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What does Britain do which is the Envy of The World?

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  • lostinrates
    lostinrates Posts: 55,283 Forumite
    I've been Money Tipped!
    edited 13 December 2009 at 4:19PM
    carolt wrote: »
    Oh, and loved your cucumber point, LIR!

    That said, other countries manage to have veg eg tomatoes that still taste of something...


    True, very true. OTOH they also might be prepared to eat more seasonally and spend higher proportion of income on food sourced more locally there fore sold closest to time of picking.

    I'm ussually with davesnave on weather. Having spent much of childhood in extreme heat, the delight of layering of clothes and not always being weaty win for me. I love having four seasons, all different and exciting...which is why recent years, this last year especially, concern me.
  • mbga9pgf
    mbga9pgf Posts: 3,224 Forumite
    edited 13 December 2009 at 4:50PM
    A military that time and time again, punches well above its budgeted weight. Most people think we are only involved in afganistan. There are numerous defence diplomacy missions going on round the world, which have a significant effect on geopolitics. Our special forces are quite literally the envy of the world. Their size however limits their impact. That is down to one factor - pure grit and determination and a refusal to give up in spite of horrendous adversity, all true british traits in my mind.

    Secondly, a Royal Family. Much more is achieved, particularly in some of the feudal countries (Saudi et al) with direct contact behind closed doors between monarchs. Many of the foreign heads of state will not even recognise an elected minister as a powerful individual, its just not in their culture.

    We are barely holding onto the coat-tails of the old empire/commonwealth, although I expect to see that legacy unfortunately dissapear over the next generation. It actually holds great power in some of our former colonies to this day.... Having over one third of the world coloured pink on the political map a century ago is something for which I am proud.

    I take it no-one is mentioning the banking system as a bastion of envy and wealth creation then these days? :)
  • Nenen
    Nenen Posts: 2,379 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    abaxas wrote: »
    That made me laugh, most uk universities have zero standards, all they want is bums of seats, especailly from abroad.

    If you actually beleive education happens an unis, you should work for one, to have your eyes opened.

    I think you may be correct when considering some of the new universities (old polytechnics) which often seem to go out of their way to spoon-feed students through courses which themselves lack academic rigour. However, having just completed a masters degree at the University of Cambridge, I can honestly say that I witnessed academic rigour, truly creative application of intellect and sound ethical research, all of which make it extremely attractive to foreign students. Approximately half of the students in my faculty were foreign and, without exception, they all valued the opportunity to study at Cambridge as it is still perceived to be one of the best universities in the world. Most said that they would get far better jobs in their home countries having studied at Cambridge than they would had they studied in one of their home universities. They also said that the kudos associated with Cambridge meant they could get a job anywhere in the world.
    “A journey is best measured in friends, not in miles.”
    (Tim Cahill)
  • misskool
    misskool Posts: 12,832 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    abaxas wrote: »
    That made me laugh, most uk universities have zero standards, all they want is bums of seats, especailly from abroad.

    If you actually beleive education happens an unis, you should work for one, to have your eyes opened.

    I work at a university and it's more complex than that. I teach for free because they can't afford to pay me. My main job is to do research. The funding for home students and their fees are not enough to cover what is necessary to teach them properly.

    The reason why they recruit from abroad is because it actually pays for the university to keep the standards they are accustomed to. A foreign student pay up to £12,000 a year just for fees and that's the true cost of being educated.
  • misskool
    misskool Posts: 12,832 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    The British do great puddings. Treacle tart, spotted richard and things like that.

    Scones and clotted cream!

    Proper British ale is something to be proud of.

    And irony. I love British sense of humour, it's a perfect blend of wit and sarcasm.
  • lostinrates
    lostinrates Posts: 55,283 Forumite
    I've been Money Tipped!
    edited 13 December 2009 at 9:06PM
    Nenen wrote: »
    I think you may be correct when considering some of the new universities (old polytechnics) which often seem to go out of their way to spoon-feed students through courses which themselves lack academic rigour..

    I think its more complex than that still: and depends on the institution and the course. DH found it harder, for example, handing in asignment for his Law converion,at a former poly, becaue of the very strict protocol of layout...where a he'd been a pen and paper man, in the main, at Oxford....at a time when at my university pen and paper simply wasn't allowed! His course was undoubtedly more intellectual than mine though.



    I chose my undergrad course on content and rating of the course, not the university, which in retrospect was a foolish decision former: socially I would have been better suited, I think, to a different institution.
  • Mr.Brown_4
    Mr.Brown_4 Posts: 1,109 Forumite
    misskool wrote: »
    And irony. I love British sense of humour, it's a perfect blend of wit and sarcasm.
    Oh I do agree, which is why I am still a big fan of "On The Buses".
  • Davesnave
    Davesnave Posts: 34,741 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    DiggerUK wrote: »
    Tolerance +1.
    I'm glad we outnumber the intolerant.

    Monty Python's "Life of Brian", nobody does historical accuracy like us.

    Usually tolerant. When 'Life of Brian' was released, DW and I found it was banned in our fair city of Bath, so we had to travel to that capital of sleaze and debauchery, Frome, in order to be corrupted by it.;)

    What did the Romans ever do for us?

    Quite a lot in the case of Bath, which does very well with its Aquae Sulis brand!:cool:
  • carolt
    carolt Posts: 8,531 Forumite
    Wow - can't believe it was banned, Davesnave!

    Still, that was some years ago...

    These days, you'd be fine - as long as it was only Christ you were laughing at. :rolleyes:

    Or would you?

    Hmm.

    Still - we're better than many, I think, on the tolerance front.
  • StevieJ
    StevieJ Posts: 20,174 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Has anyone mentioned the English language yet, it must be good most of the world seems to be using it icon7.gif
    'Just think for a moment what a prospect that is. A single market without barriers visible or invisible giving you direct and unhindered access to the purchasing power of over 300 million of the worlds wealthiest and most prosperous people' Margaret Thatcher
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