LEAVE the Conservative Party and save your country!

briantrumpet

rick_chasey said:

Music learning is good for maths results anyway

Not sure that the specific cause/effect for maths is proven (didn't do much good in my case), but music *is* good for the brain, and with better neuroscience techniques (and brain scanning), it's being better understood why. Very often music is the last vestige of the person they were before degenerative brain disorders destroy other memories, as learning a musical instrument harnesses pretty much every part of the brain in pulling it all together, and the memories linger in weird corners that disorders find hard to reach.

Musicophilia, by Oliver Sachs, is a very interesting read, on the subject of how music interacts with brain disorders.

TheBigBean

School music lessons. Horrible things. Public humiliation.

First.Aspect

TheBigBean said:

School music lessons. Horrible things. Public humiliation.

Some kids think that about PE. Or maths.

briantrumpet

TheBigBean said:

School music lessons. Horrible things. Public humiliation.

They certainly can be. Very much depends on the quality of the leader... they can be transformative in either direction. I did a session with an extremely good pro jazz pianist (the type that plays at Ronnie Scott's frequently), and he said he hated singing (and still does) because he was forced to do it for piano exams.

briantrumpet

pblakeney said:

kingstongraham said:

skyblueamateur said:

Am I the only one who doesn’t think this is a bad policy? I think more kids playing chess would be a good thing.

I can see why in the current state, it seems massively irrelevant but I think it’s a good thing.

It's 100 chess boards.

So the total invest meant could be in the £2000 ball park?
Want to bet it ends up being £200,000+?

...each, if they follow the same procurement strategies as for PPE. I expect there will be a role for Infosys as well.

TheBigBean

First.Aspect said:

TheBigBean said:

School music lessons. Horrible things. Public humiliation.

Some kids think that about PE. Or maths.

It's a valid point about PE, but maths isn't usually done in front of the whole class.

TheBigBean

Also, despite being good at sport and playing a lot of it, I didn't like PE lessons.

surrey_commuter

kingstongraham said:

skyblueamateur said:

Am I the only one who doesn’t think this is a bad policy? I think more kids playing chess would be a good thing.

I can see why in the current state, it seems massively irrelevant but I think it’s a good thing.

It's 100 chess boards.

He is right that is irrelevant

briantrumpet

TheBigBean said:

First.Aspect said:

TheBigBean said:

School music lessons. Horrible things. Public humiliation.

Some kids think that about PE. Or maths.

It's a valid point about PE, but maths isn't usually done in front of the whole class.

The trick with the music is to be very sensitive to each one in the class - let those that want to hide in a group do so, and those that want to show off, ditto. Sometimes you have to be very patient, even with accomplished young players - it can take a year or two for them to build up the courage. It's nice when they do, and then decide they want to go to college and then do it for a living. Sometimes they just need that little nudge to go through the door you've opened for them.

pangolin

Stevo_666 said:

shirley_basso said:

Populist pandering. Outcome will be : no change.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-66351785

You sure about that? There's a GE due by the end of next year and these issues are now known to shift the dial on voting.

Another vote winner announced by the geniuses at Tory HQ

Stevo_666

pangolin said:

Stevo_666 said:

shirley_basso said:

Populist pandering. Outcome will be : no change.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-66351785

You sure about that? There's a GE due by the end of next year and these issues are now known to shift the dial on voting.

Another vote winner announced by the geniuses at Tory HQ

It won enough votes in Uxbridge.

Pross

Stevo_666 said:

pangolin said:

Stevo_666 said:

shirley_basso said:

Populist pandering. Outcome will be : no change.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-66351785

You sure about that? There's a GE due by the end of next year and these issues are now known to shift the dial on voting.

Another vote winner announced by the geniuses at Tory HQ

It won enough votes in Uxbridge.

The Tories ended up with a vastly reduced majority there. I’m still trying to work out why it is seen as some kind of major victory, they barely held on to what was previously a safe seat.

First.Aspect

TheBigBean said:

First.Aspect said:

TheBigBean said:

School music lessons. Horrible things. Public humiliation.

Some kids think that about PE. Or maths.

It's a valid point about PE, but maths isn't usually done in front of the whole class.

Mmm. Depends on the teacher. In my school the issue with maths was when you were unfortunate enough to get the right answer.

Drama. Now there's ritual humiliation in educational form.

rjsterry

Stevo_666 said:

pangolin said:

Stevo_666 said:

shirley_basso said:

Populist pandering. Outcome will be : no change.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-66351785

You sure about that? There's a GE due by the end of next year and these issues are now known to shift the dial on voting.

Another vote winner announced by the geniuses at Tory HQ

It won enough votes in Uxbridge.

In a by-election. Good performance in those doesn't translate into GE performance as the Lib Dems amply demonstrate.

