In article ,
Chris Hogg wrote:
On Sun, 17 Feb 2013 23:43:10 -0000, Janet wrote:

In article ,
says...

The average reading age of 7 comes from an NHS induction course for
new staff.

Refuted here

http://bel-epa.com/notes/Ginger/PPIG...eading-age.xml

It's all elementary statistics - note the quote from Sir Claus Moser,
who knows how to express statistics accurately and comprehensibly.

The BEL-EPA 'Home Page' makes interesting reading:

The Bureau of Earth Liaison was established under the Developing
Planetary Systems Initiative (DPSI) in order to promote and maintain
interaction between the peoples of Earth and the wider community.

Q: Is there any evidence of intelligence on Earth?

A: No, I'm only visiting.

The thing that is horrific is that the official scales stop at
a level that is below that many of the postings on this group
and, even then, only 44% of the adult population achieve it.
On that scale, to be able to read anything that contains real
information about politics, economics, or pretty well anything
else needs a level 7 or more. Which is why the UK population is
so ignorant, and so vulnerable to manipulation by the Murdochs,
Daily Wail and other demagogues.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

On 2013-02-18 14:09:10 +0000, said:

In article ,
Chris Hogg wrote:
On Sun, 17 Feb 2013 23:43:10 -0000, Janet wrote:

In article ,
lid says...

The average reading age of 7 comes from an NHS induction course for
new staff.

Refuted here

http://bel-epa.com/notes/Ginger/PPIG...eading-age.xml

It's all elementary statistics - note the quote from Sir Claus Moser,
who knows how to express statistics accurately and comprehensibly.

The BEL-EPA 'Home Page' makes interesting reading:

The Bureau of Earth Liaison was established under the Developing
Planetary Systems Initiative (DPSI) in order to promote and maintain
interaction between the peoples of Earth and the wider community.

Q: Is there any evidence of intelligence on Earth?

A: No, I'm only visiting.

This makes me think of the person who asked Mahatma Gandhi what he
thought of western civilisation. He said he thought it would be an
excellent idea. ;-)

The thing that is horrific is that the official scales stop at
a level that is below that many of the postings on this group
and, even then, only 44% of the adult population achieve it.
On that scale, to be able to read anything that contains real
information about politics, economics, or pretty well anything
else needs a level 7 or more. Which is why the UK population is
so ignorant, and so vulnerable to manipulation by the Murdochs,
Daily Wail and other demagogues.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

I read the Daily Mail every day, salt cellar in hand. And I know quite
a few others here do, too. I also read the Daily Telegraph, the Mid
Devon Advertiser, the Totnes Times, Country Life and The Lady
(unexpectedly excellent magazine now, for those who haven't seen it in
years) The Oldie and if totally desperate Aircraft. It's a big
Shavian-style mistake to judge people on the papers they read. I'm
sure you and others, have been open to manipulation in your time. Most
of us have, even if we didn't recognise it as such when it was
happening.

What amuses me is the number of people who inveigh against the DM but
who must, surely, read it to be so confident in their opinions? ;-)
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

In article ,
Sacha wrote:

I read the Daily Mail every day, salt cellar in hand. And I know quite
a few others here do, too. I also read the Daily Telegraph, the Mid
Devon Advertiser, the Totnes Times, Country Life and The Lady
(unexpectedly excellent magazine now, for those who haven't seen it in
years) The Oldie and if totally desperate Aircraft. It's a big
Shavian-style mistake to judge people on the papers they read. I'm
sure you and others, have been open to manipulation in your time. Most
of us have, even if we didn't recognise it as such when it was
happening.

I was judging the paper, and a regrettable number of its readers,
not all of its readers!

The Lady used to be far better than it was given credit for, and
some really quite good writers used to publish occasional articles
in it. Country Life is a bit tedious, but quite often has one or
two interesting articles.

What amuses me is the number of people who inveigh against the DM but
who must, surely, read it to be so confident in their opinions? ;-)

It's available in the waiting room where I go for my blood pressure
trial appointments. Usual experience is several gross and obvious
falsehoods, invented to support its bigotry, but nothing either
interesting or informative. Then I either give up or get called in.

