AndrewC Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 Nope, the "Living Darwin Award" is a separate award for people who are "still alive but unable to reproduce." Death is a pre-requisite for a Darwin Award nomination! They've changed the definition a few times over the years. Last time I looked it was either. If you read the current page it is vague. In one paragraph it says "out of the gene pool, dead or sterile". Further on it says "self selection, causes own demise". Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeremyC Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 (edited) People have always complained about the attitude of the next generation, but what seems to happening is an increasing intolerance from the older generation, almost at times amounting to distain. I would suggest that some of the older generation should look closely at their own attitudes before accusing others of not liking their opinions questioned or having a sense of entitlement (and yes I am one of the older generation) Before complaining about the generation under discussion it might be worth reflecting on who is responsible for the way they've been brought up, that is their parents. And then who was responsible for bringing up those parents........... A lot of people blame the education system and fashions in education might well have some responsibility, but to quote my sister (a former teacher) the education system is there to educate your children, not bring them up! One of my favourite thoughts on parenting is from one of the Terry Pratchett books where Susan, a teacher, thinks that people should have to pass an exam before having children, and it should consist of more than the practical. Edited January 17, 2019 by JeremyC 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jjb1970 Posted January 17, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 17, 2019 I sort of wonder if some of the tetchiness and readiness to take offence that seems to be rather prevalent is down to tension between the concept of equality and the increase of identity politics. On the one hand there is an aspiration of equality of opportunity and rights in society (which I don't think any decent person could object to), at the same time people are increasingly defining themselves using labels and in some cases withdrawing into metaphorical ghettos. I'm really not bothered in the sexuality, gender, religious faith, political leanings (within reason for this one) of others and it's frankly none of my business what others want to believe, do in the bedroom, how they dress etc, but if people make a point of wearing a label and defining themselves by it then it is basically inviting an opinion which can then be received as being hostile if it doesn't quite fit what people want to hear. I think most of it comes down to basic courtesy, respect for the beliefs of others (and that is a two way street) and being able to co-exist with those around us. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Welly Posted January 17, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 17, 2019 I thought this thread would be about Cadbury Snowflake! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadbury_Snowflake 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarryscapes Posted January 17, 2019 Share Posted January 17, 2019 Have a watch of this. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dunsignalling Posted January 18, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 18, 2019 I worked in the mortgage lending business for most of the 80s and 90s. The 3x+1 or 2.5x joint multiples were put there because the rates were high and it gave a reasonably rough indication of affordability (we then did another calculation based on affordability (including loans for instance) which was much more accurate). The multipliers started to go up when the rates came down substantially and prices were going up. At the same time they allowed the Rent to Buy crowd get their mortgages at the same rate as those who actually live in the property so doing away with "commercial rates" for R2B which then caused the market to explode. I agree getting rid of strict affordability guidelines did help (the multiplier was only one part of it and still exists) but opening up the housing market to commercial borrowers at cheap rates I recon did far more damage. That's before you look at the numbers of lenders competing, which also increased leading to slackening off of the affordability guidelines which I thought at the time was a bad idea. Glad I'm out of it all! Interesting. I'd got out of it before Buy-to-Rent got going, but it's clearly had a massive effect. John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jjb1970 Posted January 18, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 18, 2019 I thought this thread would be about Cadbury Snowflake! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadbury_Snowflake It'd probably be a more useful thread if it was about chocolate bars. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Nick C Posted January 18, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 18, 2019 What I am pretty sure about is that people in general, young and old alike, seem to have become more ‘prickly’ with one another over recent years, and that it isn’t just an on-line thing. There are oodles of grumpy old blokes about; oodles of people tutored to expect pin-perfet customer service, and are rude as anything when they don’t get it; oodles of people who regard anyone who disagrees with their views on Brexit to be a lower form of life; etc etc. It feels to me like a symptom of a general insidious feeling of insecurity born of multiple factors ...... rats beginning to scratch and squabble in the bottom of the barrel as it becomes apparent that resources aren’t infinite. This is definitely the case - though I find that often the people are rude before they demand the pin-perfect customer service (and, indeed that larger companies are increasingly providing terrible customer service, but that's another matter - regardless of how bad it is, it's not going to get better if you're rude...) The Brexit views thing really winds me up - this whole thing of "everyone who voted X is an idiot/moron/brexidiot/bremoaner/etc" - We should respect people's views, providing they've actually got one (and didn't just vote one way or the other because that's what their newspaper told them to, or voted for party X in the general election because that's what they've always done, without actually thinking for themselves) As for how we're going to get people to realise that resources aren't infinite, and that they can't just keep consuming as much as they want, I really don't know - it's going to need a huge culture change... