Paul Addison

Non-Capitalist...
#LFC

[Naomi Fisher @naomicfisher]

This time of year, we put our 16-year-olds through a coming-of-age ritual. We make them sit in rows and write down things they have spent the last two years trying to memorise. We pit them against the clock, and prevent them from talking to each other. We tell them that this is the most important thing that they will ever do and their future life depends on it.

We don’t just do this once. For most of them, we make them sit in rows and write things down between twenty and thirty separate times in the space of about six weeks. Maths, English, History, French, Biology….Again and again, they have to keep at it. Each time, we tell them how important it is and they better not have an off-day or be ill.

Then we take their papers and we rank them. For some, the result will be accolades and glory. For others, failure and retakes.

We know for sure that this will always be true, because these rituals that we call exams are designed to rank them. A third will always fail. There would be no top grades if we didn’t also have the bottom. It isn’t possible for them all to pass.

And yet, every year, we talk as if this was not true. We pretend that it would be possible for them all to succeed, if only they and their teachers worked harder. Politicians talk about raising standards and accountability. We pretend that the problem is them not working hard enough, not an exam system designed so that hundreds of thousands fail. We blame them, not the exams.

For the truth is that we have a coming-of-age ritual for our teenagers which involves a third of them being told they haven’t met the grade, that they are not good enough. We launch them into adult life telling them that they will carry the stigma of not understanding quadratic equations for ever. We put them all through intense stress, and then when some of them cave in we say they have anxiety and send them to see a therapist.

And then we’re surprised when many of them say they just can’t carry on, that they don’t see the point. They don’t see potential in the future for themselves.

We need to take a step back and ask ourselves why we do this to our teenagers. For the problem isn’t our young people. It’s not their fault that a third of them fail and many are chronically stressed. The problem is what we make them do. We’ve designed a coming-of-age system with a very high cost in human misery.

Every year a new crop of teens will come of age, and despite their distress we just push them harder. We need to ask ourselves whether this is really the best we can do for our teenagers. We urgently need to think again.

[Paddy Power @paddypower]

Celtic have now won as many trophies in the last 7 days as Hearts and Rangers combined in the last 4 years

[Bernie Blackburn @bernieblac]

A riot of colour has arrived at The Storey in Lancaster, in the form of a collection of hand-painted signs created using recycled and reclaimed materials. They’ll be on display until the 10th of June. Meet and chat with the artist on Saturday the 30th of May between 11am and 3pm.

[Celtic Football Club @CelticFC]

CHAMPIONS AGAIN!

🏆 Celtic are crowned Champions of Scotland for the FIFTH season in a row!

Huge congratulations to Martin O’Neill and the Bhoys

#Champion5 | #CelticFC🍀🏆

[Paul Addison @saintaddison]

@1874Northwich

[Paul Addison @saintaddison]

https://t.co/mLKRaWACQz

[Paul Addison @saintaddison]

@robboluvsqpr @frankbrunoboxer Check the date!

[Andrew Neil @afneil]

You want the NATO allies to join you in a war you started without ever consulting these allies about the war or explaining your war aims. We’re meant just to meekly fall in line.
You recently supported a US invasion of a NATO ally (Denmark/Greenland) but now you want these same allies to join your war.
Your president disparaged and misrepresented the role of NATO allies in Afghanistan. But now you want them to join with you again in a war of your making.
You went to war with Iran without a thought of how to keep the Strait of Hormuz open and without involving your allies in the matter. But now you want the NATO allies to bail you out, even though there’s still no plan for Hormuz.
You want the NATO allies to join you in a war in which you still cannot articulate the endgame. Or what victory would look like.
You went to war thinking the Iranian regime would quickly topple, that Tehran would not attack the Gulf States or close Hormuz. Why would we align with such Epic Stupidity?
You and other know-nothing blowhards started this war all on your own. You can finish it on your own. If you’re able to …

[Peter Hitchens @ClarkeMicah]

.@trussliz. I am glad to see your noted voice, as usual laden with inexperience, ignorance and poor instincts, in the Trump Chorus. It may persuade intelligent people to take the other view .

[Peter Hitchens @ClarkeMicah]

How did the British armed forces fare under your stewardship, Al?

[Paul Addison @saintaddison]

Save LIPA School from imminent closure https://t.co/cfGpiTd4wR via @UKChange

[Dr Anne E Bailey @AnneEBailey1]

Ladyewell shrine (aka Fernyhalgh shrine) and holy well near Preston, Lancashire. As a place of pilgrimage, the well dates back to the 11th century and is popular with Catholics today.
📸2021

[John Nichol ✈ @JohnNicholRAF]

Long ramble:
I have been mulling if I should comment on President Trump's inane comments about NATO involvement in Afghanistan. Although 35 years ago, during the US-led first Gulf War, I was lying, handcuffed & blindfolded - literally 'shoulder to shoulder' - with a US colleague on a concrete floor in an Iraqi interrogation bunker, I rather feel it should be the current generation who express any anger at the President's ludicrous, demonstrably false utterings. Which is why I earlier shared some posts from others.
But perhaps I will reflect like this - I watched Trump's press conference in the wake of the terrible tragedy when a US helicopter collided with a civilian airliner last January in disbelief. 64 people lost their lives but it seemed to be about him - his expertise, his knowledge, what he thought had happened. Much of what he said was incorrect.
So I realised back then that it was going to be pointless trying to analyse any upcoming word-salads. Everything is clearly about him; his expertise in every subject, his grasp of all situations. His need to say something, anything, to show he is the best, the cleverest, the smartest, the most knowledgeable kid on the block.
The pub-bore, the braggart, the know-it-all, pontificates on anything and everything in the hope of bolstering their own, clearly very low, self-esteem.
I wonder that, in the President's mind, that it doesn't matter if what he says is factually correct? I wonder if he knows, understands, even cares, what is true? He is saying some words, which in his mind, seems to suggest that he's important and people will admire him, laud him. The fact that everyone around him then applauds this character trait, thanking him for his 'leadership' at every turn, just amplifies his desire, his need to continue. He's got want he wants - in his mind - attention, praise, admiration.
So to sum up, trying to analyse Trump's ramblings is like trying to play chess with a pigeon. Somewhat interesting at first, but ultimately, truly pointless and rather frustrating.
To those he has hurt, insulted, vilified, I send you my deepest condolences for your loss, and gratitude for your service.

[Tom Newton Dunn @tnewtondunn]

3 facts:

1. 457 UK troops were killed in Afghanistan, most in action
2. The US repeatedly did ask other NATO nations to send troops there, and 604 of them also died
3. When it was his turn, Donald Trump dodged the Vietnam draft all 5 times, with a diagnosis of 'bone spurs'

[Ben Obese-Jecty MP @BenObeseJecty]

“We’ve never needed them. We have never really asked anything of them. You know, they’ll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan, or this and that. And they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines”

I served in Afghanistan. I saw first hand the sacrifices made by British soldiers I served alongside in Sangin where we suffered horrific casualties, as did the US Marines the following year.

I don’t believe US military personnel share the view of President Trump; his words do them a disservice as our closest military allies.

It’s sad to see our nation’s sacrifice, and that of our NATO partners, held so cheaply by the President of the United States.

[Andrew Neil @afneil]

I wonder if FIFA will ask Trump to return its peace prize? 🤔

[Paddy Power @paddypower]

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[Paul Addison @saintaddison]

@kirkbrandon Turn on, tune in, turkey out...