Unthreaded
@Ross Lea et al
I must read what I type before I post it !.
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Pcar
@SandyS, Sep 10, 2016 at 8:01 AM
...and a certain hostility to fee paying schools
Why? Look at it from tax and economics. UK parents who pay - using taxed income - to send their children to a Public School save the Gov't paying the ~£10k pa to educate them in a state school. Thus, saving other taxpayers money. Furthermore, the schools employ staff paid for by the parents, not the taxpayer, who pay taxes on their earnings.
In addition, around 1/3 of pupils are from overseas providing a valuable source of export income.
To be against private education is akin to being against private retailers and arguing all shops should be owned and run by the Gov't.
Pcar
@AK, Sep 10, 2016 at 8:30 AM
My prejudiced view is that she might do better now in an old-fashioned Grammer [sic], but do these even exist today?
Alan, yes they do. Move to Northern Ireland. Bangor Grammar and Methodist College (Methody) are two of many non-denomination good schools. Few private schools in NI as they are not needed.
Pcar
@AK, Sep 10, 2016 at 6:37 AM
PCar. It wasn't so much that I didn't follow instructions. I did indeed place the butt firmly on my shoulder, but not firmly enough. It was the first time I had ever fired a firearm and the size of cartridge we were using was , to me, truly awesome.
A beginner's mistake, only made the once and in the right setting - a beginner's practice range. My other mistake- being instructed by a colleague, rather than by a qualified person. Not my call though.I added the rider about bruising to perhaps amuse our audience, not for your now personalized form of renewed criticism. Your antagonism is becoming blatant.
Calm down dear. It was not antagonism. It was mild criticism and LMAO.
First time I fired a 12 bore was alone and aimed at an imaginary high flying bird. Butt firmly placed in/on shoulder as I had heard others say one must do to avoid painful kick, no "qualified person"/instructor amongst them.
Common sense really, no gap = no deceleration impact.
All went fine and I was happy and confident I would now be able to shoot in public.
Pcar
RR. And Jim's mentor was The Bishop. And then another rodent character Coypu
ACK
GC: you are wise to be selective with your rodent targets – this one has a role model in the form of James Bolivar diGris and his sidekick-cum-wife, Angelina. One of his pseudonyms is The Stainless Steel Rat.
Radical Rodent
ACK, the other pigeons, clearly did not want this particular pigeon anywhere near them. Whenever he was about, there would be a series of disturbances, the local Women Pigeon's Institute labelled him a sex pest, and the local lads wanted to peck his eyes out. Perhaps he was a confused foreigner seeking asylum from distant shores like the Isle of Wight, and just didn't coo-the-coo all proper like.
25 years ago, Anti-Social Behaviour Orders had not been invented, but one loud report allowed peace and tranquility to be restored. Shortly after, I did do some consultancy for the Home Office, but it had nothing to do with the Death penalty
golf charlie
M Courtney. Perhaps one way to go is to have some schools where selection isn't just based on academic prowess but by some other attributes. Near Norwich, for example, there is a specialist engineering school sponsored by, amongst others Lotus and KLM. Admittedly selection involves an academic requirement but they do value other aspects. We have a long tradition of specialist schools, think of ballet, drama and music schools and academies. We could promote more variety.
ACK
For me the question isn't 'Comprehensive vs Grammar' or 'Grammar vs Secondary Modern'.
It is definitely 'Comprehensive vs Secondary Modern'. That is what most people will find their life chances enabled by.
The Secondary Modern idea is great. Vocational skills are needed by society. And their use and expertise can provide fulfilment. The pupils may not make the robots but fixing them will take mechanics not engineers.
That's the idea. But the practise has taken those with the best attitude out. There is no selection on practical skills - only on academic skills. That is where the selection fails.
And if selection fails to provide the best outcome for the majority then, as time goes by, the system will lead to worse outcomes.
M Courtney
Great bit of news from The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/sep/09/uk-will-miss-its-2020-renewable-energy-targets-warn-mps
Note that this does not decrease the chances of the lights going out this winter, however the rate at which the chances keep increasing year on year, are steadily reducing.
I am looking forward to The Guardian getting into unprecedented alarm mode over the next 4 years, as this story heats up. With any luck it will have simply melted away, assuming The Guardian hasn't blown the rest of it's inheritance by then.