You're older than me, you take care of your children, so do I. Mine too are doing pretty OK, although my daughter gets befuddled when no-one seems to want to talk much about anything remotely interesting, just booze and who they were with last night.

Sorry, UNICEF don't make claims that aren't true. Teachers don't finally all come together to say that something is desperately wrong, unless it really is.

Yes, there are good schools, there are good kids, of course there are, you and I both know that, but I'm talking about the majority here, and I *know* from experience that many kids are struggling deeply.

Hell, I'm not talking about ****** exams. I'm talking about their souls. I'm talking about where they go in their heads.

Most kids these days have GCSE passes. It means little. Most kids also now have Uni degrees, but again, for many, it means little, they don't truly understand what the heck they're studying, they just limp through it, because it's on the Conveyer Belt, and 'the system' has been changed to ensure that the majority now get a degree, pass rates lowered, excuses given, etc...until a Uni Degree carries no weight at all, 'cos hey, EVERYONE has one. University used to be for the best minds. It used to be the place where those who truly wanted to specialise, study and learn far more, went. Now, it's just another stop on the road of Corporate Life. It's 'what you do'

I would LOVE to know how many people have become mega wealthy from all the exams. I bet you there are a few politicians amongst them, and many in the Corporate Education System, of course.

You're nearly 60, so you'd also remember a time when WH Smith didn't have wall to wall books on getting your children through every exam under the sun. You'll remember a time when exams weren't the be all and end all of your life, and you weren't made to feel that without them you were NOTHING. You remember a time when parents were terrified of their kids not having exams, and didn't put more and more pressure on them to achieve, as do the schools who want to gain the pass rates. You'll remember a time when you could start at the bottom of a job with nothing, and work your way up, without having to have the 'correct' qualifications to start with. You'll remember a time when society cared more, had more women at home, creating their own society, caring for their own children, ensuring that the children of others were cared for too.

Two salaries means twice as much for Corporate businesses to benefit from so you bet they're going to create a society where women are encouraged to work, hell, let other women bring those kids up, preferably in state controlled institutions.

If you can't see the similarity between 1984 and today's society, Leveller, then you must have the book upside down. Alistair Campbell, I'm sure, could give you every word of it without even having to open a page.

The Royals are insignificant in all this, other than also having kids who also wanna be wannabees, and who are touched in the same way that everyone else.

Never has there been a time of people being so dumb and revelling in it! Once we had Great Britain, now...we have Little Britain...and people laugh. I don't get it. Sorry. I'm not proud of what I see in my country, it makes me cringe and it worries me deeply.

I watched the most horrifying programme the other day, purely because I couldn't believe it! It was Paris Hilton, who jacqui speaks of above...in a programme where she was trying to find 'A British Best Friend'

Sweet Holy Porcupines!!!!!!!! I almost decided that the planet should implode, there and then, be far better for us all... ;0)

I have NEVER seen such a disturbing programme! All these idiotic Posh Spice lookalikes fawning over her, worshipping her! The vacuousness almost lit up the room!   

Who the ***** put that on TV? Who the **** MADE it!!!???? And HOW did we get from Leonardo da Vinci, to Paris Hilton????????????????

NO, it has NOT always been like this.   I've heard that argument so many times, from people who are too bloody scared to open their eyes.
Look beyond your own family, look into the cities, go into your local town late at night....Read how the ambulance service can no longer cope with picking up the drunks every night, read how the hospitals can't cope, watch the videos of the police going out, keeping the peace, picking the casualities off the floors of our cities...

Then thank God that your kids ARE safe, because there are so very many who aren't.

Cool Britannia.
Binge Drinking Britain

People drink...to numb the pain.

Cure the pain, and you cure the drinking.

People once used to think, now they're encouraged not to.

Cure the dumbness....and you cure the country!