tim - this report suggest that the reason for success is due to the strength of families - whether they are white, brown or green is a secondary factor.
I am amazed that it took a survey to come up with this obvious truth.
In most developing countries (where often the simplest of education charges a fee) the whole family sees education as the way out of a subsistence economy and a route to a more prosperous lifestyle (a bit like the UK in the 1900s-50s). Also there is rarely an economic bottom line support for the unemployed, disabled or old - if you do not work, you do not eat.
So everyone is keen to learn and (whilst on World Bank projects in sub-Saharan Africa) I have seen children paying rapt attention in class and seizing upon any piece of information they can find and retain and the education of their children is a source of pride to their parents and community.
So in the UK (in an electronic society where education is free and information has never been easier to source) we have truancy problems, attention problems and large numbers of children leaving school neither literate nor numerate to join their parents who often have the same lack of education and have become unemployable. So why did it all go wrong?
In the UK education is free and compulsory and all virtually all children are in school. In developing countries this is generally not the case - education is not free and although theoretically compulsory in many cases no serious efforts are made to enforce this. So schools are filled only with people who want to be there and can afford to pay.
I often visit the Philippines, as my wife was born there - education is highly valued and children in school are generally well-motivated. But many children are not in school - they can be observed sleeping under bridges and begging in the streets. This is what you get in a society which lacks any form of state welfare provision, and it's not a model that has much to recommend it IMO.
tim - this report suggest that the reason for success is due to the strength of families - whether they are white, brown or green is a secondary factor.
I am amazed that it took a survey to come up with this obvious truth.
In most developing countries (where often the simplest of education charges a fee) the whole family sees education as the way out of a subsistence economy and a route to a more prosperous lifestyle (a bit like the UK in the 1900s-50s). Also there is rarely an economic bottom line support for the unemployed, disabled or old - if you do not work, you do not eat.
So everyone is keen to learn and (whilst on World Bank projects in sub-Saharan Africa) I have seen children paying rapt attention in class and seizing upon any piece of information they can find and retain and the education of their children is a source of pride to their parents and community.
So in the UK (in an electronic society where education is free and information has never been easier to source) we have truancy problems, attention problems and large numbers of children leaving school neither literate nor numerate to join their parents who often have the same lack of education and have become unemployable. So why did it all go wrong?
In the UK education is free and compulsory and all virtually all children are in school. In developing countries this is generally not the case - education is not free and although theoretically compulsory in many cases no serious efforts are made to enforce this. So schools are filled only with people who want to be there and can afford to pay.
I often visit the Philippines, as my wife was born there - education is highly valued and children in school are generally well-motivated. But many children are not in school - they can be observed sleeping under bridges and begging in the streets. This is what you get in a society which lacks any form of state welfare provision, and it's not a model that has much to recommend it IMO.
In places like Brazil, successful anti-poverty schemes have involved making welfare payments dependent on active school attendance for children. Osborne missed a trick not doing that here.
When Iraq invaded Kuwait on 02nd August 1990 I don't think anyone envisaged the dramatic consequences for the next twenty-three years (and more), which has included massive deployment of British troops abroad.
Mock away. I'm only suggesting a possible scenario. But if you think little North Korea could not pull the world's democracies into action you have no clue about post-cold war politics.
Prisoners tend to have strong views on child killers/molesters.
Indeed. That said, it would be nice to see a Prisons Minister in any party who saw it as part of their duty to keep prisoners safe. In reality, prisons, or prison wings, are run by gangsters, which probably does not help with rehabilitation.
"the OBR forecasts the underlying deficit to be close to £120 billion until 2014/15."
Three years on the trot, £120 billion.
The Office for Budget Responsibility estimates that deficit reduction will continue to stall until 2014-2015
Wee-Timmy:
Is that nominal or constant-prices? Considering a modest 2.5% rate-of-inflation over the period quoted one would expect that would - nominally - result in a comfortable reduction in the structural deficit, no...?
If any of the terms above confuse you, please advise. One understands that - outwith certain Health sectors - you are clueless....
In places like Brazil, successful anti-poverty schemes have involved making welfare payments dependent on active school attendance for children. Osborne missed a trick not doing that here.
I doubt this kind of conditionality would have much effect in the UK - the number of children out of school is very few and cutting welfare payments to their parents is unlikely to be effective in getting them back. It would also require a great deal of bureaucracy which would be likely to negate any financial savings.
