymore?
WonkyandProud
From what I have heard on several podcasts, nothing is private anymore! It is a scary fact, and what is even more disturbing is the fact that people keep putting themselves in danger. Cell phones are a must when they don't need to be! Why don't people care? We lived without them just fine for centuries!!! Yes, they are convenient, but at what price? We accept any technology that is thrown at us, and we have no idea what the ramifications could be because we have no idea how they work! Those that do are speaking out, but no one is listening. Even when your devices are turned off, you are at threat! Where is this heading? There isn't much that the average person has to hide, so why track us? I think some of it is for merchandising and to monitor where we go and what places we frequent, but what about the government? I seem to have nothing they would be interested in so what do they want from us? That fact is scary! I hate cell phones because they have ruined our society. We can't even visit people without texting others while you are with them. To me, that is rude. If you want to talk and/or text to other people don't do it while you are spending time with me when I don't see you that often! Often times, people don't even hear what I say because they are on social media while they're here! Let's think about how unimportant that makes other people feel! Are those texts that important? I use a cell phone only because I travel alone and no one knows where I am. If I had an emergency, it could save my life. It isn't even turned on unless I need it! With all the crap that's going on, we need to get our heads in the places they need to be. Take care of your community. I love the Amish because they are there for their community and help each other out! They work hard, and we have become too lazy to even get up and turn the TV channel! Pathetic, aren't we? How are we going to handle what might be coming in this country? I wish I could say this on a public forum where it would be heard and make a difference. I know people are going to do what they are doing until they have no other choice and aren't prepared.
31-Mar-23

Is it okay to put a kid in time out? I have read it all the good and the bad effects of putting a child in time out. Putting all that aside, how much damage is really being done to a child s self-worth when one is being sent to time out? Please let me know your opinion on when and is it appropriate to send a child to time out?!
Andrew C 287196
Wait. The Politically Correct numbnuts deemed smacking was "bad" and now time out is deemed "bad" as well?? No wonder we've got 10 year olds with hammers robbing liquor stores and 14 year olds doing ram raids late at night ... there's absolutely zero penalty for doing something bad. :-\ There's absolutely nothing wrong with a sensible smack on the backside (and no, that's not the same as beating the kid with a weapon).
18-Mar-23

When I was younger I thought when I get older that is a good time and I'll get freedom to do whatever I want. But now I got freedom but I want my family to guide and motivate me to be on track. Now I know family members importance. Is anyone feels the same? I think when we have somebody by our side we don't know their importance and as soon as we lose them we desperately want them.
Lorraine F
I have learnt many of life’s lessons with guidance from those close to me but also through stepping out on my own to learn the hard way
05-Jan-22

Every time I check the balance of my retirement savings and kiwi-saver, they are heading south. I am over retirement age but still working, so find the current situation very distressing. Don't own a home and honestly wonder if I will ever be able to afford to retire. Considering closing my kiwi-saver and other retirement schemes and putting the money into a bank deposit account where it at least eRn something What are other people's thoughts?
Glenystas
After reading some of the comments below, makes me realise How lucky I am. We own our home, I have a Dept of Vet Affairs pension, Hubby is currently on jobseeker kind of payment but is experiencing ill health (nothing major). We don't drink or smoke, we enjoy a few hobbies: I love crafts like knitting (make some presents or sell items) we both like reading (library) He is into golf (Budget allows a regular game) He likes jigsaws... had so many and they didn't sell on marketplace so we have started up a jigsaw exchange at a local hall. I guess that retirement comes down to if you are self funded or if you can manage on pension, have a good budget and stick to it.
29-Oct-22

More jobs seem to be available to work from home. Is this a good thing or does working from home cut people off from everyday people to interact, and it's going to be a negative change. Is working from home better for mental health, or do we need to interact with people in person to stay mentally healthy?
JP
I have worked from home for over 5 years, At the beginning it was hard but once I got into a routine I found that from a productivity perspective I was much more productive. I was able to manage my increasing workloads and I have had no mental health issues as I still get to interact with colleagues via TEAMS and ZOOM. I appreciate that working from home is not for everyone but I think that COVID has brought home the possibility for employers and employees to work together to make sure that both benefit from the arrangements.
18-Oct-22

The weather seems to be getting much colder in Winter and hotter in Summer - Is this Climate Change or just that we feel it more in our bones etcetera as we get older?
Christina C 466456
Our bodies change a lot over the years so no doubt we will feel a lot different at varying ages. Our ability to repair, hormone differences, body composition and even the weather contributes to how we feel. So there's a lot of factors.
As for arthritis it is an 'inflammation' disease and we know that there are a lot of lifestyle changes we can make to improve and sometimes eliminate the issue. Firstly changing diet can have a dramatic effect for some people. Did you know that turmeric has such powerful antiinflammatory chemicals in it that it matches nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drugs? There are a number of other foods that reduce inflammation as well like foods rich in carotenoids/beta carotene or vitamin A - a powerful antioxidant. Vitamin E is also good not only for it's antiinflammatory properties but also due to its role in collagen production which we all know is important for joints. Good sources of vitamin A are sweet potatoes, carrots and leafy greens - basically all the bright, vibrant fruit and veggies. For vitamin E there nuts like almond but also cold pressed extra virgin olive oil is one of the best sources of vitamin E you can get. Also vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and also crucial for collagen production. Another good food for joints is gelatin which is basically denatured collagen - have about 20 grams of gelatin powder (the regular/plain/unflavoured gelatine powder that you use to make cheesecake/jello etc that you find in the baking section at the supermarket) a day which should give adequate levels of glycine for good levels of collagen production. I prefer food source of gelatin over supplements industry products as the food industry has much more stricter quality control than the supplements industry which is not as heavily scrutinised, which is one reason why most registered dietitians recommend getting your vitamins/minerals from your diet over supplements.
Another important factor is body composition, particularly the type of fat that is in your body - white fat (stored fat) is highly inflammatory while brown fat (fuel) is antiinflammatory. So losing excess fat should be top priority for joint pain management. We can either exercise, diet or get cold/start shivering more (up to 13°C seems to be the magic number where your body starts using white fat as fuel to try and keep warm) to convert white fat to brown/metabolically active fat. So the cold is actually good for you in this case!
Another method to manage inflammation is intermittent fasting as fully fasting (zero calories) contributes to repair and antiinflammatory processes within the body.
Finally moving more/cardio and building muscle helps to support your joints by strengthening muscles and bones so that they can handle some of the load.
Hope this helps :)
21-Aug-22

My daughter was a victim of getting bullied at school. There were always a view girls that would walk past her d either say something wicked or just bumped into her, so she would lose her balance and either fall or landed against the wall way wall. She wanted to change school's, but couldn't. We went to the school and talked to them, but nothing changed. The last option was to go see the principal of Hastings Girls High school, but she said she will sort it...
Nanone
The same thing happened to my granddaughter and the school was useless. They even tried to pick on her younger brother and she intervened but she was the one in trouble. Schools don't do the right thing for their pupils and it just seems to be a few that are bullies and they get away with it. If more is done in school we could stop this instead they just sweep it under the carpet and hope the parents go away.
23-Jul-22

Have you stopped hugging people, or stopped kissing people when greeting them? We have stopped shaking hands and probably won't ever again, but I stopped wearing lipstick because of wearing a mask. I thought there was little point, but I keep forgetting to put it on when I go out now. I get dressed, then once I'm out I remember I haven't put my lippi on. Am I the only one?
Jania S
What pandemic??? We never gave up anything for a lie and everything is a lie until it is proven. For us we refused to be cowed by a lie... Also fortunate that we saw the world before it fell down the rabbit hole and became stupid on steroids, So as we always had a simple life we continued.... as before.
18-Jul-22

Do you think education be free? Well I think yes, it is because that it will encourage kids to do more education related things (like maths and English). Also, parents don't have to spend money in order for their child to learn. Education is important for kids. What do you think?
Grommie
isn't just corny how people think things are free !!!!! The government pays, which means it's you and I who pay. There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.
If you think education is expensive, try ignorance... but that's another whole subject
14-Jul-22

Psychedelic drugs have a long history in medicine and popular culture, and they re now being researched as possible treatments for mental illnesses and other debilitating conditions. But are psychedelics ready to go from underground to mainstream medicine? And what lessons can we learn from the strict regulation of medicinal cannabis?
Sand
Returned US soldiers with PTSD use such drugs whilst in session with a psychologist. Results are good. Why would big pharma offer anything better than nature? As for medicinal cannabis who can afford it? To all the judgemental straightjacks out there: The war on drugs started with racism. It was to harass Billie Holiday because she wouldn't stop singing 'Strange Fruit'. It has nothing to do with craziness or addiction. Ancient humans took psychedelics it is in our genes. Do I do psychedelics? No. But if anyone wants to it is not for me to judge.
03-Jun-22

