"Estimates suggest 52% of Philadelphia adults are functionally illiterate, with 67% reading at a 6th-8th grade level. About 40% struggle with tasks like job applications. Data comes from sources like Achieve Now and a 2020 NCES report, though recent 2025 figures are scarce. Poverty and education access likely drive these rates, but exact causes need more research."
A large American city where more than half of adults are illiterate. No wonder China is taking over
It's getting worse too as more people consume their media in video or audio format negating the everyday need to read the news or sports pages.
Western society is declining and there are parts of America where that decline feels terminal. Education standards in the US are a joke and even at the very top in the world's highest ranked universities there is now in inexorable decline in standards with more time being spent on nonsense and less on top level research. China is stealing a huge march on the US (and the west) by having a relentless results focussed approach. It's working.
Yep
Also, everyone is now just cheating in their essays, and the essay checkers accept this, and on it goes
Quite absurd. This is one reason why - as I keep telling the site, because I am correct - the higher education system is about to implode, spectacularly. It no longer offers value to the student OR the potential employer; it is doomed
You’re complaining about education standards declining while also being gleeful about the decline of higher education institutions. Honestly, WTF? I bet China do not talk down universities or people going to university. You are literally the problem.
Unusually I agree with Leon on this, and its not because I think universities are a bad thing, just it seems to me our universities have lowered their standards now they dont have students but customers to please and a degree is not the same value of educational standard it once was.
When I started full time work in the 80's someone with a degree knew a hell of a lot, now your average graduate I wouldn't trust to wipe their own arse without parental supervision
"Estimates suggest 52% of Philadelphia adults are functionally illiterate, with 67% reading at a 6th-8th grade level. About 40% struggle with tasks like job applications. Data comes from sources like Achieve Now and a 2020 NCES report, though recent 2025 figures are scarce. Poverty and education access likely drive these rates, but exact causes need more research."
A large American city where more than half of adults are illiterate. No wonder China is taking over
It's getting worse too as more people consume their media in video or audio format negating the everyday need to read the news or sports pages.
Western society is declining and there are parts of America where that decline feels terminal. Education standards in the US are a joke and even at the very top in the world's highest ranked universities there is now in inexorable decline in standards with more time being spent on nonsense and less on top level research. China is stealing a huge march on the US (and the west) by having a relentless results focussed approach. It's working.
Yep
Also, everyone is now just cheating in their essays, and the essay checkers accept this, and on it goes
Quite absurd. This is one reason why - as I keep telling the site, because I am correct - the higher education system is about to implode, spectacularly. It no longer offers value to the student OR the potential employer; it is doomed
You’re complaining about education standards declining while also being gleeful about the decline of higher education institutions. Honestly, WTF? I bet China do not talk down universities or people going to university. You are literally the problem.
Actually China does have quite a big problem with university education. The kids are driven crazy hard at high school, perfection (or connection to the party) to get in to anywhere good....and then the conventions are that basically they never fail anybody or kick people out. And there has been in a growth in the laying flat mentality and of course cheating.
So China is in the same decline as the “decadent West”? Cool. Guess we all are
"Estimates suggest 52% of Philadelphia adults are functionally illiterate, with 67% reading at a 6th-8th grade level. About 40% struggle with tasks like job applications. Data comes from sources like Achieve Now and a 2020 NCES report, though recent 2025 figures are scarce. Poverty and education access likely drive these rates, but exact causes need more research."
A large American city where more than half of adults are illiterate. No wonder China is taking over
It's getting worse too as more people consume their media in video or audio format negating the everyday need to read the news or sports pages.
Western society is declining and there are parts of America where that decline feels terminal. Education standards in the US are a joke and even at the very top in the world's highest ranked universities there is now in inexorable decline in standards with more time being spent on nonsense and less on top level research. China is stealing a huge march on the US (and the west) by having a relentless results focussed approach. It's working.
Yep
Also, everyone is now just cheating in their essays, and the essay checkers accept this, and on it goes
Quite absurd. This is one reason why - as I keep telling the site, because I am correct - the higher education system is about to implode, spectacularly. It no longer offers value to the student OR the potential employer; it is doomed
You’re complaining about education standards declining while also being gleeful about the decline of higher education institutions. Honestly, WTF? I bet China do not talk down universities or people going to university. You are literally the problem.
That's got to be one of the most stupid takes I've seen on pb, which is really quite a high bar. I don't detect any glee from Leon, in fact quite the opposite that universities need to raise their standards to remain relevant.
I’ve had a weekend of almost @BartholomewRoberts esque diet. After my fairly balanced meal out on Friday night it’s been:
Saturday breakfast: Bacon, sausage and egg bap Saturday lunch: huge chunks of bbq fillet steak, with courgettes Saturday dinner: barbecued chicken Sunday breakfast: bit of a break, with a cinnamon bun Sunday lunch: a whole rack of barbecued pork ribs and asparagus Sunday dinner: barbecued steak again, and pork chops
Got tummy ache
Did you wash it down with 24 cans of sugar free energy drinks?
An odd mix of crap Prosecco (at the reunion), tea and coffee, butty bach, and cider.
Sympathies. Life is far far far too short for crap Prosecco
The stuff has infested the social corners of Britain like Japanese knotweed.
I bet the Italians can’t believe their luck that we are all paying hard money for their shittiest fizzy wine
Congrats to the guys who came up with the name “Prosecco” tho. It’s a local village I think. Genius branding
At least it is Italian.
Whereas Madri lager is as Spanish as Newcastle Brown Ale.
Carling Black Label rebranded...whoever was responsible for the marketing did an incredible job.
AB InBev and Heineken Corp have done an amazing job convincing UK consumers to buy all these exotic sounding beer brands which are either fake brands or that are all made under licence in sexy places like Barnsley or Blackburn etc (and all owned by those two companies) and bare very little resemble to the real stuff.
Madri is disgusting. I don't understand why anyone drinks it. A pint of Doom Bar wins for me anyday and I'm not a massive real ale drinker. Madri is fizzy cat piss.
Doom Bar is to ale what Madri is to lager.
Precisely the point I was making!
Two types of beer drinker. I was once in a Lake District pub with a decent range of local ales (including Coniston Blue Bird and Black Sheep) plus the obligatory Green King IPA. I’d walked in and been delighted with the choice available. Another set of people came in and went straight to Green King. I think some people just like what they know, hence now every high street on the country has the same shops and every pub has Green King Fecking IPA.
This was also the pub where I got to use a new version of the airport luggage joke. Hassled barman, pouring beers and asked for a cup of tea for my wife, stopped pouring a Blue Bird half way through. When he came back he mistakenly filled it with Black Sheep, hence creating the Blue Sheep or Coniston Black Bird pint. Next time to the bar I asked said drink, to be told that they didn’t serve that. So all together ‘that’s what you did last time’…
On scrutiny, this comment seems to lack any known form of "joke"
Man turns up at check in. ‘And where are we travelling today sir?’. ‘New York, but please send my luggage on to Tokyo’. ‘I’m sorry sir, we can’t do that.’.’Why not, that’s what you did last time…’
A great framework for a joke, can also be used with fry ups and hair cuts
“Can you burn the bacon, undercook the sausages, leave the toast to get cold…”
“I’d like the fringe half way up my forehead, one side longer than the other, and the back looking like I’ve just got out of bed…”
- Romanian election - Beer - Wine - Cancer - areas like fish and red tape
Surely about time for another discussion of Japanese-style shower toilets?
Anyone got one / tried one? We are thinking of having one in our new house - might stave off the time when I am reduced to needing someone else wipe my arse ;-)
Anyway, Prosecco producers owe a huge debt of gratitude to Salley Vickers, who brought said fizz to the attention of British women via Miss Garnett's Angel.
My half sister seems to live on prosecco but still never tried it however I did break her husband first time I met her as we finished a bottle of ron zacapa between us first night and he was really ill the the next day
You sure it was Ron Zacapa? Could have been any old rum.
I do not drink any old rum, especially not taking a bottle of spiced gold to the first meet up with a sister I never knew I had
On Starmer’s voice - I’m genuinely surprised that Lord Alli didn’t stump up for surgery and/or training.
Starmer sounds like he’s responsible for health and safety at a model railway convention.
I have repeatedly got shot down on here for saying he reminds me of Gordon Brittas...
It is doubly unfortunate that his personality - peevish, vain, unimaginative, managerial, dull - so exactly matches the voice
Absolutely. Vocative determinism.
Here's a thing about Starmer. Whenever a dull politician comes along, there is nearly always a counter narrative that goes: "actually in real life they are a hoot, really good sense of humour". We got it with Major, we got it with Gordon Brown. There was even a lame attempt to do it with TMay
No one has even tried this with Starmer
I just feel so sorry for his wife. She just looks utterly broken. She went AWOL for a while and people started questioning it so she got put on parade again.
Did people start questioning? Nutty conspiracy theorists started questioning, but most people didn’t.
Not sure how suggesting that because she's been nowhere near her odious husband for months indicates that she doesn't like being with him very much is a 'conspiracy theory' but you do you.
Vice President JD Vance Meets with the United Kingdom's Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Foreign Secretary David Lammy
Vice President JD Vance, the United Kingdom's Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Foreign Secretary David Lammy today held a meeting at the Villa Taverna, the U.S. Ambassador’s residence in Rome, Italy. The leaders toasted the special relationship and discussed shared interests and goals.
"Estimates suggest 52% of Philadelphia adults are functionally illiterate, with 67% reading at a 6th-8th grade level. About 40% struggle with tasks like job applications. Data comes from sources like Achieve Now and a 2020 NCES report, though recent 2025 figures are scarce. Poverty and education access likely drive these rates, but exact causes need more research."
A large American city where more than half of adults are illiterate. No wonder China is taking over
It's getting worse too as more people consume their media in video or audio format negating the everyday need to read the news or sports pages.
Western society is declining and there are parts of America where that decline feels terminal. Education standards in the US are a joke and even at the very top in the world's highest ranked universities there is now in inexorable decline in standards with more time being spent on nonsense and less on top level research. China is stealing a huge march on the US (and the west) by having a relentless results focussed approach. It's working.
Yep
Also, everyone is now just cheating in their essays, and the essay checkers accept this, and on it goes
Quite absurd. This is one reason why - as I keep telling the site, because I am correct - the higher education system is about to implode, spectacularly. It no longer offers value to the student OR the potential employer; it is doomed
Indeed, though it's not all sunshine and daisies for the Chinese, there's an epidemic of slacking among Chinese young people. The running joke is that there is now a circular economy for young people, the young men all do food delivery jobs then spend their money simping for young women streamers who then use their money to buy more food deliveries and so the cycle continues. Consumerism in China has become an uncontrollable mess and I think the Chinese government is going to have to start up the labour camps again to shake the youth out of their current malaise. One to watch over the next year or so I think.
Oh for sure. China has arguably as many problems as the USA - just different
I do sense China is nudging ahead in some crucial areas - robotics in particular - but the race is far from decided
And the Chinese fertlity rate is a big fat 1. They now have a 1 child policy in action, but now they don't want it
"Estimates suggest 52% of Philadelphia adults are functionally illiterate, with 67% reading at a 6th-8th grade level. About 40% struggle with tasks like job applications. Data comes from sources like Achieve Now and a 2020 NCES report, though recent 2025 figures are scarce. Poverty and education access likely drive these rates, but exact causes need more research."
A large American city where more than half of adults are illiterate. No wonder China is taking over
It's getting worse too as more people consume their media in video or audio format negating the everyday need to read the news or sports pages.
Western society is declining and there are parts of America where that decline feels terminal. Education standards in the US are a joke and even at the very top in the world's highest ranked universities there is now in inexorable decline in standards with more time being spent on nonsense and less on top level research. China is stealing a huge march on the US (and the west) by having a relentless results focussed approach. It's working.
Yep
Also, everyone is now just cheating in their essays, and the essay checkers accept this, and on it goes
Quite absurd. This is one reason why - as I keep telling the site, because I am correct - the higher education system is about to implode, spectacularly. It no longer offers value to the student OR the potential employer; it is doomed
You’re complaining about education standards declining while also being gleeful about the decline of higher education institutions. Honestly, WTF? I bet China do not talk down universities or people going to university. You are literally the problem.