The Boris enigma is not the question to pose, IMHO. What is more important is that the membership of the coalition parties and of opposition Labour is falling faster than ever: showing in stark numbers that the three main parties are now considered one particular beast, by the voting public.
Figures for the L/Dems show a fall of from 65,038 to 48,932 Conservative: 258,000 to 177,000 dtd 07/12 Labour: 195,000 to 185,00 (approx) dtd 7/12 I cannot seem to get the latest figures for for any of the parties., perhaps someone else can.
The only party to be gaining members is UKIP (27000+ and rising) and Boris is irrelevant in this political metamorphosis.
tim has repeatedly referred to the working women in the philpott group.
The facts are that they earned about £14,000 a year part time between them and were then able to claim tax credits of £24,000 a year bringing the figure to £38,000. All of this paid into Philpott's account. The £68,000 total income and all benefits had £54,000 of state payments.
Tax free subletting which doesn't count against Universal Credit, introduced as a panic measure to ease the bedroom tax, could conceivably lead to the bedroom tax costing billions
As you said, massive incompetence! If that truly is the case they should have just not bothered with the 'bedroom tax' and saved money in the long run.
Will subletting in the private sector become tax free? Will a sublet income count against Universal Credit in the private sector but not in social housing?
Appears to be completely incoherent.
Renting out a spare room in the private sector is tax free up to £4,250pa.
In places like Brazil, successful anti-poverty schemes have involved making welfare payments dependent on active school attendance for children. Osborne missed a trick not doing that here.
I doubt this kind of conditionality would have much effect in the UK - the number of children out of school is very few and cutting welfare payments to their parents is unlikely to be effective in getting them back. It would also require a great deal of bureaucracy which would be likely to negate any financial savings.
The purpose is not for financial savings but for anti-poverty reasons: giving strong incentives for better behaviour. We could extend it to things beyond pure attendance - behavioural record of the children, parenting classes if necessary...
EU suspects state aid in football... Knew even before I looked at the body it would be about Real Madrid. They might as well investigate if the sun is hot.
tim - this report suggest that the reason for success is due to the strength of families - whether they are white, brown or green is a secondary factor.
I am amazed that it took a survey to come up with this obvious truth.
In most developing countries (where often the simplest of education charges a fee) the whole family sees education as the way out of a subsistence economy and a route to a more prosperous lifestyle (a bit like the UK in the 1900s-50s). Also there is rarely an economic bottom line support for the unemployed, disabled or old - if you do not work, you do not eat.
So everyone is keen to learn and (whilst on World Bank projects in sub-Saharan Africa) I have seen children paying rapt attention in class and seizing upon any piece of information they can find and retain and the education of their children is a source of pride to their parents and community.
So in the UK (in an electronic society where education is free and information has never been easier to source) we have truancy problems, attention problems and large numbers of children leaving school neither literate nor numerate to join their parents who often have the same lack of education and have become unemployable. So why did it all go wrong?
There's an issue in public attitudes in Britain - intellectualism has always been regarded with suspicion and that spills over into a shortage of real enthusiasm about university study. In recent years that's been reinforced by the perception that success is not much related to knowledge but more to do with luck, connections and attention-seeking behaviour (celebrity culture and all that), and the denigration of many degrees (media studies etc.). And yet people are aware that many job adverts specify a degree as a requirement. So it's seen by many as a necessary hurdle but not one that is especially interesting or useful.
I don't think there is a left-right angle to this - it's simply a problem in public opinion which hasn't so far been effectively tackled. As you say, people in developing countries tend to see it very differently, and people who make the effort to come to Britain will tend to be more than averagely motivated.
@TCPolitcalBetting. Could you provide a link to those figures please. He was reported to lose £1000 a month when one of the women and her five children left.
"There's an issue in public attitudes in Britain - intellectualism has always been regarded with suspicion and that spills over into a shortage of real enthusiasm about university study. In recent years that's been reinforced by the perception that success is not much related to knowledge but more to do with luck, connections and attention-seeking behaviour (celebrity culture and all that), and the denigration of many degrees (media studies etc.). And yet people are aware that many job adverts specify a degree as a requirement. So it's seen by many as a necessary hurdle but not one that is especially interesting or useful.
