News of the day

[Spikey M]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-57651843

:cool:

[Shindig]

Those stories always end with them dead in a field. Cars aren't good planes.

[Lofty]

Imagine the twats who can't drive properly on the road, airborne. Coming to a roof near you soon.

[Kikó]

Yeah - absolute fucking nightmare scenario that.

[Disco]

Car bad, flying car worse.

[Baz]

Flying mounts ruined World Of Warcraft and now they’re gonna ruin real life too.

[SincereTheRebel]

We already have flying cars. They are called helicopters.

[Spikey M]

U wot m8

[Disco]

And helicopters are 100% lethal so we certainly don't need more of them.

[Raoul Duke]

Just ask Kasper Schmeichel

[Shindig]

Colin McRae should've died in a car. :(

[SincereTheRebel]

U wot m8

I didn't make any spelling mistakes.

[Shindig]

They don't always have wheels. You can't be a car without wheels.

[Disco]

What about a cable car?

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

What about a cable car?

Invisible wheels.

[Shindig]

Actually, yes. Their wheels are on the top to traverse the wires. Car status confirmed.

[Spikey M]

They're also 100% deadly so this loops right back around to cars being helicopters.

When I'm wrong, I'm wrong. Sorry lads.

[Disco]

Technically they're trams anyway so as you were.

[Shindig]

Heh. Donald Rumsfeld's dead. I cannot confirm if he was in a helicopter at the time.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

*Flying car.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I'm not going to dignify Love Island by finding the proper thread for it, but some of the discourse around it is genuinely mental.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-57687190


The family said they understood the "frustration" around Singh's eviction - but that Burrows, from Bicester in Oxfordshire, "does not deserve to die" as a result.

"Have the deaths of Sophie, Mike, and Caroline taught us nothing?" they added, referring to former contestants Sophie Gradon, Mike Thalassitis and ex-host Caroline Flack.

[Baz]

I wish they’d stop bringing up those people that died. None of them died on Love Island.

[Lewis]

When the media reports people being subject to 'death threats', are they really? There must be a credibility threshold that has to be passed before you can describe something as a threat.

[Spikey M]

I wish they’d stop bringing up those people that died. None of them died on Love Island.

You aren't that thick, surely?

[Baz]

We don’t bring up Gary Speed everytime footballs on.

[Manc]

That's a special effort.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

You aren't that thick, surely?

It seems he is.

[Shindig]

I wish they’d stop bringing up those people that died. None of them died on Love Island.

Disneyland rules apply, do they? "Caroline, get them to the mainland. AND NEVER SPEAK OF THIS!"

[Lewis]

1411045300781948931

Fucking wot.

[Spoonsky]

If you saw it in a film you’d lose interest cause it’s too unrealistic.

[Disco]

You know you fucked up when you managed to set the sea on fire.

There's a great picture of firefighting boats impotently spooting their hoses at it in the most pointless gesture ever.

[Foe]

When it goes wrong, it can go very wrong.

Spiral to disaster: https://vimeo.com/307690569

[Shindig]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/ice-hockey/57725848


"There appears to be some fireworks that accidentally went off and launched in the direction of Mr Kivlenieks and others who were seated in the hot tub," lieutenant Jason Meier said.

Yev's final destination.

[Yevrah]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQA8XIF1Apg

Andrew Neil appears to be back and still nailing it.

[Shindig]

I saw that the other day and couldn't believe how shite the climate bloke's argument was.

[Pepe]

Extinction Rebellion is a joke.

[Yevrah]

I was trying to find out who is creaming it in from their existence. Someone must be, but they've covered their tracks well.

[Shindig]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-57773502

Zaila Avant-garde. Name of the year.

[Ian]

Sadly there's been no Name of the Year this year but Famous Lefthand was the pre-tournament frontrunner.

[randomlegend]

7 hours spelling a day but they don't let it go way too overboard.

[Pepe]

Surely the names of that spelling bee girl and her parents are fake, right? Why does she have a different last name than both of her parents?

[Luca]

Her father changed his last name from Heard in honour of John Coltrane (lol).

[Lofty]

I was trying to find out who is creaming it in from their existence. Someone must be, but they've covered their tracks well.

Alternatively, as much I think they are misguided and a pain in the arse sometimes, this is very odd behaviour from the powers that be:

1411643988902354945

[Kikó]

And then there's things like the hottest temperatures ever being recorded day after day
1413662322896289794?s=19

[Spikey M]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-57790040

Hope the cunt crashes into the moon.

[Boydy]

It would be very, very funny if one of these billionaire space flights goes wrong and kills one of them.

[Disco]

Apart from the other poor saps that have to crew it, ideally they'd let beardo out for a space walk and lock the door behind him.

[-james-]

Surely there's a disgruntled & underpaid, erm, spaceship engineer who will be conveniently forgetting to tighten a bolt somewhere.

[Lewis]

There is something funny about lame old Richard Branson winning this tosspot 'space race' with his lame old Virgin project.

[Lewis]

1413521627116032001

lol seething bald manlet. :harold:

[Shindig]

Largest windows in space!

[Spikey M]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57829261

This is a bit Cold War.

[Yevrah]

The cyber threats from Russia and China are very war and we've gone well past the point of it being cold.

[Queenslander]

South Africa looks pretty grim at the moment even for them.

"South Africa Zuma riots: Looting and unrest leaves 72 dead - BBC News" https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-57818215.amp

[Lewis]

It's like a pre-season race war. The Indians have declared for the whites, and the Muslims are feeling their way into the side.

[Queenslander]

Are we looking at a potential failed state scenario?

[Spikey M]

The whole world is going to kick off once Covid fucks off. Can't wait to beat Waff to death with one of Boydy's kneecaps.

[Queenslander]

If we lose the Bledisloe again I'd be up for adding New Zealand to our list of prison Islands.

[phonics]

1415747756694646799

Hilarious.

