There is a reason why army recruiters used to take boys when they were young and less able to make fully reasoned decisions.

Used to? They still target them at 18 (legal age to make decisions on their own), and I've seen recruiters in high schools soliciting enrollment and talking to 15 year olds.

There is a reason why army recruiters used to take boys when they were young and less able to make fully reasoned decisions.

Used to? They still target them at 18 (legal age to make decisions on their own), and I've seen recruiters in high schools soliciting enrollment and talking to 15 year olds.

True, we still send our children off to wars before they are really old enough to understand the consequences.

---

Reality Internet Personality

There is a reason why army recruiters used to take boys when they were young and less able to make fully reasoned decisions.

Used to? They still target them at 18 (legal age to make decisions on their own), and I've seen recruiters in high schools soliciting enrollment and talking to 15 year olds.

True, we still send our children off to wars before they are really old enough to understand the consequences.

The average soldier in the Vietnam war was 19 years old!.
From what I know the human brain isn't fully developed until 21 or 22 years.

@Chris

Seems to be a thing about the Swedes!!!

Stop making a fool of yourself!!!

But on the other hand why not:)

Janne, just wake up & notice that the world does not revolve around the USA & UK & you'll be fine.

If it walks like a duck, looks like a duck, acts like a duck...

The problem with many teens today is that they expect instant respect. They fail to realise that respect has to be earned & not handed out like a free school dinner or a welfare giro.

To offset that, there are many teens out there that put the older generation to shame.

The issue for many teens today is that they have too few places where they can congregate together unlike my generation & earlier. I've just come back from Addenbrooke's in Cambridge. That has been greatly extended since my last visit 8 years ago.

The amount of development on the green belt...

...many schools today no longer have playing fields because of the local council's greed in said development. The very same councils have started closing many community/youth centres due to cost cutting.

Teens may not be fully responsible until they hit 20/21, but even at an age earlier than that, they can see for themselves that by the time they mature, they have no chance in hell of getting on the property market to secure their own home, & that's if they manage to secure a nice paying job in the 1st place.

Put yourself in their shoes...

...what will be your next move once that fact hits you?

As to maturity, car insurance rates.

---

As to maturity, car insurance rates.

That must be why women get better rates than men ;)

---

Reality Internet Personality

Janne, just wake up & notice that the world does not revolve around the USA & UK & you'll be fine.

Every object in the universe are in the center of it in an universe that expand.
Thats a scientific fact:)

...many schools today no longer have playing fields because of the local council's greed in said development. The very same councils have started closing many community/youth centres due to cost cutting.

This is happening here as well:(
Cutting cost for future generations...
Of course it will be conflicts!

Now look here folks this has to stop, and right now!! Not only am I agreeing with Es99, now I find myself agreeing with Sirius. This is most disturbing to my cosy equilibrium.

Equilibrium exists to be upset. Get used to agreeing with both Sirius and Es99 and even at the same time. Brain cells need their exercise from time to time.

Now look here folks this has to stop, and right now!! Not only am I agreeing with Es99, now I find myself agreeing with Sirius. This is most disturbing to my cosy equilibrium.

Equilibrium exists to be upset. Get used to agreeing with both Sirius and Es99 and even at the same time. Brain cells need their exercise from time to time.

I try to base whether I agree with someone on what they've said rather than who they are. I may have even agreed with you, Gary, once or twice.

---

Reality Internet Personality

Now look here folks this has to stop, and right now!! Not only am I agreeing with Es99, now I find myself agreeing with Sirius. This is most disturbing to my cosy equilibrium.

Equilibrium exists to be upset. Get used to agreeing with both Sirius and Es99 and even at the same time. Brain cells need their exercise from time to time.

I try to base whether I agree with someone on what they've said rather than who they are. I may have even agreed with you, Gary, once or twice.

I didn't notice the earth stop rotating.

---

Now look here folks this has to stop, and right now!! Not only am I agreeing with Es99, now I find myself agreeing with Sirius. This is most disturbing to my cosy equilibrium.

Equilibrium exists to be upset. Get used to agreeing with both Sirius and Es99 and even at the same time. Brain cells need their exercise from time to time.

I try to base whether I agree with someone on what they've said rather than who they are. I may have even agreed with you, Gary, once or twice.

I didn't notice the earth stop rotating.

But it does explain the frigid temperatures last winter. :P

Now look here folks this has to stop, and right now!! Not only am I agreeing with Es99, now I find myself agreeing with Sirius. This is most disturbing to my cosy equilibrium.

