Thought Id start this one going because its rather dead on this board at the moment and I suppose all my usual muckers are either at the Stella tennis event watching Dim Tim (lose again) or at Henly Regatta eating cucumber sandwiches (they wish,...NOT).

Anyway please feel free to just talk to yourself blast away and let it go on any company or subject you wish. Just wish Id thought of this one before.

cheers GF.

Surgeons in Pakistan say they have removed a bullet from a 14-year-old girl who was shot in the head by Taliban gunmen in the Swat Valley.

Malala Yousafzai, a campaigner for girls' rights, is reported to be in a stable condition after the operation.

Gunmen attacked Miss Yousafzai and two other girls as they walked from school on Tuesday, sparking condemnation from politicians, activists and the public.

The militants said they targeted her because she "promoted secularism".

A spokesman for the Islamist militant group, Ehsanullah Ehsan, told BBC Urdu on Tuesday that Miss Yousafzai would not be spared if she survived.

Malala Yousafzai began her blog at the age of 11
Miss Yousafzai came to public attention in 2009 by writing a diary for BBC Urdu about life under Taliban militants who had taken control of the valley.

The group captured the Swat Valley in late 2007 and remained
these people should be wiped off the planet put small box in there caves and walk away that is the answer.

I hear the milk is turning sour for Hays at the Tory Tea Party meeting at Birmingham.

The clowns are off the stage to be replace by the doom and gloom merchants.

Seems the soothsayers are suggesting Triple Dip recession.

But no U-turn, the Right winged ideologists are clogging up the U-bends.



8-}

Just listened to the Cameron's ramblings.

What a lot of sycophantic bilge.

He seems to have found the emerging markets and wishes to emulate their "social structures".

Sickening, unless you are one of the faithful.

What was the whisper?

Bring in Boris before it is too late.

========

It was a lot better than the meaningless nonsense from Ed Milliband.

-

Oh grow up H/S.

I am glad Cameron is going to spread "privilege"!

I suppose he means spreading it amongst his own family and friends.

I wonder if Rebecca is on the list.

What a false creep he is!

------

PS.

Which events in the Olympic Games did Cameron and Osborne compete in?

Seem to recall Osborne had a good reception when he attended.

I have to that I am pretty happy with the current policies of the coalition. I see no reason to change course. The only thing that would improve the situation would be for the Conservatives to get an outright majority.

Suggest you change your Doctor Fred, whatever medication he or she has prescribed for your Alzheimers clearly isn't working.

when you have lairs at the top then it becomes a cesspit that is now the uk.

The Hotel Bill
A lady decided to give herself a big treat for her 85th birthday by
staying overnight in an expensive hotel.

When she checked out next morning, the desk clerk handed her a bill for $450.00.

She exploded and demanded to know why the charge was so high. "It's a
nice hotel but the rooms certainly aren't worth $450.00 for just an
overnight stay! I didn't even have breakfast."

The clerk told her that $450.00 is the 'standard rate,' so she
insisted on speaking to the manager.

The manager appeared and, forewarned by the desk clerk, informed the
woman, "This hotel has an Olympic-sized pool and a huge conference
centre which are available for use.."

"But I didn't use them," she said.

''Well, they are here, and you could have," explained the manager.

He went on to explain that she could also have seen one of the
in-hotel shows for which the hotel is famous . "We have the best
entertainers from the world over performing here," the manager said.

"But I didn't go to any of those shows," she said.

"Well, we have them, and you could have," the manager replied.

No matter what amenity the manager mentioned, she replied, "But I
didn't use it!" and the manager countered with his standard response.

After several minutes discussion with the manager unmoved, she decided
to pay, wrote a cheque, and gave it to him.

The manager was surprised when he looked at the cheque. "But madam,
this cheque is for only $50.00."

"That's correct. I charged you $400.00 for sleeping with me," she replied.

"But I didn't!" exclaimed the very surprised manager.

