Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Unless Oxford is radically different to and better than Cambridge I find that hard to believe. I think the people who enjoyed undergraduate life the most were people whose parents could subsidise their lifestyle and who could effortlessly become a member of one of the cliques (journalism, drama, politics) where they could pretend they were already powerful and influential people. For the rest of us it was mostly just hard work, a rather inadequate social life and counting the pennies. I'm glad I went there and I met my wife and other good friends there but it really wasn't the highlight of my life.
I think that our friend believes, possibly rightly, that getting accepted at Oxford, or indeed, Oxbridge, is the highlight of your life, at least to date. Whether the reality lives up to expectations is another matter.
My son is in first year but he’s absolutely loving it. I am not sure he’s ever going to want to leave academia after this. He’s working very hard but being rigorously challenged every day. For people like him I am not sure it gets better than that.
My lad's had an offer from Oxford to study Economics and Management. He is now highly incentivised to make sure he gets his A*AA and is working harder at his schoolwork than I've ever seen. He can't wait to go - I hope it lives up to his expectations!
Given that this tweet covers American Politics, Crypto (which @TSE loves) and something that screams outright fraud I give you this about Melania Trump's first NFT auction
Bloomberg Crypto @crypto The source of funds for the winning bid in Melania Trump’s first NFT auction appears to be the creators of the project themselves
Now if you are going to perform a trick like purchasing the thing you are selling to set a base price - you may wish to use more than 2 steps to transfer the money from your account to the secondary account you use to purchase the NFT. 2 steps is rather easy to identify...
No wind on the Tyne It's all fine, all fine No wind on the Tyne It's all fine
Alltogether now...
If there’s no wind, is it foggy?
Probably time to share this for the unitiated/youngsters? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1urq4Vb0XM Warning, one seen/heard, it cannot be unseen/unheard (SFW though) (It was the Gazza version I had in my head)
Morning all! Still waiting for the big dump of snow - appears to have fizzled to the south of us. The boy's school is shut today due to the snow warning (primarily because getting transport for the 70% who travel by bus this afternoon could be *fun*). A bit of moaning on Facebook, but they'd have been moaning more had the school been trying to summon them to collect sprog this afternoon.
Went out for a blow yesterday in the calm between the two storms. Blustery here inland, but walked around Kinnaird Head at lunchtime and needed to hold onto my woolly hat as the wind was trying to remove it from my head (and my feet from the path). And that is calm compared to what the Severn Estuary is getting. Stay safe everyone.
My school was on the to of a sometimes-bleak Staffordhsire hillside, above the JCB factory. One snowy day my dad picked me up in a JCB, having cleared the road up the hill on the way. He was followed by a procession of struggling cars.
We had kids picked up n Rollers, BMWs, Mercs and some rather posh cars. My dad sometimes picked me up in JCBs and lorries...
(AFAIK it is now illegal to take passengers in a JCB.)
Kids! Would you prefer to arrive at school in a Roller or a JCB?
Deffo the JCB...
I'd sit there in my tweed jacket as the machine bounced over the speed bumps. The sort of childhood I'll never be able to give the little 'un.
Talking of the rollers, one of the kids from Hong Kong was picked up once by a Roller with diplomatic plates. Complete with Garfield in the back window and fluffy dice hanging from the mirror. Stylish...
(Another once got dented by a ball from the cricket nets. It wasn't a good idea to have the nets right by the parking in the quadrangle ...
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Unless Oxford is radically different to and better than Cambridge I find that hard to believe. I think the people who enjoyed undergraduate life the most were people whose parents could subsidise their lifestyle and who could effortlessly become a member of one of the cliques (journalism, drama, politics) where they could pretend they were already powerful and influential people. For the rest of us it was mostly just hard work, a rather inadequate social life and counting the pennies. I'm glad I went there and I met my wife and other good friends there but it really wasn't the highlight of my life.
I think that our friend believes, possibly rightly, that getting accepted at Oxford, or indeed, Oxbridge, is the highlight of your life, at least to date. Whether the reality lives up to expectations is another matter.
My son is in first year but he’s absolutely loving it. I am not sure he’s ever going to want to leave academia after this. He’s working very hard but being rigorously challenged every day. For people like him I am not sure it gets better than that.
My lad's had an offer from Oxford to study Economics and Management. He is now highly incentivised to make sure he gets his A*AA and is working harder at his schoolwork than I've ever seen. He can't wait to go - I hope it lives up to his expectations!
