Well I'm never going to London zoo again, or any other zoo in fact, from another PB.
>> Cage awareness <<
The lion sneaks tonight
Though it isn't something they generally care to publicise, there's a story that circulates among staff at London Zoo about the lions there. Apparently, not only are they incredibly clever, but the number of times the lions have managed to escape from their enclosure and wander about the premises for a decent amount of time is – as we heard it – "not zero".
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
Definitely. I do remember having breakfast in the canteen of the hospital a few hours after my first daughter had been born. I was on my own, my wife and daughter were sleeping upstairs, it was a lovely summer day and the sun was streaming through the windows, and the feeling of elation that I had was like nothing I had ever known before. I remember feeling similarly joyful after the births of my other two children, but I think the first time is especially memorable.
Way back in 1966 when our first born came along I was not allowed at the hospital and waited for a phone call at home, also with my daughter in 1971, but I was present at the birth of our second son in 1975 and it was amazing
Times do change and often for the better
I was at the emergency caesarean for my eldest. Omffffg. Harrowing. They put up a screen so you don’t have to watch them “washing the dishes” in your partner’s womb. But the noise
And then the silence. The baby is out. No noise. The terror of stillbirth.
And then she yowled and the midwife/nurse said “small but perfectly formed” and the relief was intense. Like a drug high
A couple of days later we carried her gently out of Whittington Hospital to my barely functioning car, in the lavish May sunshine, and some homeless dude asleep on Archway Road recognised we were a couple with a newborn and he raised his can of Special Brew, at 10am, and said “Good luck!!”
On the way back my brakes failed and I had to drive my first newborn daughter home, using only the handbrake.
Fuck. The details are still etched
Parenting has been agonising and expensive and made me sad and guilty, but I wouldn’t change a thing. It is what happens. Life
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Life is entirely about how you impact on others. Yes your work has impact, but your immortality is through the legacy you build through your children. And for so many of us building that legacy is what drives us to work doing we do.
So don't me having kids is ordinary. You post some of the most wrong-headed self-inflating guff and this is perhaps the pinnacle achievement of your career to date.
Will it become immortal? Doubtful.
Plenty of people don't have children. The idea you are immortal because you have children is absurd, within a few generations all your family will have been born after you died and you will just be part of a family photo album at best.
If you leave a lasting legacy in your field however that can last. Family is important but human beings are more than just baby production factories and your children will ultimately want to lead their own lives too
Who on earth has suggested you are immortal because you have children
Your views and comments on this would suggest you have not as yet enjoyed becoming a parent and I can tell you with certainty you will not be offering this nonsense when you do, which I genuinely hope you do
One 737 and one A319 already having a second attempt to land at Heathrow. The chaos might be about to start.
We were in an aborted landing at Heathrow due to wind and it was really scary but when the pilot was about to touch down and he powered away upwards we were very relieved, though as most of Europe was having the same problems he came in the second time and slapped the wheels onto the runway very hard, and as we taxied we were buffeted quite considerably
Great admiration for the pilots was expressed directly to them by us all as got off the aircraft
About three years ago, coming into Edinburgh from Helsinki in a big storm, it was a horrid, really turbulent approach and sure enough we had to go around. When we finally did make it down, the passport guys, looking at the green faced, rather subdued passengers were asking us "if you had a good flight?" with rather suppressed glee. In fact the Finnair guys were pretty heroic, since we were the only flight to actually hit the deck and land safely at Turnhouse in about three hours. When I got to the city centre the gusts were so strong you could not walk into them (c 160km/h) , but just stopped until they lessened.
Had two bad flights. One, years ago was from Southend; we'd won a prize of a trip to Paris and the skinflint organisers booked us Southend to Le Touquet and train to Paris. It was night-time, blowy and very cloudy when we left and the stewardesses kept themselves strapped in. We bounced about for half an hour or so getting increasing worried, then the clouds opened and we saw a (oil) tank farm. Some one said 'That's not Le Touquet' and we realised it was Canvey Island and we were about 10 miles from where we'd started. So they took us back to Southend and we spent the night in an hotel.
The other flight was into Alderney; the wind had got up as we crossed the Channel and we were swaying and bouncing about as we came in very close to the cliffs at one end of the island.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Perhaps parents can decide for themselves if their children are their main achievement.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Having kids is not an “achievement” or a “highlight”, but if it happens it is the most intense, profound, mysteriously moving human experience - for most people. You create and form another soul. It brings a lifetime of angst, guilt and worry, but, ultimately, for most, it also brings a sense of meaning and purpose and infrequent moments of incomparable happiness
It has rightly been compared to Brexiting
I so wanted to like that, but you had to add the last sentence. I know it's a joke and not a bad one at that, but you seriously need help. It is going to drive you crazy (if that is not too late).
Coincidentally I recently saw a photo from the day my youngest was born, after we'd taken her home and put her to lie down next to her sister. Love at first site there between those two and that's definitely a highlight.
Highlights and achievements are not remotely the same thing.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
A “highlight” is not necessarily the same as a “main achievement”
Indeed. Outside of family one of the highlights of my life was having the lead role in a community musical production a few years ago. It was far from the West End and was only seen by about 1000 people max but the sense of personal achievement I got from it was huge.
I dont have kids or really desire to, but I have to admire the sheer gumption of a political operator whose message is 'your kids dont make you special, mate'. What a weird battle line to draw.
I dont have kids or really desire to, but I have to admire the gumption of a political operator whose message is 'your kids dont make you special, mate'.
While simultaneously claiming the most important thing in life is an inheritance . . .
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Unless Oxford is radically different to and better than Cambridge I find that hard to believe. I think the people who enjoyed undergraduate life the most were people whose parents could subsidise their lifestyle and who could effortlessly become a member of one of the cliques (journalism, drama, politics) where they could pretend they were already powerful and influential people. For the rest of us it was mostly just hard work, a rather inadequate social life and counting the pennies. I'm glad I went there and I met my wife and other good friends there but it really wasn't the highlight of my life.
I had a blast at UCL. Wasn’t rich but coming to London after the tedium of small town England. Whoah. The drugs. The music. The girls (occasionally). Brilliant
It then got even better, apart from the odd blip (rape trial) but my 30s were shit (late stage heroin addiction), then I had another upturn, popped out some kids, I peaked in my 50s (lots of money sex luxury travel), then covid, divorce, suicide bids…. Feel quite chirpy now.
You should write a memoir. Lots of good material in there. You've certainly had a life of ups and downs. My life has been remarkably fortunate, steady and pleasant, with few really dramatic peaks and troughs, and I give thanks for it every day. I keep expecting something awful to happen to balance it out.
The second best thing in my life was the kids leaving (home).
Our daughter's wedding day was very good. Seeing one's daughter married is somehow different from seeing one's sons. Although those (we've two sons) were special, too.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
A “highlight” is not necessarily the same as a “main achievement”
The highlights of my life are:
Getting married, which is surprising as I was given an ultimatum to do so by the time I was 40 which I made by 48 hours.
Birth of my children.
Winchester by election (it was a hell of a party).
Skiing the Tortin.
Pitchpoling a catamaran.
Various adventures with girlfriends not to be detailed here.
I think the effect on armoured warfare of a spring thaw and mud isn't what it was in the 1940s.
I did think the same. In 1941, 42 and 43, nowt happened in March and April at all on the Eastern front.
But this fight will be drone warfare and electronic cyber attacks. Boots on the ground will be needed at some point, but maybe that is just the mopping up exercise.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Life is entirely about how you impact on others. Yes your work has impact, but your immortality is through the legacy you build through your children. And for so many of us building that legacy is what drives us to work doing we do.
So don't me having kids is ordinary. You post some of the most wrong-headed self-inflating guff and this is perhaps the pinnacle achievement of your career to date.
Will it become immortal? Doubtful.
Plenty of people don't have children. The idea you are immortal because you have children is absurd, within a few generations all your family will have been born after you died and you will just be part of a family photo album at best.
If you leave a lasting legacy in your field however that can last. Family is important but human beings are more than just baby production factories and your children will ultimately want to lead their own lives too
Who on earth has suggested you are immortal because you have children
Your views and comments on this would suggest you have not as yet enjoyed becoming a parent and I can tell you with certainty you will not be offering this nonsense when you do, which I genuinely hope you do
It will change your life
Out of order. Never comment on someone else’s childlessness (alleged in this case). You don’t know if it is a choice or, if so, why they chose it
And if they didn’t choose it then you are “criticising” them for something they cannot help which may be a source of intense grief. Tsk
No doubt, good local reasons for this result, but you do wonder if there could conceivably be an element of "shy-Boris" people out there, ie, folk who tell themselves, and pollsters, they disapprove of BJ but, secretly, can't help liking him. I wonder...
That's not to say he shouldn't go. He really should.
I dont have kids or really desire to, but I have to admire the gumption of a political operator whose message is 'your kids dont make you special, mate'.
While simultaneously claiming the most important thing in life is an inheritance . . .
Inheritance is important to set your children up in life, it is not the be all and end all of your own life.
Plenty of people also inherit property and do not then have children themselves, I still as a Tory of course support them having that inheritance
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Life is entirely about how you impact on others. Yes your work has impact, but your immortality is through the legacy you build through your children. And for so many of us building that legacy is what drives us to work doing we do.
So don't me having kids is ordinary. You post some of the most wrong-headed self-inflating guff and this is perhaps the pinnacle achievement of your career to date.
Will it become immortal? Doubtful.
