Soon, due to climate change, there will only be two seasons.
Poppy Season, and Black Lives Matter season.
Not sure those two will coexist peacefully.
Oh, I'm sure a few BAME people fought for Britain in either World War...
Who said otherwise? You draw very strange conclusions sometimes.
Wasn't your conclusion strange? "Not sure those two will coexist peacefully."
It was a tongue in cheek comment on wokeness among BLM and snowflakery among poppy idealists (eg getting mad at people not wearing them etc), apparently not clear enough, but it was still one hell of a leap to conclude extreme racism was at hand.
October is Black History Month, so does overlap with the Poppy Appeal.
A lot of the hysteria over BLM in the UK is driven by posh people who went to public school who do not realise how much state schools already teach kids about colonialism/slavery etc.
For example, I had drinks with a posho female friend the other day - very pro BLM - and she said "well it's a total scandal that British children aren't taught about slavery".
Of course she was ex public school. And it seems her ex public school, years ago, likely taught zero about all this. She was quite disconcerted to hear of the concept of "black history month" and even more destabilised to learn that 90% of British kids get this Black History very much shown to them, every single year, for several weeks at a time.
Class underlies much of this, in an odd way.
There’s definitely some truth to this. In the middle of the BLM period this year pre-lockdown my youngest was bringing home history homework which was extremely explicit about slavery, the triangular trade, the conditions under which black slave in the Carribean were forced to work & where the profits ended up etc etc.
Perhaps they could have gone into more detail about the economics of it all but that might have been a bit much for a pre-teen.
My one criticism is perhaps that kids learn this stuff as some historical abstract, but they don’t necessarily connect it to the present day. Perhaps that’s a political step too far for UK schools to make.
It doesn't matter how high the grades are because people will demand higher ones.
And it doesn't matter how the grades are because the big, bad world will not care.
Quite, but it's probably a political necessity now to inflate the grades - think of it as the academic equivalent of quantative easing. You know it's not great in the long term but it makes the short term a bit more bearable.
It doesn't matter how high the grades are because people will demand higher ones.
And it doesn't matter how the grades are because the big, bad world will not care.
Quite, but it's probably a political necessity now to inflate the grades - think of it as the academic equivalent of quantative easing. You know it's not great in the long term but it makes the short term a bit more bearable.
They've already been inflated so it will be a further inflation.
And what happens next year ?
I'll guess that any attempt to return the grades to the level of previous years prompts more tantrums and demands that the levels of 2020 are maintained.
It doesn't matter how high the grades are because people will demand higher ones.
And it doesn't matter how the grades are because the big, bad world will not care.
Quite, but it's probably a political necessity now to inflate the grades - think of it as the academic equivalent of quantative easing. You know it's not great in the long term but it makes the short term a bit more bearable.
Soon, due to climate change, there will only be two seasons.
Poppy Season, and Black Lives Matter season.
Not sure those two will coexist peacefully.
Oh, I'm sure a few BAME people fought for Britain in either World War...
Who said otherwise? You draw very strange conclusions sometimes.
Wasn't your conclusion strange? "Not sure those two will coexist peacefully."
It was a tongue in cheek comment on wokeness among BLM and snowflakery among poppy idealists (eg getting mad at people not wearing them etc), apparently not clear enough, but it was still one hell of a leap to conclude extreme racism was at hand.
October is Black History Month, so does overlap with the Poppy Appeal.
A lot of the hysteria over BLM in the UK is driven by posh people who went to public school who do not realise how much state schools already teach kids about colonialism/slavery etc.
For example, I had drinks with a posho female friend the other day - very pro BLM - and she said "well it's a total scandal that British children aren't taught about slavery".
Of course she was ex public school. And it seems her ex public school, years ago, likely taught zero about all this. She was quite disconcerted to hear of the concept of "black history month" and even more destabilised to learn that 90% of British kids get this Black History very much shown to them, every single year, for several weeks at a time.
Class underlies much of this, in an odd way.
There’s definitely some truth to this. In the middle of the BLM period this year pre-lockdown my youngest was bringing home history homework which was extremely explicit about slavery, the triangular trade, the conditions under which black slave in the Carribean were forced to work & where the profits ended up etc etc.
Perhaps they could have gone into more detail about the economics of it all but that might have been a bit much for a pre-teen.
My one criticism is perhaps that kids learn this stuff as some historical abstract, but they don’t necessarily connect it to the present day. Perhaps that’s a political step too far for UK schools to make.
I was entirely schooled in the state system. As long ago as the 70s and primary school we were being gently taught about the Middle Passage, and doing drawings of the horrific way slaves were packed into boats.
This was a GOOD thing. I was very aware.
When I went to Secondary Comp this continued, and was reinforced. There was no way I was going to emerge from the British state education system without a decent knowledge of the whole horrible business. You could not avoid it.
Again, this is good.
And yet, in recent weeks, I have had posh friends lecturing me, on Facebook (not just my drinky friend) claiming all this is *ignored* in our schools. FFS.
The simple fact is, they are rich, they went to public school, they simply have no clue (as in so many ways).
Theory: Britain would be better off run by state school kids, end of.
Take away all the posh public school fuckers from British politics and we'd have avoided David Cameron for a start. And Osborne. And Blair.
Basically we'd have been governed by Thatcher, Major, Brown, and now perhaps me. We'd have avoided Iraq, and so much more.
No more public school kids must ever run the country.
Soon, due to climate change, there will only be two seasons.
Poppy Season, and Black Lives Matter season.
Not sure those two will coexist peacefully.
Oh, I'm sure a few BAME people fought for Britain in either World War...
Who said otherwise? You draw very strange conclusions sometimes.
Wasn't your conclusion strange? "Not sure those two will coexist peacefully."
It was a tongue in cheek comment on wokeness among BLM and snowflakery among poppy idealists (eg getting mad at people not wearing them etc), apparently not clear enough, but it was still one hell of a leap to conclude extreme racism was at hand.
October is Black History Month, so does overlap with the Poppy Appeal.
A lot of the hysteria over BLM in the UK is driven by posh people who went to public school who do not realise how much state schools already teach kids about colonialism/slavery etc.
For example, I had drinks with a posho female friend the other day - very pro BLM - and she said "well it's a total scandal that British children aren't taught about slavery".
Of course she was ex public school. And it seems her ex public school, years ago, likely taught zero about all this. She was quite disconcerted to hear of the concept of "black history month" and even more destabilised to learn that 90% of British kids get this Black History very much shown to them, every single year, for several weeks at a time.
Class underlies much of this, in an odd way.
The poshos prefer to talk about race as its not a threat to them.
It doesn't matter how high the grades are because people will demand higher ones.
And it doesn't matter how the grades are because the big, bad world will not care.
Quite, but it's probably a political necessity now to inflate the grades - think of it as the academic equivalent of quantative easing. You know it's not great in the long term but it makes the short term a bit more bearable.
They've already been inflated so it will be a further inflation.
And what happens next year ?
I'll guess that any attempt to return the grades to the level of previous years prompts more tantrums and demands that the levels of 2020 are maintained.
You're not wrong, but political skewering on this is going to happen this year, and if even the SNP can't bluster their way through it, it's bad. If I were Boris it would be A's all round this year, and universities would just have to lump it and find some other way to assess aptitude.
Went for a 2nd Eat out to help out meal. Will be my last
Absolutely rammed at 5,30 sitting far too close
Took over an hour to get starters which i sent back as were hardly warm but just felt so wrong tables so close I couldnt even make a run for it.
I think it was one of those nice ideas which perhaps should have remained exactly that.
2 hour queues at Nandos.
Sounds chaotic. Are Nandos going to cockup by not respecting their customers - like some badly-communicating gyms?
Why aren't they running pre-booked slots with a start and end time? Or are they overbooking like airlines?
I have been to two at local free house pubs and they have been excellent, even though running at their (slightly reduced) capacity - seemed to have loads of extra staff on duty. At the best one the table limit was pre-declared at 1:45 hours.
I missed a third booking at 9am on the day because the only free slot was 9.15pm.
