Posted: 12/9/2010 2:10:57 PM EDT
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Anyone across the pond with a first hand account of what is happening with the university riots? The US media is covering it pretty extensivly (and potentially over-blowing the situation). The Canadian media is covering it, but it's a side story just amongst other things. Do you think that with further austerity measures it's going to get worse or no? |
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Quoted: It's fo time.....Anyone across the pond with a first hand account of what is happening with the university riots? The US media is covering it pretty extensivly (and potentially over-blowing the situation). The Canadian media is covering it, but it's a side story just amongst other things. Do you think that with further austerity measures it's going to get worse or no? if you're a student  ETA: Tyga would be rioting too, but his dad probably won't let him  |
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Given that its about -4 outside at the moment, I don't see why they didn't just hose them all down for a few minutes.. I suspect that would have stopped it all fairly quickly. Will it get worse? For me the jury is out.. On the one hand this has always been an emotive topic and students are ones with wining and getting hot and bothered over things.. Having said that we are not France and this sort of thing is un-characteristic in the context of British culture as a whole. On the other, we are really just at the beginning of the austerity 'pain' (needed medicine though it may be) and its difficult to predict how much other anger (for which I think there is a lot of potentially) might translate into this sort of action given that we (and the world economy to be fair) are in uncharted waters... I think Europe is going to be the one to watch though... The odds for a series of sovereign defaults followed by Euro collapse and break up (of the currency and then ultimately a partial unravelling of political project) sometime in the first 3 months of next year are relatively high (I'd guess 1 in 3 if I was a betting man) .. When that happens the France could get interesting. The $14 trillion question though is the USA though.. where is that heading? Do you expect to see similar problems there? How would they be dealt with?
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Anyone across the pond with a first hand account of what is happening with the university riots? The US media is covering it pretty extensivly (and potentially over-blowing the situation). The Canadian media is covering it, but it's a side story just amongst other things. Do you think that with further austerity measures it's going to get worse or no? The socialists don't like being told that there's no more free money. They get pissy and start having tantrums. It could get uglier and there will undoubtedly be more protests. Maybe some more violent ones..... but when the money is gone, it's gone and tanting like a 3 year old won't make the problem go away. The more they tant, the less sympathy they will get. Let them riot. It just shows them up as the arseholes they are. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Anyone across the pond with a first hand account of what is happening with the university riots? The US media is covering it pretty extensivly (and potentially over-blowing the situation). The Canadian media is covering it, but it's a side story just amongst other things. Do you think that with further austerity measures it's going to get worse or no? The socialists don't like being told that there's no more free money. They get pissy and start having tantrums. It could get uglier and there will undoubtedly be more protests. Maybe some more violent ones..... but when the money is gone, it's gone and tanting like a 3 year old won't make the problem go away. The more they tant, the less sympathy they will get. Let them riot. It just shows them up as the arseholes they are. Defacing Churchill's statue and the incident Charles/ Camilla's car (didn't get the detail on that, was it actually attacked ?)... 
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Anyone across the pond with a first hand account of what is happening with the university riots? The US media is covering it pretty extensivly (and potentially over-blowing the situation). The Canadian media is covering it, but it's a side story just amongst other things. Do you think that with further austerity measures it's going to get worse or no? The socialists don't like being told that there's no more free money. They get pissy and start having tantrums. It could get uglier and there will undoubtedly be more protests. Maybe some more violent ones..... but when the money is gone, it's gone and tanting like a 3 year old won't make the problem go away. The more they tant, the less sympathy they will get. Let them riot. It just shows them up as the arseholes they are. Defacing Churchill's statue and the incident Charles/ Camilla's car (didn't get the detail on that, was it actually attacked ?)... Don't forget the fucker hanging off the Union Jack on the Cenotaph! |
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Anyone across the pond with a first hand account of what is happening with the university riots? The US media is covering it pretty extensivly (and potentially over-blowing the situation). The Canadian media is covering it, but it's a side story just amongst other things. Do you think that with further austerity measures it's going to get worse or no? The socialists don't like being told that there's no more free money. They get pissy and start having tantrums. It could get uglier and there will undoubtedly be more protests. Maybe some more violent ones..... but when the money is gone, it's gone and tanting like a 3 year old won't make the problem go away. The more they tant, the less sympathy they will get. Let them riot. It just shows them up as the arseholes they are. Defacing Churchill's statue and the incident Charles/ Camilla's car (didn't get the detail on that, was it actually attacked ?)... Yep see news now. Smashed up windows and paint bombed. How many students does it take to change a lightbulb? One - he just stands there holding the bulb and waits for the world to revolve round him. 
