to get hacked off at journalists moaning about how oh so hard it is to afford school fees

[emkana]

like in the Daily Telegraph for example today

www.telegraph.co.uk/education/main.jhtml;jsessionid=AFH51SI3AUOK5QFIQMFSFGGAVCBQ0IV0?xml=/education/ 2008/01/30/faclass130.xml&page=2

Or Cassandra, maybe, especially with her ability to foretell the future of our poor hapless state educated offspring.

"Moisturise me, moisturise me!"

It's a nice point. I like it. Also you can buy them class, an ability to spell (see some posts above), ability to mix with people and be confident and have the right contacts and kind of life skills which help you get on in certain types of better paid jobs. These are the soft advantages too. Although I've kind of hedged my bets by having 5 at private schools so if one or two don't amount to much may be I've covered myself.... laughing as I type....

I've no idea what two of mine at university will do, dustbin men, nuns, call centre operatives? We'll see but the eldest has got the job she starts next year because of a range of factors.. hoping the blonde hair and gym honed figure isn't the real reason, the good A levels and degree from somewhere that isn't an ex poly help but it was also the software stuff too, ability to talk about show jumping her own horse to someone who happened to keep horses or her work teaching sailing because another person she was interviewed by is into sailing... in other words very very unfair class and accent related factors which half the time no one would admit matter but often do... plus her great confidence which admittedly she had at age 3 and some of the others don't have but I do think was expanded by all the things she has been able to do at school etc. Money can make a big difference to the lives of children. Perhaps a duty on women to get proper well paid jobs rather than servile low grade stuff so many seem to accept when they don't choose to be their husband's servant... oops housewife...

Xenia, I would be but I know that you must be taking the piss!!!

er no.

I think you will find that the big X was being serious.

Xenia, you are the Germaine Greer of Mumsnet.

Oh for heaven's sake Xenia, do you really think the only way people are going to learn how to mix well and spell is at private schools? You do have the strangest ideas, not least the impression you give that you seem to think that nearly everyone on MN apart from you is a SAHM, or in a poorly paid job. Apart from those who were privately educated, of course

Oh come on people...you are not seriously telling me that Xenia is being serious!!??

Well, Tamum, she did point out the blonde hair and 'gym-honed' physique.

And the all-important accent, too.

Karen, are you a newbie or something?

Xenia is very serious.

Good point expat, I'd better dye dd's hair and get her to put some weight on before she starts High School, or she'll stick out like a sore thumb.

oh yes, xenia is serious.

are you new, karen?

I am a newbie...well, only been here since October. Never really come across Xenia before...should I have?

I have blonde hair(natural), size 8 and was a gymnast for 10 years so am very supple! What does this have to do with how you get on in life?? If Xenia is suggesing that it is becuase of physical attributes (not private education) that women get on better, then I can (in this instance) whole heartedly agree with her............I am at the top of my profession, never went to private school but am very successful!!!!!!!Oooh, I must be veeerrrryyyy attractive!!

I'd better enroll DD1 in elocution lessons now!

At least, she's so skinny and tall I'll save a bundle on gym fees.

mumsnet

IN thebeginning, you are constantly agog and aghast at all teh strange and skewed views of the world.

Then comes familiarity which takes over your soul and you end up thinking all these skewed views are sensible and rational.

Leave now.

No, cant leave now............there are wrongs to be set right..........

I suggest... indeed I know, that at some kinds of companies if you have two candidates both with stellar CVs and extra curricular activities if you're blonde and look good too that gives you an additional edge. Anyone who doesn't think so must have been born on a different planet.

Not many people are trying for those sorts of jobs Xenia - they don't know - and perhaps they are better off not knowing

oh come on, if anyone thinks that being slim and blonde doesnt help you get 9/10 jobs, they are barking mad.

the only thing I take issue with, is xenia's assumption that you have to go to public school to be able to spell. I could spell perfectly well before I went there, xenia

The coping classes must be dreadfully upset at the state school plebs taking up their quota of Oxbridge places. What a ridiculous article. Having attended both a state school and Oxbridge, I am proud of my efforts and resent the ininuation that I was merely fulfilling a quota. State school students are still woefully underrepresented at Oxbridge, despite the efforts of programmes such as the Target Schools Programme which aims to encourage students from state schools to apply.

Obviously we state school students should give up our university places for the privately educated students whose parents have given up Sky TV as a sacrifice.

Message withdrawn

"if anyone thinks that being slim and blonde doesnt help you get 9/10 jobs, they are barking mad."

I would be a little bit nervous of employing anyone slim and blonde. I'd be worried they were frivolous. S'gotta be a risk.

But there are loads of public sector jobs nowadays where being slim and blonde is a positive disadvantage too, no?

Think of all the jokes

"name me an intelligent blonde"

"A labrador"

Not very good in a role involving serious thought ...