Rule Britannia!! 29 year old to become a Grandfather!

I met a writer last year who became a grandpa at 30. He had a kid at 15, his kid had one at 15. He's like 42 now and completely turned his life around, became a leading activist, is an awesome writer, poet, and has dedicated himself to working in poorer neighborhoods trying to prevent kids from making the mistakes he made.

 

Poet and activist? Sounds like he needs a job that pays.

 

This is why it's sometimes soooooo easy to be a conservative in Britain. What was it? Four generations or five on the dole here, with a free apartment thrown in? I lost count.

All I know is that I'm helping pay for their lifestyle. And... (as he began to froth wildly at the mouth)... so is every American taxpayer, since the UK can't afford a decent armed forces anymore and has to rely on us.

 

How big of an apartment can you get? Is it better than public housing in the States? How much do you get being on the dole?

 

These quotes are awesome. I want to cover the British.

“It’s like history repeating itself. I quite like the idea of being the youngest grandad in Britain, but at the same time I’m fuming that she is pregnant.

“I don’t feel like a grandad – I’ve not got grey hair and my hearing is top notch.”

 

I can tell when someone is really injured and when he just doesn't want to play anymore.

As for the other part of the equation, ehh, he's already gotten me to hate one former passion. Why not start anew?

 

At the other end of the spectrum . . .

The grandson of John Tyler (b. 1790, U.S. president 1841-45) is still alive.

 

Didn't someone here write about (or work with someone who wrote about) a 36-year-old great-grandmother? This sounds familiar, but I confess my SJ knowledge is no longer all-consuming.

 

I remember reading that. Amazing...

 

You actually only get around £68 a week (about $115-120 depending on the exchange rate.) But you get more starting with the first kid, and the apartments are generally pretty nice. One bedroom per child and one for the Mother.

It's either rent free or heavily subsidized. So basically, you're living in central London or close to it for nothing. In the meantime, working class families who actually, uh, work, get little or no help with their housing.

[In fairness, the new Tory government is drawing back on this. But this state of affairs has been going on forever.]

 

Exactly like The Royal Family.