Huguenot

His teeth are strangely good...

I can always raise a beer for you UDT ;-)

Surely if you work in the chippy you should make an effort to pop in more frequently ;-)

He's just trying to sell a book. He asks whether it's a 'conspiracy' and then affirms "I have no evidence that the changes in England were manufactured deliberately" Well that's not a conspiracy then is it? His comments about Indian and Chinese students enforce the prejudice: "Indian students are the most likely to be educated privately: at twice the white rate and five times the rate for black students." He's trying to extrapolate from the macro to the individual scale, whilst implicitly recognising that not evey student of a particular colour is advantaged. Ergo skin colour does not predict any particular outcome. "A new assessment system for five-year-olds appears to have erased, virtually overnight, the only part of the system where black children were relatively successful." This appears to assume malice aforethought in complete contradiction to his earlier statement. It's poor academic logic, and rabble rousing to boot.

His politics are more Carnelli than Huguenotic. I'm too much of a Blairite. 5 mins with John Prescott But I can't help but admire and like the bloke. He was overmanaged and cowed by Campbell. Labour was being overrun and distorted by very bright, quick thinking and somewhat Machiavellian socialists. There's no doubt I'd have been in their camp, but there's something essentially likeable and socially intelligent about Prescott. I'd have been pleased but frustrated to have worked with someone like him!

It's interesting psychology isn't it? It's clear Miss Zoe is angry - but by refusing any further dialogue she's intent on preventing a resolution. In other words she's angry, and she wants to stay that way.

Haha! The problem with Google is it doesn't know context. I've been sick plenty of times in my life, and all but two of them involving alcohol. Pretty safe to say that whatever the symptoms I'm expressing booze is probably more likely than a disease I've picked up from pigeons.

Does, doesn't it? Still need some help on the PR though - and Miss Zoe would be wise not to email in anger!

Sorry, I was a bit harsh. Collectivist thinking has an incredible impact on development and expectations - I'm an evil ad man working in SE Asia, and it has a tremendous influence of marketing communications. I suspect that the 'discipline' idea that you refer to has more to do with social obligation rather than discipline in an Anglo Saxon sense. Most activities and behaviours are efectively a transaction with society, to fail to live up to your academic potential is perceived as 'ripping off' one's family - and exposure means shame, embarrassment and humiliation. Most of us would work hard to avoid that. It's not so much discipline that drives application to homework, more a sense of pride and debt. However, this isn't necessarily a good thing. It wouldn't be acceptable to Anglo Saxons who set great store by personal freedoms and self-actualisation (you do yourself re. Remembrance for example). It often results in people failing to meet their own potential, as they work hard to meet other people's expectations. Many people in SE Asia would be described as 'doormats' by their British counterparts.

My therapist says I have a preoccupation with vengeance. We will see about that

I've heard good things about both! I'm just about to start 'The Prague Cemtery' - am I going to be heppy I did?

Those Google diagnoses weren't easy either. One of them was "extrinsic allergic alveolitis caused by Mycobacterium avium". Not your average run of the mill infection. UDT, have you considered that your doctor might have deliberately misdiagnosed you? ;-)

http://www.takethepiss.com/forums/attachments/music/7488d1231545810-swedish-dance-bands-70s-swedish-dance-bands-010-jpg

No BB100 - race does not contribute. The colour of your skin is a genetic factor that has no influence on intellectual development. You are confusing race with culture, a confusion that can only be made by someone who judges others based on their skin colour. "it is well known amongst teachers that Asian students have strict home rules about school work and these students succeed" That judgement could only be made by racist teachers. Teachers who draw that conculsion should be lucky to keep their jobs and would be appropriate subjects for retraining. The only thing that teachers know is that students who are subject to strict home rules about school work tend to be more successful. It may well be that these traits tend to manifest themselves more openly in collectivist cultures - but it is not appropriate to draw the conclusion that they have yellow skin and consequently must discipline their children.

Having said that, she'd probably benefit from taking her own advice.... "Learn patience and have an increased awareness of the need to understand the emotions and points of view of others" I don't think she's been vilified though - anything but.

Ach, DJKQ, they did a fair job having been dealt such a bad hand ;-)

Meant in a kindly way I suspect Miss Zoe has just lost a sense of perspective. She seems to have taken J's withdrawal very personally, and she seems to have transferred all of her frustrations to you. I think your disappointed reaction is the right one to take, I can see that you're quite hurt by Miss Zoe's offensive attitude. She was probably just having a bad day, and forgot that she owes her livelihood to the goodwill of generous parents like yourself. As you already have done, I'd just take it on the chin and walk away, confident that your friends will share your chagrin.

