Brendan

reggie Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > It's hard to attack the idea that those who > benefit from education should pay for that > education. No it isn?t. In fact I will go so far as to say that statement is utter, self-absorbed bullshit. We should pay from education so that the next generation can benefit from it and benefit from a world where education is free. . Or is the idea that we should leave the world a better place than we found it no longer valid?

It?s not an ?evil conspiracy? although the outcomes are arguably evil. It is a well publicised and celebrated ideological standpoint on moving away from public accountability and control to corporatism and small government. Just last week I once again listened to it being enthusiastically lauded by an ex tory shadow minister over a luncheon table. Not that he minds the fact that the salary for his new job is paid by the tax payer. Their argument being that the powers of the ?free market? will give the public the best deal*. Only when it comes to people making the choice on their education it is not a ?free market? it is a cornered market. This is why most sensible people realise you can?t have the private sector involved if you have any compulsion to provide a free, equal system. Why so defensive of ?the banks?? *Or the shareholders the highest profit.

There?s a war memorial in our building. I normally go down and observe it there. Today I was so zoned out though I completely forgot.

mockney piers Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Ok the Tory party is a vehicle for power with the > principle of looking after your own. > old labour was too > New labour was purely a vehicle for power. Three perfectly put points that so many people just don?t seem to realise.

Well I?m joining the communist party. Not that I?m actually a communist but because I?ve realised that faced with an extreme on one direction (ie the far right approach of our current politics) the only productive opposition that will have any chance of dragging them back to the centre is an extreme in the other direction. Plus I quite fancy some marching and brick throwing.

But you know. Fuk the next generation. Let them live lives even more enslaved to financial organisations and socially divided by lines of haves and have nots than we?ve had to.

This idea of forcing people into debt before they are even out of school is all about giving the financial sector more power over society and removing accountability through the democratic process. Saying to someone that in order to get an education (ie be able to put a roof over their heads one day and feed their family) they have to be bonded to a bank through a loan agreement is neither fair nor morally justifiable. Bank clerks may as well go round putting guns to people?s heads and forcing them to sign loan agreements. It is easily demonstrable by many examples that a developed country can provide higher education free at the point of delivery and based on merit not background. (the debate on the quality and proliferation of ?degree course? in this country aside though because that is a valid one) Britain just seemingly doesn?t want to do this. Just another example of the type of people that inhabit this island especially those of the ?Conservative? bent who are wetting themselves at with excitement at a future where the next logical step is an education system where ability to pay is the basis on which learning is dished out. (even more so than it is now) I grew up in a country where that is the case and knew many people who where denied education because they couldn?t pay for it. Apart from being counterproductive if you?re trying to get the best out of your population it makes the society not a very nice place to inhabit. I know some people feel that things like equal opportunity are just nice but not essential but those people aren?t really human. Nice matters. If you can?t see that then you really aren?t worth debating with.

I'll fuking unhinge you pal. Poseur indeed.

Well yes. Everyone?s done it in a laundrette. Or is that, ?everyone?s done it in a corvette.?? I can never remember.

No, not on an actual golf course.

As radio goes these days I find Radio 3 the least offensive.

Can't babysitting. Robots.

On a golf course that is.

Teed off a Chimichanga

Not spawn no, concubines. Or perhaps bitches.

That ruckus, the sentiment of which I wholeheartedly support, would also be going on if the Labour party were still in power.

My problem with the whole Science/Religion thing is that they are completely different things. Religion is an institutionalised world view based on belief. Belief plays no part in science. Science is the normal faculty of critical reasoning that every human posses (and displays when they do magical things like pour the tea from their cup into their mouth instead of into their ear) formulated into a formal discipline to make it easier to share learning and tackle more complex problems. You don?t believe in science. It just is.

Sounds like a good night out.

Natural Born Killers Gonzo murder dream

Small Soldiers Robots. Small ones.

I Robot Will Smith. Robots.

Star Wars Episode 1 Red guy. Robots.

One of the rozzers has just enough David Brentishness in his personality to bring a wonderful mockumentary flavour to the whole thing.

Pearl Harbor Titanic. With planes.

I?ve tried to use my work access card on the oyster reader on the bus many a time.