I don't think there is a left-right angle to this - it's simply a problem in public opinion which hasn't so far been effectively tackled. As you say, people in developing countries tend to see it very differently, and people who make the effort to come to Britain will tend to be more than averagely motivated."
Why does this need to be "tackled" ? The scepticism is perhaps more than merited. As a nation we have swallowed the meme that degrees equal success when increasingly it's not that clear cut. Degrees are now a pile of debt at the start of your life; degrees don't necessarily give you a head start especially when everybody has one; degrees aren't a sign of superior thought - the country was screwed up by people with higher qualifications from tolp institutions. Maybe looking at the fundamentals and appreciating work for itself are a better way of going forward.
In places like Brazil, successful anti-poverty schemes have involved making welfare payments dependent on active school attendance for children. Osborne missed a trick not doing that here.
I doubt this kind of conditionality would have much effect in the UK - the number of children out of school is very few and cutting welfare payments to their parents is unlikely to be effective in getting them back. It would also require a great deal of bureaucracy which would be likely to negate any financial savings.
The purpose is not for financial savings but for anti-poverty reasons: giving strong incentives for better behaviour. We could extend it to things beyond pure attendance - behavioural record of the children, parenting classes if necessary...
An interesting idea - using the benefit system to promote better "behviour" - perhaps we could extend it to the tax system - 2p of your income tax if you behave yourself according to treasury gudelines....
In places like Brazil, successful anti-poverty schemes have involved making welfare payments dependent on active school attendance for children. Osborne missed a trick not doing that here.
I doubt this kind of conditionality would have much effect in the UK - the number of children out of school is very few and cutting welfare payments to their parents is unlikely to be effective in getting them back. It would also require a great deal of bureaucracy which would be likely to negate any financial savings.
The purpose is not for financial savings but for anti-poverty reasons: giving strong incentives for better behaviour. We could extend it to things beyond pure attendance - behavioural record of the children, parenting classes if necessary...
An interesting idea - using the benefit system to promote better "behviour" - perhaps we could extend it to the tax system - 2p of your income tax if you behave yourself according to treasury gudelines....
We already do it in the tax system. You get a lower income tax rate if you save your money in a pension, for instance.
A link to the actual figures please, the woman who left was reported to have "cost Philpott £1000 per month" which is incompatible with those estimates.
Philpott lost £1,000 a month when she left family home with five children
The estimates in the same piece are nearly £3k per month
Yawn. Whichever ever way you slice it up, it's pretty clear Philpott was royally minting it, in terms of benefits, and that the welfare state positively encourages lowlifes like him to stay at home, and just have more kids.
However, like the social democracy that spawned it, "welfare" is finished. Like "benefits", the word itself is now, very notably, a term of abuse.
The country is moving firmly to the right, because it has no choice. The future is rightwing.
I see the the attempted murderers of Joss Stone also didn't work and lived most of their lives on benefits.
"Osborne gets it. Commenting on the Philpot sentence, the Chancellor said:
‘There’s a question about the welfare state, and taxpayers who pay, subsidising lifestyles like that’"
The toxic incompetent Osbrowne never learns.
George Osborne bought paddock with taxpayer's money
George Osborne received support from the taxpayer to own a horses' paddock, it has emerged.
Mr Osborne bought the extra land along with a country farmhouse in his Cheshire constituency in 2000, before he became an MP. He later claimed up to £100,000 in expenses to cover mortgage interest payments on the land and property at Harrop Fold Farm, near Macclesfield, between 2003 and 2009.
According to Land Registry records obtained by Channel Four's Dispatches, Mr Osborne bought the house and land for £455,000 and sold them last year for up to £1 million - making a sizeable profit.
Sources said Mr Osborne never actually kept a horse on the paddock, which was registered separately to the house.
John Mann, a Labour MP, said Mr Osborne "clearly didn't need [the paddock] to discharge his parliamentary duties", which is what expenses are meant to cover.
The Chancellor's country farmhouse featured in The Daily Telegraph’s expose of MPs’ expenses in 2009 when it emerged that Mr Osborne had “flipped” his second home allowance onto the property and increased the mortgage.
Ken ran Boris close because of Labour's core vote and a disgraceful "make Muslims angry" campaign to get the Muslim vote out on the day.
In London that kind of campaign can work because of the large Muslim population and the larger than average core Labour vote. Outside of London that campaign would not hold water as chasing the Muslim vote would lose a lot of swing voters in the centre, comments like "riddled with gays" would lose a lot of liberal voters so Ed M will never go after that campaign against Boris (or Dave for that matter).