Order a couple of pizzas and settle down to watch When Boris Met Dave, about their time at Oxford. That should reset his expectations nicely.
I remember waking up on the morning of the Great Storm in 1987 and seeing what appeared to be low-level lightening flashes. The overhead cables on the railway a couple of miles away were swinging so much they were clashing and sparking. Later on I walked to work along the A13, where had been a row of poplar trees. Nearly all of them were down, and across the road.
My memory is having to go out and catch my daughter's horse as it had bolted and got out of the paddock, was scary stuff. I was living in Little Gaddesden at the time.
Morning all! Still waiting for the big dump of snow - appears to have fizzled to the south of us. The boy's school is shut today due to the snow warning (primarily because getting transport for the 70% who travel by bus this afternoon could be *fun*). A bit of moaning on Facebook, but they'd have been moaning more had the school been trying to summon them to collect sprog this afternoon.
Went out for a blow yesterday in the calm between the two storms. Blustery here inland, but walked around Kinnaird Head at lunchtime and needed to hold onto my woolly hat as the wind was trying to remove it from my head (and my feet from the path). And that is calm compared to what the Severn Estuary is getting. Stay safe everyone.
My school was on the to of a sometimes-bleak Staffordhsire hillside, above the JCB factory. One snowy day my dad picked me up in a JCB, having cleared the road up the hill on the way. He was followed by a procession of struggling cars.
We had kids picked up n Rollers, BMWs, Mercs and some rather posh cars. My dad sometimes picked me up in JCBs and lorries...
(AFAIK it is now illegal to take passengers in a JCB.)
Kids! Would you prefer to arrive at school in a Roller or a JCB?
Deffo the JCB...
I'd sit there in my tweed jacket as the machine bounced over the speed bumps. The sort of childhood I'll never be able to give the little 'un.
Talking of the rollers, one of the kids from Hong Kong was picked up once by a Roller with diplomatic plates. Complete with Garfield in the back window and fluffy dice hanging from the mirror. Stylish...
(Another once got dented by a ball from the cricket nets. It wasn't a good idea to have the nets right by the parking in the quadrangle ...
I remember a kid at my school arriving in a limo that promptly got beached on the slope up to the main entrance. I'd never heard such cheering from everyone else.
Would anyone like to defend the New York Times' banning of the word "slave" from Wordle?
They've bought a word game which they now intend to destroy because of their Wokeness. It is sublime
The article says they've removed a perfectly good word like agora too. Obscure words were part of the fun. If the words in the dictionary it should be in the game.
Morning all! Still waiting for the big dump of snow - appears to have fizzled to the south of us. The boy's school is shut today due to the snow warning (primarily because getting transport for the 70% who travel by bus this afternoon could be *fun*). A bit of moaning on Facebook, but they'd have been moaning more had the school been trying to summon them to collect sprog this afternoon.
Went out for a blow yesterday in the calm between the two storms. Blustery here inland, but walked around Kinnaird Head at lunchtime and needed to hold onto my woolly hat as the wind was trying to remove it from my head (and my feet from the path). And that is calm compared to what the Severn Estuary is getting. Stay safe everyone.
My school was on the to of a sometimes-bleak Staffordhsire hillside, above the JCB factory. One snowy day my dad picked me up in a JCB, having cleared the road up the hill on the way. He was followed by a procession of struggling cars.
We had kids picked up n Rollers, BMWs, Mercs and some rather posh cars. My dad sometimes picked me up in JCBs and lorries...
(AFAIK it is now illegal to take passengers in a JCB.)
Kids! Would you prefer to arrive at school in a Roller or a JCB?
Deffo the JCB...
I'd sit there in my tweed jacket as the machine bounced over the speed bumps. The sort of childhood I'll never be able to give the little 'un.
Talking of the rollers, one of the kids from Hong Kong was picked up once by a Roller with diplomatic plates. Complete with Garfield in the back window and fluffy dice hanging from the mirror. Stylish...
(Another once got dented by a ball from the cricket nets. It wasn't a good idea to have the nets right by the parking in the quadrangle ...
I remember haymaking as a kid, several of us coming back home on the main road, sat atop a wobbly mountain of bales, arms scratched to bits, bottle of pop. We were gods....
