The general lifestyle survey, taken in the U.K. forty years ago shows up some remarkable changes. Things we take for granted were not common then. See the full story here.

One household in ten had an outside flushing toilet and many had no toilet at all. Things have changed since then with nearly every home including an indoor toilet.

The head of the household was always a man because it was assumed he earned the most money. The other person, the housewife, answered separate questions. The terminology for the person who earned the most changed in 2000 to household reference person, regardless of gender. The term housewife which was defined as 'the person in the household responsible for most of the domestic duties' disappeared from the survey entirely from 1981.

The 1971 survey queried the availability of hot running water, termed as a bath, in the home. Showers were not even considered. Nine percent did not have a bath. The latest figures show nearly everyone has a bath or shower now.

Surveys about different ethnic origin used the term colored. Britain was still a very white country in the seventies. Only one out of a hundred sample surveys were marked colored, the term last used in 1986. The 2011 Census found that seven out of a hundred were Asian/Asian British, three percent were Black/African/Caribbean/Black British and two out of a hundred were from mixed/ multiple ethnic groups.


The issue of women smoking while pregnant was not included. Now considered important to the unborn child's health, eight percent of surveyed pregnant woman were smokers.

The occurrence of couples living together has changed drastically. The cohabiting option was first introduced into the main household information section in 1986. Between 1979 and 2011 the percentage of women who were cohabiting tripled, from 1 percent in 1979 to 34 percent in 2011.

Less than half the households possessed a telephone in 1972. Now, nearly all households include a landline or mobile. In 2000, 58 percent had a mobile. Now, 86 percent do.

Back in the seventies, 34 percent of people did not own a washing machine, either using laundrettes or hand washing. Today, just 4 percent do not have their own washing machine.

At the age of twenty nine (you'd be surprised at how difficult that was to work out), I lived in Adelaide, South Australia. After his after his nervous breakdown in 1972, I moved my husband and three children to a little fishing village, where he recuperated. The wonderful old cottage we settled in contained all the conveniences mentioned above—except for the mobile phone. I happily cooked on an old iron wood stove and cleared the yard to lay out a vegetable garden. After several years, I used the front room for its original purpose one hundred years before—a shop. However, I replaced the type from butcher, to craft shop. With a back to the earth lifestyle, our outlook enthusiastic and I supervised my children to grow up free from the trappings of society.

Where did you reside in the early seventies?

When a foreign family took over the little convenience store at the top of our hill, I knew nothing about Syria. Each day, my neighbor and I walked uphill to buy our husband's newspapers. We gradually got to know the gentle family and met each child as she was born. I don't venture that far now, and our daily exercise, laughs and talks have ceased.

Since 2011, the news about thousands killed and millions made homeless in Syria's civil war has saddened me. Now, more than 50,000 people have been killed, thousands more injured, imprisoned and tortured. Having personal contact with someone from that country makes the fighting and suffering in Syria all the more relevant to me. But the violence has also caused irreparable damage to some of the world's most precious historical sites.
                           The destruction of ancient treasures should concern everyone around the world.

Syria is where civilization began. In the surrounding area, humans first developed large scale farming and started living in complex cities. The Phoenicians were a merchant people based on the coast of modern Lebanon and Syria who sailed the length of the Mediterranean to trade. They developed a system of writing in which individual sounds were represented by symbols. This first alphabet allowed them to note down and record the details of their trading. See the BBC News item here.

At the heart of human history, Syria sits astride the great artery of trade, the Silk Route, which links East with West. Spices, fabrics, gold, and ivory passed through the cities of Syria before either going east to Central Asia and China, or heading west, to the Mediterranean basin and beyond. Conquerors followed the merchants. The ancient Egyptians, Persians, Alexander the Great, Romans, Islamic Caliphs, Mongols, Ottomans, French and British have left their mark on this important region.

Now, vicious fighting has wiped out part of Central Aleppo, a stunningly preserved medieval settlement, probably the finest example of its kind in the world. Aleppo is one of the oldest continuously occupied cities on the planet.

The heritage casualty list is deeply alarming. Syria has several Unesco World Heritage sites. Alongside Aleppo, are the old cities of Damascus and Bosra, the Crusader castles, the Roman site of Palmyra and the Ancient Villages of Northern Syria. Fighting has affected every site. Crac des Chevaliers, one of the world's finest castles, has been shelled by artillery as the Syrian army attempts to dislodge rebel snipers. Looting of ancient heirlooms is rife. Treasures have been smuggled out through several weak borders and sold.

Heritage binds communities together. Like the heirlooms, photos and stories in a family home, it forms the base of shared memory. When the fighting ceases, the people will have to gather together what they have left and start again. And we will all be poorer with part of our earliest civilization destroyed.