Plenty of people don't have children. The idea you are immortal because you have children is absurd, within a few generations all your family will have been born after you died and you will just be part of a family photo album at best.
If you leave a lasting legacy in your field however that can last. Family is important but human beings are more than just baby production factories and your children will ultimately want to lead their own lives too
Who on earth has suggested you are immortal because you have children
Your views and comments on this would suggest you have not as yet enjoyed becoming a parent and I can tell you with certainty you will not be offering this nonsense when you do, which I genuinely hope you do
It will change your life
Out of order. Never comment on someone else’s childlessness (alleged in this case). You don’t know if it is a choice or, if so, why they chose it
And if they didn’t choose it then you are “criticising” them for something they cannot help which may be a source of intense grief. Tsk
Wow, a post from Leon that actually deserves a 'like'.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Life is entirely about how you impact on others. Yes your work has impact, but your immortality is through the legacy you build through your children. And for so many of us building that legacy is what drives us to work doing we do.
So don't me having kids is ordinary. You post some of the most wrong-headed self-inflating guff and this is perhaps the pinnacle achievement of your career to date.
Will it become immortal? Doubtful.
Wanting to achieve immortality through your children is the route to tiger parenting. Making your children learn the piano/oboe/tap dancing or even go to Oxbridge because you never did.
People can be perfectly happy, satisfied, and live rich lives with or without children.
Thats not what I meant. I will die, they will live on. Thats immortality. Then they die and their kids live on. Etc etc.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Life is entirely about how you impact on others. Yes your work has impact, but your immortality is through the legacy you build through your children. And for so many of us building that legacy is what drives us to work doing we do.
So don't me having kids is ordinary. You post some of the most wrong-headed self-inflating guff and this is perhaps the pinnacle achievement of your career to date.
Will it become immortal? Doubtful.
Plenty of people don't have children. The idea you are immortal because you have children is absurd, within a few generations all your family will have been born after you died and you will just be part of a family photo album at best.
If you leave a lasting legacy in your field however that can last. Family is important but human beings are more than just baby production factories and your children will ultimately want to lead their own lives too
Who on earth has suggested you are immortal because you have children
Your views and comments on this would suggest you have not as yet enjoyed becoming a parent and I can tell you with certainty you will not be offering this nonsense when you do, which I genuinely hope you do
It will change your life
Out of order. Never comment on someone else’s childlessness (alleged in this case). You don’t know if it is a choice or, if so, why they chose it
And if they didn’t choose it then you are “criticising” them for something they cannot help which may be a source of intense grief. Tsk
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Life is entirely about how you impact on others. Yes your work has impact, but your immortality is through the legacy you build through your children. And for so many of us building that legacy is what drives us to work doing we do.
So don't me having kids is ordinary. You post some of the most wrong-headed self-inflating guff and this is perhaps the pinnacle achievement of your career to date.
Will it become immortal? Doubtful.
Plenty of people don't have children. The idea you are immortal because you have children is absurd, within a few generations all your family will have been born after you died and you will just be part of a family photo album at best.
If you leave a lasting legacy in your field however that can last. Family is important but human beings are more than just baby production factories and your children will ultimately want to lead their own lives too
Who on earth has suggested you are immortal because you have children
Your views and comments on this would suggest you have not as yet enjoyed becoming a parent and I can tell you with certainty you will not be offering this nonsense when you do, which I genuinely hope you do
It will change your life
BigG I was taught that there are several things you never ask/say to someone. One is when are they going to get married and another is when are you going to have a baby. There are many reasons why people can't or don't want to do either of these things and as one of the more polite PB posters I am disappointed that you should have made such a comment.
Edit: I see @Leon made the same point. Take note, BigG to be lectured (correctly) by @Leon. .
That site forecasts 52 mph gusting to 76 mph for Freshwater mid morning, which is certainly more sensible than the BBC's current forecast of 115mph, which as an average appears absurd.
I think the BBCs weather must be done by an algorithm with no human input as some of the wind speeds they have predicted for areas along the south coast are silly.
All site-specific forecasts will be derived from model data. There are too many sites for it to be done otherwise.
There's still manual forecaster intervention in some of the aviation forecasts, and a few other places.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Life is entirely about how you impact on others. Yes your work has impact, but your immortality is through the legacy you build through your children. And for so many of us building that legacy is what drives us to work doing we do.
So don't me having kids is ordinary. You post some of the most wrong-headed self-inflating guff and this is perhaps the pinnacle achievement of your career to date.
Will it become immortal? Doubtful.
Plenty of people don't have children. The idea you are immortal because you have children is absurd, within a few generations all your family will have been born after you died and you will just be part of a family photo album at best.
If you leave a lasting legacy in your field however that can last. Family is important but human beings are more than just baby production factories and your children will ultimately want to lead their own lives too
Who on earth has suggested you are immortal because you have children
Your views and comments on this would suggest you have not as yet enjoyed becoming a parent and I can tell you with certainty you will not be offering this nonsense when you do, which I genuinely hope you do
It will change your life
BigG I was taught that there are several things you never ask/say to someone. One is when are they going to get married and another is when are you going to have a baby. There are many reasons why people can't or don't want to do either of these things and as one of the more polite PB posters I am disappointed that you should have made such a comment.
The Archbishop of Canterbury should live a Saintly life
Runcie was once memorably described in Dear Bill as 'no mean slayer of the bosch' for his WW2 service.
He won the MC if I remember correctly. Was a tankist. May be why he made some Tories nervous.
There was at least one Rev who won the VC - Rev. Theodore Bayley Hardy, who has a House named after him at Nottingham High School. DSO MC VC. When he was about 50 - there's hope yet for some younger PBers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Hardy
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Life is entirely about how you impact on others. Yes your work has impact, but your immortality is through the legacy you build through your children. And for so many of us building that legacy is what drives us to work doing we do.
So don't me having kids is ordinary. You post some of the most wrong-headed self-inflating guff and this is perhaps the pinnacle achievement of your career to date.
Will it become immortal? Doubtful.
Plenty of people don't have children. The idea you are immortal because you have children is absurd, within a few generations all your family will have been born after you died and you will just be part of a family photo album at best.
If you leave a lasting legacy in your field however that can last. Family is important but human beings are more than just baby production factories and your children will ultimately want to lead their own lives too
Who on earth has suggested you are immortal because you have children
Your views and comments on this would suggest you have not as yet enjoyed becoming a parent and I can tell you with certainty you will not be offering this nonsense when you do, which I genuinely hope you do
It will change your life
Out of order. Never comment on someone else’s childlessness (alleged in this case). You don’t know if it is a choice or, if so, why they chose it
And if they didn’t choose it then you are “criticising” them for something they cannot help which may be a source of intense grief. Tsk
Wow, a post from Leon that actually deserves a 'like'.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Life is entirely about how you impact on others. Yes your work has impact, but your immortality is through the legacy you build through your children. And for so many of us building that legacy is what drives us to work doing we do.
So don't me having kids is ordinary. You post some of the most wrong-headed self-inflating guff and this is perhaps the pinnacle achievement of your career to date.
Will it become immortal? Doubtful.
Plenty of people don't have children. The idea you are immortal because you have children is absurd, within a few generations all your family will have been born after you died and you will just be part of a family photo album at best.
If you leave a lasting legacy in your field however that can last. Family is important but human beings are more than just baby production factories and your children will ultimately want to lead their own lives too
Who on earth has suggested you are immortal because you have children
Your views and comments on this would suggest you have not as yet enjoyed becoming a parent and I can tell you with certainty you will not be offering this nonsense when you do, which I genuinely hope you do
It will change your life
BigG I was taught that there are several things you never ask/say to someone. One is when are they going to get married and another is when are you going to have a baby. There are many reasons why people can't or don't want to do either of these things and as one of the more polite PB posters I am disappointed that you should have made such a comment.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Life is entirely about how you impact on others. Yes your work has impact, but your immortality is through the legacy you build through your children. And for so many of us building that legacy is what drives us to work doing we do.
So don't me having kids is ordinary. You post some of the most wrong-headed self-inflating guff and this is perhaps the pinnacle achievement of your career to date.
Will it become immortal? Doubtful.
Plenty of people don't have children. The idea you are immortal because you have children is absurd, within a few generations all your family will have been born after you died and you will just be part of a family photo album at best.
If you leave a lasting legacy in your field however that can last. Family is important but human beings are more than just baby production factories and your children will ultimately want to lead their own lives too
Who on earth has suggested you are immortal because you have children
Your views and comments on this would suggest you have not as yet enjoyed becoming a parent and I can tell you with certainty you will not be offering this nonsense when you do, which I genuinely hope you do
It will change your life
Out of order. Never comment on someone else’s childlessness (alleged in this case). You don’t know if it is a choice or, if so, why they chose it
And if they didn’t choose it then you are “criticising” them for something they cannot help which may be a source of intense grief. Tsk
Indeed, some people are childless even if they wanted children eg Theresa and Philip May.
Hopefully my wife and I will be able to have children (at the moment our main focus is buying a property together as we are commuting between our properties) but not everyone can have children unfortunately. If people do not want to have children that is also their choice
Stayed very near there, a couple of years later. Everyone was still talking about it. Real shock as they knew what they were about, not clueless holidaymakers having a panic when they should have stayed put (that would have been bad enough, of course).
Interesting that the causeway is fingered in that report for exacerbating the flooding. I'd not heard that angle before.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Life is entirely about how you impact on others. Yes your work has impact, but your immortality is through the legacy you build through your children. And for so many of us building that legacy is what drives us to work doing we do.
