SpuffMonkey

Does that not say that she has to erase all her data though? Which was what she was trying to avoid...

Your point presupposes that there is an inexhaustible supply of "good" teachers clamouring for jobs that "bad" teachers are preventing from taking up. Alas, this is no more the case in teaching than in any other profession, you'll get a distribution from the fantastic to the underperforming. I would argue that it makes sense to try and raise up the bottom of the curve as much as you can else you will run short of staff - already schools are finding it quite difficult to recruit both at the lower levels and at the top of management. Firing underperforming staff without giving them a chance to improve would, I suggest, lead to increasing polarisation, where the "poor" schools are only able to hire "poor" teachers and fall even further down the league tables, underlining this trend. Its certainly what happened in the school I used to work in - which was seen as the local "sink" school - they couldn't attract the best teachers, fell even further, had unfilled student rolls and were forced to take all the kids other schools had expelled and went down in a nasty spiral. I'd also say that I think performance related pay will have a similar effect - its difficult to get good results from kids in a school that is seen as "failing", so standards drop, wages drop, you can't recruit because of the low wages and you're again locked in to a downward (or conversely upward if you're at the other end) spiral - producing de facto grammar/non grammar schools - which is great for those that get into a good school - not so great for those that don't - which is where we were in the 1960s, before the middle classes kicked up when their kids got sent to the local secondary modern.

I'm not an avid fan of Apple products and don't use them myself, but was asked for some help today by an old lady I play bridge with. She has an iPad and got confused when trying to connect to her wifi and entered the wrong password several times resulting in a lockdown. She's never connected it to anything else (ie iTunes or a PC) and Apple tell her that there's no way back except a wipe and return to factory settings - is that really true? Mostly she doesn't care - but she has only recently returned from her dream cruise of a lifetime and all her photos were taken on it and she'd REALLY like them back. If it is true that there's no way to retrieve her data - is there a recommendation on how to act with an iPad if you don't also own a desktop of some kind to sync with - or is it just one of those Apple "things"?

And take something to entertain yourself - chances are you'll be hanging about for hours - as a non emergency, other essential ops may be triaged to happen before you, which can be annoying, but having been in both situations, I know its necessary. Canulas have never been too bad for me, certainly no more painful than a blood sample. You'll be fine.

So the right wingers would have us believe! If you think high earners don't try to avoid tax at any point, you're living in a dreamworld.

Annoyed to find my phone not working this evening - and go to the website to find they have gone (bust presumably) - grrr Anybody got any suggestions for a cheap alternative - I'm only a light user of my mobile - mainly SMS - any good ideas gratefully received

I'd like to see the return of a properly progressive tax system, where the rate rises (say 5% at each £100k pa) to a max of (say) 95% - all the bankers and overpaid CEOs can keep giving each other bonuses and multi zillion pay awards, but we all get the benefits in more money for the NHS, social care - who knows even a decent pay rise for IT staff!

Marmite and marmalade on toast is one of my faves..

OK - this is a home question - got an Android tablet and would quite like to be able to print to my old network connected HP2600 printer Can anybody recommend any good apps for doing this sort of thing? Cheers

So the Edu-choir has its first song to learn! ;-)

A wily negotiator who stood up for his union members and helped win them better terms and conditions - and increased the number of union members by 30% - surely no connection between those facts?? Look and learn Labour!

Because they have to tread a tricky middle path. If they ditched the shows that bring in a big audience, their viewing figures would fall and all those politicians and their unpleasant paymasters would say "Look, no one is watching the BBC, they cannot justify having a licence fee" and it would be game over - personally I'm not keen on a lot of the stuff on BBC1, but a lot of people are - I gravitate to BBC2 & 4 and Radio 4 and the website and think its a flipping bargain when you stack it against Sky or Virgin - imagine how sparse their output would be without the endless repeats of the beeb's previous shows.

Absolutely agree

Prefix the statement with "some" and he might have a point - though tbh he doesn't seem yo have a load of real world job experience himself having spent most of his life in and and around universities or in politics

I switched it to "modem mode" and bought a decent router to sit behind it - all working nicely now...

On the other hand...the crowds did depose a democratically elected leader/government and certainly don't have overwhelming support from the rest of the nation - a bit tricky. I'd have thought a negotiated partitioning would be the optimal outcome (though unlikely)

Well - panic over - took the car back in today and it turned out that the replacement sensor was duff and causing a lean fuel mix that resulted in misfires - (another) new sensor and everything is peachy - phew!

Cheers for the link - been away for a few days - its going in tomorrow - so I'll find out whats really going on - hopefully...

Grabbed this off a site - any help? The UK Yaris has two buttons. One on the right for Odometer, Trip A and Trip B. One on the left for outside temperature, average speed, average miles per gallon, current miles per gallon and clock setting. The trip computer resets every time fuel is added to the tank (or the tank is filled - not sure if it's either or both).

Have you tried spelt flour - its supposed to be gentler on the stomach - makes a lovely loaf too

I'll bear that in mind - thanks - if worst comes to it - where's the best place to advertise for stuff like that?

2001 alas

Wanna buy a Camry going cheap? ;-)

Just had my old Toyota Camry in to the garage as the engine warning light had come on - the diag showed it was one of the oxygen sensors that had gone - expensive bit of kit on the 3L V6 Camry - and its getting on, but a lovely car to drive and so comfortable, so bit the bullet and coughed up to have it done. Next day the warning light is on again - garage says fair enough - bring it back in on Monday - but I've been googling to see if this is a common problem (rather than just shoddy garage work) and *bum* the most common problem that shows up for this is a knackered catalytic converter - which is the sharp end of £1200 - more than the car is worth...gutted... Still, hope springs eternal and it might just be a cock up on the sensor front - but not feeling hopeful. Could really do without this in my present straightened circumstances...

Stilettos and a basque...