TheBigBean

briantrumpet said:

TheBigBean said:

First.Aspect said:

TheBigBean said:

School music lessons. Horrible things. Public humiliation.

Some kids think that about PE. Or maths.

It's a valid point about PE, but maths isn't usually done in front of the whole class.

The trick with the music is to be very sensitive to each one in the class - let those that want to hide in a group do so, and those that want to show off, ditto. Sometimes you have to be very patient, even with accomplished young players - it can take a year or two for them to build up the courage. It's nice when they do, and then decide they want to go to college and then do it for a living. Sometimes they just need that little nudge to go through the door you've opened for them.

That's what a lot of music teachers say. The assumption is that everyone needs more confidence. It might be true for some, but others simply have no musical ability, so confidence isn't the issue.

pblakeney

TheBigBean said:

briantrumpet said:

TheBigBean said:

First.Aspect said:

TheBigBean said:

School music lessons. Horrible things. Public humiliation.

Some kids think that about PE. Or maths.

It's a valid point about PE, but maths isn't usually done in front of the whole class.

The trick with the music is to be very sensitive to each one in the class - let those that want to hide in a group do so, and those that want to show off, ditto. Sometimes you have to be very patient, even with accomplished young players - it can take a year or two for them to build up the courage. It's nice when they do, and then decide they want to go to college and then do it for a living. Sometimes they just need that little nudge to go through the door you've opened for them.

That's what a lot of music teachers say. The assumption is that everyone needs more confidence. It might be true for some, but others simply have no musical ability, so confidence isn't the issue.

I can prove this point if required.
This lack of ability simply makes me appreciate musicians all the more.

Stevo_666

Pross said:

Stevo_666 said:

pangolin said:

Stevo_666 said:

shirley_basso said:

Populist pandering. Outcome will be : no change.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-66351785

You sure about that? There's a GE due by the end of next year and these issues are now known to shift the dial on voting.

Another vote winner announced by the geniuses at Tory HQ

It won enough votes in Uxbridge.

The Tories ended up with a vastly reduced majority there. I’m still trying to work out why it is seen as some kind of major victory, they barely held on to what was previously a safe seat.

I know. But if it hadn't been for that issue then they almost certainly would have lost. And it has shown us a weak point of the lefties.

Stevo_666

rjsterry said:

Stevo_666 said:

pangolin said:

Stevo_666 said:

shirley_basso said:

Populist pandering. Outcome will be : no change.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-66351785

You sure about that? There's a GE due by the end of next year and these issues are now known to shift the dial on voting.

Another vote winner announced by the geniuses at Tory HQ

It won enough votes in Uxbridge.

In a by-election. Good performance in those doesn't translate into GE performance as the Lib Dems amply demonstrate.

It was a decent indicator of issues that can shift the dial on voting patterns.

rjsterry

Stevo_666 said:

rjsterry said:

Stevo_666 said:

pangolin said:

Stevo_666 said:

shirley_basso said:

Populist pandering. Outcome will be : no change.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-66351785

You sure about that? There's a GE due by the end of next year and these issues are now known to shift the dial on voting.

Another vote winner announced by the geniuses at Tory HQ

It won enough votes in Uxbridge.

In a by-election. Good performance in those doesn't translate into GE performance as the Lib Dems amply demonstrate.

It was a decent indicator of issues that can shift the dial on voting patterns.

Just managing your expectations 🙂. You must remember the opposition to Heathrow expansion, which is still a big issue in west London and how that turned out in Richmond.

First.Aspect

I see that the government is now floating the idea that fire safety checks on the asylum prison, sorry barge, are politically motivated. So both the fire service and the HSE are following a labour agenda by doing their jobs, on account of a "link" between the fire union and Labour.

rick_chasey

rjsterry said:

Stevo_666 said:

rjsterry said:

Stevo_666 said:

pangolin said:

Stevo_666 said:

shirley_basso said:

Populist pandering. Outcome will be : no change.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-66351785

You sure about that? There's a GE due by the end of next year and these issues are now known to shift the dial on voting.

Another vote winner announced by the geniuses at Tory HQ

It won enough votes in Uxbridge.

In a by-election. Good performance in those doesn't translate into GE performance as the Lib Dems amply demonstrate.

It was a decent indicator of issues that can shift the dial on voting patterns.

Just managing your expectations 🙂. You must remember the opposition to Heathrow expansion, which is still a big issue in west London and how that turned out in Richmond.

The descent into Lib Dems just being a part of local NIMBYs has really put me off. A lot.

Will check the local MP's track record on this in the election and if it's the same story I probably won't vote Lib Dem for the first time.

surrey_commuter

Stevo_666 said:

Pross said:

Stevo_666 said:

pangolin said:

Stevo_666 said:

shirley_basso said:

Populist pandering. Outcome will be : no change.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-66351785

You sure about that? There's a GE due by the end of next year and these issues are now known to shift the dial on voting.