Are we in denial about alcohol? Why do you drink and how much in your opinion is too much? Are the guidelines for no more than two standard drinks per day realistic?
Jellypony
Depends on if it is hard liquor or not. We have 2 beers and some times 2 wines and occasionally we drink every day but only for a little while and then we stop and go back to our 3 nights off a week. Some would think that was excessive. We enjoy our drinkies and nibbles. I don't care what other people think, we do as we please in our own home and we are no threat to any one. We are careful and we manage our own health and I don't think it is doing us any damage (yet)? We are here enjoying life and we are happy. I don't judge others so why should they judge us.
13-May-22

'Guns don't kill people, people kill people', is what I have been hearing since almost forever. I live in America, where it is a Constitutional Right to own a gun. Yet, with the rise in ownership of assault weaponry and the rise of mass killings, some want to know if this is a good thing. While others blame it on evil people, who possibly would have killed anyway, gun or not. Your opinions on this is sought. Thank you.
Gaza
We have a lot less murders per population than the US here in OZ with the strict gun laws, doesn't that tell you something.
04-Oct-21

Every now and then... it's mentioned on the News...of people scamming innocent people out of their hard-earned savings. With so many people accessing the internet daily, and phone's being used by everyone, what is really being done to prosecute those guilty of fleecing innocent people out of their money? You can complain to police but many don't seem to want to know, too hard, too busy, or they don't have enough people to investigate every fraud case they receive. Should...
Judy CH
We were scammed out of $53,500, It was a scam that hardly anyone knew about, we were building a new house through GJ Gardners Manawatu, we had sold our house brought the land and they started building, we had to pay progress payments and the first invoice arrived for the slab down, we knew it had been laid about 10 days before so were expecting the bill, when it did arrive my husband was really sick with pneumonia and a blood clot in his leg, we were backwards and forwards to the Hospital and Dr, lab for tests etc then another email arrived and said when do you expect to pay this so we thought maybe we had missed another email or the accountant had been late sending it so went to the bank to pay it, they told me to go home and do it online, normally we would have gone to Palmerston North and payed by cheque and got a reciept but it wasn't an option as it was a long drive with my husbands condition. About 10 days later we found it was a scam, GJ's denied it was them who were hacked, though we learnt later it was and it had happened to them about 3 Months before but they didn't bother to let their Customers know, the money went into the mules account which had always been in overdraft, the ASB bank never questioned the payment even though it wasn't made out to her, they then let her transfer the money to two bank accounts in Australia. They would not help us at all. If it had been their money they would of had it back in a flash, The police in the City where the mule lived interviewed her and said or she hasn't got any money so we won't prosecute!. We asked the Minister of Police for help he didn't want to know. The Police Woman Detective in the town where we were renting really pushed for the woman to be charged which she was after about 2 years. She has to pay money back a little bit a week but if she stops paying I don't think we can do anything. Every payment I make now I check that the bank account belongs to the company I am paying. A little while ago the Government was caught out by the same sort of scam. Most people I have spoken to about it were not aware of that sort of scam and said they would have been caught out. The Banks don't care because they are too busy ranking in money.
26-Mar-22

My husband just passed and while the service was beautiful the cost was very high even though it was a basic funeral. What do others think it is worth pre-paying
Grommie
Our family have a particular stance about funerals. Funerals are for the living, not the dead. People attend funerals because they see it as "the thing to do". We come into the world and just about no one knows, so why not leave the same way? Who benefits from funerals?
Many people who attend funerals are hearse chasers after a free lunch.
I know of a funeral director whose wife runs a flower shop and they have a daughter who is a caterer. Talk about tie up the whole swindle.
If you prepay, the money just sits there, earning nothing. If the funeral director decides to sell the business, often you'll find the new operator pays you back your money because it has moved away from being enough to cover the cost. Or worse, they say nothing and send your family an additional bill.
09-Mar-22

Interested to know how both retirees and employed fill any spare time you have or your day if retired. If you have children/grandchildren do you spend a lot of time with them? I simply relax for most of my time - more so because of covid.
Rob
Gardening, housework, home maintenance. I am a retired widow and there is so much that has to be done when you are on your own.
27-Jan-22

How old is to old to sleep with childhood toys. In the internet say 34% adults sleep with they childhood toys and 44% keep they childhood toys living. Is wrong to keep the toy or sleep with its. Or is something feel saved to be close to the remember with love.
Frank N
You're never too old for most things (like perhaps you can be too old to suck a dummy). I'm 73 and I'm definitely not too old to work! I enjoy it
21-Feb-21

Since we are nearing the Halloween season, it would be interesting to know which ghosts or ghouls people are afraid of or what spooky experiences they have encountered with ghosts.
'smee,SWQ!
After I lost my Daughter she kept coming to me wanting me to join her...it nearly killed me but in the end I was advised to firmly advise her I was not ready yet and I never saw her again (although I sort of wish I did!)
21-Oct-21

Due to Social expansion and invasion in our kids lives, thanks to Tik Tok, Reddit, and Amino Chat: do you believe these forums are bad influences, teaching atrocious behavior and that lacking all respect for authorities much less themselves that they will not let go of their disrespectful behavior they've grown accustomed to? How do you think we can fix this problem as parents now?
Christina C 466456
It's the people around kids that influence kids the most. Not necessarily technology. Their friends, siblings, parents, school, community and online community which they have exposure to, influencing their thoughts. We're social creatures after all. It's up to parents to teach their children right from wrong or what is disrespectful and steer them in the right direction. Taking the time to educate your children will help them to make informed decisions so they can decipher what is rubbish and what is meaningful/important/useful information.
Investing more time in children pays dividends which is probably why 'back in the old days' kids had a more respectful culture - there were more stay at home mums. Distant parents = distant kids.
If you're worried about screen time, find out what they're passionate about and find a corresponding hobby so they can develop useful skills in the process (if they like gaming teach them about game development/3D modelling or if they like fashion teach them about marketing/sales, design school or architecture or chemistry in beauty products or how to make beauty products etc), or get some exercise (if it's martial arts, dancing or skateboarding etc). Take the time and find a useful way in which they can occupy their thoughts, challenge themselves and develop some useful life skills in the process.
02-Oct-21

At the moment we are all mostly at home. I try to walk each day. I have certain programs I like and most of the time on my computer. I might bake a cake another day I might vacuum. I frequently talk to family over skype. Talking with someone helps lift my mood. I try to talk to people while out it tends to help both of us even though brief. Usually dogs help. My dog is having the best time since I am mainly home. It is amazing how the boy makes me smile. The worst is for the...
Smiley
Quite a few years ago now, i noticed a neighbour's papers were still on the front lawn. He was an avid better, ex-jockey who loved to follow the horses and have a flutter. He never missed collecting his paper.
We notified the police who found him dead in his chair with the TV still on.
We hope he had a bet on a long shot and had won a large amount. We hoped he'd had a heart attack and died without pain due to the shock of winning. (We don't actually know how he died though.)
As for the current world situation.I have barely left the house for months now. There are too many self centered, selfish people living around here so going for walks in the neighbourhood or park does not leave me feeling safe due to other's behaviour.
I do not have skype nor zoom. I chat to friends most days by text/sms or online messenger services.
I have not had pets for over 20 years now and find that in itself very lonely.
I think it is important to stay in contact with neighbours, especially those who may not have access to family/friends or those who tend to not be very social.Even a little note in the letter box or a little posy of flowers from your garden left on their doorstep could brighten their day and make them feel not so lonely.
18-Sep-21

Do you think good-looking is a must when people find a boyfriend/girlfriend on dating apps? Or it would be more with how people communicate on these apps? And how many percentage do you think people are serious from dating apps?
Lachelle B
Total joke. Ever seen The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Who wants to marry a Millionaire, etc? EVERYONE is good looking. It's not based on love or the possibility of love. At least show some diversity, a big person, a blind person, a paraplegic, real people would be good. Good looks fade eventually so you shouldn't be thinking so shallow and be with that person for who they are.
20-Jul-21

How young is to young for a child to play 15+ or a 18+ game? I know of few parents that let their 5-7 year olds play these violent games, my son is 11 and a half and I've only just let him start playing the 15+ games but not the 18+.
Disie
That's just wrong. I'm no prude by any means, but these go too far. They're just too realistic with no consequences. It's a bad lesson and one taught by lazy parents
22-Apr-21

