Education is undervalued

Student Loans at 6.1% interest is outrageous. It would be cheaper to get a commercial loan, if you can without an income. (Bank of MumnDad?). anyway, when I went to Uni (40+ yrs ago) we had Grants. Means tested yes, so the poor got the money. Also only the top 20% went to Uni, the elite yes? The point is why does everyone have to go to Uni.? Surely the value of a “Degree” is devalued. The Best Unis – yes they are still the best but there are so many “Degrees” now Employers I’m sure don’t value your “BA” in “Economic prestigitation”. Don’t get me wrong I’m all for Education . the more the better but we need Better schools. So many have now failed and kids are not being educated. Yes, when I went in the ‘60s I was in a class of 48! Sat in rows, one teacher, no support – but we all got educated. The numpties weren’t pandered too they got on with it (with parents support) education was valued. SO many now say “I don’t need to learn that , I can google it, or I’ll get a job at Lidl. My Mam and Dad don’t work so why should I?” and so on. It’s heart breaking. The good, the elite, the rich, they get educated and get the best jobs but we’re failing so many. Yes in my time there were those who actually were abandoned by the system and I wouldn’t want that to happen again.  Now we have Policemen and Nurses have to have a degree – why? I think they should be allowed to study and get degrees but surely we

are losing the bottom end. Would you want to wipe bottoms and clean floors if you had a degree? We are a rich country and we should value education, we should look after the sick and vulnerable but help them not pander to them. Also not expect everyone to go to Uni. Taylor education to the right skills for the right people. Everyone has a place in society and should be valued. Education is NOT a commercial business it should be a right and Teachers should be valued, respected and repositioned as the Elite in Society.

We all need renewable energy so why is the Government still lining Conglomerates pockets?

The Government is wrong to cut the FIT payments (subsidies) to domestic and community Green energy.

Amber Rudd, the energy minister, announced a series of cuts earlier this summer, including a reduction in the guaranteed price paid for electricity generated by new rooftop solar installations by up to 87 per cent. The government has said the existing levels of support are no longer needed as the industry has reached critical mass – and that it must act to protect customers, who ultimately pay for subsidies through green levies paid by suppliers and passed on in energy bills.

If it was a purely subsidies to “green” energy then I could understand it – let them compete on a level playing field with all the other commercial generators, (coal, gas, nuclear etc.) but it’s not.

The new Hinckley point Nuclear PowerStation is getting a vast amount of OUR money in subsidies – remember it’s the Chines that are building it).

The Government is planning to slash generation tariffs for new domestic installations by 83 per cent from the start of next year to 1.63p per kilowatt hour (kWh) — though they will still get an additional 4.85p for every kWh exported to the National Grid.

By cutting this subsidy it will give us all back the vast amount of £6 a YEAR off our energy bills.

The total solar capacity of the UK is now eight gigawatts. However, Government estimates show the proposed cut in the generation tariff could cost the UK six gigawatts of renewable energy in the future. 

EDF's £25 billion Hinckley Point C nuclear station will generate 3.2 gigawatts — i.e. half the energy potentially being lost changing the renewable scheme. 

But look at what vast subsidies the Government is giving EDF to build this Nuclear Plant. Yes, we need it but surely it would be preferable and fairer to give a smaller subsidy to you and me to be more energy efficient and Greener? Not give enormous sums to these vast multinational conglomerates?

The Government has guaranteed energy giant EDF and its partners will receive at least £92.50 for every mega-watt hour of electricity generated by Hinckley Point C — twice the current market price — and that figure will rise with inflation.

Some estimates suggest total subsidies to the project could cost tax-payers £76 billion — that's £2,870 for every household in the UK. 

By comparison commercial solar energy generators get an average £68 per megawatt hour — almost a third less than nuclear. Scaling that down to household proportions the nuclear option receives 9.25p per kWh compared to commercial solar's 6.8p.

If the cuts go ahead, homes with solar would get 4.055p per kW (if they continue to be paid the export tariff for half of the energy they produce).

The Energy Saving Trust has published a review into the cuts for renewable energy. It argues that the residential generation tariff could be set at 5.5p or 6p per kWh — around half the current levels — which, with falling installation costs, would still leave solar looking attractive.

This wouldn't save as much, but it would still knock £3 a year off a household energy bill.

Yes, we need Nuclear or the lights will be dimming,  but surely it would be preferable and fairer to give a smaller subsidy to you and me to be more energy efficient and Greener? Not give enormous sums to these vast multinational conglomerates?

why is Europe bullying Greece?

So why? Yes they owe a few billion Euro's to some slimy bankers in the IMF, so what.
In 2009 our government  gave some banks 10 times that and have we got it back yet?

In 1976 Britain was in a worse state, bankrupt and Harold Wilson's Labour government had to turn to the USA for help and borrowed a massive £3.9 billion! What would that be today?

Why all this hand wringing and wailing about Greece. Google has enough spare cash in the bank to buy Greece! It would make a nice place for its staff to holiday or maybe work "remotely".

Get real! The real problem is ISIS and who controls their money but no one talks about that.

PayDay Loans - please avoid them

Look I know its a temptation but with interest rates of 1000% avoid them at all costs. Hope you've got a Visa card. If you can't afford it don't buy it.

There is an App to look for a Credit Union

Try this and don't get trapped.