Actually China does have quite a big problem with university education. The kids are driven crazy hard at high school, perfection (or connection to the party) to get in to anywhere good....and then the conventions are that basically they never fail anybody or kick people out. And there has been in a growth in the laying flat mentality and of course cheating.
So China is in the same decline as the “decadent West”? Cool. Guess we all are
Not quite. The base education at high school is much higher standard in things like maths and STEM. The West problem for ages has been not enough STEM grads. Math is hard...but China has way more people and way more of them have a much higher standard of STEM, even if they only got to 18 with it.
"Estimates suggest 52% of Philadelphia adults are functionally illiterate, with 67% reading at a 6th-8th grade level. About 40% struggle with tasks like job applications. Data comes from sources like Achieve Now and a 2020 NCES report, though recent 2025 figures are scarce. Poverty and education access likely drive these rates, but exact causes need more research."
A large American city where more than half of adults are illiterate. No wonder China is taking over
It's getting worse too as more people consume their media in video or audio format negating the everyday need to read the news or sports pages.
Western society is declining and there are parts of America where that decline feels terminal. Education standards in the US are a joke and even at the very top in the world's highest ranked universities there is now in inexorable decline in standards with more time being spent on nonsense and less on top level research. China is stealing a huge march on the US (and the west) by having a relentless results focussed approach. It's working.
Yep
Also, everyone is now just cheating in their essays, and the essay checkers accept this, and on it goes
Quite absurd. This is one reason why - as I keep telling the site, because I am correct - the higher education system is about to implode, spectacularly. It no longer offers value to the student OR the potential employer; it is doomed
You’re complaining about education standards declining while also being gleeful about the decline of higher education institutions. Honestly, WTF? I bet China do not talk down universities or people going to university. You are literally the problem.
That's got to be one of the most stupid takes I've seen on pb, which is really quite a high bar. I don't detect any glee from Leon, in fact quite the opposite that universities need to raise their standards to remain relevant.
"Estimates suggest 52% of Philadelphia adults are functionally illiterate, with 67% reading at a 6th-8th grade level. About 40% struggle with tasks like job applications. Data comes from sources like Achieve Now and a 2020 NCES report, though recent 2025 figures are scarce. Poverty and education access likely drive these rates, but exact causes need more research."
A large American city where more than half of adults are illiterate. No wonder China is taking over
It's getting worse too as more people consume their media in video or audio format negating the everyday need to read the news or sports pages.
Western society is declining and there are parts of America where that decline feels terminal. Education standards in the US are a joke and even at the very top in the world's highest ranked universities there is now in inexorable decline in standards with more time being spent on nonsense and less on top level research. China is stealing a huge march on the US (and the west) by having a relentless results focussed approach. It's working.
Yep
Also, everyone is now just cheating in their essays, and the essay checkers accept this, and on it goes
Quite absurd. This is one reason why - as I keep telling the site, because I am correct - the higher education system is about to implode, spectacularly. It no longer offers value to the student OR the potential employer; it is doomed
Indeed, though it's not all sunshine and daisies for the Chinese, there's an epidemic of slacking among Chinese young people. The running joke is that there is now a circular economy for young people, the young men all do food delivery jobs then spend their money simping for young women streamers who then use their money to buy more food deliveries and so the cycle continues. Consumerism in China has become an uncontrollable mess and I think the Chinese government is going to have to start up the labour camps again to shake the youth out of their current malaise. One to watch over the next year or so I think.
Plus... their future demographics are awful, I believe.
Vice President JD Vance Meets with the United Kingdom's Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Foreign Secretary David Lammy
Vice President JD Vance, the United Kingdom's Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Foreign Secretary David Lammy today held a meeting at the Villa Taverna, the U.S. Ambassador’s residence in Rome, Italy. The leaders toasted the special relationship and discussed shared interests and goals.
Then Dave and Ange jumped in the back of a minicab and headed off to the French Alps.
Vice President JD Vance Meets with the United Kingdom's Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Foreign Secretary David Lammy
Vice President JD Vance, the United Kingdom's Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Foreign Secretary David Lammy today held a meeting at the Villa Taverna, the U.S. Ambassador’s residence in Rome, Italy. The leaders toasted the special relationship and discussed shared interests and goals.
- Romanian election - Beer - Wine - Cancer - areas like fish and red tape
Surely about time for another discussion of Japanese-style shower toilets?
Anyone got one / tried one? We are thinking of having one in our new house - might stave off the time when I am reduced to needing someone else wipe my arse ;-)
This spring at the Salon des Batailles in the Hôtel de Crillon, Nicolas Lerner, head of French intelligence, asked me to ban conservative voices in Romania ahead of elections. I refused. We didn’t block protesters in Russia, Belarus, or Iran. We won’t start doing it in Europe.
"Estimates suggest 52% of Philadelphia adults are functionally illiterate, with 67% reading at a 6th-8th grade level. About 40% struggle with tasks like job applications. Data comes from sources like Achieve Now and a 2020 NCES report, though recent 2025 figures are scarce. Poverty and education access likely drive these rates, but exact causes need more research."
A large American city where more than half of adults are illiterate. No wonder China is taking over
It's getting worse too as more people consume their media in video or audio format negating the everyday need to read the news or sports pages.
Western society is declining and there are parts of America where that decline feels terminal. Education standards in the US are a joke and even at the very top in the world's highest ranked universities there is now in inexorable decline in standards with more time being spent on nonsense and less on top level research. China is stealing a huge march on the US (and the west) by having a relentless results focussed approach. It's working.
Yep
Also, everyone is now just cheating in their essays, and the essay checkers accept this, and on it goes
Quite absurd. This is one reason why - as I keep telling the site, because I am correct - the higher education system is about to implode, spectacularly. It no longer offers value to the student OR the potential employer; it is doomed
Indeed, though it's not all sunshine and daisies for the Chinese, there's an epidemic of slacking among Chinese young people. The running joke is that there is now a circular economy for young people, the young men all do food delivery jobs then spend their money simping for young women streamers who then use their money to buy more food deliveries and so the cycle continues. Consumerism in China has become an uncontrollable mess and I think the Chinese government is going to have to start up the labour camps again to shake the youth out of their current malaise. One to watch over the next year or so I think.
Plus... their future demographics are awful, I believe.
It is why they are investing crazy amounts in robotics.
"Estimates suggest 52% of Philadelphia adults are functionally illiterate, with 67% reading at a 6th-8th grade level. About 40% struggle with tasks like job applications. Data comes from sources like Achieve Now and a 2020 NCES report, though recent 2025 figures are scarce. Poverty and education access likely drive these rates, but exact causes need more research."
A large American city where more than half of adults are illiterate. No wonder China is taking over
It's getting worse too as more people consume their media in video or audio format negating the everyday need to read the news or sports pages.
Western society is declining and there are parts of America where that decline feels terminal. Education standards in the US are a joke and even at the very top in the world's highest ranked universities there is now in inexorable decline in standards with more time being spent on nonsense and less on top level research. China is stealing a huge march on the US (and the west) by having a relentless results focussed approach. It's working.
Yep
Also, everyone is now just cheating in their essays, and the essay checkers accept this, and on it goes
Quite absurd. This is one reason why - as I keep telling the site, because I am correct - the higher education system is about to implode, spectacularly. It no longer offers value to the student OR the potential employer; it is doomed
Indeed, though it's not all sunshine and daisies for the Chinese, there's an epidemic of slacking among Chinese young people. The running joke is that there is now a circular economy for young people, the young men all do food delivery jobs then spend their money simping for young women streamers who then use their money to buy more food deliveries and so the cycle continues. Consumerism in China has become an uncontrollable mess and I think the Chinese government is going to have to start up the labour camps again to shake the youth out of their current malaise. One to watch over the next year or so I think.
Oh for sure. China has arguably as many problems as the USA - just different
I do sense China is nudging ahead in some crucial areas - robotics in particular - but the race is far from decided
And the Chinese fertlity rate is a big fat 1. They now have a 1 child policy in action, but now they don't want it
Suspect that 1 is bigger with the rural poor and less in the urban wealthy.
Anyway, Prosecco producers owe a huge debt of gratitude to Salley Vickers, who brought said fizz to the attention of British women via Miss Garnett's Angel.
My half sister seems to live on prosecco but still never tried it however I did break her husband first time I met her as we finished a bottle of ron zacapa between us first night and he was really ill the the next day
You sure it was Ron Zacapa? Could have been any old rum.
I do not drink any old rum, especially not taking a bottle of spiced gold to the first meet up with a sister I never knew I had
All rums taste the same pal. No point in having any distinctions between them. (See also sparkling wine.)
This spring at the Salon des Batailles in the Hôtel de Crillon, Nicolas Lerner, head of French intelligence, asked me to ban conservative voices in Romania ahead of elections. I refused. We didn’t block protesters in Russia, Belarus, or Iran. We won’t start doing it in Europe.
"Estimates suggest 52% of Philadelphia adults are functionally illiterate, with 67% reading at a 6th-8th grade level. About 40% struggle with tasks like job applications. Data comes from sources like Achieve Now and a 2020 NCES report, though recent 2025 figures are scarce. Poverty and education access likely drive these rates, but exact causes need more research."
A large American city where more than half of adults are illiterate. No wonder China is taking over
It's getting worse too as more people consume their media in video or audio format negating the everyday need to read the news or sports pages.
Western society is declining and there are parts of America where that decline feels terminal. Education standards in the US are a joke and even at the very top in the world's highest ranked universities there is now in inexorable decline in standards with more time being spent on nonsense and less on top level research. China is stealing a huge march on the US (and the west) by having a relentless results focussed approach. It's working.
Yep
Also, everyone is now just cheating in their essays, and the essay checkers accept this, and on it goes
Quite absurd. This is one reason why - as I keep telling the site, because I am correct - the higher education system is about to implode, spectacularly. It no longer offers value to the student OR the potential employer; it is doomed
You’re complaining about education standards declining while also being gleeful about the decline of higher education institutions. Honestly, WTF? I bet China do not talk down universities or people going to university. You are literally the problem.
That's got to be one of the most stupid takes I've seen on pb, which is really quite a high bar. I don't detect any glee from Leon, in fact quite the opposite that universities need to raise their standards to remain relevant.
Quite so
I have one daughter at a fine university, St Andrews, and another hoping to go to one next year, possibly Trinity Dublin
I believe they will - for many reasons (some of which I am forbidden from talking about on PB) - be amongst the last to do so. I reckon universities as we know them have 5-10 years left. I have held this opinion for a couple of years, on PB (often against much scorn) but I have seen nothing to dissuade me. Indeed the terminal line seems to be getting closer
I think it is very sad. University is a wonderful experience and a great idea, I just don't see how the economics works - for the vast majority - as the world moves on
I’ve had a weekend of almost @BartholomewRoberts esque diet. After my fairly balanced meal out on Friday night it’s been:
Saturday breakfast: Bacon, sausage and egg bap Saturday lunch: huge chunks of bbq fillet steak, with courgettes Saturday dinner: barbecued chicken Sunday breakfast: bit of a break, with a cinnamon bun Sunday lunch: a whole rack of barbecued pork ribs and asparagus Sunday dinner: barbecued steak again, and pork chops
Got tummy ache
Did you wash it down with 24 cans of sugar free energy drinks?
An odd mix of crap Prosecco (at the reunion), tea and coffee, butty bach, and cider.
Sympathies. Life is far far far too short for crap Prosecco
The stuff has infested the social corners of Britain like Japanese knotweed.
I bet the Italians can’t believe their luck that we are all paying hard money for their shittiest fizzy wine
Congrats to the guys who came up with the name “Prosecco” tho. It’s a local village I think. Genius branding
At least it is Italian.
Whereas Madri lager is as Spanish as Newcastle Brown Ale.
Carling Black Label rebranded...whoever was responsible for the marketing did an incredible job.
AB InBev and Heineken Corp have done an amazing job convincing UK consumers to buy all these exotic sounding beer brands which are either fake brands or that are all made under licence in sexy places like Barnsley or Blackburn etc (and all owned by those two companies) and bare very little resemble to the real stuff.