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Unless Oxford is radically different to and better than Cambridge I find that hard to believe. I think the people who enjoyed undergraduate life the most were people whose parents could subsidise their lifestyle and who could effortlessly become a member of one of the cliques (journalism, drama, politics) where they could pretend they were already powerful and influential people. For the rest of us it was mostly just hard work, a rather inadequate social life and counting the pennies. I'm glad I went there and I met my wife and other good friends there but it really wasn't the highlight of my life.
I think that our friend believes, possibly rightly, that getting accepted at Oxford, or indeed, Oxbridge, is the highlight of your life, at least to date. Whether the reality lives up to expectations is another matter.
My son is in first year but he’s absolutely loving it. I am not sure he’s ever going to want to leave academia after this. He’s working very hard but being rigorously challenged every day. For people like him I am not sure it gets better than that.
My lad's had an offer from Oxford to study Economics and Management. He is now highly incentivised to make sure he gets his A*AA and is working harder at his schoolwork than I've ever seen. He can't wait to go - I hope it lives up to his expectations!
I'm sure it will. I'm one of those who would consider university days as some of the happiest.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Unless Oxford is radically different to and better than Cambridge I find that hard to believe. I think the people who enjoyed undergraduate life the most were people whose parents could subsidise their lifestyle and who could effortlessly become a member of one of the cliques (journalism, drama, politics) where they could pretend they were already powerful and influential people. For the rest of us it was mostly just hard work, a rather inadequate social life and counting the pennies. I'm glad I went there and I met my wife and other good friends there but it really wasn't the highlight of my life.
I think that our friend believes, possibly rightly, that getting accepted at Oxford, or indeed, Oxbridge, is the highlight of your life, at least to date. Whether the reality lives up to expectations is another matter.
My son is in first year but he’s absolutely loving it. I am not sure he’s ever going to want to leave academia after this. He’s working very hard but being rigorously challenged every day. For people like him I am not sure it gets better than that.
My lad's had an offer from Oxford to study Economics and Management. He is now highly incentivised to make sure he gets his A*AA and is working harder at his schoolwork than I've ever seen. He can't wait to go - I hope it lives up to his expectations!
I'm sure it will. I'm one of those who would consider university days as some of the happiest.
Me too. Which is why I am dubious about the calls on here to make University more exclusive and hence more elitist.
Yes, well, the BBC decided to save some money by paying for weather forecasts from an outfit who use statistical downscaling on the US global model output. The Met Office run a high-resolution local model forced by boundary conditions from their global model, and the Met Office global model rates better than the US one.
My advice is to go to the Met Office direct for your weather forecast.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Unless Oxford is radically different to and better than Cambridge I find that hard to believe. I think the people who enjoyed undergraduate life the most were people whose parents could subsidise their lifestyle and who could effortlessly become a member of one of the cliques (journalism, drama, politics) where they could pretend they were already powerful and influential people. For the rest of us it was mostly just hard work, a rather inadequate social life and counting the pennies. I'm glad I went there and I met my wife and other good friends there but it really wasn't the highlight of my life.
I think that our friend believes, possibly rightly, that getting accepted at Oxford, or indeed, Oxbridge, is the highlight of your life, at least to date. Whether the reality lives up to expectations is another matter.
My son is in first year but he’s absolutely loving it. I am not sure he’s ever going to want to leave academia after this. He’s working very hard but being rigorously challenged every day. For people like him I am not sure it gets better than that.
Very glad to read that, Mr L. And I agree about academic challenge being stimulating.
i've said in the past that I am very sceptical about university, and that it has become a factory of manufactured progressive self confidence. However, looking back on it, as someone who was curious and thoughtful about the world, the intellectual challenge was definetely a positive thing. Being around similarly minded people was a great thing for me. It is just not something that you get in everyday life as a 17/18 year old in the provinces.
The smaller planes are all ‘on the go’ at Heathrow now, official wind is only 21kt but it’s obviously worse than that on the ground. Shame we don’t get live ATC online, as they do in the US.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Morning all! Still waiting for the big dump of snow - appears to have fizzled to the south of us. The boy's school is shut today due to the snow warning (primarily because getting transport for the 70% who travel by bus this afternoon could be *fun*). A bit of moaning on Facebook, but they'd have been moaning more had the school been trying to summon them to collect sprog this afternoon.
