um pahars

I'm certainly not trying to get in to the Public Sector Vs Private Sectir *****fest and have already made it clear that I think this race to the bottom shows up our society in a very poor light. I was merely responding to the false notion that public Sector workers think they have a "God given right" and that they have not contributed. I'm not sure of the gap between the Public and Private Sector and would argue that the disparity between the real "high earners" and the rest is much more corrosive http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15827683 I think there has to be a redressing of the balance between the current imbalance and hundreds of thousands of public sector job losses, pay freezes and pay cuts have played their part in addressing this. I'm just not convinced that further "taxes" to fund a short term over ambitious deficit reduction programme are just or equitable. Plus of course it's easier to slash and burn, but I would argue the Government haven't been successful with the over side of the coin, namely promoting growth.

Well your missus needs to have a word with her Headteacher PDQ. No one should be forced to strike and she has as much right to work as others have to withdraw their labour. If the Headteacher is worth his salt then he will see that she will not lose a days pay. As for your anecdotal story, then I'm afraid I don't have much respect for the handful of teachers you may be referring to. Any teacher using this strike as a jolly "day off" shouldn't really be in the profession.

I certainly think there is a case for redressing the private/public sector imbalance, but I'm not sure I'd agree with your idea that they have a God given right to better treatment etc. Hundreds of thousands of Public Sector jobs being culled plus an across the board effective 10% pay cut over the last two years suggests they have played their part (I'll be £100k worse off as a result of this effective pay cut). Additionally many have taken a further pay cut. So I think they have a decent shout in saying they have already played their part in contributing to the national interest. And I'm also not sure about throwing the baby out of the bathwater and downgrading the roles and rewards of those who will stay in the Public Sector is the way to go. I'm certainly concerned that an effective 10% pay cut for teachers plus a massive alteration to their pensions will influence those who might on the future choose to go in to a profession that is so intrinsic to the future national interest.

TBH I actually found her foul and abusive language more offensive than the ridiculous racist slurs she was spouting. Not that I'm in any way condonding her ignorant racist views, it's just that they were aimed at adults who could see how offensive, ill-educated, moronic and disgusting they were, whereas all that poor little kid could hear was F**k this and F**k that. What chance has that little'un got with a mother like that. (Hope I don't get lynched for saying this and that people get the point I was trying to make).

Saw an interesting stat the other day regarding unpaid work in the Public Sector and it's particularly pertinent given the minority view that the public sector is workshy, lazy etc. Something like 120 million unpaid hours are worked in the Public Sector every year. One in four public sector workers put in unpaid overtime worth £9billion per annum - compared to one in six in the Private Sector.

There is no way she should feel compelled to strike. I'm sure many people won't be striking, it is a personal decision one way or the other. If she feels any pressure then she should speak to the senior management as it is simply not right.

I think the hundreds of thousands who have or who are losing their jobs will have contributed, as have those who have foregone pay rises over the last two years (effective pay cuts), whilst others have had pay cuts over and above a pay freeze. It is disingenuous to suggest the public sector is refusing to contribute.

I found his speech somewhat contradictory. On one hand he was stating he didn't want any rancour or do/say anything to undermine the professional respect of teachers and the next he was insinuating they must all be lemmings and de facto hardliners as it is the teachers who are going on strike not the Union Leaders. No teacher has to walk out on Wednesday if they don't want to, it is entirely a personal decision. (And as I think VFTT has said befire, Gove is an affable chap, but he really is out of touch with what happens at the grass roots, bless him).

That's the same lame excuse that the tabloids use/used when they leak stuff on the net/twitter and then claim the "It's already in the public domain" line. Not the time, not the thread and in the current climate of Leveson not what I like to see.

Some of us are being realtively shat on!!!! Two options: a) Not happy until we are all shat on, or b) Not happy until no one is shat on I don't think anyone in the public sector has said they do not accept any change and nor have they they dipped out of doing their bit (the two year payfreeze will cost me £100,000 over my working life http://idseye.com/2011/06/02/private-sector-median-pay-rise-hits-3-as-public-sector-falls-to-zero/).