Soon, due to climate change, there will only be two seasons.
Poppy Season, and Black Lives Matter season.
Not sure those two will coexist peacefully.
Oh, I'm sure a few BAME people fought for Britain in either World War...
Who said otherwise? You draw very strange conclusions sometimes.
Wasn't your conclusion strange? "Not sure those two will coexist peacefully."
It was a tongue in cheek comment on wokeness among BLM and snowflakery among poppy idealists (eg getting mad at people not wearing them etc), apparently not clear enough, but it was still one hell of a leap to conclude extreme racism was at hand.
October is Black History Month, so does overlap with the Poppy Appeal.
A lot of the hysteria over BLM in the UK is driven by posh people who went to public school who do not realise how much state schools already teach kids about colonialism/slavery etc.
For example, I had drinks with a posho female friend the other day - very pro BLM - and she said "well it's a total scandal that British children aren't taught about slavery".
Of course she was ex public school. And it seems her ex public school, years ago, likely taught zero about all this. She was quite disconcerted to hear of the concept of "black history month" and even more destabilised to learn that 90% of British kids get this Black History very much shown to them, every single year, for several weeks at a time.
Class underlies much of this, in an odd way.
The poshos prefer to talk about race as its not a threat to them.
Soon, due to climate change, there will only be two seasons.
Poppy Season, and Black Lives Matter season.
Not sure those two will coexist peacefully.
Oh, I'm sure a few BAME people fought for Britain in either World War...
Who said otherwise? You draw very strange conclusions sometimes.
Wasn't your conclusion strange? "Not sure those two will coexist peacefully."
It was a tongue in cheek comment on wokeness among BLM and snowflakery among poppy idealists (eg getting mad at people not wearing them etc), apparently not clear enough, but it was still one hell of a leap to conclude extreme racism was at hand.
October is Black History Month, so does overlap with the Poppy Appeal.
A lot of the hysteria over BLM in the UK is driven by posh people who went to public school who do not realise how much state schools already teach kids about colonialism/slavery etc.
For example, I had drinks with a posho female friend the other day - very pro BLM - and she said "well it's a total scandal that British children aren't taught about slavery".
Of course she was ex public school. And it seems her ex public school, years ago, likely taught zero about all this. She was quite disconcerted to hear of the concept of "black history month" and even more destabilised to learn that 90% of British kids get this Black History very much shown to them, every single year, for several weeks at a time.
Class underlies much of this, in an odd way.
There’s definitely some truth to this. In the middle of the BLM period this year pre-lockdown my youngest was bringing home history homework which was extremely explicit about slavery, the triangular trade, the conditions under which black slave in the Carribean were forced to work & where the profits ended up etc etc.
Perhaps they could have gone into more detail about the economics of it all but that might have been a bit much for a pre-teen.
My one criticism is perhaps that kids learn this stuff as some historical abstract, but they don’t necessarily connect it to the present day. Perhaps that’s a political step too far for UK schools to make.
I'd say so. I think learning about historical events in the abstract is very important, and if people then choose to see the relevance of such events for present day problems, or wish to persuade others that is the case, that is open to them. It isn't hiding things away, but nor is it instructing an agenda, just laying out the events (and historical debates around it), and letting it flow from there.
Can some PB-er with more energy than me (I've been newt-painting all day) construct a counter-factual history where at every important juncture the state school educated candidate (in party, regional or national election) wins out over the posh twat, since, say 1979 and Thatcher.
My rough rough guess is that the UK would be in a better place, by a farrrrrrrr distance.
It doesn't matter how high the grades are because people will demand higher ones.
And it doesn't matter how the grades are because the big, bad world will not care.
Quite, but it's probably a political necessity now to inflate the grades - think of it as the academic equivalent of quantative easing. You know it's not great in the long term but it makes the short term a bit more bearable.
They've already been inflated so it will be a further inflation.
And what happens next year ?
I'll guess that any attempt to return the grades to the level of previous years prompts more tantrums and demands that the levels of 2020 are maintained.
You're not wrong, but political skewering on this is going to happen this year, and if even the SNP can't bluster their way through it, it's bad. If I were Boris it would be A's all round this year, and universities would just have to lump it and find some other way to assess aptitude.
People want higher grades not honest grades.
It wont do anyone any good - the clever and hardworking will not benefit from their efforts while those who get higher grades than they should will think themselves better than they are until big, bad world imposes reality painfully upon them.
Meanwhile journalists and democracy activists are being rounded up in HK with scarcely a peep from anyone.
I will never now go to China or to HK again or use a Cathay Pacific flight and intend being as rude as possible about the vile Chinese regime. It is no more than it deserves.
The death of HK is one of the saddest things. It was a truly magical city. All the wonders of Chinese culture (and many other cultures), superb cuisine, magnificent architecture, and, crucially, that underpinning of English Common law and Anglo-Saxon freedom.
Without the law and freedom it is ruined.
Not death.
Deliberate murder by one of the nastiest viciously oppressive totalitarian regimes around, up there with Stalin’s Russia or Nazi Germany in its disgusting revoltingness.
Anyway off to watch the lightning and hear the thunder over the Duddon estuary and Irish Sea.
I hope you feel better?
Your comment the other day was quite concerning. I too have had moments of Dark Covid Despair, so I truly empathise. But we fight on! We are needed!
And maybe take my advice: don't think too much about the future. Don't look ahead, the same way you don't look down on a tightrope. There is nothing but fearful danger to be seen. So live in the moment.
Thank you. Not really. Living in the moment involves staring at the sea and sheep. I feel and am utterly useless and pointless. I write posts on here, which lovely as it is, is hardly setting the world on fire. I cannot even do the washing up for my daughter because I have to hide.
I have spent decades sorting out other peoples’ problems, quite successfully too. And I loved it. Give me a problem and I can do something to help. Now I can’t even wash up to help my daughter. I am the bloody problem.
Bollocks to it all.
While time for quiet reflection is rare most of the time, it now is overflowing in abundance.
I have had enough time to rethink priorities, to daydream about my RTW trip without flying, to have time in garden and doing DIY and to play with my dog. To cook with Mrs Foxy. I have enough stimulus at work so that the hours do not drag.
I can see though the strains on others, on the rather more gregarious Mrs Foxy and Fox jr, as well on some patients who are positively agoraphobic now.
I try to be philosophic about it. It cannot be fought so must be endured.
I am trying to endure it too. But I am not even in my home. I am living out of a suitcase in a rented barn and I am split from most of my family. I cannot even hug anyone. I don’t even have the comfort - and it is a comfort to me - of sitting in my church where many of the important events in my life have happened and singing / being with friendly strangers reflecting. I have no garden. I went mad last week and bought some succulents - aloe polyphilla - which I hope the bastard lambs won’t eat and on Saturday spent a few hours repotting them and realised that for the first time in ages I felt happy. I am without the people and things which root me and give me sustenance.
Bearable for a while - but it’s been bloody months now with no end in site.
“And at my back I always hear Time’s winged chariot hurrying near”
I know I have much to be grateful for. But this is a half-life at best.
Cyclefree, as you are being personal (and I think that is good - I know from experience that being honest can save people - eg me) - then can I ask:
You say you are shielding. Fair enough. But what stops you from moving somewhere with, say, a bit of garden. Or meeting people at a distance, like three metres?
I have several family members who are at grave risk but they manage to meet in gardens, across yards, etc. They drink their gin three metres away in visors, but they drink and laugh and life goes on (however diminished).
Forgive me if I am presuming. Maybe money prevents. But you don't sound totally impoverished. Maybe rent somewhere with some outside space? Esp a tiny garden which you could tend?
Also, maybe try cooking baking and giving to foodbanks/friends/relatives?
I learned at my lowest point (v near suicide) that the best days were when I thought of other people, not myself. You seem to be in a similar situatiion maybe. You need to hug, at least metaphorically, if you cannot, physically. You need to give. That's normal.
I hate this virus as much as you. It has destroyed so many things that I love. It had rendered much of my life pointless. But we have wisdom in our age: and that will be needed.
