Evening classes for men

OPEN TO MEN ONLY

ALL ARE WELCOME

Note: due to the complexity and level of difficulty, each course will accept a maximum of eight participants

The course covers two days, and topics covered in this course include:

DAY ONE

HOW TO FILL ICE CUBE TRAYS

Step by step guide with slide presentation

TOILET ROLLS- DO THEY GROW ON THE HOLDERS?

Roundtable discussion

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LAUNDRY BASKET & FLOOR

Practicing with hamper (Pictures and graphics)

DISHES & SILVERWARE;

DO THEY LEVITATE/FLY TO KITCHEN SINK

OR DISHWASHER BY THEMSELVES?

Debate among a panel of experts.

REMOTE CONTROL

Losing the remote control - Help line and support groups

LEARNING HOW TO FIND THINGS

Starting with looking in the right place

instead of turning the house upside down while screaming -

Open forum

DAY TWO

EMPTY MILK CARTONS;

DO THEY BELONG IN THE FRIDGE OR THE BIN?

Group discussion and role play

HEALTH WATCH;

BRINGING HER FLOWERS IS NOT HARMFUL TO YOUR HEALTH

PowerPoint presentation

REAL MEN ASK FOR DIRECTIONS WHEN LOST

Real life testimonial from the one man who did

IS IT GENETICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SIT QUIETLY

AS SHE PARALLEL PARKS?

Driving simulation

LIVING WITH ADULTS;

BASIC DIFFERENCES BETWEEN

YOUR MOTHER AND YOUR PARTNER

Online class and role playing

HOW TO BE THE IDEAL SHOPPING COMPANION

Relaxation exercises, meditation and breathing techniques

REMEMBERING IMPORTANT DATES

& CALLING WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO BE LATE

Bring your calendar or PDA to class

GETTING OVER IT;

LEARNING HOW TO LIVE WITH BEING WRONG ALL THE TIME

Individual counselors available

Evening classes for men

OPEN TO MEN ONLY

ALL ARE WELCOME

Note: due to the complexity and level of difficulty, each course will accept a maximum of eight participants

The course covers two days, and topics covered in this course include:

DAY ONE

HOW TO FILL ICE CUBE TRAYS

Step by step guide with slide presentation

TOILET ROLLS- DO THEY GROW ON THE HOLDERS?

Roundtable discussion

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LAUNDRY BASKET & FLOOR

Practicing with hamper (Pictures and graphics)

DISHES & SILVERWARE;

DO THEY LEVITATE/FLY TO KITCHEN SINK

OR DISHWASHER BY THEMSELVES?

Debate among a panel of experts.

REMOTE CONTROL

Losing the remote control - Help line and support groups

LEARNING HOW TO FIND THINGS

Starting with looking in the right place

instead of turning the house upside down while screaming -

Open forum

DAY TWO

EMPTY MILK CARTONS;

DO THEY BELONG IN THE FRIDGE OR THE BIN?

Group discussion and role play

HEALTH WATCH;

BRINGING HER FLOWERS IS NOT HARMFUL TO YOUR HEALTH

PowerPoint presentation

REAL MEN ASK FOR DIRECTIONS WHEN LOST

Real life testimonial from the one man who did

IS IT GENETICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SIT QUIETLY

AS SHE PARALLEL PARKS?

Driving simulation

LIVING WITH ADULTS;

BASIC DIFFERENCES BETWEEN

YOUR MOTHER AND YOUR PARTNER

Online class and role playing

HOW TO BE THE IDEAL SHOPPING COMPANION

Relaxation exercises, meditation and breathing techniques

REMEMBERING IMPORTANT DATES

& CALLING WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO BE LATE

Bring your calendar or PDA to class

GETTING OVER IT;

LEARNING HOW TO LIVE WITH BEING WRONG ALL THE TIME

Individual counselors available

Lunacy In The Sky With Diamonds

As a former musician, this story really got to me. We whinge on about degrees not being worth the paper they are written on these days, but a Masters Degree in the Beatles!

The lady in question is Canadian, Mary-Lu Zahalan-Kennedy - which is a lyric in itself and incidentally scans with Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. Freaky or what! She has just graduated with an MA, the first of twelve students to take the course.

What can I say -

"There's A Place" called Liverpool Hope University where "Rock And Roll Music" is regarded as "The Long And Winding Road" to future prosperity. "Lovely Rita" has "A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues" in her "Young Blood"!

