The Kids - and the Oul Ones - Are Alright

Here's hope for those of us (hopefully) past the trough of life's u-shaped happiness curve: older people just keep getting happier - right up to 88 years old (the top end of a recent US survey). Further evidence that society in general, and the media in particular, have a problem with their old age problem mindset.

And more good news: back at the other end of the u-curve - among teenagers - it seems they're coping well with 21st century life and that reports of their low educational standards are greatly exaggerated. Here in Ireland, though we may not be top of the educational league table, Irish students generally perform well above the OECD average on maths and science scores.

Worth bearing in mind the next time you hear someone giving out about the young generation.