Courage is grace under fire. We need to show it. x
You are not presuming and thank you.
I am rebuilding a house - a home for me and my daughter principally. Due to be finished by March 24. Oh the irony. Like all building projects it overran and got caught by lockdown. So daughter and I faced homelessness and were bloody lucky to rent a barn nearby - all holiday lets being closed. I am surrounded by lots and lots of green acres and sheep and cows. The views are superb and I love them. But like all barns in a farm there is no garden. The rebuilding has started and the house has an enormous garden which I cannot wait to get stuck into. That will be 2021’s project. With luck we will be able to move in by Xmas. Daughter needs the stability of a proper home, especially given the year she’s had.
I do meet the same 3 or 4 people at a distance when they come up here - there is a footpath nearby so it is usually after a sweaty walk or ride.
I have - and am doing - what I can. Charity stuff and advice etc. All the projects which I was starting to get involved in have ground to a halt. I am not a cook - competent rather than inspired - and my baking counts as a WMD.
But I cannot do anything for my children and I do so fear for their future. And now with my work collapsed - I have largely written off this year - I am beginning to worry about money too.
But it’s my children who are my biggest worry. And they are worrying about me not getting this stupid virus which is all wrong. Youngest is just 22, out of uni and thinks everything is “fucked”. And it is, isn’t it?
Nothing special about me. I enjoy the walks and the countryside and the sea and learning about sheep and their little ways. I haven’t caught this blasted disease which is something. But aren’t we all feeling more than a bit pissed off with this twilight life?
Today in 1996, Oasis started the first of 2 nights at Knebworth. Over the 2 days they played to 250,000 fans but incredibly could have sold out another 18 nights. Over 2,500,000 people applied for tickets.
Incredible work for a band with only 1 good album.
Jesus Christ, I'm listening to Great Gig in the Sky on an EXCELLENT Sonos system
Fuck
Bye bye, everyone, bye bye
I listened to that on the deck of a boat on the Norfolk Broads around this time last night with 5 of my mates, looking up at the stars at the end of a three day sesh
Your comment the other day was quite concerning. I too have had moments of Dark Covid Despair, so I truly empathise. But we fight on! We are needed!
And maybe take my advice: don't think too much about the future. Don't look ahead, the same way you don't look down on a tightrope. There is nothing but fearful danger to be seen. So live in the moment.
Thank you. Not really. Living in the moment involves staring at the sea and sheep. I feel and am utterly useless and pointless. I write posts on here, which lovely as it is, is hardly setting the world on fire. I cannot even do the washing up for my daughter because I have to hide.
I have spent decades sorting out other peoples’ problems, quite successfully too. And I loved it. Give me a problem and I can do something to help. Now I can’t even wash up to help my daughter. I am the bloody problem.
Bollocks to it all.
While time for quiet reflection is rare most of the time, it now is overflowing in abundance.
I have had enough time to rethink priorities, to daydream about my RTW trip without flying, to have time in garden and doing DIY and to play with my dog. To cook with Mrs Foxy. I have enough stimulus at work so that the hours do not drag.
I can see though the strains on others, on the rather more gregarious Mrs Foxy and Fox jr, as well on some patients who are positively agoraphobic now.
I try to be philosophic about it. It cannot be fought so must be endured.
I am trying to endure it too. But I am not even in my home. I am living out of a suitcase in a rented barn and I am split from most of my family. I cannot even hug anyone. I don’t even have the comfort - and it is a comfort to me - of sitting in my church where many of the important events in my life have happened and singing / being with friendly strangers reflecting. I have no garden. I went mad last week and bought some succulents - aloe polyphilla - which I hope the bastard lambs won’t eat and on Saturday spent a few hours repotting them and realised that for the first time in ages I felt happy. I am without the people and things which root me and give me sustenance.
Bearable for a while - but it’s been bloody months now with no end in site.
“And at my back I always hear Time’s winged chariot hurrying near”
I know I have much to be grateful for. But this is a half-life at best.
Feeling for you.
One remarkable person from the Lakes you may not have found yet was an early Victorian architect called Sarah Losh, who designed and built the church at Wreay in abut 1840. Well worth looking up and planning to visit later.
It's in Simon Jenkins if you have him handy.
Identify with the lack of hugs. My last was before last Christmas, or maybe March.
Jenny Uglow wrote a good book about it called “The Pinecone”.
Today in 1996, Oasis started the first of 2 nights at Knebworth. Over the 2 days they played to 250,000 fans but incredibly could have sold out another 18 nights. Over 2,500,000 people applied for tickets.
Incredible work for a band with only 1 good album.
I went to that gig, not even sure they’ve got one full good album. It was a nice sunny day, though.
Meanwhile journalists and democracy activists are being rounded up in HK with scarcely a peep from anyone.
I will never now go to China or to HK again or use a Cathay Pacific flight and intend being as rude as possible about the vile Chinese regime. It is no more than it deserves.
The death of HK is one of the saddest things. It was a truly magical city. All the wonders of Chinese culture (and many other cultures), superb cuisine, magnificent architecture, and, crucially, that underpinning of English Common law and Anglo-Saxon freedom.
Without the law and freedom it is ruined.
Not death.
Deliberate murder by one of the nastiest viciously oppressive totalitarian regimes around, up there with Stalin’s Russia or Nazi Germany in its disgusting revoltingness.
Anyway off to watch the lightning and hear the thunder over the Duddon estuary and Irish Sea.
I hope you feel better?
Your comment the other day was quite concerning. I too have had moments of Dark Covid Despair, so I truly empathise. But we fight on! We are needed!
And maybe take my advice: don't think too much about the future. Don't look ahead, the same way you don't look down on a tightrope. There is nothing but fearful danger to be seen. So live in the moment.
Thank you. Not really. Living in the moment involves staring at the sea and sheep. I feel and am utterly useless and pointless. I write posts on here, which lovely as it is, is hardly setting the world on fire. I cannot even do the washing up for my daughter because I have to hide.
I have spent decades sorting out other peoples’ problems, quite successfully too. And I loved it. Give me a problem and I can do something to help. Now I can’t even wash up to help my daughter. I am the bloody problem.
Bollocks to it all.
While time for quiet reflection is rare most of the time, it now is overflowing in abundance.
I have had enough time to rethink priorities, to daydream about my RTW trip without flying, to have time in garden and doing DIY and to play with my dog. To cook with Mrs Foxy. I have enough stimulus at work so that the hours do not drag.
I can see though the strains on others, on the rather more gregarious Mrs Foxy and Fox jr, as well on some patients who are positively agoraphobic now.
I try to be philosophic about it. It cannot be fought so must be endured.
I am trying to endure it too. But I am not even in my home. I am living out of a suitcase in a rented barn and I am split from most of my family. I cannot even hug anyone. I don’t even have the comfort - and it is a comfort to me - of sitting in my church where many of the important events in my life have happened and singing / being with friendly strangers reflecting. I have no garden. I went mad last week and bought some succulents - aloe polyphilla - which I hope the bastard lambs won’t eat and on Saturday spent a few hours repotting them and realised that for the first time in ages I felt happy. I am without the people and things which root me and give me sustenance.
Bearable for a while - but it’s been bloody months now with no end in site.
“And at my back I always hear Time’s winged chariot hurrying near”
I know I have much to be grateful for. But this is a half-life at best.
Cyclefree, as you are being personal (and I think that is good - I know from experience that being honest can save people - eg me) - then can I ask:
You say you are shielding. Fair enough. But what stops you from moving somewhere with, say, a bit of garden. Or meeting people at a distance, like three metres?
I have several family members who are at grave risk but they manage to meet in gardens, across yards, etc. They drink their gin three metres away in visors, but they drink and laugh and life goes on (however diminished).
Forgive me if I am presuming. Maybe money prevents. But you don't sound totally impoverished. Maybe rent somewhere with some outside space? Esp a tiny garden which you could tend?
Also, maybe try cooking baking and giving to foodbanks/friends/relatives?
