Social Mobility - the path to nirvana?

So Nick Clegg has got a 'bee in his bonnet' about social mobility.  The current opinion is that social mobility is at it's lowest level for years.  7% of children are privately educated and 70 % of High Court Judges went to Private Schools.  Is this the kind of privilege that we want to enshrine or do we want a more meritocratic society, where the brightest reach the top, but the down side is that those that are not talented occupy the lower reaches of society.  Another factor to include is that earnings are too widely spread.  If a 'meritocracy' was in place, those with wealth would work to make sure that their children do not fall too far, which is where private educations comes in.  After all would you pay for something that was the same as what was freely available?  If you asked people I am guessing that most of them would consider a meritocracy a good idea.  However, if you question them, most would not realise the down sides to a meritocracy.
The real question is "What type of society do we want to live in?"  Many people, who earn more than average, have made statements that they would be prepared to pay more tax if we all lived in a fairer society.  Where were those voices when the 50% tax rate was abolished?  Instead the richest got the same percentage tax cut as the poorest, except to the poorest that meant £200 per year, to the richest that meant £40,000 per year.  There is no doubt that we do not live in a fair society, and that the policies that are being passed do nothing to make our unequal society more equal.  In years to come the rich will still be rich, the poor will still be poor, and the rich and middle classes will be providing us with our politicians, judges, oxford graduates, etc. for a very long time to come

Motorway madness?

On a recent drive down to London, the route we took was mostly motorway.  One of the most annoying things that happened was the way people occupied the middle lane, a disorder that should be called "middle-lane-itis".  The characteristics of this disorder is the obsessional occupation of the middle lane, frequently travelling at 69 m.p.h.  The most annoying thing is when this disorder takes over a driver even when the left hand lane has no traffic in.  Treatment involved is being driven in a car in the left hand lane at a series of speeds starting at 60 m.p.h and progressing in steps up to 71 m.p.h.  To apply for treatment, you should e-mail your local constabulary admitting that you have incurable 'middle-lane-itis and that you would like to be offered treatment via the C.P.S.

Get real Blackburn Rovers fans!

So, after 11 years in the Premiership, and winning it once, Blackburn have been relegated.  What I want to focus on is the behaviour of the fans.  Last night, in one of the most crucial games of the season, the fans decided to protest about the owners and the manager, and ignored what was happening on the pitch.  I hate to say this, but you are not the first club to have unpopular owners, speak to some Man. Utd. fans, or even the supporters of F.C. United of Manchester, who were formed as a protest against the Glazer's ownership, and are doing very well.  Speak to AFC Wimbledon fans who were formed after their club was transported to Milton Keynes.  There are others.  Neither are you the first club to have an unpopular manager.  Speak to some Aston Villa fans, among others.  You piled the pressure on Steve Keane and he took it on the chin, and he did not lose the dressing room.  You are fans of the football team, and the fact that you did not get behind your team last night , in my humble opinion, means that you have lost the right to call yourself 'fans'.

An alternative economic policy?

So the EuroZone has been thrown into turmoil because Sarkozy has lost the French election, and Hollande has said that he plans to spend his way out of recession.  This harks back to a previous post, , that the way to stimulate the economy, according to John Maynard Keynes, was to spend on infra-structure projects.  Gordon Brown thought the way was to invest in the banks, who would then lend it to business to kick-start the economy, and we all know what happened there.  The banks re-capitalised, and we went into a double dip recession. 
Today we also read that a report has come out that David Cameron's Big Society is not working, as people are not buying into it, and charity funding has been cut. 
Another report says that David Cameron has 'heard the message' from the recent local elections.
Can you spot the pattern?  With less money in the economy, the Big Society idea is that people will 'rally round' and take up the slack.  It is no surprise that it is not, people are hurting!  Thousands of public sector jobs have been cut and people are struggling!  This is the price that people are paying for the massive cock-up with the economy, but the top 1% are protected with their off-shore investments, etc.
If  Hollande is successful, and he spends his way to economic success, voices will then start to be raised, and ask the question, "Why was it not tried her?"

