Thibault

The simplest answer is to make WFA subject to income tax, which it isn't at present.  Thus the less well off pensioners get it net of tax as at present, whilst the better off pay tax on it.  This would not need any further civil servants, or 'red tape' structures to administer it. The problem of these little 'perks' came about (as someone said earlier) when the government of the time refused to increase the basic state pension and instead created a series of 'additions'.  The current government has put in place an increased basic state pension which is coming on stream in a couple of years, so presumably there could be an argument for getting rid of the 'extras'.

Well the same thing applies to air craft communication with the ground, but when we listen to French aircraft in French air space they are all speaking French.

Anyone seen the OECD Report on the French Economy?  It says that France is following what is called Plan B in the UK, but has exactly the same problems as the UK economy, with the addition of a steadily rising rate of unemployment.  On that basis, Plan B would not 'work' either [:)]

But only women of a certain age got the vote after WWI - they had to wait until 1928 to get the vote at 21, like the men.

It was reported in the press today that he held a memorial service at his uncle's house for the girl he killed.  Somehow, that makes me feel it was PR advice to improve his image - or perhaps I'm a tad cynical.   The other thing which worries me - if I were in bed with my lover and heard noises which made me think there was an intruder, would I grab my gun and without looking at my lover to see if she had heard it too or without telling her to stay put while I dealt with it, get out of bed and go to the bathroom and fire 4 shots through the door?  

That's really interesting, I shall look forward to watching......

[quote user="Hoddy"]I will admit to having a bee in my bonnet about the loss of Home Economics. It wasn't just learning about food groups, and the importance each of them has and simple and appropriate cooking methods. Also, and almost equally important, was basic hygiene. This was particularly true in our school which always had over 40% of children from ethnic minorities many of whom thought that running a cold tap on a plate for a long time rendered it clean and that it was OK to pour melted fat down the sink. Hoddy[/quote]   Then, under the educational reforms of the Labour Government, it turned into Food Technology where students did really useful things like design packaging for a food product, or think about how it could be marketed.  Nothing about how to cook the stuff

Interesting news - it's amazing what science can do these days......

Now that the Lib Dems have 'tainted' themselves by being part of a government and having to make difficult decisions, where else do the 'protest' voters go except to UKIP - which appears to be a 'one trick pony' in terms of what voters believe about them and seems to have only one public figure - Nigel F.   It's very unlikely that UKIP would manage to win a seat in an election.  What it will do is steal votes from other political parties and damage the prospects of candidates from parties which do have a proper political programme (whether one believes in it or not).  Nigel F said a few weeks ago that ULIP would fight against Conservatives in seats they are likely to win, and against Labour in seats they are likely to win.  To what end?  To elect Conservatives in Labour seats and Labour in Conservative seats? 

The figures for household waste (of food products) in both UK and France is staggering -  households throw away on average one third each week.  As this is an average, and I know I don't throw anything away, there must be some households chucking out half of everything they buy.  [8-)] There was also the case a few years ago where supermarkets were colouring rejected food to prevent people from scavaging it.  It seems all bound up with the fear of litigation.  Supermarkets throw away perfectly good stuff because it has reached or is close to its sell by date. It is obscene when you think of all the people who struggle to put food on the table.....

The figures for household waste (of food products) in both UK and France is staggering -  households throw away on average one third each week.  As this is an average, and I know I don't throw anything away, there must be some households chucking out half of everything they buy.  [8-)] There was also the case a few years ago where supermarkets were colouring rejected food to prevent people from scavaging it.  It seems all bound up with the fear of litigation.  Supermarkets throw away perfectly good stuff because it has reached or is close to its sell by date. It is obscene when you think of all the people who struggle to put food on the table.....

Esactly, Powerdesal, lots of people voted for the EEC not a United States of Europe. Economic and trading cooperation makes a lot of sense in today's global market.  I am not so sure that political integration is such a good idea.  If the auditors are unwilling to sign off the EU budget for the last umpteen years, what does that say about the 'political system' at the heart of Europe?

[quote user="NormanH"]It all just goes to show the silliness of hereditary monarchy. If they are twins one will be heir on the basis of a few minutes. While I loath the principle I wish the mother much happiness as I would any other. [/quote]   In a way, it's no sillier than someone winning an election by one or two votes, is it?

What is the situation in France?  Is the French press controlled?  I gather there is some sort of privacy law which prevents discussion of politicians' private lives but I am unsure of the extent.   I heard the R4 interview yesterday and the point was stressed several times that the press had had self-regulation for years, yet that didn't prevent the phone hacking stuff from happening.   I don't think anyone wants a state controlled press like they have in other countries where democracy is a dirty word, but how can the excesses of the press be curbed?  Someone mentioned earlier that 'the public interest' needs to be redefined.  It seems to me that the tabloid papers often use this defence to publish all sorts of stuff that have no link to 'the public interest' - naked pictures of celebs, for example, or stories that some footballer or other is having an affair - how are those things in the public interest?  Now MPs expenses, that is a different matter.    The difficulty, it seems to me, is how to allow one, but curb the other.  I don't think we can rely on the press to regulate itself - it has shown itself remarkably reluctant to do so effectively for the past 20 years or so.

