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Not exactly racism but discrimination which can be equally offensive to the person its directed to. A true story about my husband who is Sicilian. His family had a good business in the small village where they lived, one of my husbands brothers contracted Typhoid and with no national health service had to pay for all hospital fees until at the end they were forced to sell their business to pay for his stay. My husband eventually, as he was the eldest, had to work to help keep the family. He started working at 11 yrs of age . He went to Liguria to help on the fishing boats with his uncle.

Racism is a very touchy and subjective topic. For example: Most folk will laugh at a joke about the Englishman, Irishman and Scotsman but add a Pakistani or Negro into the joke and it becomes racist. Is it not just as racist to poke fun at everyone or is it permissible to poke fun at everyone providing they are not coloured? I, personally, get piss*d off at people who say the eastern Europeans come over here and steal our jobs; whereas in reality they are mostly working in low paid jobs that no-one else will do. So, how do we decide if a comment is funny or just plain racist? I don't know the

As far as I'm concerned the problem lies more with political correctness rather than racism as such. Over here I don't care if somebody calls me a 'Limey' it has always been said in fun as far as I am concerned and if it isn't its the other guys problem not mine.

I used to do Cursive text at school and screw the paper up into little balls and flick it off my ruler at the lads.

Good morning Members BUT we do understand each other no matter how or what we write. AND talking about cursive writing , children here learn as soon as they recognise and can write the letters. SO its a strange way they learn. They start forming the letters on squared graph paper that way they have to form the letter within that square. To see a 6-7 yr old child's writing is a joy, it puts our generations writing to shame . to take the mickey but it has become the way we sometimes talk. When I was at school the only thing I remember was about the word "AND" that you don't use a

Just read some of the following post, I must say that when i fill in forms and they ask my colour or what nationality i'm am, i feel as though this is an infringement my privacy and i will never fill in this part of the form, i am no better than anyone else we were born for one thing and that was to keep the world spinning with production. Asking people about their gender/race/age/colour of skin, is just another c?????? by governments they ask you one thing then change their minds, as they told us all about equal opportunity's if they ask question's as above how can this be e

When you think about it we are all colored to a greater or lesser degree. I'm Caucasian, born in the wilds of Mansfield. I'm not as white as a sheet. Funny pinky brown color. Gets darker in the Georgia summers spent among the veggies. I don't care, it's what's inside a man or woman that counts. There is a large black population here, especially in Atlanta, but it is the white owned media that constantly seem to be drawing attention to it in their attempt to stir up trouble. it isn't even talked about much in the circles I move in.

Are you still doing time for forgery Margie ??? PS. I reckon it's no.3.

It all goes back to not being so bloomin' sensitive. Gets ridiculous when the guy in the air force (Guy Gibson?) gets his words in a movie 'Dambusters' censored because he called his black Lab a name which the PC crowd now tell us is offensive. I don't think he meant it that way. and no doubt the dog liked it. Folks need to lighten up.

Jessie Lee Peterson, a black clergyman states there's no such thing as racism, just stupidity, he has a weekday daily live show on Youtube. Here is a man who speaks none PC, and calls a spade a spade. He is well worth watching, and he puts his money where his mouth is, he helps young black kids to take the straight and narrow in impoverished black neighborhoods.

I despair. Democracy is being strangled by parliament.

So I said to the man with the wooden leg "Did you get your log over last night" Rog

Difficult to say Margie, but I'll make sure you get nowhere near my cheque book!

Dave, when I worked at Beeston Boiler company, I worked with one of the greatest people I've ever met and worked with, his name was Oscar, he was a black Cuban, one hell of a nice gentleman who used to relate his young days in Cuba to all of us. One thing he used to say was "I don't need reminding I'm black, I see it everytime I look in the mirror to comb my hair. We were on regular night shift on the BMD plant there, I was the maintenance electrician and he was a cleaner and greaser. One night he was telling us what happened on his way home the previous morning, it was about a black

It was a saying years before blacks got the nickname "spade" , and it referred to spades and shovels, not to humans of a different colour.

Not the best choice of words given the subject Ayup but I take his point. Compo asked if it needs colour to be racist, no, not really. The Englishman, Irish etc. jokes are about national characteristics not race. Had the joke been 'a Caucasian, an Oriental and a Negro then racial difference comes to the fore and becomes the subject depending on what follows. There is also the question of the teller. If a Pakistani tells a joke about two Pakistani men and a Pakistani woman then a Pakistani audience would not scream racist (sexist maybe). If a white guy did the same he would qui

The consultant obviously had doubts about Catfan.

I have met FLY2 a few times and can confirm that she is white.

I've been ignoring you Catfan, but, if I were still an Admin or a mod, I'd ban you right now..

