UK 22:18 Saturday, 7 November 2026
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One of my highlights of Christmas was a gathering of the friends of the woman I once referred to as the deluded lefty, that is to say the Mrs. I was ill so, having cooked for them, I retreated to bed with the cats, but coming down for a cup of tea I heard the most deluded of the lot of them (they are nearly all sociology lecturers) opine that she had “applied for research funding to study how black women are suffering in the recession.” Where does one start?
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Comments
J P Spaghetti
“Firstly, she will get that funding and it is YOUR taxes that will fund this vital work.”
If only more people were more aware of the extent to which money from the public coffers is squandered on keeping those of frankly seemingly dubious intellectual capability riding the gravy train at certain institutions (there – I’ve said it), perhaps the rot would be reversed. That’s whilst potentially valuable research continues to be underfunded.
But then maybe I’m being unfair as – hey – who really needs a free electron laser anyway, for instance? Why do we really need their awesome imaging power to understand more fully the structure of membrane proteins? I mean they’re only thought to be complicit in the development of all manner of nastiness from multiple sclerosis to Alzheimer’s. And nasty as they are it’s not as if they cost the NHS a great deal is it? And even if they can potentially rip out every inner shell electron from atoms of heavy elements before they’ve had chance to expand hydrodynamically (i.e., explode) so the result is something very hot and dense, the sort of conditions that would induce fusion in light elements, who cares? Far more important – surely – that we continue to provide for those who’ve carved for themselves quite a safe and cosy living out of ‘educating’ the rest of us about when we should be offended (and fair play – they work very hard at spotting potential offence). I mean, if we can’t fund both, and with everyone under the age of 30 seemingly a student these days it would appear we can’t, then that must surely be top priority. Speaking of which, though, surely “women of colour” is offensive because it implies that those who are white are elevated beyond the concept of colour and that is inherently discriminatory (as is faux contextualisation before anyone ‘starts’)! Blast – it’s so complicated. I can see how they ‘earn their keep’. But perhaps I was being too analytical there anyway. I mean, far be it from me to expose such a contradiction – right?
As a passing contemplation, how curious that it was the government of a British PM who performed poorly academically and certainly didn’t attended university (nice enough chap as he seemed – don’t get me wrong – and some of the smartest people I’ve met couldn’t be arsed with formal qualifications) that instigated the general destruction of tertiary education!
Finally, in keeping with the day, an ex-RSM and good friend of my old man (who ‘popped his clogs’ a long time ago) told me recently that British infantry units are planning to ban boxing. MADNESS!
OK – should have typed “penultimately”, but this is definitely finally: why-oh-why has such nonsense become so strongly associated with the left (much the way an anti-nuclear-power stance ostensibly did, but I guess that was down to disingenuous contrivance in respect of coal)?
turbograndad
Tom,
Very interesting my dear Whats on, may consider, know what you mean with the PC brigade, and usually agree with you on most stuff.
My analysis of UK plc is it looks good compared to Europe because others are crap, we are not that good hence £100 billion deficit annually, just not creating the volume of wealth required, real economy as oppossed to the artificially spun one.
USA, may be on the hook soon as their so called growth is on the back of fracking, interesting 2015 ahead GLA.