So don't me having kids is ordinary. You post some of the most wrong-headed self-inflating guff and this is perhaps the pinnacle achievement of your career to date.
Will it become immortal? Doubtful.
Plenty of people don't have children. The idea you are immortal because you have children is absurd, within a few generations all your family will have been born after you died and you will just be part of a family photo album at best.
If you leave a lasting legacy in your field however that can last. Family is important but human beings are more than just baby production factories and your children will ultimately want to lead their own lives too
Who on earth has suggested you are immortal because you have children
Your views and comments on this would suggest you have not as yet enjoyed becoming a parent and I can tell you with certainty you will not be offering this nonsense when you do, which I genuinely hope you do
It will change your life
Out of order. Never comment on someone else’s childlessness (alleged in this case). You don’t know if it is a choice or, if so, why they chose it
And if they didn’t choose it then you are “criticising” them for something they cannot help which may be a source of intense grief. Tsk
It is amazing how thoughtless people can be on this subject. I know couples who have been unable to conceive. It is genuinely heart breaking for them. There is another couple I know that chose not to, and they then get "sympathy" for the assumption it was not chosen. It is staggeringly thoughtless.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Life is entirely about how you impact on others. Yes your work has impact, but your immortality is through the legacy you build through your children. And for so many of us building that legacy is what drives us to work doing we do.
So don't me having kids is ordinary. You post some of the most wrong-headed self-inflating guff and this is perhaps the pinnacle achievement of your career to date.
Will it become immortal? Doubtful.
Plenty of people don't have children. The idea you are immortal because you have children is absurd, within a few generations all your family will have been born after you died and you will just be part of a family photo album at best.
If you leave a lasting legacy in your field however that can last. Family is important but human beings are more than just baby production factories and your children will ultimately want to lead their own lives too
I guess this is a priorities thing. A lasting legacy in your field lasts how long? There are absolutely a few scientists / engineers whose achievements last, but most get swept away by the ones coming after.
Your kids however can keep adding value to our society through the generations. Not just my achievements now. Theirs as well. And their kids. And so on. Even if their achievements are just being a good person, making people happy, being kind - we need that.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
Definitely. I do remember having breakfast in the canteen of the hospital a few hours after my first daughter had been born. I was on my own, my wife and daughter were sleeping upstairs, it was a lovely summer day and the sun was streaming through the windows, and the feeling of elation that I had was like nothing I had ever known before. I remember feeling similarly joyful after the births of my other two children, but I think the first time is especially memorable.
Way back in 1966 when our first born came along I was not allowed at the hospital and waited for a phone call at home, also with my daughter in 1971, but I was present at the birth of our second son in 1975 and it was amazing
Times do change and often for the better
Our first born came at half time in the England-Brazil 1970 world cup when the score was 0-0.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Life is entirely about how you impact on others. Yes your work has impact, but your immortality is through the legacy you build through your children. And for so many of us building that legacy is what drives us to work doing we do.
So don't me having kids is ordinary. You post some of the most wrong-headed self-inflating guff and this is perhaps the pinnacle achievement of your career to date.
Will it become immortal? Doubtful.
Wanting to achieve immortality through your children is the route to tiger parenting. Making your children learn the piano/oboe/tap dancing or even go to Oxbridge because you never did.
People can be perfectly happy, satisfied, and live rich lives with or without children.
Thats not what I meant. I will die, they will live on. Thats immortality. Then they die and their kids live on. Etc etc.
Not to go all Sam Beckett an' all but on the other hand it is reasonable to ask who would choose to bring anyone into this world of pain, happiness, yet ultimate and inevitable death.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Life is entirely about how you impact on others. Yes your work has impact, but your immortality is through the legacy you build through your children. And for so many of us building that legacy is what drives us to work doing we do.
So don't me having kids is ordinary. You post some of the most wrong-headed self-inflating guff and this is perhaps the pinnacle achievement of your career to date.
Will it become immortal? Doubtful.
Plenty of people don't have children. The idea you are immortal because you have children is absurd, within a few generations all your family will have been born after you died and you will just be part of a family photo album at best.
If you leave a lasting legacy in your field however that can last. Family is important but human beings are more than just baby production factories and your children will ultimately want to lead their own lives too
Who on earth has suggested you are immortal because you have children
Your views and comments on this would suggest you have not as yet enjoyed becoming a parent and I can tell you with certainty you will not be offering this nonsense when you do, which I genuinely hope you do
It will change your life
BigG I was taught that there are several things you never ask/say to someone. One is when are they going to get married and another is when are you going to have a baby. There are many reasons why people can't or don't want to do either of these things and as one of the more polite PB posters I am disappointed that you should have made such a comment.
I agree and I have apologised
Good man. PB is a self moderating forum. Which is one reason it is such a civilised place to chat. At least until the lagershed
No doubt, good local reasons for this result, but you do wonder if there could conceivably be an element of "shy-Boris" people out there, ie, folk who tell themselves, and pollsters, they disapprove of BJ but, secretly, can't help liking him. I wonder...
That's not to say he shouldn't go. He really should.
Its Friday and another very odd set of by-election results compared to current opinion polls and all that has happened over the past 3 months.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Life is entirely about how you impact on others. Yes your work has impact, but your immortality is through the legacy you build through your children. And for so many of us building that legacy is what drives us to work doing we do.
So don't me having kids is ordinary. You post some of the most wrong-headed self-inflating guff and this is perhaps the pinnacle achievement of your career to date.
Will it become immortal? Doubtful.
Plenty of people don't have children. The idea you are immortal because you have children is absurd, within a few generations all your family will have been born after you died and you will just be part of a family photo album at best.
If you leave a lasting legacy in your field however that can last. Family is important but human beings are more than just baby production factories and your children will ultimately want to lead their own lives too
Who on earth has suggested you are immortal because you have children
Your views and comments on this would suggest you have not as yet enjoyed becoming a parent and I can tell you with certainty you will not be offering this nonsense when you do, which I genuinely hope you do
It will change your life
Out of order. Never comment on someone else’s childlessness (alleged in this case). You don’t know if it is a choice or, if so, why they chose it
And if they didn’t choose it then you are “criticising” them for something they cannot help which may be a source of intense grief. Tsk
Indeed, some people are childless even if they wanted children eg Theresa and Philip May.
Hopefully my wife and I will be able to have children (at the moment our main focus is buying a property together) but not everyone can have children unfortunately. If people do not want to have children that is also their choice
Can I directly apologise to you for my insensitive remarks @HYUFD
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Having kids is not an “achievement” or a “highlight”, but if it happens it is the most intense, profound, mysteriously moving human experience - for most people. You create and form another soul. It brings a lifetime of angst, guilt and worry, but, ultimately, for most, it also brings a sense of meaning and purpose and infrequent moments of incomparable happiness
It has rightly been compared to Brexiting
I so wanted to like that, but you had to add the last sentence. I know it's a joke and not a bad one at that, but you seriously need help. It is going to drive you crazy (if that is not too late).
Good grief. It was a self deprecating joke!
Eh? I acknowledged that, even complemented you on it (I know it is a joke and not a bad one at that) and your well written message.
I dont have kids or really desire to, but I have to admire the gumption of a political operator whose message is 'your kids dont make you special, mate'.
While simultaneously claiming the most important thing in life is an inheritance . . .
Inheritance is important to set your children up in life, it is not the be all and end all of your own life.
Plenty of people also inherit property and do not then have children themselves, I still as a Tory of course support them having that inheritance
Total unmitigated bollocks. Inheritance is not remotely important to set your children in life, especially since most people will be about 65+ before they lose both parents.
Good parenting is important to set your children up in life.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Life is entirely about how you impact on others. Yes your work has impact, but your immortality is through the legacy you build through your children. And for so many of us building that legacy is what drives us to work doing we do.
So don't me having kids is ordinary. You post some of the most wrong-headed self-inflating guff and this is perhaps the pinnacle achievement of your career to date.
Will it become immortal? Doubtful.
Plenty of people don't have children. The idea you are immortal because you have children is absurd, within a few generations all your family will have been born after you died and you will just be part of a family photo album at best.
If you leave a lasting legacy in your field however that can last. Family is important but human beings are more than just baby production factories and your children will ultimately want to lead their own lives too
Who on earth has suggested you are immortal because you have children
Your views and comments on this would suggest you have not as yet enjoyed becoming a parent and I can tell you with certainty you will not be offering this nonsense when you do, which I genuinely hope you do
It will change your life
BigG I was taught that there are several things you never ask/say to someone. One is when are they going to get married and another is when are you going to have a baby. There are many reasons why people can't or don't want to do either of these things and as one of the more polite PB posters I am disappointed that you should have made such a comment.
I agree and I have apologised
Good man. PB is a self moderating forum. Which is one reason it is such a civilised place to chat. At least until the lagershed
Or imminent destruction of the planet. Via various means terrestrial and otherwise.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Life is entirely about how you impact on others. Yes your work has impact, but your immortality is through the legacy you build through your children. And for so many of us building that legacy is what drives us to work doing we do.
So don't me having kids is ordinary. You post some of the most wrong-headed self-inflating guff and this is perhaps the pinnacle achievement of your career to date.
Will it become immortal? Doubtful.
Plenty of people don't have children. The idea you are immortal because you have children is absurd, within a few generations all your family will have been born after you died and you will just be part of a family photo album at best.