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Anyone across the pond with a first hand account of what is happening with the university riots? The US media is covering it pretty extensivly (and potentially over-blowing the situation). The Canadian media is covering it, but it's a side story just amongst other things. Do you think that with further austerity measures it's going to get worse or no? The socialists don't like being told that there's no more free money. They get pissy and start having tantrums. It could get uglier and there will undoubtedly be more protests. Maybe some more violent ones..... but when the money is gone, it's gone and tanting like a 3 year old won't make the problem go away. The more they tant, the less sympathy they will get. Let them riot. It just shows them up as the arseholes they are. Defacing Churchill's statue and the incident Charles/ Camilla's car (didn't get the detail on that, was it actually attacked ?)... Don't forget the fucker hanging off the Union Jack on the Cenotaph! Should have shot the fucker....... we could all have taken a piss on the tomb of the unknown scumbag. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Anyone across the pond with a first hand account of what is happening with the university riots? The US media is covering it pretty extensivly (and potentially over-blowing the situation). The Canadian media is covering it, but it's a side story just amongst other things. Do you think that with further austerity measures it's going to get worse or no? The socialists don't like being told that there's no more free money. They get pissy and start having tantrums. It could get uglier and there will undoubtedly be more protests. Maybe some more violent ones..... but when the money is gone, it's gone and tanting like a 3 year old won't make the problem go away. The more they tant, the less sympathy they will get. Let them riot. It just shows them up as the arseholes they are. Defacing Churchill's statue and the incident Charles/ Camilla's car (didn't get the detail on that, was it actually attacked ?)... Don't forget the fucker hanging off the Union Jack on the Cenotaph! Should have shot the fucker....... we could all have taken a piss on the tomb of the unknown scumbag. Perhaps he should have been hanged from it. The whole thing is disgraceful. I'm not even convinced that this was a 'tiny minority' - looked like a very large minority to me. Police showing restraint from what I have seen.. Given Millbank episode a few weeks ago especially remarkable. People attacking the car (I've now see the footage) might count themselves lucky the didn't get a seriously response from armed protection officers. Loud, noisy even disruptive protest is fine and an important part of effective democracy. This sort of thing is way over the line and the full weight of the law should be brought to bear (I'd like to see the perpetrators billed for the damage as well a punished). More than ever, I'm certain that I don't want my taxes going to put people like this through university! |
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Students think the world owes them a living. I cannot see what is wrong with eventually having to pay for something you have had...when you can afford it.
The riots were disgraceful....i personally would have tear gassed the fucking lot, then in with riot batons, and cracked a few skulls. |
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Students think the world owes them a living. I cannot see what is wrong with eventually having to pay for something you have had...when you can afford it. I agree. My parents could not afford to put me through University. I had to do a tech apprenticeship to get initial qualification & then at the ripe old age of 30, out myself through Uni on day release & two nights. The U.S has a similar approach as UK used to. Get student loan & pay back the money on a proportional based on earnings in employment. I don't see the problem in this, & it will deter those using the system to do some pissy degree in flower arranging mixed with psychology that will never get used. If you do a degree, it should be used, not as a means of extending the doss by 4 yrs ! |
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Students think the world owes them a living. I cannot see what is wrong with eventually having to pay for something you have had...when you can afford it. The riots were disgraceful....i personally would have tear gassed the fucking lot, then in with riot batons, and cracked a few skulls. You feckin leftie. Andy. |
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Students think the world owes them a living. I cannot see what is wrong with eventually having to pay for something you have had...when you can afford it. I agree. My parents could not afford to put me through University. I had to do a tech apprenticeship to get initial qualification & then at the ripe old age of 30, out myself through Uni on day release & two nights. The U.S has a similar approach as UK used to. Get student loan & pay back the money on a proportional based on earnings in employment. I don't see the problem in this, & it will deter those using the system to do some pissy degree in flower arranging mixed with psychology that will never get used. If you do a degree, it should be used, not as a means of extending the doss by 4 yrs ! Let them riot. We live in a democracy and smashing up public assets is the most sure way of losing public support, not that they had much anyway. It's not just students, although they are clearly a big part of this. It's anarchists, vandals and people who are an enemy of democracy that are the problem. |
[rant ] I watched last night's news in a simmering rage.