I learned at my lowest point (v near suicide) that the best days were when I thought of other people, not myself. You seem to be in a similar situatiion maybe. You need to hug, at least metaphorically, if you cannot, physically. You need to give. That's normal.
I hate this virus as much as you. It has destroyed so many things that I love. It had rendered much of my life pointless. But we have wisdom in our age: and that will be needed.
Courage is grace under fire. We need to show it. x
You are not presuming and thank you.
I am rebuilding a house - a home for me and my daughter principally. Due to be finished by March 24. Oh the irony. Like all building projects it overran and got caught by lockdown. So daughter and I faced homelessness and were bloody lucky to rent a barn nearby - all holiday lets being closed. I am surrounded by lots and lots of green acres and sheep and cows. The views are superb and I love them. But like all barns in a farm there is no garden. The rebuilding has started and the house has an enormous garden which I cannot wait to get stuck into. That will be 2021’s project. With luck we will be able to move in by Xmas. Daughter needs the stability of a proper home, especially given the year she’s had.
I do meet the same 3 or 4 people at a distance when they come up here - there is a footpath nearby so it is usually after a sweaty walk or ride.
I have - and am doing - what I can. Charity stuff and advice etc. All the projects which I was starting to get involved in have ground to a halt. I am not a cook - competent rather than inspired - and my baking counts as a WMD.
But I cannot do anything for my children and I do so fear for their future. And now with my work collapsed - I have largely written off this year - I am beginning to worry about money too.
But it’s my children who are my biggest worry. And they are worrying about me not getting this stupid virus which is all wrong. Youngest is just 22, out of uni and thinks everything is “fucked”. And it is, isn’t it?
Nothing special about me. I enjoy the walks and the countryside and the sea and learning about sheep and their little ways. I haven’t caught this blasted disease which is something. But aren’t we all feeling more than a bit pissed off with this twilight life?
And if it’s just me, apologies.
Yes, it is a twilight life. Do you have a car? I did an amazing road trip last week. If you can get out, then you can see famous sites entirely alone (or with kids, like me, but that may not be possible for you) - and that is a privilege.
But eeesh, there's no glossing over the pain.
And it intensifies. I have several close family members who could die this autumn/winter if the 2nd wave is bad. It would just scythe through us. Half the family. Literally.
But I enjoyed the sunshine today. And I am drinking a lovely Malbec. And it is good to talk on PB!
This is the worst thing since the 2nd World War for most people in the West. But our forefathers came through that, and built a better world, in the end. And yet in some ways this is WORSE than the War - the inability to hug people is so especially cruel. At least in the war you could go to a pub and sing your heart out over a piano, even during the Blitz. We can't.
We are being tested. We must show our mettle. And maybe one day our grandkids will look back and say of us: Well, if they got through that, so we can handle this!
Soon, due to climate change, there will only be two seasons.
Poppy Season, and Black Lives Matter season.
Not sure those two will coexist peacefully.
Oh, I'm sure a few BAME people fought for Britain in either World War...
Who said otherwise? You draw very strange conclusions sometimes.
Wasn't your conclusion strange? "Not sure those two will coexist peacefully."
It was a tongue in cheek comment on wokeness among BLM and snowflakery among poppy idealists (eg getting mad at people not wearing them etc), apparently not clear enough, but it was still one hell of a leap to conclude extreme racism was at hand.
October is Black History Month, so does overlap with the Poppy Appeal.
A lot of the hysteria over BLM in the UK is driven by posh people who went to public school who do not realise how much state schools already teach kids about colonialism/slavery etc.
For example, I had drinks with a posho female friend the other day - very pro BLM - and she said "well it's a total scandal that British children aren't taught about slavery".
Of course she was ex public school. And it seems her ex public school, years ago, likely taught zero about all this. She was quite disconcerted to hear of the concept of "black history month" and even more destabilised to learn that 90% of British kids get this Black History very much shown to them, every single year, for several weeks at a time.
Class underlies much of this, in an odd way.
There’s definitely some truth to this. In the middle of the BLM period this year pre-lockdown my youngest was bringing home history homework which was extremely explicit about slavery, the triangular trade, the conditions under which black slave in the Carribean were forced to work & where the profits ended up etc etc.
Perhaps they could have gone into more detail about the economics of it all but that might have been a bit much for a pre-teen.
My one criticism is perhaps that kids learn this stuff as some historical abstract, but they don’t necessarily connect it to the present day. Perhaps that’s a political step too far for UK schools to make.
I was entirely schooled in the state system. As long ago as the 70s and primary school we were being gently taught about the Middle Passage, and doing drawings of the horrific way slaves were packed into boats.
This was a GOOD thing. I was very aware.
When I went to Secondary Comp this continued, and was reinforced. There was no way I was going to emerge from the British state education system without a decent knowledge of the whole horrible business. You could not avoid it.
Again, this is good.
And yet, in recent weeks, I have had posh friends lecturing me, on Facebook (not just my drinky friend) claiming all this is *ignored* in our schools. FFS.
The simple fact is, they are rich, they went to public school, they simply have no clue (as in so many ways).
Theory: Britain would be better off run by state school kids, end of.
Take away all the posh public school fuckers from British politics and we'd have avoided David Cameron for a start. And Osborne. And Blair.
Basically we'd have been governed by Thatcher, Major, Brown, and now perhaps me. We'd have avoided Iraq, and so much more.
No more public school kids must ever run the country.
My 12 year old son's two main topics in the Spring and summer terms for history were Empire - primarily looking at the history and effects of Empire on India - and slavery. Both well balanced, very detailed, explicit about the horrors but also discussing the things that Britain did right with the emancipation campaigns. Overall I thought it was an excellent introduction to both topics. He is at a Grammar.
Today in 1996, Oasis started the first of 2 nights at Knebworth. Over the 2 days they played to 250,000 fans but incredibly could have sold out another 18 nights. Over 2,500,000 people applied for tickets.
Incredible work for a band with only 1 good album.
I went to that gig, not even sure they’ve got one full good album. It was a nice sunny day, though.
So did I. I smoked a joint for the first time in two years when I was about ten rows back from the stage and regretted it pretty quickly. Ended up sleeping in Kings Cross ticket office!
Can some PB-er with more energy than me (I've been newt-painting all day) construct a counter-factual history where at every important juncture the state school educated candidate (in party, regional or national election) wins out over the posh twat, since, say 1979 and Thatcher.
My rough rough guess is that the UK would be in a better place, by a farrrrrrrr distance.
John Smith doesn't die so becomes PM instead of Blair.
No Iraq and keeps control of Gordon Brown.
Conservatives come to power in 2006/7 so too early for Cameron.
They'd be mad to do it though, it would basically destroy the investment environment for international businesses in the Netherlands. Why would anyone invest there given the chance of getting done over by such a tax.
Can some PB-er with more energy than me (I've been newt-painting all day) construct a counter-factual history where at every important juncture the state school educated candidate (in party, regional or national election) wins out over the posh twat, since, say 1979 and Thatcher.
My rough rough guess is that the UK would be in a better place, by a farrrrrrrr distance.
Foot was public school and lost in 1983. Blair was next leader who went to public school so that would have meant Major winning in 1997, Hague in 2001 and Howard in 2005 as they were all state educated, state educated Brown would have beaten Cameron in 2010 as would Ed Miliband have won in 2015 and state educated Corbyn beaten Eton educated Boris last year too, though state educated May would have won in 2017
Jesus Christ, I'm listening to Great Gig in the Sky on an EXCELLENT Sonos system
Fuck
Bye bye, everyone, bye bye
I listened to that on the deck of a boat on the Norfolk Broads around this time last night with 5 of my mates, looking up at the stars at the end of a three day sesh
That sounds fucking brilliant, TBH
You know the story, behind the song? Rick Wright wrote the lovely but maybe un-world-class tune but then the band felt the song lacked something special, so they roped in this local session singer, Clare Torry, and just told her to wail her wordless feelings "about dying". So she did.
And so it was made. One of the greatest, most haunting songs in pop history.