"Oh! Darlin'," life's "Magical Mystery Tour" down "Penny Lane" has "Sexy Sadie" above looking "Across The Universe" for "Money". After all, it's "Every Little Thing" that "The Fool On The Hill" could wish for.

"I Don't Want To Spoil The Party" but it's "Only a Northern Song", so "Tell Me Why" "There's A Place" that "What Goes On" is so "Nowhere --,Man".

"I'm Looking Through You" and "It's All Too Much". "I've Got A Feeling" "It Won't Be Long" before "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry" "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" "For No One" "Because" "I Should Have Known Better".

"Help!", "I'm A Loser" and "I Want To Tell You" that "I'm Down"

You can read this ridiculous story - together with it's pompous soundbites - by clicking here.

"From Me to You",  "I am the Walrus"...

"I'll be back." "It Won't be Long."

(That's enough Beatles' songs - Ed.)

Lunacy In The Sky With Diamonds

As a former musician, this story really got to me. We whinge on about degrees not being worth the paper they are written on these days, but a Masters Degree in the Beatles!

The lady in question is Canadian, Mary-Lu Zahalan-Kennedy - which is a lyric in itself and incidentally scans with Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. Freaky or what! She has just graduated with an MA, the first of twelve students to take the course.

What can I say -

"There's A Place" called Liverpool Hope University where "Rock And Roll Music" is regarded as "The Long And Winding Road" to future prosperity. "Lovely Rita" has "A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues" in her "Young Blood"!

"Oh! Darlin'," life's "Magical Mystery Tour" down "Penny Lane" has "Sexy Sadie" above looking "Across The Universe" for "Money". After all, it's "Every Little Thing" that "The Fool On The Hill" could wish for.

"I Don't Want To Spoil The Party" but it's "Only a Northern Song", so "Tell Me Why" "There's A Place" that "What Goes On" is so "Nowhere --,Man".

"I'm Looking Through You" and "It's All Too Much". "I've Got A Feeling" "It Won't Be Long" before "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry" "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" "For No One" "Because" "I Should Have Known Better".

"Help!", "I'm A Loser" and "I Want To Tell You" that "I'm Down"

You can read this ridiculous story - together with it's pompous soundbites - by clicking here.

"From Me to You",  "I am the Walrus"...

"I'll be back." "It Won't be Long."

(That's enough Beatles' songs - Ed.)

Student protests - Democracy in action?

I think not...

Yesterday, thousands of 'students' descended on London to protest against the coalition Government's decision to allow universities to increase tuition fees. At least ten people have been arrested - including two arrests for assault on police, one on drunk and disorderly charges and six for violent disorder.

Twenty-two 'protesters' and nine officers are believed to have been injured. Six of the injured police required hospital treatment. In addition the Price of Wales' car was attacked, windows were smashed in Oxford Street and the Supreme Court building was vandalised.

And just to put the icing on the cake, in the true spirit of Christmas 'protestors' set fire to the Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square.

Note that I say 'students' and 'protestors' in inverted commas. They are not necessarily the same thing. I don't dispute that there is genuine bad feeling in the student community about the increase in fees, but at the end of the day these events have been largely orchestrated by left wing activists and anarchists. Anyone who doubts this, frankly, has rocks in their heads. Students exercising their right to lawful protest do not need to wear balaclavas...

Like the strikes of the Thatcher years, this is the first in the long line of 'events' orchestrated by the left to bring down a legally elected government. It's the way the left has always worked. It's the way it's working now. It's the start of another winter of discontent as this blog predicted some time ago.

I might perhaps have been less inclined to this view if the 'protestors' had been chanting "No to fees!" rather then "Tory scum!"

I support the right to peaceful protest and to freedom of speech. These are the cornerstones of democracy. I salute the members of the LibDem and Conservative parties who voted against these changes. They have followed their consciences and the wishes of their electorate. Some have resigned - quite rightly - from ministerial posts because of their beliefs. This is how democracy works and should continue to work.

What is not democratic is the rule of the mob. It should not be tolerated - now or ever.

Student protests - Democracy in action?

I think not...

Yesterday, thousands of 'students' descended on London to protest against the coalition Government's decision to allow universities to increase tuition fees. At least ten people have been arrested - including two arrests for assault on police, one on drunk and disorderly charges and six for violent disorder.

Twenty-two 'protesters' and nine officers are believed to have been injured. Six of the injured police required hospital treatment. In addition the Price of Wales' car was attacked, windows were smashed in Oxford Street and the Supreme Court building was vandalised.