So enjoying the demonisation of the "worth" of the Public Sector and the race to the bottom regarding pensions. On the first issue I've worked in both sectors, seen waste and profligacy in both, seen good employers and bad employers, good employees and bad employees and wouldn't say either sector has a monopoly on the good or the bad. As for the second, I do think the race to the bottom leaves quite a stain on our society. Most public sector pensions are less than £5,000 so not sure why we're all up in arms. But perhaps most importantly we should be focussing on the private sector and highlighting how disgraceful it is that 60% of employees are not in a company supported pension scheme. That for me is the shame of the current pensions debate. Not that some have a decent pension, but that many have nothing and the bill in 30/40 years time will be picked up by the very same state we think are being profligate with public sector pensions.

Why the dinstinction regarding pensions??? You're also paying their wages every day.

Congratulations. Trust mother and little fella are doing well.

Up the cricket pavilion in the morning cleaning it out and sorting stuff ready for storing over the winter. Then on to the lunchtime rally at Hoglands Park then putting in a session in the afternoon at a community centre.

The way BBC just announced that Antonov has just been nicked in London was quite funny. Something like: "Police have announced they have arrested a 36 yo man on an international arrest warrant, but they won't reveal his name". "Antonov is of course 36"

Oh, didn't realise there was no financial benefit. Given that, I'm not sure that many will stump up just in case you can't make one match. Much better to gamble on a match by match basis (although of course you save yourself a bit of hassle).

Good U turn by the Club. Combined with some prominent marketing in the City, being top of the league and Xmas around the corner, I do hope there's a decent take up of this offer.

I would agree that the way supporters were treated in the unofficial bubbles was also terrible. Missing large parts of the games was ridiculous. But that doesn't justify just accepting being herded around this time. Last time you had the excuse that you didn't know that was going to happen, whereas there can be no doubt what you're signing up for.

J K Rowling!!! Why are they stalking her?? She was merely a kiddies author who did well, what's the public interest in making her life hell?? As for planting stuff in her daughter's bag so that she would pick it up later on, well how low will they stoop??

To me, Strongbow is the Carlsberg of Ciders, horrible!!!!! More a Westons Original, Thatchers, Stowford Press, Old Rosie kind of guy!!!

Not surprised at all that it hasn't sold out under this ballot (said so from day one that it wouldn't sell out in this first round). Not even sure it will sell out under the current restrictions. I'm certainly not jumping through all these hoops and agree to be treated like cattle. Someone needs to contest these draconian restrictions.

Went Xmas?new Year 97 and didn't enjoy it one bit. Loved the landscape and the historical sites and relics but just struggled to reconcile that with those who currently inhabit the place. I found it hard to get past the almost apartheid system I witnessed whereby those of "Arab" origin were treated appallingly and found the attitude of many who were only too happy to dish out such awful treatment to be depressing. We had no problem getting in to the country, but were struggling to get out (a combination of a Cuban stamp in my passport, apparently "looking nervous" - when in reality we were hungover from NYE as flew out of Ovda on New Years Day and an El Al plane on the runway). Had a much more pleasurable and interesting time travelling through Jordan a year later.

Only just noticed this thread. My parents knew him (and Roly) well and I used to school with his son Sasha. Very nice fella and certainly a part of the furniture going back a few years according to my Old Man.

Methinks he did. Have another look and you his actions second time around are exactly the same as the first. Left arm out, whistle in mouth, blows whistle, right arm takes whistle out and then left arm comes down. It's identical. He is facing the action as well on both occasions.

I ceratinly have got that App. It's got a somewhat nasally, dull, 2005/6 Nokia ringtone on it. Only problem is that once it goes off it just keeps repeating the same old, tired and dull ringtone. Just hoping that in the new upgrade it might get better.