Madri is disgusting. I don't understand why anyone drinks it. A pint of Doom Bar wins for me anyday and I'm not a massive real ale drinker. Madri is fizzy cat piss.
Doom Bar is to ale what Madri is to lager.
Precisely the point I was making!
Two types of beer drinker. I was once in a Lake District pub with a decent range of local ales (including Coniston Blue Bird and Black Sheep) plus the obligatory Green King IPA. I’d walked in and been delighted with the choice available. Another set of people came in and went straight to Green King. I think some people just like what they know, hence now every high street on the country has the same shops and every pub has Green King Fecking IPA.
This was also the pub where I got to use a new version of the airport luggage joke. Hassled barman, pouring beers and asked for a cup of tea for my wife, stopped pouring a Blue Bird half way through. When he came back he mistakenly filled it with Black Sheep, hence creating the Blue Sheep or Coniston Black Bird pint. Next time to the bar I asked said drink, to be told that they didn’t serve that. So all together ‘that’s what you did last time’…
On scrutiny, this comment seems to lack any known form of "joke"
Due to having fessed up to suffering from excessive boredom during his overseas travels, PB's resident flint-knapper @Leon was commissioned by CCHQ to knap the perfect sculpture of Liz Truss! Finally able to take a break from knapping strangely shaped sex-toys, he accepted the work in a heartbeat, and got to sculpting the same day. Arduous work, but he felt that, over the course of several weeks of almost continuous knapping, that he got it almost completely spot on with just a little bit more required.
However, Leon had found that he had knapped so meticulously that his hands were thoroughly knackered and sore. He wondered about taking some time off in order to finish off his masterpiece at a later date. Truss's office phoned him back reasonably promptly, but to Leon's horror, he was told in no uncertain terms that he would lose his fee if he stopped work!
"Why?" asked Leon on the phone incredulously.
"Simple!" Truss's underling replied. "You're not entitled to any..." He paused for effect. "...Statue-Tory Sick Pay!"
Currently, BYD has nearly 1 million employees, 11 research institutes and about 110,000 engineers, making it the automotive company with the largest R&D staff in the world. And on top they gave $400 million to top Chinese universities last year to do more cutting edge research.
"Estimates suggest 52% of Philadelphia adults are functionally illiterate, with 67% reading at a 6th-8th grade level. About 40% struggle with tasks like job applications. Data comes from sources like Achieve Now and a 2020 NCES report, though recent 2025 figures are scarce. Poverty and education access likely drive these rates, but exact causes need more research."
A large American city where more than half of adults are illiterate. No wonder China is taking over
It's getting worse too as more people consume their media in video or audio format negating the everyday need to read the news or sports pages.
Western society is declining and there are parts of America where that decline feels terminal. Education standards in the US are a joke and even at the very top in the world's highest ranked universities there is now in inexorable decline in standards with more time being spent on nonsense and less on top level research. China is stealing a huge march on the US (and the west) by having a relentless results focussed approach. It's working.
Yep
Also, everyone is now just cheating in their essays, and the essay checkers accept this, and on it goes
Quite absurd. This is one reason why - as I keep telling the site, because I am correct - the higher education system is about to implode, spectacularly. It no longer offers value to the student OR the potential employer; it is doomed
Indeed, though it's not all sunshine and daisies for the Chinese, there's an epidemic of slacking among Chinese young people. The running joke is that there is now a circular economy for young people, the young men all do food delivery jobs then spend their money simping for young women streamers who then use their money to buy more food deliveries and so the cycle continues. Consumerism in China has become an uncontrollable mess and I think the Chinese government is going to have to start up the labour camps again to shake the youth out of their current malaise. One to watch over the next year or so I think.
Oh for sure. China has arguably as many problems as the USA - just different
I do sense China is nudging ahead in some crucial areas - robotics in particular - but the race is far from decided
And the Chinese fertlity rate is a big fat 1. They now have a 1 child policy in action, but now they don't want it
I think Japan is further ahead in robotics than both out of necessity due to their falling population. China faces a similar situation unless they can rapidly get the youth coupled and starting 2 child families so I expect them to also make a lot of progress.
On robotics and mechanisation, one area where Japan has invested a lot is in machine automation of factory processes. For example a handful of PS5 consoles are produced in Japan on an almost fully automated production line the capital cost for the production line was massive so Sony didn't bother expanding it but the unit cost of assembly is almost nothing even with expensive Japanese labour. In China the PS5 assembly is almost completely manual because labour costs are so low. As this changes in the next 15 years and the Chinese working population falls expect huge investment in mechanisation by Chinese companies.
Which sort of brings me around to the Trump tariffs. In a world where human labour is a much lower proportion of unit cost and the cost of investing in automation is fairly similar across all nations, is now the time to get companies to pick the US rather than have Chinese companies use revenues derived from US consumers and companies to steal a march on US industry?
Anyway, Prosecco producers owe a huge debt of gratitude to Salley Vickers, who brought said fizz to the attention of British women via Miss Garnett's Angel.
My half sister seems to live on prosecco but still never tried it however I did break her husband first time I met her as we finished a bottle of ron zacapa between us first night and he was really ill the the next day
You sure it was Ron Zacapa? Could have been any old rum.
I do not drink any old rum, especially not taking a bottle of spiced gold to the first meet up with a sister I never knew I had
All rums taste the same pal. No point in having any distinctions between them. (See also sparkling wine.)
The difference being here Rum is a style of drink just as champagne is....never objected to people labelling the bottle as also coming from a particular area
If you haven't tried ron zacapa btw and like rum a friend once described it at rum fest in olympia as "oh my god its like drinking angel cum" and you could see the marketing people at the stall wondering can we use that as a slogan probably not
"Estimates suggest 52% of Philadelphia adults are functionally illiterate, with 67% reading at a 6th-8th grade level. About 40% struggle with tasks like job applications. Data comes from sources like Achieve Now and a 2020 NCES report, though recent 2025 figures are scarce. Poverty and education access likely drive these rates, but exact causes need more research."
A large American city where more than half of adults are illiterate. No wonder China is taking over
It's getting worse too as more people consume their media in video or audio format negating the everyday need to read the news or sports pages.
Western society is declining and there are parts of America where that decline feels terminal. Education standards in the US are a joke and even at the very top in the world's highest ranked universities there is now in inexorable decline in standards with more time being spent on nonsense and less on top level research. China is stealing a huge march on the US (and the west) by having a relentless results focussed approach. It's working.
Yep
Also, everyone is now just cheating in their essays, and the essay checkers accept this, and on it goes
Quite absurd. This is one reason why - as I keep telling the site, because I am correct - the higher education system is about to implode, spectacularly. It no longer offers value to the student OR the potential employer; it is doomed
You’re complaining about education standards declining while also being gleeful about the decline of higher education institutions. Honestly, WTF? I bet China do not talk down universities or people going to university. You are literally the problem.
That's got to be one of the most stupid takes I've seen on pb, which is really quite a high bar. I don't detect any glee from Leon, in fact quite the opposite that universities need to raise their standards to remain relevant.
Quite so
I have one daughter at a fine university, St Andrews, and another hoping to go to one next year, possibly Trinity Dublin
I believe they will - for many reasons (some of which I am forbidden from talking about on PB) - be amongst the last to do so. I reckon universities as we know them have 5-10 years left. I have held this opinion for a couple of years, on PB (often against much scorn) but I have seen nothing to dissuade me. Indeed the terminal line seems to be getting closer
I think it is very sad. University is a wonderful experience and a great idea, I just don't see how the economics works - for the vast majority - as the world moves on
Depends what "as we know them" means.
But universities as an idea and an institution have been going strong for hundreds of years. There will still be universities long after us.
"Estimates suggest 52% of Philadelphia adults are functionally illiterate, with 67% reading at a 6th-8th grade level. About 40% struggle with tasks like job applications. Data comes from sources like Achieve Now and a 2020 NCES report, though recent 2025 figures are scarce. Poverty and education access likely drive these rates, but exact causes need more research."
A large American city where more than half of adults are illiterate. No wonder China is taking over
It's getting worse too as more people consume their media in video or audio format negating the everyday need to read the news or sports pages.
Western society is declining and there are parts of America where that decline feels terminal. Education standards in the US are a joke and even at the very top in the world's highest ranked universities there is now in inexorable decline in standards with more time being spent on nonsense and less on top level research. China is stealing a huge march on the US (and the west) by having a relentless results focussed approach. It's working.
Yep
Also, everyone is now just cheating in their essays, and the essay checkers accept this, and on it goes
Quite absurd. This is one reason why - as I keep telling the site, because I am correct - the higher education system is about to implode, spectacularly. It no longer offers value to the student OR the potential employer; it is doomed
Indeed, though it's not all sunshine and daisies for the Chinese, there's an epidemic of slacking among Chinese young people. The running joke is that there is now a circular economy for young people, the young men all do food delivery jobs then spend their money simping for young women streamers who then use their money to buy more food deliveries and so the cycle continues. Consumerism in China has become an uncontrollable mess and I think the Chinese government is going to have to start up the labour camps again to shake the youth out of their current malaise. One to watch over the next year or so I think.
Oh for sure. China has arguably as many problems as the USA - just different
I do sense China is nudging ahead in some crucial areas - robotics in particular - but the race is far from decided
And the Chinese fertlity rate is a big fat 1. They now have a 1 child policy in action, but now they don't want it
I think Japan is further ahead in robotics than both out of necessity due to their falling population. China faces a similar situation unless they can rapidly get the youth coupled and starting 2 child families so I expect them to also make a lot of progress.
On robotics and mechanisation, one area where Japan has invested a lot is in machine automation of factory processes. For example a handful of PS5 consoles are produced in Japan on an almost fully automated production line the capital cost for the production line was massive so Sony didn't bother expanding it but the unit cost of assembly is almost nothing even with expensive Japanese labour. In China the PS5 assembly is almost completely manual because labour costs are so low. As this changes in the next 15 years and the Chinese working population falls expect huge investment in mechanisation by Chinese companies.
Which sort of brings me around to the Trump tariffs. In a world where human labour is a much lower proportion of unit cost and the cost of investing in automation is fairly similar across all nations, is now the time to get companies to pick the US rather than have Chinese companies use revenues derived from US consumers and companies to steal a march on US industry?
My understanding was that labour costs aren't that low anymore and increasingly things are being automated at an increase rate.
Anyway, Prosecco producers owe a huge debt of gratitude to Salley Vickers, who brought said fizz to the attention of British women via Miss Garnett's Angel.
My half sister seems to live on prosecco but still never tried it however I did break her husband first time I met her as we finished a bottle of ron zacapa between us first night and he was really ill the the next day
You sure it was Ron Zacapa? Could have been any old rum.
I do not drink any old rum, especially not taking a bottle of spiced gold to the first meet up with a sister I never knew I had
All rums taste the same pal. No point in having any distinctions between them. (See also sparkling wine.)
The difference being here Rum is a style of drink just as champagne is....never objected to people labelling the bottle as also coming from a particular area
If you haven't tried ron zacapa btw and like rum a friend once described it at rum fest in olympia as "oh my god its like drinking angel cum" and you could see the marketing people at the stall wondering can we use that as a slogan probably not
Er... Champagne is labelled as coming from that area. What 'restrictions' are you trying to remove from the poor down-trodden Champagne drinkers?
PS I haven't been able to stomach rum at all since a very bad experience when I was 15.
Anyway, Prosecco producers owe a huge debt of gratitude to Salley Vickers, who brought said fizz to the attention of British women via Miss Garnett's Angel.
My half sister seems to live on prosecco but still never tried it however I did break her husband first time I met her as we finished a bottle of ron zacapa between us first night and he was really ill the the next day
You sure it was Ron Zacapa? Could have been any old rum.
I do not drink any old rum, especially not taking a bottle of spiced gold to the first meet up with a sister I never knew I had
All rums taste the same pal. No point in having any distinctions between them. (See also sparkling wine.)
The difference being here Rum is a style of drink just as champagne is....never objected to people labelling the bottle as also coming from a particular area
If you haven't tried ron zacapa btw and like rum a friend once described it at rum fest in olympia as "oh my god its like drinking angel cum" and you could see the marketing people at the stall wondering can we use that as a slogan probably not
Er... Champagne is labelled as coming from that area. What 'restrictions' are you trying to remove from the poor down-trodden Champagne drinkers?