The history of these great 60s-90s golden age rock albums reminds me of Renaissance art. So much of it is sheer happenstance and luck. An ambitious Pope, an austere chapel, an annoyingly mad but brilliant gay artist = the Sistine Ceiling.
Take those in boats who reach our shores and send them to some of our overseas territories (the Falklands, St Helena etc). Allow them to live and work and be paid for it. Process their asylum claims there. If they don’t succeed they can return home or, if they’ve been good boys and girls and there is a need for them, stay in the territory. No locking up in camps. The opportunity to work and earn in a safe English-speaking British-owned territory. No abuse by those trafficking them or quasi-slave labour or worse in the black economy.
What are the downsides?
Over to you.
That's not where they want to be.
Too bad. They are in British territory with the opportunity to work. If they win the right to asylum or have some other valid claim they can move to Britain. If they don’t, their wishes are irrelevant and they still have a better life than they would otherwise have had.
What the fuck are they going to work at as in the FI? There aren't enough jobs for the Bennies.
Soon, due to climate change, there will only be two seasons.
Poppy Season, and Black Lives Matter season.
Not sure those two will coexist peacefully.
Oh, I'm sure a few BAME people fought for Britain in either World War...
Who said otherwise? You draw very strange conclusions sometimes.
Wasn't your conclusion strange? "Not sure those two will coexist peacefully."
It was a tongue in cheek comment on wokeness among BLM and snowflakery among poppy idealists (eg getting mad at people not wearing them etc), apparently not clear enough, but it was still one hell of a leap to conclude extreme racism was at hand.
October is Black History Month, so does overlap with the Poppy Appeal.
A lot of the hysteria over BLM in the UK is driven by posh people who went to public school who do not realise how much state schools already teach kids about colonialism/slavery etc.
For example, I had drinks with a posho female friend the other day - very pro BLM - and she said "well it's a total scandal that British children aren't taught about slavery".
Of course she was ex public school. And it seems her ex public school, years ago, likely taught zero about all this. She was quite disconcerted to hear of the concept of "black history month" and even more destabilised to learn that 90% of British kids get this Black History very much shown to them, every single year, for several weeks at a time.
Class underlies much of this, in an odd way.
There’s definitely some truth to this. In the middle of the BLM period this year pre-lockdown my youngest was bringing home history homework which was extremely explicit about slavery, the triangular trade, the conditions under which black slave in the Carribean were forced to work & where the profits ended up etc etc.
Perhaps they could have gone into more detail about the economics of it all but that might have been a bit much for a pre-teen.
My one criticism is perhaps that kids learn this stuff as some historical abstract, but they don’t necessarily connect it to the present day. Perhaps that’s a political step too far for UK schools to make.
I was entirely schooled in the state system. As long ago as the 70s and primary school we were being gently taught about the Middle Passage, and doing drawings of the horrific way slaves were packed into boats.
This was a GOOD thing. I was very aware.
When I went to Secondary Comp this continued, and was reinforced. There was no way I was going to emerge from the British state education system without a decent knowledge of the whole horrible business. You could not avoid it.
Again, this is good.
And yet, in recent weeks, I have had posh friends lecturing me, on Facebook (not just my drinky friend) claiming all this is *ignored* in our schools. FFS.
The simple fact is, they are rich, they went to public school, they simply have no clue (as in so many ways).
Theory: Britain would be better off run by state school kids, end of.
Take away all the posh public school fuckers from British politics and we'd have avoided David Cameron for a start. And Osborne. And Blair.
Basically we'd have been governed by Thatcher, Major, Brown, and now perhaps me. We'd have avoided Iraq, and so much more.
No more public school kids must ever run the country.
That rules out the PM, the LotO, the odds on fav to be next Lib Dem leader, and Nigel Farage!
Today in 1996, Oasis started the first of 2 nights at Knebworth. Over the 2 days they played to 250,000 fans but incredibly could have sold out another 18 nights. Over 2,500,000 people applied for tickets.
Incredible work for a band with only 1 good album.
Still remember them pissing off the crowd at Reading..
Jesus Christ, I'm listening to Great Gig in the Sky on an EXCELLENT Sonos system
Fuck
Bye bye, everyone, bye bye
I listened to that on the deck of a boat on the Norfolk Broads around this time last night with 5 of my mates, looking up at the stars at the end of a three day sesh
That sounds fucking brilliant, TBH
You know the story, behind the song? Rick Wright wrote the lovely but maybe un-world-class tune but then the band felt the song lacked something special, so they roped in this local session singer, Clare Torry, and just told her to wail her wordless feelings "about dying". So she did.
And so it was made. One of the greatest, most haunting songs in pop history.
The history of these great 60s-90s golden age rock albums reminds me of Renaissance art. So much of it is sheer happenstance and luck. An ambitious Pope, an austere chapel, an annoyingly mad but brilliant gay artist = the Sistine Ceiling.
It was! What a lovely place. We followed Great Gig up with Velvet Morning/Come On by The Verve
Yes I seem to remember Wright saying she apologised afterwards for her effort!
Take those in boats who reach our shores and send them to some of our overseas territories (the Falklands, St Helena etc). Allow them to live and work and be paid for it. Process their asylum claims there. If they don’t succeed they can return home or, if they’ve been good boys and girls and there is a need for them, stay in the territory. No locking up in camps. The opportunity to work and earn in a safe English-speaking British-owned territory. No abuse by those trafficking them or quasi-slave labour or worse in the black economy.
What are the downsides?
Over to you.
That's not where they want to be.
Too bad. They are in British territory with the opportunity to work. If they win the right to asylum or have some other valid claim they can move to Britain. If they don’t, their wishes are irrelevant and they still have a better life than they would otherwise have had.
What the fuck are they going to work at as in the FI? There aren't enough jobs for the Bennies.
If someone dies in road accident, police go to next of kin and knock on door. If nobody in, then wait outside. Ditto the army if someone dies in combat.
No ifs, no buts, no messing around, they should be aiming for 100% tracing. If you have to trace someone you can.
Good to see Govt policy continuing to be set on PB.
Can some PB-er with more energy than me (I've been newt-painting all day) construct a counter-factual history where at every important juncture the state school educated candidate (in party, regional or national election) wins out over the posh twat, since, say 1979 and Thatcher.
My rough rough guess is that the UK would be in a better place, by a farrrrrrrr distance.
Foot was public school and lost in 1983. Blair was next leader who went to public school so that would have meant Major winning in 1997, Hague in 2001 and Howard in 2005 as they were all state educated, state educated Brown would have beaten Cameron in 2010 as would Ed Miliband have won in 2015 and state educated Corbyn beaten Eton educated Boris last year too, though state educated May would have won in 2017
Well well well. I suspect that would have produced a better world than the one we have now. The Tories would have stayed in power through the 2000s so likely no Iraq, I think, and suscesssful pressure for an early European referendum would have lanced the EU boil without the fatal rupture of Brexit. We'd have been cemented on the periphery, but still in the Single Market. We'd have said no to FoM from the Accession countries, unlike the insane Blair.
The SNP would barely exist as a threat, Hard Brexit is totally avoided, the UK prospers, we'd probably be like a British Switzerland by now. We'd have crushed the virus like Korea.
Jesus Christ, I'm listening to Great Gig in the Sky on an EXCELLENT Sonos system
Fuck
Bye bye, everyone, bye bye
I listened to that on the deck of a boat on the Norfolk Broads around this time last night with 5 of my mates, looking up at the stars at the end of a three day sesh
That sounds fucking brilliant, TBH
You know the story, behind the song? Rick Wright wrote the lovely but maybe un-world-class tune but then the band felt the song lacked something special, so they roped in this local session singer, Clare Torry, and just told her to wail her wordless feelings "about dying". So she did.
And so it was made. One of the greatest, most haunting songs in pop history.
The history of these great 60s-90s golden age rock albums reminds me of Renaissance art. So much of it is sheer happenstance and luck. An ambitious Pope, an austere chapel, an annoyingly mad but brilliant gay artist = the Sistine Ceiling.
