Johnny Bognor

OK, let's look at an example where kids have exactly the same educational opportunity. Pick any state school in the country where the facilities, classes, teachers and everything is equal irrespective of parents stature. I'll wager that the kids from the better off families (let's say middle class for the sake of argument) will outperform in more cases than not, those from a disadvantaged background. Nurture plays a significant part in a childs upbringing so even with equal educational opportunities, things are still not fair. As suggested before, the only way to level the playing field is to confiscate children in the labour ward and have them brought up by the state, only to be released to their parents when they are 18.

Not at all, but even if you reach your educational utopia and all kids are sent to the same school, you can't stop better off parents hiring private tutors in the evenings and weekends to give their kids an advantage. I could argue that you are against parents wanting to give their kids the best chances in life. At the end of the day, I would argue that it is better to keep private schools and pour more resourses into the underperforming schools (especially in deprived areas) as the best way of improving things. I think it is better to raise the bar (in terms of improving schools) in worse off areas, rather than lowering the bar (in terms of worsening schools) in better off areas. At the end of the day, I want the same (in terms of the best possible education for everyone), but my approach would be better for all, rather than worse for all (as would be yours).

But there wouldn't be equality outside school time. Those kids growing up in single parent families or seriously deprived areas would still have a harder time to achieve than those from middle class areas. The kid with two layabout benefit claimant parents is less likely to achieve than the kid with parents in good hard working employment. On balance, education is important, but so is parenting and the nurture argument.

But you still wouldn't get equality. If all the kids from affluent areas went to a school offering the same service as the poorer area, they would still achieve over and above the poorer area. The kid from the affluent area would have the parents to help with homework, whilst the poorer kid would have to cook dinner for the crackhead mother. With the education standards being the same, the more affluent kid would still have more opportunity on average. One solution would be for the state to confiscate all children, put them through education, then give them back to the parents when they are done. Alternatively, it would be much easier to scrap education altogether and give everyone the same qualification, perhaps 10 A grade GCSE's each?

Not really, I just guess that a capitalist paying some tax is better than a communist paying no tax. As it happens, I do believe that someone who is influencing a government should be seen as paying their fair share. Gordon Brown has previously claimed it is ‘a scandal’ that there is not greater transparency on the tax status of party backers. But latest figures show that since 2001, Labour have taken over £10 million from eight reportedly ‘non-dom’ donors As you know, being the balanced one on the forum, I just like to see fairness in all corners.

In a roundabout way, I suppose I was hinting at the fact that private schools being the same as state schools would be completely pointless (as would taste the difference = value brand). If they were the same, then why would anyone pay to send their kids to them?

That's like saying, Sainsbury's should be allowed to make "taste the difference" and Tesco's shoud be allowed to have "Tesco's Finest", but they should not be allowed to be better than the value brands.

Hi Fuengirola, I get your point, but just to bring some balance to the debate, do you know the income tax contributions of any of the following people to their respective countries? Fidel Castro Hugo Chavez Che Guevara Hồ Chí Minh Kim Jong-il Vladimir Lenin Karl Marx Pol Pot Vladimir Putin Viktor Sayenko Josif Stalin Just interested, that's all

But when peope take advantage of these opportunities, they wouldn't be allowed to invest in their children according to you, so what's the point? So you at least agree that private education takes pressure off of the system in the good times. But those parents sending their kids to private school are already paying income tax which goes towards funding education and by then paying for private education are effectively paying twice, some of which is going to help the more needy. It is worth pointing out that not all parents are rich as is often assumed. A mate of mine is a mechanic who lives in a complete **** hole, but spends every penny of his to put his boy through private education, to give him the best chances in life. If you choose to **** it up the wall and have fancy holidays, why should he not be allowed to invest it in his kid?

There has been a lot of talk about what the club can do and what the fans can do. I see a few people have changed their avatars as a mark of respect. So can the mods do something with the banner to honour the great man?