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Reorte Posted January 18, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 18, 2019 This is definitely the case - though I find that often the people are rude before they demand the pin-perfect customer service (and, indeed that larger companies are increasingly providing terrible customer service, but that's another matter - regardless of how bad it is, it's not going to get better if you're rude...) There does seem to be a "want everything now, utterly shocked if everything doesn't work perfectly all the time" inability to cope with even the usual minor hassles of life, going on about them as if they were major problems. My grumpy old man opinions have my eyes rolling every time someone tells me how wonderfully convenient some new gimmick is to 'improve' on something that wasn't at all inconvenient. Can't get 100 miles in 30 seconds? Terrible! Have to actually use your hands to do anything instead of a load of high tech gear? Terrible! I'm probably just using this as a rather tenuous excuse to grumble now though. A few Brexit comments creeping in (even though they're just using it as an example without offering views on it) - we'll get the thread locked if we're not careful... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir TophamHatt Posted January 18, 2019 Author Share Posted January 18, 2019 (edited) "Millennials" is getting a bit questionable too. The definition was people who reached 18 around 2000, so they'll be in their mid 30s now (that's a scary "where did the time go?" moment!) but it usually seems to get applied to people in their 20s. I always thought it was someone born around the year 2000. In fact, those people who were born in the late 80s/early 90s are the ones who are struggling the most. They're too old for the millennial stamp (so don't get the likes of the 26-30 railcard for example), but too young to have bought a house when the prices were not silly. Those that did manage to buy a house paid top dollar, and will find when the landlords in their 40s and 50s sell, house prices will go right down. While I don't agree with war at any point, our country needs a good one. A proper one, where rationing starts. It'll show many, many people that you can't just get anything you want at any time. Edited January 18, 2019 by Sir TophamHatt Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 Millennial /mɪˈlɛnɪəl/ noun: a person reaching young adulthood in the early 21st century Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Nick C Posted January 18, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 18, 2019 In fact, those people who were born in the late 80s/early 90s are the ones who are struggling the most. They're too old for the millennial stamp (so don't get the likes of the 26-30 railcard for example), but too young to have bought a house when the prices were not silly. Those that did manage to buy a house paid top dollar, and will find when the landlords in their 40s and 50s sell, house prices will go right down. It's those of us born in the early 80s who suffer all that - the 26-30 railcard is available to anyone born after 1988 for example, and my house cost nearly 10 times my salary! (The mortgage was roughly 3.6 times our combined salaries) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbo675 Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 I sort of wonder if some of the tetchiness and readiness to take offence that seems to be rather prevalent is down to tension between the concept of equality and the increase of identity politics. On the one hand there is an aspiration of equality of opportunity and rights in society (which I don't think any decent person could object to), at the same time people are increasingly defining themselves using labels and in some cases withdrawing into metaphorical ghettos. I'm really not bothered in the sexuality, gender, religious faith, political leanings (within reason for this one) of others and it's frankly none of my business what others want to believe, do in the bedroom, how they dress etc, but if people make a point of wearing a label and defining themselves by it then it is basically inviting an opinion which can then be received as being hostile if it doesn't quite fit what people want to hear. I think most of it comes down to basic courtesy, respect for the beliefs of others (and that is a two way street) and being able to co-exist with those around us. Hi jjb1970, A superbly eloquent comment, you are right on the money ! Gibbo. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbo675 Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 Hi Folks, This will sort the "Snowflakes" from "True Humanity", the relevant section starts at 44:06. Quite some excellent use of the vernacular by Mr Allen within the piece Don't go arguing amongst yourselfs too much about it all now !!! Gibbo Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockershovel Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 There’s an interesting quote from LOTR in someone’s signature, above - “the wide world is all about you”. I rather suspect that a “snowflake” would place an entirely different meaning on those few words, than JRRT’s original intention. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hayfield Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 This is definitely the case - though I find that often the people are rude before they demand the pin-perfect customer service (and, indeed that larger companies are increasingly providing terrible customer service, but that's another matter - regardless of how bad it is, it's not going to get better if you're rude...) The Brexit views thing really winds me up - this whole thing of "everyone who voted X is an idiot/moron/brexidiot/bremoaner/etc" - We should respect people's views, providing they've actually got one (and didn't just vote one way or the other because that's what their newspaper told them to, or voted for party X in the general election because that's what they've always done, without actually thinking for themselves) As for how we're going to get people to realise that resources aren't infinite, and that they can't just keep consuming as much as they want, I really don't know - it's going to need a huge culture change... Spot on, in days gone by at our youth club we would have what was called a balloon debate. Just imagine doing that now it would end up in carnage. Look at the way the audience behaves during question time !! Modern day version of an amphi theatre, makes Millwall supporters look like pusycats Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 Sir Topham Please, please, please, please, be careful what you wish for. Kevin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobby Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 Well said Kevin. Of all the silly comments to make... I think we will get the reduction in the amount of available food without such drastic measures though with population increase... