Archive for January, 2010

The eurozone faces its most serious situation yet

This week, the Financial Times (FT) predicted that Germany’s economic recovery ‘may be stalling‘, a seriously concern for Europe’s largest economy. And in the UK, figures released yesterday by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) revealed that the UK economy is only limping out of its deepest recession in modern times (the economy grew only 0.1% in the last 3 months of 2009).

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Our Crumbling Cathedrals: An Apt Symbol of Our Disintegrating Nation

Few artefacts better epitomise England than its cathedrals. It is precisely because they do that their current parlous condition so aptly symbolises the state of national disintegration over which the present government has so artfully presided during this past twelve years.

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Txt Spk: bd 4 skls?

Apparently children who are down with the latest literary lingo are bang on with their understanding of the English language. Research published by the University of Coventry earlier this week rather unhelpfully concludes that “children’s use of textisms is far from problematic.”

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Philistines and other social problems

It was a depressing moment when this news story made the front page of the BBC website ‘ Pupils forced to listen to Mozart’.  The head of West Park School in Derby, Brian Walker, punishes his students in detention by making them listen to classical music, “featuring Elgar, Mozart, Verdi and Bach.”  They are often also forced to watch an educational video, such as the ’story of math’.

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The EU must ensure it is a force for good in Haiti

The earthquake in Haiti 8 days ago wreaked untold pain, and the international community is right to exert every effort to help those affected by the tragedy. The EU has announced that it will send €430 million of humanitarian aid (the 2 biggest contributions coming from Britain [€25 million] and France [€20 million]).

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Family Values

‘We haven’t done enough in the past to support dads… All the evidence is if fathers are properly engaged and involved… then… they’re supportive to their children, they do all the things which then lead to better child outcomes.’

Question: Guess who said that?

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