LEYTHERS born before 1940 must look back and see how the world has changed beyond all recognition. It's bad enough for pre-1950 versions (just) like me.

An updated list of comparisons appeared on my desk which I thought readers might like to share.

Entitled "We Are Survivors" it states "We were born before television, penicillin, polio shots, frozen foods, Xerox, contact lenses, videos and the pill.

We were before radar, credit cards, split atoms, laser beams and ballpoint pens, before dishwashers, tumble driers, electric blankets, air conditioners, drip dry clothes...and before man walked on the moon.

We got married first then lived together, we thought fast food was what you ate in Lent, a Big Mac was an oversized raincoat and crumpet we had for tea.

We existed before house husbands and computer dating. Sheltered accommodation was where you waited for a bus.

We were before day care centres, group homes and disposable nappies. We never heard of FM radio, tape decks, artificial hearts, word processors, or young men wearing earrings.

For us time sharing meant togetherness, a chip was a piece of wood or fried potato, hardware meant nuts and bolts and software wasn't a word.

Before 1940 Made in Japan meant junk, the term 'making out' referred to how you did in exams, stud was something that fastened a collar to a shirt and going all the way meant staying on a double decker bus to the terminus."

Food for thought. What will the comparisons be like in another half century? I dread to think.