People who know they re infected but still choose to carry on as normal infecting others Should these people be punished as law breakers your opinion please
Glen O 298805
Why stop at corona virus. The flu kills people too, more young people than corona as well. We should fine and jail anyone with the flu as well. How about some one who knowingly keeps bees they are known to kill some people if stung lets throw them in jail too. Ohh wow just imagine how much we could fine the CCP for knowingly letting it out. Not quite sure how we would jail the CCP though
18-Jan-21

Governments are suspected of keeping important information under lock and key , sometimes for many years. It is not just a conspiracy theory either. Are you concerned about what secrets your National government might be holding? SECURITY, UFO'S, SPYING, etc! What do you think?
BLM
A very good question! NOTHING is too sensitive (or dangerous) that it needs to be kept a secret (mishandling of the pandemic by former president Trump - his administration believe that pandemic was a hoax created by a too liberal press). However, it is a great way for ANY government to avoid disclosing their corruption (or incompetence) issues (military cost overruns for new weapons or weapon system). It is better for the public too know the facts (Biden won the election - USA) - instead of coming up with conspiracy theories (Biden did not won the election - USA) which people (in any country) - begin to believe (with horrendous results) - USA: 01/06/2021 - storming of the Capital building in Washington, D. C. The TRUTH (facts) should always see DAYLIGHT -without being twisted by any government!
08-Feb-21

You know in amongst your family or friends there is always a moment or a story that gets spoken about all the time. To you, you might feel very embarrassed and mixed emotions. For me when I was young there was a time, my mum, sister and I were on a bus heading to town. A fly was annoying us and was dopey. It landed on my lip, I blew to blow it off but didn't realise when I did it, I accidentally exhaled and ate the fly. My mum and sister saw, laughed and me. I was...
Flamingo
Many years ago while eating at a posh restaurant my dress snapped at the shoulders and I was sitting there topless
08-Jan-21

Where are you going to travel to once the world opens up to tourism again? I'm definitely on my way to Africa as soon as I can.
Carolyn 395035
You do realise that COVID is on the rise again, and because of this no-one will be going anywhere for a while. There are also people who believe it is all a farce and so therefore not wearing masks and demonstrating in public without masks. These people are crazy. Honestly who cares about human rights when a mask could save lives.
04-Jan-21

The family you create is more important than the family you come from. How would you finish this sentence? By age 35, you should be smart enough to realize this ...
Angry Beaver
Not every comment requires a response, and not every critic deserves your energy. Protecting your Peace is far better than wasting your time on idiots.
22-Sep-26

Have you ever served on a jury before? I have not, but I know people who have. Some of them even got paid to serve because the trial went longer than expected. Would you like to be on a jury?
APB
In Australia you can refuse if you can think of a good reason...they are supposed to choose people at random....they tried to get me three times....I think after that they gave up....I said it was against my principles and I refused to let my opinion put a total stranger into jail...
06-Jun-26

When the car park is full the only parking space is available, do you park their or do go somewhere else?
Sandra C 12043
The mind boggles at such a question. The sign is self explanatory, no need to think. Just move along until you find somewhere to park.
27-Jun-26

Do you find it hard to forgive someone that did you wrong? Is it easy for you to apologize when you did wrong to someone else? I find it very hard to forgive someone and I'm a big enough person to apologize to someone if I did wrong.
Phyllis 1708060
I have no problem apologizing if I have done something wrong or said something to someone I shouldn't have. But forgiving and forgetting? That's hard because at that point trust is gone. There are some who will rip a strip off of you one day and then the next day say Hi and think that everything will go back to the way it was, everything forgotten. It doesn't work that way for me. I can't forgive what I don't understand. Without an explanation it won't go back to the way it was. I can go back to being civil. To anyone on the outside looking in it will seem friendly enough. Anything to keep the peace right? But on the inside it still hurts and will never be forgotten, making me as White Hair said below, very cautious going forward.
24-May-26

I m so torn on embracing it or getting it dyed. How have you coped with greying? What dye is best to cover it up without having to dye it all the time, or how have you embraced it and made it work for you?
Cindy
I have learnt to embrace my blonde hair slowly turning white. I am nearly 60. I use a toner shampoo to make it really white.I have friends who get foils the same color as their hair roots now, to help with the transition. Hair dyes are so toxic. Better to embrace your naturalness if you can
24-Feb-26

I have put my name down to trial a stage III double-blind study of a new drug. It means that it has been tested twice previously on humans. It is for people who have artery disease. Would you be willing to test a new drug? I guess if somebody had a disease such as cancer you would be clutching at straws and try anything that gave a glimmer of hope. The side effect is weight loss, which I could do with a bit of. So I guess I would soon figure out if I were on the...
Pearlz
I hope they are going to pay you. It isn't something I would do because I was once given a brand new drug that had been tested but had \ud83d\ude1ca bad effect on me and I suffer to this day. I have had bad effects from new drugs twice and both times I was accused of not following the instructions and ignored by the drug companies. However, when people started dropping dead from the drug I had stopped taking it was removed from the market. I guess I was lucky that I didn't get something worse than a blood condition from it. When the other company put a Covid vaccine on the market I was very wary because I know from personal experience they don't tell the truth about adverse reactions, but when I was locked out of everywhere because I was unvaccinated I gave in and accepted it. Thankfully I had no adverse reaction. Hope it all goes well for you.
16-Feb-26

For me, yes. Parents should be concerned about sports betting because it is highly accessible to youth, addictive, and increasingly normalized, often leading to financial, mental health, and legal issues. One in five adults with serious gambling problems started before age 18, highlighting the long-term risk of early exposure. What would you say? Should parents worry about sport betting?
Liane H
Not just parents ..everybody should be concerned . It doesn't get anywhere near the recognition it justly deserves. You don't see ads for crack cocaine every hour on the T.V now do you ?
The flimsy measures they throw in after the ad are even more insulting to imply Gambling responsibility lies with the punter. All these products are simply set up to be addictive and harmful and not a thing is being done about it .
Watch your children closely, it's very dangerous game . If they are doing it alone as opposed to socially once in a while then ..even more reason to be concerned. Not just a money issue either, it eventually takes up that person's entire headspace exactly like drugs and or alcohol do and it does not discriminate (age or gender or intelligence !).
11-Feb-26

What were your favourite subjects at school? My favourites throughout high school were English, Drama & History. In early high school Commerce was fun, in later high school Economics was tolerated only. My hated ones were Religion & PE/ sport. Both, of which were a complete waste of time to me, though I didn't mind cheering on friends who were into sports. How about you?
BLM
I don't have favorite subjects, favorite teachers, or fond memories (of school) when I was in school - elementary (K thru 6), junior high school (7 thru 8), or senior (night) high school (9 thru 12). I was 'FORCED' to attend segregated schools and learned to SURVIVE (despite) getting an 'unbelievable lousy public education' (only in the USA aka MAGA (lol))!
24-Jan-26

We would be playing games outdoors, doing arts and craft projects, filling the house with the aroma of baked goods, etc. What about you? How do you spend Sunday with family?
Bugalugs
Today? Nothing. My parenst and all my siblings are dead, my other relatuives, neices, nephews etc. all live 100s of kilometers away and we only catch up once or twice a year. But don't get me wrong I am not complaining, do not feel lonely or hard done by. I keep busy and so y week-ends are a time to relax, go to the beach - doesn't matter what the weather is like, like the smell of the sea (usually great), the sound of the waves and the Seagulls calling. I don't believe in any religion or after life so these quiet times on the beach are my version of heaven!
03-Jan-26

When you buy something from a supermarket under the label 2 for the price of one ... say the normal price is $10 before they put it on special. So you get 2 expected to pay $10, and you come to the counter and the charge you $10.40 is that fair, or you are being ripped off? What do you think
misfortune8
In Australia, if an item scans at a different price to the shelf, take it to the service counter & show the receipt & you get the wrongly scanned item FREE! If you buy multiples of that item, only the first is free, but they will refund the extra amount you paid for the other products. I've got a better-than-average memory & actively look out for specials, so I get items free from time to time.
07-Dec-25

I recently took my car into the dealership's service garage for limited work, i.e. replace summer tires with winter tires and an oil change. I was told in advance it would cost $450, but the garage performs an inspection before it commences work on the car. After the inspection, the garage said that a number of other work items needed to be performed and the estimate inflated up to $1700. This was not the first time that such inspections inflated the cost and work to...
BLM
I do not own a car. I do not drive (vision difficulties). Not my issue (I do not know or care whether it is a fix up or a rip off). However, my suggestion is to switch over to using public transportation (no more inspection fees). I use public transportation!
14-Nov-25

