for feeling smug when mothers of school-agers describe themselves as "Full-time mums" or "Housewives"?

At least it's not the Dreamliner, which is three years late and catches fire at inconvenient moments .

LadyBlahBlah (love the name BTW)
You are welcome to come along to our Christmas fair on Friday and conduct some market research yourself

Are they quite as important as loo doors that stay shut, I wonder?

got to go now, watching vampire diaries and eating malteesers

I saw pictures of a real life bedroom on the A380. Awesome

But, yes, the fixed trailing edge parts of the wings were lovely too

wings are quite important though getorf Well done!

Oh yeah of course they do, in a different way. But even the most socially worthless jobs, like investment bankers or whatever, still 'contribute' because they are required to chuck a lot of money in the pot. People making money is good for all of us (not the bankers so much at the moment...)

No no, not at all, it sounds thrilling

apologies my spelling is terrible...

I do like the A380. It is a marvel tbh.

I am an engineer and worked for Airbus, but at points even I thought 'christ is that going to work'

I was involved very boringly in a small part of the design of the fixed trailing edge parts of the wings.

I would love to work for Rolls Rioyce one day.

LOL @ seriously arguing about home made cakes being superior to shop bought ones at the school fair cake stall

I need market research please, peer reviewed

Pamela, if you volunteer and save the country money, is that contributing to society in your mind also or is it just making money?

My mother was a SAHM for all of our childhood through to teenage years. Her sisters and mother constantly belittled her and called her a 'lady of leisure'. Myself and my two sisters have achieved alot academically and career-wise, my younger sister just finishing uni with a first-class honours. We are from quite a poor family too. I always felt good coming home after school or college to know my mum was there to lend an ear.

My uncle and aunt are quite well off but their children are of average intelligence and have minimum-wage jobs. They have always worked full-time, very often leaving my cousins alone after school for long periods when they were teens. My cousins never seemed to be happy, especially the youngest as she got bullied, suffered with bulimia and never received any parental support.

Career isn't everything, teens need love too.

I think anyone who doesn't think of their own future is slightly funny. Why on earth wouldn't you want to shape your own? Gods (if that's your bag), floods, pestilence and famine aside, it's usually a good idea to plan to some level.

Out of interest does the type of work you do mean you do or don't contribute to society, ie if you shuffle paper you don't contribute to society, and if you are in public service you contribute to society? If you look after your own home and children, help as a volunteer for example at a child's school, volunteer for places like homestart does that mean you don't contribute to society?

Personally work is all about earning money for what is needed, if you enjoy your work that is a bonus, if you enjoy the people you work with that is a bonus also. There is no better feeling than spending money you earned than spending money your spouse/ex spouse has given you! There is no better feeling that makind a difference from volunteering. There is no better feeling that meeting your children from school and seeing their relieved face to see you!

It is nice the A380 though

A wonder

"And, frankly, you just buy cakes to donate to the school bake sales instead of making them yourself."

At our school the shop bought cakes don't sell until all the home made ones have gone - except for Battenburg cake.

getorf My dad worked at Rolls Royce in the 1970's....I have very happy memories of going in with him and being bought fruit and nut from the chocolate machines

If you design the toilet doors on planes then you are very bad at your job!!!!

Everyone who works contributes by paying tax.

I should give up work and devote self to baking the pimped-up cupcakes which are my speciality. They have so much sugar in and on them that you can't sit still for an hour. They are also hideously brightly coloured, which is always a hit.

I am not admitting anything.

But the A380 was years late.

I think anyone thinking they are the master of their destiny is slightly funny. Sorry.

We make plans and the Gods laugh.

I am not saying it might not happen, I am saying I refuse to go out a get a crappy PT job (which is all I realistically could do atm) which I earn a pittance for and which I hate in case dh leaves me!!!!

And simply leaving the house every morning is perilous...

JLC I think dh's mid life crisis will involve going round Austria by train and I will probably go too, so I'm not that bothered!!!

You design the A380s then?

Never rely longterm on anyone else for your lifestyle - whether it's the state or another person. Better to be a master (mistress?) of your own destiny.