Search found 967 matches

by rockfreak
Wed Dec 07, 2016 9:15 pm
Forum: General Chat - CH Stuff
Topic: Poor disciplinary C.H. staff
Replies: 95
Views: 26162

Re: Poor disciplinary C.H. staff

I suppose that in the end people take whatever bits of dogma appeal to them, and if enough people subscribe then these things turn into myths. And by myths I don't mean lies, but legends which for some reason exercise a powerful psychological pull on people's imaginations. After all, there are vario...
by rockfreak
Mon Dec 05, 2016 9:01 pm
Forum: General Chat - Non CH
Topic: Politics
Replies: 624
Views: 236078

Re: Politics

I would say that all these subjects are important. Science, Engineering, etc are indeed neglected (particularly since Mrs Thatcher came in and we lost our old heavy industries but failed to replace them with new tech, high tech, green tech, etc). But art has always been important for a civilised soc...
by rockfreak
Mon Dec 05, 2016 8:46 pm
Forum: General Chat - CH Stuff
Topic: Poor disciplinary C.H. staff
Replies: 95
Views: 26162

Re: Poor disciplinary C.H. staff

Michael, I would take the Chain's accusation of being muddled as something of a compliment. After all, who can be certain of anything, especially in matters of religion. A good academic will always leave the door slightly ajar for the possibility of someone discovering something new. As for the foun...
by rockfreak
Sun Dec 04, 2016 8:31 pm
Forum: General Chat - Non CH
Topic: Politics
Replies: 624
Views: 236078

Re: Politics

Replying to Sejintenej - I wasn't really referring to CH, I was talking more about the elite, expensive public schools where these days they seem to have state of the art drama, music and arts centres and coaches to match. Meanwhile, the state schools get trimmed back by comparison. But at least an ...
by rockfreak
Sat Dec 03, 2016 5:31 pm
Forum: General Chat - CH Stuff
Topic: Poor disciplinary C.H. staff
Replies: 95
Views: 26162

Re: Poor disciplinary C.H. staff

Dr Scuffil solves another puzzle for us. An eminent Doctor called Scuffil Was prone to the pedagogue shuffle. The theories did flow, Sometimes just a bon mot: But he always delivered a truffle. I knew religious people back in the Chain's day who believed implicitly in angels (regardless of any confu...
by rockfreak
Wed Nov 23, 2016 8:36 pm
Forum: General Chat - CH Stuff
Topic: pretty boys
Replies: 3
Views: 1786

Re: pretty boys

Nick Duffell (as usual) is interesting on this subject in The Making of Them. Some good-looking boys (often on the fringe of puberty when they sometimes exhibit an almost feminine beauty) become the object of desire of older boys. If they don't respond to the advances they are sometimes unfairly lab...
by rockfreak
Sat Nov 19, 2016 3:36 pm
Forum: General Chat - Non CH
Topic: Politics
Replies: 624
Views: 236078

Re: Politics

Freaky strikes again. Another letter in the Grauniad today (Saturday 19). Well not directly about politics but titled "Pop culture is a rich kids' playground". All those well-funded arts and music facilities are seeing the public school mob invading the territory originally occupied by peo...
by rockfreak
Sat Nov 12, 2016 10:24 pm
Forum: Abuse cases and related discussions
Topic: Allegations of abuse in today's news
Replies: 45
Views: 18126

Re: Allegations of abuse in today's news

Phil, I love how in your link Dr Klein says that "the school is pulling together to get through a difficult time". No mention of the victims' "difficult time". All a bit reminiscent of the Catholic church's attitude until they were actually forced by public opinion to do a mea cu...
by rockfreak
Fri Nov 11, 2016 10:06 pm
Forum: Abuse cases and related discussions
Topic: Allegations of abuse in today's news
Replies: 45
Views: 18126

Re: Allegations of abuse in today's news

Why do these idiotic rich people send their children away to boarding school? Is it because they're either too lazy or stupid to bring them up themselves? Or is it just snobbery? And do the children get a better education or are they just taught to speak well, acquire an air of confidence and have a...
by rockfreak
Thu Nov 10, 2016 7:01 pm
Forum: General Chat - Non CH
Topic: Politics as poker
Replies: 6
Views: 3500

Re: Politics as poker

The natural consequence of 37 years (36 in the US) of neoliberalism in which the ordinary punter has been squeezed in favour of speculators and people who hardly qualify to even be called capitalists. The fact that the protest vote has attached itself to strange fish like Farage and Trump is a measu...
by rockfreak
Thu Nov 10, 2016 6:48 pm
Forum: Abuse cases and related discussions
Topic: Allegations of abuse in today's news
Replies: 45
Views: 18126

Re: Allegations of abuse in today's news

I'd be happier to engage with Banker Brown's posts if he could provide more solid, independent evidence for his sweeping assertions. To put it bluntly - what the hell is he on about?
by rockfreak
Wed Nov 09, 2016 5:47 pm
Forum: Abuse cases and related discussions
Topic: Allegations of abuse in today's news
Replies: 45
Views: 18126

Re: Allegations of abuse in today's news

I don't think anyone is in the business of naming anyone, Julian. I think some ex-pupils are now taking the opportunity to give a good airing to the whole question of boarding schools - the pros and cons. Like Phil, I had some good times at CH and was grateful for the education but that puts us in t...
by rockfreak
Tue Nov 08, 2016 7:43 pm
Forum: Abuse cases and related discussions
Topic: Allegations of abuse in today's news
Replies: 45
Views: 18126

Re: Allegations of abuse in today's news

Boarding schools in out-of-the-way places with children from backgrounds that vary from good to limited (CH particularly here) are always a natural target for predators. To say nothing of the snobbery and self-entitlement they encourage (witness this site). Close them down, I say.
by rockfreak
Wed Nov 02, 2016 8:22 pm
Forum: General Chat - Non CH
Topic: Politics
Replies: 624
Views: 236078

Re: Politics

OK gang. What do we think of Brexit four months down the line? Good idea or bad? Will Christ's Hospital be exposed to World Trade Organisation Rules? Will all entrants (and leavers) be whacked with heavy tariffs? Will Banker Brown still get the financial passport? Or will he simply decamp to the Cay...
by rockfreak
Mon Oct 31, 2016 8:37 pm
Forum: General Chat - CH Stuff
Topic: Howard Davies
Replies: 8
Views: 2950

Re: Howard Davies

Not entirely John. The Grauniad obit said that his father was a miner turned glass blower who instilled in him a deep love of learning. "The teachers at Christ's Hospital were bright enough to give a natural rebel a measure of authority which he immediately used to abolish fagging. The experien...