I have voted in every election since I became eligible, including the most recent ones.  Like many others, I am conscious that people in the past fought and sometimes died so that I might have the opportunity to exercise my franchise.  I feel, that like Australia, countries should make voting (or at least attending a polling station and collecting a ballot paper) compulsory.   With regard to Norman's point, I do not see why people who live abroad and have no intention of returning to the UK should have the right to elect a UK government which has little impact on their lives.  I am aware of the argument regarding UK public sector pensions which are taxed in the UK  but presumably people emigrated in the full knowledge of the fact they would pay UK tax on them AND lose the right to vote after 15 years, so I can't see why they keep complaining.  I assume they weren't forced to leave the UK  [:)]

When I was a child, I was anaemic and my doctor prescribed 4 oz of chopped raw liver a day.  As a consequence I cannot stomach the taste of cooked liver [:)] but raw liver is very tasty and rather crunchy [:D]

Have you noticed that when you are abroad and all around you are speaking in a foreign language, your ears immediately pick up the sounds of your own native language, no matter how far away (within reason, of course [:)]) the speaker is?  It's much the same as being at a crowded party when over the hum your hear your own name. Perhaps our brains are listening out for these things.

I suppose my 'beef' with this area is the thinking that people can be totally unaware of the effect of their behaviour on others (leaving aside people like the chap you mentioned, Betty). Surely even the most 'boorish' of people have some general understanding of how to behave in public? No-one in Europe grows up in complete isolation, presumably they go to school, and there are plenty of 'examples' on TV and film, so some degree of socialisation is inevitable

[quote user="You can call me Betty"].... Setting yourself up as an arbiter of what's acceptable or otherwise is a road fraught with dangers, though. [/quote]   However, isn't there a generally accepted 'sense' of what is acceptable in public, especially in relation to eating?  For example, is there anyone who would think that someone sitting at a resto table, and spitting on to the floor every so often is demonstrating acceptable behaviour?  What about someone who picks their nose all through the meal and wipes their fingers on the tablecloth after inspecting the contents? Or are we really saying that in the 21st century what might have been previously thought of as good manners is no longer relevant because we are all empowered to 'do our own thing' regardless of anyone else's feelings?    

They should have a good tan by the time of the next Chinese Leadership Change! Even HIGNFY spent almost half the programme on the US elections - grump grump. For some reason, no smileys will post .....

[quote user="andyh4"] [quote user="Thibault"] I wonder if the US media spend so much time discussing, and send so many reporters to, the UK General Elections - but I doubt it!  [/quote]   I am sure they don't, but then the UK is not the biggest trading market in the world, where a decision that could expand or deflate the market has worldwide impact.  Nor is the UK argueably the world's most powerful military nation, where a decision to go to war or make peace will have sweeping implications across the globe. [/quote] On that basis, I can't wait for the Chinese elections in 10 years time

Returning to the original point about grade inflation - I have been an A level examiner for over 15 years and it is very clear to me that standards have changed during that time.  Not only has the specification been somewhat 'watered-down' but the requirements for achieving particular levels of marks have been also.  I can remember for one module that I marked around five years ago, the Chief Examiner was concerned that results were 'lower' than the other two modules for that level - so every year, the requirements for what was considered knowledge, or analysis or evaluation were weakened.  The fact that the module content was different and required different skills than the other two was disregarded - all that mattered was that the distribution of marks followed the same pattern, regardless of how well or how poorly the candidates answered the question    

I haven't read all the posts on this thread, so sorry if this has been raised before - but I am totally fed up with all the coverage on most of the UK media plus several pages in newspapers every day.  I wonder if the US media spend so much time discussing, and send so many reporters to, the UK General Elections - but I doubt it!  The other day, the US elections took up the first 20 minutes of a news programme - it seems a bit of overkill to me [:@] 

I wonder with the George Osborne thing if his staff book the tickets (second class as per regulations) and then, depending on whether he has work to do, he goes into first class and an upgrade will be paid for as appropriate. It's interesting how the public reacts to things.  Remember when Hollande made great play about going to his country retreat by train instead of flying like his predecessor......saving money etc.........then it turned out that the cost of the additional security, the helicoptors flying overhead, the medical support staff etc was wildly in excess of his using the plane.  I understand he will take the plane in future......[;-)] After the expenses scandal in UK, it was decided that all MPs should travel second class, I assume to calm down the taxpayers.  Yet, does this make sense when, for example, cabinet ministers/shadow ministers might have work to do and rather than sitting on a train for a couple of hours staring at the scenery, isn't it better that they can do it in relative comfort?

I agree with you Betty.    There is also the question of the degree of vulnerability of the victim in these sorts of cases.  There have been instances in the past where 'carers' of vulnerable adults have been found to take advantage in order to pursue a sexual relationship.  Perhaps the vulnerabilty factor should also be considered rather than just age.   Is there any difference between a child just under the age of consent involved in these cases and one who may be several years younger?