It was! What a lovely place. We followed Great Gig up with Velvet Morning/Come On by The Verve
Yes I seem to remember Wright saying she apologised afterwards for her effort!
Apparently she later sued for some cash for her singing, rather than the session fee of "£30".
!!!
Seems fair. Her amazing vocal performance turns that song from something fine into something utterly unforgettable. It's one of the main reasons that album has sold 45 MILLION copies, making it one of the most successful cultural expressions of all time.
Can some PB-er with more energy than me (I've been newt-painting all day) construct a counter-factual history where at every important juncture the state school educated candidate (in party, regional or national election) wins out over the posh twat, since, say 1979 and Thatcher.
My rough rough guess is that the UK would be in a better place, by a farrrrrrrr distance.
Foot was public school and lost in 1983. Blair was next leader who went to public school so that would have meant Major winning in 1997, Hague in 2001 and Howard in 2005 as they were all state educated, state educated Brown would have beaten Cameron in 2010 as would Ed Miliband have won in 2015 and state educated Corbyn beaten Eton educated Boris last year too, though state educated May would have won in 2017
Well well well. I suspect that would have produced a better world than the one we have now. The Tories would have stayed in power through the 2000s so likely no Iraq, I think, and suscesssful pressure for an early European referendum would have lanced the EU boil without the fatal rupture of Brexit. We'd have been cemented on the periphery, but still in the Single Market. We'd have said no to FoM from the Accession countries, unlike the insane Blair.
The SNP would barely exist as a threat, Hard Brexit is totally avoided, the UK prospers, we'd probably be like a British Switzerland by now. We'd have crushed the virus like Korea.
I am right. No more public school leaders. Ever.
PM Hague would have gone to war in Iraq, we would also now have PM Corbyn who would have won election 2019.
Though interestingly assuming the next general election is Boris or Sunak v Starmer it will be the first general election both main party leaders went to public school since Macmillan v Gaitskill in 1959
Jesus Christ, I'm listening to Great Gig in the Sky on an EXCELLENT Sonos system
Fuck
Bye bye, everyone, bye bye
I listened to that on the deck of a boat on the Norfolk Broads around this time last night with 5 of my mates, looking up at the stars at the end of a three day sesh
That sounds fucking brilliant, TBH
You know the story, behind the song? Rick Wright wrote the lovely but maybe un-world-class tune but then the band felt the song lacked something special, so they roped in this local session singer, Clare Torry, and just told her to wail her wordless feelings "about dying". So she did.
And so it was made. One of the greatest, most haunting songs in pop history.
The history of these great 60s-90s golden age rock albums reminds me of Renaissance art. So much of it is sheer happenstance and luck. An ambitious Pope, an austere chapel, an annoyingly mad but brilliant gay artist = the Sistine Ceiling.
It was! What a lovely place. We followed Great Gig up with Velvet Morning/Come On by The Verve
Yes I seem to remember Wright saying she apologised afterwards for her effort!
Apparently she later sued for some cash for her singing, rather than the session fee of "£30".
!!!
Seems fair. Her amazing vocal performance turns that song from something fine into something utterly unforgettable. It's one of the main reasons that album has sold 45 MILLION copies, making it one of the most successful cultural expressions of all time.
The settlement is undisclosed. I bet she got high six figures minimum. Good for her.
It is a fantastic album. The previous few were quite lacking in direction, and Waters taking control of the lyrics and concept made all the difference
We didn’t see the Dark Side of The Moon last night, but did see Jupiter and Saturn, according to my mates phone app, which are lyrics to another Floyd song...
Can some PB-er with more energy than me (I've been newt-painting all day) construct a counter-factual history where at every important juncture the state school educated candidate (in party, regional or national election) wins out over the posh twat, since, say 1979 and Thatcher.
My rough rough guess is that the UK would be in a better place, by a farrrrrrrr distance.
Foot was public school and lost in 1983. Blair was next leader who went to public school so that would have meant Major winning in 1997, Hague in 2001 and Howard in 2005 as they were all state educated, state educated Brown would have beaten Cameron in 2010 as would Ed Miliband have won in 2015 and state educated Corbyn beaten Eton educated Boris last year too, though state educated May would have won in 2017
Well well well. I suspect that would have produced a better world than the one we have now. The Tories would have stayed in power through the 2000s so likely no Iraq, I think, and suscesssful pressure for an early European referendum would have lanced the EU boil without the fatal rupture of Brexit. We'd have been cemented on the periphery, but still in the Single Market. We'd have said no to FoM from the Accession countries, unlike the insane Blair.
The SNP would barely exist as a threat, Hard Brexit is totally avoided, the UK prospers, we'd probably be like a British Switzerland by now. We'd have crushed the virus like Korea.
I am right. No more public school leaders. Ever.
PM Hague would have gone to war in Iraq, we would also now have PM Corbyn who would have won election 2019.
Though interestingly assuming the next general election is Boris or Sunak v Starmer it will be the first general election both main party leaders went to public school since Macmillan v Gaitskill in 1959
Starmer's school wasn't a public school went he went, was my understanding. It changed after he left.
Take those in boats who reach our shores and send them to some of our overseas territories (the Falklands, St Helena etc). Allow them to live and work and be paid for it. Process their asylum claims there. If they don’t succeed they can return home or, if they’ve been good boys and girls and there is a need for them, stay in the territory. No locking up in camps. The opportunity to work and earn in a safe English-speaking British-owned territory. No abuse by those trafficking them or quasi-slave labour or worse in the black economy.
What are the downsides?
Over to you.
That's not where they want to be.
Too bad. They are in British territory with the opportunity to work. If they win the right to asylum or have some other valid claim they can move to Britain. If they don’t, their wishes are irrelevant and they still have a better life than they would otherwise have had.
What the fuck are they going to work at as in the FI? There aren't enough jobs for the Bennies.
They could job-share sitting the eggs with the penguins.....
I've had the good sense to be in St Andrews and Perth today, where it's been about 16 degrees with a nice breeze from the sea/river. Must be terrible in London without air conditioning.
Today in 1996, Oasis started the first of 2 nights at Knebworth. Over the 2 days they played to 250,000 fans but incredibly could have sold out another 18 nights. Over 2,500,000 people applied for tickets.
Incredible work for a band with only 1 good album.
I went to that gig, not even sure they’ve got one full good album. It was a nice sunny day, though.
What's the Story morning Glory is start to finish grade A bangers. Everyone one a perfect 3 minute 30 second pop song except for the triumphant champagne supernova to crown the album.
And it is that track that is their downfall. They thought it was so good that they could make album full of champaign supernovas.
You cannot. It is an album ender. Be Here Now is thus a black hole of cocaine abuse and nothingness.
Definitely Maybe is unlistenable dreck. No idea how they got to make a second album after that one.
Jesus Christ, I'm listening to Great Gig in the Sky on an EXCELLENT Sonos system
Fuck
Bye bye, everyone, bye bye
I listened to that on the deck of a boat on the Norfolk Broads around this time last night with 5 of my mates, looking up at the stars at the end of a three day sesh
Jesus Christ, I'm listening to Great Gig in the Sky on an EXCELLENT Sonos system
Fuck
Bye bye, everyone, bye bye
I listened to that on the deck of a boat on the Norfolk Broads around this time last night with 5 of my mates, looking up at the stars at the end of a three day sesh
That sounds fucking brilliant, TBH
You know the story, behind the song? Rick Wright wrote the lovely but maybe un-world-class tune but then the band felt the song lacked something special, so they roped in this local session singer, Clare Torry, and just told her to wail her wordless feelings "about dying". So she did.
And so it was made. One of the greatest, most haunting songs in pop history.
The history of these great 60s-90s golden age rock albums reminds me of Renaissance art. So much of it is sheer happenstance and luck. An ambitious Pope, an austere chapel, an annoyingly mad but brilliant gay artist = the Sistine Ceiling.
It was! What a lovely place. We followed Great Gig up with Velvet Morning/Come On by The Verve
Yes I seem to remember Wright saying she apologised afterwards for her effort!
