And you don't think that doesn't happen with the remaining grammar schools now, or with better off parents being able to afford to pay for extra tuition for the tests?
"The reason that the abolition of the 11 plus was so popular with both Labour and Conservative parties in the sixties and seventies was because the old system was a long way off perfect."
Abolishing grammar schools was indeed very popular with a lot of people because it meant that if their children turned out to be not as bright as they hoped they'd be they could get them into a better school by paying for a house in a different catchment area with better comprehensives. In other words, it became all about money, which of course disadvantaged bright children from poor families.
The grammar school system was an honest way of doing things, even if you didn't agree with it.
The current system is totally dishonest, because everyone pretends it's fair when in fact it's all about being able to afford property in catchment areas with the best schools.
Would this be the storm that might deliver 1.5 inches of rain in 9 hours in the worst case? Forgive me a slight smile.
I checked the BBC news site, and read that airlines were 'instructed' to reduce their schedules by between 5% and 20% between the hours of 06:00 GMT and 22:30 GMT, leading to about 60 flight cancellations. This does not apply to long-haul flights, which is bizarre.
Well quite. I was in Jamaica when a sudden storm blew up - it was brilliantly exciting, took out a large section of the hotel's glazed roof, palm leaves everywhere, water 6" deep, plastic chair wreckage and all over in about 15 mins. It was impossible to stand up outside without clinging on for grim death.
The staff came out with brooms and bins and it was all gone within about 30 mins... Being in a sand storm in the Sahara was my worst = trying to out run it as it loomed behind us all red and menacing and then hiding under my Land Cruiser wrapped in a tent. That felt like the end of the world and went on for about an hour.
Would this be the storm that might deliver 1.5 inches of rain in 9 hours in the worst case? Forgive me a slight smile.
I checked the BBC news site, and read that airlines were 'instructed' to reduce their schedules by between 5% and 20% between the hours of 06:00 GMT and 22:30 GMT, leading to about 60 flight cancellations. This does not apply to long-haul flights, which is bizarre.
Spare a thought for those seriously affected by bad weather - those who can walk to work. If my colleagues struggle to get in, I might have twice as much work to do tomorrow as usual.
Storm? What storm? There is a bit of light drizzle here in Croydon. I predict that the media has been whipping itself up into a hysteria and frenzy of doom-mongering, just in case. I reckon the storm itself will be a damp squib, a whimper, not as drastic as forecast and not as bad as 1987.
What's worse than raining cats & dogs? Hailing taxis!
The Ed Miliband/Unite edition. The Scotsman cartoon: Falkirk "Labour leader Ed Miliband is facing pressure to reopen an inquiry into vote-rigging, after a cache of e-mails suggested that the Unite official at the centre of the Grangemouth dispute was involved in derailing a candidate selection investigation."
"Stormy conditions are expected to affect London on Sunday night and Monday morning. At present, it is planned that London Overground Services will not operate before 09:00hrs on Monday. Road users are advised to take extra care. All road and public transport users are advised to check for the latest updates before travelling with service providers and www.metoffice.gov.uk."
it's just bizarre that airlines were 'instructed' to reduce their schedules.
When big storms hit here, which they do at least once a year, the airport situation is predictable.
Aircraft don't fare well on the ground in high winds.
So airlines try to relocate their aircraft to airports out of the path of the storm at least 12-18 hours before the storm arrives.
Then when the storm arrival is imminent, airports close.
The government doesn't 'instruct' airlines or airports to do anything.
Presumably if you've already got every available slot filled at the best of times, you know that if you lose some of those slots to storms there's no way you'll be able to catch up. And if you know not all the flights people are expecting will be able to fly, it makes more sense to decide which ones to cancel and tell them in advance, rather than having everybody wait around at the airport for something that's never going to happen.
Comments
The house I live in now lost its roof and the shed was found two fields away...!! The owners hid in the cellar.
The current system is totally dishonest, because everyone pretends it's fair when in fact it's all about being able to afford property in catchment areas with the best schools.
Would this be the storm that might deliver 1.5 inches of rain in 9 hours in the worst case? Forgive me a slight smile.
I checked the BBC news site, and read that airlines were 'instructed' to reduce their schedules by between 5% and 20% between the hours of 06:00 GMT and 22:30 GMT, leading to about 60 flight cancellations. This does not apply to long-haul flights, which is bizarre.
Windscale?
The staff came out with brooms and bins and it was all gone within about 30 mins... Being in a sand storm in the Sahara was my worst = trying to out run it as it loomed behind us all red and menacing and then hiding under my Land Cruiser wrapped in a tent. That felt like the end of the world and went on for about an hour.
it's just bizarre that airlines were 'instructed' to reduce their schedules.
When big storms hit here, which they do at least once a year, the airport situation is predictable.
Aircraft don't fare well on the ground in high winds.
So airlines try to relocate their aircraft to airports out of the path of the storm at least 12-18 hours before the storm arrives.
Then when the storm arrival is imminent, airports close.
The government doesn't 'instruct' airlines or airports to do anything.
Germany has different sele tion policies in different states.
Overall the differences in educational rankings seem to have little to do with academic selection at a young age.
It is a particularly British obsession, and one that does not even have majority support of any of our major parties.
http://www.raintoday.co.uk/
I predict that the media has been whipping itself up into a hysteria and frenzy of doom-mongering, just in case. I reckon the storm itself will be a damp squib, a whimper, not as drastic as forecast and not as bad as 1987.
What's worse than raining cats & dogs?
Hailing taxis!
The Scotsman cartoon: Falkirk
"Labour leader Ed Miliband is facing pressure to reopen an inquiry into vote-rigging, after a cache of e-mails suggested that the Unite official at the centre of the Grangemouth dispute was involved in derailing a candidate selection investigation."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilya_4-ever
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/lilya_4ever/?nopopup=true
http://www.croydonadvertiser.co.uk/UK-STORM-Monday-rush-hour-trains-cancelled/story-19994746-detail/story.html#ixzz2iz5m4B5q
http://www.tfl.gov.uk