Went out for a blow yesterday in the calm between the two storms. Blustery here inland, but walked around Kinnaird Head at lunchtime and needed to hold onto my woolly hat as the wind was trying to remove it from my head (and my feet from the path). And that is calm compared to what the Severn Estuary is getting. Stay safe everyone.
My school was on the to of a sometimes-bleak Staffordhsire hillside, above the JCB factory. One snowy day my dad picked me up in a JCB, having cleared the road up the hill on the way. He was followed by a procession of struggling cars.
We had kids picked up n Rollers, BMWs, Mercs and some rather posh cars. My dad sometimes picked me up in JCBs and lorries...
(AFAIK it is now illegal to take passengers in a JCB.)
Kids! Would you prefer to arrive at school in a Roller or a JCB?
Deffo the JCB...
I'd sit there in my tweed jacket as the machine bounced over the speed bumps. The sort of childhood I'll never be able to give the little 'un.
Talking of the rollers, one of the kids from Hong Kong was picked up once by a Roller with diplomatic plates. Complete with Garfield in the back window and fluffy dice hanging from the mirror. Stylish...
(Another once got dented by a ball from the cricket nets. It wasn't a good idea to have the nets right by the parking in the quadrangle ...
Our Thai granddaughters go to a rather upmarket international school, and, at one tine anyway, there was a Thai royal there, I think in the same year as one of my granddaughters, although in a different class. Once when the girls were taken on a trip they were running late, so the police were called in and the traffic stopped so the princess and her classmates could get to where they wanted to be. Shame about the different class of course; could have made for some 'interesting' parents get-togethers.
Looking at it I don't think it's live - but a forecast depending on which model you choose bottom right. It'll have current data input to it periodically, but I don't know how often?
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Unless Oxford is radically different to and better than Cambridge I find that hard to believe. I think the people who enjoyed undergraduate life the most were people whose parents could subsidise their lifestyle and who could effortlessly become a member of one of the cliques (journalism, drama, politics) where they could pretend they were already powerful and influential people. For the rest of us it was mostly just hard work, a rather inadequate social life and counting the pennies. I'm glad I went there and I met my wife and other good friends there but it really wasn't the highlight of my life.
I had a blast at UCL. Wasn’t rich but coming to London after the tedium of small town England. Whoah. The drugs. The music. The girls (occasionally). Brilliant
It then got even better, apart from the odd blip (rape trial) but my 30s were shit (late stage heroin addiction), then I had another upturn, popped out some kids, I peaked in my 50s (lots of money sex luxury travel), then covid, divorce, suicide bids…. Feel quite chirpy now.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
One 737 and one A319 already having a second attempt to land at Heathrow. The chaos might be about to start.
We were in an aborted landing at Heathrow due to wind and it was really scary but when the pilot was about to touch down and he powered away upwards we were very relieved, though as most of Europe was having the same problems he came in the second time and slapped the wheels onto the runway very hard, and as we taxied we were buffeted quite considerably
Great admiration for the pilots was expressed directly to them by us all as got off the aircraft
That site forecasts 52 mph gusting to 76 mph for Freshwater mid morning, which is certainly more sensible than the BBC's current forecast of 115mph, which as an average appears absurd.
Strong indications Putin hoped he could goad Zelensky into doing something rash, just as he did Georgia's Saakashvili in 2008 (perhaps assuming that *surely* a populist former comedian would be easy to provoke). Yet Zelensky and 🇺🇦 at large are remaining remarkably disciplined.
Ukrainian discipline + radical transparency from US and its allies (putting intel on attack plans, possible false flags etc into public domain) = harder for Putin to manufacture a pretext, catch opponents off guard and claim defensive motives. It shrinks the grey zone.
This is what I am hearing too. Everytime the Russians set up a full order of battle, the Americans are telling the Ukrainians, and the Russians realise that they could face serious trouble with no element of surprise. Although US/UK is evacuating staff, "in order to avoid provocation", in fact the UA now probably has sufficient resources to inflict a real mauling on any incoming Russian attack. The US and NATO in general seems increasingly determined to punish any misstep from Putin with a significant defeat. As a result the Kremlin is beginning to feel the heat. This may, of course lead to lashing out elsewhere, but they cant take on Ukraine and also launch any effective strike in, say, the Baltic. Russian forces are looking overstretched even for a thrust into Ukraine and meanwhile NATO is taking the opportunity to settle a few scores in the hybrid wars. Putins little helpers will be being shamed on the front pages, while major pushback in the Russian launched cyberwar will not.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Unless you have experienced it first hand, you cannot comprehend the, pride, joy and satisfaction it brings. A bit like voting LD or Labour for the first time.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
You are a very sad person, to most having family is the single most important achievement in their lives and their grandchildren enrich them in later life
That site forecasts 52 mph gusting to 76 mph for Freshwater mid morning, which is certainly more sensible than the BBC's current forecast of 115mph, which as an average appears absurd.
