open Democracy News Analysis - britannia redux? - Comments

IT Support on "The "Economist" and Britain’s future"

IT Support — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:02:48 +0000

I notice that <a href="http://www.wavex.co.uk">IT Support</a> is becoming a big thing.

M Kronemeijer on "The education revolution"

M Kronemeijer — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 21:35:51 +0000

As a Dutch reader I am struck by the fact that this comment mirrors the discussions in my country so closely (my country being Holland, not Denmark, as I once had to explain to a BA of Birmingham Univ.)

A good secondary school education is an enormous head start for ambitious and curious children. it is very well possible to get one at a public school.

As I see it, the big question we face is how we can free teachers as much as possible from government control and interference by school directors, while preserving some instruments to hold them accountable for the methods they apply in class and the results they achieve.

A top school or university is an institution that applies its own standards, high or lower according to its possibilities, whatever happens.

rob_9 on "The education revolution"

rob_9 — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 20:14:05 +0000

The point about knock-on effects higher up the system is well made. It seems that the failure of primary schools to teach basic grammar results in university pro-vice-chancellors who don't know how to use the apostrophe.

Does nobody proof-read your submissions?

Rob

owly on "Europe won’t go away"

owly — Sat, 10 Feb 2007 11:00:02 +0000

Usual twaddle, which is not even well argued.

m.k.jones on "The "Economist" and Britain’s future"

m.k.jones — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 14:15:25 +0000

Just read Christopher Harvie's article. It might be more persausive if he tried to, well, *persuade* us. Take this sentence:

"But the United Kingdom depends on the international financial disorder that wrecks other polities to colonise London, aided by chancellor Gordon Brown as "useful idiot"."

What does this gibberish mean? *What* financial disorder? Where? Which "polities" is he referring to? How can "financial disorder" colonise anywhere? Is he referring to banks? In what sense is the UK dependent on this disorder? Why is Gordon Brown a useful idiot?

The whole article reads like this. A mish- mash of half understood slogans underpinned by trendy "anti- capitalism" but no real argument. The Economist may be wrong but it deserves better arguments.

tcp_1 on "Britain and globalisation: a good marriage"

tcp_1 — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 12:27:49 +0000

Ignoratio Elenchi -- the euphonous term for arguing in ignorance of the adverse thesis.

Where exactly do you see on the British political scene anyone arguing for a return to 1970's style economic management? Where are the lurking fundamentalists against market forces? how are they proposing to disrupt the 25 year advances of managerial capitalism?

One can't help but feel that the Economist is hoping to find a fight it knows how to fight, without yet having found any opponents.

Wake-up! it's not 1984 anymore.

alfredo.bremont on "The "Economist" and Britain’s future"

alfredo.bremont — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 23:26:21 +0000

the problem globalization has is that it is misunderstood. the fact is the system needs mending, the problem is the same system is indicating what to do to mend it. the result is 99% of politicians individuals and the lot are plain idiots. therefore they do not perceive anything they are just blind. global warming is one example, wars are another. it is not the capitalist system that is at fault it is the humans that are running it. those inept politicians and CEO worldwide. a change of consciousness is a must but the brand new billionaires and their slaves have perverted everything we know from arts to philosophy everything has become a commerce, they have destroyed art created icons that are worth millions but has no essence and are useless. they have put aside the real philosophers writers and thinkers and have replace them by mere idiots. they have brainwash citizens so they do not think they just react to publicity, news and the political dictum. people do not even know any longer who they are they have become IPODS themselves. cellular phone addicts, and brainless.

all this as they say is progress. Britain looks more like a middle age nation were slaves work 11 hours a day to have ends meet, while bankers get millions as bonuses. this admirable society of newly idiotic royalties without names whiteout culture and whiteout sens.

the capitalist system is dieing because this idiots have destroy it.

the change is simple change this golden boys and put in place the real men. destroy this animal farm created by wall street and its cronies and life will evolve at least Britain will join in the 21 century gracefully.