Dulwich_ Park_ Fairy

I'm sorry if you were offended but you really don't seem to understand what causes homophobia in the first place.

James, I think the key statement in that sentence is it "doesn't matter which way you swing".

Its not as hard as you think it is. If your kid is a grade 8 pianist with a Statement of Special Education Needs, and you live in Deptford, then its pretty much a formality.

I agree, also it is kinder to kids who are good in one area but poor in others. We had a couple of kids who were in the top sets for sciences but near the bottom for English, history etc.

Yeah, I can't see how a comprehensive with streaming is that different to the grammar school system.

That would be pure overkill bob, GCSE's seem to be doing that job quite nicely.

No, I'm not. What I am saying is that there are many more non-Public School educated kids going to University, Poly's etc now than there were in the heyday of the 11+ system. For clarification, non-Public school used to mean Grammar + Secondary Modern but now largely means Comprehensive.

Thats fairly disingenious. There isn't a "working class" now as comparable to the 60's so the figures are skewed, there are, however, many more non-public school educated students going to universities. Even Oxbridge.

See, I find this a bit irritating. Lots of "bright working class kids" do well in the comprehensive school system, maybe more than the small number of them incuded in the "20%" that went to grammar schools. The grammar school system undoubtedly worked for a lot of people (mainly those who couldn't possibly have studied in the presence of thickos) but it also let down an equal, if not greater, number of children. How many dyslexic kids went to grammar school? Or Asperger kids, or 11yr olds who just didn't perform well in exams?

We're talking about toddlers though, when they hit 3 they can pretty much fend for themselves for an afternoon.

See, this is where you become tiresome. You change what are fairly measured posts and make it sound like an attack on the gay community. Nobody was suggesting that the fetish clad, attention-seeking minority at Pride were typical of the average gay person, just that it doesn't help to persuade the detractors that there is nothing deviant in same sex relationships. Doesn't matter which way you swing, if you go out in public dressed like that people will think you're weird.

Is this a "virtual fact" or a "hard fact"?

Went to a Comprehensive School, they're actually not as bad as people make out. We all got our GCSE's in Woodwork, Rural Science, and Media Studies.

Iggy, I think it would be impossible to create a safe pub environment for a toddler, you've just got to be vigilant.

In all fairness James, I just don't think as many people have encountered casual homophobia as they have casual racism. Also, when you live, socialise, and work with a mainly intelligent and liberal section of society, homophobia quickly drops off your radar. The gay community has it fairly easy in London and it can be quickly forgotten that this isn't the case once you venture out into the provinces (SHUDDERS). Where I grew up it was, and still is, impossible to be openly gay, not because you'd be called a queer or a fag but because you'd get your head kicked in. On a more contentious note, I completely agree with bob about Pride where a sizeable minority attending seem hell-bent on living up to every negative stereotype people can have about the gay population.

The Harvester

Yeah, its not a bad pub but I did feel like I had inadvertently stumbled into a Philadelphia Cream Cheese advert

So, did you figure out a way? If so, what way?

Yeah, like people who call a local businessman who they have never met a "tosser". All I am suggesting is that because there may be more behind this incident than your "friend" has disclosed.

I've dealt with the guy and think he's a good bloke. I think there needs to be some clarification about what the "dog did". Are we talking rivers of piss in the middle of the pavement or a sly cock of the leg against the wall? If it was the former he had every right to complain.

Anything involving bacon?

The guy at the fabric shop is nice.

Toilets are much better than before.

The trap might work though.

Or even better, fax it.