GBNEWS GIVING IN TO THE WOKE MOB ON SOCIAL MEDIA TRYING TO DO CANCEL CULTURE

[Lewis]

1415778889553612803

Party's over Zulus.

[Queenslander]

: Do

[Lewis]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-57855650

Forget Mert. What the fuck are these 'scheduling conflicts' that are better than space?

[Queenslander]

Having sex with children on an Island?

[Lewis]

I thought it might be him. Or they're taking that lad to link up with him.

[Luca]

Or, they realized the anonymous bidder was Branson trying to troll them.

[Queenslander]

We are such a charming country at the moment.


Source: ADF
Australia won’t be part of a US evacuation plan for Afghan staff in fear of persecution from the resurgent Taliban, despite calls from former senior diplomats and military figures.

https://www.sbs.com.au/news/australia-says-it-won-t-put-afghans-who-helped-its-military-on-evacuation-flights

[niko_cee]

Or, they realized the anonymous bidder was Branson trying to troll them.

My thoughts.

[Spikey M]

One of them will crash eventually and it will be brilliant.

Hopefully it's Elon Musks, with him onboard.

[Shindig]

The thing about Elon Musk is his company actually builds space shit. He could go to space tomorrow and probably come back. Actual space. Not high earth orbit.

[Spikey M]

The thing about Elon Musk is that he's such a virgin that it doesn't matter that he's (allegedly) had sex. He's a perma-virgin.

[Boydy]

The thing about Elon Musk is his company actually builds space shit. He could go to space tomorrow and probably come back. Actual space. Not high earth orbit.

Doesn't his company's space shit blow up fairly often?

[Yevrah]

Is it just me or is this 'space race' the most boring, yet eccentric thing our richest billionaires could have chosen to do?

If it's a gateway to landing on Mars then fine, but if it isn't I don't care that any of them get to see space.

[randomlegend]

Having sex with children on an Island?

What happens if you break the law in space?

[Jimmy Floyd]

These floods in Germany sound mental. Over a thousand missing.

No wonder we were trying to bomb the dams there in the 40s, sounds like a total death zone.

[Raoul Duke]

Doesn't his company's space shit blow up fairly often?

The newer ones have some failures but the more established rockets are going up and down very frequently (and are reusable). They've been doing ISS missions for a while now.


Is it just me or is this 'space race' the most boring, yet eccentric thing our richest billionaires could have chosen to do?

If it's a gateway to landing on Mars then fine, but if it isn't I don't care that any of them get to see space.

I think it's a great cause - the point is currently humans are a single-planet species. If we can start colonising other parts of the solar system then it de-risks our existence somewhat, plus there would be opportunities for mining etc. They're targeting an unplanned mission in a couple of years time: https://www.spacex.com/human-spaceflight/mars/

[Lewis]

The distances involved in space make any practical use of it (beyond just knowing things) a non-starter.

[Yevrah]

Quite, if we hadn't done this (and more) 60 years ago I'd be getting the bunting out big time, but we have, so what's the point? The idea that it may lead to other things is great, but if it was any more than a vanity project they'd be starting with the other things.

[Yevrah]

These floods in Germany sound mental. Over a thousand missing.

No wonder we were trying to bomb the dams there in the 40s, sounds like a total death zone.

Plagues, flooding and pestilence (there are rats in my garden). The end does appear to be nigh.

[Baz]

Get a cat, Yev.

And not just for the rats; it’ll do you good. :)

[Yevrah]

I did toy with the idea, but went for a pest man instead. I'm putting this down as another victory for COVID, nature has been allowed to flourish unchecked (or my neighbour's landlord has left too much crap in their garden, which has created a perfect environment for them to flourish, one of the two).

[Lewis]

Quite, if we hadn't done this (and more) 60 years ago I'd be getting the bunting out big time, but we have, so what's the point? The idea that it may lead to other things is great, but if it was any more than a vanity project they'd be starting with the other things.

I'm all for space stuff liable to have engineering applications here (the Space Race largely being a ballistic missile developnent cover story), but stuff like mining planets and that... What could be valuable enough on these planets to make that economically viable? Similarly, colonisation. The distances involved would put time lags of centuries on the expeditions. They could all fail and nobody would ever know.

[Disco]

As big a wanker/fraud as Musk is, Space X is at least doing vaguely interesting things, they're closer to making re-useable spacecraft than anyone before. These other twats are just pushing themselves into a low orbit with little rockets which we've been able to do for half a century at this point.

[Yevrah]

I'm all for space stuff liable to have engineering applications here (the Space Race largely being a ballistic missile developnent cover story), but stuff like mining planets and that... What could be valuable enough on these planets to make that economically viable? Similarly, colonisation. The distances involved would put time lags of centuries on the expeditions. They could all fail and nobody would ever know.

From reading the link above it seems like the aim is to live on Mars. Quite why I'm not sure - it's shit.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It ain't the kind of place to raise your kids - in fact, it's cold as hell, and there's no one there to raise them if you did.

Might be some crude oil though so let's go for it.

[Ian]

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2021/jul/15/gb-news-shows-attracted-zero-viewers-after-boycott-over-taking-the-knee

Excellent.

[Spikey M]

Zero viewers :D

[Kikó]

Plagues, flooding and pestilence (there are rats in my garden). The end does appear to be nigh.

Catastrophic climate change is something to look forward to once we clear covid.

[phonics]

I'm constantly amazed that Andrew Neill left the BBC for that shitshow. I assume he must be being paid an absolute fortune.

[Ian]

It's not about the money mate, it's about FIGHTING FOR FREE SPEECH as long as you only have the opinions they approve of, of course.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's all very bizarre and seemingly driven by the misguided belief among parts of the British right that because they and their largely quite stupid and overpaid friends think a certain way, there is a GREAT BRITISH PUBLIC waiting to lap up the same. Actually the public just wants to hang the blacks and kick out the paedos, or maybe the other way round, I forget, which is a very different brand of shite from the GB News mind-twisting 'anti-woke' wank, a world in which everyone has more hair gel than soap.