A link to the actual figures please, the woman who left was reported to have "cost Philpott £1000 per month" which is incompatible with those estimates.
Philpott lost £1,000 a month when she left family home with five children
The estimates in the same piece are nearly £3k per month
Yawn. Whichever ever way you slice it up, it's pretty clear Philpott was royally minting it, in terms of benefits, and that the welfare state positively encourages lowlifes like him to stay at home, and just have more kids.
However, like the social democracy that spawned it, "welfare" is finished. Like "benefits", the word itself is now, very notably, a term of abuse.
The country is moving firmly to the right, because it has no choice. The future is rightwing.
If even a Primrose Hill Lefty like Sean T thinks "welfare" is finished, then Labour would be ill-advised campaigning against benefit cuts.
The debt will eventually have to be rolled over and the Gilts will be redeemed by the Bank, at that point they will start to wind down the asset purchase scheme, mostly because we won't need it. The Bank will never sell the Gilts it holds though as the paper loss would be too large, especially with the APF transfers depleting the Bank's cash.
I see the the attempted murderers of Joss Stone also didn't work and lived most of their lives on benefits.
There have been evil people in all societies throughout history. The presence or absence of a benefit system is irrelevant. If there were no benefit system there would be some people who would exist in absolute poverty and destitution, as there were in Britain in the 1930s and are in many third world countries today. If there is a benefit system then it is inevitable that some evil and undeserving people will gain benefit.
rEd has said nothing - am thinking about it... and not surprised. If only it had been about a red top newspaper scandal - he'd have been out front and centre.
Nelson Mandela has been more visible than rEd this week.
Around here global warming has been coming down for about the last three hours. Not settling though the flakes are getting bigger so it might yet. Soddin' cold too, and the gas bill is due next week.
Still on the bright side I read that the DfID has had a massive increase in its budget this year, so I can bask in the inner satisfaction of all the extra good we will be doing in the world.
'“What President Hollande is seeking to do in France and what he is seeking to do in leading the debate in Europe is find that different way forward. We are in agreement in seeking that new way that needs to be found and I think can be found.”
Unemployment at 16 year high,top tax rate ruled unconstitutional,a budget minister that had €600,000 stashed in a Swiss bank account and approval ratings at a record low.
Is Ed still going to copy Hollande's template or is he back to his blank piece of paper?
"Ed Miliband is heading for Downing Street. By rail.
“It’s their new idea,” a slightly sceptical Labour insider told me earlier this week. “They’re calling it the Ed On A Train Strategy.”
The plan is brilliant in its simplicity. Ed Miliband gets on a train. And that’s it. He gets on the train, gets off the train, and wins the next election."
"Another Labour insider says it provides in insight into the political psychology of Ed’s inner circle. “You have to understand, they’re totally obsessed with the idea of posh people.
They think it’s the defining issue. They think if they can paint Cameron as the posh guy, and Ed as an ordinary guy, they’ll win."
Harrry - The facts are there for anyone to see and the more the subject comes up, particularly with a toxic liability like Osbrowne talking about it, the less convinced people will be by the lies.
Speaking of toxic liabilities...
The quiet man's £53/wk is still turning up the volume.
Fantastic day's racing and not just at Aintree. My money is on:
Aintree: 2.00 Flaxen Flare 5/1 2.30 Quito de la Roque 10/1 3.05 Countrywide Flame 9/2 3.40 Cottage Oak 7/1 4.50 Captain Conan 13/8 5.25 Barafundle 16/1 Jetson 7/1 Many Clouds 12/1 Ely Brown 25/1 Hada Man 40/1
Taunton: 3.55 Monetary Fund 5/1 5.35 Helium 14/1
Lingfield: 4.05 Hard Walnut 11/2 4.40 North Star Boy 17/2
Wolverhampton: 5.20 Jordanstown 13/2 6.25 Holy Angel 5/1 7.55 One Scoop or Two 5/1
By far my heaviest bet is on Countrywide Flame in the Aintree hurdle. I think this is a knocking good each way bet. It was a staying on third in the Champion Hurdle behind top-notch Hurrican Fly and Rock On Ruby. The extra 4 furlongs should suit. The New One will have to be a very good horse to beat it, and even then place money should cover the loss.
