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11 minutes ago, String fellow said:

I'm assuming from its context that this strange word is being used pejoratively, which is itself slightly annoying. In truth, social science (psychology, sociology, anthropology etc.) is 'soft' science that can change over time, as attitudes change. Natural science (physics, chemistry, biology etc.) is 'hard' science that doesn't change over time, apart from being refined.  

Be that as it may, this thread is really about news not philosophy, so changing the subject, an independent report has confirmed something that I mentioned on FT a while ago, namely that smart motorways aren't as safe as ordinary motorways. I remember returning home on a smart section of the M1 on one occasion, running on empty and praying that the car wouldn't conk out. It was quite an uncomfortable position to be in. 

Not exactly perjoratively - I am a STEMhead myself, for what it's worth, and anyone who has been on the science thread knows just how important I believe it to be. But I also know my cohorts and sometimes what they come out with is a bit disappointing.

 

Can't disagree at all with your points on defining "soft" and "hard" science, but the problem arise when folks deem those soft sciences somehow less important for whatever reason. I thought that myself a long time ago, but not anymore - it's not enough to know how the Earth works, in order for an effective response and adaptation to it you also need to know people. So knowing that is as important as having scientific knowledge itself IMO.

 

Interesting thing about the smart motorways there, makes sense tbh.

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12 minutes ago, String fellow said:

I'm assuming from its context that this strange word is being used pejoratively, which is itself slightly annoying. In truth, social science (psychology, sociology, anthropology etc.) is 'soft' science that can change over time, as attitudes change. Natural science (physics, chemistry, biology etc.) is 'hard' science that doesn't change over time, apart from being refined.  

Be that as it may, this thread is really about news not philosophy, so changing the subject, an independent report has confirmed something that I mentioned on FT a while ago, namely that smart motorways aren't as safe as ordinary motorways. I remember returning home on a smart section of the M1 on one occasion, running on empty and praying that the car wouldn't conk out. It was quite an uncomfortable position to be in. 

It was always going to be a compromise though wasn’t it?Add a lane at great time and cost or do it the cheap way and lose the safety net.I have banged on about this on the roads thread.Personally I would reduce the speed to 50mph along these new stretches.Not such a hardship in the southeast as the smart bits aren’t so long.Be a bit more organised when setting out.If you’re still not confident then take an alternative route maybe?Something had to done.Long term we won’t be driving our cars anyway.Or at every car will have automatic breaking systems.

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1 hour ago, Heathrow fox said:

It was always going to be a compromise though wasn’t it?Add a lane at great time and cost or do it the cheap way and lose the safety net.I have banged on about this on the roads thread.Personally I would reduce the speed to 50mph along these new stretches.Not such a hardship in the southeast as the smart bits aren’t so long.Be a bit more organised when setting out.If you’re still not confident then take an alternative route maybe?Something had to done.Long term we won’t be driving our cars anyway.Or at every car will have automatic breaking systems.

As someone with a very low boredom threshold, I find that sticking to 50mph on a motorway is quite stressful, especially when there's no obvious need to go that slow, and I end up fiddling with the radio or finding some other (legal) distraction to overcome the boredom. Often, I'll use the A5 in preference to the M1 to avoid this situation.    

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1 hour ago, Free Falling Foxes said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-56615989

Is she being serious? So it's all the local council fault.

 

I was in Paris a few year ago and noticed far fewer bins than in your average British city and yet there was much less litter.

Really is a stupid argument. Hardly likely to have councils provide enough bins for a grouping of a few hundred that isn't even supposed to be allowed right now. Even then, there is zero excuse to drop litter on the floor, if you take a crate of beers out...put empty cans back in the box...taking a picnic out, put stuff back in a bag... It really isn't difficult. 32 years I've been alive and not once have ever had an excuse to drop a piece of litter on the floor, it's just trampy.

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7 minutes ago, Innovindil said:

Really is a stupid argument. Hardly likely to have councils provide enough bins for a grouping of a few hundred that isn't even supposed to be allowed right now. Even then, there is zero excuse to drop litter on the floor, if you take a crate of beers out...put empty cans back in the box...taking a picnic out, put stuff back in a bag... It really isn't difficult. 32 years I've been alive and not once have ever had an excuse to drop a piece of litter on the floor, it's just trampy.

You're absolutely right.

 

Unfortunately it's a question of attitude, and you might extend that lack of care towards nature unless it directly affects the individual to numerous other areas too.