Firstly the vast majority of the face scarf wearing scum that went on the rampage weren't students. They were assorted miscreants, anarchists and scumbags who were out to cause trouble. One of the interviews with a so called "student" who claimed to be at college was both hilarious and maddening. He claimed to be from the "slums of London" and that because he couldn't afford to go to uni he would have to become a drug dealer. Considering he could barely speak anything approaching recognizable English (instead of gangsta speak) and looked like the sort of student that is destroying our secondary schools; the chances of him getting a worthwhile degree are about the same as me growing wings and flying the Atlantic. I don't understand what has happened to this country - where we have got to a state where people believe that they have a right to do whatever the hell they please and someone else can pick up the tab. When I was at uni there were loads of "students" that spent far more time drinking in the subsidized union bar than doing anything approaching study. Unsurprisingly; a lot of them dropped out or graduated with practically worthless degrees. What people seem to unable to grasp is that 13 years of socialist government has left this country in financial ruin. We simply don't have the money to continue the policy of giving other people's money away. Would they rather we cut the NHS? Secondary Schools? Old age pension? The austerity measures are going to be hard; but we have to cut our deficit and after brown and his retarded mates made a royal fuck up of running the country; we can't just blindly carry on. Seeing milliband smugly gloating over the trouble the student issue has caused was sickening; just seeing his podgy slug like face makes me want to put my foot through the TV. From my understanding; the universities don't HAVE to charge £9K a year - that is simply the maximum allowed. The most elite universities will charge this; but it will be down to the others as to what they ask for. Considering every year we hear how there aren't enough university places; maybe this will mean that only those intelligent enough and with the self-discipline to study will go; rather than those going for a three year jolly and a course on a subject that they have little or no interest in. If not - well then their parents will be picking up the tab. I'm happy for taxpayers money to be used to fund students from less advantaged backgrounds who have talent. Education will still be a lot cheaper than it is in the U.S. after all. Later in the news there was a piece on the Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo who was awarded the Nobel prize for saving lives at the Tiananmen Square massacre. It struck me as strangely ironic that left wing demonstrators were free to riot in a democratic country whilst the consequences of previously doing so in a communist country were so radically different. Lastly (and the thing that made me really angry) ANYONE who willfully damages the Cenotaph should serve 12 months in prison - no exceptions. It is because of the sacrifice of the people that the Cenotaph represents that these worthless dickheads have the right to protest - and those rioting yesterday are not fit to lick the shit off of their boots. I for one would have been happy to see the Royal Protection Police get their tasers out and clear some space around the Royal car. It's also a pity they didn't do a few football hooligan style charges with the horses and get into the rioters with the batons, tear gas and water cannon. See how much appetite they have for criminal damage when they;re bruised, crying, wet and freezing cold. [/rant ]
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...and breathe....
Actually I 100% agree. Cycled past last night and it's fair to say that students are revolting (and generally unwashed) although I suspect that there weren't too many students actually causing the damage. Lots of mess this morning - the area smells of burning and paint thinnners. Scum Scum Scum Scum Scum Scum |
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Quoted: Students think the world owes them a living. I cannot see what is wrong with eventually having to pay for something you have had...when you can afford it. The riots were disgraceful....i personally would have tear gassed the fucking lot, then in with riot batons, and cracked a few skulls. Hose 'em down and then gas'em, it's more effective |
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Quoted: Given that its about -4 outside at the moment, I don't see why they didn't just hose them all down for a few minutes.. I suspect that would have stopped it all fairly quickly. Will it get worse? For me the jury is out.. On the one hand this has always been an emotive topic and students are ones with wining and getting hot and bothered over things.. Having said that we are not France and this sort of thing is un-characteristic in the context of British culture as a whole. On the other, we are really just at the beginning of the austerity 'pain' (needed medicine though it may be) and its difficult to predict how much other anger (for which I think there is a lot of potentially) might translate into this sort of action given that we (and the world economy to be fair) are in uncharted waters... I think Europe is going to be the one to watch though... The odds for a series of sovereign defaults followed by Euro collapse and break up (of the currency and then ultimately a partial unravelling of political project) sometime in the first 3 months of next year are relatively high (I'd guess 1 in 3 if I was a betting man) .. When that happens the France could get interesting. The $14 trillion question though is the USA though.. where is that heading? Do you expect to see similar problems there? How would they be dealt with? Personally, I think the writing is on the wall. The US is in really, really bad shape right now. It's actually quite shocking how far things have gone. They haven't even begun to start with any type of cost-cutting or austerity measures, and when they do (and it will be soon), watch out. I'm not going to say that I expect all out riots in 2011 or 2012, but when you start looking 5-10 years out, there is no way that there won't be any problems. |
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Son of Pink Floyd Member desecrates the Cenotaph
A History Student who doesn't know what the Cenotaph is.  Unbelievable
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Students think the world owes them a living. I cannot see what is wrong with eventually having to pay for something you have had...when you can afford it. The riots were disgraceful....i personally would have tear gassed the fucking lot, then in with riot batons, and cracked a few skulls. You feckin leftie. Andy. 
