Recent posts

#21

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by Josquius - Today at 04:35:36 PM

Switzerland fucked it with the rap but I am impressed at all the physicality yet still sounding like a recorded voice.

Norway or Finland I would say for me.
Croatia... Also good but I get vibes they were trying to copy Finland last year.
Armenia was oddly OK too.

The whole thing... Really not liking the hosts at all. The "aren't Sweden great ho ho ho. Just imagine horrid it would be if Finland won."

#22

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by Legbiter - Today at 04:14:31 PM

90's rave in Eurovision.    Thoroughly enjoyable. 

#23

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by Sheilbh - Today at 04:02:28 PM

I am very much looking forward to the France to Austria segue

My votes have gone to Spain, Croatia and Ireland. So far...

#24

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by Legbiter - Today at 04:00:57 PM

Maybe I'll actually watch it this time, something is bound to happen.

Croatia hitting hard. 

#25

Off the Record / Re: The Shooting Gallery: Poli...

Last post by Tonitrus - Today at 03:57:16 PM

Recent incident causing a fairly big stir in the USAF community:

Police respond to a possible domestic incident at an apartment complex, go to the suspected apartment (later found to be likely the wrong one), knock on door...Airman answers/opens door with gun in hand (pointed at the ground) and almost immediately shot several times.

Bodycam footage here (not really graphic per se, but the shooting is clearly shown):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3D9im0csDM

#26

Off the Record / Re: Dead Pool 2024

Last post by Sheilbh - Today at 02:52:59 PM

A few corrections.  All civil trials are decided on the same evidentiary basis whether heard by jury or judge alone.

Yeah my point was more  judge and a jury might come to a different conclusion, perhaps especially in this type of case. Also in part because of how ongoing trials are reported which is different.

In the US and Canada Newspapers (and news outlets) don't have to establish the truth of what they are reporting.  But malice will defeat their defence.

You don't need to establish truth. There are several defences in English law like honest opinion, public interest, various types of privilege.

Truth is one of those defences. And it's a complete defence. But it is the most difficult to prove because you have to show that what was said was "substantially true". I think media companies would always argue it but winning on the defence of truth is tough.

#27

Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...

Last post by Sheilbh - Today at 02:45:07 PM

Maybe. But at the same time we've we're rapidly toppling over the pit into a trades black hole. The last people to qualify over the apprenticeship system are hitting retirement age right now. Over the 80s we were training basically nobody and then when we realised this and started it again the numbers just weren't enough.

We need to increase the numbers of apprenticeships for sure. Although, again, the lines are blurrier now - for example when I was in a lawfirm I was a mentor for a solicitor apprentice, they will get a law degree but came straight out of school on an apprenticeship route. There's similar schemes in IT, accountancy, education etc.

I think we are at about 10-20% of the government's target for number of apprentices.

But with trades I also slightly wonder about perhaps sector specific issues. I've said before but the UK has an incredibly fragmented construction and trades sector with well over 50% being micro-enterprises (low turnover and 10 or fewer employees). I feel like consolidation would possibly increase the number of apprenticeships - I also feel like there could be a role for something like a UCAS for apprenticeships with a single space advertising them all.

I also have read that they have a real problem attracting women and minority applicants and again I wonder if there's possibly something for that industry/sector to look at. I think there's been good work on increasing diversity in, say, IT or engineering - and I feel like something similar might be worth looking at (but again really difficult with lots of very small businesses).

Fair enough to say we're a services economy so lots of people with humanities degrees is exactly what we need... but we also need builders.
And when many of these degree educated people are earning 30k a year in call centres vs. 70k a year for a decent plumber....It is in the best interest of many of them for this to be more of an even choice.

But again you've immediately slipped into Sir Gavin Williamson territory

My point was that 75% of university students are studying degrees that I think are vocational in a service based economy: law, medical professions, accountancy, business (this doesn't include creative arts courses either). And you've straight away read that as "not really vocational" and basically humanities.

Our biggest export sector is unidentified professional services which the FT did some digging in and worked out was largely consultancy. Those business degrees aren't loads of "humanities" students - they're our equivalent of highly skilled workers in the Mittelstand.

Honestly I'd go further than domestic students and have spots for local students. The town and gown divide you see in places like Durham is just insane.
I loved that in Uppsala going to one of the top universities in Scandinavia was something locals would just casually decide to do without much stress over it.

No Maybe if we had regional universities like a US state system - I feel like the University of London is probably the closest to that?

Incidentally another place I think the UK system sucks and needs smashing- the way you broadly decide what you're going to study at 16 and then are really railroaded into it at 18 and then after you've left uni going back and doing any education is a really weird and special thing to do.
We should have things a lot more open to do a course here and there and cobble together degrees.

Speak for England. It's not a thing in Scotland where you do more highers and there is more openness to changing degrees or doing a major/minor thing. I agree, I know Gove has supported it but I think moving to something like the IB would be better - and I think there should be more flexibility once you're in university, possibly like in the US.

And I don't know about not doing any education again. I know loads of people who are older and going back to study - and it's something I want to do at some point although it's time and money depending so probably never

#28

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by Tamas - Today at 02:44:22 PM

So, we had a work event and one of my bosses brought her husband.

And he's an Orbán doppleganger. Uncannily so. Wondered about posting this in the Hungary thread, maybe we can use him to replace Orbán?

Is he Romanian? :p

#29

Off the Record / Re: The Off Topic Topic

Last post by Sheilbh - Today at 02:15:22 PM

What'd the Dutch guy do?

From the Dutch side who are backing Joost:


There's lots of other commentary.

Personally I feel it's a bit "my 'Joost did not touch the camera woman' t-shirt is raising a lot of questions already answered by my t-shirt".

#30

Off the Record / Re: [Canada] Canadian Politics...

Last post by HVC - Today at 02:13:40 PM

Just crossed a sad little anti Trudeau rally downtown. 10 people and a megaphone. At least the yeller seemed enthused.