I commented on Emma's post partly as a parent who has taken the blame all to many times for poor behaviour, and partly because a good friend has just decided to move into teaching.
My friend has done all the work experience, including placements in sink estates not too far from Bolton, and yet she has still decided that this is a better career.
or both.
Create a basic account on these two web sites, stating that you are interested in chatting to folks from Spain, Holland and France. I would think this would do the trick? I say basic because you will doubtless have to sift thru' the spam messages and so on, but you should find others interested.
Scientific Evidence can only support a theory. It doesn't prove something to be true, ultimately it can only prove that something isn't true.
Aside from the philosophical point above I haven't seen much 'scientific evidence' either way, supporting the original post, or not, nor indeed my anecdotal observation that standards of GCE examinations are easier now then previously.
If you can find something with the more usual lack of bias, controls, assumptions, etc. you might be able to quote this as 'scientific evidence'. Other than this you just seem to be trolling?
My understanding of Mathematics is that '7 times 9 equals 63' would indeed mean 7 X 9 = 63. But like poetry and quotes my memory for 'by rote' learning can be vague...........
Faced with the possibility of a physical assault either with a piece of chalk, or a board rubber (assumes the PE teacher was standing in for the Maths teacher) I did come up with a solution. In this case the Nines are easy, multiply by 10 by 'adding' a 0 .... 70 and subtract one lot of 7 = 63.
Other multiplications can be done by also knowing that '7 times 9 equals 63' means
'9 + 9 + 9 + 9 + 9 + 9 +9' = 63. So faced with a more tricky one like '7 times 8 equals 56' now then I could just take off another 7 i.e. '70 -7 -7' = 56. But again speed is of the essence, the board rubber is off the 'desk' and in the hand, oh yes, I did also learn the squares ... 144.
'7 X 7 ' + 7 == '7 X 8' = 56...... Johnson Stanley Stanley's pitiful scream of pain washes across the ears of the class. Like Newtons third law, once something starts moving in the hand of a PE teacher it isn't going to stop. Why waste the original effort? Like everybody else having a triple barreled name is enough to print target on the forehead and particularly when seen through the eyes of a narcissistic sadist.
The names of the (probably long dead) innocent have been protected. Also apologies for the assumption that any PE teachers were: thick sadists; with no home life; a car that could be started with a tuppenny bit and dumped 15 miles away in Upper Heaton; and; a predilection for slapping the bare bits of anybody who didn't 'go commando' for 'sports'.
I am not a teacher, but I have had all too many dealings with schools. Some of the teachers were very good, but many were appalling. When dealing with the inadequate staff the usual approach was to 'blame the parents' as you have done Emma.
It is this attitude from teachers generally that probably started this 'bigoted rant'. I don't know so much about the schools on the sink estates of Bolton. The problem may just be as you say that the 'generation of entitled' feel it is their right to 'kick off' even when this isn't the case (know all about their rights but little of the responsibility).
Personally I think the problem is down to the banning of corporal punishment. When the only sanction left to a school is to give the trouble making child a holiday.....
Note we haven't been to either of the clubs listed in Manchester. Well I haven't, Kay has been to both Adam and Eves (which is good for a laugh maybe), and Cupids (which is reported as a bit cliquey).
For a wet area then it would have to be Partners (Bury), and Selecta (Bolton) seems good for BDSM/CD activities (but it is pretty small).
Don't use this conversion in the US, the Gallon is 1/5 smaller than the UK.
I think that in the rest of Europe the figure that is understood is liters per 100 kilometers.
Also just for the record:
'Damn bloody right! And Temperature in Celsius not Fahrenheit, miles not kilometers etc.
Celsius (or indeed Kelvin) is the 'new' money, and 'Fahrenheit' the old.
I never did learn my times tables. It doesn't seem to have done me any harm, I can still do a bit of mathematics when the need arises.
Interestingly I do remember helping one of my kids to get 'A's in their GCSE French homework. Now then it may only be an anecdotal point, but this was one of the examinations I failed at GCE level. My subjective observation is that these have got a lot easier.
Further to the GCSE French above, it may be a philosophical point but apart from the anecdotal evidence I don't see how either the declining standards of GCSE, or not can be assessed. On this basis there has in fact been a worryingly massive decline in academic standards within the schools.
I'm not sure that I would single out teachers, personally I would put this down to the policy from the last two governments.
Can I just add Kay, and my thanks to HNS and Sexyme.
We both had a good time.
xxxxxxxxxxxx
Nobby
I am using Ubuntu, getting the web cam to work was challenging. I didn't particularly have problems with the drivers, more with adobe flash and the mozilla web browser. I have put some suggestions below based on my experiences. If your webcam is working on other things, or indeed you have only tried it on SH try my last suggestion first (this was the biggest problem with getting the cam working).
As suggested by SinSi check that the webcam is working. If it is working with , Cheese or both then this is sufficient. If not also try luvcview which is a bit less complex (downright primitive is a better description), and allows you to change the settings of the camera.
Next, rather than the very latest version, I would recommend that you use the LTS version of Ubuntu which is at the minute. If you can't get the webcam to work at all try using this version.
Also check the lists of compatible cameras, google the name of the webcam and linux and/or Ubuntu. You may find that there is either a driver available, or advice on getting your webcam working.
(Assuming that you can get /Cheese or Luvcview to work you have got compatible drivers for the webcam.)
When you install the adobe flash into Mozilla try using the version from adobe themselves rather than the open source version. I would put more detailed instructions on doing this here, but for the life of me I can't remember how I did this, it did involve several installations of Ubuntu.
Lastly the version of Adobe flash that is installed has a bug with the SH chatroom. When you click on the cam icon it should ask you if you want to allow access to the webcam, but it doesn't (the icon just flashes and does nothing). You need to set the Adobe privacy settings. Assuming that you have tried to get in the chat room go to
Now set the the privileges to 'always ask'. Then click the 'Website Privacy Settings panel' (look to the left of the page ....). Set ' ' to always allow.
I have found that this has been a problem with using Mozilla on Vista as well btw. I hope this helps. If you still have problems by all means give us a shout.
Robert
Could I also test the new chat?
Hi yes of course Tallie, would love to see all of you .....errm and it would be nice if you come to the Hen do as well. Kay is just beating me about a bit...... no seriously it will be good.
Rob x x x x and Kay xxx
Hi ya Kay and I will try and come along as well.
xxxx
Had a great night. Another ace munch. Thank you NWC. Plus how many outfit changes ? lol
BTW has anybody got Kay's coat it is a Grey below the knee coat with a hood?
Robert and Kay x x x
Hi ya NWC,
can we confirm please.
Robert and Kay x x x x
Would love to catch up with you all.
Kay xxxx and Robert
Hi Wade,
any chance of some details on this one?
Cheers Rob
I have confirmed should my name now be bold, or light?
Rob x x x
First couple of weeks good same as Jo.
Rob x x
Confirming Robert400 will be there.
Rob xx
Hi NWC,
could you be an absolute leather and PVC clad sweetie? Well I know that anyway, OK I am after a Hotel list please?
In my new 2009 stance I am hoping to book before the errm Saturday, and organise a decent costume.
Rob xxxx
God knows what the signature is gonna do........
) there does seem to be a better explanation.
. It will start about 7:30.... going on to late. 
. Bring your own tipple. Either reply, or drop me a PM for an invite and details of the address.
