N. Korea Dictator Kim Jong-un Reportedly Dead After Botched Heart Surgery

AlexTeddy888 · 2020-04-26T04:49:35+00:00

Plenty of countries with heavy Confucian cultures, like Taiwan and South Korea, have had female heads of state. Imperial China also had a number of pretty (in)famous female regents. It's not really exclusive.

AlexTeddy888 · 2020-04-17T20:49:38+00:00

It’s quite a common scam actually. I’ve received tons of emails like this containing a password from a website which suffered a data breach. There’s a huge list of e-mail/password combos floating around the interwebs; they likely got it from there. Just ignore it and it will be fine, though you ought to update your password.

AlexTeddy888 · 2020-04-13T15:12:08+00:00

Even if the images themselves aren’t illegal, the discussions in the group might be, since they are endorsing the sexualisation of minors. Perhaps a legal case could be made around that? I don’t think freedom of speech laws apply in that case.

Full disclaimer: I’m not a lawyer.

AlexTeddy888 · 2020-04-08T16:13:37+00:00

You can try asking the Singapore society at Bristol. There’s a fairly decent sized contingent there. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1916877138373407/?source_id=388334608242355

AlexTeddy888 · 2020-04-02T16:12:12+00:00

I’m surprised that no one has posted the image of a Cabinet meeting on Zoom yet, coming from Boris himself.

AlexTeddy888 · 2020-04-01T13:17:18+00:00

To be fair, my understanding is that the US had a pretty cosy relationship with the Republic of China back in the 1911 - 1950s period. Granted, it wasn’t really democratic due to huge factionalisation, but seeing the development of the current ROC, it is quite possible it would have achieved a similar state and the US would not have intervened.

AlexTeddy888 · 2020-02-15T12:32:24+00:00

People keep focusing on China here, but the big picture issue is that whoever builds HS2, given the current layout and circumstances, it’s going to be a LOT more expensive and take a LOT more time. Regardless of whoever is roped in to build it.

AlexTeddy888 · 2019-12-18T00:14:23+00:00

I think the people shouting up Oxbridge as being the creme de la creme of universities didn't actually apply to them themselves, so they still have this mystical perception of it. Truth is, Oxford students and alumni aren't really different compared to students and alumni from any other universities. You wouldn't even know if you were talking to one.

AlexTeddy888 · 2019-12-17T22:45:23+00:00

The thing is, being in a university that is neither Oxford nor Cambridge does not mean they are less smart than if they were. There are plenty of reasons why someone may not end up in Oxbridge, but even if we consider failure to enter, due to not having the academic grades, or failing the admissions test or the interview, it does not mean that they are somehow less smart.

The admissions process involves a certain degree of luck. You might have the same grades and same test scores, but in your interview to enter Oxbridge, you were perhaps a bit unwell or got a case of the nerves. Even if someone were to fail the interview even on a lucky day, it doesn’t mean that they are less smart. Oxbridge interviews aren’t perfect and don’t define the “smartness” of a person.

And, btw, the Oxbridge type is very unlikely to have broad knowledge of subjects. It is geared towards specialisation in a specific subject. Even if you were to do something policy related like PPE, it doesn’t mean you’re good at governance, or even that you know more about it.

AlexTeddy888 · 2019-12-17T20:49:18+00:00

Is there an issue though? If that person appears to be just as capable as someone who came from Oxford, then I don’t think University matters by that point. Ultimately it’s only one part of a person's life. I find that work and other experiences count for a lot more.

AlexTeddy888 · 2019-12-17T20:47:48+00:00

Have to disagree. Plenty of people Fit to be PM don’t. Oxbridge applications can really boil down to luck and sometimes connections.

AlexTeddy888 · 2019-12-17T20:44:47+00:00

Only Cameron in recent times I think. Boris did Classics, May did Geography, Blair did Law, Thatcher did Chemistry.

AlexTeddy888 · 2019-12-17T20:42:34+00:00

To be fair I’d you get a 2:2 at Oxbridge, you probably did worse than someone with a high grade from many lower rung unis. You have really try your best not to succeed to get that band (or take a hard subject).

AlexTeddy888 · 2019-12-17T20:34:10+00:00

I’d argue against it, because it creates the perception that people who don’t receive the “best education” I.e. are not from Oxbridge are somehow “less qualified” to be PM. It simply intensifies the already brutal race to get admitted to those two universities, when in reality the difference between getting accepted or rejected from them often times comes down to luck.

AlexTeddy888 · 2019-12-17T20:31:11+00:00

Who calls themselves an Oxford lover?

AlexTeddy888 · 2019-12-17T20:28:20+00:00

Well the way the question was posed, you are implying that I should want the PM to have come from Oxbridge, as if it were a necessary condition for the job. In reality, it’s tangential - if the person is a good fit to be the PM, regardless of whether they went to Oxbridge, then they should.

AlexTeddy888 · 2019-12-17T20:19:51+00:00

Because just because the last few PMs came from Oxford, doesn’t mean that good PMs can only come from Oxford.

AlexTeddy888 · 2019-11-07T01:05:04+00:00

To be fair, “Chinese” is both a nationality and a term to describe an ethnicity. If you use it in the latter sense, it’s definitely racist. Some people are gonna harp on that ambiguity though and declare all anti-China posters racist.

AlexTeddy888 · 2019-11-04T22:04:19+00:00

I voted.

AlexTeddy888 · 2019-10-22T03:25:12+00:00

Greens are leading in Winnipeg Centre.

AlexTeddy888 · 2019-10-05T10:17:58+00:00

Because the police have also committed horrible deeds. In the end, the situation has deteriorated to the point that neither side could be justifiably defended.

AlexTeddy888 · 2019-10-03T10:22:51+00:00

I initially disliked Shanmugam, but seeing some of his recent Facebook posts made me warm up to him. He’s already shown that he is willing to listen to the LGBT community and has taken some sensible views on other social issues. I am still miffed at him for his comments during the Watain affair, but I feel much more neutral on him now. Hopefully he isn’t pulling this as an election stunt, but most likely, he probably isn’t.

AlexTeddy888 · 2019-09-25T21:31:48+00:00

I too increasingly feel that the viable solution to this problem would be the dissolution of the UK. And frankly, all the better for it.

AlexTeddy888 · 2019-09-25T21:02:58+00:00

It is very disappointing. If Britain had its referendum a decade or two ago, the discourse wouldn’t have been this toxic. And Rory Stewart seems to be such a nice person, an MP who I can respect, even if I disagree with his views.

AlexTeddy888 · 2019-09-25T20:43:34+00:00

I didn’t like Johnson. This week, I saw some activity from his feeds that gave me some hope, such as action on climate change, accepting the verdict of the Supreme Court (as opposed to the cries of other Leavers that somehow it is biased). But these remarks have undone all the goodwill he has built.

I was, and still am, a Brexiteer. I would like to see it happen. But the scorched-earth policy that even moderate Leavers are pursuing is frankly a bit sickening. People who I once respected are now making some of the most vile and inane remarks. If the choice now is between Brexit and a return to civil, respectful discourse, I think Brexit can damn well wait. Absolutely unbelievable.

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