The same bullshit tunnel vision has crept into the Spectator's pages in the last few years, which is a shame as it used to be a decent read.

[Lewis]

There is a market for it because people really like Piers Morgan and that is basically his entire gimmick. The problem the channel has is that it's something like channel who knows, and nobody actually watches news channels. They have them on, but if you're just having them on as background activity you might as well just put the BBC one on because at least its colour scheme is easy on the eye.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Yes. I think another version of what I'm trying to say is most people have no interest in 'news' in itself, in terms of wanting to seek it out, whereas for Andrew Neil et al there is nothing in their life but news and its propagation. They must have done market research and enough people said 'Yeah the BBC has a liberal bias' for them to kid themselves into thinking this was a good idea.

It's a bit like when George Osborne took over the Standard and starting putting Westminster stories on every front page, when in fact people want to read about basically anything but that.

[Spikey M]

If there were a news channel that was just BBC News, with a Goggle Box style audience shaking their heads at everything, it would get top ratings.

[Lewis]

There does seem to be a lot of mong money on the right (or at least desperate money that finds its way into any old shit like Lawrence Fox or that aborted Turning Point franchise). They would be better off boosting think tanks to help them astroturf things as effectively as Big Quaker does.

[Shindig]

My main problem with news channels is they have the same 30 minute segment effectively on cycle. Unless actual NEWS happens. Very little original programming that really, really needs to fill the majority of the day.

[Lofty]

Does the BBC even have a liberal bias? Aren't all the execs ex Tory donors which is why Farage was on plugging Leave every week for half a decade before it happened?

[igor_balis]

1414963424958853120

[Ian]

Does the BBC even have a liberal bias? Aren't all the execs ex Tory donors which is why Farage was on plugging Leave every week for half a decade before it happened?

Yeah but sometimes they've allowed comedians to call the government corrupt bigots which is treaaonously accurate so the BBC are clearly part of the wokerati.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Does the BBC even have a liberal bias? Aren't all the execs ex Tory donors which is why Farage was on plugging Leave every week for half a decade before it happened?

A great example of why the BBC has a liberal bias is that they spent all those years having Farage (notably not a Tory) on as a lone comedy token voice for what was (as it turned out) in fact a majority view, while the rest of the participants on said programmes spent the time circle-jerking for the north London view of life.

He's also great TV, something often overlooked.

[Baz]

Remember when that joinery programme got scrapped after one episode aired cos they’d inadvertently cast a massive racist as a contestant? He was identified as such by his white supremacist tattoos.

Well Love Island seem to have done the same. He was originally criticised for dropping the N word on Instagram but bow it’s been spotted that he has 13 and 28 tattooed on his hands. He claims they’re his and his mums lucky numbers, but they’ve also been adopted by neo nazi skinheads so, yeah, boot him off.

From Leigh as well. Dirty cunt.

[Yevrah]

Is this sort of shit deliberate? How the fuck do you miss that in the vetting process?

[randomlegend]

I mean I guess your average TV production employee doesn't know that much about neo-Nazi tattoos. You'd expect them to find racist posts online though.

[Shindig]

On top of that, the Nazis re-appropriate everything. If I have to make a non-verbal gesture to show everything is fine, I'm only allowed to use a thumbs up. The okay symbol means I'm a bigot now.

[Alex]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-57854318


Google has been criticised for suggesting routes up Ben Nevis and other Munros which are "potentially fatal" and direct people off a cliff.

I know we're not exactly talking Everest here, but if you're Google mapping your way up Ben Nevis, you've probably no business on Ben Nevis in the first place, right?

[Offshore Toon]

On top of that, the Nazis re-appropriate everything. If I have to make a non-verbal gesture to show everything is fine, I'm only allowed to use a thumbs up. The okay symbol means I'm a bigot now.

I do wonder if they're just being ultra-cautious with this. By that standard, I guarantee you could dump them all off Love Island for relentlessly using a hate symbol on social media. There must be more to it.

[Boydy]

Remember when that joinery programme got scrapped after one episode aired cos they’d inadvertently cast a massive racist as a contestant? He was identified as such by his white supremacist tattoos.

Well Love Island seem to have done the same. He was originally criticised for dropping the N word on Instagram but bow it’s been spotted that he has 13 and 28 tattooed on his hands. He claims they’re his and his mums lucky numbers, but they’ve also been adopted by neo nazi skinheads so, yeah, boot him off.

From Leigh as well. Dirty cunt.

What do 13 and 28 mean?

I've heard of 14, 88 and 18 but not those two.

[Lewis]

They're new to me as well. Apparently they refer to very specific white supremacist gangs (not even general sayings etc.) in America, which I find it hard to believe a mouth-breathing Leyther would be up on.

[Lofty]

A great example of why the BBC has a liberal bias is that they spent all those years having Farage (notably not a Tory) on as a lone comedy token voice for what was (as it turned out) in fact a majority view, while the rest of the participants on said programmes spent the time circle-jerking for the north London view of life.

He's also great TV, something often overlooked.

Fair enough but then on the other hand I remember them asking Corbyn if the Manchester Arena bombing was good for his election campaign the day after it happened and they focused a lot more on Diane Abbot getting her sums wrong than the actual Chancellor getting his HS2 sums wrong by a paltry 2 billion.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-57873811

It's a classic case of backfiring banter, MP seems like a bellend but the councillor is a fanny bringing up fat shaming, working as a nurse and Love Island when he tried to score some easy points and left himself open to such an easy comeback.

[Queenslander]

Brisvegas. :cool:

https://i.ibb.co/dtGrv2g/FB-IMG-1626856571627.jpg (https://imgbb.com/)

[Kikó]

If the athletes think Japan is hot, they're going to cook in Brisbane in 2032.