I think the BBCs weather must be done by an algorithm with no human input as some of the wind speeds they have predicted for areas along the south coast are silly.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Your original comment said 'highlight', trust me, having kids is the highlight.
Looking at it I don't think it's live - but a forecast depending on which model you choose bottom right. It'll have current data input to it periodically, but I don't know how often?
Seems to have done a good job in tracking the weather front here. Said it wasn't snowing when it wasn't snowing. Showed the edge of the front to the south. Showed the front as it hit us and snow falling pretty much in real time.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Life is entirely about how you impact on others. Yes your work has impact, but your immortality is through the legacy you build through your children. And for so many of us building that legacy is what drives us to work doing we do.
So don't me having kids is ordinary. You post some of the most wrong-headed self-inflating guff and this is perhaps the pinnacle achievement of your career to date.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
Definitely. I do remember having breakfast in the canteen of the hospital a few hours after my first daughter had been born. I was on my own, my wife and daughter were sleeping upstairs, it was a lovely summer day and the sun was streaming through the windows, and the feeling of elation that I had was like nothing I had ever known before. I remember feeling similarly joyful after the births of my other two children, but I think the first time is especially memorable.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Having kids is not an “achievement” or a “highlight”, but if it happens it is the most intense, profound, mysteriously moving human experience - for most people. You create and form another soul. It brings a lifetime of angst, guilt and worry, but, ultimately, for most, it also brings a sense of meaning and purpose and infrequent moments of incomparable happiness
One 737 and one A319 already having a second attempt to land at Heathrow. The chaos might be about to start.
We were in an aborted landing at Heathrow due to wind and it was really scary but when the pilot was about to touch down and he powered away upwards we were very relieved, though as most of Europe was having the same problems he came in the second time and slapped the wheels onto the runway very hard, and as we taxied we were buffeted quite considerably
Great admiration for the pilots was expressed directly to them by us all as got off the aircraft
About three years ago, coming into Edinburgh from Helsinki in a big storm, it was a horrid, really turbulent approach and sure enough we had to go around. When we finally did make it down, the passport guys, looking at the green faced, rather subdued passengers were asking us "if you had a good flight?" with rather suppressed glee. In fact the Finnair guys were pretty heroic, since we were the only flight to actually hit the deck and land safely at Turnhouse in about three hours. When I got to the city centre the gusts were so strong you could not walk into them (c 160km/h) , but just stopped until they lessened.
The smaller planes are all ‘on the go’ at Heathrow now, official wind is only 21kt but it’s obviously worse than that on the ground. Shame we don’t get live ATC online, as they do in the US.
You can get live feeds from airports in France, Ireland and the Netherlands from liveatc.net
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Having kids is not an “achievement” or a “highlight”, but if it happens it is the most intense, profound, mysteriously moving human experience - for most people. You create and form another soul. It brings a lifetime of angst, guilt and worry, but, ultimately, for most, it also brings a sense of meaning and purpose and infrequent moments of incomparable happiness
It has rightly been compared to Brexiting
Not a comparison I would make. Whatever floats your boat.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
You are a very sad person, to most having family is the single most important achievement in their lives and their grandchildren enrich them in later life
I will never ever forget how I felt on the morning that our firstborn was born. Nor how we felt when our (adult) daughter died. Now, almost 60 years later my wife is hoping for a great-grandchild, and mildly jealous of those of her friends who have one. However, although one grandchild is married and the other in an apparently stable long-term relationship, there's no sign yet
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Life is entirely about how you impact on others. Yes your work has impact, but your immortality is through the legacy you build through your children. And for so many of us building that legacy is what drives us to work doing we do.
So don't me having kids is ordinary. You post some of the most wrong-headed self-inflating guff and this is perhaps the pinnacle achievement of your career to date.
Will it become immortal? Doubtful.