I have also gone quite strong on the selections for the 2.00 and the 5.35.
If you are puzzled by the selection of five choices for the 5.25, remember that it is a 16+ runner handicap and you get 1/4 the odds on the first four home. This makes the place value exceptionally good. It's almost worth backing each way even if all you have to help you is a well-sharpened pin, but as it happens, it is one of those races where a lot of the field can be excluded without too much difficulty. Three mile hurdling is a real specialism, and very few horses get the distance. The five in question definitely do. I've backed them all each way, and in reverse-forecasts. You can have fun with this one if you fancy - there are all sorts of permutations you can try, but even if you just do a couple each way, you will be getting value. (Barafundle is probably the best of them if you only want one.)
All the other selections are to modest stakes.
Good luck. I'll be back much later with comments, excuses etc.
Re the hows and whys of music moving people, I'm a professional musician / producer and we're talking about something too technical to get into here, but specifically on your love of Abba, here are just a couple of the shadowy forces at work on you:
Waterloo's rhythm is a fast 6/8 which implies a 4/4 time signature with a strong backbeat well above 120bpm - in other words its pulse is likely well above your own so, especially played loud, Abba are literally increasing your heart rate, making you feel more alert, excited and, depending on how many Moniker of Monza posts there've been that day, perhaps even cheerful.
Dancing Queen's chorus uses a melodic resolution to the tonic to resolve tension - so, the syllable "dance" in "dancing queen" is the 7th of the major scale, moving up to the 8th of the scale for "ing queen". The 8th of the scale is the same note as the 1st, and the movement has a sense of "completing" the chord after a suspension, making you feel pleasantly reassured.
Socrates and your uncle should note this latter technique is Benny and Bjorn channelling Bach.
As respective early music / eurodisco fundamentalists, could this be the missing tonic resolution of yours and your uncle's musical venn diagram?
The 4% of the welfare budget for the unemployed isn't really the problem methinks, certainly noone who is merely on JSA is 'coining it', its the whole raft of other benefits that are the issue - in Philpott's case his Housing and child benefits. What are the splits for housing/disability/sick/pensioners/child benefits from that welfare cake btw ?
MickPork, I am a bit puzzled why someone who has said in the past that they are SNP spends so much time supporting the polticial line of Labour, the main rival of the SNP. Have you left the SNP and joined Labour?
Yes, you do always sound very puzzled and bewildered when it comes to politics. Nothing to be ashamed of. It's good that you ask about basics so you don't keep making silly mistakes.
I hate to break this to you but the tory party just isn't very popular in scotland. At all. Shocking I know but it's the truth. Your amusing confusion is best explained by your inability to understand that not being in favour of right wing policies is not the exclusive prerogative of labour. Indeed since Blairism, and a lightweight like little Ed wobbling about and flirting with the right, it's even more surprising how anyone could possibly think that an SNP supporter would be in favour of the incompetent right wing tory policies of Osbrowne and Cammie.
So now you know. Glad to be of help and don't hesitate to ask if you are puzzled or confused by such basic stuff again.
Miliband admitted last night that his brother David becoming the head of International Rescue is more impressive than him becoming prime minister.
But he now believes he can leapfrog his brother by joining an organisation that has a much better ‘hit-rate’ in apprehending evil-doers.
Miliband said: “When you look beyond the scary, abandoned fairgrounds and the massive sandwiches, the Scooby Doo gang is actually doing some really important work in the community.
“But I want the gang to get more involved, particularly with schools and the elderly. I look at Shaggy and I see a young man, perhaps lacking in confidence, but with tremendous potential.”
He added: “Many of this country’s abandoned fairgrounds are actually owned by devious Bulgarians who want to scare away developers and keep the gold for themselves.
“I’m not suggesting that all Bulgarians are scary fairground owners, but by tackling the sort of immigrants who are not contributing to Britain we can make the Scooby Doo Gang relevant to ordinary, hard working families.”
Yes, you do always sound very puzzled and bewildered when it comes to politics. Nothing to be ashamed of. It's good that you ask about basics so you don't keep making silly mistakes.
I hate to break this to you but the tory party just isn't very popular in scotland. At all. Shocking I know but it's the truth. Your amusing confusion is best explained by your inability to understand that not being in favour of right wing policies is not the exclusive prerogative of labour. Indeed since Blairism, and a lightweight like little Ed wobbling about and flirting with the right, it's even more surprising how anyone could possibly think that an SNP supporter would be in favour of the incompetent right wing tory policies of Osbrowne and Cammie.
