Loz

It used to be that they had two years before they took the test, but they changed the rule. I suspect that deporting the ones that failed was proving difficult.

You *are* an idiot.

Townleygreen Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Loz said "I'm all for helping girls get an education, but please don't overlook boys as well" > > For goodness sake, just because I didn't mention boys you jump to the conclusion I don't think they > need educating? What makes you think I was directly referring to your post, anyway? It was a general point I made. And even if you do read it as a reply to you, your attempt at guessing my 'conclusion' doesn't actually correspond to what I wrote. Utter comprehension fail.

I spent a small amount of time a couple of years ago working with an education social enterprise in Vietnam. I saw exactly why education is so important - for girls AND boys. It really does make an amazing difference to lives. Yes, boys in some countries do get an education and girls don't, but even that 'education' is often for a very short period of time when they are very young and just covers (very) basic reading and writing. As soon as they are able, boys are usually sent out to work and earn the family money. I'm all for helping girls get an education, but please don't overlook boys as well. A proper education for all.

Just to add... Clarkson has denied he said what Tymon is claiming.

I don't think Corbyn could ever be a threat to national security. He'd have to be elected as PM to be able to do that.

He's been off on full pay until he turned down a chance to return to the new Chris Evans version of Top Gear, so any claim of lost earnings would be surprising. Still, Clarkson's new show is due soon and the publicity will be invaluable.

Changing what we do because of the attacks is exactly what they want.

Seabag Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > But tellingly it's the op (who i'd always suspected of being a green ink letter writer) I'd always wondered who were the strange, lonely people that write complaints to OFCOM, the papers and Points of View when things happen on TV. Well, now we know.

I disagree, Maxxi. Remember the famous "no blacks, no dogs, no Irish' signs? How is that not racism? Why should someone beaten up because they are, say, German, be any better than being beaten up because they are Nigerian? Anyway, 'race' is not very well defined, anyway.

maxxi Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Are you serious?! The Irish are a 'race'??!? Under the Race Relations Act, yes. It covers any discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, nationality, ethnic and/or national origin. Though, as far as I know, 'colour' does not include 'ginger'.

Mick Mac Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Are you asking questions that you know the answers to again Loz? I thought I knew the answer, but I didn't know for sure. Anyway, AFAIK Clarkson hit him during an argument over the dinner arrangements. It will be interesting if he called him something racially unpleasant during the incident and whether that is considered a motivating factor. I suspect he only added the racial aspect as otherwise damages from the Beeb are limited to ?80k.

Mick Mac Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Sorry Quids, disagree. There should be no difference between forms of racism. Technically > they are the same crime. Is racism actually a crime?

Quite right Jeremy - the article should have highlighted the fact that, after the attack, the pensioner still had one fully functioning and unmarked eye, giving hope and inspiration to indiscriminate attack victims everywhere.

The Polish builders were initially distrusted, but, as LM says, proved themselves to be excellent, hard-working builders who created a real name for themselves, at a time where local builders were really taking the piss. No doubt there were a couple of dodgy ones in there, but that's the case with local ones as well.

We used Mortimer and Carey (www.mortimerandcarey.co.uk) and were very pleased (in fact we've used them twice). Whatever you do, DO NOT upgrade the bank-supplied one they do the valuation with. They are generally awful.

Cost of the Freedom Pass: some number above ?275m. https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/cost_of_freedom_pass

kjs1 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I wonder how well Blah Blah would take someone suggesting (s)he was a vacuous/pretensious/morally > bankrupt person because (s)he lives in the designer area of ED? There's a 'designer area' of ED?

malumbu Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Why the Daily Mail thread headline > Why not put it in the positive - ethnic groups and immigrants doing better at school. > And therefore improving quality of life. > That would give other groups something to aspire to. Really? Sounds a bit PC and defensive to me. Are you proposing some sort of rule that only certain groups can be put into negative headline and certain groups into positive headlines? If it was the other way around, that certain ethnic groups were doing poorly, would you be happy with headlines running with "White children are the best performing pupils" as being wonderfully aspirational?

Blah Blah Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > But what is the measure of underperformance? Exam passes? We have this idea that educational > achievement is the measure of success. How else would you measure 'success' in terms of schooling?

Jeremy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > In-work benefits are means tested. Why not pensions and freedom passes? In the case of freedom passes, I suspect the administration would completely outstrip any savings.

NewWave Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Give and take were more than just a 'posh' charity > shop-a portion of the money went to breast cancer charities Does anyone know what a 'portion' means? Those people that stick plastic bags for clothes through your letterbox donate a 'portion' of the proceeds to charity, but it's pretty tiny portion, more to make you forget it's a private profit making company rather than actually doing the charity much good.

An interesting table that basically shows that effective tax rates have shrunk across the board since 1990. That's just not sustainable. Some interesting trends in this table, as well. Some almost counter-intuitive! (In case you are wondering, it was calculated by taking the amount a household pays in tax, direct and indirect, and then subtracted the amount it benefits from state benefits and tax credits, as well as 'benefits in kind' such as state education and the NHS. These are, of course, averages and will vary a lot depending on factors like if you have kids. http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/10/09/article-2215070-156C3723000005DC-830_634x680.jpg

rahrahrah Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Loz, its really not a party political point. The medias treatment of Corbyn is getting absurd for > all to see, regardless of what one might think of the man. Ummm... I never said otherwise.

The Guardian seems to have taken on the old Ryanair business model - piss as many of your customers off as you can.