Can I just warn any lurkers out there...........

Mmm, in small doses I might find them entertaining.

For some reason your expression 'coarse and unspeakably boring' made me smile (in a nice way) in the light of the OP.

I agree piss takers should piss off.

They probably would anyway when they find out we are not a load of old dears.

Petallus I don't think anyone is judging them for their spelling (no-one would dare, they might be next) but for pretending to be someone who was iliterate illiterate, poor, and needing "babied" into posting on the forum. Anyone who has done any teaching is familiar with the way genuinely illiterate or poorly educated people write, and it is no not the same as people who are pretending.

If everyone had to sit a grammar and speling test before posing posting, and get full marks, the forum would be empty (except for Pedants' Corner, and the posters there would have to point out each others' slips)

I have crossed through my mistakes this time instead of over-writing them. when When I forget to review, there are always some in the post

Hilda I am sure you are right in some cases but I remember a situation when a bully only stopped when confronted. He had intimidated most of my colleagues before I challenged him and then he was sweet as pie!

Movedalot - of course you are right. I was using the term 'bully' in a more general way, more a petty trouble maker. Those sort go away when nobody rises to the bait. True bullies need confronting, and having been bullied myself at school, I could have done with someone like you around back then!

Thanks Hilda. I think rather a lot of people have been bullied but hopefully these days schools are more aware and deal with it.

Totally agree about the petty trouble makers, time they grew up and got a life!

Jingle I'm relieved to see that 'even OU degrees' count towards being educated! Cheeky!

Yes, I was relieved too .

Elegran there were negative comments about poor spelling.

Jing didn't say you had to have a degree to be educated!
I may have been the only one to admit to not having one, but I'm sure I'm not alone. And I had an excellent education!

Petallus I don't think I commented at the time, but the spelling did strike me as being that "Bak to Skule" kind of bad spelling that cartoonists and comic strip writers go in for.

I thought that Elegran but we cannot be absolutely sure.

Well, I don't have a degree (never went to university - Open or not), proud to say I come from good working class stock. Anything I have achieved has been despite my education, not because of it.

Hope all this doesn't mean I will be drummed out, defrocked or whatever happens when someone is asked to leave .

Gransnet is a democracy. Just refuse to go.

That's what I shall do if anyone tries to drum me

Well done you Barrow fessing up! I bet you have achieved loads and would be a model for some of those who think they are failures. I was beginning to think that everyone on here was of a superior type!

A degree doesn't mean that you have common sense or are not successful. The richest man I know does not have one. Nor do the happiest couple I know!

A superior type?

Jeni I think common sense is very uncommon and a much under appreciated quality, don't you? I know someone who is very, very intelligent with no common sense at all!

I'm just doing my daily visit to Gransnet and scrolling and reading threads on 'Last Day' and this is the third or fourth thread I have opened up and found it is all about the unmentionables that live under bridges.

I am with you the usual suspects are bores but the best thing to do is ignore them. All these threads chasing the same subject are also somewhat tedious, and spoiling my, and I am sure otheres, enjoyment of Gransnet.

But you read them all.

Most of us did try to ignore them. It was fairly obvious that engaging them in chat was a bad idea!

V

V for "very"?

No, I dont read them, generally I run my eye across them and move on to another thread. It was when I reached the third or fourth this afternoon that suddenly the worm turned and decided it was time to get disgruntled.

What's all this nonsense about having a degree? If you think it is a good thing to have, take one with the OU, but if there is no subject that interests you sufficiently, don't sound resentful of people who have put in the work to get one.
One boring man told me had attended 'the university of life' to which the only possible reply is 'Did you pass?'.

I don't think either of the members who admitted to not having a degree sounded resentful at all, Greatnan! Perhaps you could point out the post/posts you perceive to be sending that message? I'm certainly not 'resentful' - why should I be?

I've got 2 O levels, 35wpm typing, 60wpm shorthand and a 25 yards swimming certificate. I can't say I've ever felt deprived not having a degree, but it may be different for kids starting out now.