Shocked and gutted RIP Markus A true legend

That's better

Will your new forum work better? :-)

Right now, I am caught between the two. My irrational hatred of the Blue Few vs what I will do about my holiday

This time going with Royal Carribean on the Voyager of the Seas on the 7 night med. Didn't know you cared, comrade. Haven't contacted them yet (as I only found out about the strikes last night), but will do so. That is another viable option.

Gibraltar to Barca = 543 miles Montpellier to Barca = 176 miles Went from Soton in the last half term. Weather for the first couple of days was a bit crap and the Bay of Biscay was fun.....not. If it was a 2 week cruise, would definately go from Soton, but for 7 days, I would rather go straight to where the sun is at.

Where Barcelona??? Don't tell the missus. Anyway, we will only be there for a few hours before we set sail (that's if we ever get there!!!). I was planning to fly out sunday morning which means I make the Orient game and as I am missing the Plymouth game, I really don't want to miss Orient. Obviously if I have to go earlier (i.e. on friday or saturday) then you will have a spare seat next to you for two games running.... you will obviously suffer a poorer match day experience without me to keep you entertained. The only problem is that there are 6 people going (all the others are female, as I am taking two child minders with me) so would need to hire something pretty big to hold 6 people (with 2 child seats) and a shed load of luggage. You fortunately haven't met my daughters and the thought of being couped up in a car for 24 hours with them two doesn't bear thinking about (1576 will testify to that). The other option is to fly to Nice and pick up the ship a day later (thus missing one days holiday).

Cheers Arizona. Alternatively, you can fly to Toulouse, get the train to Narbonne and then a train to Barca. There is also a direct train from Montpellier to Barca. Sleazyjet fly to both these destinations. As I have booked with Easyjet, it may be easier to switch my booking to these destinations rather than go with another airline.

Strike starts on 18th for a minimum of 3 days..... which is not good news for you!!! http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/7925337/British-holidaymakers-face-travel-chaos-as-Spanish-air-traffic-controllers-threaten-strike.html http://gospain.about.com/b/2010/08/04/air-traffic-control-strike-in-spain.htm http://www.easytravelreport.com/ If you get there, and I hope you do, then you've got to do battle with the Jellyfish!! http://www.spanishvida.com/2010/08/02/alicante-attacked-by-jellyfish/

Forgetting the politics (these guys earn £200,000 a year, some earning £800,000), the ****ers are going on strike later this month affecting some 2 million holiday makers. I am due to fly to Barcelona on the 22nd to catch a cruise ship. Although strikes are planned for 18th to 20th August, this is an expected minimum. These things tend to drag on and at the very least, there will be massive disruption / cancellations. Therefore, should I wait and see what happens or try to switch my fights southern France (Toulouse, Montpellier, Marseille) a day or two earlier and then car/bus/train it down to Barca? Don't want to arrive late in Barca and find we've missed our boat. Your thoughts are appreciated.

Washed down with some liquid (ation) refreshment - I fancy a nice bottle of whine.

I noticed the reference to that on the News site and know that it relates to the inbred bellringer. EDIT: Got it: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=tcwtb

Before I do the subtitles, would anyone like to add or amend anything????? HMRC Vs Android Android: You want answers? HMRC: I think we're entitled. Android: You want answers?! HMRC: We want the truth! Android: You can't handle the truth! Son, we live in a world that has football and this football needs to be guarded by men in the Premier League. Who's gonna do it? You? You, HMRC? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for the Taxpayer and curse Pompey; you have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that not paying tax, while tragic, probably saved footballers jobs and that my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves football clubs. You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties you want me in this club, you need me in this club. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use them as the backbone of a club trying to defend something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps with his Sky Sports subscription and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said "thank you," and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest that you pick up a football club. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to. HMRC: Did you deliberately skew the CVA Android: I did the job I had to do. HMRC: Did you deliberately skew the CVA Android: You're God damn right I did!

My second favourite court room drama.... I'm getting ideas for a new subtitled video......

I would contact the Data Protection Registrar / Information Commissioner. Vodafone have a duty of care over peoples information and this is effectively a breach.