I do my best to live up to your expectations Catfan

Great post, nonna. Thank you for sharing your husband's (and your) story. I'm pleased that at least in your part of the world, there are people who can see beyond skin colour or ethnicity. Thank you again xx

You Reds ! A good win to hopefully cheer Ben up.

David, your brother maybe knows my nephew Matt Palmer who plays reeds with The Eagle Jazz Band. I'll try to remember to ask him tomorrow if he recalls the club on Heathcote St, if not my brother may have an idea as Matt didn't start playing that early.

‘Calls a spade a spade’

Pseudopatriotic, oversentimentalised religious hypocrasy with a stirring tune. My wife says the local WI don't sing it any more since the piano was sold.

I had that problem Fly when I had my lady shed delivered they call it kerb side drop off. I played my feeble female card and he bought it though the gates for me. I did give him a £10 pound tip.

My personal favourite is 'Once to every man and Nation/Comes the moment to decide' which could be seen as slightly topical at present! The tune is Ebenezer, also known as Ton Y Botel. Ends on a striking tierce de Picardie (a major chord). It was a Manning School favourite but I've rarely heard it sung elsewhere. If you aren't familiar with the tune, Loppy, have a look. The words are also fascinating.

Or joined up writing. Children usually started by writing patterns in a specially lined handwriting book. My writing is atrocious which is why I type everything!

I wasn’t very tired last night so stayed up a bit late, found Question Time so watched that (the telly I borrowed doesn’t want to acknowledge my sky box so am stuck with BBC1 etc,). I just despair, didn’t realise leave means perhaps. (Sorry if this is classed as political, I could have said more but refrained, but it can be deleted if inappropriate, bit like MP’s shame they can’t be deleted!)

Oh, and I am as white as white, but my great-grandfather was described in the local press (I’m afraid he was a bad lad, to say the least) as a “coal-black, West Indian.” When my uncle introduced his future wife to my grandma she later said, “Eric, you didn’t tell me your mother was black!” He said, “Is she! She’s just my Mum!” That’s shaped my views on racism.

This thread was getting heated so I asked politely not to post any more about Alfred street. 10 days later more comments about Alfred street appear. This thread is now locked.

He were bloody bigger than me !

For speaking the truth ?

What about without it?

In “Sex” I always enter “Yes Please”.

10/10 for being observant, Brew!

My Osmeroid ‘italic’ pen was my pride and joy towards the end of Junior School, it took a bit of practice though, ink all over my fingers ......

Just read your post, Geoffrey. I like your sentiments about Britain and agree with you about its being a good country to have been born into. I just think it's too fanciful a story about Jesus coming to Britain but, as I said before, I do like the music

I expect nothing else from you Lizzie or your supporting cronies.

Well that's where it all began, looks like that's where it could end Rog

The Stephens are cousins....

We simply called it italic writing. It wasn't taught as such but the English teacher at Fairham had the best handwriting I've ever seen, he wrote in italics. The only formal writing style was Marion Richardson (mentioned on this site some time ago).

Most of their wagons have got personalised plates now !

I needed a new bathroom window so got a quote for £400. A quick look on tinternet and supply only was £145. Studied YouTube and it looked easy, did it myself job took me 2 hours and saved £250.

No Margie, madams car is in front of it, and nobody can see it from the road. They'd need to be bleddy strong to lift those damn posts !

I paid nearly £500 for fence panels, concrete posts, and postcrete, plus £15 for delivery, and the chaps wouldn't cart the stuff any further than the top of the drive. Insurance purposes the big guy said. In case we scratch your gates. I said I'd retouch it if they scratched it. Sorry, we only drop off he said. I thought a tenner might persuade them, but then I thought, no way. Miserable sods. Got to wait till Monday for in law assistance now damn it !

Makemsons shuttle to Hucknall...outside Pasco's. Cheers Steve..another great snap.

I don't think it's wrong, it just looks wrong. I was always assured that I would suffer hell and damnation for all eternity if I began a sentence with AND or BUT. There is no rule against it I've found but still can't bring myself to do it, it simply looks wrong to me.

That is correct, Fly. I think they mostly communicate on their phones using emoticons anyway. I see a more sinister agenda behind it and that is the dumbing down of whole populations. Life rapidly becomes a series of pictures and ideas flashed on a tv or phone screen. The ability to read slowly and thoughtfully about ideas and opinions is removed. Pretty soon the individual becomes an automaton blindly following video dictates or if anything is written it is in large letters of few syllables. The word OBEY! comes to mind. Someone commented recently that us old geezer

A disturbed night, by having to get up for the toilet at 5 this morning, but it was beautiful to hear that Dawn Chorus Orchestra just warming up in the trees in the garden. Glorious blue skies today, and wallowing in caffeine on the patio. Superb.