coyote13

I've kind of given up on the politics of this city. It's a cabal of unelected self-interested clones, with the majority of councillors behaving like well-trained lap-dogs. Sheffield is certainly "First" in losing democratic accountbility of those who take the most important decisions in the city. Makes (has made me) sick.

How ever 'authoritively' you say it, Tony, it does not make what you are say valid or remotely accurate. 250 years ago, places like Thorne were pre-eminent in the region, but times changes. In the nineteenth and for most of the twentieth centuries Sheffield was the 'busiest' most prosperous city in the region. Sheffield is a sleeping giant and I have a feeling that sheffield is going to 'overtake' leeds in the very near future. However I would ask, what is the significance of being the biggest etc.? Where does that leave all those people who might resent 'importance' being the measure of how good it is to be 'from sheffield' as opposed to Rotherham, Barnsley or Bawtry. For me it is about 'achievement' and creating an environment where people want to be, where the air is clean and children can grow up with the highest degree of nurturing etc. Given the clear and disasterous results of global warming and air pollution a good public transport system is a pre-requisite for the success of any city in the future. The fact that most people can't see beyond their freedom to use their cars when the know that it's bad for them and everyone else (especially children) is not in doubt, but there is a growing awareness of this problem and, whether car users like it or not, the use of cars will have to be cut back in the same way that cheap flights to wherever you like are on the way out. We really need to wake up to the urgency of the situation and the need to be honest and active in changing our destructive behaviour! The alternative is NO life for us, our children and almost certainly, our great grandchildren. We have to 'design' our way into a sustainable future. It's not about 'being able to afford it' any more, (ie if you've got the dosh, it don't matter if petrol costs a lot and you are penalised for your gas-guzzler)it's more along the lines of one day your sources of wealth will disappear and human life will descend to medieval standards, or something nearby. Tony, I wish I was wrong, but I've been on this case for upwards of 40 years now, I kid you not. People considered what I was saying in the early '70s completely lunatic, but recently I hear it all coming back at me from the most curious sources, like some courageous politicians ... one ... is there? And there's the green party - hats off to the greens!

I've had three conversations in one day with people in emotional distress over what has happened in this school, which, in spite of its catchment (no disrespect to southey residents intended) was one of the best schools in sheffield. From what has been said by Mark above many good teachers were effectively sacked at the amalgamation of the junior and infants. More have left since and I know of at least one case of a child being treated in a way which borders on abuse. The local authority are aware of the situation and how it has 'come to pass', but as far as I can see they are in great fear of any admission of the effective failure of their interviewing and monitoring procedures. It is surely time for the councillors in this area to be brought into play to deal with this appalling situation. They are Gill Furniss, Tony Damns and Leigh Brammall. No school can succeed if there is a breakdown in trust and respect between the head and the parents. It is a recipe for total disaster. The children of southey do not deserve to be subjected to what appears to be the combined failure of leadership at the school and the inaction of director of education. The previous head was much respected and was instrumental in making southey the great school it was. He had an MBE for services to education, and had built a spirit of cooperation between all those involved in the school. The circumstances of his NON re-appointment deserve more than a cursory examination. I gather Mr Blunkett was a great admirer of the school. I wonder if HE knows what's going on. Probably too busy appearing as a pundit to do much for sheffield anymore!

I gather parents are not allowed in this "community school". This can't be true, surely.

benrkay, I look forward to when you actually have a degree and start to talk in an informed way. Your stats are questionable but what is more dubious are the conclusions you reach. This is a prime example of your 'bad' thinking. (Disgraceful imo - I would remind you of the topic title, but if you want to broaden it out to other than crap food which harms children and adults, pollutes the environment and exploits staff, then go ahead.) "I'm sorry but there are hundreds of serious issues when it comes to environmental abuse and anything KFC can account for is insignificant." So it's all right for them to carry on then? What have our educational standards descended to?

Lots of denial around, but that's to be expected. When you have all finished your gourmet meals from KFC ... and helped environmental abuse Have another treat, eat a 'value' meal from tesco and support the impoverished Dame porter of Westminster! rooby roo, can you expand on that a little - you think KFC etc is a 'healthy treat'?

How sad for you. You don't seem to be able to separate invective from valid comment and criticism.

