An article that I couldn't help smiling at...

[Ianto.W.]

Originally Posted by Less

One of the Lads from long ago, I knew him from primary school always being kept back, disruptive, didn't seem to have a sensible sentence inside him, (no, not me another one), left school couldn't read or write, useless at maths, (Unless it was to do with betting slips, no bookie pulled a fast one with him).

He bought himself a clapped out van as soon as he could drive built up from there to a multi-million haulage firm, It didn't alter him at all he would always stop and take the time to spit on me. He paid people to write for him.

Remindes me of what uncle Sol said about education "accademics in time will sweep the streets, ther's going to be to many of them". Best advice given to me Less, was get an old pram and a bugle and take it from there ,"so I did,"

[Less]

Originally Posted by garinda

In the eighties no student worth their politcal salt would bank at Barclays, because of their business links to South Africa, and their direct support of the apartheid system.

I banked at Barclays all through my student days in the seventies because the bank was right next to the pub I was going to spend my latest overdraft in, (let's face it, the manager was very close to retiring, so getting the money back wasn't going to be his problem).

[Wynonie Harris]

From my experience of college in the late 60s/early 70s, I'd say most student protest was facile, shallow and hypocritical - most participated in it because it was the fashionable thing to do at the time. It always made me laugh (in a cynical sort of way) to see students protesting against the South African apartheid regime, whilst carrying their "Thoughts of Chairman Mao" book - a man who instigated a regime just as brutal and repressive as the South African one.

OK, there were a few genuine idealists but most just paraded their political views in the same way as their clothing styles and musical tastes - and discarded them just as quickly when they got out into the big wide world!

[Less]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

From my experience of college in the late 60s/early 70s, I'd say most student protest was facile, shallow and hypocritical - most participated in it because it was the fashionable thing to do at the time.

The only protest I went on was through Manchester, the Student Union supplied a coach, to the 'rally', explaining what was being protested about, (Manchester being a City the pub's opened at 10.30 so my friends and I missed that).
At midday all where gathered together to walk through the centre mainly doing nothing but disrupting traffic and stopping taxpayers from being able to pay for our grants. after about five minutes of sullen and quiet walking I decided to chant the good old protest chant of, "Maggie Thatcher, Milk Snatcher".
This with some relief was taken up by rest in the column for the sake of something to do, despite the fact that a Labour government had been in control for almost six months! Protest? My ar*e!

[blazey]

Originally Posted by Less

Friday is always, spelt with a Capital,

'F'

Nice grammar that you have there aswell, but again I will say that I am not writing a novel, but merely commenting on a forum.

What difference does it make whether I spell something with a capital letter or not?

The problem with this forum is that only Wynonie Harris seemed to be able to say anything useful about her past experiences of students, which answered my question, and the rest of you made direct comments about me simply because I asked a question based on a newspaper article.

And as you pointed out Less, someone you knew yourself left school not writing perfectly and did perfectly well for himself. In the world of word processing and spell check, its hardly going to be the end of my career if I forget to put a capital 'F' at the beginning of the word friday on a forum

Do you get up everyday, log on to Accyweb and sit with your dictionary looking for everybodies spelling errors?

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Wynonie Harris

From my experience of college in the late 60s/early 70s, I'd say most student protest was facile, shallow and hypocritical - most participated in it because it was the fashionable thing to do at the time. It always made me laugh (in a cynical sort of way) to see students protesting against the South African apartheid regime, whilst carrying their "Thoughts of Chairman Mao" book - a man who instigated a regime just as brutal and repressive as the South African one.

OK, there were a few genuine idealists but most just paraded their political views in the same way as their clothing styles and musical tastes - and discarded them just as quickly when they got out into the big wide world!

Maybe a few were along for the ride, but student protests and actions did help change lots of things. The public perception about the war in Vietnam for one.

And let's not forget, without the added weight of student support on the campuses in the States, the struggle for civil liberties would probably still be going on, and those uppity niggers would still not be able to sit where they wanted on the bus.

[Less]

Originally Posted by blazey

Do you get up everyday, log on to Accyweb and sit with your dictionary looking for everybodies spelling errors?

No I don't I get up hoping that accyweb will for once not be abused by blonde haired blue eyed superior beings that prove with every word they produce their lack of understanding of what they have written.

What you made was not a spelling error, Friday was spelt correctly, just not presented correctly, which for someone that only want's the opinions of graduates to me is a shocking mistake!

P.S. I bet Wynonie is glad that you have saved him and the NHS the cost of a sex change!