How accurate can historical research expect to be? If civilization was wiped out right now, what would future people find out about our values? Maybe not much of our daily lives would remain—smashed televisions, tiny tablet phones, CD's, toys, broken bricks.

With a writing partner, I've written books set in post-apocalyptic Britain, where the characters find the occasional artifact and try to work out what purpose it served. You can find them at the bottom of the page. Back to historical research, rather than fiction.

In Britain, a new investigation has begun on Stonehenge in the English county of Wiltshire, north of Salisbury, which points to Stonehenge being a mass building project rather than a religious site. Thousands of people assembled from as far away as the tip of Scotland to help build the site. Their findings have overturned what was thought about the origins of the monument. Until now it had been thought that Stonehenge was built as an astronomical calendar or observatory.

The latest findings, which came after a decade of research, suggested the act of building the monument rather than its purpose was significant. The researchers believed as many as 4,000 people gathered at the site, at a time when Britain's population was only tens of thousands.

The academics suggested that Stonehenge was built about 200 years earlier than previously thought, some 4,500 years ago.

Last December, on the shortest day of the Northern Hemisphere, more than 5,000 people including Druids and pagans gathered at Stonehenge to celebrate the winter solstice. English Heritage provided access to the stones earlier in the morning. The important early monument attracts around 900,000 visitors a year. About 70% come from abroad.

Close by, Archaeologists have excavated the outlines of houses on the floors of box beds and wooden dressers or cupboards. The Sheffield University researcher said this was based on the fact that these abodes had exactly the same layout as Neolithic houses at Skara Brae, Orkney, which have survived intact because—unlike these dwellings—they were made of stone.

In a settlement at nearby Durrington Walls, about 1,000 homes have been estimated to exist, the largest Neolithic settlement in the whole of northern Europe. Each one measured about 5m (16ft) square, was made of timber, with a clay floor and central hearth. The archaeologists found 4,600-year-old rubbish covering the floors of the houses.

A prototype Neolithic house will be erected at Old Sarum in early 2013 close to Stonehenge. Using authentic materials, the prehistoric homes will be based on those excavated at Durrington Walls. The contractor will be working with volunteers, using Neolithic building techniques and materials which hopefully will have been collected from the local area.

I'm so privileged to have visited the Stonehenge monument about five years ago and to walk around the wooden pathway surrounding the stones. It's awe-inspiring to realize how much time has passed since it was erected.

Later that day, my husband and I strolled around Old Sarum and learned the history of the old fort.  The mighty Iron Age hill fort was where the first Salisbury cathedral once stood and the Romans, Normans and Saxons have all left their mark. I highly recommend the novel Sarum by Edward Rutherfurd. A masterpiece that is breathtaking in its scope, SARUM in epic novel that traces the entire turbulent course of English history. This rich tapesty weaves a compelling saga of five families who preserve their own particular characteristics over the centuries, and offer a fascinating glimpse into the future.

Could women break down the barriers between nations? With another bid from North Korea to end peace pacts with the South, and talks between Russia and Syria crumbling, we question how our leaders are approaching the problems.

North Korea says it is scrapping all non-aggression pacts with South Korea, closing its hotline with Seoul and shutting their shared border point. South Korea's President Park Geun-hye said the current security situation was very grave but that she would deal strongly with provocation from the North.

Russia has traditionally been a close ally of the Syrian government and is the country's biggest arms supplier. Both countries say the Syrian crisis will top the agenda on their visit to London next week for peace talks.

The world needs peace. Perhaps women could lead toward this goal in a different way than men. See link to BBC item here. In the western world, attitudes to women leaders have changed fast in recent decades. A growing body of research has made it clear that empowering women makes things better—profitable business, more representative governments, stronger families, and healthier communities. There is less violence and more peace, stability and sustainability.

Women experience life in a different way to men, which gives another perspective on the way they see problems and how to fix them. Women communicate, listen, encourage dialogue, and build harmony. They work toward making the world safer for their children and grandchildren.

Women are also essential to building and sustaining peace. Today, nearly half of peace agreements fail within five years in no small measure because half the stakeholders are excluded. When women participate, they help bridge the gap between different groups and ensure that a broader range of issues, from food security to sexual violence, are addressed. As a result, peace is more likely to take root.

Classical history from Britain: When her husband died, Boudicca became queen of the Iceni in Britain. She tried peace talks, which failed. In frenzied response to their treatment of her and the rape of her daughters, she led her tribe in revolt against the Romans for several months during A.D. 60-61.  Her followers burned three major Roman towns, Londinium (London), Verulamium (St. Albans), and Camulodunum (Colchester). Boudicca fought with the Iceni in her final battle against the Roman governor's troops close to where I live on the Old Roman Road leading to St. Albans.

