pap

Personally boys, I think "sorry" is the most under-used phrase in politics. Along with "I was wrong". People would have so much more respect for our politicians if they were able to do this. Instead, we get florid platitudes that diminish the meaning of any admission. How on the money was Orwell?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iheZM6VBJfE

Jennifer Ellison is the little scouse temptress who used to be in Brookie and go out with Tinhead.

Already have :- The Conservative MP Nadim Zahawi said Abbott should apologise or resign after reading he read the message, which was posted as part of an exchange with a freelance journalist about the merits of talking in general terms about the black community. She's trying to back-pedal like crazy at the moment. Guardian article.

Get into lists. I don't really look at my main feed much, but you can create lists and place your favourite tweeple in there. Cuts down on a lot of the crap. Also, hashtag searching is pretty cool too.

Have you got them mixed up? The first one is Abbott's tweet, is it not?

If a white MP attributed a destructive tendency to all black people, it would be considered racist. That's pretty much what Diane Abbott has done in reverse, and if equality is our aim, then it works both ways. There's a germ of an interesting point there, just expressed in the wrong way. It's perfectly valid to point out the existence and destructive effects of divide and rule, but she attributed a personality characteristic to an entire ethnic group. In my book, that would be racist.

Just seen the photos on Facebook, mate. A real cutie, who has caused quite a stir in Chez pap. Missus is on the prowl

And I'd much rather they did that than go to war so their military industrial complex could make money. Thanks for piping up. Nice to see someone else who can see the wood for the trees.

I commend you for your input, but part of what makes this country great is the liberal tradition and the freedom to express one's views. I can believe that the entire world financial system is corrupt and workable, and you get to believe I should take a one-way trip to Chez Castro. That's democracy, and vive la difference. If you can't deal with that, then there are plenty of places that'll do for you. Burma's looking dodgy, but North Korea is still very much a go-er, despite recent events.

Functioning monetary system is an oxymoron. As long as any system allows individuals and corporations to accumulate vast sums of capital, you are always going to create inequality, meaning your "functional monetary system" comes at the cost of dysfunctional societies and human misery. Sure, some people have all the fun, but the fact remains that the vast amount of the world's wealth is in the hands of a very select few. Your functioning monetary system is a loosely federated hierarchy in which wealth flows upwards. When it comes down to it, the majority of society's problems come down to money. People will steal for it, kill for it, or move jobs overseas to make more of it. Look at the current financial crisis. The world is going crazy over what are essentially numbers in data-banks. I'd like someone to tell me how a country like America can really be in any trouble at all. They have everything they need to survive on their own land. Look at the EU. If we banded together and sussed out what we had, why couldn't we do that too? We might get a few less bananas, and might have to make our own TVs, but again - everything we need. It really is the biggest scam ever, and people believe it. In my opinion, the primary concern of this planet should be meeting the needs of the people on it. Some of the responses on here boil down to "Own fault. Not my problem. F**k him". You're entitled to that view, but I find it both abhorrent and quite apt. That's precisely what our "functioning monetary system" thinks of you.

Now that's what I call a positive contribution. Thanks mate - very good stuff.

I note that you have once again failed to participate in an activity that would identify you, dune. Whassa matter? Scared that we'll find out your real name is Che Guevara Smith?

And why is that? Has the world any fewer resources? Did we suddenly lose the ability to grow, hunt or fish for food? You ask me to look at the big picture, and it's this. These kids, and others, are going to suffer to perpetuate a belief that our current financial system must be upheld. The present financial system has been around for 300 years. It hasn't existed forever, and like many of our pre-conceptions, needs to re-evaluated if it is going wrong. If loving parents are throwing their kids into state-run care facilities, then something has gone very wrong indeed.

I can't do ten, but I have a mate who has 9 kids. She doesn't work. Her hubby supports them all.

Another thread for this already, I believe - TDD

Absolutely, and how do you think the guy feels about himself? The head of a family is supposed to be the bread-winner and a shield for his/her family. Travesty all round, really.

Who said anything about apportioning blame? Greece is under hard austerity measures, to pay back money to people who need it a lot less than they do. I take your point that Greece has gone way beyond its means. I can even accept that there are adverse financial consequences to having ten kids, and that people should think carefully about the number of offspring they can afford. What part did the kids who are going into care have in all of this? Did they sign up to the loans. Did they suddenly decide to appear on Earth independently of a parental decision? The kids are not responsible, and it is a sad day when a parent feels that the system can provide for his kids better than he can. Sadder still when people are incapable of showing an iota of compassion for their situation.

Not really going to answer your first point. I did so on another post, and others have clarified the cultural situation over there. Whether that has any bearing, I don't know. Are those kids going to be better off in care or at their parents? What are the long term effects going to be? And let's not discount the influence of the bankers. The reason that Greece is in so much debt is because they were lent the money in the first place. I think we can both agree that it was a disastrous decision for both Greek and the bankers. But here's the thing, you can't get into debt if no-one will lend you the money. The Greeks are undergoing their austerity measures because the mega-rich want their money back. Needless suffering, in my opinion. Those kids need the money more than the banks.

People probably are already. There have been numerous reports of increased emigration from Greece, Ireland and Spain. Many of them will not have the capital to bugger off to Australia ( popular destination ) so will inevitably gravitate to the richer countries of the EU. I wonder if we'll see a sharp increase in Greeks, Irish and Italians here.

I do have some sympathy with your views, but nothing like the sympathy I have for the 500 families asking for their kids to be taken into care. It is a damning indictment of our priorities (as if we needed any more).

This story surfaced about a week ago. Greek economic crisis turns tragic for children abandoned by their families Birruva quote: Even before Greece's economic crisis engulfed his own home, Dimitris Gasparinatos found it hard to provide for his six sons and four daughters. His wife, Christina, who was struggling to make ends meet with his salary of €960 (£800) a month and welfare aid of about €460 every two months, was unhappy and desperate. Deep in debt, the couple owed money to the butcher, baker and grocer – the very people who had kept them going in the port of Patras, west of Athens. In their tiny flat, the family slipped increasingly into a life of squalor. "Psychologically we were all in a bit of a mess," said Gasparinatos. "We were sleeping on mattresses on the floor, the rent hadn't been paid for months, something had to be done." And so, with Christmas approaching, the 42-year-old took the decision to put in an official request for three of his boys and one daughter to be taken into care. Now, we know nothing about this guy's family history, whether any/much of it is self-inflicted, but over 500 families have recently asked to place children in care, and that number looks set to rise. Still, gotta pay those bankers off, right? That's whats really important.

@paulalantaylor is my handle. I mainly tweet geek, but occasionally spout off some nonsense about #saintsfc.

Just to say, big congratulations to you, the missus and the girls. You are a brave brave man for pushing the reset button at our age, but dude, you've got a son! Now that is ace.

Points that will be meaningless after the end of this year. I hope this galvanises the team into another run. I want to get drawn against Brighton in the FA Cup. Most of all, I'd like decent officials in that tie. Deep down, every Brighton fan knows their team is filth.