h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

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A controversial rail project is to get its own college:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-25714315

It seems that over the years since the railways in England were privatised, those private companies didn't spend enough or any money training up the next generation of engineers they'd need. From what I can gather, and Bald Bloke will know more, they've basically just hired in what they need, fully trained, and dumbed down how trained they need to be.

So, now we have a potentially massive new engineering project and no workers to build it. Not a problem, the government can step in, build a college, and train up all the necessary engineers. Once its built though, most of them will go and work in the private sector.

So, unless I'm reading between the wrong lines here...
Private sector didn't invest, government is having to invest, private sector gets the benefit.

If that is the case, then I can't help but think that the private sector should start looking to build its own colleges, a bit like the apprentice schools that there used to be maybe?

A retired police officer shot dead a fellow cinemagoer in Florida in an argument over texting, police say.

Ex-officer Curtis Reeves, 71, opened fire after asking a man sitting directly in front of him to stop texting several times,

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-25726591

I imagine cinema-goers will be cheering this new hard-line stance

>>I imagine cinema-goers will be cheering this new hard-line stance

Yes, except that I find if there's one thing even more annoying than someone texting in the cinema, it's when they're murdering people.

If that cop is looking for new job ticket inspector on South West Trains would get my vote then the "quiet zone" would actually be quiet.

Well, I do hope he used a silencer!

Ooh, another south west trains commuter We must have a mini meet at Waterloo

Fortunately I only have the pleasure of hearing about "signal failures at St Deny" causing unspecified delays occasionally but you have my sympathy if this is a daily occurrence for you.

Snowden reveals that US is run by Nazi Aliens.
And has been since 1945 according to Iranian webcast.

http://youtu.be/tIlHpsKtpco


~jwf~

Are they blood sucking lizards or are they Old Etonian Vogons like the UK cabinet.

...and why doesn't the H2G2 spellcheck recognise the word Vogon - is it because THEY don't want us to know the dreadful TRUTH

There's an H2G2 spellchoock?

Nah, it'll be your browser that has the spellcheck

Badger News

Defra admit the risk of TB was overstated.

So, whose fault is it? Why the computer, of course.

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/bodges-and-badgers-defra-admits-problems-with-data-measuring-system-meant-tb-rate-was-overstated-9062698.html

The only thing worse than relying on statistics
is acting upon bad statistics.


~jwf~

I'm sure the NFU will now claim badgers are spreading computer viruses and are working for Nazi aliens

I love the understatement "they are not terribly good at keeping records”. In a scientific context this means more or less "they are not doing anything useful."

There are many things worse than relying on statistics, and one is inventing statistics.

Including the inventing them by seeing the ones they want, and then ignoring the rest or even checking the ones they've seen

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-25787757

At least she's not claiming it was an immaculate conception.

That is a strange one. Personally I wish her and her child well

www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25780908

I don't mosey along to this thread very often (it grows so alarmingly fast) but I couldn't resist the headline "Fridge sends spam mail".

Spam in the fridge? Whatever next?