In the news

3 brothers plus you?
And from the north?
This is heading into clichéd territory.
Did you ride bikes while Dvorak played?

I would have pronounced it D-vor-ak if we had, that's for sure.

I went to Eton.

For a day, when I was in year 11, as part of their scholarship/outreach thing for state school kids to go to their sixth form.

It was amazing, the facilities are ridiculous and most of the 'masters' actually normal. But when I saw three kids in the music room playing a Green Day song but all still wearing their mandatory gowns, I knew (I already knew, but then I knew) it wasn't for me. Even though, in the Sixth Form, you can choose your own colour of waistcoat, from a choice of five.

Still, if I'd gone, I'd probably be in the Cabinet by now. Or at least in a proper job like a thinktank or OR or banking.

@Dammit @hugo7 @WillMelling

I was surprised to find 'ordinary working families' is defined:

The government defines "ordinary working families" as those that are not eligible for pupil premium [free school meals/in care] but have below average incomes
bbc.co.uk/news/education-3959­0198

Good spot, leaves us to extrapolate that a "hard working family" would be those with an average to above average income, but the figures in that BBC article don't marry up to the figures for median income which I pulled from a different BBC article, entertainingly.

Oh fuck. I'm still saying it like that.

Excellent.

If anything shows us that selective education / private education is a failure it's the almost comically under-qualified (in every sense) people we now have running the country who were specifically groomed for such a purpose.

I think that depends on your point of view- Osbourne went to St Paul's, then Oxford, studied History and got a 2:1, then boom! Chancellor of the Exchequer.

For a man with absolutely no relevant qualifications he's done alright for himself.

This forum is great for making me despair about the state of the country.
I had my own grammar school discussion at the pub the other day, me being the only state-educated one in group, and the only one who was against them.
I couldn't believe that they all thought arbitrarily(ish) splitting up children based on perceived ability at one point in life, but only in selected areas was a good idea. Told them as much, don't think I swayed any opinions but held my own better than I usually do in pub debate.

But if they don't need us for war, or wealth generation anymore... (For you, 10 others) why do they care?

Funny enough some loaded entrepreneur like Elon Musk are more compassionate and want universal incomes.

But they may think further if nobody has cash, and the middle class is gone, bye bye economy and innovation, bye bye market.

Well then we're into supply side vs. demand side economics, and if you believe in supply side/laffer curve/trickle down economics you believe that consumers don't need any consideration given to how they have the money to consume, you just provide the vendor with tax breaks and subsidies and the consumer uses (presumably) magic to create the money needed to buy stuff. Or works harder, as being poor is a choice of course.

I went to Millfield.

For a week, to play basketball when i was 15. A student's dad paid for their swimming pool and they have a list of former student Olympians in the cafeteria.

Actually, so did I. Don't know why I typed the dates wrong. Was 82 to 88. God, I'm old.

What a load of bullshit.

I've read more detailed rebuttals in my time. Care to expand?

You can always tell a Millford man.
Wait a minute.

I think what he means is [citation needed]

I've found the news this past week hugely depressing, the unbelievable Sean Spicer crap, all this sabre-rattling rubbish, randomly advertising ordnance by illegally lobbing it on various places (who cares about the rule of law in international relations?), and the charade being played out about Russia to distract people from the inquiry into Trump's links. Let's hope none of it works.

WE'RE ALL DOOMED!!!! But here's something to do in the bunker...

1 Attachment

Bet that free £2 on the date the first missile is launched. Post holocaust profit!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-39617700

Erdogan wind referendum. Really not good news for human rights in Turkey :(

And all Syrian refugees stranded there.

Theresa May to make a statement at 11:15, lots of speculation as to what it is about.

Could she be calling an election?

Brexit U-turn. Bet you £2.

War with Spain

Joining UKIP

No point, she's already adopted most of their policies.