GordonS

GordonS has been exposed before his peers. Do I need to put you on ignore as well?

Councils are skint AF, and IMO those who cut it back did so because they're small-minded, overwhelmingly male and a bunch of coffin-dodgers. They never cut back school sport. I don't know how the SNP plan to afford those things. Some of them are surprisingly inexpensive and collectively they all cost less than, say, 1% more for teacher pay. What I do know is that the SNP must be expecting to win the election so they know they'll have to deliver this stuff or be seen not doing it. I know you don't value playing the trumpet much, but when West Lothian announced their plan to end strings and percussion tuition altogether I saw kids in floods of tears. It's not just the tuition, a really big part of it is the orchestras and bands, and the opportunity to play together. This stuff is very, very important to thousands of kids. Imagine whatever was most important to you as a kid had been taken away.

Most people in Brazil are on low incomes. Most people in the UK are not... or at least, they don't think they are. I've always thought that, if we have to be in a political union with someone, could we maybe find a better country to be in a union with? Could do worse than Brazil, but my vote goes to the Netherlands. 1992 was a lot like 2017 - a new leader, given a fair wind, a good campaign against a relatively poor one. Difference is, Corbyn still lost while Major got more votes than any UK government in history. They were still detested and Major was considered a joke in 1992. If England were a decent country Labour they would have elected Kinnock. I've never thought the Labour campaign was nearly as bad as was claimed, though the Sheffield rally was ugly. Not sure that many people watched it though. Tbh I think anti-Welsh racism was a massive factor in that election.

IMO yes, it's not all that expensive and the rewards are significant. For some kids it's the difference between enjoying school and not. It's fantastic for kids with special needs, West Lothian has a brilliant percussion programme. It's one of those silver bullet things. I would look to do it cheaper than it's been done before however, they could set up arms-length charities to deliver it. My son did violin and then cello through school, it was free at first but the fees they introduced were hefty. I'll not get the benefit of this but others will. You can blame the SNP if you want. I blame 13 years of austerity and 10 years of Conservative governments. Game's about opinions. Huge variation at local authority level, from Dundee (SNP council) offering it free to West Lothian (Labour council) charging £354 a year, which is taught in groups yet is almost the same price as private individual tuition. https://www.improvementservice.org.uk/news/december-2020/instrumental-music-services-results-of-the-ims-survey-2020

I did not in fact take any pictures of her when she was my teacher. That would have been weird. I did just google her and I'm pleased to see she's a headteacher now, but obviously she doesn't look like she did 30 years ago.

I don't think so, and in any case winning a constructive dismissal case at tribunal is a grinding, expensive 2-3 of years of your life that you'll never see again, while in the meantime you have to find a new job and explain what happened at your previous one. We think things are much fairer now, and mostly they are, but then you see British Gas trying to fire and rehire nearly 1,000 engineers. Hundreds of them refused to sign new contracts with three extra unpaid hours a week and shifts on weekends and bank holidays without overtime, so they've been fired.

Ta. You're right, what I want to do is win games in this league more than I want to win 5 minute matches on Chess.com, so I should stick with the good advice.

No, it's outside, on a normal road. NOT horizontal. And I posted two pictures from the same place - there's only one difference.

I've been to all four on GB (was at Dunnet Head in a ridiculous winter rain storm, it was magnificent). Also been to the most easterly and southerly in Scotland. I've not been to St Kilda yet though...

I guess the big clue would be, Streetview isn't just horizontal.

https://goo.gl/maps/VUfVNrFvWTEYgwC29

https://goo.gl/maps/9gfHyt4u3BAn4tpE7 I've been to this one, but I didn't recognise it.

I think it's definitely Ben Lomond. It's exactly the right shape and from your view it's just to the right of the Longannet chimney, so it's bang in the right place.

Nailed it. I'm so happy to see my favourite thread resurrected too!

I don't blame anyone for making obvious decisions for themselves in a system that they want to change. Like folk that bought their council houses but voted for parties that would end their sale. You've got to live in the world you're in, even while you're trying to change it.