Today is the 'Turrets Annual Hedge-cutting Day'. They always get done this weekend, because it is a ritual which started seventeen years ago.
You see, this is the time when Elder Daught left home for the first time to go away to College. Two years later, Younger Daught left for Uni too, and it was painful on both days. Mrs S and I kept wandering around the house, trying not to think of her going, and eventually I said 'sod it' and went out to start clipping the church side holly hedge, (now thankfully gone). It seems like yesterday and I can remember feeling utterly miserable all the time.
The BBC news this week had a story about the utter failure of the Student Loans company to get their act together, and organise the new intake's loans in time. What a bunch of losers, they are; originally cobbled together in a vain attempt by both governments to squirm through the fact that they were making students pay through the nose for tertiary education. In fact the brighter/better off parents just got the loans out at the ridiculously low interest rate, invested the dosh in a better deal, and then pocketed the interest.
So Nulabyrinthe's policy of chucking every student into a 'University' to study just about anything, and thus keep them off the unemployment lists for three years, has now culminated in thousands of disillusioned kids having to cope with having no money for the first few important weeks, as well as the fear of leaving home for the first time, and facing their own crisis in another world. They've been let down - yet again - by a weak and ineffective administration.
To think that their future is overseen by a 'government' staffed by such pathetic figures as Ed Balls, and his ugly wife, Yvette 'Turtle in the headlights' Balls-Cooper (did you see her on TV this week; absolutely petrified and gulping for air), I fully expect them to be let down several more times before they get their degrees. Ministers knew months ago that there would be a problem, but as usual, they put their personal situations first, blurted anything they were told to by their whip-meisters and did nothing.
This is a cock-up of devastating proportions, and my heart goes out to the families who are trying to come to terms with one of the most upsetting times of anyone's life.
Those hedges will just fly today...
The way I see it is that this is state sponsored education - they are teaching children to get into debt and then go on the dole to avoid meeting their responsibilities (after a time the debt is written off, makes not getting a job sweeter).
ReplyDeleteMy parents remortgaged their house and spent the money. Their reasoning - because of inheritance tax their children wouldn't get it anyway so why save? Why?
NuLab is teaching us all, young and old, to live a life of debt. Just as they have done to the country.
And if the Tories were making any sensible suggestions then I'd say Out! Out! Out! But they are not.
Pips - that's a bit too clever for words m'dear...
ReplyDeleteI reckon you've got an inside track on this, and when I see which one it is, I'll breathe a sigh of relief!
You're too good for this one Pips - I believe you!
Good morning Scrobs. I second what Pippy says but don't agree with her views on the Conservatives....
ReplyDeleteBelieve me, when I say...
'The best is yet to come'!
That is, when the new Government has sorted out, the financial mire, that NuLab has left the Country in.
On hedges Scrobs....Our gardener is coming around tomorrow, to cut the green beech hedge which surrounds the garden and is about eight foot high.
I love Autumn, mmmn... the smell of garden fires and the wonderful russet shades of the ever changing leaves.
Di.x
My son informs me that lots of his friends (of both sexes) from uni days are still single (including him)simply because they cannot afford to get married as most of them are still struggling to pay off their student and other loans some 9 years after leaving their college. Many still live at home with parents, while others flat-share but the cost of loan repayments, rent and all the other associated daily costs of living see many of them just about making ends meet, with nothing leftover for savings. NuLab policies over the past 12 years have done nothing to help them on their way.
ReplyDeleteWasn't it Maggie who introduced uni fees?
Labour fuck EVERYTHING up.
ReplyDeleteScrobs, you sound scarily like a man who is using the 'you're too good for me' ploy to ditch a girl :-/
ReplyDeleteTrubes, I believe you are falling for the 'this one's a bastard so the next one must a match made in heaven' pitfall. You wouldn't do it in romance (far too smart) so why do it in politics?
Rvi - I thought top-up fees were introduced by the Biar government in 2004. If it was Thatcher have you a ref I can read? Many thanks.
Kev - the Tories do a good job too. I was glad that Starkey, when interviewed by Mrs Dale, mentioned the Heath government. I remember that government and what a catastrophe it was. Heath was an arrogant arse and did damage to this country that is still being felt today. Pompous twit that he was.
Pips - luckily for me; you're wrong on this last one - I just thought that you'd got several points together so well, I'd got nothing to add!
ReplyDeleteI'm only a simple 'Estate Agent' you know...or was until Elecs started moaning about it...!
Don't you worry Our Kid, you aren't anywhere near being ditched - we've all got too much to talk about for worrying about that!
Trubes; Cameron is doing - er - something, but he needs to get much more passion going IMHO.
ReplyDeleteI'll vote for him, as Cleggie is hoping for a hung parliament, but 'Our Dave' really needs some serious heavies in the frontline, and he must stop pissing about with 'Parliament-Speak' andjust go for the jugular. I've worked with too many weeds like him who are scared of the consequences of their actions; he's got to put his head over the trench and start punching bloody hard!
On the subject of hedges, I love the sound of your beech hedge. We only discussed yesterday (on half a bottle of Calvados - apple season you see..), how we're going to split the old hedge round The Turrets, (it's been there for at least 100 years, and is now a bit of a mongrel,) and we think we'll reproduce something which is less uniform, but has all our favourite shrubs built in - mainly to make it more colourful, and easy to prune...
Reevers, I think she did - and they were unwelcome then.
ReplyDeleteI had a pencil spreadsheet (pre computers then), on how we were going to pay for YD, and it meant we would never really recover, but that's why I agree with Pips about Nulab expecting people to be in permanent debt. "(NuLab is teaching us all, young and old, to live a life of debt. Just as they have done to the country.)"