Plenty of people don't have children. The idea you are immortal because you have children is absurd, within a few generations all your family will have been born after you died and you will just be part of a family photo album at best.
If you leave a lasting legacy in your field however that can last. Family is important but human beings are more than just baby production factories and your children will ultimately want to lead their own lives too
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
You are a very sad person, to most having family is the single most important achievement in their lives and their grandchildren enrich them in later life
A man who lectures us about family values like HYFUD does, really ought to understand the actual, you know, value of a family.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
Definitely. I do remember having breakfast in the canteen of the hospital a few hours after my first daughter had been born. I was on my own, my wife and daughter were sleeping upstairs, it was a lovely summer day and the sun was streaming through the windows, and the feeling of elation that I had was like nothing I had ever known before. I remember feeling similarly joyful after the births of my other two children, but I think the first time is especially memorable.
Way back in 1966 when our first born came along I was not allowed at the hospital and waited for a phone call at home, also with my daughter in 1971, but I was present at the birth of our second son in 1975 and it was amazing
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Life is entirely about how you impact on others. Yes your work has impact, but your immortality is through the legacy you build through your children. And for so many of us building that legacy is what drives us to work doing we do.
So don't me having kids is ordinary. You post some of the most wrong-headed self-inflating guff and this is perhaps the pinnacle achievement of your career to date.
Will it become immortal? Doubtful.
Wanting to achieve immortality through your children is the route to tiger parenting. Making your children learn the piano/oboe/tap dancing or even go to Oxbridge because you never did.
People can be perfectly happy, satisfied, and live rich lives with or without children.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Unless Oxford is radically different to and better than Cambridge I find that hard to believe. I think the people who enjoyed undergraduate life the most were people whose parents could subsidise their lifestyle and who could effortlessly become a member of one of the cliques (journalism, drama, politics) where they could pretend they were already powerful and influential people. For the rest of us it was mostly just hard work, a rather inadequate social life and counting the pennies. I'm glad I went there and I met my wife and other good friends there but it really wasn't the highlight of my life.
I had a blast at UCL. Wasn’t rich but coming to London after the tedium of small town England. Whoah. The drugs. The music. The girls (occasionally). Brilliant
It then got even better, apart from the odd blip (rape trial) but my 30s were shit (late stage heroin addiction), then I had another upturn, popped out some kids, I peaked in my 50s (lots of money sex luxury travel), then covid, divorce, suicide bids…. Feel quite chirpy now.
You should write a memoir. Lots of good material in there. You've certainly had a life of ups and downs. My life has been remarkably fortunate, steady and pleasant, with few really dramatic peaks and troughs, and I give thanks for it every day. I keep expecting something awful to happen to balance it out.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Having kids is not an “achievement” or a “highlight”, but if it happens it is the most intense, profound, mysteriously moving human experience - for most people. You create and form another soul. It brings a lifetime of angst, guilt and worry, but, ultimately, for most, it also brings a sense of meaning and purpose and infrequent moments of incomparable happiness
It has rightly been compared to Brexiting
I so wanted to like that, but you had to add the last sentence. I know it's a joke and not a bad one at that, but you seriously need help. It is going to drive you crazy (if that is not too late).
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Having kids is not an “achievement” or a “highlight”, but if it happens it is the most intense, profound, mysteriously moving human experience - for most people. You create and form another soul. It brings a lifetime of angst, guilt and worry, but, ultimately, for most, it also brings a sense of meaning and purpose and infrequent moments of incomparable happiness
It has rightly been compared to Brexiting
Not a comparison I would make. Whatever floats your boat.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
A “highlight” is not necessarily the same as a “main achievement”
One 737 and one A319 already having a second attempt to land at Heathrow. The chaos might be about to start.
We were in an aborted landing at Heathrow due to wind and it was really scary but when the pilot was about to touch down and he powered away upwards we were very relieved, though as most of Europe was having the same problems he came in the second time and slapped the wheels onto the runway very hard, and as we taxied we were buffeted quite considerably
Great admiration for the pilots was expressed directly to them by us all as got off the aircraft
About three years ago, coming into Edinburgh from Helsinki in a big storm, it was a horrid, really turbulent approach and sure enough we had to go around. When we finally did make it down, the passport guys, looking at the green faced, rather subdued passengers were asking us "if you had a good flight?" with rather suppressed glee. In fact the Finnair guys were pretty heroic, since we were the only flight to actually hit the deck and land safely at Turnhouse in about three hours. When I got to the city centre the gusts were so strong you could not walk into them (c 160km/h) , but just stopped until they lessened.