Champagne is a style of wine, most associate it with a style not an area
"Estimates suggest 52% of Philadelphia adults are functionally illiterate, with 67% reading at a 6th-8th grade level. About 40% struggle with tasks like job applications. Data comes from sources like Achieve Now and a 2020 NCES report, though recent 2025 figures are scarce. Poverty and education access likely drive these rates, but exact causes need more research."
A large American city where more than half of adults are illiterate. No wonder China is taking over
It's getting worse too as more people consume their media in video or audio format negating the everyday need to read the news or sports pages.
Western society is declining and there are parts of America where that decline feels terminal. Education standards in the US are a joke and even at the very top in the world's highest ranked universities there is now in inexorable decline in standards with more time being spent on nonsense and less on top level research. China is stealing a huge march on the US (and the west) by having a relentless results focussed approach. It's working.
Yep
Also, everyone is now just cheating in their essays, and the essay checkers accept this, and on it goes
Quite absurd. This is one reason why - as I keep telling the site, because I am correct - the higher education system is about to implode, spectacularly. It no longer offers value to the student OR the potential employer; it is doomed
Indeed, though it's not all sunshine and daisies for the Chinese, there's an epidemic of slacking among Chinese young people. The running joke is that there is now a circular economy for young people, the young men all do food delivery jobs then spend their money simping for young women streamers who then use their money to buy more food deliveries and so the cycle continues. Consumerism in China has become an uncontrollable mess and I think the Chinese government is going to have to start up the labour camps again to shake the youth out of their current malaise. One to watch over the next year or so I think.
Oh for sure. China has arguably as many problems as the USA - just different
I do sense China is nudging ahead in some crucial areas - robotics in particular - but the race is far from decided
And the Chinese fertlity rate is a big fat 1. They now have a 1 child policy in action, but now they don't want it
I think Japan is further ahead in robotics than both out of necessity due to their falling population. China faces a similar situation unless they can rapidly get the youth coupled and starting 2 child families so I expect them to also make a lot of progress.
On robotics and mechanisation, one area where Japan has invested a lot is in machine automation of factory processes. For example a handful of PS5 consoles are produced in Japan on an almost fully automated production line the capital cost for the production line was massive so Sony didn't bother expanding it but the unit cost of assembly is almost nothing even with expensive Japanese labour. In China the PS5 assembly is almost completely manual because labour costs are so low. As this changes in the next 15 years and the Chinese working population falls expect huge investment in mechanisation by Chinese companies.
Which sort of brings me around to the Trump tariffs. In a world where human labour is a much lower proportion of unit cost and the cost of investing in automation is fairly similar across all nations, is now the time to get companies to pick the US rather than have Chinese companies use revenues derived from US consumers and companies to steal a march on US industry?
I think you're a year or two out of date. China is making incredible strides in robotics, for the reasons you note, but they are ahead of everyone, is the consensus AIUI
eg Unitree has overtaken Tesla and Boston Dynamics. They are now selling humanoid and canoid robots
Anyway, Prosecco producers owe a huge debt of gratitude to Salley Vickers, who brought said fizz to the attention of British women via Miss Garnett's Angel.
My half sister seems to live on prosecco but still never tried it however I did break her husband first time I met her as we finished a bottle of ron zacapa between us first night and he was really ill the the next day
You sure it was Ron Zacapa? Could have been any old rum.
I do not drink any old rum, especially not taking a bottle of spiced gold to the first meet up with a sister I never knew I had
All rums taste the same pal. No point in having any distinctions between them. (See also sparkling wine.)
The difference being here Rum is a style of drink just as champagne is....never objected to people labelling the bottle as also coming from a particular area
If you haven't tried ron zacapa btw and like rum a friend once described it at rum fest in olympia as "oh my god its like drinking angel cum" and you could see the marketing people at the stall wondering can we use that as a slogan probably not
Er... Champagne is labelled as coming from that area. What 'restrictions' are you trying to remove from the poor down-trodden Champagne drinkers?
Champagne is a style of wine, most associate it with a style not an area
...says the expert who doesn't drink sparkling wine.
He has been doubling and tripling down in recent days going on various podcasts being very forthright in his viewed.
I presume his deal for the BBC to pay him millions for his podcasts will remain.
Do the BBC pay him for his podcasts?
It was something that didn't get much coverage at the time, but yes, that is part of the exit deal he did. The BBC would pay to syndicate his podcasts on BBC Sounds. It wouldn't surprise me if he will end up earning more from that than his MOTD job.
Given the non-exclusive nature of the deal (and I believe they will still be available earlier elsewhere) it screams pay-off rather than actually a proper business decision.
Anyway, Prosecco producers owe a huge debt of gratitude to Salley Vickers, who brought said fizz to the attention of British women via Miss Garnett's Angel.
My half sister seems to live on prosecco but still never tried it however I did break her husband first time I met her as we finished a bottle of ron zacapa between us first night and he was really ill the the next day
You sure it was Ron Zacapa? Could have been any old rum.
I do not drink any old rum, especially not taking a bottle of spiced gold to the first meet up with a sister I never knew I had
All rums taste the same pal. No point in having any distinctions between them. (See also sparkling wine.)
The difference being here Rum is a style of drink just as champagne is....never objected to people labelling the bottle as also coming from a particular area
If you haven't tried ron zacapa btw and like rum a friend once described it at rum fest in olympia as "oh my god its like drinking angel cum" and you could see the marketing people at the stall wondering can we use that as a slogan probably not
Er... Champagne is labelled as coming from that area. What 'restrictions' are you trying to remove from the poor down-trodden Champagne drinkers?
Champagne is a style of wine, most associate it with a style not an area
Would you be fine if whisky could only come from 2 or 3 counties in scotland and everyone else had to call it something else even if its the same style of drink, its still whisky just produced outside those 2 or 3 counties because frankly thats what champagne is arguing...same grapes same process same taste just protectionists arguing they cant call it champagne
Anyway, Prosecco producers owe a huge debt of gratitude to Salley Vickers, who brought said fizz to the attention of British women via Miss Garnett's Angel.
My half sister seems to live on prosecco but still never tried it however I did break her husband first time I met her as we finished a bottle of ron zacapa between us first night and he was really ill the the next day
You sure it was Ron Zacapa? Could have been any old rum.
I do not drink any old rum, especially not taking a bottle of spiced gold to the first meet up with a sister I never knew I had
All rums taste the same pal. No point in having any distinctions between them. (See also sparkling wine.)
The difference being here Rum is a style of drink just as champagne is....never objected to people labelling the bottle as also coming from a particular area
If you haven't tried ron zacapa btw and like rum a friend once described it at rum fest in olympia as "oh my god its like drinking angel cum" and you could see the marketing people at the stall wondering can we use that as a slogan probably not
Er... Champagne is labelled as coming from that area. What 'restrictions' are you trying to remove from the poor down-trodden Champagne drinkers?
Champagne is a style of wine, most associate it with a style not an area
...says the expert who doesn't drink sparkling wine.
Its like hoover is now a generic name for a vacuum cleaner, or biro is for a pen....no one literally means a vacuum made by the hover company or a pen made by biro
Anyway, Prosecco producers owe a huge debt of gratitude to Salley Vickers, who brought said fizz to the attention of British women via Miss Garnett's Angel.
My half sister seems to live on prosecco but still never tried it however I did break her husband first time I met her as we finished a bottle of ron zacapa between us first night and he was really ill the the next day
You sure it was Ron Zacapa? Could have been any old rum.
I do not drink any old rum, especially not taking a bottle of spiced gold to the first meet up with a sister I never knew I had
All rums taste the same pal. No point in having any distinctions between them. (See also sparkling wine.)
The difference being here Rum is a style of drink just as champagne is....never objected to people labelling the bottle as also coming from a particular area
If you haven't tried ron zacapa btw and like rum a friend once described it at rum fest in olympia as "oh my god its like drinking angel cum" and you could see the marketing people at the stall wondering can we use that as a slogan probably not
Er... Champagne is labelled as coming from that area. What 'restrictions' are you trying to remove from the poor down-trodden Champagne drinkers?
Champagne is a style of wine, most associate it with a style not an area
Would you be fine if whisky could only come from 2 or 3 counties in scotland and everyone else had to call it something else even if its the same style of drink, its still whisky just produced outside those 2 or 3 counties because frankly thats what champagne is arguing...same grapes same process same taste just protectionists arguing they cant call it champagne
I’d guess Islay malt producers might be a bit cross if distilleries in Speyside started to make peaty whiskies and labelled them Islay Malts.
Now that there are fewer votes to be counted in Romania than the gap between the two candidates, so its mathematically guaranteed Dan has won, the BBC has finally decided that Dan has won.
Well behind the curve from the discussion here which figured it out ages ago.
Anyway, Prosecco producers owe a huge debt of gratitude to Salley Vickers, who brought said fizz to the attention of British women via Miss Garnett's Angel.
My half sister seems to live on prosecco but still never tried it however I did break her husband first time I met her as we finished a bottle of ron zacapa between us first night and he was really ill the the next day
You sure it was Ron Zacapa? Could have been any old rum.
I do not drink any old rum, especially not taking a bottle of spiced gold to the first meet up with a sister I never knew I had
All rums taste the same pal. No point in having any distinctions between them. (See also sparkling wine.)
The difference being here Rum is a style of drink just as champagne is....never objected to people labelling the bottle as also coming from a particular area
If you haven't tried ron zacapa btw and like rum a friend once described it at rum fest in olympia as "oh my god its like drinking angel cum" and you could see the marketing people at the stall wondering can we use that as a slogan probably not
Er... Champagne is labelled as coming from that area. What 'restrictions' are you trying to remove from the poor down-trodden Champagne drinkers?
Champagne is a style of wine, most associate it with a style not an area
...says the expert who doesn't drink sparkling wine.
Its like hoover is now a generic name for a vacuum cleaner, or biro is for a pen....no one literally means a vacuum made by the hover company or a pen made by biro
And loads of people call any sparkling wine champagne.
Anyway, Prosecco producers owe a huge debt of gratitude to Salley Vickers, who brought said fizz to the attention of British women via Miss Garnett's Angel.
My half sister seems to live on prosecco but still never tried it however I did break her husband first time I met her as we finished a bottle of ron zacapa between us first night and he was really ill the the next day
You sure it was Ron Zacapa? Could have been any old rum.
I do not drink any old rum, especially not taking a bottle of spiced gold to the first meet up with a sister I never knew I had
All rums taste the same pal. No point in having any distinctions between them. (See also sparkling wine.)
The difference being here Rum is a style of drink just as champagne is....never objected to people labelling the bottle as also coming from a particular area
If you haven't tried ron zacapa btw and like rum a friend once described it at rum fest in olympia as "oh my god its like drinking angel cum" and you could see the marketing people at the stall wondering can we use that as a slogan probably not
Er... Champagne is labelled as coming from that area. What 'restrictions' are you trying to remove from the poor down-trodden Champagne drinkers?
Champagne is a style of wine, most associate it with a style not an area
Would you be fine if whisky could only come from 2 or 3 counties in scotland and everyone else had to call it something else even if its the same style of drink, its still whisky just produced outside those 2 or 3 counties because frankly thats what champagne is arguing...same grapes same process same taste just protectionists arguing they cant call it champagne
I’d guess Islay malt producers might be a bit cross if distilleries in Speyside started to make peaty whiskies and labelled them Islay Malts.
The difference though is islay malts aren't arguing they cant call it whisky even though it is. Thats what champagne producers are arguing
Now that there are fewer votes to be counted in Romania than the gap between the two candidates, so its mathematically guaranteed Dan has won, the BBC has finally decided that Dan has won.
Well behind the curve from the discussion here which figured it out ages ago.
Anyway, Prosecco producers owe a huge debt of gratitude to Salley Vickers, who brought said fizz to the attention of British women via Miss Garnett's Angel.
My half sister seems to live on prosecco but still never tried it however I did break her husband first time I met her as we finished a bottle of ron zacapa between us first night and he was really ill the the next day
You sure it was Ron Zacapa? Could have been any old rum.