If you leave a lasting legacy in your field however that can last. Family is important but human beings are more than just baby production factories and your children will ultimately want to lead their own lives too
Who on earth has suggested you are immortal because you have children
Your views and comments on this would suggest you have not as yet enjoyed becoming a parent and I can tell you with certainty you will not be offering this nonsense when you do, which I genuinely hope you do
It will change your life
Out of order. Never comment on someone else’s childlessness (alleged in this case). You don’t know if it is a choice or, if so, why they chose it
And if they didn’t choose it then you are “criticising” them for something they cannot help which may be a source of intense grief. Tsk
It is amazing how thoughtless people can be on this subject. I know couples who have been unable to conceive. It is genuinely heart breaking for them. There is another couple I know that chose not to, and they then get "sympathy" for the assumption it was not chosen. It is staggeringly thoughtless.
A friend of mine does plan to, but finds the parents and in laws insufferable in putting pressure on 'giving them' a grandchild on their schedule. I'm sure it would be a joy for them but it can be remarkably pushy.
I think the effect on armoured warfare of a spring thaw and mud isn't what it was in the 1940s.
I did think the same. In 1941, 42 and 43, nowt happened in March and April at all on the Eastern front.
But this fight will be drone warfare and electronic cyber attacks. Boots on the ground will be needed at some point, but maybe that is just the mopping up exercise.
There are a lot more roads than back then.
Track design, power to weight etc has improved quite a bit. Also, the Russian army (and armies in general) have a lot more logistical vehicles that can handle the mud (to a certain extent)
I dont have kids or really desire to, but I have to admire the gumption of a political operator whose message is 'your kids dont make you special, mate'.
While simultaneously claiming the most important thing in life is an inheritance . . .
Inheritance is important to set your children up in life, it is not the be all and end all of your own life.
Plenty of people also inherit property and do not then have children themselves, I still as a Tory of course support them having that inheritance
Total unmitigated bollocks. Inheritance is not remotely important to set your children in life, especially since most people will be about 65+ before they lose both parents.
Good parenting is important to set your children up in life.
Actually it is, especially if you live south of Watford and in the London commuter belt which you don't and you want to help them on the property ladder as property is so much more expensive than in the North where you live.
You can be as good a parent as you can to set your children up in life but while an average salary will enable first time buyers to buy in the North even if your children get an above average salary job in London and the Home Counties that does not mean they will necessarily be able to buy a property without assistance for a deposit
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Life is entirely about how you impact on others. Yes your work has impact, but your immortality is through the legacy you build through your children. And for so many of us building that legacy is what drives us to work doing we do.
So don't me having kids is ordinary. You post some of the most wrong-headed self-inflating guff and this is perhaps the pinnacle achievement of your career to date.
Will it become immortal? Doubtful.
Plenty of people don't have children. The idea you are immortal because you have children is absurd, within a few generations all your family will have been born after you died and you will just be part of a family photo album at best.
If you leave a lasting legacy in your field however that can last. Family is important but human beings are more than just baby production factories and your children will ultimately want to lead their own lives too
Who on earth has suggested you are immortal because you have children
Your views and comments on this would suggest you have not as yet enjoyed becoming a parent and I can tell you with certainty you will not be offering this nonsense when you do, which I genuinely hope you do
It will change your life
Out of order. Never comment on someone else’s childlessness (alleged in this case). You don’t know if it is a choice or, if so, why they chose it
And if they didn’t choose it then you are “criticising” them for something they cannot help which may be a source of intense grief. Tsk
It is amazing how thoughtless people can be on this subject. I know couples who have been unable to conceive. It is genuinely heart breaking for them. There is another couple I know that chose not to, and they then get "sympathy" for the assumption it was not chosen. It is staggeringly thoughtless.
There is a difference between hectoring parents / non-parents on their choices ("you MUST have kids what is wrong with you?" / "why would you want kids in this evil world?") and being someone with no kids telling others with kids that their offspring are nothing special. Then going back to the Importance of being able to pass on as large an inheritance tax-free as possible.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Life is entirely about how you impact on others. Yes your work has impact, but your immortality is through the legacy you build through your children. And for so many of us building that legacy is what drives us to work doing we do.
So don't me having kids is ordinary. You post some of the most wrong-headed self-inflating guff and this is perhaps the pinnacle achievement of your career to date.
Will it become immortal? Doubtful.
Plenty of people don't have children. The idea you are immortal because you have children is absurd, within a few generations all your family will have been born after you died and you will just be part of a family photo album at best.
If you leave a lasting legacy in your field however that can last. Family is important but human beings are more than just baby production factories and your children will ultimately want to lead their own lives too
Who on earth has suggested you are immortal because you have children
Your views and comments on this would suggest you have not as yet enjoyed becoming a parent and I can tell you with certainty you will not be offering this nonsense when you do, which I genuinely hope you do
It will change your life
Out of order. Never comment on someone else’s childlessness (alleged in this case). You don’t know if it is a choice or, if so, why they chose it
And if they didn’t choose it then you are “criticising” them for something they cannot help which may be a source of intense grief. Tsk
Indeed, some people are childless even if they wanted children eg Theresa and Philip May.
Hopefully my wife and I will be able to have children (at the moment our main focus is buying a property together) but not everyone can have children unfortunately. If people do not want to have children that is also their choice
Can I directly apologise to you for my insensitive remarks @HYUFD
One 737 and one A319 already having a second attempt to land at Heathrow. The chaos might be about to start.
We were in an aborted landing at Heathrow due to wind and it was really scary but when the pilot was about to touch down and he powered away upwards we were very relieved, though as most of Europe was having the same problems he came in the second time and slapped the wheels onto the runway very hard, and as we taxied we were buffeted quite considerably
Great admiration for the pilots was expressed directly to them by us all as got off the aircraft
It’s on days like this, that the pilots earn their money.
This amateur pilot would be quite happy sitting on the ground if he was in the UK today - the professionals, well they are professionals.
No doubt, good local reasons for this result, but you do wonder if there could conceivably be an element of "shy-Boris" people out there, ie, folk who tell themselves, and pollsters, they disapprove of BJ but, secretly, can't help liking him. I wonder...
That's not to say he shouldn't go. He really should.
Its Friday and another very odd set of by-election results compared to current opinion polls and all that has happened over the past 3 months.
I don't think local by elections tell us too much.
But there could be something in the notion of the "shy Johnsonian". If a pollster asked me my opinion of Johnson I would be nervous to confirm I liked him and I would vote for him. But then I don't and I wouldn't.
I dont have kids or really desire to, but I have to admire the gumption of a political operator whose message is 'your kids dont make you special, mate'.
While simultaneously claiming the most important thing in life is an inheritance . . .
Inheritance is important to set your children up in life, it is not the be all and end all of your own life.
Plenty of people also inherit property and do not then have children themselves, I still as a Tory of course support them having that inheritance
Total unmitigated bollocks. Inheritance is not remotely important to set your children in life, especially since most people will be about 65+ before they lose both parents.
Good parenting is important to set your children up in life.
Actually it is, especially if you live south of Watford and in the London commuter belt which you don't and you want to help them on the property ladder as property is so much more expensive than in the North where you live.
You can be as good a parent as you can to set your children up in life but while an average salary will enable first time buyers to buy in the North even if your children get an above average salary job in London and the Home Counties that does not mean they will necessarily be able to buy a property without assistance for a deposit
Help from your parents is not the same thing as an inheritance and you know it.
I'm 39 and I've never received, wanted or asked for a single penny of inheritance. I'm fortunate that all my grandparents are alive (my wife has lost all of hers, so I know how fortunate I am) and my parents are healthy too.
The way you speak about inheritances is like I should consider myself unfortunate that none of my relatives have died sooner. Its disgusting quite frankly.
If you want to help your family, do so while you're alive, don't wait until you're dead. The obsession over inheritances you have is deeply weird and concerning, people should be able to work for a living (both the young and their family) while they're alive not post-mortem.
PS if the housing market is buggered in the South, then the solution is to fix the housing market. Not pray your parents die a premature death so you can get your hands on their money.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Life is entirely about how you impact on others. Yes your work has impact, but your immortality is through the legacy you build through your children. And for so many of us building that legacy is what drives us to work doing we do.
So don't me having kids is ordinary. You post some of the most wrong-headed self-inflating guff and this is perhaps the pinnacle achievement of your career to date.
Will it become immortal? Doubtful.
Wanting to achieve immortality through your children is the route to tiger parenting. Making your children learn the piano/oboe/tap dancing or even go to Oxbridge because you never did.
People can be perfectly happy, satisfied, and live rich lives with or without children.
Thats not what I meant. I will die, they will live on. Thats immortality. Then they die and their kids live on. Etc etc.
Not to go all Sam Beckett an' all but on the other hand it is reasonable to ask who would choose to bring anyone into this world of pain, happiness, yet ultimate and inevitable death.
Of course its reasonable and I've just defended the people who choose not to have kids. My Aunt and Uncle as one example.
My point was that life is short and civilisation fast-moving. I can "achieve" things through work (which was my inference from what HY was saying) which barely last 5 minutes. He's a politics obsessive and how many politicians really make a long-lasting impact? How many cabinet ministers of even a few years ago matter at all now?
I dont have kids or really desire to, but I have to admire the gumption of a political operator whose message is 'your kids dont make you special, mate'.
While simultaneously claiming the most important thing in life is an inheritance . . .
Inheritance is important to set your children up in life, it is not the be all and end all of your own life.