So now you know. Glad to be of help and don't hesitate to ask if you are puzzled or confused by such basic stuff again.
Er! I bow down and give obeisance before the Master.
@Edin Er! He asked a bloody stupid question since I have been on PB for years and never made a secret of my support of the SNP. Hence the mockery of such a dumb thing to ask.
Comments
And of course don't forget the leader ratings.
Cameron doing around 10 point worse with women than men every month with MORI - the gold standard leader ratings.
And of course Eastleigh where the Lib Dem beat the tory by 18 points among women "
It's not statistically sound to just exclude data that doesn't back up one's theory.
I often visit the Philippines, as my wife was born there - education is highly valued and children in school are generally well-motivated. But many children are not in school - they can be observed sleeping under bridges and begging in the streets. This is what you get in a society which lacks any form of state welfare provision, and it's not a model that has much to recommend it IMO.
If Mr Philpott makes it through 15 months alive he'll be lucky.
Mock away. I'm only suggesting a possible scenario. But if you think little North Korea could not pull the world's democracies into action you have no clue about post-cold war politics.
We shall see ...
Is that nominal or constant-prices? Considering a modest 2.5% rate-of-inflation over the period quoted one would expect that would - nominally - result in a comfortable reduction in the structural deficit, no...?
If any of the terms above confuse you, please advise. One understands that - outwith certain Health sectors - you are clueless....
What is more important is that the membership of the coalition parties and of opposition Labour is falling faster than ever: showing in stark numbers that the three main parties are now considered one particular beast, by the voting public.
Figures for the L/Dems show a fall of from 65,038 to 48,932
Conservative: 258,000 to 177,000 dtd 07/12
Labour: 195,000 to 185,00 (approx) dtd 7/12
I cannot seem to get the latest figures for for any of the parties., perhaps someone else can.
The only party to be gaining members is UKIP (27000+ and rising) and Boris is irrelevant in this political metamorphosis.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/liberaldemocrats/9451668/Liberal-Democrat-membership-plunges-by-25.html
http://labourlist.org/2012/07/tory-membership-slumps-under-cameron-and-labours-membership-numbers-arent-rosy-either/
The facts are that they earned about £14,000 a year part time between them and were then able to claim tax credits of £24,000 a year bringing the figure to £38,000. All of this paid into Philpott's account. The £68,000 total income and all benefits had £54,000 of state payments.
So education is all down to parents and children? Makes our current incumbent quotas of "educationalists" irrelevant dontcha-fink...?
I don't think he will be "getting-out".... Fifteen-years is the minimum tariff....
I can't see why anyone would be against it.
That means we've magically paid down £375bn of debt. Why then, the panic?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/ambroseevans_pritchard/9970294/Helicopter-QE-will-never-be-reversed.html
What sort of mansion would you have to live in for £4250 to be greater than 14% of your hb ?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-22026730
Somehow I don't feel symapthy for them...!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9969261/Most-feckless-father-jailed-for-life-over-fatal-stabbing-in-Dundee.html
The article says "former security-guard". Has the SLabour state funded another 17-kids, irresponsible murderer...?
EU suspects state aid in football... Knew even before I looked at the body it would be about Real Madrid. They might as well investigate if the sun is hot.
I don't think there is a left-right angle to this - it's simply a problem in public opinion which hasn't so far been effectively tackled. As you say, people in developing countries tend to see it very differently, and people who make the effort to come to Britain will tend to be more than averagely motivated.
When the topic of health tourism came up he twenty million-ed for all he was worth.
Total cost of health tourism..... twenty million twenty million twenty million. Post after post.
From reports today, looks like he was only out by a factor of a hundred...
"There's an issue in public attitudes in Britain - intellectualism has always been regarded with suspicion and that spills over into a shortage of real enthusiasm about university study. In recent years that's been reinforced by the perception that success is not much related to knowledge but more to do with luck, connections and attention-seeking behaviour (celebrity culture and all that), and the denigration of many degrees (media studies etc.). And yet people are aware that many job adverts specify a degree as a requirement. So it's seen by many as a necessary hurdle but not one that is especially interesting or useful.
