bridge too far

Some of you are sad, nasty individuals, aren't you? Tch!

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/mock-twitter-ukip-weather-service-3038656

Showing my ignorance here - can a card be awarded retrospectively after seeing the foul on video?

I wasn't here yesterday FFS!

No link to Help Me Wanda I hope!

I worked with Prof MacLaren when we developed the new wing to the Oxford Radcliffe Hospital that contains the Eye Department. A nice man (can't say that for a lot of surgeons). Brilliant, brilliant work and will, hopefully, be expanded to treat Age Related Macular Degeneration. something that may well affect many of us on here in years to come.

I did find your remark quite unnecessarily chauvinist and a tad offensive too. What on earth has anybody's size or gender got to do with being a successful business person?

Rather than quote, can I just say 'well said Florida Marlin' - the most sensible post I've read tonight

That's actually a fallacy

I agree with you about a mix. Both girls are finding it much harder second time around to work full time. One spreads her full time hours over four long days so that she's got one day with her baby. Her mother-in-law doesn't help out unfortunately. By persuading her mother-in-law and me to do an extra half day each, my other daughter has worked out that she can to cut down to four days a week. It does seem harsh that both girls, although in well-paid jobs, see half their salaries going to child care provision. Of course they knew this would be the way of the world before they had children but they're between a rock and a hard place really. Wanting to have children but wanting (and needing) to continue their careers. I'm glad I never had that choice to make!

Off the top of my head, I think they're there from 8:00 to 6:00 and they have breakfast, lunch and tea at nursery. I'm never quite sure how the sessions work out. Not such an issue at the moment as both babies are just over 15 months old but they start to get subsidised at 2 or 3 (??) but for hours rather than sessions I think. Their nursery is part of a franchise and it's a lovely place. I was a bit anti when the older children, now at school, started but the benefits are so clear to see with their social development.

One of the things suggested in the article is greater use of established 'education' buildings such as schools. I know of two schools in my area that run nursery classes as well. I imagine savings could be made there in terms of economies of scale and I suppose it's an easier transition to 'big school' when the time comes. But there are still the staff costs and all the other considerations Hypo mentions. My girls pay £100 a week per session (so about £400 a week each) but I realise that close to London is going to be more expensive than some other areas.

There is an article on the costs of childcare on the BBC website today. An extract from the article says: "More of the cost of providing childcare is passed to the parents in England than in other European countries. Generally, here we ask the parents to pay two-thirds of the cost of provision. In other European countries parents are asked to pay more like a third" I think the article is very fair - what do you think Hypo? I'm well aware how expensive childcare is for my two daughters - it cost them each c £400 a month extra when I wasn't able to do my regular childcare for each of them for one day a week. I also know how poorly paid nursery nurses are and it's clear from what Hypo says that he's not profiteering either. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-25685652

According to the Oxford Mail, they took 2,300 to the match

If any of you are 'friends' with Southampton Memories and Places on FB, they've posted a great pic of the 'new' baths (Centre 2000).

What fantastic pictures! I think my favourites are nos. 5 and 13 (both Australia) and the last one (no. 25)

Can you imagine the 'banter' he would have received from 'fans' if he was still playing?

I haven't been to many on the list and I'm surprised to see Sarajevo at no. 2. Having said that, I enjoyed my brief (working) trip there. It's a city of huge contrasts and I would love to have explored more. Mad, mad taxi drivers though! I love Liverpool BTW - been there loads of times - family connections.

"Prices of the homes have not yet been set but they are likely to range from around £500,000 to more than £3 million."

You're absolutely right here Tim. However, I think part of the problem is that many developers land-bank, not wanting to release land they've purchased until they can achieve even greater profits from it. Grants and assistance to Housing Associations have been cut so they're not able to provide as much social housing and very few local councils build for rent these days. And VFTT is absolutely right about the nightmare that was Right to Buy.

My daughter works for a large Estate Agency (although she doesn't sell houses). She's sits on the left politically but was quick to make the following observations: 1. Her job title means very little in relation to salary. She's not a company director, more likely a branch manager. Negotiators earn low basic salaries and hope to top their wages up with commission. 2. Whilst her car does look rather grand, most negotiators get company cars. My daughter has a 1 series BMW and she doesn't have to do anywhere near the travelling that a negotiator does. But, of course, she has to pay tax on it. However, other criticisms are spot on. Help to Buy should be aimed more at low income / low deposit buyers rather than some people looking to buy properties up to £600K. No doubt, too, she gets support from her former partner for her child's upkeep and there may well have been a marital property that was sold and the equity split. But none of us know and you could say 'why should we'? But if she allows herself to be 'used' as a PR stunt, I guess she must expect to be examined. She may well have beaten down the selling price but she wouldn't have got a 'discount' on the property price BECAUSE she was buying from her own agency. In fact Estate Agents have to declare if they have any financial interest in a property being sold.

One fatality http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-25612409

He really is quite bizarre! In fact, I've just signed this petition https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/michael-gove-to-teach-for-a-term?bucket&source=facebook-share-button&time=1385073153 suggesting he actually teaches for a term. I have mixed feelings about this though - I would hope that, should he ever do this, he doesn't do it at any school attended by my grandchildren. I'd seriously worry about what they might learn from him!

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