[Spikey M]

Place will be a perma-forrest fire by then.

[Queenslander]

New Zealand's Olympic team will be forced to stay in Mt Isa for the 2 weeks.

[niko_cee]

They should hold the open water swimming (do they have that?) or the triathalton in the Daintree to spice it up a bit.

Getting 3 games in 3 different cities (have even the yanks managed this?) within 80 years or whatever shows Australia must have a pretty good bribery game.

[Queenslander]

To be fair we were the only ones going for it.

I think using the Daintree is a wonderful idea.

London, Rio, Tokyo, Paris, Los Angeles, The Brown Snake.

[Bernanke]

If the athletes think Japan is hot, they're going to cook in Brisbane in 2032.

In July? Place is like between 20-25C for the coming 2 weeks.

Wrong hemisphere mate.

[Kikó]

Wait until 2032.

[niko_cee]

Using this week as a point of reference everyone's probably going to melt in Paris in 2024.

[-james-]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-57917470

Erm.

[Shindig]

I bet that looked funny to witness at first and then got really, really fucking terrifying.

[Spikey M]

1417868806886760451?s=19

I can't remember who said that nobody actually wants the Housing shortage addressed (possibly Jim and/or Lewis) but, well, you were right.

[niko_cee]

Does this mean we're not popular? (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-57929544)

Also, this story (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-57930901) sort of made my day, but also got me to thinking does he have that sort of cash to be doling out? That would be a downer considering what a monumental idiot he is.

[Spikey M]

Even if he doesn't, there'll be a Go Fund Me set up to pay it for him anyway.

[Queenslander]

"Oi Dad ya dog carnt where's my iPad."


.For real life?!': Bluey is giving American kids Aussie accents

https://www.abc.net.au/radio/melbourne/programs/breakfast/aussie-accents-bluey/13463514

[Jimmy Floyd]

Regrettably someone else has just died in the Hillsborough disaster, so it's now justice for the 97.

RIP the 96 era.

[niko_cee]

What the fuck is this? (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-london-58001770)

[Spikey M]

:D shut up and take my money.gif

[Disco]

Great, now we're monetising hills.

[Raoul Duke]

I read a review of it and it sounds like one of those pikey Santa grotto things full of rabid reindeer. Loads of half-finished scaffolding etc.

[Shindig]

Great ploy for them to stick it right in front of Marble Arch, though. Can't see it? £4 gets you the view.

[Disco]

Or just walk round the other side for free.

[Offshore Toon]

I remember going past that in a taxi three weeks ago and wondering what the fuck was going on. It doesn't look like they've added anything since. Who is responsible?

[Dquincy]

I've just read that Brendan Fraser spiralled into depression and got forgotten by Hollywood in the '10s partially because he was fingered in the arse by the former president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association at a luncheon.

[Lofty]

Yeah he was sexually assualted and also hurt himself really badly during The Mummy films.

[Baz]

You could sorta sense he wasn’t right when he did Scrubs.

[Queenslander]

.


https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-news-2021-afl-bans-boxing-sessions-gillon-mclachlan-clubs-phone-hook-up-mitch-lewis/news-story/817c0abfebdc392e1c2237cab4d9eab1

[Queenslander]

Lol


The AFL has banned combat boxing and sparring among players, effective immediately.

The league told footy bosses at a phone hook-up on Wednesday that any form of boxing in pairs – regardless of whether head gear is worn or not – will be strictly prohibited following the incident at Hawthorn in June.

As first reported by foxfooty.com.au, Mitch Lewis was concussed after being accidentally punched in the jaw by Jacob Koschitzke..


https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-news-2021-afl-bans-boxing-sessions-gillon-mclachlan-clubs-phone-hook-up-mitch-lewis/news-story/817c0abfebdc392e1c2237cab4d9eab1

[Spikey M]

Hello you cunts.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-58009788

[Queenslander]

Good news.



. YouTube suspends SKY NEWS AUSTRALIA account

https://tvblackbox.com.au/page/2021/08/01/youtube-suspends-sky-news-australia-account/

[Bernanke]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/world-news/2021/08/03/TELEMMGLPICT000266905539_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqDQVK81Q MLSkr-IuGRMUJHGvDvFx0Cg3DCvbfeQnAAfs.jpeg?imwidth=960

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/11716177/Second-World-War-tank-and-anti-aircraft-gun-found-hidden-in-basement-of-villa-in-Germany.html


A German pensioner who kept a Second World War Nazi tank in his basement for over 30 years was given a 14-month suspended jail sentence and fined €50,000 (£43,000) on Tuesday.

The 84-year-old, named only as Klaus-Dieter F under German privacy laws, admitted breaking the country’s War Weapons Control Act in a plea bargain to avoid being sent to prison.

He also agreed to pay a further €200,000 (£170,000) to charity under the terms of the deal.

As well as a 1943 Panther tank, he also kept an 88mm anti-aircraft gun, a torpedo, a mortar, 70 assault rifles and over 2,000 rounds of ammunition in the basement of his private villa in Heikendorf, a wealthy suburb of Kiel in northern Germany.

Prosecutors stumbled on the remarkable trove of weapons when they searched his home looking for stolen Nazi artworks after a tip-off in 2015.

Laywers for Klaus-Dieter F initially argued the weapons were a collection of memorabilia and were all deactivated and could no longer be used.

But the judge rejected that line of reasoning and urged the defence and prosecution to agree to a plea bargain to spare the 84-year-old jail time.

Klaus-Dieter F is understood to be wealthy. But he will have some help raising funds to pay the fine and charitable donations after the judge rejected calls to confiscate the weapons.


A museum in Seattle is understood to be in negotiations to buy the tank, while a private collector in Germany has expressed interest in the anti-aircraft gun.