More and more businesses are asking for payment upfront before the job or service has been performed. What happened to the practice of completing a job or service, then sending an invoice for work well completed to everyone's satisfaction? What if something goes wrong? They already have their money in hand. It makes it more difficult to complain about a shoddy job afterwards. What is your experience in this regard? ...
ALE
Part of is the cost of materials so when you are paying up front, the contractor or service can buy the materials needed to start or complete the job.
03-Nov-25

Please share anything fun things to do with technology (that is not something that is a usual thing to do with it). I think it is fun to give online translators things translate from English to another language and then have that result translated into another language and so forth (like internet Chinese Whispers) until you get to a point where you can't be bothered any more, and then you ask it to translate the final result back into English and see what it ends up saying. ...
Norman M
I kept on forgetting my password, so I changed it to \u201cinvalid\u201d. Now if I forget my password, and type the wrong one in, my computer tells me: \u201cyour password is invalid\u201d, and then I remember!!!!
02-Oct-25

I was at the dentist today, and we were talking about how teeth don't get better with age. This started off a discussion about what does get better with age. Of course, wine was mentioned. He said his cooking was getting better, and his assistant said she was less anxious about what other people thought of her. I thought I was better at considering other people's points of view than when I was young. What do you think gets better with age?
writerrochelle
Knowledge and Wisdom get better with age from our experiences. Unfortunately, by the time we are smarter and wiser, we're usually too old for it to matter much anymore! ;-D
24-Aug-25

Is it ok for the public to go into shops and abuse the staff who are only doing their everyday job, especially when it comes to checking bags? My belief is that if you have nothing to hide, then what is the problem with having your bags checked? Swearing and calling the staff names is not necessary. If the staff are not helpful or are rude, then they should be reported to a supervisor or manager.
Len G
In my opinion store employees have a very tough job. Dealing with the pubic is definitely a thankless job and i cannot believe how some people abuse store employees On the other hand store employees should never be exceptionally disrespectful to a customer. The old adage is without the customer they would have no employment. I definitely \ud83e\udd14 this society needs to take a big chill \ud83d\udc8a
23-Aug-25

Imagine humans successfully settle on a new planet. To ensure a fresh start, the community decides to create one founding rule that everyone must follow. What do you think that rule should be and why? Should it focus on equality, environmental care, peace, or something else entirely? Let s get creative your rule could shape the future of an entire civilisation!
Lachelle B
Supposedly the most intelligent species (self labelled) yet cause the most destruction. We have no right to do that elsewhere.
12-Aug-25

What s the one food everyone seems to love but you secretly (or loudly) can t stand and why does it feel like admitting a felony every time you say it out loud?
blunder boy
my missus loves tripe to me it tastes like 3-day old chewing gum she has cooked it many different ways and i have found many different ways to avoid it
10-Aug-25

The idea of giving someone an awesome gift is always forefront of our minds when a new baby is on the way, but how much should you really spend?
Sheree T
It would depend on how much you can afford. I like the idea of a gift basket with a variety of items.
29-Jun-25

Regardless of how well you think you remember things, all of our brains are full of memories of events that never happened so-called false memories. And that, according to science, isn't necessarily something to worry about. What would you say? Do we remember things the way they really happened, or the mind can play tricks on us?
Cute
I guess we all see things differently and what one sees the other doesn't. My mum used to exaggerate when she was telling stories about her childhood and her sisters would say that's not the way I remember it.
16-Jun-25

We've all heard about the school lunch saga happening around the country, with some questioning the quality of the meals. Since kids can be picky eaters, it raises the question - what makes a great school lunch? Let's not debate why times are tough and these kids need school lunches, let's brainstorm! Share your favourite lunches from your school days or the go-to meals your kids love! Perhaps we can come up with a menu of crowd-pleasing school lunches...
writerrochelle
I graduated in 1965! In my senior year dad gave me a $5 a week allowance. Lunches were 50 cents, so I spent $2.50 a week on food. My favorite lunches were the roast beef and gravy over mashed potatoes, or the oriental vegetables over rice! The other $2.50 went for shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, soap (toiletries) because, since I had my own motel room (adjoining the manager's home/office), I had to buy my own things with my allowance. I even saved up and bought 3 paisley sack dresses (blue, green, brown) for $2 each! Did I ever get off the main subject! ;-D
02-May-25

Being the polar opposite of my siblings in every way shape and form and never having the dad/daughter connection, I always wondered if me daddy were indeed me daddy. It ate away at me for years. I asked my mother many times. I got to a point in my life where I needed to know I did Ancestry D.N.A .BOOM! my gut instincts were spot on Finally got my truth At 70, I found another brother I don t regret any of it, but boy, what an emotional roller coaster.
lippy loo
My sister had a different blood group to us (3 sisters) but she never wanted to find out. To her Dad was Dad and that was it.
I had a neighbour who was adopted and had the best parents but she was curious and put her name on the internet system to find parents/children and it turned out her mother wanted to contact her. She and I had a long discussion and she decided to go for it and found out her mother was 15 when she fell pregnant. She was 40 when she found her and they have connected beautifully.
Some are success stories though others not so much.
Would I do it. I cannot say unless I was put in that position.
It takes bravery to do and I think the outcome for you was positive. Good luck to you all.
11-Apr-25

We have a section in our local show for collections. I always said I don't have anything. Then started going through things and realized I have at least 3. My Mother died last year, and somehow I now have around 15 vases that were hers, I also have some of my mothers-in-law and some of my Grandmothers. Ok, that counts as a collection. I also have a collection of beer mugs, everything from glasses with brands on them to big steins and many pewter ones. Some...
BLM
Really had to think about this discussion, and to my HORROR - I realizes I am a collector. I collect MUSIC and AGE (couldn't live without both of THEM) - ROFL!
06-Mar-25

Australia has just stopped building a massive Green Hydrogen plant without any explanation ... we now have windmills, massive batteries and solar panel farms on one side ... or coal gas and nuclear power on the other. What happened to using green hydrogen to power everything? And massive wave farms that require little maintenance and provide power all day and night every day? They already exist ... what happened to gravity storage of power, rather than expensive...
Pearlz
Two companies have walked away from their wind farms claiming they are too expensive to operate. One was the very first wind farm. Twiggy Forrest walked away from Green Hydrogen, after he was given a huge Government grant, because he claimed it is too expensive to produce and a second company has also walked away making the same claim. Intermittent power is expensive despite the claims of Minister Bowen.
08-Mar-25

Should there be stricter building regulations in fire-prone areas, including the use of materials like metal roofs and stucco walls, and a reduction in the amount of wood used? Additionally, should every house in these areas be required to have a water reserve for fire emergencies? Finally, should escape plans and properly maintained vehicles be mandatory?
LRK
I think with the fires in California that could have been avoided if the state would have done their job and do brush clearing year round or controlled burns, the fires could have been smaller and easier contained. I think we should rebuild but look at material being used.
25-Jan-25

Are you taking vitamins for health reasons? Some experts say that vitamins are useless. We should be able to source essential vitamins from our daily food. Now, however, there are warnings about Vitamin B6 causing peripheral neuropathy in large doses. Should we continue with our regimes or look more closely to check whether we are doing more harm than good? What do you think?
K.D
I have cancer. Vitamin d was recommended and folic acid for my hair. It is thin but I have not lost it yet.
15-Jan-25

Our perception changes as we grow older. What's something you realized about a family member once you got older?
Teri
My second daughter wanted to (very cruelly) cut ties with me around 15 years ago. It really hurt me and I tried for years to fix things but then over time realized how abusive and manipulative she really is and has been for most of her life. I was finally able to let go and it feels really good to acknowledge that now I have 3 kids and not 4.
12-Nov-24

We often hear about the negative aspects of the internet and online activity, and they are all valid. But for me, the positives outweigh those negatives. I am 64 and have been "online" for at least 30 years now. These are a few of the positives for me: Connection with family and friends, especially when the connections cannot be in person. Educational - the internet has opened up huge opportunities for learning, through online study, easy access to information,...
BLM
The internet allows us to shop online for things we need. The internet allows telecommuting options for employers. The internet provides us with plenty of entertainment options. The internet provides us with online job opportunities. Last, everything you mentioned in your scenario. Question: Since you mentioned you have been online for at least thirty years - Did you start off - using dial-up internet or high-speed internet. I can still remember using dial-up internet in the earlier 1990s :-)).
14-Nov-24

They're everywhere now. On the roads and footpaths as well. Riders un-helmeted, passengers too and at the speeds the youngsters are riding them it is only a matter of time before there is a fatality of either the rider, the passenger or a pedestrian. Should they be registered and/or the riders licensed?
Grommie
Not the tyres that are the issue, it's the power rating of the electric motor.
I wouldn't be surprised if some of them actually rate as a motor bike that needs to have a rider with a motor bike licence.
Fatalities are an inevitable consequence. You cannot legislate stupidity out of our lives.
07-Nov-24

