IT'S ABOUT TIME

This was on the news today. A few months ago we were listening to news of Philae landing on a comet, millions of miles away. Not long ago Voyager 1 apparently passed beyond the solar system.

Here are some of the things that happened in the year my grandfather was born:
Gladstone was Prime Minister of Great Britain
Queen Victoria hadn't yet reached her Golden Jubilee.
General Gordon was killed at Khartoum during the wars in Sudan.
Gilbert & Sullivan's "Mikado" was performed for the first time.
W.T. Stead published "The Maiden Tribute of Modern Babylon" exposing the extend of female child prostitution in London.
Professional football was legalised in England.
The age of consent in Britain was raised from 13 to 16.
The first Rover safety bicycle was demonstrated, the first practical example of the modern bicycle.
The first modern pedestal flush toilet was demonstrated.
"King Solomon's Mines" by H Rider Haggard was published.

If we can go from the first modern bicycle to travel beyond the solar system in three generations, it's about time we sorted out the problems on the Earth.