Nice people thread part 6 - thrice by twice as nice :)

mystic_trev

misskool wrote: »

rain forecast for the rest of the month too.

I was just about to post the same MissK. Apparently it's got something to do with the Jetstream having moved south. Personally I wish it would just bugg@r off!:mad:

michaels

Sounds like a great idea

I was saying before I would love to drive the US again but I can't see that spending lots of time in a car is a fair thing to ask kids to do.

vivatifosi wrote: »

There's no alcohol talking here either. I would offer to do the Mongol Rally with you Hamish, but your incessant talk of house prices and my contant talk of library books would doubtless lead to one of us murdering the other.

DW and I often have a black and white theme in our decorating. New bedroom will soon have white walls and ceiling, and black stained wood skirtings and window sill, curtains and furniture. Doors are varnished pine as that would have been too much black. Currently bed is also varnished pine and can't really justify replacing it but perhaps we could sand and stain it black.....

silvercar wrote: »

I always thought skirting boards should be white, until I saw some in oak that looked stunning.

When we were on 2 days a week money last year school extras (trips, theatre visits, pta events, school fund...what is that 10 quid a month in a state school for?!) and meals felt pretty expensive, a fair bit more than we spend on food at home. We had much to many assets to mean we could get any help even though we might have qualified on income.

silvercar wrote: »

I'm involved with a local community group that trys to identify school children who are not eligible for free school meals but whose families can't afford to pay for school lunches. It is an absolute nightmare to identify the people affected and to offer the support. Either the schools don't know (or don't care) or they can't link the group to them. We have got round the latter point now, but I'm amazed at the lack of pastoral care in some secondary schools.

michaels

No you don't, without it we would have winters like Canada and Moscow that are on the same latitude as us.

mystic_trev wrote: »

I was just about to post the same MissK. Apparently it's got something to do with the Jetstream having moved south. Personally I wish it would just bugg@r off!:mad:

lostinrates

It occurs to me that school being provided universally free is not so different from the child benefit issue. It seems in many ways to lead to an argument that those who can afford education for their under 18s should pay for it while adult education, post 16 through undergrad degree for those bright enough could be free for those without trust funds.

Hugely different angle

PasturesNew

mystic_trev wrote: »

You'd probably find out you were sea sick

Oh - it wouldn't go anywhere ...

PasturesNew

chewmylegoff wrote: »

The income generated on £500k would only be £15-20kpa, I'm going to need more that that as it wouldn't even cover the rent!

£15-20k is more than most jobs ..... and mine wouldn't have to last as long as yours. Just the £500k alone would give me, say, £25k/year for the next 20 years without looking at interest.... I might have 20 years left in me....

vivatifosi

lostinrates wrote: »

It occurs to me that school being provided universally free is not so different from the child benefit issue. It seems in many ways to lead to an argument that those who can afford education for their under 18s should pay for it while adult education, post 16 through undergrad degree for those bright enough could be free for those without trust funds.

Hugely different angle

You have to offer free education though IMO. Unfortunately you get cr*p parents in all income brackets. You can't have a bad parent denying a child a shot of education and making their own life just by dint of the fact they have a bit more money.

Bad parents don't feed their kids properly, don't bring them up properly, don't wash their clothes and generally look after them... But they aren't just in the underclass.

I also think degrees should be free to kids from families whose parents are on low wages, as well as free in hard subjects where there are skill shortages - providing there is a tie in - such as must stay in industry in the UK or pay costs on a diminishing scale.

lostinrates

vivatifosi wrote: »

You have to offer free education though IMO. Unfortunately you get cr*p parents in all income brackets. You can't have a bad parent denying a child a shot of education and making their own life just by dint of the fact they have a bit more money.

Bad parents don't feed their kids properly, don't bring them up properly, don't wash their clothes and generally look after them... But they aren't just in the underclass.

I also think degrees should be free to kids from families whose parents are on low wages, as well as free in hard subjects where there are skill shortages - providing there is a tie in - such as must stay in industry in the UK or pay costs on a diminishing scale.

Oh, if one were to do it it would have to be a payslip deduction for employees i think. And part of tax assessment for others. Its never gonna happen because its too ope to abuse, but its sometimes surprising to me how much the value of state edication is forgotten by people, which is a HUGE shame, because knowing the value of it is part of what is important imo. And one of the things lost in higher ed ( thoug i am reluctantly in agreement with tuition fees now imposed )

silvercar

When we were on 2 days a week money last year school extras (trips, theatre visits, pta events, school fund...what is that 10 quid a month in a state school for?!) and meals felt pretty expensive, a fair bit more than we spend on food at home. We had much to many assets to mean we could get any help even though we might have qualified on income.

As a responsible parent I assume you would make sure that your children were either having school dinners or taking a packed lunch. Sadly this isn't always the case.

You would have thought that a primary school would know which children were on school dinners and which were not, and from those that were not you would expect the school to ensure that they were eating something

For secondary schools those using school cashcard systems the school can see exactly what has been bought. For those bringing packed lunch it is harder to ensure that everyone is eating something, but the pastoral care systems that all schools should have, should mean that someone is watching.

lostinrates

Sigh.

Our sitting room is not too small, but i am remembering why i put the furniture where i did. The walls are really busy, every wall has someting going on, and in awkward places.

It was ok before, but made the room look smaller. Now room looks bigger but to me, uncomfortable layout.