Current Affairs 2024

[david63]

But when they want to take them to Disneyland it's okay!

That might be stopping soon if Disneyland go on strike!

Too much of this is about the "I will do what I want" attitude that some have today and is probably more about the parents wanting to go on holiday than anything to do with the children. We have all seen it on cruises where parents show little, or no, interest in what their children are doing just as long as the children do not interfere with what the parents are doing.

[Ray B]

After the iT outage around the world it just shows how vulnerable we all are and rely on computers. An ideal target for a terrorist attack, although they will say it's impossible. We will wait and see.
In the meantime, always have a wadd of notes available to keep going just incase of that outage again.

[towny44]

I also didn't agree when my grandchildren lost 10 days worth of education so teachers could go on strike for financial reasons.

Don't think they got fined.

Hardly known for militancy, you should know there is something wrong when teachers go on strike. It's hardly a regular occurrence. The problems teachers face, as in the case of many public service workers eg NHS workers, is a gradual decline in pay and working conditions over the past 14 years or so. This has led to problems in retention of graduates who enter teaching with all the skills and for the right reasons only to realise it is not what they thought it would be. They realise they can get better pay and working conditions elsewhere,,,,,,,and be better appreciated for the work they do. Within five years they leave. What a waste of resources.

However, having never been on strike I disagree with the tactic anyway. The whole system could be brought into chaos by simply working their statutory 1265 hours a year and eliminating everything else. The children would still be taught, parents/grandparents would not be disrupted but the point could be made to the powers that be. From my own experience my working week extended far beyond that, often on pointless meetings and initiatives//admin tasks which were a tonetal waste of time.

And finally, I believe those teachers going on strike did not get fined but they would lose pay.

httpscommonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7222/

No one is denying that wages in the UK have not kept place with inflation in general, not just teachers and other public sector workers, but everyone. Strangely despite this most people are actually better off now, you only need to check your own lifestyles.
My gold plated pension has softened the blow for us, but even that is lagging behind the Govt inflation figures, partly because the minimum guaranteed pension ( GMP) does not increase with inflation, but mainly because the inflation figure is a very broad average, and most people make accommodations to their lifestyle to avoid the higher impact items in the index.
This is why I find the junior doctors claims, and others using the same inflation figures, to be so outlandish, and the govt negotiators to be so inept for not making this point public, as well as the fact that most people in the private sector are also lagging well behind the official inflation figure.

[towny44]

After the iT outage around the world it just shows how vulnerable we all are and rely on computers. An ideal target for a terrorist attack, although they will say it's impossible. We will wait and see.
In the meantime, always have a wadd of notes available to keep going just incase of that outage again.

As usual the media made this issue appear far worse that it was. I had no problem getting money out of our local ATM, and paying for our weekly shop at Sainsburys with my Nationwide credit card. My son flies off on holiday on Sunday and checking Manchester airport arrival and departures I found that on average both are running a 2 hour average delay, probably no worse than any busy day in peak season, which in fact yesterday was expected to be.

[Mervyn and Trish]

But when they want to take them to Disneyland it's okay!

That might be stopping soon if Disneyland go on strike!

Too much of this is about the "I will do what I want" attitude that some have today and is probably more about the parents wanting to go on holiday than anything to do with the children. We have all seen it on cruises where parents show little, or no, interest in what their children are doing just as long as the children do not interfere with what the parents are doing.

Very much in line with the regular dress code debate. "I've paid for my cruise, no-one is telling me what to wear."

[CaroleF]

I've seen the school situation from the inside as it were. I've had demands from parents wanting me to set two weeks of work and mark it all when they return. When a class moves onto a new subject or method and the child isn't there, it can't all be explained in a worksheet. Yes primary education is as important as Senior School, it's in the primary school that the basics, the groundwork is set. Don't ask me why but it always seemed to me that it was hardly ever the brighter children had time off. Many, many times it was children who struggled in school who were taken on holiday.

Oh, and as the parent of two girls I wonder what the other parents would say if I announced, Sorry, I'm taking advantage of the cheaper holiday prices and I won't be here for the next two weeks! I know what would happen, I would lose my job!

[david63]

After the iT outage around the world it just shows how vulnerable we all are and rely on computers. An ideal target for a terrorist attack, although they will say it's impossible. We will wait and see.
In the meantime, always have a wadd of notes available to keep going just incase of that outage again.

As usual the media made this issue appear far worse that it was. I had no problem getting money out of our local ATM, and paying for our weekly shop at Sainsburys with my Nationwide credit card. My son flies off on holiday on Sunday and checking Manchester airport arrival and departures I found that on average both are running a 2 hour average delay, probably no worse than any busy day in peak season, which in fact yesterday was expected to be.

That was all a total shambles and should never have happened on a number of levels.

First it is totally apparent that the update was not thoroughly tested, that is if it was tested at all and leaves many questions about the procedures, or lack of, in CrowdStrike.

Secondly it is highly unusual for major commercial networks to use automatic updates - any update is, in my experience, tested on that network and then deployed in a controlled manner. When I was working there is no way that any update would have been allowed in the way that this was and I cannot understand how IT managers around the world allowed it to happen.

Having said that there will always be the exception where there is a computer somewhere that has a non standard configuration and would present a problem but they would be few and far between.

[Stephen]

I bow to your knowledge on this David but aren't most updates automatic so no human interaction is need, or are things different on commercial systems.