Another vote winner announced by the geniuses at Tory HQ

It won enough votes in Uxbridge.

The Tories ended up with a vastly reduced majority there. I’m still trying to work out why it is seen as some kind of major victory, they barely held on to what was previously a safe seat.

I know. But if it hadn't been for that issue then they almost certainly would have lost. And it has shown us a weak point of the lefties.

it really does my head in when you refer to lefties as from my vantage point (on the moral high ground) you and the current iteration of the Tory Party are to the left of Gordon Brown.

Frankly I struggle to see much daylight between you and Starmer

surrey_commuter

Stevo_666 said:

rjsterry said:

Stevo_666 said:

pangolin said:

Stevo_666 said:

shirley_basso said:

Populist pandering. Outcome will be : no change.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-66351785

You sure about that? There's a GE due by the end of next year and these issues are now known to shift the dial on voting.

Another vote winner announced by the geniuses at Tory HQ

It won enough votes in Uxbridge.

In a by-election. Good performance in those doesn't translate into GE performance as the Lib Dems amply demonstrate.

It was a decent indicator of issues that can shift the dial on voting patterns.

I think voting patterns are the crucial thing, as the Tories need to make their core vote scared and angry enough that they go to the ballot box

TheBigBean

surrey_commuter said:

Stevo_666 said:

Pross said:

Stevo_666 said:

pangolin said:

Stevo_666 said:

shirley_basso said:

Populist pandering. Outcome will be : no change.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-66351785

You sure about that? There's a GE due by the end of next year and these issues are now known to shift the dial on voting.

Another vote winner announced by the geniuses at Tory HQ

It won enough votes in Uxbridge.

The Tories ended up with a vastly reduced majority there. I’m still trying to work out why it is seen as some kind of major victory, they barely held on to what was previously a safe seat.

I know. But if it hadn't been for that issue then they almost certainly would have lost. And it has shown us a weak point of the lefties.

it really does my head in when you refer to lefties as from my vantage point (on the moral high ground) you and the current iteration of the Tory Party are to the left of Gordon Brown.

Frankly I struggle to see much daylight between you and Starmer

I think the left wing PM has been replaced by a Tory one. It's part of the reason they will lose the next election. Then they will go back to basics and become even more Tory. You'll be happy, except you'll still have a left wing government.

It's the same as Blair and labour.

Pross

First.Aspect said:

I see that the government is now floating the idea that fire safety checks on the asylum prison, sorry barge, are politically motivated. So both the fire service and the HSE are following a labour agenda by doing their jobs, on account of a "link" between the fire union and Labour.

To be fair the HSE said they were only concerned about safety on the dock side. The internal issue seems to be due to them now trying to double up on the original number it was supposed to take. Anyone would think their policy on small boats isn't working and they are having to accommodate more refugees / asylum seekers than anticipated.

On the basis that accommodation is needed I don't think the barge is that bad an idea. It looks a reasonable environment and the people housed there will apparently be free to come and go, it's probably a better solution then using hotels or old military camps but with the caveat that they use it in the way it was designed to be used and the onboard conditions are maintained.

Pross

Stevo_666 said:

Pross said:

Stevo_666 said:

pangolin said:

Stevo_666 said:

shirley_basso said:

Populist pandering. Outcome will be : no change.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-66351785

You sure about that? There's a GE due by the end of next year and these issues are now known to shift the dial on voting.

Another vote winner announced by the geniuses at Tory HQ

It won enough votes in Uxbridge.

The Tories ended up with a vastly reduced majority there. I’m still trying to work out why it is seen as some kind of major victory, they barely held on to what was previously a safe seat.

I know. But if it hadn't been for that issue then they almost certainly would have lost. And it has shown us a weak point of the lefties.

There are a lot of seats where the majority is significantly less than it previously was in Uxbridge and where ULEZs / LTNs aren't a major issue so if that's the policy being relied on to avoid losing seats it doesn't bode well.

First.Aspect

Pross said:

First.Aspect said:

I see that the government is now floating the idea that fire safety checks on the asylum prison, sorry barge, are politically motivated. So both the fire service and the HSE are following a labour agenda by doing their jobs, on account of a "link" between the fire union and Labour.

To be fair the HSE said they were only concerned about safety on the dock side. The internal issue seems to be due to them now trying to double up on the original number it was supposed to take. Anyone would think their policy on small boats isn't working and they are having to accommodate more refugees / asylum seekers than anticipated.

On the basis that accommodation is needed I don't think the barge is that bad an idea. It looks a reasonable environment and the people housed there will apparently be free to come and go, it's probably a better solution then using hotels or old military camps but with the caveat that they use it in the way it was designed to be used and the onboard conditions are maintained.

My worry is that the fire service pointing out that fire doors are on wrong is seen as being a left wing agenda. It is beyond cynical.