Apparently she later sued for some cash for her singing, rather than the session fee of "£30".
!!!
Seems fair. Her amazing vocal performance turns that song from something fine into something utterly unforgettable. It's one of the main reasons that album has sold 45 MILLION copies, making it one of the most successful cultural expressions of all time.
The settlement is undisclosed. I bet she got high six figures minimum. Good for her.
It is a fantastic album. The previous few were quite lacking in direction, and Waters taking control of the lyrics and concept made all the difference
We didn’t see the Dark Side of The Moon last night, but did see Jupiter and Saturn, according to my mates phone app, which are lyrics to another Floyd song...
Every song is perfect, or as good as. Very few albums can say that.
Rumours. The first Stone Roses album. Uh.....
Of course I show my age. But this really was an era- 1960s-90s - of perfection in popular music, with endless creativity and brilliance, just as the 1880s-1920s were an era of perfection in painting and sculpture.
But the High Renaissance- Raphael and Michelangelo - was followed by Mannerism, and the Beatles and the Stones are followed by the degradations of Rap and Drill.
We are living right now through another artistic golden age - in TV. Which I am happy to say, still endures. The UMBRELLA ACADEMY on Netflix is fantastic. I highly recommend.
Indeed I am off to watch it now, then sleep. Nightynight
If someone dies in road accident, police go to next of kin and knock on door. If nobody in, then wait outside. Ditto the army if someone dies in combat.
No ifs, no buts, no messing around, they should be aiming for 100% tracing. If you have to trace someone you can.
Good to see Govt policy continuing to be set on PB.
Can some PB-er with more energy than me (I've been newt-painting all day) construct a counter-factual history where at every important juncture the state school educated candidate (in party, regional or national election) wins out over the posh twat, since, say 1979 and Thatcher.
My rough rough guess is that the UK would be in a better place, by a farrrrrrrr distance.
Foot was public school and lost in 1983. Blair was next leader who went to public school so that would have meant Major winning in 1997, Hague in 2001 and Howard in 2005 as they were all state educated, state educated Brown would have beaten Cameron in 2010 as would Ed Miliband have won in 2015 and state educated Corbyn beaten Eton educated Boris last year too, though state educated May would have won in 2017
Well well well. I suspect that would have produced a better world than the one we have now. The Tories would have stayed in power through the 2000s so likely no Iraq, I think, and suscesssful pressure for an early European referendum would have lanced the EU boil without the fatal rupture of Brexit. We'd have been cemented on the periphery, but still in the Single Market. We'd have said no to FoM from the Accession countries, unlike the insane Blair.
The SNP would barely exist as a threat, Hard Brexit is totally avoided, the UK prospers, we'd probably be like a British Switzerland by now. We'd have crushed the virus like Korea.
I am right. No more public school leaders. Ever.
PM Hague would have gone to war in Iraq, we would also now have PM Corbyn who would have won election 2019.
Though interestingly assuming the next general election is Boris or Sunak v Starmer it will be the first general election both main party leaders went to public school since Macmillan v Gaitskill in 1959
Starmer's school wasn't a public school went he went, was my understanding. It changed after he left.
Might be wrong though
It was a grammar when Starmer started but became an Independent school before he left
Today in 1996, Oasis started the first of 2 nights at Knebworth. Over the 2 days they played to 250,000 fans but incredibly could have sold out another 18 nights. Over 2,500,000 people applied for tickets.
Incredible work for a band with only 1 good album.
I went to that gig, not even sure they’ve got one full good album. It was a nice sunny day, though.
What's the Story morning Glory is start to finish grade A bangers. Everyone one a perfect 3 minute 30 second pop song except for the triumphant champagne supernova to crown the album.
And it is that track that is their downfall. They thought it was so good that they could make album full of champaign supernovas.
You cannot. It is an album ender. Be Here Now is thus a black hole of cocaine abuse and nothingness.
Definitely Maybe is unlistenable dreck. No idea how they got to make a second album after that one.
Wonderwall is a dirge. They had better B sides e.g. Talk Tonight, Acquiesce, The Masterplan.
Today in 1996, Oasis started the first of 2 nights at Knebworth. Over the 2 days they played to 250,000 fans but incredibly could have sold out another 18 nights. Over 2,500,000 people applied for tickets.
Incredible work for a band with only 1 good album.
I went to that gig, not even sure they’ve got one full good album. It was a nice sunny day, though.
What's the Story morning Glory is start to finish grade A bangers. Everyone one a perfect 3 minute 30 second pop song except for the triumphant champagne supernova to crown the album.
And it is that track that is their downfall. They thought it was so good that they could make album full of champaign supernovas.
You cannot. It is an album ender. Be Here Now is thus a black hole of cocaine abuse and nothingness.
Definitely Maybe is unlistenable dreck. No idea how they got to make a second album after that one.
I think Noel Gallagher says he had written all three of those albums by the time the first was released, and the reason the third is so shit is that the songs were those not good enough to make the cut on the first two
For me the best British album of the 90s was Urban Hymns - in a different league to any of its peers
Today in 1996, Oasis started the first of 2 nights at Knebworth. Over the 2 days they played to 250,000 fans but incredibly could have sold out another 18 nights. Over 2,500,000 people applied for tickets.
Incredible work for a band with only 1 good album.
I went to that gig, not even sure they’ve got one full good album. It was a nice sunny day, though.
What's the Story morning Glory is start to finish grade A bangers. Everyone one a perfect 3 minute 30 second pop song except for the triumphant champagne supernova to crown the album.
And it is that track that is their downfall. They thought it was so good that they could make album full of champaign supernovas.
You cannot. It is an album ender. Be Here Now is thus a black hole of cocaine abuse and nothingness.
Definitely Maybe is unlistenable dreck. No idea how they got to make a second album after that one.
I think Noel Gallagher says he had written all three of those albums by the time the first was released, and the reason the third is so shit is that the songs were those not good enough to make the cut on the first two
For me the best British album of the 90s was Urban Hymns - in a different league to any of its peers
The Verve? They were very big in 1997 IIRC. I bought the album myself, although I preferred All Saints at the time.
Today in 1996, Oasis started the first of 2 nights at Knebworth. Over the 2 days they played to 250,000 fans but incredibly could have sold out another 18 nights. Over 2,500,000 people applied for tickets.
Incredible work for a band with only 1 good album.
I went to that gig, not even sure they’ve got one full good album. It was a nice sunny day, though.
What's the Story morning Glory is start to finish grade A bangers. Everyone one a perfect 3 minute 30 second pop song except for the triumphant champagne supernova to crown the album.
And it is that track that is their downfall. They thought it was so good that they could make album full of champaign supernovas.
You cannot. It is an album ender. Be Here Now is thus a black hole of cocaine abuse and nothingness.
Definitely Maybe is unlistenable dreck. No idea how they got to make a second album after that one.
I think Noel Gallagher says he had written all three of those albums by the time the first was released, and the reason the third is so shit is that the songs were those not good enough to make the cut on the first two
For me the best British album of the 90s was Urban Hymns - in a different league to any of its peers
Lol. They've flip-flopped again and Harris is now back on top. It is a thin and volatile market. I admire the courage of anyone who leaves positions unattended overnight; many real books don't.
Comments
Fuck
Bye bye, everyone, bye bye
Perhaps they could have gone into more detail about the economics of it all but that might have been a bit much for a pre-teen.
My one criticism is perhaps that kids learn this stuff as some historical abstract, but they don’t necessarily connect it to the present day. Perhaps that’s a political step too far for UK schools to make.
https://twitter.com/hendopolis/status/1292940177812393988?s=20
And what happens next year ?
I'll guess that any attempt to return the grades to the level of previous years prompts more tantrums and demands that the levels of 2020 are maintained.
2 hour queues at Nandos.
This was a GOOD thing. I was very aware.
When I went to Secondary Comp this continued, and was reinforced. There was no way I was going to emerge from the British state education system without a decent knowledge of the whole horrible business. You could not avoid it.