Plenty of people also inherit property and do not then have children themselves, I still as a Tory of course support them having that inheritance
Total unmitigated bollocks. Inheritance is not remotely important to set your children in life, especially since most people will be about 65+ before they lose both parents.
Good parenting is important to set your children up in life.
Well said. I haven't received a penny of inheritance. That said, I fully intend to leave my kids a shedload, but hoping they might be 65+ by the time it happens, cos that will make me roughly 100 lol!
I dont have kids or really desire to, but I have to admire the gumption of a political operator whose message is 'your kids dont make you special, mate'.
While simultaneously claiming the most important thing in life is an inheritance . . .
Inheritance is important to set your children up in life, it is not the be all and end all of your own life.
Plenty of people also inherit property and do not then have children themselves, I still as a Tory of course support them having that inheritance
Total unmitigated bollocks. Inheritance is not remotely important to set your children in life, especially since most people will be about 65+ before they lose both parents.
Good parenting is important to set your children up in life.
Actually it is, especially if you live south of Watford and in the London commuter belt which you don't and you want to help them on the property ladder as property is so much more expensive than in the North where you live.
You can be as good a parent as you can to set your children up in life but while an average salary will enable first time buyers to buy in the North even if your children get an above average salary job in London and the Home Counties that does not mean they will necessarily be able to buy a property without assistance for a deposit
Help from your parents is not the same thing as an inheritance and you know it.
I'm 39 and I've never received, wanted or asked for a single penny of inheritance. I'm fortunate that all my grandparents are alive (my wife has lost all of hers, so I know how fortunate I am) and my parents are healthy too.
The way you speak about inheritances is like I should consider myself unfortunate that none of my relatives have died sooner. Its disgusting quite frankly.
If you want to help your family, do so while you're alive, don't wait until you're dead. The obsession over inheritances you have is deeply weird and concerning, people should be able to work for a living (both the young and their family) while they're alive not post-mortem.
Fine but you live in the Northwest where property prices on average are half those of the Southeast and a third the price of those in London.
Plenty of parents in the Home Counties effectively give their children much of their inheritance early with help with deposits for their first property. Inheritance does not have to wait until death
I dont have kids or really desire to, but I have to admire the gumption of a political operator whose message is 'your kids dont make you special, mate'.
While simultaneously claiming the most important thing in life is an inheritance . . .
Inheritance is important to set your children up in life, it is not the be all and end all of your own life.
Plenty of people also inherit property and do not then have children themselves, I still as a Tory of course support them having that inheritance
Total unmitigated bollocks. Inheritance is not remotely important to set your children in life, especially since most people will be about 65+ before they lose both parents.
Good parenting is important to set your children up in life.
One of my proudest parenting moments was eating the pizza cooked by my then ten year old daughter. I also made sure to teach her to whistle. Skills that set her up for life.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Having kids is not an “achievement” or a “highlight”, but if it happens it is the most intense, profound, mysteriously moving human experience - for most people. You create and form another soul. It brings a lifetime of angst, guilt and worry, but, ultimately, for most, it also brings a sense of meaning and purpose and infrequent moments of incomparable happiness
It has rightly been compared to Brexiting
I so wanted to like that, but you had to add the last sentence. I know it's a joke and not a bad one at that, but you seriously need help. It is going to drive you crazy (if that is not too late).
Good grief. It was a self deprecating joke!
Eh? I acknowledged that, even complemented you on it (I know it is a joke and not a bad one at that) and your well written message.
Brexit is driving you mad though.
It’s kind of you to care but it is misplaced. This is (er, largely) a politics forum. Brexit is still a huge presence in our political lives and still impacts actual UK, EU even global politics in multiple ways. Thus it will be referenced on here endlessly, by me and others
One example: the choice of the next Tory leader (should Boris the Brexiteer depart). Has to be a Leaver. Meanwhile at least 5% of the country - a vocal 5% - would reverse Brexit tomorrow, and fuck democracy
Outside of this forum I barely think about Brexit at all. It doesn’t affect my daily life. I’m glad it happened for all its griefs. I only think about it at the moment (beyond PB) when I’m in passport queues. Seriously
The maddest part of @Ross_Greer’s pensions remarks is his analogy with the American Civil War. He doesn’t seem to know that the war ended with seceding states being reabsorbed into the Union - the exact opposite of what Scottish independence would be.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
A “highlight” is not necessarily the same as a “main achievement”
The highlights of my life are:
Getting married, which is surprising as I was given an ultimatum to do so by the time I was 40 which I made by 48 hours.
Birth of my children.
Winchester by election (it was a hell of a party).
Skiing the Tortin.
Pitchpoling a catamaran.
Various adventures with girlfriends not to be detailed here.
Didn't think of this when posting that but it does demonstrate the difference between highlights and achievements as several required no skills on my part and at least one demonstrated incompetence.
No doubt, good local reasons for this result, but you do wonder if there could conceivably be an element of "shy-Boris" people out there, ie, folk who tell themselves, and pollsters, they disapprove of BJ but, secretly, can't help liking him. I wonder...
That's not to say he shouldn't go. He really should.
Its Friday and another very odd set of by-election results compared to current opinion polls and all that has happened over the past 3 months.
I don't think local by elections tell us too much.
But there could be something in the notion of the "shy Johnsonian". If a pollster asked me my opinion of Johnson I would be nervous to confirm I liked him and I would vote for him. But then I don't and I wouldn't.
Individual by-elections don't, but taken as a whole, over time, they can provide pointers. If they get their act together the Tories still seem capable of getting some pretty respectable results which they really couldn't in the dying days of John Major. Note the resilience of the Scots Tories who have consistently increased their vote-share in council by-elections over the last year or two. It's why I think they may surprise in May.
No doubt, good local reasons for this result, but you do wonder if there could conceivably be an element of "shy-Boris" people out there, ie, folk who tell themselves, and pollsters, they disapprove of BJ but, secretly, can't help liking him. I wonder...
That's not to say he shouldn't go. He really should.
An alternative explanation might be that there are people who are prepared to vote for good Conservative candidates in a local election who are not prepared to vote for Johnson as PM.
Mrs J never wanted children, but after we got married and her biological clock ticked on, she changed her mind. If she had not, we would now have two large disposable incomes with masses of free time. I would probably be out walking as much as possible, and she would be doing her hobbies.
Having a little 'un has utterly changed that. We have one income (by choice), and whilst that income is reasonable , we do not have that much free time in which to spend it.
But his presence in our lives has been so unutterably great. Every day he amuses us, annoys us, entertains us, and staggers us as we see him growing from a baby into a toddler, then a boy, and soon into a young man. He has interests that have caused us to explore new places and discover new facts.
If we had not had him, we would be happy. But we would also be stuck in a rut. He has taken us out of that. But it is hard work - and that's just with one...
I dont have kids or really desire to, but I have to admire the gumption of a political operator whose message is 'your kids dont make you special, mate'.
While simultaneously claiming the most important thing in life is an inheritance . . .
Inheritance is important to set your children up in life, it is not the be all and end all of your own life.
Plenty of people also inherit property and do not then have children themselves, I still as a Tory of course support them having that inheritance
Total unmitigated bollocks. Inheritance is not remotely important to set your children in life, especially since most people will be about 65+ before they lose both parents.
Good parenting is important to set your children up in life.
Actually it is, especially if you live south of Watford and in the London commuter belt which you don't and you want to help them on the property ladder as property is so much more expensive than in the North where you live.
You can be as good a parent as you can to set your children up in life but while an average salary will enable first time buyers to buy in the North even if your children get an above average salary job in London and the Home Counties that does not mean they will necessarily be able to buy a property without assistance for a deposit
Help from your parents is not the same thing as an inheritance and you know it.
I'm 39 and I've never received, wanted or asked for a single penny of inheritance. I'm fortunate that all my grandparents are alive (my wife has lost all of hers, so I know how fortunate I am) and my parents are healthy too.
The way you speak about inheritances is like I should consider myself unfortunate that none of my relatives have died sooner. Its disgusting quite frankly.
If you want to help your family, do so while you're alive, don't wait until you're dead. The obsession over inheritances you have is deeply weird and concerning, people should be able to work for a living (both the young and their family) while they're alive not post-mortem.
PS if the housing market is buggered in the South, then the solution is to fix the housing market. Not pray your parents die a premature death so you can get your hands on their money.
We've helped our children and grandchildren in various ways at various times and have been happy to do so, although we've also wondered (sometimes to them) why they needed the help in the first place! Conversely they've all been willing to talk about their problems to us.
I dont have kids or really desire to, but I have to admire the gumption of a political operator whose message is 'your kids dont make you special, mate'.
While simultaneously claiming the most important thing in life is an inheritance . . .
Inheritance is important to set your children up in life, it is not the be all and end all of your own life.
Plenty of people also inherit property and do not then have children themselves, I still as a Tory of course support them having that inheritance
Total unmitigated bollocks. Inheritance is not remotely important to set your children in life, especially since most people will be about 65+ before they lose both parents.
Good parenting is important to set your children up in life.
Actually it is, especially if you live south of Watford and in the London commuter belt which you don't and you want to help them on the property ladder as property is so much more expensive than in the North where you live.
You can be as good a parent as you can to set your children up in life but while an average salary will enable first time buyers to buy in the North even if your children get an above average salary job in London and the Home Counties that does not mean they will necessarily be able to buy a property without assistance for a deposit
Help from your parents is not the same thing as an inheritance and you know it.
