[Archived] Extra ! Extra ! Read All About It !

[Mike E]

Fair point and one I was completely ignoring (to my shame); other professions educate through apprenticeship etc.

I do believe teaching to be more important simply because school's where most children first learn to socialise to people without familial ties. It also gives the kids who have unstable home lives a sense of routine and structure and stability.

A teacher has to do so many jobs at once beyond the actual job description and more and more is thrown at us from the Government every year. I recently had training to spot extremism :/ in 5 year-olds ffs! Baffling!

Like I say, it's how we view things. I would argue that if teaching were not important (indeed, vital) compared to most other professions, it wouldn't be a public service.

Have to say though, I SLIGHTLY disagree that I compared it only to other public services. I get my hearing aids from Boots (just trying to keep it light, I know there are some on here who will get touchy reading our debate).

[K-Hod]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-36719561

[Baz]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-36719561

Decent terms for murdering in South Africa, wonder how many British blokes are thinking of taking the Mrs to visit Cape Town now?

[gumboots]

Or wives taking husbands?

[Al]

Or wives taking husbands?

[oldjamfan1]

Terrible tragedy at a recycling plant in Birmingham. Five men killed by a wall collapsing on them. RIP http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-birmingham-36705224

[ABBEY]

just heard this awful

[Audax]

Faces of Evil as the newspaper said and faces of heroes.

http://www.arabnews.com/node/950496/saudi-arabia

[T J Hooker]

As much sympathy as i have for people with mental health problems its really getting impossible to defend Gascoigne, he really is a sad pathetic case and unless he seriously gets a handle on his issues then it wont be long before he's dead, plain and simple.

Really annoys me seeing all the help and support he recieves yet he still just cant help himself, theres millions of people in the world suffering from mental health problems that struggle to get any help or even have anybody to help them.

Also on a similar note, i thought it was really pathetic of itv(and the media in general) for the way they completely ignored to mention how gary speed died, i dont mean the details of how he went about killing himself, but in the build up to the Portugal game they had a long piece about speed and to not even mention that he died from committing suicide and that he was likely suffering from serious mental health issues is unacceptable imo, they could/should have taken the opportunity to shine a little light on mental health problems

[oldjamfan1]

From the looks of him, I fully expect Gascoigne to join the list of famous people to depart in 2016, sadly.

[Stuart]

From the looks of him, I fully expect Gascoigne to join the list of famous people to depart in 2016, sadly.

Speaking of Gazza...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/paul-gascoigne-stand-trial-racist-joke-an-evening-with-gazza-security-guard-wolverhampton-a7109101.html

Are people becoming just a tad overly-sensitive these days, or is this really a matter for court?

Inciting racial hatred is one thing but is this really offensive?

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Well it was racist in my opinion. Whether it's serious enough to warrant a trial though, could he not have just been given a caution? It wasn't the most offensive joke in the world.

[Stuart]

A caution? The world has gone mad.

I'd expect every single joke aimed at "white people" to receive the same treatment, and I'd also like any rap song that uses the N word banned, if that's the case.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

Racially aggravated offences require there to be hostility in the incident. Obviously thats a pretty grey area to define but I'd say the N word in rap songs isn't being used in a hostile manner.

In the Gazza case, it was clearly unscripted and off the cuff, which means he went out of his way to target that bloke. In front of a full audience Gazza should have known he was probably gonna enbarass or even humiliate the guy.

I totally agree with you though that there needs to be consistency and at present it doesn't even come close.

[K-Hod]

I couldn't agree more regarding this to be honest. It was in poor taste and pretty offensive and humiliating for the guy involved, but I don't think it warrants a day in court!

[oldjamfan1]

Andrea Leadsom about to pull out of the Tory leadership race.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-36763208?post_id=1435632166_10206882403325362#_=_

If Andrea Leadsom does pull out, three things could happen.

1 - Theresa May could become prime minister very soon, perhaps even later today.

2 - May could be confirmed as party leader, but with David Cameron staying on for perhaps a few more weeks.

3 - The Conservative party board could decide to allow another candidate to enter. It would almost certainly be Michael Gove, who came third. The board could take the view that members are entitled to a choice between a leave candidate and a remain candidate.

[Stuart]

I couldn't agree more regarding this to be honest. It was in poor taste and pretty offensive and humiliating for the guy involved, but I don't think it warrants a day in court!

Well that's Frankie Boyle and Jimmy Carr done if offensive jokes are now banned. Especially off the cuff ones.