"Well, too bad. I was here, and you could have.."

Don't mess with Senior Citizens.

sav vile. what about the groups in the 60 and 70 they too abused young girls under age . there must be a lot now having sleepless nights ,

Hays,

Which policies?

It seems that any policies are announced with a lot of hype, tested on the public and then withdrawn.

It appeals to populist principles on matters of inconsequential long term policies in an attempt to maintain itself and cling to power, while at the same time not proclaiming any long term thought out practical policies.

Cameron and Osborne’s actions are short term and were introduced initially with eyes on the next election. Probably the rate of which the cuts have been probably has been mistimed and certainly many are misdirected.

One of the cuts, which will certainly add to the discontentment of the tory “middle classes”, is the change to university fees “charges”. The effects of which, will be hitting home to those families, at the time of the next election.

I think the chances of a tory government being elected next time are getting slimmer.

By the date of the next election, any rebound of the economy, which has not been strangled off by the lack of real stimulus, support and investment will be insufficient and the tories won’t be able to blamed everybody except themselves.

Also, I am guessing, but I think that at the time of the next election the real unemployment figures and not those camouflaged by part time and reduced working hours will be more apparent. The true costs on the "state" will higher, which is the fear of the tories and the many others but for different reasons.

By that time, probably, the cuts in the public "services" will have kick in and the effects of which will be more apparent across a wider section of the public than many at present think.

It will be interesting to watch.

--------
What odds are the bookies offering?

The change to university charges was a result of accepting the findings of the Browne report. This was a study into university funding set up by the Labour party. The first recommendation is "There should be no limit on fees charged by universities"

Labour would also have had to raise university fees. The current system is better than the previous one as the threshold for repayment is much higher.

Hays,

Labour like the tories will play the blame game.

It has been done on the tory watch.

When the students leave universities and unless they have rich mummies or daddies realise they have debts of £50,000 + and difficulties in obtaining jobs, they and their families will blame to tories for their positions.

=================

The cost of education, as it is benefit for the whole of society, should I think be paid out of general taxation.

If the postgraduate should pay tax in proportion to his earnings, but not having a debt of £50,000 as commencement to his working life.

All the candidates for the Labour leadership except David milliband wanted a graduate tax. The cost to the student would have been the same, except they would have been paying back more sooner. University fees had to rise due to the absurdly large numbers who attend now. If the fees put off some students from studying stupid subjects at mickey mouse universities then that is a bonus.

Hays,

I can see you fit well with the party line which wants privileges for everybody in the party.

You may even have a point about Mickey Mouse universities, which were elevated to that status under a tory administration.
Some of the degrees offer did not appear to be of the subjects or standards recognised previously for degree qualification.
But many thought at the time it was an attempt by the tories to falsify or reduce the unemployment figures. .
Personally, I thought at the time that many of the courses were “barmy”.

But it was the way the tory government determined at the time how the new universities were to be funded. Caught up once again, with the excesses of their “capitalist” ideology and market forces. Some lecturers rather than lecturing or doing their research were caught up with “recruiting” students in order to finance their departments.

Again practice of "barmy" ideology, or at the least “ideology” taken to the extreme.
To be saddled at 23-27 with debts of £50,000 without cash rich parents may be acceptable to you, but for many graduates out side London they expected incomes will be below £40000.
You can work out the figures for yourself.

It was a politically naive action, which I don’t think will be forgotten by the public and be used along with other divisive actions, as pointers to the ineptness of the present tory government.

The repayments are very small. They only repay an amount based on their income above 21,00. For low paid wokers below 21,000 there is no repayment. The threshold is much higher under this government, being raised fom theLabour limit of 15,000. Don't forget that Labour were the party that brought in student loans.

The murky allure of the Loch Ness monster


A scientist has spent four painstaking decades studying the loch best known for the creature affectionately known as "Nessie". Why does this mythical monster hold such fascination for so many people, ask Chloe Hadjimatheou and Vanessa Barford.