i,m actually slightly to the right...of A. Hitler on most things.
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I find this amusing.
No that I have any sympathy for the students (well I might have some), but the goobermint has decided to sting them in the pocket and they've decided to do something about it and show their dissent. Good for them, at least they're not taking it lying down, unlike the rest of us. I do believe though that their ranks have been infiltrated by agitators hell bent on doing nothing more than causing trouble. But....reading all your various levels of retribution that you'd like to dish out is hilarious. So in keeping with that what I'd do is get the police to do what they usually do, ie go and snatch someone from the crowd. Not a ring leader but a perfectly innocent protester, drag them out in front of the masses and shoot them. Preferably 9 times in the back of the head, once in the shoulder and add 3 misses for good measure. If they're lucky, these misses could actually hit some in the crowd. Then they could use this as a warning and threaten to shoot every third person, German occupation stylie. That should appease most of you and give y'all the police state you crave |
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There's protesting and there's protesting. Some of the largest protests in the history of the capital (some of the 2003 antiwar protests are reported to have between one and two million people in attendance) have passed without this level of violence or criminal activity. The police gave them a chance. They stood back and let the students protest as they wished. How did that opportunity get used? They trashed a building and threw fire extinguishers off the top of buildings. At this stage I still think the police are being very restrained in their approach. Considering this has stopped being a protest against fees and started to be an attack on the country and its institutions (Churchill, Cenotaph, Royal Family - what have any of them really got to do with student fees?) I have no real objection to some points being made to them in direct and unmistakeable language. I don't mean dragging out ringleaders and shooting them, but letting the police close this down fast and hard using techniques that any other country would have rolled out weeks ago. I am very sympathetic to the problems faced by the students but this fee raise is not really one of them. They don't pay the money out of their pockets, same as they don't pay currently. If they never make enough money (and their per annum minimum is now set several grand higher than it was previously) then they never pay back a penny. I also am quite ready to believe the proportion of genuine student protesters is shrinking at phenomenal rates and is being replaced by scum looking for a fight. I read somewhere that a rioter managed to get a sharp stick through one of the windows of the car and poked Camilla in the ribs. I'm surprised that was allowed to happen  |
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I read somewhere that a rioter managed to get a sharp stick through one of the windows of the car and poked Camilla in the ribs. I'm surprised that was allowed to happen Yes, well it's always a good idea to drive a future Head of State through a crowd of disenchanted rioters, especially when the issue is wealth and they are on display in a dilapidated and archaic old banger (no Camilla jokes please). Head of Police planning on this one needs a good talking to. A resignation wouldn't go amiss. They are prime targets and goes to show what damage could be done if someone really wanted to get at them. |
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I find this amusing. No that I have any sympathy for the students (well I might have some), but the goobermint has decided to sting them in the pocket and they've decided to do something about it and show their dissent. Good for them, at least they're not taking it lying down, unlike the rest of us. I do believe though that their ranks have been infiltrated by agitators hell bent on doing nothing more than causing trouble. But....reading all your various levels of retribution that you'd like to dish out is hilarious. So in keeping with that what I'd do is get the police to do what they usually do, ie go and snatch someone from the crowd. Not a ring leader but a perfectly innocent protester, drag them out in front of the masses and shoot them. Preferably 9 times in the back of the head, once in the shoulder and add 3 misses for good measure. If they're lucky, these misses could actually hit some in the crowd. Then they could use this as a warning and threaten to shoot every third person, German occupation stylie. That should appease most of you and give y'all the police state you crave Protesting isn't a problem. If you feel strongly about stuff then protest. Gun bans and foxhunting bans were met with protests - and I support anyones right to protest. I don't really support the Students cause, but I do think they have a right to protest. What I don't support is wanton destruction of public and private property, the desecration of national monuments and causing injury to others. We live in a democracy. We've been through 13 years of stupidity under a govt I didn't vote for. I didn't like it and there are aspects of our Government I still dislike intensly, but I'm not going round smashing stuff up because I can't have it my way. We've had to suck it up while the socialists raped the country of it's wealth. Now we've had a change of Govt and the Socialist thugs (not just militant students) don't like it, they think they can go round trashing the place in a tantrum. They are all for dishing out the damage and attacks, but when the police try and reign them in and prevent them causing damage and assaulting police officers they start screaming Police Brutality. Sod them. They deserve a kicking. |