Prosecutors alleged they also found extensive Nazi memorabilia in the basement, including swastikas, SS runes and mannequins in Nazi uniform, but these claims were not examined during the trial and Klaus-Dieter F’s political views were not discussed.

Under German law it is illegal to display Nazi symbols or artefacts in public, but they can be kept for scholarly or museum purposes.

The German army had to be called in to help remove the tank and anti-aircraft gun from the cellar when they were first discovered.

The Panther, considered one of the most effective tanks deployed in the Second World War, weighed over 44 tons.

At the time of the discovery, Alexander Orth, the local mayor, told German media he was not surprised.

“He was chugging around in that thing during the snow disaster in 1978,” he said.

That mayor quote. :D

[Raoul Duke]

It's now free to visit The Mound thing (https://www.mylondon.news/news/zone-1-news/marble-arch-mound-faces-cost-21207206) in Marble Arch - yay?

[Ian]

I've Googled this but can't see what it.... is, for want of a better way to articulate it. What's it for? What does one do at the Mound, other than question why the fuck they thought people would want to go to something called a mound?

[Spikey M]

First they retired Henman Hill, then Murray Mound, and now we have Marble Arch Mound.

The latest topographical marvel for the nation to sit on, bored and frustrated in unity.

[Raoul Duke]

I think you're supposed to be able to enjoy the views, but it looked shit from what I saw on the article I read

[Ian]

I see the government want to spend a few million quid getting a load more secondary schools teaching kids Latin.

Is there any point or is it just a load of posho wank from the sort of people who think Classics must be useful because they did it and now they've had an incompetent stint in the Cabinet to show for it so it must have been a good degree?

[Spikey M]

How else are you supposed to read the meaningless wank on your local councils flag?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Latin is very useful in the academic sense, less so in the world where everyone seems to think household finances should be on the curriculum.

[Ian]

Is it useful as a subject in and of itself though?

Like, I see the argument that "oh yes it's very helpful for learning other languages" but I refuse to believe that it's beneficial to teach your average secondary schooler Latin so you can then teach them another, actually useful, language more easily.

If you're going into linguistics or something further along then fine but it seems a bit pointless teaching it in secondary school.

[Spikey M]

We already speak the only useful language.

[Ian]

Half the country don't even speak that very well.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's a great discipline for developing logic, problem-solving, organisation etc, as well as for studying other languages. I'd put everyone through a term or two of it aged 12, if nothing else.

If we're going down the route where 'useful' is defined as a set applied knowledge output, then no it isn't useful. But for developing the mind it and any number of other disciplines are great. Also ties in a bit of ancient history which is always nice as they basically don't teach it at all in History modules.

Geography should be binned off first.

[Boydy]

Caecilius est in horto

[Ian]

It's a great discipline for developing logic, problem-solving, organisation etc,

Is this more the case than for other languages which kids get taught?

The thing that blows my mind about geography is that apparently people, who have all learned it in school, apparently paid so little attention that when they go on to embarrass themselves on quiz shows later in life they say "I was never any good at geography in school" when what they mean is "I have no idea where countries are."

Unless other people got lessons where they just leafed through an atlas for a bit. I must've been off that day.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Is this more the case than for other languages which kids get taught?

The way they currently teach languages up to GCSE, yes. Until that point you just get taught to memorise a load of stupid holiday phrases and how to say what your hobbies are. In Latin they break it open from day one and teach you the grammar and how to actually form the language. I'd prefer if they did this in modern languages too but hey, Tony Blair etc.

[Boydy]

They don't even make kids do a foreign language GCSE any more, do they?

[Ian]

Do they not still have to do a minimum of one?


The way they currently teach languages up to GCSE, yes. Until that point you just get taught to memorise a load of stupid holiday phrases and how to say what your hobbies are. In Latin they break it open from day one and teach you the grammar and how to actually form the language. I'd prefer if they did this in modern languages too but hey, Tony Blair etc.

Okay so it's not so much that Latin is anything special as such, just that because it's not going to help people ask Pedro for a chip butty they actually teach you brain-stuff rather than memorising lines? Because I would agree that the way languages are taught here is bollocks, by and large.

I remember in a spoken exam for French we had to prepare a speech about a holiday we'd been on, ideally to France, and also be ready for some questions that came after it. So I did a bit about a thrilling jaunt to Calais (what's French for 'booze cruise'?) and mentioned going into a bakery and she asked me something that I didn't understand so we gave up and moved on.

Afterward she told me she was asking whether I'd done any baking in the bakery, as if 11 year old me had swaggered in, rolling up my sleeves, and said "Step aside, Jean-Claude, I've got this."

[Jimmy Floyd]

They don't even make kids do a foreign language GCSE any more, do they?

Haven't done for ages, Tony got rid.

[Pepe]

I would prefer Latin over most of the shit kids are taught.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Do they not still have to do a minimum of one?Okay so it's not so much that Latin is anything special as such, just that because it's not going to help people ask Pedro for a chip butty they actually teach you brain-stuff rather than memorising lines? Because I would agree that the way languages are taught here is bollocks, by and large.

Basically. Some of the Tory desire for Latin is undoubtedly a culture war play and harking back to nannies and public schools from back in their day, but that doesn't mean Latin in itself needs to have those connotations.

[SvN]

Haven't done for ages, Tony got rid.

I had to do one in 2002. I assumed it was still the case. Having done research, it looks like they binned it in 2004. I'd have loved that at the time, as I was absolutely crap at German (still managed a B).

[Jimmy Floyd]

Yeah I thought it had been changed during my time.

I did three languages at A level. It was interesting as I was basically godlike at them and didn't have to try, they were easy A*s. Arguably set my academic career back as it meant I also didn't try at anything else, because those were going to cruise me home for the needed grades. Even now I'm still probably only in this job because of language skills which I still remember from 2006. Not really learned anything since then.