And just to put the icing on the cake, in the true spirit of Christmas 'protestors' set fire to the Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square.

Note that I say 'students' and 'protestors' in inverted commas. They are not necessarily the same thing. I don't dispute that there is genuine bad feeling in the student community about the increase in fees, but at the end of the day these events have been largely orchestrated by left wing activists and anarchists. Anyone who doubts this, frankly, has rocks in their heads. Students exercising their right to lawful protest do not need to wear balaclavas...

Like the strikes of the Thatcher years, this is the first in the long line of 'events' orchestrated by the left to bring down a legally elected government. It's the way the left has always worked. It's the way it's working now. It's the start of another winter of discontent as this blog predicted some time ago.

I might perhaps have been less inclined to this view if the 'protestors' had been chanting "No to fees!" rather then "Tory scum!"

I support the right to peaceful protest and to freedom of speech. These are the cornerstones of democracy. I salute the members of the LibDem and Conservative parties who voted against these changes. They have followed their consciences and the wishes of their electorate. Some have resigned - quite rightly - from ministerial posts because of their beliefs. This is how democracy works and should continue to work.

What is not democratic is the rule of the mob. It should not be tolerated - now or ever.

Solving the University crisis

If you have been unsucessful in getting a place at University this year, then here's an idea for the coalition government which could solve the problem for future generations at a stroke...

A friend of mine has a Bsc(Hons) in Therapeutic Radiography. To get that, her acadamic year was 48 weeks - not 30 like you lot!

Here's the bright idea. We should increase the academic year from 30 weeks to 45. This still leaves students and tutors with 7 weeks off every year - which is a damn site more than the working population gets.

By doing this we could reduce the length of a degree course from three years to two, hence at a stroke increasing the number of places available at univerity by a third. It would also make students more aware of the conditions they will be working to when they get out into the big, bad job world. It would also save money through economies of scale.

And thinking about it, teachers are underworked anyway. I'd kill for their holidays...

Solving the University crisis

If you have been unsucessful in getting a place at University this year, then here's an idea for the coalition government which could solve the problem for future generations at a stroke...

A friend of mine has a Bsc(Hons) in Therapeutic Radiography. To get that, her acadamic year was 48 weeks - not 30 like you lot!

Here's the bright idea. We should increase the academic year from 30 weeks to 45. This still leaves students and tutors with 7 weeks off every year - which is a damn site more than the working population gets.

By doing this we could reduce the length of a degree course from three years to two, hence at a stroke increasing the number of places available at univerity by a third. It would also make students more aware of the conditions they will be working to when they get out into the big, bad job world. It would also save money through economies of scale.

And thinking about it, teachers are underworked anyway. I'd kill for their holidays...

The scandal of University places

Remember the mantra? "Education. education, education"

I recently exposed the scandal of the Labour's cynical exploitation of graduates in order to keep the unemployment figures looking good. Well here's an even bigger scandal - and the reason that all you poor sods out there can't get a University place.

Guess who is to blame? Yep - good old Gordon Brown again.

In 2009, the Labour Government placed a cap on additional numbers of students for the next academic year to avoid hiking up the costs to the Treasury of paying upfront fees, grants and loans.

If Universities exceed the numbers laid down by the previous administration, then they face fines of £3,700 per head.

The simple answer to this (if you are listening Mr. Cameron) is to immediately rescind this cap. If you are serious about local people deciding local issues, then you should allow the Universities to decide how many places they have and to act accordingly. This really does put your claim of devolving government decisions to the front line firmly under test.

But please remember, all you frustrated University hopefuls out there, that when you listen to the Miliband clones banging on about how this coalition government has let you down that it was LABOUR who put this cap in place.

I notice Ed Balls is keeping a low profile...

The scandal of University places

Remember the mantra? "Education. education, education"

I recently exposed the scandal of the Labour's cynical exploitation of graduates in order to keep the unemployment figures looking good. Well here's an even bigger scandal - and the reason that all you poor sods out there can't get a University place.

Guess who is to blame? Yep - good old Gordon Brown again.

In 2009, the Labour Government placed a cap on additional numbers of students for the next academic year to avoid hiking up the costs to the Treasury of paying upfront fees, grants and loans.

If Universities exceed the numbers laid down by the previous administration, then they face fines of £3,700 per head.