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Kids obviously have too much time on their hands during lockdown. Following a tip off the police raided a lock up garage near me which local youths were using to congregate in. On entering one of the lads was was inhaling  battery acid and another was sniffing the gunpowder from a firework. The police charged one and let the other off 

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Following some pretty appalling scenes of litter strewn everywhere recently, this splendid fellow has installed a bin-liner dispenser in a park in Leeds. I really don't understand why some folk seem incapable or are unwilling to take their rubbish home with them  If any FTers are litter louts, please explain why, if you're bright enough to do so. 

jack colmer.jpg

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5 hours ago, String fellow said:

Following some pretty appalling scenes of litter strewn everywhere recently, this splendid fellow has installed a bin-liner dispenser in a park in Leeds. I really don't understand why some folk seem incapable or are unwilling to take their rubbish home with them  If any FTers are litter louts, please explain why, if you're bright enough to do so. 

jack colmer.jpg

It's reasonably simple, IMO.

 

Self-interest.

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11 hours ago, Buce said:

 

My absolute pet hate.

 

I simply can't understand the mentality of someone who will happily carry a heavy bottle of coke (for example) to a venue, but finds it too much trouble to carry it away once empty, when it weighs next to nothing. And it's not even a minority of people, it seems, judging by the volume of it. Morons.

I was driving behind a big transit van down a country lane a few weeks ago just north of Sheffield. They were literally throwing rubbish out the windows for miles on end. I don’t think they could have been carrying much else onboard it just seemed to be endless, at one point the passenger had half his or her body out trying empty a bag out. I reported to the local police but I’ve never heard anything back.

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1 hour ago, Strokes said:

I was driving behind a big transit van down a country lane a few weeks ago just north of Sheffield. They were literally throwing rubbish out the windows for miles on end. I don’t think they could have been carrying much else onboard it just seemed to be endless, at one point the passenger had half his or her body out trying empty a bag out. I reported to the local police but I’ve never heard anything back.

It's about the only thing that gives me road-rage - being behind some pond-life doing that. I own a large area of open land, which most people don't realise is private. So it regularly has trespassers on it. I don't mind too much about that, but a few seem to regard it as a dumping ground for their empty cans and other litter. In summer it gets worse, and it requires a regular litter-pick, which is a pretty disgusting job. Occasionally dog-walkers leave bags of dog waste. Dealing with that is almost vomit-inducing. 

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Just now, String fellow said:

It's about the only thing that gives me road-rage - being behind some pond-life doing that. I own a large area of open land, which most people don't realise is private. So it regularly has trespassers on it. I don't mind too much about that, but a few seem to regard it as a dumping ground for their empty cans and other litter. In summer it gets worse, and it requires a regular litter-pick, which is a pretty disgusting job. Occasionally dog-walkers leave bags of dog waste. Dealing with that is almost vomit-inducing. 

This country has to be one of the worst in the world for this? We really are a nation of absolute scutters.

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14 hours ago, String fellow said:

Following some pretty appalling scenes of litter strewn everywhere recently, this splendid fellow has installed a bin-liner dispenser in a park in Leeds. I really don't understand why some folk seem incapable or are unwilling to take their rubbish home with them  If any FTers are litter louts, please explain why, if you're bright enough to do so. 

jack colmer.jpg

I was at a service station on Friday, coming back from the Peaks. There was a middle aged couple smoking next to their car, which was next to mine. Coincidentally I was clearing some rubbish out of my car and sticking it in one of the many, empty, large bins that were dotted around the car park. When they drove off there  was a pile of rubbish where their car had been - about 10 empty fag packets, loads of empty energy drinks cans, plastic bags etc. Utter scumbag behaviour, and I have to think there’s more to it than sheer laziness. They probably thought they were  “sticking it to the man” or something.  Complete low lives. 

Edited by Blarmy
Appalling grammar
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2 minutes ago, Blarmy said:

I was at a service station on Friday, coming back from the Peaks. There was a middle aged couple smoking next to their car, which was next to mine. Coincidentally I was clearing some rubbish out of my car and sticking it in one of the many, empty, large bins that were dotted around the car park. When they drove off there  was a pile of rubbish where their car had been - about 10 empty fag packets, loads of empty energy drinks cans, plastic bags etc. Utter scumbag behaviour, and I have to think there’s more to it than sheer laziness to it. They probably think they were  “sticking it to the man” or something.  Complete low lives. 

I clear up other folk's rubbish, not only because it looks awful, but because makes the deposition of fresh rubbish more noticeable and perhaps less likely to happen as a result. That's alright in theory, but in reality, the thickos who drop it are too brain-dead to adhere to this notion.   

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2 hours ago, Strokes said:

This country has to be one of the worst in the world for this? We really are a nation of absolute scutters.

Pretty general behaviour I'd have thought. Greece a case in point. Remember a train journey to Salonika where the entire passenger population used the windows as convenient rubbish bins. Nobody batted an eye. 

 

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First I've seen of this, what the hell? :blink:

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cancelling-passports-non-payment-of-child-maintenance

 

'Cancelling passports: non-payment of child maintenance'

'This guidance tells Her Majesty’s Passport Office staff how to process notifications and cancel passports held by persons who have not paid child maintenance.'

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