In Britain today, an old World War 2 slogan has become so popular the locals are getting sick of it. Keep Calm and Carry On. There's something about the understated tone, set against the seriousness of war that creates a humorous juxtaposition. The British, known for their stiff upper lip seem to have lost the ability to laugh at themselves. However, visitors to the UK love it. No tourist shop is without the parody in some form.

Keep Calm and Drink Wine. Cross the Threshold and Put the Kettle On. Run Out Of Ideas and Make A Parody. Change Words and Be Hilarious. Keep Calm and This Poster is Getting Old.

Back in 1939, with war against Germany looming, the British government designed three posters to steady the public's resolve and maintain morale. These featured the king's crown set against a red background, and three slogans - Freedom is in Peril, Your Courage, Your Cheerfulness, Your Resolution Will Bring Us Victory and Keep Calm and Carry On.

Two-and-a-half million copies of Keep Calm were printed, to be distributed in the event of a national catastrophe, but remained in storage throughout the war.

In 2000, a copy was discovered in a box of books bought at auction by a bookseller from Northumberland. He and his wife liked it so they decided to frame the WW2 slogan to display in the shop. Lots of people saw it and wanted to buy it. They refused all offers but after repeated requests decided to make copies to sell in 2001.

Twelve years on, the parodies have become wearing to some.

Who is to say what is funny and what is not? Humor is subjective. We don't see things as they are, we see them as WE are. Anais Nin.

New research has shown that people having difficulty drifting of to sleep are more likely to develop heart failure.

This is of great interest to me because my husband doesn't sleep well at all. He wanders around at night, checking windows, then climbing back into bed. When he drifts off, he thrashes about and speaks or yells warnings to potential attackers. I raised my hand in self-defense once when he was protecting me from an unseen witch coming through the wall above my head. He slapped so hard, he broke my ring-finger joint. So now, I wake him up—which causes him to remain awake for a longer period.

The report said that people who had trouble falling asleep and remaining asleep each night were three times more likely to develop heart failure than those who reported no trouble sleeping. Those who experienced substandard sleep that failed to leave them fully refreshed were also at risk.

Over a period of eleven years, more than fifty thousand people were tested from all walks of life and with varying backgrounds. Check the full article here. Those who experienced poor sleep often developed the condition in which the heart fails to pump properly. The heart muscles may be too weak or too stiff to do their job properly. People with the condition may be increasingly breathless and exhausted.

The researchers say it is unclear exactly why poor sleep and heart failure are associated in this way. It's well known that getting enough sleep is vital for your mental, physical and emotional wellbeing.

 At this stage, the tests don't prove that poor sleepers will develop the condition. The good thing is it is a potentially treatable condition. The British Heart Foundation recommends that if lack of sleep is becoming a problem and affecting your daily life, you should have a chat with your GP.

And that's what my husband will do today when he visits his doctor. I'd rather have him alive and hitting (out at night[—removed for the sake of the cliché link]) than lose him to heart malfunction.

Last night, I gave self-defense plenty of thought after the news of planned killer robots to roam the skies, seeking the enemy.

Several people commented about the need to protect the good life they have, otherwise somebody would invade to snatch it away. Quite right. We can't bow under bullies' threats. Reducing the conflict to a playground scenario, it would be like stopping a gang of thugs from beating you and taking your apple.

In this morning's news, the U.K. defense secretary is to announce details of where the British Army will be based after its withdrawal from Germany. 4,000 troops have already moved back to the UK, and 16,000 men and their families are to follow over the next five years. Read the full story here. What? Britain still has troops in Germany, 70 years after WW2 has ceased? I didn't know.

Back to the dilemma of stopping other people taking what is yours. What does the lesson in the bible mean about turning the other cheek? That's not about protecting, but rather about accepting. Can we apply the meaning to the present day?

One summer back in the 70's, we moved to a small fishing village in South Australia. With the cold war threatening to break out at any time, and a missile pointing at Adelaide four hours drive away, we built a high wall around a courtyard vegetable garden for protection from roving hordes expected to roam the country like those in Mad Max.

While my daughters remained at a local primary school, my teenage son would need to catch a school bus to an Area School, set aside for local farmers and families dotted over the countryside. During the summer holidays, my son chose to become a practicing Christian. At his last school in Adelaide, he'd defended weaker children and had become a hero. Tall for his age and slender as a young teenage boy can be while he filled out his bones, he left for his first day full of enthusiasm.