The simple answer to this (if you are listening Mr. Cameron) is to immediately rescind this cap. If you are serious about local people deciding local issues, then you should allow the Universities to decide how many places they have and to act accordingly. This really does put your claim of devolving government decisions to the front line firmly under test.

But please remember, all you frustrated University hopefuls out there, that when you listen to the Miliband clones banging on about how this coalition government has let you down that it was LABOUR who put this cap in place.

I notice Ed Balls is keeping a low profile...

Graduate recruitment

So you got your nice shiney new degree and now you have to figure out what the hell to do with it?

Well, here is some practical advise from someone who has seen his kids go through it - and believe me, it ain't easy...

From my recent post, you will have hopefully realized that you have been conned. You were persuaded to stay on at school and go through university to keep you off the dole queue and make Labour's unemployment figures look better than they actually were.

But that is not to say you didn't do the right thing, although maybe it was not the right thing for you. Graduates tend to get jobs with other people or go on to professional qualifications. Entrepreneurs are frequently those who chose a different road. Different horses, different courses.

Here's the hard bit : your degree won't get you a job. What it will do is to establish that you have certain level of education and that you can apply yourself. It will open doors otherwise closed to you. It is not proof of intelligence. You can be thick as two short planks in the practicality stakes and still be a brilliant academic. If this is you, think about going into teaching.

And here's another heart warming statistic - In the 1980's 80% of the graduate output of this country became Chartered Accountants. What a waste of talent, but it does show that getting a job after universty wasn't any easier then either - and they didn't have JobServe!

Which brings me nicely on to my next point : If you are going into the big bad comercial world, then get yourself a computer. Use it to compose a well written and well presented cv. If you are sending it out in hard copy, print it on coloured paper - it will get you noticed.

More importantly, get onto job sites and apply for everything you can do, not just what you want to do. You need a job. You can get a career later. If you are not applying for 20 jobs a day, then you are not trying hard enough.

Don't spend all day on the computer scanning job sites. Get a routine. When you have done all you can for today, put it down until tomorrow.

And check your Facebook profile and information about yourself - your prospective boss will. If you look a prat on there, you won't get the interview.

And finally, don't give up. Winners never quit and quitters never win.

Good luck. You'll need it...

Graduate recruitment

So you got your nice shiney new degree and now you have to figure out what the hell to do with it?

Well, here is some practical advise from someone who has seen his kids go through it - and believe me, it ain't easy...

From my recent post, you will have hopefully realized that you have been conned. You were persuaded to stay on at school and go through university to keep you off the dole queue and make Labour's unemployment figures look better than they actually were.

But that is not to say you didn't do the right thing, although maybe it was not the right thing for you. Graduates tend to get jobs with other people or go on to professional qualifications. Entrepreneurs are frequently those who chose a different road. Different horses, different courses.

Here's the hard bit : your degree won't get you a job. What it will do is to establish that you have certain level of education and that you can apply yourself. It will open doors otherwise closed to you. It is not proof of intelligence. You can be thick as two short planks in the practicality stakes and still be a brilliant academic. If this is you, think about going into teaching.

And here's another heart warming statistic - In the 1980's 80% of the graduate output of this country became Chartered Accountants. What a waste of talent, but it does show that getting a job after universty wasn't any easier then either - and they didn't have JobServe!

Which brings me nicely on to my next point : If you are going into the big bad comercial world, then get yourself a computer. Use it to compose a well written and well presented cv. If you are sending it out in hard copy, print it on coloured paper - it will get you noticed.

More importantly, get onto job sites and apply for everything you can do, not just what you want to do. You need a job. You can get a career later. If you are not applying for 20 jobs a day, then you are not trying hard enough.

Don't spend all day on the computer scanning job sites. Get a routine. When you have done all you can for today, put it down until tomorrow.

And check your Facebook profile and information about yourself - your prospective boss will. If you look a prat on there, you won't get the interview.

And finally, don't give up. Winners never quit and quitters never win.

Good luck. You'll need it...

The great graduate scam

This year, there will be more graduates than ever leaving university and trying to get a foot on the job ladder.

So I think that the time has come to lift the lid on one of the most disgraceful scams of the New Labour years.

When Blair came to power he proclaimed that the three highest priorities of his new government were "Education! Education! Education!" Nothing wrong with that, I hear you say. But you are wrong.

In 1997, unemployment was falling largely because of the measures put in place by the outgoing Conservative administration. Labour was happy to let this run as it made them look good - but it knew that wouldn't last and the numbers out of work would start to rise again. So it brought in the great scam...

