Covid-19 discussion thread

[AntsyVee]

Unfortunately the current administration started meddling with the education system back in 2010 and removed stuff like teaching "critical thinking" from the curriculum. There are those who'd like an "education" to be nothing more than knowing the times table and naming the kings and queens of England in order.

Wow, seriously? That's a complete opposite shift from my state. We are trying to incorporate more critical thinking. However, it's often a challenge when many of our students start school so behind or have no support at home.

[glassgirlw]

I am also getting fed up of the hyperbole used by the Covidiots, that somehow these day-to-day restrictions are "tyranny".

Tyranny is being woken up in the middle of the night, dragged from your apartment, having your windows smashed and your business burnt to the ground before you're shepherded off into a train of cattle vans.

It is NOT being asked to wear a bit of paper over your face in a shop for twenty or fewer minutes, nor is it an infringement of what some see as their divine right to get hammered in a pub on a nightly basis.

Exactly this. It’s exhausting listening to and watching these idiots.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Wow, seriously? That's a complete opposite shift from my state. We are trying to incorporate more critical thinking. However, it's often a challenge when many of our students start school so behind or have no support at home.

Interesting article from a well known teaching institution on this:

https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsoci...inking-skills/

There has also been criticism in the past that higher education doesn't award points for it so secondary education put less into it.

I would agree with that article. It's important to give people a foundation but they will miss tons without knowledge of what they are applying it too. There has always been a big jump from leaving uni with a degree in x to performing the job. Some professions translate well between degree and practice e.g. law but many don't. Management is one I think is a good example. Teaching people to manage staff means them doing it because people and situations are too diverse for the books to handle. Then there is managing workstreams which is more complex. Managers that understand how the work is performed, how it goes wrong, where improvements can be made etc outstrip a typical 'staff manager' type who thinks moving from one industry to another means they have transferable skills to do it. They don't. They take a step back.

In my own experience I saw much of this and spent a lot of time supporting managers as a SME. I had been in their role but worked my say up for a few years from the bottom. But put me in a new area and only so much of my skill will transfer.

Further evidence of this is in business analysis. They struggle without SMEs. They can only bring previous training & experience.

Business complain they want key skills in education yet have spent so many years in the belief you need a minimum of a degree to even get an interview. So they don't want vocational training then if any old degree is enough. Critical thinking at uni was one of the points made for this. My best mate a classics degree. He said it was worthless but a subject he enjoyed. It didn't prepare him and he labelled it a piece of paper to get a foot in the door. But when it came to business management graduate courses at companies it was an irrelevant degree as standard were tighter. My GF has one in archaeology. She loved working on digs. But there is no money in it.

I think people learn anyway. They just take longer to get there than if they had a grounding in it. But there is a lot said about voting that people are thicker these days and critical thinking is sometimes raised. I think it is also assumed we are the 'enlightened ones' and previous generations were thicker. But doesn't this argument take place in every generation with nuances?

[MyNameIsTerry]

As Mr Punch used to say "that's the way to do it"

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/bri...going-22878601

[Lencoboy]

I am also getting fed up of the hyperbole used by the Covidiots, that somehow these day-to-day restrictions are "tyranny".

Tyranny is being woken up in the middle of the night, dragged from your apartment, having your windows smashed and your business burnt to the ground before you're shepherded off into a train of cattle vans.

It is NOT being asked to wear a bit of paper over your face in a shop for twenty or fewer minutes, nor is it an infringement of what some see as their divine right to get hammered in a pub on a nightly basis.

Same here, PM.

I don't think a lot of people in this country especially have ever even experienced 'real' tyranny, so most certainly hyperbole of the highest order.

Same with the vast overuse of the word 'crisis' these days, which is sometimes referenced in response to certain issues that may be causing just a bit of minor inconvenience or irritation in the short term, thus devaluing the true meaning of the term.

But sadly having to mask up in shops, restrictions in visiting pubs, or being deprived of holidays abroad etc, in the minds of many amounts to full-on tyranny, fascism and dictatorship.

I honestly don't think many in this country realise how easy we generally have it for the most part, especially in non-Covid times.

And I now no longer use the term 'normal times', as far as I am concerned, there's no such thing.

Never has been and never will be, as for better or worse, things always keep changing.

[Gary A]

I started suffering some symptoms on Friday, loss of taste and smell and a temperature, and had a test on Saturday morning. I received a positive diagnosis this morning.

I have to say, anyone that says this is “just like flu” is absolutely at it. I haven’t eaten since Friday evening and literally have no appetite to do so. My head is pounding, my chest feels like there’s an elephant sitting on it and I’m burning up so bad I’m sitting with bags of frozen veg on my head.

I’m quite a fit guy and I’m in my early 30’s so I’m not overly concerned, but I can easily see how an older person, especially those with underlying illness would get horribly ill with this thing. It seems to hit harder at night for some reason.

I’m not trying to scare anyone, I’m merely trying to show that wearing a mask and keeping a bit of distance between yourself and others is an absolute cakewalk compared to how I’m feeling right now.

Still, on the plus side, my beach body is going to be looking top notch when I’m better, so every cloud and all that. 😂

[fishman65]

Gary, I wish you a full and speedy recovery mate. As you say, you have fitness and youth on your side, you'll be fine. Hang in there buddy and keep us posted.

[AntsyVee]

Wow, please take care of yourself Gary. Rest and lots of fluids. I’ll be looking forward to those beach photos

[Gary A]

Thanks guys. I’m not going to lie, my symptoms have gotten quite a bit worse over the last few hours so I’m hoping that this is the peak of the illness and tomorrow it’s going to start improving.

[Fishmanpa]

Thanks guys. I’m not going to lie, my symptoms have gotten quite a bit worse over the last few hours so I’m hoping that this is the peak of the illness and tomorrow it’s going to start improving.

Sheesh Gary! Sorry to hear this. You take care of yourself ya hear! Sending as always....

Positive thoughts