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Tony_S Posted January 18, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 18, 2019 While I don't agree with war at any point, our country needs a good one. A proper one, where rationing starts. It'll show many, many people that you can't just get anything you want at any time. I have tried very hard to see if that statement was satire or irony or something too complicated for me to understand. Do you have a television? There are conflicts all round the world. Please reconsider your words. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted January 18, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 18, 2019 Spot on, in days gone by at our youth club we would have what was called a balloon debate. Just imagine doing that now it would end up in carnage. Look at the way the audience behaves during question time !! Modern day version of an amphi theatre, makes Millwall supporters look like pusycats I recently saw a few minutes of 'Question Time' - a programme I normally avoid for the very reason you have stated - and I got the impression that the panellists were in much the same category as the audience. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobby Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 Agreed. I haven't watched it for ages but sometimes catch it on Radio 5 on the way home from work on Thursday nights. I have tried many times to try to listen to it but all I can hear is baying from the audience (and sometimes from other panellists) and usually give up after 5 minutes and switch to R4 or R4 extra. It's about time people re-learning the art of proper debate where people are allowed to express their opinions without constant interruption, heckling, etc. It seems like people have transferred their poor behaviour on FB/Twitter, etc., to face to face discussion. Just because you don't like someone else's views doesn't mean that person hasn't the right to be heard without interuption. I was going to add "grow up" but haven't just been watching some "exchanges" in the House of Commons recently I fear we as a country have lost the art of true debate... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockershovel Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 (edited) Agreed. I haven't watched it for ages but sometimes catch it on Radio 5 on the way home from work on Thursday nights. I have tried many times to try to listen to it but all I can hear is baying from the audience (and sometimes from other panellists) and usually give up after 5 minutes and switch to R4 or R4 extra. It's about time people re-learning the art of proper debate where people are allowed to express their opinions without constant interruption, heckling, etc. It seems like people have transferred their poor behaviour on FB/Twitter, etc., to face to face discussion. Just because you don't like someone else's views doesn't mean that person hasn't the right to be heard without interuption. I was going to add "grow up" but haven't just been watching some "exchanges" in the House of Commons recently I fear we as a country have lost the art of true debate... “.... Of late the sheep had taken to bleating "Four legs good, two legs bad" both in and out of season, and they often interrupted the Meeting with this. “ Edited January 18, 2019 by rockershovel 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 57xx Posted January 18, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 18, 2019 When it comes to the large rise in house prices, people tend to forget that for many, many years it was controlled by the limitation of the mortgage providers, whereupon the maximum you could borrow was 2 1/2 times one persons annual salary. This effectively capped property prices at a reasonable level. Some wise-guy then decided to increase the allowable amount that could be borrowed to 4 x both partners annual salary, and hey-presto - up went all the prices because of demand, and up went all the interest payable to the mortgage companies...... Throw in estate agents working on % commission bumping up selling prices so they can get their down-payment on their next Porsche 911. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted January 18, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 18, 2019 Snowflake is quite a pleasant sounding word really, but it is being used as a insult most of the time as mentioned in so many of the really thoughtful posts above. However, it is better than the language used by so many people in discussion on social media in particular or where there are large numbers of so called 'hard' men (or women) and I am not referring to the sort of Rugby Scrum sort of hard person or trained professional that needs to be 'hard'. The formers' language is where every other word is an expletive. Sadly many of that type of person also have no qualms about using foul language wherever they are and whoever is around. So maybe being called a snowflake is more acceptable than being called a ####### #### #### etc. etc.? Sadly verbal bullying is far more in one's face these days and that is disturbing and yet in general most people are still thoughtful and pleasant once the 'ice is broken' by, perhaps, smiling or saying good day, (but maybe not in London and other big cities where if one appears to be friendly then one is suspected of being weird or threatening). Hey ho. P 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbo675 Posted January 18, 2019 Share Posted January 18, 2019 When it comes to the large rise in house prices, people tend to forget that for many, many years it was controlled by the limitation of the mortgage providers, whereupon the maximum you could borrow was 2 1/2 times one persons annual salary. This effectively capped property prices at a reasonable level. Some wise-guy then decided to increase the allowable amount that could be borrowed to 4 x both partners annual salary, and hey-presto - up went all the prices because of demand, and up went all the interest payable to the mortgage companies...... I may have misremembered the exact rates - but that was certainly the gist of it. We all still had to buy a house, but had to borrow a great deal more money to do it, and pay the mortagage companies for the privilege. Then came (unaffordable) negative equity. Nothing to do with the Baby Boomers per-se, rather the financial institutions who worked out they could shake the money tree. Hi Giles, According to Alan Greenspan the rise in house prices is all to do with low interest rates in so much that the interest rate indicates the quality of credit offered and also the future value of money. To put it another way, any particular house is still worth one house but the value of the currency has fallen significantly. We shall see soon enough the price of food catch up with this as food retains its value as the the price of currencies against food plummets. We will no doubt be lied to again when we are told that it is because of food shortages just as we have a housing shortage. Gibbo. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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