I don't think there is a left-right angle to this - it's simply a problem in public opinion which hasn't so far been effectively tackled. As you say, people in developing countries tend to see it very differently, and people who make the effort to come to Britain will tend to be more than averagely motivated."
Why does this need to be "tackled" ? The scepticism is perhaps more than merited. As a nation we have swallowed the meme that degrees equal success when increasingly it's not that clear cut. Degrees are now a pile of debt at the start of your life; degrees don't necessarily give you a head start especially when everybody has one; degrees aren't a sign of superior thought - the country was screwed up by people with higher qualifications from tolp institutions. Maybe looking at the fundamentals and appreciating work for itself are a better way of going forward.
All adds to the whiff of panic IMHO..
from Guido
"Osborne gets it. Commenting on the Philpot sentence, the Chancellor said:
‘There’s a question about the welfare state, and taxpayers who pay, subsidising lifestyles like that’"
Did Sarkozy run Hollande "close"?
In London that kind of campaign can work because of the large Muslim population and the larger than average core Labour vote. Outside of London that campaign would not hold water as chasing the Muslim vote would lose a lot of swing voters in the centre, comments like "riddled with gays" would lose a lot of liberal voters so Ed M will never go after that campaign against Boris (or Dave for that matter).
LOL
Why shouldn't the CoTE comment on the headlines of the day in particular when they relate to the largest chunk of his spending.
What has rEd had to say about this ? Nothing nada zilch. Probably waiting for official policy to come through from Hugh Grant.
Whether you believe it or not (and I don't) that's what people seem to want to think right now,
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9971393/George-Osborne-Why-should-the-taxpayer-fund-lifestyles-like-those-of-the-Philpotts.html
Try thinking about what he said and why. You mentioning Hugh Grant makes it even funnier.
Nelson Mandela has been more visible than rEd this week.
Still on the bright side I read that the DfID has had a massive increase in its budget this year, so I can bask in the inner satisfaction of all the extra good we will be doing in the world.
I'll happily talk about benefits and polling every single day since it gives the opportunity to show the lies and myths stacked up against the truth.
http://www.channel4.com/news/state-handouts-are-benefits-too-generous?
'“What President Hollande is seeking to do in France and what he is seeking to do in leading the debate in Europe is find that different way forward. We are in agreement in seeking that new way that needs to be found and I think can be found.”
Unemployment at 16 year high,top tax rate ruled unconstitutional,a budget minister that had €600,000 stashed in a Swiss bank account and approval ratings at a record low.
Is Ed still going to copy Hollande's template or is he back to his blank piece of paper?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/mar/31/french-lesson-ed-miliband-proper-plan
"Western politicians are plankton drifting in the tide, pretending they can influence the moon."
Rather nice line, Mr. T.
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danhodges/100210501/labours-new-strategy-get-this-muthaflippin-miliband-on-this-muthaflippin-train/
"Ed Miliband is heading for Downing Street. By rail.
“It’s their new idea,” a slightly sceptical Labour insider told me earlier this week. “They’re calling it the Ed On A Train Strategy.”
The plan is brilliant in its simplicity. Ed Miliband gets on a train. And that’s it. He gets on the train, gets off the train, and wins the next election."
"Another Labour insider says it provides in insight into the political psychology of Ed’s inner circle. “You have to understand, they’re totally obsessed with the idea of posh people.
They think it’s the defining issue. They think if they can paint Cameron as the posh guy, and Ed as an ordinary guy, they’ll win."
Speaking of toxic liabilities...
The quiet man's £53/wk is still turning up the volume.
https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/iain-duncan-smith-iain-duncan-smith-to-live-on-53-a-week
413,000 people have signed signed it now.
*chortle*
Bless his cotton socks.
Fantastic day's racing and not just at Aintree. My money is on:
Aintree:
2.00 Flaxen Flare 5/1
2.30 Quito de la Roque 10/1
3.05 Countrywide Flame 9/2
3.40 Cottage Oak 7/1
4.50 Captain Conan 13/8
5.25 Barafundle 16/1
Jetson 7/1
Many Clouds 12/1
Ely Brown 25/1
Hada Man 40/1
Taunton:
3.55 Monetary Fund 5/1
5.35 Helium 14/1
Lingfield:
4.05 Hard Walnut 11/2
4.40 North Star Boy 17/2
Wolverhampton:
5.20 Jordanstown 13/2
6.25 Holy Angel 5/1
7.55 One Scoop or Two 5/1
By far my heaviest bet is on Countrywide Flame in the Aintree hurdle. I think this is a knocking good each way bet. It was a staying on third in the Champion Hurdle behind top-notch Hurrican Fly and Rock On Ruby. The extra 4 furlongs should suit. The New One will have to be a very good horse to beat it, and even then place money should cover the loss.