Coming into City Airport in a Fokker turboprop, years back, the plane was all over the shop. We finally settled (kinda) into a descent where the plane was heading for the runway, but was pointing seriously to one side (crabbed landing)
When it came to touch down, the pilot (I was sitting up front and the cockpit door was latched open - pre 2001) pushed the yoke forward to hammer the plane into the ground. The gear hit with a bang and we straighten up in a massive lurch.
I'd seen what was about to happen, and was hanging onto my armrest. Several other people were really thrown about by that.
It seems to have passed through Ireland now and hasn't been too bad. All Irelands trains are now allowed to go at normal speed on all routes
I can see you Steve Baker Brexiteers just laugh in the face of a force 10 gale. And now the rains are a coming...
I moved Mrs M's Mercedes to the far end of the drive away from the house last night as a precaution. Where it was parked there now lies an upturned black wheelie bin.
It is blowing b*****d hard here now, and we are not yet at peak gusting.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Unless Oxford is radically different to and better than Cambridge I find that hard to believe. I think the people who enjoyed undergraduate life the most were people whose parents could subsidise their lifestyle and who could effortlessly become a member of one of the cliques (journalism, drama, politics) where they could pretend they were already powerful and influential people. For the rest of us it was mostly just hard work, a rather inadequate social life and counting the pennies. I'm glad I went there and I met my wife and other good friends there but it really wasn't the highlight of my life.
I had a blast at UCL. Wasn’t rich but coming to London after the tedium of small town England. Whoah. The drugs. The music. The girls (occasionally). Brilliant
It then got even better, apart from the odd blip (rape trial) but my 30s were shit (late stage heroin addiction), then I had another upturn, popped out some kids, I peaked in my 50s (lots of money sex luxury travel), then covid, divorce, suicide bids…. Feel quite chirpy now.
You should write a memoir. Lots of good material in there. You've certainly had a life of ups and downs. My life has been remarkably fortunate, steady and pleasant, with few really dramatic peaks and troughs, and I give thanks for it every day. I keep expecting something awful to happen to balance it out.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
A “highlight” is not necessarily the same as a “main achievement”
My kids are 100% the highlight of my life, as is marrying my wife.
Even if they're not "achievements". Well my wife would suggest my getting her to go out with me was ...
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
Definitely. I do remember having breakfast in the canteen of the hospital a few hours after my first daughter had been born. I was on my own, my wife and daughter were sleeping upstairs, it was a lovely summer day and the sun was streaming through the windows, and the feeling of elation that I had was like nothing I had ever known before. I remember feeling similarly joyful after the births of my other two children, but I think the first time is especially memorable.
Way back in 1966 when our first born came along I was not allowed at the hospital and waited for a phone call at home, also with my daughter in 1971, but I was present at the birth of our second son in 1975 and it was amazing
Times do change and often for the better
I can't imagine missing the birth - as you say, things do change for the better.
Great that you were there for one of them though. My dad missed both of his, in the late 70s and early 80s! I don't think it even occurred to my parents - my mum has said that she wouldn't have wanted him there. I still can't really comprehend that.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
Definitely. I do remember having breakfast in the canteen of the hospital a few hours after my first daughter had been born. I was on my own, my wife and daughter were sleeping upstairs, it was a lovely summer day and the sun was streaming through the windows, and the feeling of elation that I had was like nothing I had ever known before. I remember feeling similarly joyful after the births of my other two children, but I think the first time is especially memorable.
Way back in 1966 when our first born came along I was not allowed at the hospital and waited for a phone call at home, also with my daughter in 1971, but I was present at the birth of our second son in 1975 and it was amazing
Times do change and often for the better
I am also a second son and third child born in 1975! I'm not sure if my dad was present for my birth, which wasn't an easy one (I spent the first few days in an incubator). I was there for the birth of all three of my kids and they were very wonderful experiences, although nothing can prepare you for how gory it is!