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I find this amusing. No that I have any sympathy for the students (well I might have some), but the goobermint has decided to sting them in the pocket and they've decided to do something about it and show their dissent. Good for them, at least they're not taking it lying down, unlike the rest of us. I do believe though that their ranks have been infiltrated by agitators hell bent on doing nothing more than causing trouble. But....reading all your various levels of retribution that you'd like to dish out is hilarious. So in keeping with that what I'd do is get the police to do what they usually do, ie go and snatch someone from the crowd. Not a ring leader but a perfectly innocent protester, drag them out in front of the masses and shoot them. Preferably 9 times in the back of the head, once in the shoulder and add 3 misses for good measure. If they're lucky, these misses could actually hit some in the crowd. Then they could use this as a warning and threaten to shoot every third person, German occupation stylie. That should appease most of you and give y'all the police state you crave Protesting isn't a problem. If you feel strongly about stuff then protest. Gun bans and foxhunting bans were met with protests - and I support anyones right to protest. I don't really support the Students cause, but I do think they have a right to protest. What I don't support is wanton destruction of public and private property, the desecration of national monuments and causing injury to others. We live in a democracy. We've been through 13 years of stupidity under a govt I didn't vote for. I didn't like it and there are aspects of our Government I still dislike intensly, but I'm not going round smashing stuff up because I can't have it my way. We've had to suck it up while the socialists raped the country of it's wealth. Now we've had a change of Govt and the Socialist thugs (not just militant students) don't like it, they think they can go round trashing the place in a tantrum. They are all for dishing out the damage and attacks, but when the police try and reign them in and prevent them causing damage and assaulting police officers they start screaming Police Brutality. Sod them. They deserve a kicking. First time away from home without their mummy's and daddy's hand to hold on to coupled with peer pressure and getting caught up in the moment. The fact is that the authorities fucked up, especially as they knew what was coming, and allowed it to happen. I'm all for a bit of anarchy every now and again, however if these students were studying worthwhile subjects such as engineering and other career enhancing subjects that can assist the country in forthcoming years that's fine, but dossing away at college studying history, archeeology and the French aristocracy in the mid 1600's, then I have no sympathy for them. But I still laugh at all your pent up right wingness, especially brown shirt Baldie. He'd have done well in the Black & Tans, and you can use your own imagination to guess what I think of them |
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Quoted: Yes, well it's always a good idea to drive a future Head of State through a crowd of disenchanted rioters, especially when the issue is wealth and they are on display in a dilapidated and archaic old banger (no Camilla jokes please). Being the cynical git that I am, I suspect it was a deliberate set up. The only thing that causes the DailyFailians to go mental more than police reaction (either way and of any kind) to riots, is an attack on the monarchy or war monuments. This has actually resulted in DailyFailians advocating further police intervention |
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I find this amusing. No that I have any sympathy for the students (well I might have some), but the goobermint has decided to sting them in the pocket and they've decided to do something about it and show their dissent. Good for them, at least they're not taking it lying down, unlike the rest of us. I do believe though that their ranks have been infiltrated by agitators hell bent on doing nothing more than causing trouble. But....reading all your various levels of retribution that you'd like to dish out is hilarious. So in keeping with that what I'd do is get the police to do what they usually do, ie go and snatch someone from the crowd. Not a ring leader but a perfectly innocent protester, drag them out in front of the masses and shoot them. Preferably 9 times in the back of the head, once in the shoulder and add 3 misses for good measure. If they're lucky, these misses could actually hit some in the crowd. Then they could use this as a warning and threaten to shoot every third person, German occupation stylie. That should appease most of you and give y'all the police state you crave As Funky said - I have no problem with anyone protesting peacefully for a cause that they feel passionately about. However if you're leaving the house