[david63]

I bow to your knowledge on this David but aren't most updates automatic so no human interaction is need, or are things different on commercial systems.

On commercial networks there is, or was in my day, strict protocols as to who could allow any update and it was thoroughly tested before it was allowed anywhere near an end user. Also you would never update every device at the same time.

[Mervyn and Trish]

We have automatic updates turned off on the IT kit in our radio studios, so that any updates are done at the time of our choosing, usually late at night, under supervision in case anything fails to reboot properly.

[Slapstick]

I see all that the other way round. Parents complained when strikes, or Covid, forced their children out of class. But when they want to take them to Disneyland it's okay!

Of course parents complained and quite right too, my two daughters were forced to take unpaid leave for childcare provision to accommodate the selfish teachers wanting more and more.

To add insult to injury, 3 teachers in my 2 older grandchildrens high school have taken term time holidays within the last year, when questioned the reply was they are "once in a lifetime holidays" written within their terms of their employment, what a joke.

[Onelife]

Hi Slapstick…having just looked at the rules for teacher’s term time holidays it would appear that the head teacher of your grandchildren’s school is in breach of what is considered “exceptional circumstances” for staff away-days, funerals, weddings, and domestic issues may be granted leave but Holidays???
You need to give your Grandchildren’s head teacher a good talking too…better still report him/her to the school Governors.

[oldbluefox]

To add insult to injury, 3 teachers in my 2 older grandchildrens high school have taken term time holidays within the last year, when questioned the reply was they are "once in a lifetime holidays" written within their terms of their employment, what a joke.

Without knowing the full facts I cannot think why this happened. Certainly I know of nowhere in the teachers' pay and conditions contract where it says out of term holidays may be allowed. However there are other employees in schools nowadays, eg supply or associate teachers, ancillary staff etc, but not full time teachers who have different contractual obligations.
The only time off I took was for compassionate leave when close family died otherwise in term holidays were out of the question. Don't bother asking!!

[Slapstick]

Hi Slapstick…having just looked at the rules for teacher’s term time holidays it would appear that the head teacher of your grandchildren’s school is in breach of what is considered “exceptional circumstances” for staff away-days, funerals, weddings, and domestic issues may be granted leave but Holidays???
You need to give your Grandchildren’s head teacher a good talking too…better still report him/her to the school Governors.

My daughter did question it, but they stood firm and said it was within their policies, two of which were for the teachers weddings

I guess it's one rule for one and one for everyone else at their particular school.

[Onelife]

Hi Slapstick…having just looked at the rules for teacher’s term time holidays it would appear that the head teacher of your grandchildren’s school is in breach of what is considered “exceptional circumstances” for staff away-days, funerals, weddings, and domestic issues may be granted leave but Holidays???
You need to give your Grandchildren’s head teacher a good talking too…better still report him/her to the school Governors.

My daughter did question it, but they stood firm and said it was within their policies, two of which were for the teachers weddings

I guess it's one rule for one and one for everyone else at their particular school.

It certainly must feel they way at times…. I don’t have a probably with teacher’s choosing the date of their wedding but if this combines honeymoons during term time then I do think a more appropriate time could have been considered.

[Stephen]

If caught out of term time they should all be sent to the Gulag.....children included.

I know, I'm going soft in my old age...according to Mrs S

[Stephen]

At last he’s done the right thing, not only for himself but for the country.

Joe Biden withdraws from US presidential election race https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1e5xpdzkd8o

[oldbluefox]

If caught out of term time they should all be sent to the Gulag.....children included.

........or Wigan!!!!!

[oldbluefox]

At last he’s done the right thing, not only for himself but for the country.

Joe Biden withdraws from US presidential election race https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1e5xpdzkd8o

Not before time and the right decision to make. There was a story recently of someone he had known for years but failed to recognise when he recently met him. It's the right decision and hopefully now he can enjoy a retirement free of the worries of high office.

[Onelife]

His whole demeanour would suggest his retirement will be a short one…high office comes at a high price to see his demise.

[Mervyn and Trish]

Right decision. I'm not applying.

[oldbluefox]

Interesting that Trump referred to him as Dodgy Joe. Pot, kettle, black especially coming from him.

[towny44]

I'm not sure that Kamala will stand any better chance of beating Trump than sleepy Joe. There are even now only 25% women members of Congress, and back in 2000 there were less than 10%, and there are even fewer women Governors and Senate members,
This is not to say Americans are misogynistic, but they do seem to lag behind the rest of the world in accepting women in positions of power in local or federal govt.

[david63]

I'm not sure that Kamala will stand any better chance of beating Trump than sleepy Joe. There are even now only 25% women members of Congress, and back in 2000 there were less than 10%, and there are even fewer women Governors and Senate members,
This is not to say Americans are misogynistic, but they do seem to lag behind the rest of the world in accepting women in positions of power in local or federal govt.

In fairness though she has only got the six swing states to appeal to as all the other states will vote along party lines - even if Micky Mouse was the option!

If she goes head to head with Trump and she can get the better of him, which she may be able to do having been a lawyer, then that could swing some of the undecided in her favour. Add to that the fact that she is a woman of colour and that is another two groups that could align.

[Onelife]

Reading through Kamala Harris’s voting record I would say she will have a lot of appeal to the America voter…She seems a very level headed lady with a good brain on her shoulders…. Which is in complete contrast to Trump who keeps his Brain in his Wallet.