[Pepe]

As for shit like home economics, that is just too basic to merit formal education. Anyone remotely smart can figure it out on their own. As for people too thick to figure it out, being taught it in school will not make a difference.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Back on topic, this is ticking all my boxes: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-gloucestershire-58114686

Feel good Oscar winning entry in ten years, or feel bad if he gets shot by a roving DEFRA agent.

[Yevrah]

What the hell is an Alpaca and how have I got to 41 without knowing they exist?

[Spikey M]

........... what. :D

It's basically a Llama.

[Yevrah]

I thought I might get that response. :D

I mean, I know what Llamas are, but I've genuinely never heard of Alpacas. What's she doing with the thing in the first place? Milking it?

[Jimmy Floyd]

You can shear it for wool I think.

[Yevrah]

Defra has defended its methods after it was revealed the tests have never been trialled for their accuracy in detecting bovine tuberculosis in alpacas, and that Geronimo had tested negative on four occasions in New Zealand.

The thing is better travelled than I am...

[Ian]

To answer your second question I've no idea how you've got to 41 without knowing what one is.

[Yevrah]

You can shear it for wool I think.

So it seems. You can buy Alpaca duvets.

https://www.google.com/search?q=alpaca+duvet&rlz=1C1VDKB_en-GBGB938GB938&oq=alpaca+duvet&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i512l9.2509j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

[Spikey M]

Someone I used to work with came into work pissed off because her boyfriend had sponsored an Alpaca for her birthday once.

My sister in law did the same to me, but with a Penguin. (A black and white flightless bird that lives south of the equator. The largest of its kind is called the Emporer Penguin and can be found in the Antarctic).

[Ian]

I didn't realise people did that for adults, I thought it was an unimaginative present for children who're interested in animals.

[Yevrah]

Spikey. :D

[Spikey M]

I didn't realise people did that for adults, I thought it was an unimaginative present for children who're interested in animals.

I thought the same.

[Boydy]

What the hell is an Alpaca and how have I got to 41 without knowing they exist?
https://www.icegif.com/wp-content/uploads/icegif-30.gif

[niko_cee]

All I got from Latin (apart from the GSCE) was the ability to count sentences ahead in class so I could work out which particular bit of text I would be required to translate [and get on with figuring out how to do that] and a now faded memory of learning the verbatim translations of various epic poems [Germanicus and Piso, Orpheus and Eurydice] so I didn't have to know any actual Latin when it came to the exam, where you had to translate sections of them.

A language which utilises billions of clauses and only puts the functioning verb at the very end of all of them is fucking daft.

[igor_balis]

Obsessing over how education has to be "useful" in a strictly getting a job way is stupid and Latin has value, but no more than, to use an obvious example, Norse literature.

[Yevrah]

https://www.icegif.com/wp-content/uploads/icegif-30.gif

They have a weird human type look to them. Not a fan.

[Lofty]

I see the government want to spend a few million quid getting a load more secondary schools teaching kids Latin.

Is there any point or is it just a load of posho wank from the sort of people who think Classics must be useful because they did it and now they've had an incompetent stint in the Cabinet to show for it so it must have been a good degree?

You ought to have a basic grasp of latin if you're working in Currys.

[Disco]

I don't think that's an alpaca.

[Giggles]

Isn’t it a llama?

[niko_cee]

Alpaca's have the little hairdo, and are generally smaller/cuter.

That looks more like a hairy llama.

It only occurred to me recently, as there's a house on the walk to school called Llama, but doesn't llama mean name (or 'called') so my question is, has this things name developed over a misunderstanding about someone asking what it's called?

[igor_balis]

I know there's lots of different ideologies represented under the Tory establishment banner, but I do enjoy the obsession with "prestige" cultural shite like opera and latin and the way you're supposed to pronounce Magdalen College, Oxford contrasted with the uber-capitalist let-the-market-decide shit that's used as an excuse to cut funding.

In 2018, 62% of Arts Council England’s music pot went to opera, lol.

[Jimmy Floyd]

So the story goes (re niko and his llamas). Llama means call, like appel in frog.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I know there's lots of different ideologies represented under the Tory establishment banner, but I do enjoy the obsession with "prestige" cultural shite like opera and latin and the way you're supposed to pronounce Magdalen College, Oxford contrasted with the uber-capitalist let-the-market-decide shit that's used as an excuse to cut funding.

In 2018, 62% of Arts Council England’s music pot went to opera, lol.

It's a mixture of inability to change from what was drummed into them as kids (i.e. opera is good and other things are bad), and fear of the masses liking other things and then wondering what else they might like done differently.

As a cricket man and a small c conservative I am endlessly frustrated by these old clowns not knowing what is actually good about things they profess to love. In the case of opera, the music and performance are good, the toffing about and ra-raing are bad. That's not why they want to preserve opera though. It's the toffing about they want to preserve. They think it's the inaccessibility that makes it good. It fucking isn't. Make jeans, nay, shorts compulsory in the opera house.

[Spikey M]

https://cdn-cybersecurity.att.com/blog-content/llama.png

[igor_balis]

It's a mixture of inability to change from what was drummed into them as kids (i.e. opera is good and other things are bad), and fear of the masses liking other things and then wondering what else they might like done differently.

As a cricket man and a small c conservative I am endlessly frustrated by these old clowns not knowing what is actually good about things they profess to love. In the case of opera, the music and performance are good, the toffing about and ra-raing are bad. That's not why they want to preserve opera though. It's the toffing about they want to preserve. They think it's the inaccessibility that makes it good. It fucking isn't. Make jeans, nay, shorts compulsory in the opera house.

Yep, I agree with most of that.

My mate (of that hilarious youtube video I shared that everyone loved) was briefly going out with this mega mega posh girl and a few people in her family and general social circle claimed to have a love of opera, but when matey tried to engage with her uncle or whatever on Wagner or some shit, he got absolutely nothing. His gf explained it was nothing more than a networking event for them.