I made my first Christmas Cake for this year yesterday and realized that I have been making this cake for 60 years. I have made it so often. It has been a birthday cake, a wedding cake and of course every year I make a lot of them to give as gifts for Christmas. What's the recipe you have been making the longest? Then there is my Nana's Christmas pudding recipe. I took over making that for the family 30 years ago. I still have to make 3 each year. I don't know how...
Angie
I made a wicked as beef mince and mushroom Lasagne.. layered up between homemade tomato sauce made with loads of garlicand melted cheese between pasta sheets & home grown tomato paste \ud83c\udf45ditched meat recently, and so then started making a mean as vegan lasagne \ud83d\udc4d\ud83c\udffc and also my fav... Lentil soup
27-Oct-24

For me, decent housing improves health, education, and work. It provides a sense of safety and belonging. Without a decent home, it is difficult to contribute to society. Because housing is so vital to our "mana" and wellbeing, it is a human right. How is it where you live, and what are your thoughts?
merricat
Where is it written that we have the "right" to expect a home, or shelter? From our earliest ancestors, they had to hunt and gather what they needed to survive. They hunted animals for food, and they used the skin and bones to build shelters and make clothing, using crude tools made from other parts from the animals they hunted. Eventually, they made better tools, allowing to build better homes using more natural elements, rocks, wood, mud, eventually metal. They had to work for everything that needed. There were no free handouts. Why should any able humans expect anyone to give them anything that they didn't work for?
25-Sep-24

Animals are euthanized every day because people don t want to adopt them instead they keep breeding over populating the world, then more than half the litters end up over populating the shelters creating an even bigger list for euthanasia. Can t it to be a law?
Christine M 323842
Yes, the people who run puppy farms should be euthanised. The people who purchase them and don\u2019t get them desexed should be euthanised. The people who dump them because they are too much work should also be euthanised.
18-Sep-24

What do you think if you're travelling down the road and several people blinks their light to notify you of the police is ahead? Do you think it is out of generosity or the people is saving you some money from the city or state from charging you a fine?
Andrew C 287196
Such signalling means the idiot drivers slow down for a short stretch and then simply speed up again after passing the police camera. The best option is to signal a "camera" even when there isn't one, then the idiot driver slows down for longer. Even better, let the idiot drivers get caught, fined, and even potentially have their license removed. *THEN* the roads will be much safer for the rest of us who actually obey the road rules and speed *limits*.
It's very very simple: If you can't obey the road rules, then get off the road!
15-Sep-24

I have recently been invited to a Hens' Party. No worries. I love the tradition. However, this time I was asked to pay $125 for the privilege of going to an event at a swanky hotel. I ended up paying, because I simply did not want to miss the occasion. What would you have done? Do you think this is too expensive for such an event?
just me- NZ
I personally think that was a bit rude asking you to pay that to attend, mind you I am in my 50s, so things have probably changed since my day of hens doos.
07-Sep-24

Do you make your own compost? If not, why not. Save the planet and your local rubbish dump
just me- NZ
Our rabbit eats our vege waste, and a friend of the family takes our rabbits waste to put on his garden.
21-Jul-24

I have been paying for Private medical insurance for years. Every year, the rates go up with less cover than when I joined. Now, when I need an eye condition covered, they will not pay. I discovered that many eye conditions are now no longer covered. What is happening? As soon as payouts for common ailments become too expensive, the funds drop this cover. I am angry. I feel that I have wasted my money. What do you think? Has your fund surprised you in any way-good or...
Elizabeth J 447888
If i had the foresight to have put the money aside that I have paid in fees over the years, I could have paid for all my medical expenses and had plenty left over.
28-Aug-24

We will be going on our first cruise soon. Do any of you have a few tips about do's and don't's. What should we avoid or not miss out on? Is it good to do most activity bookings prior to the cruise, like excursions on the islands or spa treatments? Are there things to pack that they do not mention on the booking site, for example facial tissues? I would love to get some advice.
Dude49
I have been on several. You can find excursions off of the ship cheaper than the excursions through the ship, but remember if you are on a ship based excursion, they will wait for you! Excursions you purchase from someone on land, they won\u2019t wait for you, no matter the reason! Secondly, don\u2019t buy the drink packages unless you expect to drink A LOT! I think it works out to you need to drink 15 drinks a day to pay the same amount! Yes, drinks on board will range from $11-$16 each, so take advantage of things like free juice at breakfast, along with free iced tea and coffee and hot chocolate. Steak House visits are over priced, and expensive, so leave them be, unless that is what you are going for! Main dining room food is excellent, and are covered with your cruise. They have changed sone rules there, so check when you board! Yes, you can sometimes get extra food there for free in limited amounts, like if you want an extra appetizer or dessert. But people ruined it over the years by requesting 2-3 main entrees! Like lobster and such. I ate there many times, excellent food! But smaller portions! You can go online to places like YouTube and look for videos of what each cruise line and ship offer for meals, posted by people who shared their cruise info! I highly recommend doing some early viewing! Myself, I ate many meals at the buffet on the Lido deck, or whatever deck each ship uses. LOTS OF GREAT FOOD! My wife loved the Omelette Bar! They make them to your specs in front of you. They also feature things like French toast, hot cakes, scrambled eggs with inclusions for breakfast, as well as toast, bagels, sliced meats like ham, salami, chicken and Turkey, cheeses, in case you just want to make a quick sandwich before an excursion? You will probably gain a few pounds on the cruise unless you really watch yourself! \ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02. Unless you REALLY want them, stay away from the photographers! Sometimes those cute pictures you had taken on the boarding ramp, Formal Night, and by the dozens of photographers on the ship, can run into the $20-$30 range EACH. SO UNLESS YOU PLAN ON $500 worth of pictures coming home with you, beware! Sign up for the tip package before you embark! You are still expected to tip your room steward, etc., but you can base that on how good (or bad) they helped you out! Everything on board will be charged to your room account. And everything is expensive, so watch yourself unless money is not an object. A candy bar in one of the stores can cost $4-5 each instead of $1.50-2 at home. One of the places I never miss, us sone ships gave a candy store! It also has a few things like stuffed animals, drinks, etc. yes it us expensive, as in $7-8 a quarter pound! But I like ut because I can buy 2-3 of these wrapped candies, 4-5 or those, a quarter cop of M&Ms. They put them in a sip lock bag usually, so I leave them in my cabin, so at night if I get a tiny sweet tooth attack, I can eat a few and ve satisfied, rather than calling room service. They DO have room service, but remember the menu us limited, expensive, and you are expected to tip! Make sure to pack things like Sun block if you are going to Mexico or Bahamas, headache medicine, and any prescriptions you have. They do have some of those things available in a place or two on board, and if you go off ship, there are usually places like a Walmart or grocery store locally, but never expect there will be when you need them! And depending on where you travel, again, prices can be cheaper or more expensive! Our last cruise was to Alaska. And there, a $5 bottle of aspirin can be upwards to $15. A $2.50 bag of candy can be $15. I have to take my CPAP, but they don\u2019t let you bring things like extension cords, electric fans, coffee pots, etc. on board, because everything us on the same circuit! If something shorts out, it can damage thousands if dollars worth of electronics! And you can be accountable for those costs! What else\u2026if you are late fir your ship, you get left there and have to figure out how to get to your next destination, incurring more costs! Some people like to bring things to decorate their doors or room, so that is an option! Especially if it is something special, like your anniversary or honeymoon! My daughter, with kids, brings cheap but strong magnetic hooks from Amazon or Walmart that she can tie string to and hang swimming suits to dry, or decorations for the room. The walls are usually magnetic in your room, so makes it easy to put up and take down with no damage. There is a closet in your room, usually just 2-3 feet wide for hanging dresses, shirts, slacks, and the like. And usually a very small safe, usually about 8-10 inches wide, 6-7 inches high and 6 inches or so deep, so you can keep passports if you need them for your cruise, there so you don\u2019t have to carry them around! In some instances you need to take your shipboard ID as well as your passport to check back in when you return from an off board excursion. And they can and will check pkges at times. You aren\u2019t allowed to bring alcohol on board. So if you do, or you buy bottles on the ship, They will be sent to the pursers office to be kept safely for you until debarkation at home! They wa t you to buy their booze! lol. You are usually allowed to bring one case of coke or Pepsi or whatever when you arrive. If you want water bottles, you can purchase them before or after you arrive onboard. Just call the front desk or visit them. If you do need an extension cord or fan for your room, they can supply them for you. The same for power strips! They don\u2019t trust power strips you bring on board, so do not pack them! My wife and I always ask for one, because unless you are in a suite, there is generally only one outlet in your cabin! So with 2 iPhones, an iPad, chargers for camera batteries, yes, my lovely wife is an avid amateur photographer, we need much more than one! I hope that helps you a little. And hope you didn\u2019t get bored listening to me rant! God Bless and watch over you on your trip!\ud83d\ude1c
25-Aug-24

