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I really want to smack the lecturers at the University of Sunderland in the teeth. Hard. Repeatedly. With a metal bar. They are the most slapdash, unprofessional, arrogant and lazy teachers I have ever come across. They ask us to learn about different learning and teaching styles, but they only have one approach to teaching: "Piss off and read something." I'm studying my PGCE via distance with these people, and it's costing me 6000 quid. They don't supply any books, I cannot use the online library resources because of my eyesight and there has not been a single set article to read for the entirety of this recent module. They lecturers only post weblinks when they are asked. And even then, grudgingly. Assholes, absolute assholes. If I didn't need this qualification to progress in my career, I'd be demanding my money back right now.

Well, looks like it's bye-bye to Cabaye. Fair enough that the lad wants to go, he's been a good player for us. Shame we couldn't wait until the Summer though.

Congratulations @Animal, I hope it makes you happy! I confirmed with my Principal that they don't need me to work from next Monday (three days before the Lunar Holiday) so I get two weeks off! YAAAAY!

Oh, man, not cool. Not cool. Bad dog. I don't blame you. Deceit and poor communication, coupled with constant threats to the security of your position mean that you can't be happy. As that happened in your first job, it's going to have had a knock-on effect for the rest of your employment life. Well, at least until you get in a position that consistently shows that you are valued, that your position is safe and makes you feel like you are doing something worthwhile. I've had kind of the opposite problem with my job - recently I've had two offers in two good schools that would be very supportive and a great boost to my career. But the money was awful and the locations were almost as bad. One meant a four hour daily commute and a pay decrease, the other was offering 400 quid less than I earn now per month. Shame, as I really am keen to move on. Oh well.

I have to disagree with you - how you manage behaviour in the class is usually an individual thing, but managing it is something that can be learned. I recently read a book by Ramon Lewis -"Understanding Pupil Behaviour"- which made me reflect on how I was dealing with certain pupils, particularly attention seekers. I used to consistently ignore attention seekers full stop, but that was never the best way, as not giving them any attention whatsoever just led them into a kind of low-grade "background" misbehaviour which never really stopped. So I learned that I had to over praise when they did something good -at least initially- and then slowly turn it down to average when their behaviour even itself out. But I have to agree that the TA is in the wrong there - saying "He/She wouldn't do it when the other teacher is here!" is really an affront to your confidence. Like I said, everyone has their own style, and comparing you to someone else is unhelpful.

Tell you the truth... I never really liked Only Fools and Horses, but I always found Trigger hilarious. I will remember this guy mostly as Owen in the Vicar of Dibley.

Was really surprised - didn't even know he was ill. RIP.

Happy Birthday, Dr FLinkenstein.

Thanks all, much appreciated! My football team won our last game of the season, which was the best gift that I could have asked for!

I found this to be actually quite annoying. I wanted rid of those residents as they were irritating, and now suddenly they've turned up again? GO AWAY, SOLEIL! But as you said, it would be nice if the place got crowded with people. Just wish it wasn't THOSE people.

Is that what you meant? Any-trouser-way, I echo everyone's sentiments here: If I felt involved emotionally with someone then they dumped me, and were next seen going out with a close friend to the theatre, I'd have a hard time treating that as nothing.

I hate being off sick - my parents used to give me a really hard time if I needed a day of from schoo, like I was somehow wastng everyone's time- and I carried that mentality into my work life. It doesn't help that the school principal has a mean streak as long as the Yellow River. She herself "never" gets ill and always comes to work even though it's obvious she's near death's door and needs a day off. She encourages this mentality in everyone else. ...anyway, the fact is my insomnia has been acting up these last few days. Tuesday night I can't have gotten to sleep mch before 4am, and woke up at 6am, went straight to work. That night I got a good rest, but it was just a recovery from the previous day's nightmare rather than a night's rest + the feeling of having recovered... a similar thing happened last night where my mind was racing and I just couldn't drop off. I blame the Star Wars books I'm reading. They're too exciting. Oh, and I can't find Midori anywhere on the internet in China, so I'm back to drinking whisky.

LEGO porn. Oh yeah..... Given my history with regular printers, I wouldn't want to even consider being in the same room as a 3D pinter. It might break just through my mere presence.

This. Have you ever read any of Tourette's Hero? She's a lady with quite debilitating vocal and physical tics who works with children in some kind of playground. The point is, she does "benefit" from the system by receiving subsidy for her wheelchair, care assistants and getting to work, but puts back into it by working. She has an illness, a really serious one that affects absolutely every aspect of her daily life, and yet still gets out there and does work. I would encourage people who scrounge to watch her videos and read more about her, but I have doubts about their ability to comprehend the significance of her vitality compared to their own indolence.

Yes, belated birthday wishes!

He was also one of the guys who di the voice for War Machine in the first series of the Iron Man cartoon. I actually had no idea he did Shredder as well! RIP.

Wow, what a Christmas balls-up. Get well soon.

That's the sign of some anxiety disorder, can't remember which one though. My parents also told me the one about the nails, which stopped me in pretty short order.

My family are bullies on my father's side. They're all a foot taller than me, quicker witted in terms of insults and prepared to push the envelope in terms of what they will say. If I tell them to go fuck themselves in return, I usually get in the shit for responding (I should be the bigger man, hahahaha). They were shit to me last year. The mother's side of the family I have barely seen since mum's funeral as my grandmother systematically alienated all of them due to her opinionated and controlling attitude. But since she developed Parkinson's Disease she's been playing it up and getting help and sympathy from the people she has barely spoken to for years. Oh, and my wife arrived in the UK. And she is in a foil mood with me for failing to get her food (when food was already prepared) and not having an adapter for the blow up bed. Even though she was supposed to bring her own. My sympathies.

No, what you said makes sense. But people can be relied upon to overreact and vent their anger on the internet.

This parallels a case in China where Li Tianyi, the son of a famous PLA General was caught driving a BMW at age 15 after he beat the shit out of someone. He got a year in a juvenile detention for the bearing and his parents went unpunished for buying the little shit a car etc. Fast forward two years, and the little bastard gang rapes a Karaoke waitress. THEN he gets ten years.

I'd have loved to have done another Band Aid this year with the NE crew.

Did not enjoy this one bit. Nonsensical plot, some crappy effects and a predictable ending. Hugh Jackman as always is great. But he deserves better than this half-baked turd of a movie.

Tha's your answer to everything... Mrs ReZ is horny: fuck her. Those kids need a lesson: fuck 'em Those socks were once worn by Famke Jannsen: Fuck 'em. Sainsbury's is out of milk: fuck 'em. Next thing we know "Local Lego enthusiast Arrested for Making Sweet, Sweet Love to Supermarket."

As child, I never understood the significance of this man every time we saw him on the news. As I grew older, I began to understand that not everybody was as free and liberal as me, and that was a sad moment. He was a man, a great man. A tirelessly great man. He deserves our respect.