Now, if they still had Flook :-)


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

wrote in message ...
In article ,
Sacha wrote:

I read the Daily Mail every day, salt cellar in hand. And I know quite
a few others here do, too. I also read the Daily Telegraph, the Mid
Devon Advertiser, the Totnes Times, Country Life and The Lady
(unexpectedly excellent magazine now, for those who haven't seen it in
years) The Oldie and if totally desperate Aircraft. It's a big
Shavian-style mistake to judge people on the papers they read. I'm
sure you and others, have been open to manipulation in your time. Most
of us have, even if we didn't recognise it as such when it was
happening.

I was judging the paper, and a regrettable number of its readers,
not all of its readers!

The Lady used to be far better than it was given credit for, and
some really quite good writers used to publish occasional articles
in it. Country Life is a bit tedious, but quite often has one or
two interesting articles.

What amuses me is the number of people who inveigh against the DM but
who must, surely, read it to be so confident in their opinions? ;-)

It's available in the waiting room where I go for my blood pressure
trial appointments. Usual experience is several gross and obvious
falsehoods, invented to support its bigotry, but nothing either
interesting or informative. Then I either give up or get called in.

Now, if they still had Flook :-)


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Has Flook gone? :-(( I remember his arrival! Late 1940's? Very early
1950's?

Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, Daily Telegraph were some of the newspapers we
provided in our Hotel Lounge for the Visitors. Daily Sketch as well I
believe.

Certainly not The Sun ;-)

Mike


--

....................................

I'm an Angel, honest ! The horns are there just to keep the halo straight.

....................................

On 2013-02-18 18:28:41 +0000, said:

In article ,
Sacha wrote:

I read the Daily Mail every day, salt cellar in hand. And I know quite
a few others here do, too. I also read the Daily Telegraph, the Mid
Devon Advertiser, the Totnes Times, Country Life and The Lady
(unexpectedly excellent magazine now, for those who haven't seen it in
years) The Oldie and if totally desperate Aircraft. It's a big
Shavian-style mistake to judge people on the papers they read. I'm
sure you and others, have been open to manipulation in your time. Most
of us have, even if we didn't recognise it as such when it was
happening.

I was judging the paper, and a regrettable number of its readers,
not all of its readers!

The Lady used to be far better than it was given credit for, and
some really quite good writers used to publish occasional articles
in it. Country Life is a bit tedious, but quite often has one or
two interesting articles.

What amuses me is the number of people who inveigh against the DM but
who must, surely, read it to be so confident in their opinions? ;-)

It's available in the waiting room where I go for my blood pressure
trial appointments. Usual experience is several gross and obvious
falsehoods, invented to support its bigotry, but nothing either
interesting or informative. Then I either give up or get called in.

Now, if they still had Flook :-)


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Hmmm, don't remember Flook, I'll have to look that one up. The Lady
really is good now and again, it has some good writers contributing
interesting articles. Rachel Johnson's stint as Editor (she's now
Editor in Chief) gave it the shot in the arm it needed. And from a
female's pov, it's refreshing to be able to read a mag that doesn't
constantly tell us how to look younger, thinner, sexier etc., or
anything else designed to undermine our self-esteem! Let's just say I
know a couple of men who enjoy reading it now, too. I really don't
know why we take Country Life, if I'm to be honest. We enjoy the
articles, though most of the content is advertising. Now that Carla
Carlisle no long writes for them, the best bit for me is the Tottering
By Gently cartoons. And may I gently suggest that reading the DM just
before having a blood pressure test might be something you'd like to
reconsider. ;-)
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

"Sacha" wrote in message
...
On 2013-02-18 18:28:41 +0000, said:

In article ,
Sacha wrote:

I read the Daily Mail every day, salt cellar in hand. And I know quite
a few others here do, too. I also read the Daily Telegraph, the Mid
Devon Advertiser, the Totnes Times, Country Life and The Lady
(unexpectedly excellent magazine now, for those who haven't seen it in
years) The Oldie and if totally desperate Aircraft. It's a big
Shavian-style mistake to judge people on the papers they read. I'm
sure you and others, have been open to manipulation in your time. Most
of us have, even if we didn't recognise it as such when it was
happening.