I do not drink any old rum, especially not taking a bottle of spiced gold to the first meet up with a sister I never knew I had
All rums taste the same pal. No point in having any distinctions between them. (See also sparkling wine.)
The difference being here Rum is a style of drink just as champagne is....never objected to people labelling the bottle as also coming from a particular area
If you haven't tried ron zacapa btw and like rum a friend once described it at rum fest in olympia as "oh my god its like drinking angel cum" and you could see the marketing people at the stall wondering can we use that as a slogan probably not
Er... Champagne is labelled as coming from that area. What 'restrictions' are you trying to remove from the poor down-trodden Champagne drinkers?
Champagne is a style of wine, most associate it with a style not an area
Would you be fine if whisky could only come from 2 or 3 counties in scotland and everyone else had to call it something else even if its the same style of drink, its still whisky just produced outside those 2 or 3 counties because frankly thats what champagne is arguing...same grapes same process same taste just protectionists arguing they cant call it champagne
I’d guess Islay malt producers might be a bit cross if distilleries in Speyside started to make peaty whiskies and labelled them Islay Malts.
The difference though is islay malts aren't arguing they cant call it whisky even though it is. Thats what champagne producers are arguing
No they’re not.
Should any old Bourbon maker be allowed to call it Scotch?
Anyway, Prosecco producers owe a huge debt of gratitude to Salley Vickers, who brought said fizz to the attention of British women via Miss Garnett's Angel.
My half sister seems to live on prosecco but still never tried it however I did break her husband first time I met her as we finished a bottle of ron zacapa between us first night and he was really ill the the next day
You sure it was Ron Zacapa? Could have been any old rum.
I do not drink any old rum, especially not taking a bottle of spiced gold to the first meet up with a sister I never knew I had
All rums taste the same pal. No point in having any distinctions between them. (See also sparkling wine.)
The difference being here Rum is a style of drink just as champagne is....never objected to people labelling the bottle as also coming from a particular area
If you haven't tried ron zacapa btw and like rum a friend once described it at rum fest in olympia as "oh my god its like drinking angel cum" and you could see the marketing people at the stall wondering can we use that as a slogan probably not
Er... Champagne is labelled as coming from that area. What 'restrictions' are you trying to remove from the poor down-trodden Champagne drinkers?
Champagne is a style of wine, most associate it with a style not an area
...says the expert who doesn't drink sparkling wine.
Its like hoover is now a generic name for a vacuum cleaner, or biro is for a pen....no one literally means a vacuum made by the hover company or a pen made by biro
And loads of people call any sparkling wine champagne.
Well they drink sparkling whites they probably also drink lambrusco
Anyway, Prosecco producers owe a huge debt of gratitude to Salley Vickers, who brought said fizz to the attention of British women via Miss Garnett's Angel.
My half sister seems to live on prosecco but still never tried it however I did break her husband first time I met her as we finished a bottle of ron zacapa between us first night and he was really ill the the next day
You sure it was Ron Zacapa? Could have been any old rum.
I do not drink any old rum, especially not taking a bottle of spiced gold to the first meet up with a sister I never knew I had
All rums taste the same pal. No point in having any distinctions between them. (See also sparkling wine.)
The difference being here Rum is a style of drink just as champagne is....never objected to people labelling the bottle as also coming from a particular area
If you haven't tried ron zacapa btw and like rum a friend once described it at rum fest in olympia as "oh my god its like drinking angel cum" and you could see the marketing people at the stall wondering can we use that as a slogan probably not
Er... Champagne is labelled as coming from that area. What 'restrictions' are you trying to remove from the poor down-trodden Champagne drinkers?
Champagne is a style of wine, most associate it with a style not an area
Would you be fine if whisky could only come from 2 or 3 counties in scotland and everyone else had to call it something else even if its the same style of drink, its still whisky just produced outside those 2 or 3 counties because frankly thats what champagne is arguing...same grapes same process same taste just protectionists arguing they cant call it champagne
I’d guess Islay malt producers might be a bit cross if distilleries in Speyside started to make peaty whiskies and labelled them Islay Malts.
The difference though is islay malts aren't arguing they cant call it whisky even though it is. Thats what champagne producers are arguing
No they’re not.
I suspect most think of champagne as a type of drink like whiskey....its become a generic term like hoover. Thats what I am arguing
"Estimates suggest 52% of Philadelphia adults are functionally illiterate, with 67% reading at a 6th-8th grade level. About 40% struggle with tasks like job applications. Data comes from sources like Achieve Now and a 2020 NCES report, though recent 2025 figures are scarce. Poverty and education access likely drive these rates, but exact causes need more research."
A large American city where more than half of adults are illiterate. No wonder China is taking over
It's getting worse too as more people consume their media in video or audio format negating the everyday need to read the news or sports pages.
Western society is declining and there are parts of America where that decline feels terminal. Education standards in the US are a joke and even at the very top in the world's highest ranked universities there is now in inexorable decline in standards with more time being spent on nonsense and less on top level research. China is stealing a huge march on the US (and the west) by having a relentless results focussed approach. It's working.
Yep
Also, everyone is now just cheating in their essays, and the essay checkers accept this, and on it goes
Quite absurd. This is one reason why - as I keep telling the site, because I am correct - the higher education system is about to implode, spectacularly. It no longer offers value to the student OR the potential employer; it is doomed
You’re complaining about education standards declining while also being gleeful about the decline of higher education institutions. Honestly, WTF? I bet China do not talk down universities or people going to university. You are literally the problem.
That's got to be one of the most stupid takes I've seen on pb, which is really quite a high bar. I don't detect any glee from Leon, in fact quite the opposite that universities need to raise their standards to remain relevant.
Quite so
I have one daughter at a fine university, St Andrews, and another hoping to go to one next year, possibly Trinity Dublin
I believe they will - for many reasons (some of which I am forbidden from talking about on PB) - be amongst the last to do so. I reckon universities as we know them have 5-10 years left. I have held this opinion for a couple of years, on PB (often against much scorn) but I have seen nothing to dissuade me. Indeed the terminal line seems to be getting closer
I think it is very sad. University is a wonderful experience and a great idea, I just don't see how the economics works - for the vast majority - as the world moves on
Depends what "as we know them" means.
But universities as an idea and an institution have been going strong for hundreds of years. There will still be universities long after us.
I suspect Leon only really knows of uni by his experience of a three year arts degree. Uni is so much more than three lectures a week and writing essays at 4 am for a 9 am deadline. Science and engineering courses are much more involved with far more contact hours. And the courses are not really about teaching facts, it’s about ways of thinking and the ability to apply knowledge. Leon may be right and many courses might be about to start to struggle to recruit because students no longer regard the degree as value. But that argument was made when fees were imposed and hiked. A degree isn’t just the academic education.
But if Leon is right and then AI is about to destroy most all white collar jobs then were on the verge of a mssive change in the world.
Waiting for Trump to get on the social media...I congratulate the new president of Romania, people tell me he is very good a maths, i was the best at maths in my school, some say I was the best mathematician they had ever seen, they said I couldn't have been the best maths professor at MIT...
Anyway, Prosecco producers owe a huge debt of gratitude to Salley Vickers, who brought said fizz to the attention of British women via Miss Garnett's Angel.
My half sister seems to live on prosecco but still never tried it however I did break her husband first time I met her as we finished a bottle of ron zacapa between us first night and he was really ill the the next day
You sure it was Ron Zacapa? Could have been any old rum.
I do not drink any old rum, especially not taking a bottle of spiced gold to the first meet up with a sister I never knew I had
All rums taste the same pal. No point in having any distinctions between them. (See also sparkling wine.)
The difference being here Rum is a style of drink just as champagne is....never objected to people labelling the bottle as also coming from a particular area
If you haven't tried ron zacapa btw and like rum a friend once described it at rum fest in olympia as "oh my god its like drinking angel cum" and you could see the marketing people at the stall wondering can we use that as a slogan probably not
Er... Champagne is labelled as coming from that area. What 'restrictions' are you trying to remove from the poor down-trodden Champagne drinkers?
Champagne is a style of wine, most associate it with a style not an area
Would you be fine if whisky could only come from 2 or 3 counties in scotland and everyone else had to call it something else even if its the same style of drink, its still whisky just produced outside those 2 or 3 counties because frankly thats what champagne is arguing...same grapes same process same taste just protectionists arguing they cant call it champagne
I’d guess Islay malt producers might be a bit cross if distilleries in Speyside started to make peaty whiskies and labelled them Islay Malts.
The difference though is islay malts aren't arguing they cant call it whisky even though it is. Thats what champagne producers are arguing
No they’re not.
I suspect most think of champagne as a type of drink like whiskey....its become a generic term like hoover. Thats what I am arguing
And funnily enough other vacuum cleaner companies aren’t allowed to label their products Hoovers.
"Estimates suggest 52% of Philadelphia adults are functionally illiterate, with 67% reading at a 6th-8th grade level. About 40% struggle with tasks like job applications. Data comes from sources like Achieve Now and a 2020 NCES report, though recent 2025 figures are scarce. Poverty and education access likely drive these rates, but exact causes need more research."
A large American city where more than half of adults are illiterate. No wonder China is taking over
It's getting worse too as more people consume their media in video or audio format negating the everyday need to read the news or sports pages.
Western society is declining and there are parts of America where that decline feels terminal. Education standards in the US are a joke and even at the very top in the world's highest ranked universities there is now in inexorable decline in standards with more time being spent on nonsense and less on top level research. China is stealing a huge march on the US (and the west) by having a relentless results focussed approach. It's working.
Yep
Also, everyone is now just cheating in their essays, and the essay checkers accept this, and on it goes
Quite absurd. This is one reason why - as I keep telling the site, because I am correct - the higher education system is about to implode, spectacularly. It no longer offers value to the student OR the potential employer; it is doomed
You’re complaining about education standards declining while also being gleeful about the decline of higher education institutions. Honestly, WTF? I bet China do not talk down universities or people going to university. You are literally the problem.
That's got to be one of the most stupid takes I've seen on pb, which is really quite a high bar. I don't detect any glee from Leon, in fact quite the opposite that universities need to raise their standards to remain relevant.
Quite so
I have one daughter at a fine university, St Andrews, and another hoping to go to one next year, possibly Trinity Dublin
I believe they will - for many reasons (some of which I am forbidden from talking about on PB) - be amongst the last to do so. I reckon universities as we know them have 5-10 years left. I have held this opinion for a couple of years, on PB (often against much scorn) but I have seen nothing to dissuade me. Indeed the terminal line seems to be getting closer
I think it is very sad. University is a wonderful experience and a great idea, I just don't see how the economics works - for the vast majority - as the world moves on
Depends what "as we know them" means.
But universities as an idea and an institution have been going strong for hundreds of years. There will still be universities long after us.
I suspect Leon only really knows of uni by his experience of a three year arts degree. Uni is so much more than three lectures a week and writing essays at 4 am for a 9 am deadline. Science and engineering courses are much more involved with far more contact hours. And the courses are not really about teaching facts, it’s about ways of thinking and the ability to apply knowledge. Leon may be right and many courses might be about to start to struggle to recruit because students no longer regard the degree as value. But that argument was made when fees were imposed and hiked. A degree isn’t just the academic education.
But if Leon is right and then AI is about to destroy most all white collar jobs then were on the verge of a mssive change in the world.
Off topic: Today is the 45th anniversary of the big eruption of Mount. St. Helens: "The May 18, 1980, event was the most deadly and economically destructive volcanic eruption in the history of the contiguous United States.[9] About 57 people were killed directly from the blast, and 200 houses, 47 bridges, 15 mi (24 km) of railways, and 185 mi (298 km) of highway were destroyed; two people were killed indirectly in accidents that resulted from poor visibility, and two more suffered fatal heart attacks from shoveling ash." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1980_eruption_of_Mount_St._Helens
It was more deadly than expected because the blast went sideways, instead of straight up.
(For the record: I've hiked up Mount Saint Helens twice since the blast.)
Just the once for me.
It was late October and the first snow had arrived. All the locals wimped out at the tree line as they weren't equipped for or used to a white-out (good Scottish conditions) but Mrs Flatlander and I made it all the way to the top, which sat just above the clouds. We had the place to ourselves. Mt Rainier was just about visible off in the distance and the new lava dome was visible through the mist down in the crater.