I'm 39 and I've never received, wanted or asked for a single penny of inheritance. I'm fortunate that all my grandparents are alive (my wife has lost all of hers, so I know how fortunate I am) and my parents are healthy too.
The way you speak about inheritances is like I should consider myself unfortunate that none of my relatives have died sooner. Its disgusting quite frankly.
If you want to help your family, do so while you're alive, don't wait until you're dead. The obsession over inheritances you have is deeply weird and concerning, people should be able to work for a living (both the young and their family) while they're alive not post-mortem.
Fine but you live in the Northwest where property prices on average are half those of the Southeast and a third the price of those in London.
Plenty of parents in the Home Counties effectively give their children much of their inheritance early with help with deposits for their first property. Inheritance does not have to wait until death
What are you on about? I am currently paying my eldest's housing costs at uni. Is that me giving him "inheritance"?
You pay out £dollah for your kids because thats what being a parent is. Its another HY journey way beyond understanding and comprehension that as usual doesn't stop ypu from speaking in Absolute Certainties from a position of cluelessness.
You really really need to become a Tory MP. You'd be a great fit.
I dont have kids or really desire to, but I have to admire the gumption of a political operator whose message is 'your kids dont make you special, mate'.
While simultaneously claiming the most important thing in life is an inheritance . . .
Inheritance is important to set your children up in life, it is not the be all and end all of your own life.
Plenty of people also inherit property and do not then have children themselves, I still as a Tory of course support them having that inheritance
Total unmitigated bollocks. Inheritance is not remotely important to set your children in life, especially since most people will be about 65+ before they lose both parents.
Good parenting is important to set your children up in life.
Well said. I haven't received a penny of inheritance. That said, I fully intend to leave my kids a shedload, but hoping they might be 65+ by the time it happens, cos that will make me roughly 100 lol!
No doubt, good local reasons for this result, but you do wonder if there could conceivably be an element of "shy-Boris" people out there, ie, folk who tell themselves, and pollsters, they disapprove of BJ but, secretly, can't help liking him. I wonder...
That's not to say he shouldn't go. He really should.
An alternative explanation might be that there are people who are prepared to vote for good Conservative candidates in a local election who are not prepared to vote for Johnson as PM.
Yes I agree. Bit questionable to draw conclusions from a local by election especially a council in a safe Tory seat which has been controlled by the LDs for a while and draw wider conclusions about Johnson's popularity in the East Midlands.
No doubt, good local reasons for this result, but you do wonder if there could conceivably be an element of "shy-Boris" people out there, ie, folk who tell themselves, and pollsters, they disapprove of BJ but, secretly, can't help liking him. I wonder...
That's not to say he shouldn't go. He really should.
An alternative explanation might be that there are people who are prepared to vote for good Conservative candidates in a local election who are not prepared to vote for Johnson as PM.
Spot on. Boris is now a drag on Conservative polling - local versus national shows the extent. Which is why he won't lead the Party into the next election. Not unless he can reinvent himself from debauched Prince Hal to huzzah! King Henry V in well under 2 years. Not seeing it.
Mrs J never wanted children, but after we got married and her biological clock ticked on, she changed her mind. If she had not, we would now have two large disposable incomes with masses of free time. I would probably be out walking as much as possible, and she would be doing her hobbies.
Having a little 'un has utterly changed that. We have one income (by choice), and whilst that income is reasonable , we do not have that much free time in which to spend it.
But his presence in our lives has been so unutterably great. Every day he amuses us, annoys us, entertains us, and staggers us as we see him growing from a baby into a toddler, then a boy, and soon into a young man. He has interests that have caused us to explore new places and discover new facts.
If we had not had him, we would be happy. But we would also be stuck in a rut. He has taken us out of that. But it is hard work - and that's just with one...
Having kids (in my experience) makes life very much worse but vastly more meaningful, and therefore hopefully “better”, at the same time
But it’s certainly not the same as a lifestyle choice. It’s not “taking up golf“ or “moving to the coast” or “going vegan”
It is probably the most important thing you can do as an average human
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
A “highlight” is not necessarily the same as a “main achievement”
The highlights of my life are:
Getting married, which is surprising as I was given an ultimatum to do so by the time I was 40 which I made by 48 hours.
Birth of my children.
Winchester by election (it was a hell of a party).
Skiing the Tortin.
Pitchpoling a catamaran.
Various adventures with girlfriends not to be detailed here.
With Mark Oaten involved I can quite believe it was “a hell of a party”!
I dont have kids or really desire to, but I have to admire the gumption of a political operator whose message is 'your kids dont make you special, mate'.
While simultaneously claiming the most important thing in life is an inheritance . . .
Inheritance is important to set your children up in life, it is not the be all and end all of your own life.
Plenty of people also inherit property and do not then have children themselves, I still as a Tory of course support them having that inheritance
Total unmitigated bollocks. Inheritance is not remotely important to set your children in life, especially since most people will be about 65+ before they lose both parents.
Good parenting is important to set your children up in life.
Well said. I haven't received a penny of inheritance. That said, I fully intend to leave my kids a shedload, but hoping they might be 65+ by the time it happens, cos that will make me roughly 100 lol!
A wise man (might have been Warren Buffet) said:
“Leave your children enough to do something but not enough to do nothing”.
I don't want to speak to soon, but so far here in the south east this 'red' storm is a disappointment. Few gusts of wind, trees blowing around, etc, but nothing visibly unusual; just a windy day so far.
I dont have kids or really desire to, but I have to admire the gumption of a political operator whose message is 'your kids dont make you special, mate'.
While simultaneously claiming the most important thing in life is an inheritance . . .
Inheritance is important to set your children up in life, it is not the be all and end all of your own life.
Plenty of people also inherit property and do not then have children themselves, I still as a Tory of course support them having that inheritance
Total unmitigated bollocks. Inheritance is not remotely important to set your children in life, especially since most people will be about 65+ before they lose both parents.
Good parenting is important to set your children up in life.
It would be a better world if inheritance weren't necessary to achieve a decent standard of living, as was the case, fortunately for me, when I was young. In the bigger scheme of things, inheritance tax is actually a pretty sensible way of raising money, given the alternatives.
Two weeks left in the French presidential election nominating period. Six candidates now qualified for the ballot (Macron, Pécresse, Hidalgo, Arthaud, Roussel and Lasalle) with Jadot on the cusp and Dupont-Aignan, Mélenchon and Le Pen not too far away. On the face of it, Zemmour, Asselineau and Poutou still have work to do. There were eleven candidates last time.
I don't want to speak to soon, but so far here in the south east this 'red' storm is a disappointment. Few gusts of wind, trees blowing around, etc, but nothing visibly unusual; just a windy day so far.
I don't want to speak to soon, but so far here in the south east this 'red' storm is a disappointment. Few gusts of wind, trees blowing around, etc, but nothing visibly unusual; just a windy day so far.
Not even that windy here in Camden. Sunny and breezy. There are meant to be corpses in the street
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Having kids is not an “achievement” or a “highlight”, but if it happens it is the most intense, profound, mysteriously moving human experience - for most people. You create and form another soul. It brings a lifetime of angst, guilt and worry, but, ultimately, for most, it also brings a sense of meaning and purpose and infrequent moments of incomparable happiness
It has rightly been compared to Brexiting
I so wanted to like that, but you had to add the last sentence. I know it's a joke and not a bad one at that, but you seriously need help. It is going to drive you crazy (if that is not too late).
Good grief. It was a self deprecating joke!
Eh? I acknowledged that, even complemented you on it (I know it is a joke and not a bad one at that) and your well written message.
Brexit is driving you mad though.
It’s kind of you to care but it is misplaced. This is (er, largely) a politics forum. Brexit is still a huge presence in our political lives and still impacts actual UK, EU even global politics in multiple ways. Thus it will be referenced on here endlessly, by me and others
One example: the choice of the next Tory leader (should Boris the Brexiteer depart). Has to be a Leaver. Meanwhile at least 5% of the country - a vocal 5% - would reverse Brexit tomorrow, and fuck democracy
Outside of this forum I barely think about Brexit at all. It doesn’t affect my daily life. I’m glad it happened for all its griefs. I only think about it at the moment (beyond PB) when I’m in passport queues. Seriously
Discussing the current progress of Brexit, and its implications, is entirely sensible. We aren't doing it enough.
I don't want to speak to soon, but so far here in the south east this 'red' storm is a disappointment. Few gusts of wind, trees blowing around, etc, but nothing visibly unusual; just a windy day so far.
Not even that windy here in Camden. Sunny and breezy. There are meant to be corpses in the street
Rubbishest storm in history
Just another of those days when Camden isn't going to be at the centre of things, I guess?
A shame, since it's a rare example where a bit of wind damage might actually improve the place.
I don't want to speak to soon, but so far here in the south east this 'red' storm is a disappointment. Few gusts of wind, trees blowing around, etc, but nothing visibly unusual; just a windy day so far.
Up here in Buchan we weren't going to get windy woo as once again the Cairgorms are sheltering us. But the forecasted snow has settled in for the day and is coming thick and fast.