I go to brum symphony hall all the time, and the ticket brackets are like:

super posh seats - £50, £10 for under 30s
slightly less posh seats - £40, £10 for under 30s
etc etc

They only release the cheap seats a week or so before the event, so for super popular shit like Dvorak's New World Symphony and anything Beethoven I might not get to sit front and centre of the circle (which is absolutely fair enough), but this has meant I've been able to go to about fifteen live classical music things, and I've even managed to drag along my mates who are incredibly suspicious of things like classical music. I reckon at least a couple of them, having discovered classical music is fucking mega, will continue to go even after they stop qualifying for the cheap seats.

When I went to see R V-W's pastoral symphony at the Albert Hall during the proms, this daft old twat gave me and my mate (in jeans, drinking BEER like absolute legends) the dirtiest looks, before asking us what was on the programme, and basically just shrugged when I told her.

[Pepe]

Libby. :cool:

[Ian]

I don't think that's an alpaca.


Isn’t it a llama?

It's a pit.

[Pepe]

Do you mean a pile of dust?

[Shindig]

Is there anything worse than seeing an old bloke crack their head open? The noise is always horrific and they go down in one swoop.

[Kikó]

Maybe you should stop killing them?

[Shindig]

Maybe if they stopped drinking, I'd put the effort in. Nothing like being told the ambulance will be an hour when you can see a hospital from where he fell.

[Kikó]

Is this your old man or what's the story?

[Shindig]

Just some old pisshead who hit the deck as I was leaving Tescos. I wasn't going to bother but his head was royally cracked and he wasn't moving.

[Lewis]

Yep, I agree with most of that.

My mate (of that hilarious youtube video I shared that everyone loved) was briefly going out with this mega mega posh girl and a few people in her family and general social circle claimed to have a love of opera, but when matey tried to engage with her uncle or whatever on Wagner or some shit, he got absolutely nothing. His gf explained it was nothing more than a networking event for them.

More like he turned up in his trilby and his fingerless gloves and they pissed themselves.

[igor_balis]

More like he turned up in his trilby and his fingerless gloves and they pissed themselves.

Not quite. I think the picture you have of him is almost right, but he's less wacky and zany than you'd imagine, but also probably less likeable. mugbull help me out here - describe my mate you met (not the old long-haired one)

[Lewis]

Trilby, fingerless gloves, his wallet on a chain... What a total wanker.

[igor_balis]

i hate you so much :D

[Shindig]

Went past the scene of Old Man Down this morning. His bloodstain was still there but a burger van was parked on top of it. Saw an absolute knacker come out of the Market Tavern. Wet patch on the arse of his trackies and one untied shoe. The North East distilled in one human being.

[Spikey M]

You seem strangely invested in this old geezer. Are you sure you didn't do it?

[Shindig]

No, he just happened to drop somewhere I visit regularly. Although keeping a concussed pisshead conscious is a fucking ordeal.

[Spikey M]

"I was only kicking him to keep him awake"

[Shindig]

Well, he wasn't having any of my top banter.

[Disco]

They say these things always start with animals.

[Queenslander]

Another day another apology from an Aussie Rules player due to a wee bit of racism directed at and Indigenous player.


. Taylor Walker’s seemingly scripted apology video ‘is not going to cut’



https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/taylor-walkers-seemingly-scripted-apology-video-is-not-going-to-cut/news-story/79483ac31e9434c2fc77766fba3c9bf3

[randomlegend]

The A-level results are a bit of an embarrassment for teachers IMO. They were trusted to give grades in line with what's usually required and given the outcome they quite clearly haven't done that.

[Yevrah]

As I understand it the problem was caused by students getting offers from universities and then relaying those offers to their teacher. Said teacher would have to have a heart of stone to not cave and just give them the offer grades.

Still, it completely confirms the government's stance last year, even though they fisted the approach.

[randomlegend]

As I understand it the problem was caused by students getting offers from universities and then relaying those offers to their teacher. Said teacher would have to have a heart of stone to not cave and just give them the offer grades.

Still, it completely confirms the government's stance last year, even though they fisted the approach.

As far as I understand there was zero moderation like they usually do with coursework (take a sample and make sure the awarded grades are appropriate). Seems like a simple fix and insane that it wasn't in place.

[niko_cee]

Unless it completely borks the university admission system [probably?] it's largely meaningless, the results are different because the assessment method is different, everyone will have to view them in that context.

[randomlegend]

Unless it completely borks the university admission system [probably?] it's largely meaningless, the results are different because the assessment method is different, everyone will have to view them in that context.

It has borked university admissions. Some medical schools have been offering people a 10 grand payoff and free accomodation to defer to next year as they don't have enough places for all the people who've had firm offers and have subsequently got the grades.

Which is then presumably going to fuck students next year as there'll be less places available

[Yevrah]

Universities are indeed fucked by all accounts, some are offering students actual cash money to take a gap year as they're now so over-subscibed.

[Yevrah]

Snap RL.

[niko_cee]

Aye, but doctoring is a bit of an outlier given there is a hard cap on places. I don't know if the government can increase that, but if they can maybe they should.

It's an impossible situation and I guess the government (to the extent that they are in charge of this) see this as the least bad PR option for them. No racist algorithms, no not trusting our wonderful teachers, just a clusterfuck in tertiary education which was probably unavoidable anyway. Shift the blame onto Universities who have simply implemented normal offering processes.

[Yevrah]

The guy that told me about it was speaking generally rather than just for doctoring places, so I think it's fucked widerife.

[mo]

I had a relatively eloquent response typed out but I cba, so just opting to call RL a cunt instead.

[randomlegend]

I had a relatively eloquent response typed out but I cba, so just opting to call RL a cunt instead.

Nah go for it. I was absolutely on board with trusting teachers' grades when the algorithm debacle came around and I'm constantly standing up for them on here. My fiancee is a teacher so I know how unfair all the bullshit thrown at them is.

