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Reiner Torheit
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« Reply #15 on: 20:47:58, 24-09-2007 » |
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And, speaking of untenable arguments .... you're not very good at sport as a nation? Aaron, we're British - we never talk-up our own abilities or achievements  |
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"I was, for several months, mutely in love with a coloratura soprano, who seemed to me to have wafted straight from Paradise to the stage of the Odessa Opera-House"
- Leon Trotsky, "My Life"
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Reiner Torheit
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« Reply #16 on: 20:51:00, 24-09-2007 » |
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but "vision"? - tell that to the marines! (or, better still, to the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan)... Ah, that would be "night vision", presumably.... |
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"I was, for several months, mutely in love with a coloratura soprano, who seemed to me to have wafted straight from Paradise to the stage of the Odessa Opera-House"
- Leon Trotsky, "My Life"
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aaron cassidy
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« Reply #17 on: 20:51:46, 24-09-2007 » |
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And, speaking of untenable arguments .... you're not very good at sport as a nation? Aaron, we're British - we never talk-up our own abilities or achievements That's all fine and good, but at the very least, the "we're not very good at sport anyway so why should we spend money on it" argument is a lousy one. |
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oliver sudden
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« Reply #18 on: 20:53:43, 24-09-2007 » |
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Why is sport considered so very very important? It isn't as if we Brits are any good at it.
I wonder if it's something to do with the obesity problem...  I'd suggest that perhaps having time set aside during the school day for exercise might, um, help that obesity problem. I'm the lone voice on this side of this particular issue here, it seems Er, well, no, that was actually what I meant. Seems it didn't come across though... |
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Jonathan
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« Reply #19 on: 21:09:37, 24-09-2007 » |
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Surely the logical thing would be to put aside say, 7 hours a week and split it into two, thus: 3.5 hours for sports and 3.5 for music and artistic pursuits?
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Best regards,
Jonathan
*********************************************
"as the housefly of destiny collides with the windscreen of fate..."
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richard barrett
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« Reply #20 on: 21:11:45, 24-09-2007 » |
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I'd suggest that perhaps having time set aside during the school day for exercise might, um, help that obesity problem.
I'm the lone voice on this side of this particular issue here, it seems No, actually everyone agrees with you on that count; what we were actually complaining about was the undue emphasis given to sport as opposed to art, music etc. and the deeper fact that the reasons for that emphasis have nothing to do with health issues and everything to do with the dumbing-down populism of this government. You'll understand it when you've lived here for a while. And then you may well be looking for a way to get the hell out again, which I must say describes my own feelings to a T on this particular day. |
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aaron cassidy
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« Reply #21 on: 21:19:54, 24-09-2007 » |
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I'd suggest that perhaps having time set aside during the school day for exercise might, um, help that obesity problem.
I'm the lone voice on this side of this particular issue here, it seems No, actually everyone agrees with you on that count; what we were actually complaining about was the undue emphasis given to sport as opposed to art, music etc. and the deeper fact that the reasons for that emphasis have nothing to do with health issues and everything to do with the dumbing-down populism of this government. You'll understand it when you've lived here for a while. And then you may well be looking for a way to get the hell out again, which I must say describes my own feelings to a T on this particular day.  I think I'll keep packing all these books into boxes, all the same. (And I might perhaps suggest that the situation there could be worse. (I don't imagine when you "get the hell out again" you'll be headed to Chicago.) Ehem.) |
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« Last Edit: 21:26:58, 24-09-2007 by aaron cassidy »
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oliver sudden
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« Reply #22 on: 21:28:06, 24-09-2007 » |
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And then you may well be looking for a way to get the hell out again, which I must say describes my own feelings to a T on this particular day.
Ouch! Maybe see you in Berlin tomorrow after all then... |
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Swan_Knight
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« Reply #23 on: 21:32:50, 24-09-2007 » |
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I ought to add: yes, obesity is an issue and it would indeed be a good idea to devote more time to EXERCISE (as opposed to SPORT) in the curriculum.