On Ukraine, it does seem like the US/UK have played a blinder on the information war. Putin is damned if he does invade and damned if he doesn't invade. Finally, after a decade or so, the west have started to wise up to how to deal with his regime. What would be nice to see is a bit more hard power on the eastern border, rather than the endless pathetic attempts at 'dialogue'. None of this will stop military conflict, but the reality is that the area has been in conflict since 2014, and the west in 'retreat'. Like dealing with any bully, it will only be bought to an end by confrontation, running away or pacification is not an option.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Having kids is not an “achievement” or a “highlight”, but if it happens it is the most intense, profound, mysteriously moving human experience - for most people. You create and form another soul. It brings a lifetime of angst, guilt and worry, but, ultimately, for most, it also brings a sense of meaning and purpose and infrequent moments of incomparable happiness
It has rightly been compared to Brexiting
I so wanted to like that, but you had to add the last sentence. I know it's a joke and not a bad one at that, but you seriously need help. It is going to drive you crazy (if that is not too late).
Good grief. It was a self deprecating joke!
Eh? I acknowledged that, even complemented you on it (I know it is a joke and not a bad one at that) and your well written message.
Brexit is driving you mad though.
It’s kind of you to care but it is misplaced. This is (er, largely) a politics forum. Brexit is still a huge presence in our political lives and still impacts actual UK, EU even global politics in multiple ways. Thus it will be referenced on here endlessly, by me and others
One example: the choice of the next Tory leader (should Boris the Brexiteer depart). Has to be a Leaver. Meanwhile at least 5% of the country - a vocal 5% - would reverse Brexit tomorrow, and fuck democracy
Outside of this forum I barely think about Brexit at all. It doesn’t affect my daily life. I’m glad it happened for all its griefs. I only think about it at the moment (beyond PB) when I’m in passport queues. Seriously
Discussing the current progress of Brexit, and its implications, is entirely sensible. We aren't doing it enough.
Obsessing about the events of six years ago is, however, a tad less sensible.
But the reasons Brexit is the Brexit we have, now, is all entangled with the way Brexit was parented, conceived, gestated, delivered (and almost strangled in the crib by Remoaners). You can’t disentangle these things
I don't want to speak to soon, but so far here in the south east this 'red' storm is a disappointment. Few gusts of wind, trees blowing around, etc, but nothing visibly unusual; just a windy day so far.
We're still an hour off the peak even here in the mid south. I am going to risk taking the dog around the block while it's not completely dumb to be outside.
The daily Caen ferry's already off into the Channel, and the island ferries are still running, but the daily run to the Channel Islands looks like it's not happening today.
Note too we had a non Oxford graduate as PM just 12 years ago, Gordon Brown and just 13 years before that too, John Major.
Starmer might have an Oxford postgraduate degree but he did his undergraduate degree at Leeds
Brown never won an election and Major did not go to university
So what, they were still both PMs who did not go to Oxford University
No grauduate if a University other than Oxfords has led his party to a General Election victory since 1935
Though Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, was not outright defeated by Oxford educated Cameron in 2010 and Oxford educated May failed to outright defeat non Oxford educated Corbyn in 2017. Note too non Oxford educated Churchill beat Oxford graduate Attlee in 1951.
However a lot of general elections have been Oxford graduate v Oxford graduate eg 1955, 1959, 1964, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1983, 2001 and 2015 or Oxford v Cambridge ie 2005, so Oxford or at least Oxbridge, could not lose those general elections anyway.
Oxford does seem to let people down. It’s graduates to tend to go on about it a tad. Life somehow seems to stop there.
Unless you also become a self made multi-millionaire or a billionaire (or indeed PM) going to Oxford is probably the highlight of your life if you get in
Without wanting to come across like Andrea Leadsom but having kids is the highlight of the lives of most people.
That is more continuing the line and investing in their lives, rather than the main achievement in your own life.
Nope.
Most of the population have children at some point, family is important but having children is not really an achievement which marks you out from most other people
Having kids is not an “achievement” or a “highlight”, but if it happens it is the most intense, profound, mysteriously moving human experience - for most people. You create and form another soul. It brings a lifetime of angst, guilt and worry, but, ultimately, for most, it also brings a sense of meaning and purpose and infrequent moments of incomparable happiness
It has rightly been compared to Brexiting
I so wanted to like that, but you had to add the last sentence. I know it's a joke and not a bad one at that, but you seriously need help. It is going to drive you crazy (if that is not too late).
Good grief. It was a self deprecating joke!
Eh? I acknowledged that, even complemented you on it (I know it is a joke and not a bad one at that) and your well written message.
Brexit is driving you mad though.
It’s kind of you to care but it is misplaced. This is (er, largely) a politics forum. Brexit is still a huge presence in our political lives and still impacts actual UK, EU even global politics in multiple ways. Thus it will be referenced on here endlessly, by me and others
One example: the choice of the next Tory leader (should Boris the Brexiteer depart). Has to be a Leaver. Meanwhile at least 5% of the country - a vocal 5% - would reverse Brexit tomorrow, and fuck democracy
Outside of this forum I barely think about Brexit at all. It doesn’t affect my daily life. I’m glad it happened for all its griefs. I only think about it at the moment (beyond PB) when I’m in passport queues. Seriously
Discussing the current progress of Brexit, and its implications, is entirely sensible. We aren't doing it enough.
No doubt, good local reasons for this result, but you do wonder if there could conceivably be an element of "shy-Boris" people out there, ie, folk who tell themselves, and pollsters, they disapprove of BJ but, secretly, can't help liking him. I wonder...
That's not to say he shouldn't go. He really should.
An alternative explanation might be that there are people who are prepared to vote for good Conservative candidates in a local election who are not prepared to vote for Johnson as PM.
Yep. That sounds plausible. Will be interesting to see if the Boris-distancing approach by Scots Tories works out.
Of course, there may be a bit of both explanations going on at the same time. Picture is muddy, but this does not feel like the post Black Wednesday run-up to '97 tho.
I don't want to speak to soon, but so far here in the south east this 'red' storm is a disappointment. Few gusts of wind, trees blowing around, etc, but nothing visibly unusual; just a windy day so far.
It's not reached us, yet.
Wind sounds to be picking up steadily here; not far from Colchester.
I dont have kids or really desire to, but I have to admire the gumption of a political operator whose message is 'your kids dont make you special, mate'.
While simultaneously claiming the most important thing in life is an inheritance . . .
Inheritance is important to set your children up in life, it is not the be all and end all of your own life.
Plenty of people also inherit property and do not then have children themselves, I still as a Tory of course support them having that inheritance
Total unmitigated bollocks. Inheritance is not remotely important to set your children in life, especially since most people will be about 65+ before they lose both parents.
Good parenting is important to set your children up in life.
Actually it is, especially if you live south of Watford and in the London commuter belt which you don't and you want to help them on the property ladder as property is so much more expensive than in the North where you live.
You can be as good a parent as you can to set your children up in life but while an average salary will enable first time buyers to buy in the North even if your children get an above average salary job in London and the Home Counties that does not mean they will necessarily be able to buy a property without assistance for a deposit
Help from your parents is not the same thing as an inheritance and you know it.
I'm 39 and I've never received, wanted or asked for a single penny of inheritance. I'm fortunate that all my grandparents are alive (my wife has lost all of hers, so I know how fortunate I am) and my parents are healthy too.
The way you speak about inheritances is like I should consider myself unfortunate that none of my relatives have died sooner. Its disgusting quite frankly.
If you want to help your family, do so while you're alive, don't wait until you're dead. The obsession over inheritances you have is deeply weird and concerning, people should be able to work for a living (both the young and their family) while they're alive not post-mortem.
Fine but you live in the Northwest where property prices on average are half those of the Southeast and a third the price of those in London.
Plenty of parents in the Home Counties effectively give their children much of their inheritance early with help with deposits for their first property. Inheritance does not have to wait until death
I dont have kids or really desire to, but I have to admire the gumption of a political operator whose message is 'your kids dont make you special, mate'.
While simultaneously claiming the most important thing in life is an inheritance . . .
Inheritance is important to set your children up in life, it is not the be all and end all of your own life.
Plenty of people also inherit property and do not then have children themselves, I still as a Tory of course support them having that inheritance
Total unmitigated bollocks. Inheritance is not remotely important to set your children in life, especially since most people will be about 65+ before they lose both parents.
Good parenting is important to set your children up in life.
It would be a better world if inheritance weren't necessary to achieve a decent standard of living, as was the case, fortunately for me, when I was young. In the bigger scheme of things, inheritance tax is actually a pretty sensible way of raising money, given the alternatives.
If it were up to me there would be no inheritance tax, instead any inheritance would be simply treated as income with the same rate of tax (including both forms of national insurance) as any other income applied to the entire thing.
Unearned income should not be less taxed than earned income.
Ideally then the tax rate on earned income would come down commensurate with the increase in taxes on unearned incomes.
No doubt, good local reasons for this result, but you do wonder if there could conceivably be an element of "shy-Boris" people out there, ie, folk who tell themselves, and pollsters, they disapprove of BJ but, secretly, can't help liking him. I wonder...
That's not to say he shouldn't go. He really should.
An alternative explanation might be that there are people who are prepared to vote for good Conservative candidates in a local election who are not prepared to vote for Johnson as PM.
Spot on. Boris is now a drag on Conservative polling - local versus national shows the extent. Which is why he won't lead the Party into the next election. Not unless he can reinvent himself from debauched Prince Hal to huzzah! King Henry V in well under 2 years. Not seeing it.
What about pretending to pilot fighter jets and drive tanks? Lots of top drawer photo opportunities beckon for a Churchillian Statesman.
