Silent Majority Speaks
Rescuing Democracy in the United Kingdom from our current Elected Dictatorship
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Spin,
not face-to-face confrontations with the voters, is the Government's
chosen method of communication. Ordinary people are dangerous. Ordinary
people might ask a question which throws a politician 'off message';
the Cabinet member might reveal himself or herself to be a human being
like us, and not a programmed android. Worse still, he or she might
tell the truth.
Ann Leslie - Daily Mail, September 16, 2004
Blair wants to leave his
mark on history - looks more like a stain to me.
Peter Thorndyke, Diss,
Norfolk - Daily Mail, May 23, 2005
I know I'm me - why do I
need an ID card?
"Sorry, officers, I
don't have an ID card. I never applied for one. It seemed a bit steep
at 300 quid. I do have my free passport, my driving licence and my
London freedom travel pass, each with my photograph. I have my NHS
medical card, with its lengthy number, given me at birth, my RAF
service book with my Armed Forces number, and a chit authorising me to
wear a few gongs -including a General Service Medal with Malaya bar,
for fighting communist terrorists on behalf of my country, or so they
told me.
"I've also got various credit
cards and store cards, all with my signature on the back, generally
good for buying the everyday requrements for life as well as the odd
luxury. If you decide to arrest me, I suppose I'll have to be
photographed and given another number, besides my PINs.
"I'm afraid I haven't got a
pension book; it was taken away."
"By thieves, sir?"
"No ... well, not exactly. By the
Government. By the way, may I see your warrant cards please, gentlemen?"
Oh dear, they've disappeared. E.
Harry Gumer, Romford, ESSEX - Daily Mail, June 1, 2005
NO means NO
When does NO mean MAYBE?
When it's not the answer the EU wants. With the courageous French
NON resounding in their ears, shabby, undemocratic self-interested
leaders of Europe propose ignoring the part of their precious
constitution that requires ratification by all members and
continuing without one of the biggest founder members to
prevent derailing the gravy train.
As in Ireland,
they refuse to accept any NO votes, ignoring the will of the people,
and re-stage votes until they can engineer the 'correct' answer. Sadly,
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw dances to their tune like a puppet on a
string. With tactics such as these, how can anyone really believe the
EU has our interests at heart. Letter from Steve Penny, Kingsnorth, Kent - Daily
Mail, June1, 2005
Surely
the French result makes the £1million the EU recently spent on a
treaty signing ceremony seem a trifle premature and extravagant. Letter from Keith Wiseman, Bury, Lancs. - Daily Mail,
June1, 2005
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Britain has
traditionally been one of the biggest net contributors to the EU
because we do not get as much money back from Brussels in farm and
regional subsidies as our rivals.
According to
Treasury figures, between 1995-2002, Britain's average contribution
taking the rebate into account, was £2.6billion, or £43.55
per head of population.
The French -
the biggest recipient of farm subsidies - contributed £1billion a
year or £16.08 per head of their population.
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December
28, 2005 (959 days since Iraq war ended)
Death Toll: 2,172 US - 98UK - >>30,000?
Iraqi - 25 media
Janyary
16, 2006 (978 days since Iraq war ended)
Death Toll: 2,219 US - 98UK - >>30,000?
Iraqi - 25 media
| Tony
Blair should know that respect comes by example - from the
top. If a country's leader has no respect for the rule of
nternational law and no respect for the truth, how can he
expect anyone to have respect. Letter
from P.J.Atkinson, Ashford, Kent - Daily Mail, January 12,
2006 |
Children
'lagging three years behind those of 1990s'
By
Laura Clark - Education Reporter - Daily Mail, January 25, 2006
The
intelligence of 11-year-olds has fallen 'drastically' during the
past decade, a landmark study has found. Their mental abilities
are up to three years behind youngsters of the previous generation,
according to the research involving 25,000 children.
Regular
computer users are worse at mathematics and reading
Children
who use computers every day do worse at maths and reading,
according to research involving 100,000 youngsters. It
is feared the ever-widening availability of technology
means pupils spend as much time surfing the internet or
playing games than doing their work.
The
report calls into question Government's decision to invest
at least £1.7billion in computer revolution in schools.
The study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation
and Development, concludes that it cannot be assumed 'that
more computer usage is bound to be beneficial for students
in all cases'.
OECD
researchers analysed the achievements of around 100,000
15-year-olds in 32 countries, including the UK, taking
part in the Pisa (Programme for International Student
Assessment) study in 2003. They looked at their performance
in maths, science, reading and problem-solving tests and
also surveyed their computer use at home and school. The
children admitted to using computers for a range of activities
from playing games to searching the internet and utilising
educational software.
The
researchers found that the pupils' performance in maths
and reading dipped among students who used computers every
day either at home or school. Youngsters who used computers
moderately, ranging from a couple of times a week to a
few times in a month, did better in key subjects.
The
report states: "The fact that the most frequent computer
users perform lower in both mathematics and reading reinforces
the message that one cannot readily assume that more computer
usage is bound to be beneficial for students in all cases."
OECD
analyst Clair Shewbridge said performance may dip among
children who use computers too often because 'it is a
distraction for learning'. She added: "Moderate use
is better than too much use."
Ofsted
previously warned that pupils may be failing to make progress
in the three Rs because they spend too much time in front
of computers at school.
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Academics
blame the decline in brainpower on the rise of television and
computer games which have usurped traditional outdoor play activities.
The study, which used cognitive tests to measure thinking ability,
found girls' and boys' abilities have deteriorated, but the fall-off
for boys has been particularly marked.
The
findings fly in the face of ministers' claims that academic standards
have risen. Government has attempted to make political capital
out of improving examination results, but researchers suggest
this has been achieved by more relaxed marking.
"Examiners
may well be asking easier questions and marking more leniently.
These things can happen unconsciously," said lead researcher
Michael Shayer, professor of applied psychology at King's College,
London. "A-level maths and science teachers often report
that their students don't know as much as they used to."
He
also blamed 'teaching to the test', resulting in students doing
well in exams 'without necessarily understanding underlying concepts.'
The study covered 30 years, concentrating on three points in time
- 1975, 1995 to 1998, and 2000 to 2004.
Participants
were set the same cognitive test, intended to measure thinking
abilities that cannot be directly taught. The assessment gauged
understanding of key scientific concepts such as volume, density,
quantity and weight. Typical questions required youngsters to
compare the quantities of water in different-shaped measuring
cylinders.
Children
who perform well in the tests are not only predicted to achieve
high grades in science and maths, but also to do well in English
and History. While pupils cannot be coached in the abilities,
they can develop them trough activities such as playing with sand
trays and modelling clay.
Researchers
described the results as 'staggering'. While performance in 1975
and the mid-1990's was similar, a 'drastic' drop was noted by
2004. Professor Shayer said: "Before the project started,
I rather expected to find that children would have improved developmentally.
But the figures just don't lie."
Youngsters
in 2004 were on average two to three years behind pupils who were
tested in the mid-1990's. While much of the decline occurred between
1995 and 2000, there was a further worrying drop between 2000
and 2004. Perversely, an intense concentration on the three Rs
in primary schools could be partly to blame. Professor Shayer
is concerned formal literacy and numeracy teaching has squeezed
out hands-on play with sand, mud, water and tools, which help
children grasp concepts such as physical quantity and improve
spatial awareness.
While
it was speculation, the rise of the TV and video-game culture
could also be a cause of the decline, he said. "Computer
games may have usurped what might have been for boys many hours
playing outside with tools and mechanisms of various kinds rather
than virtual reality," he said.
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