I was judging the paper, and a regrettable number of its readers,
not all of its readers!

The Lady used to be far better than it was given credit for, and
some really quite good writers used to publish occasional articles
in it. Country Life is a bit tedious, but quite often has one or
two interesting articles.

What amuses me is the number of people who inveigh against the DM but
who must, surely, read it to be so confident in their opinions? ;-)

It's available in the waiting room where I go for my blood pressure
trial appointments. Usual experience is several gross and obvious
falsehoods, invented to support its bigotry, but nothing either
interesting or informative. Then I either give up or get called in.

Now, if they still had Flook :-)


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Hmmm, don't remember Flook, I'll have to look that one up. Sacha

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flook_%28comic_strip%29

Remember it well and I remember it's arrival ;-)

Mike

--

....................................

I'm an Angel, honest ! The horns are there just to keep the halo straight.

....................................

On 2013-02-19 11:31:18 +0000, Martin said:

On Tue, 19 Feb 2013 09:55:04 +0000, Sacha wrote:

On 2013-02-18 18:28:41 +0000, said:

snip

Now, if they still had Flook :-)


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Hmmm, don't remember Flook, I'll have to look that one up.
Wiki
"Storylines were written by the singer and writer George Melly, the
comedian Barry Took, the musician Humphrey Lyttelton and the film
critic Barry Norman. In 1953 some were written by Compton
Mackenzie.[2] Several book-length episodes and compilations were
separately published, and the Daily Mail also marketed a Flook toy.
The ironic and bohemian ethos of the strip was curiously at variance
with the stuffy conservatism of the Daily Mail,[1] which finally shut
the strip down, after 10,000 episodes, because the editor, David
English, could not stomach its repeated jabs at the then Prime
Minister, Margaret Thatcher,[3] (though she is said to have enjoyed
it) and the strip's covert criticism of the Mail 's championing of the
cause of Zola Budd.[2] After this Flook ran for a while at the
opposite end of the British press's political spectrum, since the
Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror (diametrically opposed to the Mail's
right wing stance) snapped it up and ran the strip on their cartoon
pages for a few years.
Flook was also adopted as a mascot by 831 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, and
the character was painted on the squadron aircraft."


There's a full length example here
http://animationresources.org/?p=822

The Lady
really is good now and again, it has some good writers contributing
interesting articles. Rachel Johnson's stint as Editor (she's now
Editor in Chief) gave it the shot in the arm it needed. And from a
female's pov, it's refreshing to be able to read a mag that doesn't
constantly tell us how to look younger, thinner, sexier etc., or
anything else designed to undermine our self-esteem! Let's just say I
know a couple of men who enjoy reading it now, too. I really don't
know why we take Country Life, if I'm to be honest. We enjoy the
articles, though most of the content is advertising. Now that Carla
Carlisle no long writes for them, the best bit for me is the Tottering
By Gently cartoons. And may I gently suggest that reading the DM just
before having a blood pressure test might be something you'd like to
reconsider. ;-)

All those women flaunting their bodies might be just the thing to look
at before a stress ECG. Oh my dicky ticker!

The DM has the best news photos and usuallly is the first with
breaking news. News stories have a lot in common with those in the
Daily Telegraph. Sometimes thé only difference is the font size.

Don't you read GW and The Garden too, Sacha?