The DoT and TFL seem perfectly well up on the regulatory environment, it's only the BBC London team and yourself that are loudly getting it wrong. Quite happy to set you straight old man :) I've yet to hear the proposal on staffing, be glad to consider it if you've got anything? I don't see why they should require any more staff than a bendy bus, but I'm sure Chippy Minton and his union friends would disagree.

Incidentally UDT, you keep referring to the bus as an open platform bus, I take it you are unaware that the rear platform has doors? It is entirely up to the country legislation, company policy or driver choice as to whether to leave them open or shut. It does not impact upon the bus selection for export, it's simply an option.

I haven't got a clue what you're talking about now UDT. 'International Regulations' are not a set of rules. It seems to have been used as a catch all by the BBC to describe regulations that might be found elsewhere and vary from country to country. I'm afraid the error is yours not mine, although I'm aware that the idea of being wrong wil make you furious. The largest regulations covering new buses are the ECE (European) directives. Many countries around the world use thse as a foundation, and then add or subtract from them until they're satisfied. As you have seen by the adoption of the new Routemaster in the UK, countries are not compelled to adhere to them. As with most regulations, they are subject to interpretation by precedent, and a new design such as the Routemaster is perfectly capable of proposing itself as a new standard and setting new rules. Both the manufacturer and TFL are confident this will take place. It may well be that your extensive experience in 'international bus regulations' would be of use to them, so you should ring them up and offer your advice or set them straight. Regarding the need for a second staff member, as I have already pointed out, the design can be used in a number of ways - either as a traditional front loader past the driver to issue tickets, or as a multi entrance vehicle commonly used around the world with card systems that also require no conductor. Enjoy!

Haha! Being called a prat by UDT, it's like watching him soil his panties and limp slowly away with his knees held far apart. One of the particular problems with the old Routemaster was that it required a staff of two. The new one can either operate as a one man bus, with only the front entrance open, or as a card system with all doors open. It's particularly suited to HK and SG for that reason. The majority of fleets in both those cities are double deck. As it happens, old Routemasters continue to be employed around the world as tourist buses despite UDT claiming bus regulation as yet another area of expertise.

That story merely relates that the new London Routemaster doesn't fall within current EU legislation. Since there are no other back platform double deckers this isn't exactly surprising is it? As all in the industry have observed, it is still likely to be passed as fit for use after the designs have been submitted. The story is simply tabloid scaremongering from that rather populist bunch at BBC London.

More relentless crap from America - what is wrong with you? Why are you obsessed with America? Dredging up unethical controlled medical experiments from history to prove that contrails are chemical mind control experiments on the population has as much validity as claiming that the Gunpowder Plot proves the Catholics are engaged in psychotic cow mutation through electomagnetic waves. As for implying that Marmora Man is part of the conspiracy and high on drugs, it beggars belief.

According to this independent Autocar review, despite its unique design, the new Routemaster is only 10% more than the average hybrid bus. I think that's a tiny price to pay for the iconic value, and the potential it has to make more cash for TfL on resale. Places like HK and Sg also have RHD buses with card only usage - so there's no reason why it shouldn'y be equally popular there (it would only really work for card based public transport and hence no use in the shires): "At around ?330,000, the NBfL won?t be cheap when it makes full-scale production for 2013, but neither are its competitors: other hybrid double-deck buses cost ?300,000, and when you consider the 12 to 15-year lifespan in London (after which each bus might still get sold on), the NBfL doesn?t seem like such bad value. "Especially when you consider its economy and emissions. A return of 11.6mpg and 640g/km of CO2 don?t sound that great until you consider that a typical hybrid double-decker returns just 8.6mpg and 864g/km, and a conventional diesel bus 5.8mpg and 1295g/km. London has to make big improvements to its air quality, and the reduction in emissions that comes from replacing several hundred of TfL?s 8000 buses with NBfLs will contribute to the clean-up. If all goes well, TfL might even clean up financially, too; if Wrightbus can sell this design to other cities and countries, TfL gets a cut of each sale. "Price: ?330,000; Economy: 11.6mpg; CO2: 640g/km; Kerb weight: 17,900kg; Generator: 4 cyls in line, 4460cc, rear-mounted, turbodiesel; Transmission: RWD Siemens full-series hybrid system with DC inverter, Siemens AC electric moto and 75kWh lithium ion battery pack; Power: 174bhp; Torque: 1844lb ft"

Just as an aside, I disagree that recessions are the wrong time to invest in cultural, landmark or innovative public projects. I think it's the perfect time - get everybody up and at 'em...