Whether answering captchas for accessing sites, work reasons, authentication purposes, it is incredible how awful these tests are and the bots often mistake an actual human with a bot spam. Not just the annoying ones where the picture of x takes up so many spaces but the grainy pictures that are hard to see (or maybe the object is in the picture, but it is so tiny and in the background that it is impossible to spot). Then we have the audio ones, where the person's voice...
Cat Claw
My biggest frustration is trying to set/reset passwords. It used to be simple. Now you need a minimum of 6-8 letters with numericals, upper case, lower case, symbols, can't re-use old passwords, etc. I can spend up to half an hour trying to come up with a password that a website accepts & one that I will remember. Then by the time I have come up with my unique never used before password, I promptly forget it. Then the cycle starts all over again. Yes, I write them down. And what I mess my notebook looks like!
21-Aug-24

That's a personal choice, but don't cut your spending so far that you make yourself uncomfortable or miss out on the experiences you've always dreamed about. You certainly shouldn't be turning down the heater or putting off a roof repair to save money so that your kids have more to inherit. What are your thoughts? Should you spend your child's inheritance?
Gypsy
An inheritance is a gift, it's not something that is owed to you. To all those people who are waiting for their parents to die so that they can have the money that their parents worked hard for, I say: Work hard and earn your own money! A survey was taken, (not sure which country) and the greater proportion of the people surveyed were; 'waiting for their inheritance'.
I wonder if those same greedy people would be happy to scrimp and go without, just to save money to give it to their children? Probably not!
If our parents are fortunate enough to be financially secure after they retire they should be allowed to enjoy what is theirs, after all they don't owe us anything, in fact we owe them.
22-Jul-24

Have you ever been involved in a road rage incident?
Liane H
Yeah where's Lizzy got to? That young lad just looks like he's missing his side of fries at the Maccas drive thru ,, hardly a rd rager....
23-Jul-24

For me, they can shut up and actively listen. They re not just waiting to speak. They have a sense of balance in the conversation. What are your thoughts? What screams "highly intelligent person"?
Liane H
There's a few various traits , one would be being intuitive and able to communicate someone else's thoughts ,feelings or jumbled words to another who is not understanding them .
Being a night owl is commonly placed with people of intelligence as they like their own quiet time to let their imaginations run or to pore over desired projects ..
Lastly is a well timed sense of humour.
18-Jul-24

In this day and age, so many things have changed. Children's lives are so different from what mine was in the 50s and 60s. I can't even relate to their lives. Because the world is so different, children need to learn things that I never needed to know. What do you think we need to teach our children for them to be the best they can be in this modern world?
Len G
Like the Aretha Franklin dong said RESPECT. I have seen children are severely lacking in that department
19-Jun-24

I decided to pay for Stan Sport this year, so I could watch the tennis games of my choice and also all the exciting Olympic Games in Paris. In recent years, I have been disappointed with Free to Air TV because I ended up missing many crucial games. They seem to be too selective and restrictive and do not offer full coverage of all the events. What do you think?
Graham A
The fact that you watch Stan Sport is exactly why you can't see a lot of sport on FTA TV anymore! I am not sure why you think you need it to watch the Olympic Games as it will be on FTA TV.
Heaps of sporting broadcast rights have been bought by major broadcasting companies such as the disgusting Murdoch empire and it is then locked away behind a paywall. The minnows like the Australian FTA stations just cannot compete with the money offered by the majors and THAT is why you can't see things like F1 or MotoGP anymore on free to air. The likes of Stan Sport, Kayo etc means no pay...no view.
It's nothing to do with being 'too selective and restrictive' it's because people will pay Stan Sport to watch events and so it becomes a money making proposition. It's that simple.
10-Jul-24

Kia Ora fellow Rewardians If you could, (go back to being 19 years old), & give yourself any advice... what would it be? I'm 52 years old and if I could tell my 19-year-old self anything, it would be "Don't worry, or stress about your future... live life to the max and have fun, be happy, learn to grow your own vege and if you're not sure what direction your path is headed, it doesn't matter! Just go with the flow and figure it out a few years down the...
Nel
This is a bit of a difficult one because everyone's life experiences are different. I mostly achieved a lot in my life through studies and a career. As I entered my mature age, life was completely turned to a different way. I was compelled to start new studies again to enter a different career path This time I had to do it by looking after a family as well. It was very challenging, but after many years when I look back, I feel very happy about my life's achievements. The advice someone can take from my experiences is, to be resilient and focus on the task. Have a down-to-earth, positive attitude towards life! You may never fail! \ud83d\ude03
21-Jun-24

Recently, my family and I were trapped on an escalator at a major Hardware store, when the wheels of a trolley caught at the bottom of the escalator. People started to panic as they were pushed into one another. It was a very frightening experience. Fortunately, my daughter-in-law knew how to press the stop button to our great relief. No one was hurt, just shaken up. Surely there should be more education about safety and access to emergency buttons when necessary....
jer
The main thing that's required when using an escalator is common sense. An escalator is designed for a 2 legged person to stand on and hold the handrail as it moved the person up or down. They are not meant to transport wheeled objects.
23-Jun-24

Does higher education determine success? Many assume that university is the determinant of success, but opinions have changed as many people now embrace the fact that there are other alternatives.
Warrior Woman
So much depends on the individual person and what they want to achieve in life. University is not the be-all and end-all for everyone. We need skilled tradespeople, artists, actors, designers, gardeners, chefs, drivers, etc. who need to learn from professionals who also learned 'on the job'.
03-Jun-24

Do you get bullied via social media? And these people hide behind fake accounts to harass you How would you deal with it? I'm currently experiencing this, and I called this person out because I know who it is, but she keeps at it
Linda 1473555
If you give an opinion and get trolled, dont answer back, stop reading comments and leave the site. Go get fresh air and communicate with real friends. Dont give these people any satisfaction.
18-Apr-24

There are laws that state that something "on sale"...HAS to have been originally sold at a higher price...but there don't seem to be any rules on what "a limited time" is...are there?...and I see a few stores having these sales for several years at a time....shouldn't they be stopped from doing this?...or is it just buyer beware?...or a "bit of fun"....what do you think?
PAPARAY
When I worked at a supermarket they would have a 10 items for 10 dollars sale. That would be 1 dollar for each item. But here is the thing, some items were 89 cent at the regular price. we employees would tell certain customers this and they would tell others.
07-Apr-24

It may be something complicated or something you dismiss because you find it just so easy to do, but it may not be for many others around you. What is that one thing you do that is just so easy... for you?
Kirsty H 1016139
Weirdly enough..
Untangling cords. My kids think it's funny. My hands just twist and gently pull tangled cords apart without much thought. 3 sets if Earphones, untangled in under a minute. They were a mess.
Xmas lights.. easy!
I get secret joy from it all too!
My secret weird superpower (well..close to!)
30-Mar-24

I have a fairly large CD collection, maybe 200 to 250...just all the very best music I have ever heard in my life....most of it from the late 1960s to the 1990s haven't played most of it for over 15 years...(and I listen to some current music and think that is total rubbish and... who would listen to it?)...WELL I have just started to really listen to ALL my music again...being honest...nearly half of it is rubbish too!....let's be fair...a lot of the...
allin karma 4 maria
yeah they do write music like that now, and 25 years from now someone else will say the same thing, it all comes down to if you get stuck in some musical era, and never give anything new a chance this is what happens,, today's music is great,, a lot of peoples minds for some reason get stuck like that,,, i check every week for new music,,,, the other thing is CDs sound sux, if y'all listened to that old music on vinyl, you will hear things in songs you never heard before,,,, i saved a lot of my vinyl,, tho i did rip a crapload of CDs, i have since been buying my old music that was on CDs, in vinyl,, the CDs do make great skeet to practice shooting doves,,,
\ud83d\ude01
29-Mar-24

Going on my first camping trip. What are the essentials to take with you on a camping trip?
Sandra C 12043
Lots of the things already mentioned but 1. a map of where you are going . 2. Leave a detailed list of where you are are heading with someone you trust, how long for and the date you should be back, so they can notify the authorities if you don't return on time. Safety should be the foremost thing on your mind, especially if you are going alone.
21-Mar-24