I just think that when you treat this sort of incident (and 'off the cuff' doesn't not mean he has gone out of his way) in the same way as much more serious and sinister issues then it is counter-productive as people stop taking anything seriously. Let's face it, Gazza ain't the sharpest pencil in the case and he's probably killed off most of his brain cells with all of the booze.

[Mike E]

Well that's Frankie Boyle and Jimmy Carr done if offensive jokes are now banned. Especially off the cuff ones.

I just think that when you treat this sort of incident (and 'off the cuff' doesn't not mean he has gone out of his way) in the same way as much more serious and sinister issues then it is counter-productive as people stop taking anything seriously. Let's face it, Gazza ain't the sharpest pencil in the case and he's probably killed off most of his brain cells with all of the booze.

Stand-up is different though. It's a sort of understood rule that you open yourself to ridicule (offensive or otherwise) if you go.

Frankie once spent a few mins taking the @#/? out of me and my hearing aids as I misheard what he'd asked me. It was funny!

I'm one of those people who hates people getting offended on my behalf (usually because I find deaf jokes funny).

[Stuart]

More power to you, Mike. The world needs more people with a self-effacing sense of humour.

Meanwhile, it looks like the court case may have finally sent Gazza over the edge.

http://www.entertainmentdaily.co.uk/news/paul-gascoigne-hits-new-low-exposes-hunt-booze/

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

To be honest I find the national concern over Gazza hard to join in with. The bloke was prone to domestic violence and got out of paying £32,000 in tax (having previously owed £200,000 until the authorities got involved). I know a bit about what he's been through and wouldn't wish it on anyone, but I do find it difficult to care about him when he's squandered all the help and support it's possible to have and there are likely ex-soldiers and the like facing the same demons with nobody but their family behind them.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36761849

What a ******* idiot and what a pathetic sentence. 80mph through a red light in a residential area, having previously photographed his speedometer whilst doing 142mph. I'd be seriously tempted to throw away the key with people who drive like that, it's a one tonne object for god's sake. It's almost like firing a weapon indiscriminately into what you think is probably empty space.

I'm sure this'll get a reaction but I'm gonna say it anyway. I think there's a fairly serious cultural problem with how Asians treat road safety. The driving of many people in Blackburn is abysmal, I often wonder how many people have insurance or even a licence. Parking just seems to be a case of whereever there's a space and sod the yellow lines. You see teenagers flying round in brand new mercs or sports cars that I assume they've rented.

I'm not trying to get at Asians on the whole here. Every culture has it's own problems, white British culture has considerable drink related problems. But I think this is definitely an issue and maybe it's time it was addressed in a targeted way.

[Tom]

More power to you, Mike. The world needs more people with a self-effacing sense of humour.

Meanwhile, it looks like the court case may have finally sent Gazza over the edge.

http://www.entertainmentdaily.co.uk/news/paul-gascoigne-hits-new-low-exposes-hunt-booze/

Whilst I think the court case is stupid and wouldn't help I think it's unfair to assume that's what has tipped him over the edge, we've seen this kind of thing from him a few times gradually getting worse and worse.

He seems to be past the point of no return now sadly for him.

[oldjamfan1]

To be honest I find the national concern over Gazza hard to join in with. The bloke was prone to domestic violence and got out of paying £32,000 in tax (having previously owed £200,000 until the authorities got involved). I know a bit about what he's been through and wouldn't wish it on anyone, but I do find it difficult to care about him when he's squandered all the help and support it's possible to have and there are likely ex-soldiers and the like facing the same demons with nobody but their family behind them.

My late brother was one of those ex soldiers and sadly he succumbed to those demons at the age of 41. But that doesn't stop me having enormous sympathy for Gazza - and more to the point his family. He'll be dead by the turn of the year by the look of him. Incredibly sad.

[adopted scouser]

To be honest I find the national concern over Gazza hard to join in with. The bloke was prone to domestic violence and got out of paying £32,000 in tax (having previously owed £200,000 until the authorities got involved). I know a bit about what he's been through and wouldn't wish it on anyone, but I do find it difficult to care about him when he's squandered all the help and support it's possible to have and there are likely ex-soldiers and the like facing the same demons with nobody but their family behind them.

Excellent

[K-Hod]

I've not seen who they've been replaced with, but I'm sure those in education won't be shedding any tears for the loss of Nicky Morgan and Michael Gove from the new PM's cabinet...