Sadly, did not see the Sasquatch when descending in the gloom although it was pretty spooky.
Waiting for Trump to get on the social media...I congratulate the new president of Romania, people tell me he is very good a maths, i was the best at maths in my school, some say I was the best mathematician they had ever seen, they said I couldn't have been the best maths professor at MIT...
I could have been good at maths but I got docked points on my maths a level due to the company that produced mars bars
Waiting for Trump to get on the social media...I congratulate the new president of Romania, people tell me he is very good a maths, i was the best at maths in my school, some say I was the best mathematician they had ever seen, they said I couldn't have been the best maths professor at MIT...
Currently, BYD has nearly 1 million employees, 11 research institutes and about 110,000 engineers, making it the automotive company with the largest R&D staff in the world. And on top they gave $400 million to top Chinese universities last year to do more cutting edge research.
It is a huge scale but I struggle to identify the genuine major technological breakthroughs (as opposed to improvements to existing technology) that have come out of China recently.
Which begs the question what have been the 'major technological breakthroughs' of the past 100 or 200 years? I'm thinking:
- The screw lathe - Steam power - Rail transport - Anaesthetics - Electricity - Telegraphy - Telephony - The internal combustion engine - The pneumatic tyre - Radio - Powered flight - Cinema - Antibiotics - Television - Computing - Space flight / satellite comms - Semi-conductors / microchips / PV panels - Understanding DNA - The internet - Smartphones
I am sure I've missed loads and in fairness they don't happen very often so it's quite possible that most of the next dozen or so will emerge from China.
Currently, BYD has nearly 1 million employees, 11 research institutes and about 110,000 engineers, making it the automotive company with the largest R&D staff in the world. And on top they gave $400 million to top Chinese universities last year to do more cutting edge research.
It is a huge scale but I struggle to identify the genuine major technological breakthroughs (as opposed to improvements to existing technology) that have come out of China recently.
Which begs the question what have been the 'major technological breakthroughs' of the past 100 or 200 years? I'm thinking:
- The screw lathe - Steam power - Rail transport - Anaesthetics - Electricity - Telegraphy - Telephony - The internal combustion engine - The pneumatic tyre - Radio - Powered flight - Cinema - Antibiotics - Television - Computing - Space flight / satellite comms - Semi-conductors / microchips / PV panels - Understanding DNA - The internet - Smartphones
I am sure I've missed loads and in fairness they don't happen very often so it's quite possible that most of the next dozen or so will emerge from China.
The quality of novel research coming out of China is really ramping up these days.
Also, does it matter if the Chinese can take the initial spark of an idea and run 1000 improvement iterations in the time it takes for Western companies to decide on the company motto. They have the shear quantity of educated individuals able to consume the research and act on it. This is a big problem in the UK, the number of people who for instance can understand state of the art machine learning research papers, let alone improve upon them, is really quite small.
Waiting for Trump to get on the social media...I congratulate the new president of Romania, people tell me he is very good a maths, i was the best at maths in my school, some say I was the best mathematician they had ever seen, they said I couldn't have been the best maths professor at MIT...
I could have been good at maths but I got docked points on my maths a level due to the company that produced mars bars
"If I had ever learnt, I should have been a great proficient."
Which begs the question what have been the 'major technological breakthroughs' of the past 100 or 200 years? I'm thinking:
- The screw lathe - Steam power - Rail transport - Anaesthetics - Electricity - Telegraphy - Telephony - The internal combustion engine - The pneumatic tyre - Radio - Powered flight - Cinema - Antibiotics - Television - Computing - Space flight / satellite comms - Semi-conductors / microchips / PV panels - Understanding DNA - The internet - Smartphones
I am sure I've missed loads and in fairness they don't happen very often so it's quite possible that most of the next dozen or so will emerge from China.
Plastic, which is used in many of the ones you listed
Waiting for Trump to get on the social media...I congratulate the new president of Romania, people tell me he is very good a maths, i was the best at maths in my school, some say I was the best mathematician they had ever seen, they said I couldn't have been the best maths professor at MIT...
I could have been good at maths but I got docked points on my maths a level due to the company that produced mars bars
"If I had ever learnt, I should have been a great proficient."
Wasn't I hadnt learnt I just got docked points because I had been bet in the pub earlier I couldn't get a kings sizes mars bar in my mouth sideways (day they were first released) and we had had a few pints so I went for it, sitting my final exam though it had been too big to chew so I managed to dribble chocolate onto my exam paper so got docked two points for messy work so only got 98%
Waiting for Trump to get on the social media...I congratulate the new president of Romania, people tell me he is very good a maths, i was the best at maths in my school, some say I was the best mathematician they had ever seen, they said I couldn't have been the best maths professor at MIT...
I could have been good at maths but I got docked points on my maths a level due to the company that produced mars bars
"If I had ever learnt, I should have been a great proficient."
Wasn't I hadnt learnt I just got docked points because I had been bet in the pub earlier I couldn't get a kings sizes mars bar in my mouth sideways (day they were first released) and we had had a few pints so I went for it, sitting my final exam though it had been too big to chew so I managed to dribble chocolate onto my exam paper so got docked two points for messy work so only got 98%
And was when King Sized Mars Bars were tthhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhissssssssssssssssss big, where as now they are equivalent to the old snack size ;-)
Curly Wurlies were definitely about 10x the size they are now, there were as big as my head and I am sticking with that...nothing to do with me being 2x as tall as when I used to eat them.
Waiting for Trump to get on the social media...I congratulate the new president of Romania, people tell me he is very good a maths, i was the best at maths in my school, some say I was the best mathematician they had ever seen, they said I couldn't have been the best maths professor at MIT...
I could have been good at maths but I got docked points on my maths a level due to the company that produced mars bars
"If I had ever learnt, I should have been a great proficient."
Wasn't I hadnt learnt I just got docked points because I had been bet in the pub earlier I couldn't get a kings sizes mars bar in my mouth sideways (day they were first released) and we had had a few pints so I went for it, sitting my final exam though it had been too big to chew so I managed to dribble chocolate onto my exam paper so got docked two points for messy work so only got 98%
And was when King Sized Mars Bars were tthhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhissssssssssssssssss big, where as now they are equivalent to the old snack size ;-)
Waiting for Trump to get on the social media...I congratulate the new president of Romania, people tell me he is very good a maths, i was the best at maths in my school, some say I was the best mathematician they had ever seen, they said I couldn't have been the best maths professor at MIT...
I could have been good at maths but I got docked points on my maths a level due to the company that produced mars bars
"If I had ever learnt, I should have been a great proficient."
Wasn't I hadnt learnt I just got docked points because I had been bet in the pub earlier I couldn't get a kings sizes mars bar in my mouth sideways (day they were first released) and we had had a few pints so I went for it, sitting my final exam though it had been too big to chew so I managed to dribble chocolate onto my exam paper so got docked two points for messy work so only got 98%
And was when King Sized Mars Bars were tthhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhissssssssssssssssss big, where as now they are equivalent to the old snack size ;-)
Curly Wurlies were definitely about 10x the size they are now, there were as big as my head and I am sticking with that...nothing to do with me being 2x as tall as when I used to eat them.
I sometimes get my father a curly wurly because he likes sweet stuff and a reminder of youthful frivolites unfortunately his false teeth stick to it so not unusual for the them to come out when he pulls the unchewed part out of his mouth and that is quite gross
The Lammy taxi driver saga can't be true. It just can't. It's too ridiculous. There's no way the officially number two in the UK government could have been put/left in such a situation.
I sort of miss false teeth, the memories of being sent down the garden christmas day to lift the manhole and see if I could catch my uncles that he had accidently flushed down the toilet after throwing up before they disappeared into the sewer....happy days
Currently, BYD has nearly 1 million employees, 11 research institutes and about 110,000 engineers, making it the automotive company with the largest R&D staff in the world. And on top they gave $400 million to top Chinese universities last year to do more cutting edge research.
It is a huge scale but I struggle to identify the genuine major technological breakthroughs (as opposed to improvements to existing technology) that have come out of China recently.
Which begs the question what have been the 'major technological breakthroughs' of the past 100 or 200 years? I'm thinking:
- The screw lathe - Steam power - Rail transport - Anaesthetics - Electricity - Telegraphy - Telephony - The internal combustion engine - The pneumatic tyre - Radio - Powered flight - Cinema - Antibiotics - Television - Computing - Space flight / satellite comms - Semi-conductors / microchips / PV panels - Understanding DNA - The internet - Smartphones
I am sure I've missed loads and in fairness they don't happen very often so it's quite possible that most of the next dozen or so will emerge from China.
Europe learnt everything it knew from the Arabs in the later middle ages: irrigation, mathematics, astronomy, navigation, medicine, philosophy, universities, distilled spirits, sweets, ice cream, soft furnishings, castle design, romantic poetry, stringed instruments, and more.
The Arabs learnt not a single thing from Europe.
By the end of the period Europe was dominant and the Arabs were in moribund.
The same thing is happening today with China and the West.
The Lammy taxi driver saga can't be true. It just can't. It's too ridiculous. There's no way the officially number two in the UK government could have been put/left in such a situation.
Its a politician, you know all those sitcoms with ridiculous situations that you think could never really happen....politicians view them as training films
Currently, BYD has nearly 1 million employees, 11 research institutes and about 110,000 engineers, making it the automotive company with the largest R&D staff in the world. And on top they gave $400 million to top Chinese universities last year to do more cutting edge research.
It is a huge scale but I struggle to identify the genuine major technological breakthroughs (as opposed to improvements to existing technology) that have come out of China recently.
Which begs the question what have been the 'major technological breakthroughs' of the past 100 or 200 years? I'm thinking:
- The screw lathe - Steam power - Rail transport - Anaesthetics - Electricity - Telegraphy - Telephony - The internal combustion engine - The pneumatic tyre - Radio - Powered flight - Cinema - Antibiotics - Television - Computing - Space flight / satellite comms - Semi-conductors / microchips / PV panels - Understanding DNA - The internet - Smartphones
I am sure I've missed loads and in fairness they don't happen very often so it's quite possible that most of the next dozen or so will emerge from China.
Europe learnt everything it knew from the Arabs in the later middle ages: irrigation, mathematics, astronomy, navigation, medicine, philosophy, universities, distilled spirits, sweets, ice cream, soft furnishings, castle design, romantic poetry, stringed instruments, and more.
The Arabs learnt not a single thing from Europe.
By the end of the period Europe was dominant and the Arabs were in moribund.
The same thing is happening today with China and the West.
That may be true but all those innovations I listed came out of Europe or the US.
The Lammy taxi driver saga can't be true. It just can't. It's too ridiculous. There's no way the officially number two in the UK government could have been put/left in such a situation.
One potential thing that could have happened is the FO / his security detail were saying we can't get you a car for a day or two etc etc etc and he didn't want to miss out on his holiday so in a bit of a huff he just went f##k it I am booking a taxi and demanded he was going, you can't stop me, etc.
Is this the best polling station ever? The sailing ship Fryderyk Chopin https://www.fryderykchopin.pl/ currently sailing between Bermuda and Scotland. 13 voted, 7 for Trzaskowski.
Anyway, Prosecco producers owe a huge debt of gratitude to Salley Vickers, who brought said fizz to the attention of British women via Miss Garnett's Angel.
My half sister seems to live on prosecco but still never tried it however I did break her husband first time I met her as we finished a bottle of ron zacapa between us first night and he was really ill the the next day
You sure it was Ron Zacapa? Could have been any old rum.
I do not drink any old rum, especially not taking a bottle of spiced gold to the first meet up with a sister I never knew I had
All rums taste the same pal. No point in having any distinctions between them. (See also sparkling wine.)
The difference being here Rum is a style of drink just as champagne is....never objected to people labelling the bottle as also coming from a particular area
If you haven't tried ron zacapa btw and like rum a friend once described it at rum fest in olympia as "oh my god its like drinking angel cum" and you could see the marketing people at the stall wondering can we use that as a slogan probably not
Er... Champagne is labelled as coming from that area. What 'restrictions' are you trying to remove from the poor down-trodden Champagne drinkers?