to go to a protest carrying snooker balls/flammable liquid/home made riot shield etc and you're planning on covering your face - then clearly you're not planning on demonstrating; it's rioting and destruction you're interested in. I don't particularly want to live in a police state. However ever since the socialist incompetents that have been running ruining the country for the last 13 years got rightly kicked into touch (despite re-drawing boundaries in a desperate attempt to cling on to power); their left leaning supporters have been waiting for an opportunity to go on the rampage. They must have been thanking their lucky chairman mao keyring that the student cuts came so early in the new governments tenure and they could cause the havoc they craved. Like Funky; I don't particularly sympathize with them as cuts have to be made and I don't see why they shouldn't contribute from the higher wages they will earn (if they don't spend every day and night drinking WKD and wearing road cones on their head). However they have every right to make their feelings known. There are numerous laws government policies that I strongly disagree with; however I don't get my point across by smashing windows, assaulting police officers and setting light to things. I certainly don't do it by swinging from a flag attached to one of the most important monuments in the country that represents the sacrifice that millions of my countrymen (and women) have made to protect my right to protest. After the outcome of the previous demonstrations; it was clear that this one was going to be worse and attract more anarchists/scumbags than before. Everybody attending knew that violence was practically guaranteed; so anyone worried about their safety should have stayed away. I wouldn't go to an old firm derby in Scotland and then saw I felt intimidated afterward - it comes with the territory. Compared to other countries are riot police are relatively tame. In the States they could have expected to be hosed down with mace. On the continent it would have been water cannon time. I was once in Istanbul with work for the May bank holiday and the concierge of the hotel we were staying in didn't want us to leave the hotel due to the communists rioting. Whilst less than 100 yards from the hotel myself and my colleague happened to walk past two dozen fully geared up Turkish riot police. We were told in broken English that we couldn't pass. We were left in absolutely no doubt what would happen if we didn't comply immediately. The police are often forced to stand in line while mindless scum bombard them with whatever they can get their hands on (or whatever they have had the foresight to bring). I am pretty sure that would wind most of us up; add to the sight of our friends and colleagues being injured for simply doing their job and you can see how people get injured. It's ridiculous that everyone who appears to have been injured has been a completely peaceful protester who was belted by a nasty policeman; rather than a window smashing fire starting yob. Perhaps the people who were injured in clashes with the police should equally blame the "protesters" who ripped down barriers and charged the police cordon? When you see idiots urinating on the statue of a man who's famous for leading the country it in it's defense against fascist aggression and then here they claiming that they are protesting for democracy; all the while talking with the sort of smug liberal superiority that is their trademark; it greatly annoys me. However even that doesn't annoy me as much as the pampered, spoilt, saville row suit wearing, toff son of a rock star who is supposed to be a student of history, pretending his doesn't know what the Cenotaph is. The only reason this oxygen thief issued his pathetic attempt at an apology is because he was caught in the act. I would also suggest that he knew full well what the Cenotaph is and was simply on the sort of jolly that students are famous for. I hope he gets what he so richly deserves. |
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Far too many kids going to Uni or wanting to go to Uni.
Far too few carpenters, plumbers, electricians, engineers etc. I would cut the number of places by half. Make them free. But give them to the top percentile of school leavers. And no degrees in french aristos of the 1600's as Bradders mentioned !! The rest get vocational training. |
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Far too many kids going to Uni or wanting to go to Uni. Far too few carpenters, plumbers, electricians, engineers etc. I would cut the number of places by half. Make them free. But give them to the top percentile of school leavers. And no degrees in french aristos of the 1600's as Bradders mentioned !! The rest get vocational training. I think most want to go just to have three years dossing around before they have to get a job. The universities themselves are a big part of the problem - if they didn't offer stupid degree courses, then no-one could do them... The trend has been happening for a long time though. When I was applying to different places in 1987, the most popular course at University of Kent was 'American Studies'. Four year course, with one year spent in the US... |
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"Black and Tans "
You have me on the wrong side there Mark. Never been a supporter of the british occupancy, and never will be. Too many friends in the south.