Again, this is good.
And yet, in recent weeks, I have had posh friends lecturing me, on Facebook (not just my drinky friend) claiming all this is *ignored* in our schools. FFS.
The simple fact is, they are rich, they went to public school, they simply have no clue (as in so many ways).
Theory: Britain would be better off run by state school kids, end of.
Take away all the posh public school fuckers from British politics and we'd have avoided David Cameron for a start. And Osborne. And Blair.
Basically we'd have been governed by Thatcher, Major, Brown, and now perhaps me. We'd have avoided Iraq, and so much more.
No more public school kids must ever run the country.
Whereas class issues are.
https://twitter.com/W7VOA/status/1292943910029885440?s=20
https://twitter.com/W7VOA/status/1292944053412278284?s=20
Why aren't they running pre-booked slots with a start and end time? Or are they overbooking like airlines?
I have been to two at local free house pubs and they have been excellent, even though running at their (slightly reduced) capacity - seemed to have loads of extra staff on duty. At the best one the table limit was pre-declared at 1:45 hours.
I missed a third booking at 9am on the day because the only free slot was 9.15pm.
My rough rough guess is that the UK would be in a better place, by a farrrrrrrr distance.
It wont do anyone any good - the clever and hardworking will not benefit from their efforts while those who get higher grades than they should will think themselves better than they are until big, bad world imposes reality painfully upon them.
I am rebuilding a house - a home for me and my daughter principally. Due to be finished by March 24. Oh the irony. Like all building projects it overran and got caught by lockdown. So daughter and I faced homelessness and were bloody lucky to rent a barn nearby - all holiday lets being closed. I am surrounded by lots and lots of green acres and sheep and cows. The views are superb and I love them. But like all barns in a farm there is no garden. The rebuilding has started and the house has an enormous garden which I cannot wait to get stuck into. That will be 2021’s project. With luck we will be able to move in by Xmas. Daughter needs the stability of a proper home, especially given the year she’s had.
I do meet the same 3 or 4 people at a distance when they come up here - there is a footpath nearby so it is usually after a sweaty walk or ride.
I have - and am doing - what I can. Charity stuff and advice etc. All the projects which I was starting to get involved in have ground to a halt. I am not a cook - competent rather than inspired - and my baking counts as a WMD.
But I cannot do anything for my children and I do so fear for their future. And now with my work collapsed - I have largely written off this year - I am beginning to worry about money too.
But it’s my children who are my biggest worry. And they are worrying about me not getting this stupid virus which is all wrong. Youngest is just 22, out of uni and thinks everything is “fucked”. And it is, isn’t it?
Nothing special about me. I enjoy the walks and the countryside and the sea and learning about sheep and their little ways. I haven’t caught this blasted disease which is something. But aren’t we all feeling more than a bit pissed off with this twilight life?
And if it’s just me, apologies.
But eeesh, there's no glossing over the pain.
And it intensifies. I have several close family members who could die this autumn/winter if the 2nd wave is bad. It would just scythe through us. Half the family. Literally.
But I enjoyed the sunshine today. And I am drinking a lovely Malbec. And it is good to talk on PB!
This is the worst thing since the 2nd World War for most people in the West. But our forefathers came through that, and built a better world, in the end. And yet in some ways this is WORSE than the War - the inability to hug people is so especially cruel. At least in the war you could go to a pub and sing your heart out over a piano, even during the Blitz. We can't.
We are being tested. We must show our mettle. And maybe one day our grandkids will look back and say of us: Well, if they got through that, so we can handle this!
And that will be our reward.
No Iraq and keeps control of Gordon Brown.
Conservatives come to power in 2006/7 so too early for Cameron.
https://twitter.com/borisjohnson/status/1292836026805825547?s=21
You know the story, behind the song? Rick Wright wrote the lovely but maybe un-world-class tune but then the band felt the song lacked something special, so they roped in this local session singer, Clare Torry, and just told her to wail her wordless feelings "about dying". So she did.
And so it was made. One of the greatest, most haunting songs in pop history.
The history of these great 60s-90s golden age rock albums reminds me of Renaissance art. So much of it is sheer happenstance and luck. An ambitious Pope, an austere chapel, an annoyingly mad but brilliant gay artist = the Sistine Ceiling.
Yes I seem to remember Wright saying she apologised afterwards for her effort!
With all the restaurants in London ???
Actually that's given me a thought.
Restaurant prices are higher in London than elsewhere.
So with the discount capped at £10 Rishi's dinners are proportionally subsidising non London restaurants the most.
If someone dies in road accident, police go to next of kin and knock on door. If nobody in, then wait outside. Ditto the army if someone dies in combat.
No ifs, no buts, no messing around, they should be aiming for 100% tracing. If you have to trace someone you can.
Good to see Govt policy continuing to be set on PB.
The SNP would barely exist as a threat, Hard Brexit is totally avoided, the UK prospers, we'd probably be like a British Switzerland by now. We'd have crushed the virus like Korea.
I am right. No more public school leaders. Ever.
!!!
Seems fair. Her amazing vocal performance turns that song from something fine into something utterly unforgettable. It's one of the main reasons that album has sold 45 MILLION copies, making it one of the most successful cultural expressions of all time.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Side_of_the_Moon
The settlement is undisclosed. I bet she got high six figures minimum. Good for her.
Oh diddums, when will young people get an Express front page?
Though interestingly assuming the next general election is Boris or Sunak v Starmer it will be the first general election both main party leaders went to public school since Macmillan v Gaitskill in 1959
Thank god the 1990s have returned.
We didn’t see the Dark Side of The Moon last night, but did see Jupiter and Saturn, according to my mates phone app, which are lyrics to another Floyd song...
Might be wrong though
And it is that track that is their downfall. They thought it was so good that they could make album full of champaign supernovas.
You cannot. It is an album ender. Be Here Now is thus a black hole of cocaine abuse and nothingness.
Definitely Maybe is unlistenable dreck. No idea how they got to make a second album after that one.
Rumours. The first Stone Roses album. Uh.....
Of course I show my age. But this really was an era- 1960s-90s - of perfection in popular music, with endless creativity and brilliance, just as the 1880s-1920s were an era of perfection in painting and sculpture.
But the High Renaissance- Raphael and Michelangelo - was followed by Mannerism, and the Beatles and the Stones are followed by the degradations of Rap and Drill.
We are living right now through another artistic golden age - in TV. Which I am happy to say, still endures. The UMBRELLA ACADEMY on Netflix is fantastic. I highly recommend.
Indeed I am off to watch it now, then sleep. Nightynight
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/mind/sir-paul-nurse-got-1200-scientists-safely-back-work-easy-test/
For me the best British album of the 90s was Urban Hymns - in a different league to any of its peers
https://twitter.com/MrKenShabby/status/1292958639620263936?s=20
Susan Rice: 2.1
Kamala Harris: 2.98
Gretchen Whitmer: 10
Tammy Duckworth: 20
Val Demings: 24
Elizabeth Warren: 25
Michelle Obama: 30
Karen Bass: 48
Keisha Lance Bottoms: 50
Hillary Clinton: 130
Stacey Abrams: 140
Gina Raimondo: 150
Terri Sewell: 180
Condoleezza Rice: 200
Michelle Lujan Grisham: 200
Barack Obama: 300
Biden’s V.P. Pick Is Said to Be Imminent
Joe Biden’s advisers are planning an announcement for the middle of the week as his search concludes, people briefed on the selection process said.
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/10/us/politics/biden-vp-pick.html
Kamala Harris: 2.44
Susan Rice: 3
Gretchen Whitmer: 10.5
Tammy Duckworth: 20
Elizabeth Warren: 25
Val Demings: 25
Michelle Obama: 30
Karen Bass: 48
Keisha Lance Bottoms: 50
Hillary Clinton: 130
Stacey Abrams: 140
Gina Raimondo: 150
Terri Sewell: 180
Michelle Lujan Grisham: 200
Amy Klobuchar: 310
Barack Obama: 330