I didn't say it did so 'qualify' me, Owen. I have no wish to be regarded as a HHSOT as such. But you averred that I could *never* have performed such tasks; and I am here to tell you that, during Nat Serv, esp in the first 4 months or so, one is required to perform many such. And I did them; & survived. I had had to do them at various youth camps previously, for that matter, which I never silverspooned out of. Had there been any silverspoon, such would presumably have choked me ~~ tho we all, whatever background, had to do them. But you still haven't justified your silverspoon accusation, either, have you?

I greatly respect your educational efforts and achievements. Please do not imagine I don't. But why such vituperative and immoderate and [I will use the word again] spiteful despising of anyone to whom they were not altogether so necessary? I can't help my father having happened to be a journo rather than an engine-driver or a miner, can I? And my education was far from silver-spoon, as I have pointed out ~ entirely within the maintained system up to 18, & then grant-maintained at university.

"All things in common", I learned, was the watchword of Cromwell's Commonwealth. Sounds pretty leftwing to me as an aspiration. Didn't achieve it, of course; but no left-wing society ever has achieved its stated aspirations, has it? ~ which was my point in mentioning Cromwell along with all those others, which you have not yet responded to, have you? Why have all left-wing paradises, I ask again, been such hell to live in while they survived, which was never for very long?

Thank you for the much more restrained and moderate tone of your last post, which makes it far easier to respond without the necessity for resentment.

~M~