citizenED

Are we s'posed to feel sorry for bankers?...

Try Giraffe under the Royal Festival Hall. Was great when I went with my youngsters. (3 & 1)

Will the place soon be heaving?

Yep, I'm fearful of posting anything up here now, with Miss Crasher prowling the corridors. I'm skulking off to get musically re-educated.

But, ????'s, the simple truth is that we have "mixed economy" system in education and so that is the one that everyone uses, including Labour MP's. You can't complain about that. *Bob* will do it, you'd do it and so will I. But I will not like it. I'd prefer if the state guaranteed that all schools were similar and therefore I wouldn't have to worry about the school my kids went to - they'd go to a local one, as would everyone elses children.

Like the Coral too, Jah. But not quite as much as I like this lot Sparklehorse - Sick of Goodbyes

I watched it online the other night. A real hoot. That Anna Richardson is one game lass. I too thought it informative and amusing in its own frothy, flirty, tabloid way. Some intriguing facts and opinions mixed in with some over-excited giblets of mis-information, I mean are they absolutley sure about those figures for the numbers of people who trim down there? What did they say 95% of women have a Brazilian and the other 5% a Hollywood. Who they kidding? And the number of guys they claimed wax. Surely not. Top moment had to be dearest Anna's exclamation when it dawned on her, as she had her virgin Hollywood, that the waxing mistress was about to get extra personal. "...what, inside?"

I think there is a price to pay for following through a principle that is right. Some people think that India is in more choas since the Brits left. Maybe, but so what, it is right that a nation has self-determination. It is right that we have comprehensive education. (James, I'm sure there's plenty we agree on.;-))

James you said: "By the way Citizen, I didn't say that this is the same as someone shouting homophobic abuse at you in the street but thanks for twisting my words again." And I never said you did. And I know you don't think that.

Fully in agreement with your suggestions on this, James. Our whole educational system should be comprehensive. Be a very brave government that would ever tackle that one, though.

And because I'm pretty sure that, whereas everyone on this thread would agree that shouting "Qu**r", "Ba**y Boy" "Fa**ot" at someone in the street in an agressive or threatening manner is abusive and wrong, not everyone agrees that using the term "gay" to mean rubbish is in the same league.

Oh, and sorry to hear about your predicament Muffintop - just means you'll have to stay here and resist the urge to get dragged into those arguments going on on the other channel;-)

Perhaps West Ham can recoup all that money they paid to Freddie Hot Pants and pay it out in compensation.

David Carnell said "Now unlike most Daily Mail readers I actually bothered to watch this show..." Funny, David, never had you down as a Mail reader. Daily Mash, sure, but Mail, never.

Thanks for that absolutely soulful delight, Jah. Feel so sad that I first got to know Rod Stewart through the "Sailing" phase. Why oh why, Rod. I'm quite liking this at the moment. Tracy Thorn - Raise the Roof Love the video

SimonM, surely you mean "Man City want Walcott" stories

I'm on your side too, James, but am wary of posting this because I fear you will not see it as not totally supportive. the trouble is that this all started on that other thread when you belittled Muffintop's experience of being racially abused on a train and went on to suggest that you being called a "fa**ot" was far worse. In that sense you set the parameters of the debate and allowed people to make judgements on the subtle differences between grades of abuse. I agree with you that homophobia is bad. I don't happen to agree that in society at large, homosexuals have it worse than black people. I don't necessarily agree that that homosexuals have to suffer more casual homophobic comments than black people suffer casual racist comments. Let's make a subtle point. Kids in school habitually use "gay" as a term of derision and are therefore acting in a homophobic manner. But these are kids in school, following the herd or keeping their heads down as they work through the shit that society and adults throws at them as the forge through to become adults. It is not their well-considered political point of view. People on this forum are intelligent agents, putting forward their well-thought through opinions. Yet you seem to judge those kids view as more important than those expressed here. I would beg to differ with you on this. The view on here have been generally supportive of the view that there is an issue with homophobia in society. I'd actually find that reassuring.

You shuffle down the street

Walcott is the youngster ever player to score a hatrick for England. (Disclaimer: the views in this post have not been externally verified by ant competent or knowledgable authority)

I go past it every day on my way to work. It's looking much, much smarter. The memorial and flagpole have been pcleaned up and there is some work being done round the base.

hope springs eternal Keef!

Agree with Sean on the fact that this is a well-balanced debate. I'm enjoying the quality of the posts made especially since people have made fair-minded points, some of which have certainly got me thinking. Nice to have a prolonged discussion about such an important issue. You could argue that James has been rather clever, if not a little naughty, in linking Racism with homophobia in the original post, a point others have made. Linking them rather sets up anyone who veers on the side of saying that the former is worse than the latter to a charge of homophobia. Pretty unfair. Like asking, "which is worse, land mines or mustard gas". We have not yet really debated the all the nuances of the terms in the OP. It may well be that casual verbal homophobia (with its attendent devastating effect) is more greatly accepted in society than the similar level of racist bullying. But Racism and Homophobia cannot be distilled into the simple phrases "g*y" or "n****r. I wonder what conclusions might be drawn if the economic status of Black people or Gay people in the UK were compared?

Since we've not been to either, the Rye Hotel or the Monpelier would be my choices.

Why is it that, when I'm rushing to jot something down, the pen I pick up never works! Grrr... Oh, and pedants who pick people up on their sloppy grammar, one of whom is about to inform me that I haven't put a question mark on the end of my statement. ;-)

on/off buttons on mobile phones. Bee-jaysus.