So: yes, to more cross country runs, cycling and an investment in exercise bikes.
NO to more kicking/throwing/tossing balls around pitches in order to 'score points'.
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...so flatterten lachend die Locken....
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aaron cassidy
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« Reply #24 on: 21:34:37, 24-09-2007 » |
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NO to more kicking/throwing/tossing balls around pitches in order to 'score points'.
Why? ("YES to exercise, as long as that sort of exercise is the sort that I like.") |
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« Last Edit: 21:38:21, 24-09-2007 by aaron cassidy »
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oliver sudden
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« Reply #25 on: 21:36:14, 24-09-2007 » |
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At least a no to compulsively stacking more fuel in the human machine than it could need for any conceivable purpose competitive or otherwise...  ...and I wouldn't want to speak for S_K but I did find the overemphasis on competitive sport as opposed to personal fitness in the schools I went to rather akin to having a school orchestra but not bothering to actually teach anyone to play! |
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« Last Edit: 21:40:35, 24-09-2007 by oliver sudden »
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Mary Chambers
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« Reply #26 on: 21:40:50, 24-09-2007 » |
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Ballet is the answer. Discipline, exercise, improved posture, music thrown in (though admittedly the music used for classes is not very interesting, on the whole).
Some hope.
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perfect wagnerite
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« Reply #27 on: 21:53:48, 24-09-2007 » |
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I'd suggest that perhaps having time set aside during the school day for exercise might, um, help that obesity problem.
I'm the lone voice on this side of this particular issue here, it seems No, actually everyone agrees with you on that count; what we were actually complaining about was the undue emphasis given to sport as opposed to art, music etc. and the deeper fact that the reasons for that emphasis have nothing to do with health issues and everything to do with the dumbing-down populism of this government. I think it's worse than that. I increasingly feel that sport is what we do now we haven't got an empire any more; the obsession with competitive sport is about being Top Nation, about beating the foreigner and feeling good about ourselves; flag-waving, nationalistic ranting in the tabloids, the generation of a spurious "identity" around eleven men kicking a piece of leather to mask the deep divisions in our society. Politicians milk these things for that reason; hence the twaddle about the London Olympics "bringing people together". It's about pretending we are a unified cohesive society when in reality we have never been more divided, and it appeases all those myths about white men in particular losing their identity (and to that extent is the purest escapism). It reflects our deep insecurity as a society, insecurity to which mainstream politicians have not even the beginnings of an answer. Sport helps us wave the flag and paper over the cracks. I ought to add: yes, obesity is an issue and it would indeed be a good idea to devote more time to EXERCISE (as opposed to SPORT) in the curriculum.
Absolutely: there's the world of difference between the two. I'd also point out that collective music-making is both good for developing social skills and - especially in the case of singing - excellent physical exercise. |
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At every one of these [classical] concerts in England you will find rows of weary people who are there, not because they really like classical music, but because they think they ought to like it. (Shaw, Don Juan in Hell)
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aaron cassidy
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« Reply #28 on: 21:56:10, 24-09-2007 » |
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I've now read the full text of the speech, and, goodness, with all due respect ...
... Hm. I guess the most polite way to say this is that of all the candidates running in the US presidential election from either major party, only Dennis Kucinich, who has been polling b/t 1-3% in most national polls, comes even remotely close to supporting the sorts of positions that were discussed in today's speech. Every other one of the 20 or so candidates (including all of the front-runners in the Democratic party) sits well to the political right of the policies promoted in Brown's speech.
I suppose what I'm saying is, I'll trade you. Any takers?
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IgnorantRockFan
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« Reply #29 on: 21:56:27, 24-09-2007 » |
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I did two hours of sport a week at school and I was never obese. If two hours per week is no longer enough to combat obesity then, let's be honest, it's not the amount of sport that's the problem. And every single person in the UK -- with the exception of Gordon Brown, apparently -- knows that it's not the problem.
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Allegro, ma non tanto
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