Wuz We Robbed?

Wuz we robbed? The rugby world cup is over and England have lost to South Africa. But for a disallowed try the result could have been so different, however it wasn't to be and you have to keep playing your best and they certainly did that. It was a case of no surrender from England and the bulldog spirit certainly shone through. We didn't win the game but there is no doubting the courage and determination that went into our attempt to do so. Anyone who doubts what a great nation we could be in all respects should watch and learn. But now we must accept the result and move on.

Watching the rugby brought an exciting end to a day that has seen me behaving somewhat sloth-like as a result of a rather late night yesterday. My girlfriend and I played host to a group of life-long friends at, what I suppose is strictly called, a dinner party, although that sounds rather grand and not what, we, the prodcuts of a working class environment would ever have thought we would be doing. But if a dinner party is what you call having friends around, having dinner and drinking rather a lot of alcohol, then a dinner party is what we had. The results of last nights alcohol made it difficult to do anything even slightly energetic today. However, it was worth it as a great time was had by all as we put the world to rights, talked about old times and also about times to come. The longer the night went on the more difficult the attempts to firm up plans on a group skiing trip became, but we have flights booked so that's a start. It's just that getting 14 people to agree on accommodation is the difficult part. I'm sure all will fall into place eventually, we managed it last year, so we know it can be done.

One of the things we did manage today was a trip to the local supermarket and as we were getting out of the car we overheard the conversation of those packing shopping into the neighbouring car. We first heard the teenage lad ask the older chap if he had ordered the speakers for his car yet. The older chap replied "No, they're discontinued". The teenage lad then said "What's that mean?", to which the older chap replied "They don't make them anymore". Perhaps it serves me right for ear-wigging, but this sort of conversation perhaps illustrates the sub-standard level of education available to some as surely the word "discontinued" is not one that should need explaining, should it? This has to be an indictment of the state of education these days. Despite the year-on-year improvements in GCSE and A level results the government take so much pleasure in announcing every year, we still seem to have an uneducated under-class that cannot understand basics. Surely a Labour government that makes so much of the "improved state of education" in this country cannot be proud of a system that it feels is performing at the top end but so obviously is failing at the bottom?

Such concerns about the failure of government to lead on issues related to our younger generation reminds me that it's getting late and I need to plan a speech I am making on this very subject for a meeting tomorrow. Best get on with it then.