If I'm wrong I'm very happy to hear why. I'm far from being above changing my opinion.

[Spikey M]

That's right Mo, teach him. Then give him an A* whether he understands you or not. Disgusting.

[Yevrah]

The A-level results are a bit of an embarrassment for teachers IMO. They were trusted to give grades in line with what's usually required and given the outcome they quite clearly haven't done that.

Interested to see your take on this Mo as other than the embarrassment bit RL's post seems to be a statement of fact.

https://i.postimg.cc/gkbnMHQc/119875522-alevel-top-grades-nc.png (https://postimg.cc/QVS8C1jv)

[Lewis]

Is the hard cap on medical places due to teaching resources (which could be resolved) or scummy, money-grabbing doctors looking to restrict supply? It seems like a daft situation to persist either way.

[randomlegend]

As if doctors have any control over the number of medical school places available.

[Kikó]

No, that's controlled by the Gates Foundation.

[Lewis]

It won't just be decided without any input from the various medical associations.

[Spikey M]

Lee decides.

[randomlegend]

The "various medical associations" are forever advising that more medical school places are made available.

E.g. https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/nhs-delivery-and-workforce/workforce/medical-staffing-in-england-report

[Baz]

There’s a medical student on Love Island. Priya (https://instagram.com/priyagopaldas?utm_medium=copy_link).

[randomlegend]

To answer the original question, it's because the government won't fund additional places.

[Pepe]

Nice to see the educational system over there being as much of a joke as the one over here.

EDIT: Having rechecked the figure, nevermind. Still, lol.

[Spikey M]

We don't have school boards voting to ban science text books in favour of religious ones so we're a few steps ahead.

[Pepe]

I honestly don't care much about curriculum. Grade inflation, on the other hand, is a problem.

[randomlegend]

"It doesn't matter if you teach them nonsense so long as they are tested on it properly". :cab:

[Pepe]

Exactly. No one remembers shit, anyway.

[Spikey M]

Then grading is irrelevant too.

[Pepe]

No it's not.

School is a sorting mechanism (and, you know, daycare so parents can work). The more compressed the grades are, the less effective it is.

[Pepe]

Don't get me wrong, I think that teaching creationism instead of evolution is stupid, but something tells me that once teaching gender identities and anti-racism to five year old kids becomes widespread, I'll be happy to have less mental options around.

[Spikey M]

But if nobody remembers anything anyway who gives a shit if little Tommy got a B or C in Old Testamentography?

[Pepe]

Again, sorting. You need to keep up.

[Spikey M]

"Sorting" only makes sense if you're testing the right stuff.

A Flanders having A* knowledge in a Bible Class masquerading as a Science class is pointless.

[randomlegend]

His argument is that school only serves to work out who is capable of learning and that WHAT they learn is irrelevant.

There's probably an element of truth but I don't buy it entirely. At least some fields definitely require building on prior knowledge/understanding.

[Pepe]

Which is why SAT-style testing is much better than topical testing.

[Pepe]

His argument is that school only serves to work out who is capable of learning and that WHAT they learn is irrelevant.

There's probably an element of truth but I don't buy it entirely. At least some fields definitely require building on prior knowledge/understanding.

A combination of intelligence, hard work, and conformity.

Agreed on the last part. But maths and reading/writing probably suffice for pretty much everything.

[Spikey M]

His argument is that school only serves to work out who is capable of learning and that WHAT they learn is irrelevant.

There's probably an element of truth but I don't buy it entirely. At least some fields definitely require building on prior knowledge/understanding.

I get the argument and I largely agree, but only if the curriculum is up to it.

[mo]

https://www.standard.co.uk/comment/mess-avoidable-young-people-bear-brunt-a-level-results-day-2021-b949985.html?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1628594206-1

This sums up my thoughts quite well. After two years any teacher knows what a pupil is capable of/deserves. The great equaliser is exams, where some students crumble under the pressure, or loads do really well so they drop the grade boundaries. Pupil X has demonstrated consistently over two years they are capable of A/A* grade work, but fucks one exam and walks away with a B. That sort of occurrence has been removed this year, hence students are awarded (note: not handed) the grades they've demonstrated they deserve (or if private, have bought).

[randomlegend]

I find it quite hard believe that prior to this year there were a fifth of the total candidates each year who were capable of A or A* but underperformed on the day to such an extent that they dropped a full one or two grades.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I was capable of a B at GCSE Chemistry and got an A*. There's got to be plenty of that about as well as the other direction.

[Spikey M]

There was a world of distance between my Coursework and my test marks. Tests are shit. All they evaluate is your short-term memory.

[Yevrah]

There was a world of distance between my Coursework and my test marks. Tests are shit. All they evaluate is your short-term memory.

But they're the method we use so the grades handed out this year (and last) should have been roughly equivalent to previous years and not miles ahead.

If this way is fine then presumably we'll do likewise every year now and everyone's happy with that, right?

[Disco]

Could you not just as easily say that all coursework evaluates is your ability to copy stuff off the internet?

[randomlegend]

Depends how the exams are written and whether they test understanding or just fact recall.

Coursework just tests how good you are at writing to a mark scheme and how much effort you're willing to put in.

[Alex]

1424783696717090822

Bit daft.

Who was equating them even remotely with any sort of "wave of crass nationalism"? I really doubt xenophobic, Brexit Party types had started turning up to BSP concerts en-masse. I really doubt they are even aware BSP exist. It just comes off as a silly attention grab.

It was a great band name too. Besides, I always thought it was meant ironically. The debut album was called "The Decline of British Sea Power", for fucks sake. "Sea Power" on its own just sounds stupid.

I always associate them a little bit with TTH too because Elth or Fandan or Shindig (somebody of that ilk) originally put me onto to them in the old "10 Songs" thread many, many years ago.

[Shindig]

Howay, lads. Don't be fucking daft.

I can't remember who got me into them. It might've been Baz or Rage.