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Eddie88's bio
Born and live in South Wales. Married with two children and additional family of assorted elderly rescue dogs. Worked as a senior executive in a building society for forty years. Played most sports when young until joints gave in but managed to play bowls for 30 years. Now retired and interested in travelling, locally and abroad, in history and geography again both local and global (Wild West, Zulu Wars) and especially the unexplained things in life - archaeological inconsistencies, UFO's, Bigfoot - anything that challenges the mind -
Eddie88's latest comments
ViewDate:
13th Jul 2021ViewDate:
13th Jul 2021Eddie88 commented on:
Win ONE of FIVE Japanese dwarf Azalea Collections!Nothing lifts the spirits like the glory of nature.ViewDate:
4th Jun 2021ViewDate:
5th Feb 2021Eddie88 commented on:
Dog rescueHi My family and I have adopted rescue dogs for the last 30 years+. We've been home vetted many times and have been lucky enough to pass inspection each time. Like you we love animals and respect all the people involved in animal rescue enough to understand and approve of the idea of checking prospective owners but we've felt on occasions it's been over the top. As it stands most of these dogs are living in basic accommodation at a kennel waiting for the personal love and attention a new owner can give them. Dogs don't judge their surroundings, they just want a warm bed, exercise as required, a full belly and a ton of love and affection and you would willingly have offered all those by the sound of it. It's a similar argument about people who work, even part time. Most rescue kennels will not allow somebody who works to adopt if they live on their own. But if a person works part time, a few hours a day, then yes a dog will be on its own - laying in a warm bed or on a settee/armchair in somebody's warm front room rather than alone in a concrete floored kennel. It will always be about matching the right dog to the right owner and environment - and the dog always comes first - but a little bit more common sense and flexibility would help a lot. We maintain a group of normally 4/6 dogs - any shape or size - who we make sure get on together by using experience built up over years. Having lost one of our "family" recently we decide to adopt again, went back to a rescue center we have known for years and were turned down for two dogs as the center felt they wouldn't fit in with our existing crowd due to age/size. We've been fitting that particular jigsaw together for years without any trouble as they knew full well! Hope you'll try again and wish you luck - and yes they are being too picky. There's a soul out there who would love your company so please peresevere.ViewDate:
13th Mar 2020Eddie88 commented on:
Times tables & education todayA basic understanding of mathematics (starting with the times table) and language are the building blocks for constructing the rest of your life. I'm not talking advanced calculus or the ability to write a Shakespeare sonnet, I do mean a basic grasp of the structure of both subjects. Anyone without that knowledge will struggle with lack of confidence and self worth. It's also a fallacy to believe that you will, on every occasion you need them, have at hand the electronic substitute for your own mind. Technology is essential and has led to most of the great scientific advances we all benefit from - but it is a tool and not a replacement for our own intelligence. I've had children and my biggest concern when they were at school was the quality of teachers at both primary and secondary level. Far too often my wife and I felt that some teachers showed no particular affection for, or mastery of, their subjects and, more disturbingly we think, no particular enthusiasm for or excitement about life itself. The best teachers are inspirational and enthusiastic and this translates to a desire to discover and learn in their pupils. It's not just about one subject it's about an approach to life. The education system seems dominated by people who profess to be intelligent and expert but are too easily caught out as not being particularly either of these. The system for training them is in a rut because it's designed and operated by people of a similar ilk. It's difficult to see a way forward whilst we don't concede there is a problem. Education starts with understanding the joy and opportunity of life.ViewDate:
13th Mar 2020Eddie88 commented on:
Do young people really think us 'oldies' are simple?I think a lot of young people do treat older people as simple because it at least makes them feel superior to SOMEBODY. I retired three years ago from forty years as a senior manager in a very busy office environment where I spent all day nearly every day being asked for advice on and answers to a very wide range of issues. My career progress was dependent on my getting the answers right. In addition like an awful lot of older people I married, had children and learnt to cope with all that life inevitably throws at you. Although I'm now retired I'm not aware that me mental faculties have diminished and I'm just as interested in learning new things as I ever was. Nevertheless I've had to get used to shop assistants, medical staff, office staff et al suddenly talking to me very slowly in a louder than normal voice, using very basic and simple language and repeating things to me ad nauseum (this by the way includes my own children sometimes). For my part I'm desperate not to fall into the trap of insisting things are "not what they used to be" or being too opinionated on "how things should be done". I've had to learn not to cause confusion and sometimes embarrassment by using over-complicated language to a younger generation that largely doesn't understand it (sorry but it's true) and not to lose my temper when I do think I'm being patronised. The danger is that you begin to feel that no-one wants to hear your voice at all and that is a really hard concept to get used to. Maybe that's just getting old.ViewDate:
1st Mar 2020Eddie88 commented on:
English GrammarI spent a large part of my working life in an office environment and wrote thousands of letters on a wide array of subjects both to the public and to staff internally. Along the way I realised both the great joy of using the full range of language and, just as importantly, that the use of the right words in the right context and using the correct punctuation presented the reader with a clear and easily understandable picture of what you were trying to say. I am in no way an academic but the range and flexibility of the English language is a wonderful thing. As in so many other areas we are becoming lazy and the quality of life will deteriorate as a result. -
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