Equilibrium exists to be upset. Get used to agreeing with both Sirius and Es99 and even at the same time. Brain cells need their exercise from time to time.

I try to base whether I agree with someone on what they've said rather than who they are. I may have even agreed with you, Gary, once or twice.

I didn't notice the earth stop rotating.

But it does explain the frigid temperatures last winter. :P

Meantime, OzzFan and I are secretly agreeing on many things lately and nobody's talking about it!? Maybe because our past arguments were behind the scenes?

Schools that are not allowed to discipline

Please say what you mean - this is a reference to corporal punishment, correct?

The DfE publishes a document stating the powers of schools to discipline, it's here for anybody interested in reading it; one of its "key points" starts "Teachers have statutory authority to discipline pupils whose behaviour is unacceptable".

---

I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that ...

But it is PARENTS that must shoulder the ultimate responsibility for having their kids and bringing then up.

Most did until BHL's who "thought" they knew better stuck their oars in, not only in parenting but education as well.

Going to blame the parents for that are we?

Please say what you mean - this is a reference to corporal punishment, correct?

Wrong.

Thanks for clearing that up.

"Teachers have statutory authority to discipline pupils whose behaviour is unacceptable".

Correct.

If teachers try most methods to discipline unruly pupils, they are likely to be attacked themselves or taken to court for infringement of personal liberties.

Please provide details of "most methods", and of some instances where teachers have been taken to court for infringing the liberties of their pupils.

Ask ES99 for her UK experiences.

But it is PARENTS that must shoulder the ultimate responsibility for having their kids and bringing then up.

Most did until BHL's who "thought" they knew better stuck their oars in, not only in parenting but education as well.

That is correct.

Going to blame the parents for that are we?

Mostly yes. Because far to many parents abrogated their responsibility to try and educate and bring up their kids, that the BHL's felt obligated to intervene and made it all twice as worse.

It does seem a bit disturbing that "Uncle Creepy" sees this in every town and city all over the country.

I see it in every town and city that I visit, and other people tell me that they see it in their towns as well.

---

I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that ...

Evidence

I'll come back with more.

That's of a teacher taking his former employer to court, which the teacher lost. While the grounds for dismissing the teacher included issues with his handling of pupils, there's nothing to suggest he was taken to court for infringing their liberties.

---

I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that ...

Don't forget the ankle tag and meds when you go out.

If you live like you post, Mr S - this could be your future.

Another note of caution for you, sir. If you don't want to land back in prison - don't remove your ankle tag. :-) The additional benefit to that is, you can't forget it when you go out.

OK, and explain this. Why do all girls in their late teens or early 20's walk about all day with a smart phone clamped in their hand.

I have not noticed an age specific divide. I know women are far better communicators than heterosexual men. In London's square mile, it is predominantly men clutching phones to lie about being in a meeting when they're patently not, and women checking in on kids, and what they might want for dinner.

For under 25's, headphones plugged into their phones might help avoid the worst of the mosquito device. :-)

As I said before there is this inbuilt need to join gangs or groups for peer recognition and street cred.

For some, but that is by no means true for all.

In the meantime it's good for a laugh for the rest of us.

Likewise I'm sure :-)

---

We have nothing to fear but fear itself. Apart from pain. And maybe humiliation. And obviously death. And failure. But apart from fear, pain and humiliation, failure and the unknown and death - we have nothing to fear. Who’s with me?

This article was in The New Yorker last week. Good on-topic read:

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/08/31/the-terrible-teens

---

The mind is a weird and mysterious place

yOK, and explain this. Why do all girls in their late teens or early 20's walk about all day with a smart phone clamped in their hand. You see it in every town and city all over the country. I bet they don't even put it down to have a pee! They are like a bunch of assimilated Borg zombies.

I know, right? Spot on, Chris! WHy do them younguns spend so much time on their phones?!?

I know, right? Spot on, Chris! WHy do them younguns spend so much time on their phones?!?

Partly because they can. With those things they have a computer, the internet, a filofax, and phone all in one device., The world is literally in their pocket, or in their case in their hands. It is partly showing off, look at me, I have the last i6 or whatever, and partly to answer it in seconds if anyone calls. Of course the content of conversations is mind-zapping.

So I went
so he goes
and I was like
So he went
And I goes

etc etc. You will be assimilated, resistance if futile!

I guess you didn't look at the picture. I suppose you think my health is unimportant?