He returned that afternoon shaken and bruised, declaring in all his bravery that nothing was wrong. After a week or so, we got to the bottom of the problem. The bus driver explained that the younger boys were hitting him just to watch his reaction when he turned the other cheek. The Christian driver didn't know what to do about it and had discussed the problem with the headmaster. They both said the boy would need to sort it out himself. The beatings went on for two years while my 6'4" son grew into his bones. All the advice and love his father and I could give him didn't show a result until one day, he hit back. The beatings stopped. The boy became a man, warped beyond recognition. His youthful zest for life had changed into a bouncer mentality. Whilst remaining a loving son, his actions away from home fill me with horror.

Not only did this real-life experience teach me how peer-group pressure can change a beautiful soul, it highlighted the need for restrained defense at the beginning of a conflict to prevent a build-up of aggression. Bridle as I might about the bleak reality, that's the way things are. Protect yourself or succumb to another order.

While I earnestly desire peace for our planet, consider the wellbeing of every living creature, and promote a caring attitude between like-minded people, scientists have joined military personnel in a thrust to gain the advantage during a potential anticipated combat.

Killer robots could soon roam the skies, seeking the enemy during a future war. They would carry lethal weapons, and no human being would be involved in the decision-making process. See BBC News here. http://bbc.in/1019NIs

The era of drone wars is already upon us. Unmanned aircraft demonstrators like the arrow-head shaped X-47B can almost fly a mission by itself with no involvement of a ground-based pilot.  Also, missile systems like the Patriot can identify and engage targets automatically.

The era of robot wars could be fast approaching.  A laboratory at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta is already considering the jump to a fully-fledged armed robot warrior, a development with huge implications for future warfare.

How could humans even consider creating machines to release with the sole purpose of killing other human beings? They are planning for a future of war instead of peace.

While every decent person is deeply concerned with the welfare of other endangered creatures on the planet, others are planning to fight and kill a future unknown enemy.

The elephant’s plight, along with wiping out of rhinos for their horns, will be a key issue this week when 177 countries meet to discuss the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) this week. Statistics on the agenda are an appalling indictment of our exploitation of wildlife.

With a global extinction crisis facing many species, this year's meeting is being described as the most critical in its history. In immediate danger are: Elephants, rhinos, orangutans, lions, tigers, polar bears, manta rays and sharks.

Africa’s elephants are in crisis. Tens of thousands are being poached each year for their ivory used in Chinese good luck charms. Africa’s most reviled terror gangs are funding their brutality by killing these magnificent animals. At the moment, poachers use Thailand's exemption to sell native ivory to their advantage.

Also, 668 rhino, out of South Africa’s 20,000 rhino, were poached last year. African lion numbers have fallen by 50% to below 35,000 since 1980. 3,500 wild tigers are clinging to ­survival. At least 38 million sharks are caught annually to make fin soup. Thousands of manta rays are caught for traditional Chinese medicine, and approximately 600 polar bears are killed each year.

At the CITES convention, statistics on the agenda are an appalling indictment of our exploitation of wildlife. A political alliance between the world's two biggest economies - the US and China are co-sponsoring proposals to restrict trade in Asian turtles and tortoises. They hope to abolish the secret vote, which allows countries to put commercial interests above conservation.

Once again, politics play a huge part in determining how the world survives. Surely, the killers must realize that when the species is gone, they will have nothing to plunder. Can we, as a species, continue to allow greed to overcome short-term thinking? There must come a time when all countries consider the needs of Mother Earth as being more important than personal gain.

Related to the news story about a mature couple needed to train for astronauts for an 18 month privately funded mission to Mars, a married couple who have lived alone together for several extended periods have released their survival tips.

But wouldn't any couple squabble? Explorer Deborah Shapiro, who spent more than a year with her husband in the Antarctic, provides some marital survival tips here.

Someone similar to a couple who ran a farm together one hundred years ago would do very well. Why? Because a couple on a farm lived in interdependence, with accepted roles. They lived frugally, entertaining themselves, producing what they needed and repairing their tools that broke. All those traits are necessary for a long space voyage.

Some examples of people cooped up for long periods: The Big Brother house, nuns and monks, lighthouse keepers and oil rig workers, military units, ice road truckers, people on around-the-world yacht races, submariners and prisoners.

Maybe we should make light of the confinement with a Jailhouse Rock.

People can and do have a difficult time living together in this era of self-reliant independence. Each person should be allowed quiet time when they're sitting or reading. To do this, one requires self-discipline. Showing tangible signs of caring and empathy ensures that cabin fever never takes hold. When angry, keep your mouth shut. After a time, the trait will evaporate. Doing things is the antidote to boredom—chores, repairs, cooking or writing a journal. The main goal should be to support each other through every phase of life.

Do you think you could discipline yourself more in normal life?