It's a tragecy that kids cannpt live in their home village or town because there are no homes they can afford - mind you, there are plenty of mini sink estates popping up, because local councils say that there have to be the affordable homes for - er - outsiders...
Elecs - you are right as usual, and when the pints are being pulled when we all meet, your's will be the fullest one!
ReplyDeletePips - I refer my Honourable Friend to the comment I made at 17.59... ;0)
ReplyDeleteScrobs; Darling,
ReplyDeleteI think I love you. Do not tell Pips, or even Mme Scrobs.....
Goodness gracious...
I could be on a 'hit list'...
Di. xx
No hit list, Trubes, just in the queue.
ReplyDeletePip - your 16.14.
ReplyDeleteI am fairly sure Thatcher introduced student fees, but that may have been only for overseas students studying in the UK. I know it caused a bit of a rumpus in the far off land I was living in at the time whose government sent a few thousand students a year to the UK. Perhaps Blair and gang simply extended the principle to everybody once they made the unis responsible for their own funding? Memory fails a bit these days! Sorry I can't be more helpful.
Calfy is giving university a wide berth Scrobs. What is the point of getting into debt for a three year course that would bore her to death? I was amazed at how stupid/ignorant my tutors were when I went 25 years ago, and by the lack of tuition. The library was shit too. The drugs were great however ;-)
ReplyDeleteHedge cutting is very therapeutic. I like the sound of the mixed one you plan.
rvi - thanks for your reply :-)
ReplyDeleteTrubes - Yup! You're there as well; thank goodness there's still a chance to put one's arms round chums these days!
ReplyDeleteps Have you been to the Beatles Hotel yet? I'm curious as to how it's all working, as I knew the people involved for a while!
Pips - you BAD girl...
ReplyDeleteLove from Kent!
Lils, we'd possibly get rid of it but there are badgers clodding around here, and they muck up the place if there's a way in.
ReplyDeleteMind you, they only have to walk in the gate as there isn't one...
Mrs S has been considering a Euonymous, berberus and a 'few others' hedge. I quite like the idea, as the whole lot is now down to these shrubs, so why not grub the old hedge out and not worry about the boundary...?
What about blackthorn, Scrobs? Very effective at keeping out unwanted visitors and quite attractive.
ReplyDeleteBackatcha, from 1:10 -> 1:32
(If I'm going to be called a bad girl, I reserve the right to earn the title)
Ooooohhh!
ReplyDeleteSo I went and bought the company...!
Thanks for that Pips!
Phillipa: your comments about 'One man's a bastard' etc, couldn't be farther from the truth.
ReplyDeleteI make my political decisions on my principles of Conservatism.
I refer you to the CWF nine principles at www.conwayfor.org
You will see there, exactly how and why I am politically motivated!
'It's the song not the singer'!
As you probably are aware, I have met David Cameron and have engaged in a discussion with him, about the schools for children with learning difficulties, in Liverpool.
He took the time to talk to me about the threat of closure of a local establishment that deals primarily with children with Autism.
I have been helping a friend who has a sverely Autstic Son, who's school is on the Nulab 'hit list.
This was before DC's beloved son Ivan died. He spoke with such passion and concern about the plight of many youngsters, whose schools are threatened with closure.
He went on to say how grateful he was for, the state provided schooling and NHS care Ivan received.
Sadly, a year later the terribly sick little boy died.
Later on, during the meeting he spoke eloquently and unscripted, for forty minutes, about his future plans, for our once great Nation, should he gain power from the Labour party.
I am not, as your comments suggest, easily swayed by popular theorists et al but draw my own political conclusions,
upon my tenets that I have previously descibed.
I rest my case M'lud Scrobes!
BTW Scrobs I havn't been to the Beatles Hotel so I can't comment.
Di.x
Trubes, thanks so much for detailing your political views, which I found most interesting. I looked at the link you provided and have to say that my own views don't altogether adhere to those 9 principles, which may explain why you are happy with the current Conservative party and I am not.
ReplyDeleteYour personal experience of Cameron details a single issue. I'm sure he's a nice chap and personable and sure it's a good thing he is willing to help with that issue. I'm on your side on that one.
I questioned Gove and he was willing to admit the Tories had no plans to change a number of NuLab policies I feel most strongly about. I have since been reassured he was certainly telling me the truth, as I suspected he was.
There are a number of politically active Tories I like very much and admire as people. But the reluctance of the Conservative party to change what I strongly believe should be changed, and to not to what they propose to do once in power, leads me to be very reluctant to vote for them.
I agree that Bliar has been a crime for this country and brown a disaster. I've heard and seen a number of people not happy with the Tories but say that at least they are not NuLab. I accept that you are not one of them and you are true blue, Trubes. But I don't think the tactical voting argument strong enough to secure my vote. I say this because I remember the welcome Bliar had and I think Cameron is chasing the 'straight kinda guy' vote without any satisfactory evidence that he will do what I want to be done.
Will he reject/referendum EU/Lisbon treaty? Don't know. Will he abolish sex-ed in it's current form? Will he restore habeus corpus and all the freedoms and liberties stolen from us by NuLab? No he will not. Will he target the poor in order to pay the debts run up by NuLab? Yes he will. Will he give back some of the executive powers secured by NuLab for central government? I doubt it.
I didn't suggest that you are "easily swayed by popular theorists" but that NuLab is so bloody awful that it's tempting to vote for a vegetable in it's place. And it is isn't it? I just worry we would be replacing one nightmare with a different one. Albeit better looking and in a nice suit.