[blazey]

Originally Posted by garinda

Maybe a few were along for the ride, but student protests and actions did help change lots of things. The public perception about the war in Vietnam for one.

And let's not forget, without the added weight of student support on the campuses in the States, the struggle for civil liberties would probably still be going on, and those uppity niggers would still not be able to sit where they wanted on the bus.

Student protests change a lot today as well, just as much as any other protesters.

As I said already, I joined the LGBT at Lancaster Uni, which protests, petitions and helps spread awareness of homophobic bullying and discrimination and try to make really valuable changes.
Currently their main focus is about gay blood donation and to give equal opportunities to all blood donors regardless of their sexuality. Lancaster Uni also has a huge campaign called 'Bullying Sucks' which aims to stop bullying, particularly against homosexuals.

Theres also alot of talks and petitions for arming soldiers in various places and terrorism and lots of anti-war things, and also the innocence project and amnesty international. Its unfair to say students dont care as much as in the 60's and 70's.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by garinda

Maybe a few were along for the ride, but student protests and actions did help change lots of things. The public perception about the war in Vietnam for one.

And let's not forget, without the added weight of student support on the campuses in the States, the struggle for civil liberties would probably still be going on, and those uppity niggers would still not be able to sit where they wanted on the bus.

...and let's not forget that thirty to forty years ago in this country, college campuses were the place were the women's liberation movement, the anti-apartheid movement, the gay right's movement, the anti-Nazi League, amongst others, were all founded and nurtured.

[blazey]

Originally Posted by Less

No I don't I get up hoping that accyweb will for once not be abused by blond haired blue eyed superior beings that prove with every word they produce shows their lack of understanding of what they have written.

What you made was not a spelling error, Friday was spelt correctly, just not presented correctly, which for someone that only want's the opinions of graduates to me is a shocking mistake!

I was only after graduate opinion as the article was about university students. Did you actually read the article?

[garinda]

Originally Posted by blazey

Student protests change a lot today as well, just as much as any other protesters.

As I said already, I joined the LGBT at Lancaster Uni, which protests, petitions and helps spread awareness of homophobic bullying and discrimination and try to make really valuable changes.
Currently their main focus is about gay blood donation and to give equal opportunities to all blood donors regardless of their sexuality. Lancaster Uni also has a huge campaign called 'Bullying Sucks' which aims to stop bullying, particularly against homosexuals.

Theres also alot of talks and petitions for arming soldiers in various places and terrorism and lots of anti-war things, and also the innocence project and amnesty international. Its unfair to say students dont care as much as in the 60's and 70's.

I'm nor arguing with you Blazey. I think it's great you are getting involved, but trust me, compared with years gone by, students on the whole aren't as politicised. I know. I was there.

[Margaret Pilkington]

I would have liked to go to Uni, but alas I failed my 11 plus, was consigned to a secondary education that turned out factory fodder.
I did avail myself of further education...which was at that time, not beyond my means.
I did have a successful professional career, and had I been a bit younger would have been seconded to do a degree...but alas too old for that.
I could do a degree now.....if I could afford to pay for it.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by blazey

Student protests change a lot today as well, just as much as any other protesters.

As I said already, I joined the LGBT at Lancaster Uni, which protests, petitions and helps spread awareness of homophobic bullying and discrimination and try to make really valuable changes.
Currently their main focus is about gay blood donation and to give equal opportunities to all blood donors regardless of their sexuality. Lancaster Uni also has a huge campaign called 'Bullying Sucks' which aims to stop bullying, particularly against homosexuals.

Theres also alot of talks and petitions for arming soldiers in various places and terrorism and lots of anti-war things, and also the innocence project and amnesty international. Its unfair to say students dont care as much as in the 60's and 70's.

As for gay rights.

Been there, done that, designed the t-shirt.

[blazey]

Originally Posted by garinda

I'm nor arguing with you Blazey. I think it's great you are getting involved, but trust me, compared with years gone by, students on the whole aren't as politicised. I know. I was there.

But then perhaps looking back at the original question, you can answer that perhaps attitudes to education at university has changed now because students are paying £3000 a year to be there, so they dont want to throw their money away, whereas when you were a student there was no such thing as £3000 a year fee's to be paid?

The article isnt on about political activity, its on about the attitudes of students towards their actual degree, not the other activities you can participate in. So has the attitude towards the actual studying changed or not?

[Less]

Originally Posted by blazey

I was only after graduate opinion as the article was about university students. Did you actually read the article?

Yes I did but I shouldn't have bothered after all what is my opinion worth if I do or don't read it, I'm not a graduate!

So I'm outclassed by the very standards students used to protest about!