Open Forum Discussions and Debate

Its okay jeb...I've got plenty of spare sleeves, a few beers and a fruity cider I've got chilling...your shout for the cheesecake...you owe me...who do you want to invite? I'll take Joni Mitchell for starters...I've got a rusty old blanket I've used for years, its kind of comfortable...

Joni Mitchell, huh? In that case, while we are designing a cheesecake, I'll invite Grace Slick. We'll see what she decides to add to the recipe.

...and for you of the younger generation asking; 'Who is Grace Slick?', go to my page and watch the Youtube clip. Then ask yourself how big a slice of that cheesecake would you really like to try.

jeb...I can't see any youtubes (mine doesn't work for some reason) but I am guessing it is the white rabbit syndrome...just a small piece, Joni Mitchell is playing...

There is a debate going on in the Aussie parliament about women taking their children with them to work.A woman was asked to leave with her 2 yr old child during a session.
I feel there aren't many jobs where you can look after a 2 yr old as well as perform your duty as an employee.Maybe at a child care centre!!
Why should children be exposed to the yelling and debating in parliament and why can't the mother have suitable activities for her child that are more in tune to it's education and care.
How can your job as a parliament representative be given your full attention when trying to subdue a crying toddler.To me it doesn't seem to be fair to the child or the public.

It's not just children at inappropirate places and times, cell phones are equally intrusive. Thoughtlessness towards other people's sensibilities is at pendamic proportions. Some people become so self absorbed that they can rationalize the most outrageous behavior regardless of its affect on those about them.

Another bone of centention is cranky old souls ranting about what annoys them using public website soapboxes as their podium. I hope there is no one herein that would lower themselves to that level.

Wouldn't dream of it, Jeb

jeb, I can book you a place in Hyde Park...Speakers Corner. That way you get to see the beauty of London and watch the cranky old souls crank it up on the soap box. There for your delectation...

So now you have to make an appointment to be annoying? What a vision: Hundreds of cranky old souls lined up waiting their turn to tell the world what needs fixed and how to fix it. I think I would like to be number 42.

Oh jeb you had that post on the 21/Mar/07 at 5:16 AM...unless I'm on the wrong page!

Would you like some chocolate orange cake made by my own fair hands? Only the second cake I have made that doesn't like a UFO in the making...sort of flat and made to fly rather than eat...

If I'm not democratic, I'm at least prolific. Or is that profligate?

Too prolix.

ex-pfc Wintergreen

Oh well, what the hell...

You've both got flies in your eyes.

or its all because of the influence of tachyon...

ibid., 24/Jun/09 5:28 PM

Schrödinger is your quantum state having a tachyon moment? (paradoxically speaking)...

Oh no! My umlaut is having a bit of a trema now...

No Andre, it is in an exotic hall effect!!

Now you've got me in a spin...not a spiders web effect I hope...

No,its different.To make the complex matter simple,the Quantum state is actually in a nonorthogonal state, with a nonzero overlap!!!!
(I bet you will Google the title, but I warn you,the rpm of your spin might throw you off balance)

I think I'm in a nonorthogonal state already...do they sell ice-cream?

Well Andre,all depends on which way it inclines..if it is subzero range,there is ice cream..if not,only cream, but no Ice!!!

well I guess I could have strawberries with cream. Is it clotted?

Well buffleheads and bambanoodles, you learn something new every day. You seem like good people.

Prolix sounds like anti-depressional cat food for the professional cat.

Ellié

I wonder what people's views are on the sad news here in the UK - a teacher has lashed out at a pupil in a school and is now charged with attempted murder. Should it be murder or attempted manslaughter? I'm sure there are many teachers that have felt like 'exploding' when faced with a 'hormone-charged' teenager throwing expletives like no tomorrow. How can events like this be stopped in the future? And are teachers qualified enough to deal with such students who know that no-one can reprimand them as in the 'old days'. It would be interesting to hear the views of others here.

Ellié

The link to the story for those who have not seen it on the news.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/jul/09/teacher-arrested-mansfield

Soooooo, Jeb has slipped out of retirement, Schroedinger has let the cat out of the bag, Ellié has posed a question....it's all go-go-go on the Forum site.

I've heard about that story Ellié and it's frightening. I believe that some schools in England are hiring bouncers as relief teachers. I think that teachers need a massive lot of support to deal with the issues in the classroom these days. The days of one teacher in a class should be over if that class needs more support. Schools are dealing with many societal 'failures' and more resources and man/woman power should be available. That said I think the great majority of classes and kids are ok, but the number of problem classes and kids is growing, and the issues need to be addressed, before things like this happen again.

Mary - It seems the go-go-go is slow-slow-slow. I can find no update to the story about Mr Harvey. Disappeared into the ether I guess. I don't know of any schools employing bouncers, most schools in the UK are reasonably ok. On the whole the students are calm, it is just the odd one or two that 'play up' during school term. You know the 'hey look at me aren't I cool gang'. That always happened but the punishment has changed these days, all the cards are in the kids hands and they know and abuse the situation. Perhaps a few blackboard rubbers tossed here and there would do the trick.

Ellié - rather jetlagged so excuse typo's.

A minor rant, in the guise of 'I wish I was a politician'. Alan Duncan (Conservative party) stated that his wage of £63,000 was a ridiculous amount to have to live on. This is in addition to the expenses of his second home, gardener etc, which our government seems fit to hand out willy nilly. My heart bleeds for him. In light of the present economic situation I think he should be placed in a red telephone box and beamed up to some forgotten planet. (He campaigns for Save the Red Telephone Box).

Ellié - still jetlagged.

One more as I am in that mode - I notice on the easy pages the mention of potty humour. I agree with Anne's comments on it. Do we really need the updates on people's toilet habits? Urinating and the like? Dear me, it feels like being back at school, with the need to outdo each other with fecal comments. It is my personal opinion for what it is worth. I thought this site had a little more to offer than that.

Ellié

Hi, Ellie. When this site has been at its most thriving, it has been because of the variety as well as the depth of the comments. I don't partiuclarly like bathroom humor, but in keeping with the spirit of the site (which has generally been to make allowances for one another) I rarely say anything. When all we get is bathroom humor, though, it takes away from the "more" that this site has to offer.

Or does this site no longer have to offer anything more?

Or have anything more to offer? Two different things.

only two Ian? Give or take a few...

or one...

or three...

Isn't this site what you make of it? A diversity of knowledge, humour and intelligence. I've been reading the archives for a while and it is amazing how the people of this site have gelled with each other over the years. I hope it doesn't lose that edge. I would like more 'more' please.

Ellié