Comments
Bloomberg Crypto
@crypto
The source of funds for the winning bid in Melania Trump’s first NFT auction appears to be the creators of the project themselves
https://twitter.com/crypto/status/1494032040316088326
Now if you are going to perform a trick like purchasing the thing you are selling to set a base price - you may wish to use more than 2 steps to transfer the money from your account to the secondary account you use to purchase the NFT. 2 steps is rather easy to identify...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1urq4Vb0XM
Warning, one seen/heard, it cannot be unseen/unheard (SFW though)
(It was the Gazza version I had in my head)
I'm in Southwold. No wind and no rain yet.
Talking of the rollers, one of the kids from Hong Kong was picked up once by a Roller with diplomatic plates. Complete with Garfield in the back window and fluffy dice hanging from the mirror. Stylish...
(Another once got dented by a ball from the cricket nets. It wasn't a good idea to have the nets right by the parking in the quadrangle ...
Have I ever said I hate you? ;_
What forecast were you looking at?
Sorry to say, but your storm hasn’t even started yet.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2637487
Its supposed to be 92 mph now, its not even 30mph
https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/orthographic=-7.09,53.45,1767
My advice is to go to the Met Office direct for your weather forecast.
But definitely a Maverick.
Northerners call this big coat weather.
Go, Angela “Reagan” Rayner
https://www.xcweather.co.uk/forecast/here
In today's Playbook: https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/london-playbook/ukraine-on-the-brink-storm-eunice-recess-round-up/ https://twitter.com/estwebber/status/1494598934366408706/photo/1
Lest we forget he is a coward who is only Chancellor because he was prepared to wear the political gimp mask handed to him by Dom Cummings.
He will not feature in any profiles in courage.
https://twitter.com/stopbeingthem/status/1494303081537802248
It does look at this point, that the forecasts were a little pessimistic, thankfully.
Heathrow has calmed down a little, after half a dozen planes missed the approach, they all got in second time of asking.
Shame about the different class of course; could have made for some 'interesting' parents get-togethers.
Lewis Hamilton being honest.
It then got even better, apart from the odd blip
(rape trial) but my 30s were shit (late stage heroin addiction), then I had another upturn, popped out some kids, I peaked in my 50s (lots of money sex luxury travel), then covid, divorce, suicide bids…. Feel quite chirpy now.
Great admiration for the pilots was expressed directly to them by us all as got off the aircraft
*Mwhahaha. I'm just messing with you. Or am I?
[Yes, I am].
Or can we have a "Wordle dictionary filter" to ban offensive 5 letter words from readers of the NYT.
12 noon is critical as this is the high spring tide and is the threat to Llandudno Town Centre if the storm arrives at the same time
So don't me having kids is ordinary. You post some of the most wrong-headed self-inflating guff and this is perhaps the pinnacle achievement of your career to date.
Will it become immortal? Doubtful.
I remember feeling similarly joyful after the births of my other two children, but I think the first time is especially memorable.
It has rightly been compared to Brexiting
You must really love Masi.
Now, almost 60 years later my wife is hoping for a great-grandchild, and mildly jealous of those of her friends who have one. However, although one grandchild is married and the other in an apparently stable long-term relationship, there's no sign yet
If you leave a lasting legacy in your field however that can last. Family is important but human beings are more than just baby production factories and your children will ultimately want to lead their own lives too
Times do change and often for the better
The iPhone of F1 cars.
People can be perfectly happy, satisfied, and live rich lives with or without children.
My life has been remarkably fortunate, steady and pleasant, with few really dramatic peaks and troughs, and I give thanks for it every day. I keep expecting something awful to happen to balance it out.
I'd wait until the evening before calling it...
When it came to touch down, the pilot (I was sitting up front and the cockpit door was latched open - pre 2001) pushed the yoke forward to hammer the plane into the ground. The gear hit with a bang and we straighten up in a massive lurch.
I'd seen what was about to happen, and was hanging onto my armrest. Several other people were really thrown about by that.
I moved Mrs M's Mercedes to the far end of the drive away from the house last night as a precaution. Where it was parked there now lies an upturned black wheelie bin.
It is blowing b*****d hard here now, and we are not yet at peak gusting.
Even if they're not "achievements". Well my wife would suggest my getting her to go out with me was ...
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/oct/10/south-uist-storm-tragedy-10-years-on-peter-ross
Great that you were there for one of them though. My dad missed both of his, in the late 70s and early 80s! I don't think it even occurred to my parents - my mum has said that she wouldn't have wanted him there. I still can't really comprehend that.
https://wind.willyweather.co.uk/se/greater-london/london.html