The F.A. Cup - the season's finale?

Today is F.A. Cup day.    This is usually the final game of the season.  I agree with Sol Campbell, in writing  in today' Guardian that this might have taken some of the shine off a glittering occasion.  The highlight of this week-end is definitely the Newcastle vs. Man. City tomorrow.
However, what a game in store.  Two teams, who could both be said have under-achieved, are going to slug it out for the second of the three domestic cups. 
Excuse me, I must go to the fridge and get another beer.  Enjoy the match!

"Studio" Schools vs. Other Schools

Here in Hull, there is a Studio School opening.  As far as I understand it, these schools will operate on a more work-based footing, while still delivering education and preparing the students for the world of work.  The way that they do that is to have the students work on projects that have relevance to the real world and teach them their English, Maths and Science, etc. through the vehicle of their projects.  Studio Schools have established in other places in the U.K. and have their own web-site where staff upload resources for others to share.  Sounds wonderful, doesn't it?  There is a down side.  The students in Years 10 and 11 have to complete 3 projects in each year, and they last for 17 weeks.  That means they will have to attend for 51 weeks of the 52 week year.  According to the Principle, they will be 'flexible' on how that works, following the lead from other studio schools.  The students will also have longer days to work, from 8 a.m to 5 p.m. again to mimic the work-place.  Students will be a allowed to go on family holidays, by arrangement with the school, and the longer time that the students stay at school mean that the families do not have child-care problems that parent of student in 'normal schools' have.

If these schools are designed to promote the work-place as the destination for these young people, does that not fly in the face of the stated aim of the last Government that 50% of young people should go to University.  If studio schools adapt students to the work-place, what is the purpose of the other schools in the country?  I am not sure of the political support that these schools get, is this not a step backwards where kids left school at 14 and started out as office juniors or apprentices in the work place, and only the very talented went to do 'A' levels and go on to University.

Britain has to decide what sort of Education system is needed, and then go for it.  I do not mean that the politicians are the only ones to decide, but everyone!

Hinchingbrook Hospital - the thin end of the wedge?

Today the details were announced of the deal that took Hinchingbrook Hospital into private ownership by Circle.  They have written off the hospital's debt of £39m and have agreed to improve services, and their stated ambition is to make it 'one of the best' district hospitals in the country.  They have been given a 10 year contract and are expected to make £10m per year for the life of the contract and 44% will be kept by Circle and the other 54% will go to the Government.  On the face of it, a nice little deal.  Circle also claim that they will 're-invest profits' back into the service.
What is the alternative?  We are in a the second dip of a deep recession.  Government has decided that the way to deal with this is to cut expenditure, which they are doing.  Already thousands of public sector workers have already lost their jobs, and more will in the future as further cuts that the Government has put into place bite.  In this environment it would be easy to see that there would be some 'rationalisation of health care' i.e. hospital closures.  Hinchingbrook was one of those hospitals that were in danger of being axed.  If the hospital closes, everyone loses their jobs.  Under this deal, there is a strong chance that some jobs will be saved, in some way.
What I do not understand is, what skills do the private managers have that the NHS managers do not?  Why not 'poach' these staff and give them jobs in the NHS?
The big danger is - if this experiment is successful, expect to see it at a hospital near you!

The post-derby situation

Well it looks like Man. City have it in their hands to win the Premier title for the first time since 1968.  It really beggars belief that a bookie has already paid out on Man. Utd. winning the title, because there were some t-shirts offered for sale on line.  Buy one! It could be a nice investment?

At work, one of the managers supports Man. Utd. and on Monday he came to the Staff Room during break and said that he had a dream that Paul Scholes had scored two goals to win the match.  As it transpired, Man. Utd. were awful and Man. City won by a single goal.  So I wrote him this poem:

Scholes’ goals

Did not materialise

It was just a dream

Or was it lies?

The game ended one-nil

Because of Kompany’s skill

That made Ferguson wince

Two games each left

The title is still open

But I know what you are hopin’

I sent it to him in an e-mail, and his response was:

"Very creative.  More creative than our midfield."