Champagne is a style of wine, most associate it with a style not an area
Would you be fine if whisky could only come from 2 or 3 counties in scotland and everyone else had to call it something else even if its the same style of drink, its still whisky just produced outside those 2 or 3 counties because frankly thats what champagne is arguing...same grapes same process same taste just protectionists arguing they cant call it champagne
I see nothing wrong with protecting provenance labelling. Champagne is not asking to protect names like 'wine', 'sparkling', 'jolly good'. It gives some protection to hard work in brand creation and is true. It would good to have a bit more of it. Irish cheddar anyone?
Footnote: I once drank a Canadian bottle labelled whisky, which, years later still suggests to me tha the work 'whisky' deserves protection as well as 'Scotch'. It is the only adverse thought I have ever had about that great, and increasingly great ally.
Currently, BYD has nearly 1 million employees, 11 research institutes and about 110,000 engineers, making it the automotive company with the largest R&D staff in the world. And on top they gave $400 million to top Chinese universities last year to do more cutting edge research.
It is a huge scale but I struggle to identify the genuine major technological breakthroughs (as opposed to improvements to existing technology) that have come out of China recently.
Which begs the question what have been the 'major technological breakthroughs' of the past 100 or 200 years? I'm thinking:
- The screw lathe - Steam power - Rail transport - Anaesthetics - Electricity - Telegraphy - Telephony - The internal combustion engine - The pneumatic tyre - Radio - Powered flight - Cinema - Antibiotics - Television - Computing - Space flight / satellite comms - Semi-conductors / microchips / PV panels - Understanding DNA - The internet - Smartphones
I am sure I've missed loads and in fairness they don't happen very often so it's quite possible that most of the next dozen or so will emerge from China.
Europe learnt everything it knew from the Arabs in the later middle ages: irrigation, mathematics, astronomy, navigation, medicine, philosophy, universities, distilled spirits, sweets, ice cream, soft furnishings, castle design, romantic poetry, stringed instruments, and more.
The Arabs learnt not a single thing from Europe.
By the end of the period Europe was dominant and the Arabs were in moribund.
The same thing is happening today with China and the West.
irrigation was mesopotamia mathematics was mesopotamia, greeks, india Navigation probably phoenecia and polynesia Hippocrates a greek father of modern medecine Thales of miletus probably the first philosopher we would recognise...greek Fatima al fahri first founder of a university an arab we will give you that one Jabar ibn hayyan persian for distilled spirits so number two Egyptians, greeks, romans and chinese all invented sweets Ice cream like desserts date back to the tang dynasty so chinese soft furnishings depends how you define them but ancient egyptians were the first probably castle design probably started with roman encampments more than anything Romantic poetry didnt really start till late because the concept of marrying for love is fairly recent so looking at wordsworth etc Stringed instruments probably mesopotamia again
Waiting for Trump to get on the social media...I congratulate the new president of Romania, people tell me he is very good a maths, i was the best at maths in my school, some say I was the best mathematician they had ever seen, they said I couldn't have been the best maths professor at MIT...
Waiting for Trump to get on the social media...I congratulate the new president of Romania, people tell me he is very good a maths, i was the best at maths in my school, some say I was the best mathematician they had ever seen, they said I couldn't have been the best maths professor at MIT...
He should have held out for Pope...
Sadly they rejected me again when I sent my cv in again this time.....they seem to regard christian and catholic as a prerequisite despite me pointing out jesus was neither
The Lammy taxi driver saga can't be true. It just can't. It's too ridiculous. There's no way the officially number two in the UK government could have been put/left in such a situation.
One potential thing that could have happened is the FO / his security detail were saying we can't get you a car for a day or two etc etc etc and he didn't want to miss out on his holiday so in a bit of a huff he just went f##k it I am booking a taxi and demanded he was going, you can't stop me, etc.
Interesting. I wonder what the head of the security services thinks of what happened.
Currently, BYD has nearly 1 million employees, 11 research institutes and about 110,000 engineers, making it the automotive company with the largest R&D staff in the world. And on top they gave $400 million to top Chinese universities last year to do more cutting edge research.
It is a huge scale but I struggle to identify the genuine major technological breakthroughs (as opposed to improvements to existing technology) that have come out of China recently.
Which begs the question what have been the 'major technological breakthroughs' of the past 100 or 200 years? I'm thinking:
- The screw lathe - Steam power - Rail transport - Anaesthetics - Electricity - Telegraphy - Telephony - The internal combustion engine - The pneumatic tyre - Radio - Powered flight - Cinema - Antibiotics - Television - Computing - Space flight / satellite comms - Semi-conductors / microchips / PV panels - Understanding DNA - The internet - Smartphones
I am sure I've missed loads and in fairness they don't happen very often so it's quite possible that most of the next dozen or so will emerge from China.
Europe learnt everything it knew from the Arabs in the later middle ages: irrigation, mathematics, astronomy, navigation, medicine, philosophy, universities, distilled spirits, sweets, ice cream, soft furnishings, castle design, romantic poetry, stringed instruments, and more.
The Arabs learnt not a single thing from Europe.
By the end of the period Europe was dominant and the Arabs were in moribund.
The same thing is happening today with China and the West.
irrigation was mesopotamia mathematics was mesopotamia, greeks, india Navigation probably phoenecia and polynesia Hippocrates a greek father of modern medecine Thales of miletus probably the first philosopher we would recognise...greek Fatima al fahri first founder of a university an arab we will give you that one Jabar ibn hayyan persian for distilled spirits so number two Egyptians, greeks, romans and chinese all invented sweets Ice cream like desserts date back to the tang dynasty so chinese soft furnishings depends how you define them but ancient egyptians were the first probably castle design probably started with roman encampments more than anything Romantic poetry didnt really start till late because the concept of marrying for love is fairly recent so looking at wordsworth etc Stringed instruments probably mesopotamia again
Which begs the question what have been the 'major technological breakthroughs' of the past 100 or 200 years? I'm thinking:
- The screw lathe - Steam power - Rail transport - Anaesthetics - Electricity - Telegraphy - Telephony - The internal combustion engine - The pneumatic tyre - Radio - Powered flight - Cinema - Antibiotics - Television - Computing - Space flight / satellite comms - Semi-conductors / microchips / PV panels - Understanding DNA - The internet - Smartphones
I am sure I've missed loads and in fairness they don't happen very often so it's quite possible that most of the next dozen or so will emerge from China.
Plastic, which is used in many of the ones you listed
Yep. I also missed out nuclear fission/fusion.
Go back further than 500 years and the big technology breakthroughs (paper, printing, gunpowder) did come out of China (though printing was arguable developed independently in Europe).
Between 500 and 200 years ago, I can only think of optics (Europe again) as a major technological breakthrough.
Never underestimate the power of small good deeds... because its always matters
1. "Thank you to the man who gave me 20p in the car park at West Middlesex Hospital last Tuesday morning when I found myself short for parking. Thanks to you I was able to see my father alive for the last time. He died that afternoon. Farah, London""
Currently, BYD has nearly 1 million employees, 11 research institutes and about 110,000 engineers, making it the automotive company with the largest R&D staff in the world. And on top they gave $400 million to top Chinese universities last year to do more cutting edge research.
It is a huge scale but I struggle to identify the genuine major technological breakthroughs (as opposed to improvements to existing technology) that have come out of China recently.
Which begs the question what have been the 'major technological breakthroughs' of the past 100 or 200 years? I'm thinking:
- The screw lathe - Steam power - Rail transport - Anaesthetics - Electricity - Telegraphy - Telephony - The internal combustion engine - The pneumatic tyre - Radio - Powered flight - Cinema - Antibiotics - Television - Computing - Space flight / satellite comms - Semi-conductors / microchips / PV panels - Understanding DNA - The internet - Smartphones
I am sure I've missed loads and in fairness they don't happen very often so it's quite possible that most of the next dozen or so will emerge from China.
Europe learnt everything it knew from the Arabs in the later middle ages: irrigation, mathematics, astronomy, navigation, medicine, philosophy, universities, distilled spirits, sweets, ice cream, soft furnishings, castle design, romantic poetry, stringed instruments, and more.
The Arabs learnt not a single thing from Europe.
By the end of the period Europe was dominant and the Arabs were in moribund.
The same thing is happening today with China and the West.
irrigation was mesopotamia mathematics was mesopotamia, greeks, india Navigation probably phoenecia and polynesia Hippocrates a greek father of modern medecine Thales of miletus probably the first philosopher we would recognise...greek Fatima al fahri first founder of a university an arab we will give you that one Jabar ibn hayyan persian for distilled spirits so number two Egyptians, greeks, romans and chinese all invented sweets Ice cream like desserts date back to the tang dynasty so chinese soft furnishings depends how you define them but ancient egyptians were the first probably castle design probably started with roman encampments more than anything Romantic poetry didnt really start till late because the concept of marrying for love is fairly recent so looking at wordsworth etc Stringed instruments probably mesopotamia again
So two arabs there for you
But Europe learnt all that stuff from the Arabs. That's my point. It's the learning that counts, not the invention.
Currently, BYD has nearly 1 million employees, 11 research institutes and about 110,000 engineers, making it the automotive company with the largest R&D staff in the world. And on top they gave $400 million to top Chinese universities last year to do more cutting edge research.
It is a huge scale but I struggle to identify the genuine major technological breakthroughs (as opposed to improvements to existing technology) that have come out of China recently.
Which begs the question what have been the 'major technological breakthroughs' of the past 100 or 200 years? I'm thinking:
- The screw lathe - Steam power - Rail transport - Anaesthetics - Electricity - Telegraphy - Telephony - The internal combustion engine - The pneumatic tyre - Radio - Powered flight - Cinema - Antibiotics - Television - Computing - Space flight / satellite comms - Semi-conductors / microchips / PV panels - Understanding DNA - The internet - Smartphones
I am sure I've missed loads and in fairness they don't happen very often so it's quite possible that most of the next dozen or so will emerge from China.
Europe learnt everything it knew from the Arabs in the later middle ages: irrigation, mathematics, astronomy, navigation, medicine, philosophy, universities, distilled spirits, sweets, ice cream, soft furnishings, castle design, romantic poetry, stringed instruments, and more.
The Arabs learnt not a single thing from Europe.
By the end of the period Europe was dominant and the Arabs were in moribund.
The same thing is happening today with China and the West.
irrigation was mesopotamia mathematics was mesopotamia, greeks, india Navigation probably phoenecia and polynesia Hippocrates a greek father of modern medecine Thales of miletus probably the first philosopher we would recognise...greek Fatima al fahri first founder of a university an arab we will give you that one Jabar ibn hayyan persian for distilled spirits so number two Egyptians, greeks, romans and chinese all invented sweets Ice cream like desserts date back to the tang dynasty so chinese soft furnishings depends how you define them but ancient egyptians were the first probably castle design probably started with roman encampments more than anything Romantic poetry didnt really start till late because the concept of marrying for love is fairly recent so looking at wordsworth etc Stringed instruments probably mesopotamia again
So two arabs there for you
But Europe learnt all that stuff from the Arabs. That's my point. It's the learning that counts, not the invention.
Most of those predate the middle ages and the arabs unless you dont for example think the ancient greeks and the romans dont predate the arab world
Currently, BYD has nearly 1 million employees, 11 research institutes and about 110,000 engineers, making it the automotive company with the largest R&D staff in the world. And on top they gave $400 million to top Chinese universities last year to do more cutting edge research.
It is a huge scale but I struggle to identify the genuine major technological breakthroughs (as opposed to improvements to existing technology) that have come out of China recently.
Which begs the question what have been the 'major technological breakthroughs' of the past 100 or 200 years? I'm thinking:
- The screw lathe - Steam power - Rail transport - Anaesthetics - Electricity - Telegraphy - Telephony - The internal combustion engine - The pneumatic tyre - Radio - Powered flight - Cinema - Antibiotics - Television - Computing - Space flight / satellite comms - Semi-conductors / microchips / PV panels - Understanding DNA - The internet - Smartphones
I am sure I've missed loads and in fairness they don't happen very often so it's quite possible that most of the next dozen or so will emerge from China.