Labour persuaded ever increasing numbers of young people to stay on in full time education and made it easier to get to university by vastly increasing the numbers of available spaces. Now I would not want to insult students by suggesting that A level examiniations have got easier, but what cannot be disputed is the increase in pass rates. So not only do more people sit these exams, but a higher proportion pass them.

The effect of this is that ever increasing numbers of people are kept off the dole queues by spending another two years at school and three more at university, totalling 6 years if you add in the increasngly popular gap year. Unfortunately, this is a temporary respite which must eventually unwind, but it worked long enought for Blair to win two further elections.

Now it is all coming home to roost. There are far more graduates than jobs and the dole queues will swell again - but now Labour is gone and they will no doubt be quick to blame the new administration.

Cynical, hypocritical and effective. All the characteristics of a really great scam...

The great graduate scam

This year, there will be more graduates than ever leaving university and trying to get a foot on the job ladder.

So I think that the time has come to lift the lid on one of the most disgraceful scams of the New Labour years.

When Blair came to power he proclaimed that the three highest priorities of his new government were "Education! Education! Education!" Nothing wrong with that, I hear you say. But you are wrong.

In 1997, unemployment was falling largely because of the measures put in place by the outgoing Conservative administration. Labour was happy to let this run as it made them look good - but it knew that wouldn't last and the numbers out of work would start to rise again. So it brought in the great scam...

Labour persuaded ever increasing numbers of young people to stay on in full time education and made it easier to get to university by vastly increasing the numbers of available spaces. Now I would not want to insult students by suggesting that A level examiniations have got easier, but what cannot be disputed is the increase in pass rates. So not only do more people sit these exams, but a higher proportion pass them.

The effect of this is that ever increasing numbers of people are kept off the dole queues by spending another two years at school and three more at university, totalling 6 years if you add in the increasngly popular gap year. Unfortunately, this is a temporary respite which must eventually unwind, but it worked long enought for Blair to win two further elections.

Now it is all coming home to roost. There are far more graduates than jobs and the dole queues will swell again - but now Labour is gone and they will no doubt be quick to blame the new administration.

Cynical, hypocritical and effective. All the characteristics of a really great scam...

Building Schools for the Future (BSF)

Much has been said recently about the BSF program introduced by Labour. Well, they got the first two letters right anyway...

The teaching unions have been marching in London about the cancellation of the programme to rebuild deteriorating schools and to build new ones. Yet another NIMBY protest about cuts.

So as we are talking about cuts, let's cut right through the bullshit :

Exactly how many school building projects have been cancelled by the new government? Exactly how many refurbishment projects have been cancelled? Well, in both cases the answer is exactly NONE!

These projects have been POSTPONED - note POSTPONED not CANCELLED - until the money is available and the contracts have been examined to ensure that the contractors have not been ripping us off. When we have done this and the money is available, the projects will go ahead. Pardon me for being naive, but I always thought you could not spend money you do not have - something that our financial and economic genius Gordon Brown seemed unable to comprehend!

And while the teachers are holding their NIMBY protests in London, let's examine the morals of a few of them. Did you know, for example, that many women teachers - a friend of mine included - make a point of returning from maternity leave two weeks before the end of term so that they qualify to be paid during the school holidays?

Fucking hypocrites...

Building Schools for the Future (BSF)

Much has been said recently about the BSF program introduced by Labour. Well, they got the first two letters right anyway...

The teaching unions have been marching in London about the cancellation of the programme to rebuild deteriorating schools and to build new ones. Yet another NIMBY protest about cuts.

So as we are talking about cuts, let's cut right through the bullshit :

Exactly how many school building projects have been cancelled by the new government? Exactly how many refurbishment projects have been cancelled? Well, in both cases the answer is exactly NONE!

These projects have been POSTPONED - note POSTPONED not CANCELLED - until the money is available and the contracts have been examined to ensure that the contractors have not been ripping us off. When we have done this and the money is available, the projects will go ahead. Pardon me for being naive, but I always thought you could not spend money you do not have - something that our financial and economic genius Gordon Brown seemed unable to comprehend!

And while the teachers are holding their NIMBY protests in London, let's examine the morals of a few of them. Did you know, for example, that many women teachers - a friend of mine included - make a point of returning from maternity leave two weeks before the end of term so that they qualify to be paid during the school holidays?

Fucking hypocrites...