No-one’s neutral about the education system. Whether you’ve been through it or you’re still in it, you’ve probably got an opinion based on experience. Here’s mine; fairly ignorant people can only raise fairly ignorant kids. Our great-grandparents were educated little beyond primary level unless they were born rich or very, very lucky. The introduction of free schools and universities in the 20th century was a
leap in human progress. This… [...]
July 30, 2011
No-one’s neutral about the education system. Whether you’ve been through it or you’re still in it, you’ve probably got an opinion based on experience. Here’s mine; fairly ignorant people can only raise fairly ignorant kids. Our great-grandparents were educated little beyond primary level unless they were born rich or very, very lucky. The introduction of free schools and universities in the 20th century was a
leap in human progress. This… [...]
July 29, 2011
I had this boss, once. Fred, his name was. Scared me to death. I was possibly the youngest manager and he was Sales & Marketing Director, a fearsome guy operating in the days before equal opportunities, employment protection and suchlike. You didn’t cross Fred if you wanted to go home on Friday with a job.
But he had a sharp mind and would often share his insight with youngsters… [...]
July 28, 2011
As soon as the likes of Rupert Murdoch and Piers Morgan became accepted moral arbiters of British society, the hacking scandal or something like it became inevitable. What is most surprising about it is our indignation. It’s like leaving the nation’s diet to the judgement of five-year-olds and being surprised when we all end up with rickets, scurvy or some similar condition not seen since the 17th century.
July 27, 2011
There are certain phrases that no-one ever wants to hear. “We’re making you redundant” is one. “It’s terminal” – that’s another. And: “Happy birthday! Here’s your present – it’s the new Bruno Mars album.” But worse than any of these is the following: “I’m afraid your flight has been delayed by seven hours.” Boom! It’s like being winded by a prize-fighter’s punch. Nothing kills a holidaymaker’s initial enthusiasm like a… [...]
July 26, 2011
Mike Trace is chair of the International Drug Policy Consortium and advised the Global Commission on Drug Policy with its recent report (see Now Then #40). That report concluded that “the global war on drugs has failed” and called for an end to “the criminalization, marginalization and stigmatization of people who use drugs but who do no harm to others”.
It is not surprising that the Commission asked for… [...]