Europe learnt everything it knew from the Arabs in the later middle ages: irrigation, mathematics, astronomy, navigation, medicine, philosophy, universities, distilled spirits, sweets, ice cream, soft furnishings, castle design, romantic poetry, stringed instruments, and more.
The Arabs learnt not a single thing from Europe.
By the end of the period Europe was dominant and the Arabs were in moribund.
The same thing is happening today with China and the West.
irrigation was mesopotamia mathematics was mesopotamia, greeks, india Navigation probably phoenecia and polynesia Hippocrates a greek father of modern medecine Thales of miletus probably the first philosopher we would recognise...greek Fatima al fahri first founder of a university an arab we will give you that one Jabar ibn hayyan persian for distilled spirits so number two Egyptians, greeks, romans and chinese all invented sweets Ice cream like desserts date back to the tang dynasty so chinese soft furnishings depends how you define them but ancient egyptians were the first probably castle design probably started with roman encampments more than anything Romantic poetry didnt really start till late because the concept of marrying for love is fairly recent so looking at wordsworth etc Stringed instruments probably mesopotamia again
So two arabs there for you
But Europe learnt all that stuff from the Arabs. That's my point. It's the learning that counts, not the invention.
Most of those predate the middle ages and the arabs unless you dont for example think the ancient greeks and the romans dont predate the arab world
Also for example the phoenecians on the subject of navigation for example were trading with most european nations, including my home country of cornwall for their tin....but according to you we learnt nothing about navigation from them we waited for the arabs to come learn us
I will give the current government this. Their media briefing about the current talks with the EU, majoring on the issue of British travellers using EU passport queues & E-Gates is pretty smart. In many ways probably the least substantive thing in any agreement but if anything says all is well with our relationship with the EU for the average Briton, its the thought of rocking up on your summer hols and bleeping your way through passport control.
The right wing press have gone full on Brexit betrayal , some hysterical headlines and lies about a youth mobility scheme . The Daily Mail screams freedom of movement for millions of young people from the EU.
The Telegraph drags out Kate Hoey whose grip on reality left her a long time ago.
The right wing press have gone full on Brexit betrayal , some hysterical headlines and lies about a youth mobility scheme . The Daily Mail screams freedom of movement for millions of young people from the EU.
The Telegraph drags out Kate Hoey whose grip on reality left her a long time ago.
The right wing press have gone full on Brexit betrayal , some hysterical headlines and lies about a youth mobility scheme . The Daily Mail screams freedom of movement for millions of young people from the EU.
The Telegraph drags out Kate Hoey whose grip on reality left her a long time ago.
What does the scheme say exactly?
Still talking.
"The two sides were also understood to be discussing the language on a youth mobility deal allowing 18- to 30-year-olds to travel more easily between Britain and the bloc, amid EU concern about quotas on numbers.
UK ministers have talked about a “smart and controlled” scheme, suggesting it would have a cap and be time-limited, operating along the lines of the 13 existing deals Britain has with countries including Australia and Canada."
He was, of course, a typical product of Ceausescu's education system. No British student will ever bag two IMOs in a row. We just don't thrash them hard enough.
The right wing press have gone full on Brexit betrayal , some hysterical headlines and lies about a youth mobility scheme . The Daily Mail screams freedom of movement for millions of young people from the EU.
The Telegraph drags out Kate Hoey whose grip on reality left her a long time ago.
What does the scheme say exactly?
Any scheme will be time limited , likely to 2 years and be capped much like the ones we have already with other countries . In the world of the right wing press this apparently will be freedom of movement with millions moving here .
Yvette Cooper in particular doesn’t want anything that could increase net migration . Even allowing for the possibility that less Brits take up the opportunity you’re unlikely to see a significant change to net migration .
The sticking point is fish ! The UK want a long term deal on SPS and the EU say okay but they want a long term deal on fish .
Comments
When I started full time work in the 80's someone with a degree knew a hell of a lot, now your average graduate I wouldn't trust to wipe their own arse without parental supervision
“Can you burn the bacon, undercook the sausages, leave the toast to get cold…”
“I’d like the fringe half way up my forehead, one side longer than the other, and the back looking like I’ve just got out of bed…”
Anyone got one / tried one? We are thinking of having one in our new house - might stave off the time when I am reduced to needing someone else wipe my arse ;-)
Antonello Guerrera
@antoguerrera
BREAKING from the
@WhiteHouse
Vice President JD Vance Meets with the United Kingdom's Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Foreign Secretary David Lammy
Vice President JD Vance, the United Kingdom's Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Foreign Secretary David Lammy today held a meeting at the Villa Taverna, the U.S. Ambassador’s residence in Rome, Italy. The leaders toasted the special relationship and discussed shared interests and goals.
I do sense China is nudging ahead in some crucial areas - robotics in particular - but the race is far from decided
And the Chinese fertlity rate is a big fat 1. They now have a 1 child policy in action, but now they don't want it
This spring at the Salon des Batailles in the Hôtel de Crillon, Nicolas Lerner, head of French intelligence, asked me to ban conservative voices in Romania ahead of elections. I refused. We didn’t block protesters in Russia, Belarus, or Iran. We won’t start doing it in Europe.
I have one daughter at a fine university, St Andrews, and another hoping to go to one next year, possibly Trinity Dublin
I believe they will - for many reasons (some of which I am forbidden from talking about on PB) - be amongst the last to do so. I reckon universities as we know them have 5-10 years left. I have held this opinion for a couple of years, on PB (often against much scorn) but I have seen nothing to dissuade me. Indeed the terminal line seems to be getting closer
I think it is very sad. University is a wonderful experience and a great idea, I just don't see how the economics works - for the vast majority - as the world moves on
However, Leon had found that he had knapped so meticulously that his hands were thoroughly knackered and sore. He wondered about taking some time off in order to finish off his masterpiece at a later date. Truss's office phoned him back reasonably promptly, but to Leon's horror, he was told in no uncertain terms that he would lose his fee if he stopped work!
"Why?" asked Leon on the phone incredulously.
"Simple!" Truss's underling replied. "You're not entitled to any..." He paused for effect. "...Statue-Tory Sick Pay!"
I thank you!
Currently, BYD has nearly 1 million employees, 11 research institutes and about 110,000 engineers, making it the automotive company with the largest R&D staff in the world. And on top they gave $400 million to top Chinese universities last year to do more cutting edge research.
On robotics and mechanisation, one area where Japan has invested a lot is in machine automation of factory processes. For example a handful of PS5 consoles are produced in Japan on an almost fully automated production line the capital cost for the production line was massive so Sony didn't bother expanding it but the unit cost of assembly is almost nothing even with expensive Japanese labour. In China the PS5 assembly is almost completely manual because labour costs are so low. As this changes in the next 15 years and the Chinese working population falls expect huge investment in mechanisation by Chinese companies.
Which sort of brings me around to the Trump tariffs. In a world where human labour is a much lower proportion of unit cost and the cost of investing in automation is fairly similar across all nations, is now the time to get companies to pick the US rather than have Chinese companies use revenues derived from US consumers and companies to steal a march on US industry?
If you haven't tried ron zacapa btw and like rum a friend once described it at rum fest in olympia as "oh my god its like drinking angel cum" and you could see the marketing people at the stall wondering can we use that as a slogan probably not
But universities as an idea and an institution have been going strong for hundreds of years. There will still be universities long after us.
He has been doubling and tripling down in recent days going on various podcasts being very forthright in his viewed.
He will not host next years World Cup coverage it has been confirmed.
I presume his deal for the BBC to pay him millions for his podcasts will remain.
PS I haven't been able to stomach rum at all since a very bad experience when I was 15.
eg Unitree has overtaken Tesla and Boston Dynamics. They are now selling humanoid and canoid robots
https://www.elektor.com/products/unitree-g1-humanoid-robot
https://www.elektor.com/products/unitree-go2-edu-quadruped-robot
These are actual products. You can buy them. It is happening
You can't buy a Tesla robot, yet
Given the non-exclusive nature of the deal (and I believe they will still be available earlier elsewhere) it screams pay-off rather than actually a proper business decision.
https://x.com/RuxandraTeslo/status/1924206417000403328
Well behind the curve from the discussion here which figured it out ages ago.
Its been a good month for mathematicians in elections.
Should any old Bourbon maker be allowed to call it Scotch?
But if Leon is right and then AI is about to destroy most all white collar jobs then were on the verge of a mssive change in the world.
It was late October and the first snow had arrived. All the locals wimped out at the tree line as they weren't equipped for or used to a white-out (good Scottish conditions) but Mrs Flatlander and I made it all the way to the top, which sat just above the clouds. We had the place to ourselves. Mt Rainier was just about visible off in the distance and the new lava dome was visible through the mist down in the crater.
Sadly, did not see the Sasquatch when descending in the gloom although it was pretty spooky.
Recommend.
Which begs the question what have been the 'major technological breakthroughs' of the past 100 or 200 years? I'm thinking:
- The screw lathe
- Steam power
- Rail transport
- Anaesthetics
- Electricity
- Telegraphy
- Telephony
- The internal combustion engine
- The pneumatic tyre
- Radio
- Powered flight
- Cinema
- Antibiotics
- Television
- Computing
- Space flight / satellite comms
- Semi-conductors / microchips / PV panels
- Understanding DNA
- The internet
- Smartphones
I am sure I've missed loads and in fairness they don't happen very often so it's quite possible that most of the next dozen or so will emerge from China.
Also, does it matter if the Chinese can take the initial spark of an idea and run 1000 improvement iterations in the time it takes for Western companies to decide on the company motto. They have the shear quantity of educated individuals able to consume the research and act on it. This is a big problem in the UK, the number of people who for instance can understand state of the art machine learning research papers, let alone improve upon them, is really quite small.
Curly Wurlies were definitely about 10x the size they are now, there were as big as my head and I am sticking with that...nothing to do with me being 2x as tall as when I used to eat them.
The Arabs learnt not a single thing from Europe.
By the end of the period Europe was dominant and the Arabs were in moribund.
The same thing is happening today with China and the West.
Footnote: I once drank a Canadian bottle labelled whisky, which, years later still suggests to me tha the work 'whisky' deserves protection as well as 'Scotch'. It is the only adverse thought I have ever had about that great, and increasingly great ally.
mathematics was mesopotamia, greeks, india
Navigation probably phoenecia and polynesia
Hippocrates a greek father of modern medecine
Thales of miletus probably the first philosopher we would recognise...greek
Fatima al fahri first founder of a university an arab we will give you that one
Jabar ibn hayyan persian for distilled spirits so number two
Egyptians, greeks, romans and chinese all invented sweets
Ice cream like desserts date back to the tang dynasty so chinese
soft furnishings depends how you define them but ancient egyptians were the first probably
castle design probably started with roman encampments more than anything
Romantic poetry didnt really start till late because the concept of marrying for love is fairly recent so looking at wordsworth etc
Stringed instruments probably mesopotamia again
So two arabs there for you
@FF43’s list was bollocks
Go back further than 500 years and the big technology breakthroughs (paper, printing, gunpowder) did come out of China (though printing was arguable developed independently in Europe).
Between 500 and 200 years ago, I can only think of optics (Europe again) as a major technological breakthrough.
Never underestimate the power of small good deeds... because its always matters
1. "Thank you to the man who gave me 20p in the car park at West Middlesex Hospital last Tuesday morning when I found myself short for parking. Thanks to you I was able to see my father alive for the last time. He died that afternoon. Farah, London""
https://x.com/tradingMaxiSL/status/1923474051411972136
The Telegraph drags out Kate Hoey whose grip on reality left her a long time ago.
"The two sides were also understood to be discussing the language on a youth mobility deal allowing 18- to 30-year-olds to travel more easily between Britain and the bloc, amid EU concern about quotas on numbers.
UK ministers have talked about a “smart and controlled” scheme, suggesting it would have a cap and be time-limited, operating along the lines of the 13 existing deals Britain has with countries including Australia and Canada."
Guardain
Yvette Cooper in particular doesn’t want anything that could increase net migration . Even allowing for the possibility that less Brits take up the opportunity you’re unlikely to see a significant change to net migration .
The sticking point is fish ! The UK want a long term deal on SPS and the EU say okay but they want a long term deal on fish .