Passed a Harvester eatery and noticed they are advertising Christmas bookings. From ... £74.99 ... per person ... for 2 courses. Astonishing!
@pete I did not say they are mentally backward, just uneducated and uninformed and easily manipulated. There is a reason that people under 18 do not have the vote. A prevalent reading age of 12 is of huge concern. I do find it telling that the lowest standards of educational achievement across the USA are in the red states which also have the highest crime levels and murder rates. I also find it bizarre that so many billionaires can exist, tax free, in a society that does not have the funds to pay for decent education, decent housing, decent health provision and decent standards for working conditions. The UK is heading the same way.
Are the stats on reading age in the US based on only 1 language ie English or do they take into account those who are not fluent in that language ? Not disputing the poor level of education in the US but just wondering.
Sadly, any would be MP who said they were always going to be honest and open with the electorate, and vote in their best interests would never get onto the ballot paper. Certainly true for any of the major parties. An Independent may say and mean that, but they won't get elected.
I can't remember the percentage but I read a report recently that a high proportion of the black US population have educational attainment broadly at UK Primary school level.
@NigelJ Sorry but can't agree with the pre order - even if not currently available, unlike pre order for seeds which are, you order and wait. J Humphry's books are always worth reading, Have you read A day like Today ? His years with the BBC.
Our local Constabulary has been posting on social media about all the illegal e-bikes and e-scooters they have been confiscating. Good to hear, but they still have a way to go. I was driving home around 10pm last night when something shot past me. I hadn't seen anything behind me so it did startle me a little. I was travelling just under 30 mph in a 30 limit and they must have been doing at least 40. It was an e-bike, with pedals from what I could make out in the headlights. No lights, rider all in black. Hopefully somebody will take them out soon.
Well Starmer wants the voting age taken down to 16 so that tells you something. I'd rather slag off out own form of government before taking on the problems with others, it's almost like the US takes more stick than the likes of China or Russia these days. I tend not to worry too much about the US educational system and I certainly wouldn't like to connect it to how people vote. People vote for the one who promises them most, its always been that way, its nothing new or something that only happens in the US. Popularist parties are only on the up because people are fed up with the lies of the status quo, they try something new just in hope things will get better. Governments in the West are just doing their best to destroy what has been built up over many years and throwing away any form of power they once had because its considered a bad thing these days. In the world only the strong survive, the weaker we make western countries, out of shame for the past, the more we will be dominated by others.
Going back to trigger warnings… “The craziest trigger warning yet" is how The Mail on Sunday describes a decision to alert Royal Opera House audiences to the curtain-up bell. An online listing for Puccini's Tosca next month warns the bell is "loud and can be startling".
Well ... lower its volume to a reasonable level then! Sheesh! Clearly looking to supermarkets for inspiration. The exit alarm in M&S was so loud the other day, I dropped my shopping when it went off. And I was at the far end of the store, maximum distance from the barriers!
Having been to a few opera houses the "curtain up bell" is loud and startling. It needs to be as the crowds are also loud and startling; especially in the bars and the queue for the Ladies and this is often the time that a number of middle aged and older ladies take over the Gents.
I wish they'd do something about the kids on electric scooters I see in shops @KT53, and even worse - the amount of cyclists on pavements, and they're not under the age of 9- or going slowly. Then there's the [ primary age] children round here who have no road sense whatsoever when they shoot out of the side/access roads onto the public road without a thought. I don't know how none of them have been run over, especially as they're doing it after they're back from school and usually at times when folk are coming home from work etc. Recipe for disaster.... Of course, it would never be wee Johnny's fault either.
Question, is a runner still a pedestrian. I get fed up with them coming along the paths in the park,often in groups and expecting everyone to get out of their way. I just think if you are running it's up to you to manoeuvre around everyone else, not the other way round. Anyway what's wrong with running on the grass.
Totally agree @pete. They're another problem on pavements. Think they own the place. Run on the grass? Don't be silly - they might get their trainers dirty... I also agree with you about them moving out the way as they're faster. It's the same principle as driving and going past someone going slower than you, including cyclists, although they often don't like that of course, and try to prevent you overtaking. That's a whole other subject! It's about basic courtesy. If I'm walking faster than someone else, which is often the case, I move out their way, to go past them - I don't expect them to move out of my way. I shouldn't have to jump into the nearby hedge to avoid a runner coming towards me. If I'm driving, I go around the person/car/bike going more slowly than me, if it's safe to do so. And don't start me on people with dogs, who think they own every pavement they're on. Since when did their precious pets pay the council tax to maintain them? Oh, let me see.... As a pedestrian/walker, you're now very, very low on the list of people who matter