LOL before I rudely interrupted there were a dose of people yakking away about the pathetic experiences they had in the KFCrapshop as if there was something unusual about that. So, I wind things up. So, I'm a Libran - can't help it really. At least now there is the kind of 'frank' discussion of just what it might mean to be supporting international environmental criminals and pretending it does not matter at all. You might have time to waste on misinterpreting things as 'taunts' when I'm just being my usual direct and friendly self. Be my guest. So wax some more lyrical tunes - I ain't got time for pleasantries when people are both being fooled and fooling themselves - for 'fool' you can also insert 'poison'. Or shall we carry on being trivial about this disgusting onslaught on our collective digestive system? 'taint taunt 'tall

I can't believe that anyone would admit to ever eating this toxic rubbish and feeding it to children borders on gastric abuse!! Read the KFC topic to gain some light on your sordid practices!! lol

Anyway, don't argue with me, argue with this lot. And once you read some of it, come back and tell me you are happy to continue your (ever so mild) abuse of your children and our environment. http://www.organicconsumers.org/foodsafety/kfc021605.cfm http://www.china.org.cn/english/2005/Nov/147314.htm http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/6429/53/ KFC's Secret Ingredients Include Soy That's Destroying the Amazon, Says Greenpeace Written by Newsroom Friday, 19 May 2006 Greenpeace volunteers unfurled a 300 square meter banner in a massive area of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest Thursday morning, May 18, with the words 'KFC - Amazon Criminal' - in advance of Kentucky Fried Chicken's (KFC) Annual General Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky this Friday, May 19. Activists in two inflatable boats also protested against US commodities giant Cargill, at its illegal soy export facility in the heart of the Amazon, which supplies KFC with animal feed in Europe. They held up a banner saying 'Cargill Out', as rainforest soy was being prepared for export. Both protests highlight the fact that KFC is fueling the destruction of the Amazon by selling cheap chicken fed on soy grown on deforested land. Recent Greenpeace investigations have traced the chain of rainforest destruction directly from the heart of the Amazon, via Cargill's facility, to KFC's European restaurants, which sell bucket-loads of cheap soy-fed chicken to millions of people every day. ......" So you see, it seems like a 'treat' when it's a nightmare for the world. So, all you knockers and fellow poisoners, what you got to say? Wallow in your ignorant practices whilst the lovely old polar bear becomes extinct.

fwiw yes I do try to obtain organic food wherever possible and most of it comes from the uk. Bottom line, the food is crap, unhealthy and has global impact in the most negative sense. The pressure cooking of chicken in oil renders what is consumed saturated with oil. There's plenty written on this. So please stop using the word 'treat' when you are talking about poisoning your children. Try educating them instead. "If children eating rubbish upsets you so much maybe you could do something more construtive about it by helping people to learn about healthy foods in a positive manner and how they can encourage their children to eat them." So what do you think I'm doing here? Try reading something like 'toxic childhood' http://www.suepalmer.co.uk/toxic.php

" i let my son AND daughter eat a bar of chocolate today " so did I. Same obviously applies to you as to the previous ill-informed person. Get informed before you do your children any more damage. Good grief. I can't believe that there is a sentient being who would defend this utter garbage food.

"An occasional treat in one of these places " You mean an occasional poisoning - Trip the light fantastic, sit at the tables, plastic - at KFC - you think it's a good idea to have this crap on our streets? how ridiculous do you want to look? Or shall I stop now? If you had said you were desperate I would have found that acceptable. But "an occasional treat", takes the biscuit. I suppose for a slap up meal you would take them to a burger stand! I guess you just don't realise the damage you are doing, because if you did you would never ever feed anyone, especially a child in either KFC or Muckdonalds.

anyone stupid enough to go to KFC / Muckdonalds and abusive enough to feed their innocent children with the excuse for nutrition presented therein deserves everything they get. I can't believe that adults would wish to subject their precious offspring with such proven garbage. I wouldn't even do them the favour of complaining, the sooner our streets are rid of such pollution the better. You should be forced to watch Jamie Oliver's programme. Good grief, we still feed our children crap and wonder why they are unhealthy and hyperactive. STOP! Makes me livid to see children being abused in this way.

well done that man - now interesting that you used a RUGBY tackle, and you a football fan. Why didn't you trip her up in the time honoured fashion! LOL wel done again super karma with the betting That's special money that is, be careful what you do with it! I've been creased up with some of the posts in here - hats off to you. btw I think Kal77uk was being hironicalesque but It's true you know, a strange world it is. I had some kids throwing stones at my window on day, snuck round and caught them 'red handed', very young, nice kids really, about 8 - 11 ish. The local police station is 100 yards away so I decided to take them round there - I'm not into shouting at kids - but something had to be done. So I marched them round to the police station and, once they were out of the way in a little room I was told I should be very careful in future - abduction. Yes, I agreed, but what should I have done? There was no reply to that. But that's what I did, abducted three kids to the police station. We both agreed that it was useful for them to have a 'friendly word' about throwing stones at windows and I'd probably done the right thing. I must say I had second thoughts as I walked them over - was going to tell them to p*ss off and NOT do it again. Anyway, I hope this rugby tackle is going to be broadcast soon??