I think I was probably a bit young for newspapers in 1953. I read The
Garden but not GW. That'll surprise you! ;-) Ray reads the trade mags
and sometimes I glance at them but I can't say I study them that
carefully! Just about my ex-husband's greatest moment was briefly
playing with the Humphrey Lyttleton band when both played at a charity
ball in Jersey. He was on Cloud 9, even if a little restricted by his
evening wear!
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

On 2013-02-19 16:37:14 +0000, Martin said:

On Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:25:56 +0000, Sacha wrote:

On 2013-02-19 11:31:18 +0000, Martin said:

On Tue, 19 Feb 2013 09:55:04 +0000, Sacha wrote:

On 2013-02-18 18:28:41 +0000, said:

snip

Now, if they still had Flook :-)


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Hmmm, don't remember Flook, I'll have to look that one up.
Wiki
"Storylines were written by the singer and writer George Melly, the
comedian Barry Took, the musician Humphrey Lyttelton and the film
critic Barry Norman. In 1953 some were written by Compton
Mackenzie.[2] Several book-length episodes and compilations were
separately published, and the Daily Mail also marketed a Flook toy.
The ironic and bohemian ethos of the strip was curiously at variance
with the stuffy conservatism of the Daily Mail,[1] which finally shut
the strip down, after 10,000 episodes, because the editor, David
English, could not stomach its repeated jabs at the then Prime
Minister, Margaret Thatcher,[3] (though she is said to have enjoyed
it) and the strip's covert criticism of the Mail 's championing of the
cause of Zola Budd.[2] After this Flook ran for a while at the
opposite end of the British press's political spectrum, since the
Daily Mirror and Sunday Mirror (diametrically opposed to the Mail's
right wing stance) snapped it up and ran the strip on their cartoon
pages for a few years.
Flook was also adopted as a mascot by 831 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, and
the character was painted on the squadron aircraft."


There's a full length example here
http://animationresources.org/?p=822

The Lady
really is good now and again, it has some good writers contributing
interesting articles. Rachel Johnson's stint as Editor (she's now
Editor in Chief) gave it the shot in the arm it needed. And from a
female's pov, it's refreshing to be able to read a mag that doesn't
constantly tell us how to look younger, thinner, sexier etc., or
anything else designed to undermine our self-esteem! Let's just say I
know a couple of men who enjoy reading it now, too. I really don't
know why we take Country Life, if I'm to be honest. We enjoy the
articles, though most of the content is advertising. Now that Carla
Carlisle no long writes for them, the best bit for me is the Tottering
By Gently cartoons. And may I gently suggest that reading the DM just
before having a blood pressure test might be something you'd like to
reconsider. ;-)

All those women flaunting their bodies might be just the thing to look
at before a stress ECG. Oh my dicky ticker!

The DM has the best news photos and usuallly is the first with
breaking news. News stories have a lot in common with those in the
Daily Telegraph. Sometimes thé only difference is the font size.

Don't you read GW and The Garden too, Sacha?

I think I was probably a bit young for newspapers in 1953.

but not in 1983?

Probably didn't make it across that small stretch of water! Or I was
too busy for such frivols.

I read The
Garden but not GW. That'll surprise you! ;-)

I guessed when you asked about the French Gardens. Call it male
intuition.

Ray reads the trade mags
and sometimes I glance at them but I can't say I study them that
carefully! Just about my ex-husband's greatest moment was briefly
playing with the Humphrey Lyttleton band when both played at a charity
ball in Jersey. He was on Cloud 9, even if a little restricted by his
evening wear!

Did Ray play the trombone or the drums?

EX husband who was not Ray! My ex played classical guitar but also
'popular' music for fun and was very good. He died some time ago.
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk

On 2013-02-20 08:38:19 +0000, Martin said:

On Tue, 19 Feb 2013 22:33:12 +0000, Sacha wrote:

On 2013-02-19 16:37:14 +0000, Martin said:

Ray reads the trade mags
and sometimes I glance at them but I can't say I study them that
carefully! Just about my ex-husband's greatest moment was briefly
playing with the Humphrey Lyttleton band when both played at a charity
ball in Jersey. He was on Cloud 9, even if a little restricted by his
evening wear!

Did Ray play the trombone or the drums?

EX husband who was not Ray! My ex played classical guitar but also
'popular' music for fun and was very good. He died some time ago.

Whoops! I missed the ex-
My apologies to you and Ray.

Not a worry. I was amused at the mental image of Ray on the drums!
--

Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon
www.helpforheroes.org.uk