Hi Teri, How very true!! Equality can Never be Equal. It was 'suggested' in 1972 and Look what has happened since ----Nothing!! =  No Progress??
In this, our country. There is Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England is rarely mentioned -- A split would mean, they want to be 'Independant' - But?? Still want Finacial Backing from England?? Just how that can actually work, is anybody's Guess!! -- I believe I am right in saying that the english language was tought in your schools. I met quite a few people that spoke english, in the 1960s. -- Yes! I agree. Under the skin, we are all the same, but we all have different 'Culture's and religions, so just how we can ALL come to terms with each other, I have absolutely no Idea!!

Hi Teri
I too have travelled Europe,but I must have seen a different  side than you.I thought Poland was extremely poor and Turkey has such a "class" system there are many poor there too.Bulgaria was even worse,but the worse for sure was Rumania and Albania these of course are all E bloc countries and are of ex Russian rule apart from Turkey.
The countries in  Europe not governed by the Russians do ok.
There must be a message there.

Phönix,
you see I replied to this also yesterday - but no reply in the forum.
I just said that I travelled through the counries of Western Europe and the difference between these countries is at present insignificant. However, Eastern Europe you cannot compare. In June I was in Russia and there are still a lot of "poor people, of course. But it takes some time to learn to be responsible for oneself and to take ones own decision. 50 years long or more people in these countries were told what they had to do.
Take for instance Eastern Germany - if there was something available they left their working place and made queues to get this product. In our today's working process this is not possible and they had much problems to accept that you have to work the whole day without interruption and you had - in some cases - to take your own decisions.

dont let it get you down Phoenix
try and look on the bright side of life
when you are 80 you will get £300 to keep warm !!!!

Cheer uo Pheonix, its not all doom and gloom, still get£10 at xmas that the torys gave us, and dont forget the 25p extra when u r 80. You wii need to think carefully how u r going to spend it.I think ppl of our generation are finding it difficult to accept the intergration of other nationalities into our society.
As Terri says this is happening all over europe.
Who would have thought in 1939-45 that I would be chatting to a German lady, but Terri and I had a good discuission on chat last night, at least it is one of the good things to come out of the war and long may it continue.

I think senior citizen everywhere in Europe have their problems. The only people that have no financial problems in Germany are former owners of firms and civil servants, but our young generation is of the opinion that we "oldies" all get too much money and they have to work hard to maintain our standard of life - you see we have a so-called conflict of generations. I don't know the situation in the UK, but I hope that it's much better in this respect.
And as to my participating in your Forum and chatting with you, I'm very happy that you are accepting me. When I was the first time in the UK in the 60s I was invited by an English family as a sign of reconciliation and friendship. However, when I was on the D-Day celebrations in the Normandy some years ago, I had my doubts whether we Germans will ever be accepted by "our former ennemies". So you see, if it's possible for me to show you that we Germans are thinking and feeling like you, that's - at least for me - already a great reassurement (Beruhigung).

Hi Teri
well here in the UK they want the older drivers off the road ..............and who has the most crashes................not us !!!!!

I am the kind of person they dont lile, having been retired 19yrs, i will have drawn out more than i paid in and thet wont like that.It appears from what Terri says that they have the same kind of problems we do.
I think its great to have Terri on the forum to give her views on life, we can soon get into the habit of thinking we are the only country with problems.