I intensly dislike the defilement of ANY war memorial, be it the the British army, the american army, the Irish army, or any army of men who fought and died as a job....by a gang of silly school kids moaning about having to pay for a service they have had, and will profit from. Liebour would have buckled under this crap, i think the alliance will go the opposite way, and it will affect all of us. If the lib dems will u-turn on university fees [which was the right choice ] then its anyones guess what will happen with law and order. We've had the carrot....now i think we are going to see the big stick. |
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"Black and Tans "
You have me on the wrong side there Mark. Never been a supporter of the british occupancy, and never will be. Too many friends in the south.
I intensly dislike the defilement of ANY war memorial, be it the the British army, the american army, the Irish army, or any army of men who fought and died as a job....by a gang of silly school kids moaning about having to pay for a service they have had, and will profit from. Liebour would have buckled under this crap, i think the alliance will go the opposite way, and it will affect all of us. If the lib dems will u-turn on university fees [which was the right choice ] then its anyones guess what will happen with law and order. We've had the carrot....now i think we are going to see the big stick. The police weren't cracking skulls because they defaced some war memorials, but because of the general melee. |
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Far too many kids going to Uni or wanting to go to Uni. Far too few carpenters, plumbers, electricians, engineers etc. I would cut the number of places by half. Make them free. But give them to the top percentile of school leavers. And no degrees in french aristos of the 1600's as Bradders mentioned !! The rest get vocational training. You should consider that the education system seeks to convince children in school that they must strive to go to university. All through my daughters secondary education it was pushed ruthlessly, and still is with my son's. Hardly surprising they expect to go. Add to that the more students that the universities can cram onto courses, the more money they get from the government, regardless of what the degree subject is. Additionally, the more students that the government can shoehorn into further education, the lower the unemployment figures. I don't think the courses should be free. We struggled financially to put my daughter through and she has a big loan to pay off under the scheme. There is much more wrong with it than the levels of fees, loans and repayments. Our joint income is above the national average, but not amazing, so we get no help with fees. I'm not decrying that, I don't expect something for nothing. But there is much inequality. Another student on exactly the same course comes from a low income family so has to pay no fees or maintenance. All free on the taxpayer. Another student on exactly the same course comes from a high income family, but the parents are divorced and the student normally resides with her mother who is independently wealthy. However, because she is now from a 'broken home', she also has to pay no fees or maintenance. All free on the taxpayer. What I want to know is what the hell difference does it make what income their families have? Each student graduating with exactly the same degree will have exactly the same future earning potential and so the ability to repay any loans they had to take out for tuition fees and/or maintenance. If they were lucky enough to come from a family wealthy enough to pay all their fees for them, then that's their good fortune. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Far too many kids going to Uni or wanting to go to Uni. Far too few carpenters, plumbers, electricians, engineers etc. I would cut the number of places by half. Make them free. But give them to the top percentile of school leavers. And no degrees in french aristos of the 1600's as Bradders mentioned !! The rest get vocational training. You should consider that the education system seeks to convince children in school that they must strive to go to university. All through my daughters secondary education it was pushed ruthlessly, and still is with my son's. Hardly surprising they expect to go. Add to that the more students that the universities can cram onto courses, the more money they get from the government, regardless of what the degree subject is. Additionally, the more students that the government can shoehorn into further education, the lower the unemployment figures. I don't think the courses should be free. We struggled financially to put my daughter through and she has a big loan to pay off under the scheme. There is much more wrong with it than the levels of fees, loans and repayments. Our joint income is above the national average, but not amazing, so we get no help with fees. I'm not decrying that, I don't expect something for nothing. But there is much inequality. Another student on exactly the same course comes from a low income family so has to pay no fees or maintenance. All free on the taxpayer. Another student on exactly the same course comes from a high income family, but the parents are divorced and the student normally resides with her mother who is independently wealthy. However, because she is now from a 'broken home', she also has to pay no fees or maintenance. All free on the taxpayer. What I want to know is what the hell difference does it make what income their families have? Each student graduating with exactly the same degree will have exactly the same future earning potential and so the ability to repay any loans they had to take out for tuition fees and/or maintenance. If they were lucky enough to come from a family wealthy enough to pay all their fees for them, then that's their good fortune. Good Post
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