On Ukraine, it does seem like the US/UK have played a blinder on the information war. Putin is damned if he does invade and damned if he doesn't invade. Finally, after a decade or so, the west have started to wise up to how to deal with his regime. What would be nice to see is a bit more hard power on the eastern border, rather than the endless pathetic attempts at 'dialogue'. None of this will stop military conflict, but the reality is that the area has been in conflict since 2014, and the west in 'retreat'. Like dealing with any bully, it will only be bought to an end by confrontation, running away or pacification is not an option.
I agree with most of this, apart from the "rather than". Speak softly / big stick.
I don't want to speak to soon, but so far here in the south east this 'red' storm is a disappointment. Few gusts of wind, trees blowing around, etc, but nothing visibly unusual; just a windy day so far.
Comments
>> Cage awareness <<
The lion sneaks tonight
Though it isn't something they generally care to publicise, there's a story that circulates among staff at London Zoo about the lions there. Apparently, not only are they incredibly clever, but the number of times the lions have managed to escape from their enclosure and wander about the premises for a decent amount of time is – as we heard it – "not zero".
And then the silence. The baby is out. No noise. The terror of stillbirth.
And then she yowled and the midwife/nurse said “small but perfectly formed” and the relief was intense. Like a drug high
A couple of days later we carried her gently out of Whittington Hospital to my barely functioning car, in the lavish May sunshine, and some homeless dude asleep on Archway Road recognised we were a couple with a newborn and he raised his can of Special Brew, at 10am, and said “Good luck!!”
On the way back my brakes failed and I had to drive my first newborn daughter home, using only the handbrake.
Fuck. The details are still etched
Parenting has been agonising and expensive and made me sad and guilty, but I wouldn’t change a thing. It is what happens. Life
Your views and comments on this would suggest you have not as yet enjoyed becoming a parent and I can tell you with certainty you will not be offering this nonsense when you do, which I genuinely hope you do
It will change your life
The other flight was into Alderney; the wind had got up as we crossed the Channel and we were swaying and bouncing about as we came in very close to the cliffs at one end of the island.
The second best thing in my life was the kids leaving (home).
Highlights and achievements are not remotely the same thing.
Although those (we've two sons) were special, too.
Getting married, which is surprising as I was given an ultimatum to do so by the time I was 40 which I made by 48 hours.
Birth of my children.
Winchester by election (it was a hell of a party).
Skiing the Tortin.
Pitchpoling a catamaran.
Various adventures with girlfriends not to be detailed here.
But this fight will be drone warfare and electronic cyber attacks.
Boots on the ground will be needed at some point, but maybe that is just the mopping up exercise.
And if they didn’t choose it then you are “criticising” them for something they cannot help which may be a source of intense grief. Tsk
OADBY AND WIGSTON Wigston Meadowcourt
Liz Darling (Conservative) 833
Michael Phipps (Liberal Democrats) 377
Joshua Pearman (Green) 133
No doubt, good local reasons for this result, but you do wonder if there could conceivably be an element of "shy-Boris" people out there, ie, folk who tell themselves, and pollsters, they disapprove of BJ but, secretly, can't help liking him. I wonder...
That's not to say he shouldn't go. He really should.
Plenty of people also inherit property and do not then have children themselves, I still as a Tory of course support them having that inheritance
About being unnecessarily offensive, to boot.
Edit: I see @Leon made the same point. Take note, BigG to be lectured (correctly) by @Leon.
.
There's still manual forecaster intervention in some of the aviation forecasts, and a few other places.
There was at least one Rev who won the VC - Rev. Theodore Bayley Hardy, who has a House named after him at Nottingham High School. DSO MC VC. When he was about 50 - there's hope yet for some younger PBers.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Hardy
He might be in your party - teetotal vegetarian.
Suspect there are others.
Hopefully my wife and I will be able to have children (at the moment our main focus is buying a property together as we are commuting between our properties) but not everyone can have children unfortunately. If people do not want to have children that is also their choice
Interesting that the causeway is fingered in that report for exacerbating the flooding. I'd not heard that angle before.
Your kids however can keep adding value to our society through the generations. Not just my achievements now. Theirs as well. And their kids. And so on. Even if their achievements are just being a good person, making people happy, being kind - we need that.
I am genuinely sorry
Brexit is driving you mad though.
Good parenting is important to set your children up in life.
Track design, power to weight etc has improved quite a bit. Also, the Russian army (and armies in general) have a lot more logistical vehicles that can handle the mud (to a certain extent)
You can be as good a parent as you can to set your children up in life but while an average salary will enable first time buyers to buy in the North even if your children get an above average salary job in London and the Home Counties that does not mean they will necessarily be able to buy a property without assistance for a deposit
This amateur pilot would be quite happy sitting on the ground if he was in the UK today - the professionals, well they are professionals.
But there could be something in the notion of the "shy Johnsonian". If a pollster asked me my opinion of Johnson I would be nervous to confirm I liked him and I would vote for him. But then I don't and I wouldn't.
I'm 39 and I've never received, wanted or asked for a single penny of inheritance. I'm fortunate that all my grandparents are alive (my wife has lost all of hers, so I know how fortunate I am) and my parents are healthy too.
The way you speak about inheritances is like I should consider myself unfortunate that none of my relatives have died sooner. Its disgusting quite frankly.
If you want to help your family, do so while you're alive, don't wait until you're dead. The obsession over inheritances you have is deeply weird and concerning, people should be able to work for a living (both the young and their family) while they're alive not post-mortem.
PS if the housing market is buggered in the South, then the solution is to fix the housing market. Not pray your parents die a premature death so you can get your hands on their money.
But it’s not just the cars that look completely different this year, what the hell was that in the pink suit?
My point was that life is short and civilisation fast-moving. I can "achieve" things through work (which was my inference from what HY was saying) which barely last 5 minutes. He's a politics obsessive and how many politicians really make a long-lasting impact? How many cabinet ministers of even a few years ago matter at all now?
Plenty of parents in the Home Counties effectively give their children much of their inheritance early with help with deposits for their first property. Inheritance does not have to wait until death
She taught me how to do the owl call.
One example: the choice of the next Tory leader (should Boris the Brexiteer depart). Has to be a Leaver. Meanwhile at least 5% of the country - a vocal 5% - would reverse Brexit tomorrow, and fuck democracy
Outside of this forum I barely think about Brexit at all. It doesn’t affect my daily life. I’m glad it happened for all its griefs. I only think about it at the moment (beyond PB) when I’m in passport queues. Seriously
https://twitter.com/staylorish/status/1494597383405068288
LAB: 39% (-2)
CON: 34% (+1)
LDM: 10% (+1)
GRN: 6% (=)
SNP: 4% (=)
Via
@techneUK
, 16-17 Feb.
Changes w/ 9-10 Feb.
Mrs J never wanted children, but after we got married and her biological clock ticked on, she changed her mind. If she had not, we would now have two large disposable incomes with masses of free time. I would probably be out walking as much as possible, and she would be doing her hobbies.
Having a little 'un has utterly changed that. We have one income (by choice), and whilst that income is reasonable , we do not have that much free time in which to spend it.
But his presence in our lives has been so unutterably great. Every day he amuses us, annoys us, entertains us, and staggers us as we see him growing from a baby into a toddler, then a boy, and soon into a young man. He has interests that have caused us to explore new places and discover new facts.
If we had not had him, we would be happy. But we would also be stuck in a rut. He has taken us out of that. But it is hard work - and that's just with one...
Conversely they've all been willing to talk about their problems to us.
You pay out £dollah for your kids because thats what being a parent is. Its another HY journey way beyond understanding and comprehension that as usual doesn't stop ypu from speaking in Absolute Certainties from a position of cluelessness.
You really really need to become a Tory MP. You'd be a great fit.
But it’s certainly not the same as a lifestyle choice. It’s not “taking up golf“ or “moving to the coast” or “going vegan”
It is probably the most important thing you can do as an average human
“Leave your children enough to do something but not enough to do nothing”.
https://presidentielle2022.conseil-constitutionnel.fr/les-parrainages/parrainages-valides-par-candidat.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_French_presidential_election#Sponsorships
Rubbishest storm in history
Jenkins is on the money, here:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/feb/17/brexit-life-outside-single-market-utter-disaster
Obsessing about the events of six years ago is, however, a tad less sensible.
It's not what Parmenio should receive, but what Alexander should give.
A shame, since it's a rare example where a bit of wind damage might actually improve the place.
We're still an hour off the peak even here in the mid south. I am going to risk taking the dog around the block while it's not completely dumb to be outside.
The daily Caen ferry's already off into the Channel, and the island ferries are still running, but the daily run to the Channel Islands looks like it's not happening today.
Of course, there may be a bit of both explanations going on at the same time. Picture is muddy, but this does not feel like the post Black Wednesday run-up to '97 tho.
Edit: BA Dreamliner from Chicago gone around twice…
If Boris continues to get poll numbers like that he will be safe
https://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/fcgi-bin/usercode.py?scotcontrol=Y&CON=34&LAB=39&LIB=10&Reform=2&Green=6&UKIP=&TVCON=&TVLAB=&TVLIB=&TVReform=&TVGreen=&TVUKIP=&SCOTCON=18.3&SCOTLAB=20.2&SCOTLIB=6.6&SCOTReform=0.9&SCOTGreen=3&SCOTUKIP=&SCOTNAT=48&display=AllChanged&regorseat=(none)&boundary=2019nbbase
Unearned income should not be less taxed than earned income.
Ideally then the tax rate on earned income would come down commensurate with the increase in taxes on unearned incomes.
https://www.skylinewebcams.com/en/webcam/united-kingdom/england/brighton/brighton-pier.html