Although I'm left leaning, I am all for balanced politics and vibrant debate in this country. The Tories are going down the same route as the Republicans in the US, with borderline disinformation. This means we cannot have that balance.

I don't know why, but the idea of lots of innocent people dying needlessly of smoke inhalation in a politically motivated fire really bothers me.

rick_chasey

First.Aspect said:

Pross said:

First.Aspect said:

I see that the government is now floating the idea that fire safety checks on the asylum prison, sorry barge, are politically motivated. So both the fire service and the HSE are following a labour agenda by doing their jobs, on account of a "link" between the fire union and Labour.

To be fair the HSE said they were only concerned about safety on the dock side. The internal issue seems to be due to them now trying to double up on the original number it was supposed to take. Anyone would think their policy on small boats isn't working and they are having to accommodate more refugees / asylum seekers than anticipated.

On the basis that accommodation is needed I don't think the barge is that bad an idea. It looks a reasonable environment and the people housed there will apparently be free to come and go, it's probably a better solution then using hotels or old military camps but with the caveat that they use it in the way it was designed to be used and the onboard conditions are maintained.

My worry is that the fire service pointing out that fire doors are on wrong is seen as being a left wing agenda. It is beyond cynical.

Although I'm left leaning, I am all for balanced politics and vibrant debate in this country. The Tories are going down the same route as the Republicans in the US, with borderline disinformation. This means we cannot have that balance.

I don't know why, but the idea of lots of innocent people dying needlessly of smoke inhalation in a politically motivated fire really bothers me.

*limbers up to get back on his new hobby horse for the second time today*

Pross

First.Aspect said:

Pross said:

First.Aspect said:

I see that the government is now floating the idea that fire safety checks on the asylum prison, sorry barge, are politically motivated. So both the fire service and the HSE are following a labour agenda by doing their jobs, on account of a "link" between the fire union and Labour.

To be fair the HSE said they were only concerned about safety on the dock side. The internal issue seems to be due to them now trying to double up on the original number it was supposed to take. Anyone would think their policy on small boats isn't working and they are having to accommodate more refugees / asylum seekers than anticipated.

On the basis that accommodation is needed I don't think the barge is that bad an idea. It looks a reasonable environment and the people housed there will apparently be free to come and go, it's probably a better solution then using hotels or old military camps but with the caveat that they use it in the way it was designed to be used and the onboard conditions are maintained.

My worry is that the fire service pointing out that fire doors are on wrong is seen as being a left wing agenda. It is beyond cynical.

Although I'm left leaning, I am all for balanced politics and vibrant debate in this country. The Tories are going down the same route as the Republicans in the US, with borderline disinformation. This means we cannot have that balance.

I don't know why, but the idea of lots of innocent people dying needlessly of smoke inhalation in a politically motivated fire really bothers me.

I don't disagree with any of that. The strategy is pretty obvious - the Fire Brigades Union is asking for talks therefore it is Leftie interference rather than a valid H&S concern by the organisation responsible for fire safety. The only bit I disagree with is that we are going down the Republican route. We started going down that route in 2016 and haven't stopped. I think they see how it has played out in the US as a success they want to emulate.

First.Aspect

Pross said:

First.Aspect said:

Pross said:

First.Aspect said:

I see that the government is now floating the idea that fire safety checks on the asylum prison, sorry barge, are politically motivated. So both the fire service and the HSE are following a labour agenda by doing their jobs, on account of a "link" between the fire union and Labour.

To be fair the HSE said they were only concerned about safety on the dock side. The internal issue seems to be due to them now trying to double up on the original number it was supposed to take. Anyone would think their policy on small boats isn't working and they are having to accommodate more refugees / asylum seekers than anticipated.

On the basis that accommodation is needed I don't think the barge is that bad an idea. It looks a reasonable environment and the people housed there will apparently be free to come and go, it's probably a better solution then using hotels or old military camps but with the caveat that they use it in the way it was designed to be used and the onboard conditions are maintained.

My worry is that the fire service pointing out that fire doors are on wrong is seen as being a left wing agenda. It is beyond cynical.

Although I'm left leaning, I am all for balanced politics and vibrant debate in this country. The Tories are going down the same route as the Republicans in the US, with borderline disinformation. This means we cannot have that balance.

I don't know why, but the idea of lots of innocent people dying needlessly of smoke inhalation in a politically motivated fire really bothers me.

I don't disagree with any of that. The strategy is pretty obvious - the Fire Brigades Union is asking for talks therefore it is Leftie interference rather than a valid H&S concern by the organisation responsible for fire safety. The only bit I disagree with is that we are going down the Republican route. We started going down that route in 2016 and haven't stopped. I think they see how it has played out in the US as a success they want to emulate.

Depressing but probably true. Its a long road though and I fear there is a lot more they can do.