In store, salesmen insist on explaining all the different settings of the latest machine. Mostly people don't use more than three anyway, but the one setting that's not there, and is necessary on any washing machine, a tissue detector. Paper tissues ruin so many washes, yet there is not one machine that can sense it and has a warning. If we can put a man on the moon, why can't someone design a washing machine that warns there's a tissue in the washing?
Bex
Do you need your shower to remind you to take your clothes off before you turn the water on? When you do something enough, it becomes second nature.
14-Mar-24

Everyone is complaining that the cost of power is increasing, and they want us to switch to all electric, cars, home heat etc. Where is the infrastructure for all the demand? They say, cut your consumption, we will help you save money... however the price is increasing even if you are using less. These companies never do anything for the little guy. They still have to pay their CEO the big salary. What do you think?
Joanne 1264309
We had solar panels installed approximately 12 months ago. Since then we have not had a power bill. Last I checked we were $370 in Credit
05-Feb-24

Are the younger generations losing a lot of the jobs skills we used to have? I know the world is changing and becoming more tech-savvy. But we seem to be losing a lot of the skills that Baby Boomers used to have.
Susan 1441337
I think most of the jobs that that our know senior generation did have either been taken over by technology or moved to another country because they have cheap labour. I also believe it reflects on the quality of goods we receive from other countries. In turn all these products are garbage and thrown into the dump and we wonder why we have no room left to dispose of things. I feel old saying this but things definitely aren't made the way they used to be. I feel like we need to bring these jobs back to our own countries and stop buying off shore garbage. My dad said this many years ago before he passed and he was so right but yet our government keeps letting this stuff come in I'm sure these other countries are lining the politicians pockets. There's no jobs here for people that may not have the smarts to do IT stuff. I feel like we need to go back to the way things used to be. There's so many homeless people or people living paycheck to paycheck and the government doesn't care as long as they are getting richer. This is a sad sad world we live in imo
26-Jan-24

Life happens, and we may have drifted apart over time, but occasionally, something may remind us of them, and we'll briefly wonder how they are. If you've lost touch with a friend, you're not alone. According to recent studies, people often lose touch with others after age 25. What are your thoughts? Is it OK to lose touch with friends?
blunder boy
I have had friends for 40 years I have had them for 10 minutes most of my friends drift in and out for all kinds of reasons, just say true to yourself and be there when you can and hopefully, your friends will do the same main thing is talk keep on talking, not texting or messaging messages are so easy to get miss construed and it would be a shame if friends drift over a miss understanding
20-Jan-24

I have found many drivers in my opinion 9/10 sit right on top of me as specially when stopped at traffic lights on a hill position. So many times because they are literally on top of me when going to go my car (manual) has slightly rolled a couple of inches has hit the car behind me causing chip damage to my car. Yes, my car not there's. Get off people's behind, leave room at least a good metre. Furthermore, people need to drive not stopping at roundabouts it's a give way to...
Alan P 162916
Have you noticed that the bigger the utility or car the bigger and more arrogant some of the drivers are
23-Jan-24

Seems to be an increase of homes with no lawn or garden, I like a bit of both, some people at work say neither for no maintenance, what would you like if you could have anything? (you still have to maintain it)
Fergo
I have a creek and natural bush in the back of the house and yes we have a lawn and its hard work to keep it short but would not have it any other way
06-Jan-24

Electric cars sales are currently plummeting Worldwide and car giants are panicking...powered by... in the most part...fossil fuels...limited lifespans with expensive replacement parts and unsustainable batteries and oh yes....sometimes...just sometimes...they explode into flames. They might be causing more new problems than they were supposed to fix...why aren't we using Hydrogen? We already have hydrogen powered cars...why is there nowhere to fuel them?
Brick
EV;s are a con - it costs just as much to mine the battery materials and they can't be recycled - same as the windmills for wind power - call me a cynic if you wish!
26-Dec-23

Every few months, we get the same question which period would you rather live in? You can choose an era where you would not be able to breathe...or one where the life expectancy was 30 what was wrong with when you were born? I got decent medical support the Beatles Hawkwind hippies, punks and Talking Heads...that's not bad...you could maybe move me back a couple of years to avoid phone fetish and some social media, but yes it has been a wild ride and I...
Marietta M
I once read an article where some historian said he thought people were at their happiest during George Washington's time period, and I asked my uncle what he thought about that. He said he was sure a lot of people back then were happy, but probably just as many were unhappy, then said just like today there are happy people but just as many unhappy ones. It all depends on your outlook, circumstances (I doubt anyone with a lot of health problems or who lost more than their share of loved ones can be happy) and ability to have hope, no matter what time period you live in.
That being said, I have to add that modern times have gotten flawed by too many decades of a ME First attitude. When people always put themselves first, they turn the positive "selfs" (self-confidence, self-assurance, self-esteem) into negative ones (self-centeredness, self-involvement, selfishness) and I think that has a lot to do with things that have gone wrong in society today.
And now that "myself" has gotten a bit carried away, I'll wish everyone a "HAPPY HOLIDAY", and now I'll shut up!
22-Dec-23

Sometimes I find I have been overcharged for an item. Store Policy guarantees that if you are overcharged, you are refunded and given the item free. Unfortunately, it is not the case with most staff. I sometimes remind them and other times I don't. Has anyone else noticed this?
Graham A
I have never had a problem....EVER..... with Woolworths or Coles. I always hope they over charge me. I have scored heaps of stuff over the years...probably the best was a jar of 400gm Moccona coffee.
just see them at the counter and be sensible and you won't have a problem.
02-Nov-23

What is our destiny? I have often wondered this, and I have to say it is very hard to come up with an answer. We can search for a lifetime without ever having a clue, so we just drift along, either working until the end or doing other odd jobs to see if something clicks. I have to say I wonder if there is a better way that I haven t discovered at this time, but if anyone should have an answer to this, I would definitely like to know.
BLM
No answers, just my core belief system at work, hopeful; providing insight. DESTINY is what you are meant to do. It is your soul's dream for you. While FATE happens when you don't take responsibility for your life. DESTINY is what happens when you commit to growing, learning, and taking chances. DESTINY is not absolutely predetermined, but more like a beautiful, perfect, deeply meaningful plan (that is tailored to suit you - and only you). It is the force (Destiny) that some people think controls what happens in the future (your future), and which cannot be influenced by people (or the public).
03-Nov-23

Have you ever gone into a store expecting something and finding it wasn't what you thought it was, but the sales person was so delighted to see you, and you suspect you may be their first customer of the day, you feel you should buy something and look for the cheapest thing there is? I thought I was going into a bakery when I got inside realised it was a speciality cake shop. The sales girl was so thrilled to see a customer I thought I cannot walk out again empty-handed so...
Maria B 89860
No, no, no. I don't have a pity purse only a purse I pity for lack of funds. I love my cakes but would never risk buying a "pig in a poke" as hate wasting food if don't like it.
25-Sep-23

These days, it seems that kids are "dating" or "going together", before they even know what responsibilities come along with relationships of that sort. How old were you when you remember the"love bug" biting you? When you were past teasing the opposite sex because you liked them, but actually wanted to sit together on the bus and tell each other things that were never on your radar screen before? You actually liked someone and demonstrated it in a mature fashion. For me,...
QMY10
At15 met my neighbour started dating at sweet 16 engaged at 17 married at 18 first bub 19 bub2 21 bub3 22 bub4 24 angel bub 27 bub 5 28 n last bub 30 ...now we have 13 grandies n 1 great grandy n just celebrated our 45th wedding anniversary
07-Oct-22

Early motor vehicles were powered by steam, and drivers needed to have somebody walk before the vehicle waving a flag, to warn others of impending danger. We have come a long way since then, and no longer need to waive those flags. Similarly, when Nuclear Energy was in its infancy there were risks and accidents, but whether you realise it or not, Nuclear Reactors are everywhere now - both on and deep down in every ocean, as well as in most major city...
Andrew C 287196
Nope! It's a massive disaster waiting to happen (as Russia found out, Japan nearly found out). It is also far more polluting then every other form of energy creation combined - nuclear waste takes millions, if not billions, of years to disappear and they have no idea what to actually do with it. There are no nuclear reactors in New Zealand and the government long ago banned nuclear-powered ships (including the US Navy) from even visiting here.
04-Jul-23

In the month of June I put Mr Percy a peach face, in my garage, on a cupboard near the brick wall to keep him safe. I gave him plenty of water and sunflower seeds. Then we left to Melbourne for a couple of nights. When we came back the cage was empty. The cage had not been opened and there was no feathers or a trace of my little bird. What do you think happened to him?
Liane H
It was professor plum ,in the laundry with the drainpipe ..
25-Aug-23