I have also gone quite strong on the selections for the 2.00 and the 5.35.
If you are puzzled by the selection of five choices for the 5.25, remember that it is a 16+ runner handicap and you get 1/4 the odds on the first four home. This makes the place value exceptionally good. It's almost worth backing each way even if all you have to help you is a well-sharpened pin, but as it happens, it is one of those races where a lot of the field can be excluded without too much difficulty. Three mile hurdling is a real specialism, and very few horses get the distance. The five in question definitely do. I've backed them all each way, and in reverse-forecasts. You can have fun with this one if you fancy - there are all sorts of permutations you can try, but even if you just do a couple each way, you will be getting value. (Barafundle is probably the best of them if you only want one.)
All the other selections are to modest stakes.
Good luck. I'll be back much later with comments, excuses etc.
Somethings are inevitable. Afterall cutting back on pensioners benefits seems to be something that tim etc would support.
Mick are you one of rEd's "inner circle" ? You too are "obsessed with the idea of posh people"
Re the hows and whys of music moving people, I'm a professional musician / producer and we're talking about something too technical to get into here, but specifically on your love of Abba, here are just a couple of the shadowy forces at work on you:
Waterloo's rhythm is a fast 6/8 which implies a 4/4 time signature with a strong backbeat well above 120bpm - in other words its pulse is likely well above your own so, especially played loud, Abba are literally increasing your heart rate, making you feel more alert, excited and, depending on how many Moniker of Monza posts there've been that day, perhaps even cheerful.
Dancing Queen's chorus uses a melodic resolution to the tonic to resolve tension - so, the syllable "dance" in "dancing queen" is the 7th of the major scale, moving up to the 8th of the scale for "ing queen". The 8th of the scale is the same note as the 1st, and the movement has a sense of "completing" the chord after a suspension, making you feel pleasantly reassured.
Socrates and your uncle should note this latter technique is Benny and Bjorn channelling Bach.
As respective early music / eurodisco fundamentalists, could this be the missing tonic resolution of yours and your uncle's musical venn diagram?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LQ-A-lA88g
LOL
Getting upset Harry? Osbrowne's toxic and everyone knows it.
http://www.espn.co.uk/redbull/motorsport/story/104731.html
Three days too late, I think. Oh, and the picture appears to be wrong as well.
This one shows housing benefit and divides things into a bit more detail.
I hate to break this to you but the tory party just isn't very popular in scotland. At all. Shocking I know but it's the truth. Your amusing confusion is best explained by your inability to understand that not being in favour of right wing policies is not the exclusive prerogative of labour. Indeed since Blairism, and a lightweight like little Ed wobbling about and flirting with the right, it's even more surprising how anyone could possibly think that an SNP supporter would be in favour of the incompetent right wing tory policies of Osbrowne and Cammie.
So now you know. Glad to be of help and don't hesitate to ask if you are puzzled or confused by such basic stuff again.
Miliband admitted last night that his brother David becoming the head of International Rescue is more impressive than him becoming prime minister.
But he now believes he can leapfrog his brother by joining an organisation that has a much better ‘hit-rate’ in apprehending evil-doers.
Miliband said: “When you look beyond the scary, abandoned fairgrounds and the massive sandwiches, the Scooby Doo gang is actually doing some really important work in the community.
“But I want the gang to get more involved, particularly with schools and the elderly. I look at Shaggy and I see a young man, perhaps lacking in confidence, but with tremendous potential.”
He added: “Many of this country’s abandoned fairgrounds are actually owned by devious Bulgarians who want to scare away developers and keep the gold for themselves.
“I’m not suggesting that all Bulgarians are scary fairground owners, but by tackling the sort of immigrants who are not contributing to Britain we can make the Scooby Doo Gang relevant to ordinary, hard working families.”
Er! He asked a bloody stupid question since I have been on PB for years and never made a secret of my support of the SNP. Hence the mockery of such a dumb thing to ask.