If someone with a lot of education (law school grad, for example) decided they'd be happier doing something that even didn't require college, like a plumber, bartender, opening a coffee shop or grocery store, whatever, Is that an okay decision to make or a waste of an education?
Smiley
I truly "LOVE" how people see jobs in trades (plumber, chippie, sparkie, gardener, etc) or retail as a lower rated job, like the people who work those jobs are a lesser person to someone who has completed many years of uni or has a high degree.
If it wasn't for cleaners, retail staff, check out operators, tradies and the like, how would you be able to do your shopping or even live? You would not have a house to live in- lots of tradies helped to build the vast majority of homes we all live in, without retail staff there'd be no shops operating, without cleaning staff many businesses would be piled high in filth.
I know of people who have doctorates, people who are A/Prof's who are cleaners or are doing labouring jobs or retail work as they simply cannot get work in their field, or maybe their job got too stressful, so they chose to do something completely different. These people also do a lot of volunteer work in roles some other "well educated" would not dream of doing.
I think it comes down to how you are raised. If you grew up with a silver spoon in your mouth and your parents taught you to look down on those with "lesser jobs", then sadly i think it will be very hard to change how one sees and treats other people and you may struggle with life if you're thrown a curve ball.
If you're raised to treat the cleaners, retail workers and garbage truck driver with respect and talk to them as a fellow equal human being, than i think you're a well rounded person who will do fine in life and be able to handle whatever the world throws their way.
And just as a FYI- Plumbers and tradies do up to 4years study/on the job training.
Bartenders and coffee shop workers also do a lot of training courses and need to get accreditation for some of their roles.
Same with grocery store workers. Yes, it's a job where you can start with no experience, but after doing the job for a while, you will realise you deal with many different things- abusive and/or rude customers, customers who they tell their deepest secrets to, you will sometimes be the ONLY person an individual (customer) interacts with, you will form friendships with customers, you will learn a lot about how a business is run.
If you study for a decade and are still miserable, was it all worth it?
If you start an entry level job and thoroughly enjoy it, do you consider this to be a waste of your education or the fact you have had an amazing opportunity open up for you?
23-Aug-23

Your son, daughter, grand child....has finally passed their licence. They don't have a lot of money, but would like a reliable one. They ask your advice. So what car would you recommend? Manual? Auto? Hybrid? Safety rating? Brand? Yes, a broad subject, but from experience or knowledge what would you choose for them? Public transport or walking is out of the question as they have to travel. Thanks.
Bugalugs
Toyota or Mazda but, but as Roslyn A says, hybrid or EV would be great but at present too expensive even for a used one. Manual or Automatic. I know this may sound a bit sexist but I think most young men would prefer a Manual as they are more fun to drive!
11-Aug-23

From not having your finances in order to rush through the inspection process, common mistakes made by homebuyers can derail the path to owning your dream home. How to avoid common home buying mistakes?
Bugalugs
Carolina Z, is absolutely right! Don't aim too high! yes, dream of that huge mansion with 2 swimming pools, 5 car garage, a tennis court, 6 bedromms , 7 bathrooms and all the other stuff BUT remember you do have to pay for it all. As we are seeing in Australia, we went through a period of unsustainably Low Interest Rates, people went in well over their heads to the point of deliberately Lying to the banks about their incomes. in just about 12 months we have seen 12 Rises in Interest Rates and people are now doing what the much maligned Finance experts said would happen. Their McMansions are no longer worth the price they paid, their incomes are stagnant but those Housing Loan repayments just keep on going up and up. They are being forced to sell at prices which will not cover the outstanding Loan.
Be content to buy small and build from that. It won't be your Dream Home but at least you will have a roof over your heads, can afford to pay off the loan, sell and then go one step up the market.
03-Aug-23

I kept wondering what would happen if there were no electronic devices for the young kids of today, (10 and under) so my son and daughter-in-law tested the theory to see what would happen, so for a complete day they took away the devices (did not charge) and the TV was not working (took it off the main plug). At the beginning they were angry, and it did take about an hour, but they all went outside, played any thing and everything they could find, some cricket, riding...
writerrochelle
Good for You! I would not feel bad, actually I'd be Happy, if all of the electronic devices disappeared from the earth! Not only would people begin to socialize again, including children, but we'd all be healthier and happier! The world would be a better place, and would also be healthier! ;-D
01-Aug-23

You are taking a walk in the park when you notice a person stumbling, do you assume they are intoxicated or do you ask if they are okay? This situation happened as I was at work and noticed a man stumbling on the lawn. Another worker also saw him and went to check on him and realized he was a coworker who was diabetic and needed assistance. What would you do?
Sandra C 12043
Of course, wouldn't anyone do that ?? Why would you even need to think about it ?? Just imagine yourself in that situation. How would you feel if people ignored you thinking yiou were drunk?? Thank heavens 2 cars stopped recently when my husband had a fall on the footpath, it was darkish, but they stopped and helped him up. He was only a few steps from home, so he was fine. I can't believe that you would have to stop and think before acting,.
13-Jul-23

I can't help but wonder how many people think the government can turn old abandoned schools/buildings into homes for the homeless people. There are several abandoned schools which have been just sitting there for years. What are your thoughts on this matter?
Judy CH
A lot of homeless people choose to be homeless, it is not up to the taxpayer to pay for everything for them, a lot of working people can't afford to buy, cigarettes, alcohol drugs etc but are expected to pay for people who have chosen their life style. The Government uses the money from tax payers but treat it as it is their God given right to spend it the way they choose. And yes I do know what it is like to go hungry, not have shoes to wear. I was sent out by my Mother to steal peoples milk money when I was young. Mum always had enough to buy hers and my oldest brothers smokes and go to the movies 2 or 3 times a week while I at 8 years old was left to look after 3 brothers and a sister aged 6, 4, 3 and 2 years old. Often all we had to eat was stale bread with hot water poured over it. The more she was given the more entitled she felt. Never worked a day in her life. My brother who was 6 years and sister 5 years older than me had already been put in care because Mum could't look after them. I made up my mind when I was young that I was not going to live like that. I never smoked, started working at 14 and only brought what we could afford. It was going well until we got scammed through an invoice 4 years ago.
03-Jul-23

Once we collected and signed for our pay packets at a pay office. Now we have given, the control to banks that are closing, and for those whom don t trust ATMs and computers, how are they going to survive and how are they going to be able to pay their bills. Out of control Banks, with our money? Does anyone in your family struggle to with this?
Pearlz
You have no-one to blame but yourselves. You vote with your feet and if you don't like what you are offered then take your business elsewhere. The banks introduced ATMs' and you queued to use them not giving a wit about the teller whose job it replaced. You were offered internet banking and you were in a hurry to sign up for it, once again replacing people. Then it was the banking app and use your mobile all the while doing people out of a job. Branches closed and ATM's were removed, do you now why? Most ATM's are owned by people who buy them as an investment, they cost money to own because the Reserve Bank charges people for the money they put into ATM's so when you paid at Woollies or Coles with your phone and took out cash the costs of keeping ATM's was more than the earnings so they were removed. Don't complain, don't whinge because you brought this upon yourself. I don't have a smartphone, I don't trust them, especially with my personal banking. Apps aren't as secure as websites, not your side but the other end and people you interact with. I still use the website but my bank is trying to close it and push me off onto an app of course because it's cheaper, but I'm not going without a loud noise. Not everyone wants to bank online, some people forget how to do things online as they age, some people aren't as capable as others to go online or on an app so Banks should be somewhat responsible for pushing everyone online where they get ripped off or scammed. It's too late now the horse has bolted, you chose a machine and technology over a person. I'll use technology when it's a benefit but I MUCH prefer to deal with a real live person, I queue at the checkout to keep the checkout person employed and I like to shop in stores to keep the sales people employed. Any business that tries to push me into having a smartphone I ditch because I don't want one or the apps they insist I need. Every action has consequences and not using people results in no people being required. Think about that the next time you use serf service.
30-Jun-23

Well, I am a 51-year-old female with terrible decision-making skills. (Had mental breakdown July 2019.) It has gotten to the point that I'm almost scared to decide anything. What I want is to have my boyfriend take over my decision-making so I avoid bad decisions. He isn't okay with it for his love for me gets in the way. How can I get him to understand that this is for the best?
Sandra C 12043
You need to seek professional help. Asking your boyfriend to make your decisions is putting too much stress on him and you may lose him. Get help from a professional and keep your relationship on a loving basis.
29-Jun-23
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