HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: jac54@cas.org ()
Subject: Re: Americanising of the UK, Now: British TV in North America
Organization: Chemical Abstracts Service, Columbus, Ohio
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 10:33:36 GMT

In article <BmFLqB2w164w@kryton.UUCP> ace@kryton.UUCP (Catherine Beckstead) writes:
>jac54@cas.org () writes:
>
>> In article <1992Sep2.214059.5243@macc.wisc.edu> husted@vms.macc.wisc.edu (Jac
>> >
>> >Now, would someone PLEASE enlighten me as to the origin of the
>> >phrase GORDON BENNETT used most often by Ace?  I assume he
>> >must have been infamous to have his name become an epithet.
>> >An American example is 'Your name is Mudd.'  I would
>> >appreciate the particulars on GB.
>> >
>>
>>      I think it's supposed to be Gordon-Bennett.  John Gordon-Bennett
>>      was the richest man in Britain in or aroun the 20s and 30s and
>>      he was a great believer in flaunting it.  This was probably the
>>      origin of the use of his name as an expression of exasperation.
>>
>>      One story about him relates to his favourite table in his
>>      favourite restaurant.  When it was occupied and the customer
>>      refused to change tables, GB bought the restaurant, thereby turning
>>      it into a private house, and threw the miscreant out.  After
>>      the meal, he gave the restaurant to the head waiter as a tip.
>>
>>      Alec.
>
>That makes sense.  It must be what it is refering too.  After reading that
>story I felt that only one expression fit as a response.  GORDON BENNETT!!
>
	Following a bit of research, in addition to my rusty trusty memory,
	the following comes to light.

	The Gordon(-)Bennett in question is a Gordon (not Gorgon) Bennett
	and he was the son of the editor of the New York Herald.  At the
	time he had an allowance of $1,000,000 a year that he used to make
	himself the playboy of the Western World.  The restaurant story is
	true but pales in comparison to others.

	However, why did his name get adopted in Britain, but not in the
	U.S.?

	Alec.
From: anw@maths.nott.ac.uk (Dr A. N. Walker)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: Re: What is a 2.1 equivalent to ?
Date: 15 Sep 92 15:05:37 GMT
Reply-To: anw@maths.nott.ac.uk (Dr A. N. Walker)
Organization: Maths Dept., Nott'm Univ., UK.

In article <1992Sep14.090623.22777@dcs.qmw.ac.uk> mmh@cs.qmw.ac.uk
(Matthew Huntbach) writes:
>If only my students worked like that. Every year, I try but
>fail to get them to treat it like a job - telling them to give
>it roughly 40 hours a week with a fairly regular timetable.

	Just so.  Unfortunately, we're being undermined by the new
more-or-less country-wide modularisation schemes, in which a "credit"
(1/120 of the course for one year) is supposed to represent 7.5 hours
of work, which gives them a 30-hour working week.  I tried but failed
to get the powers-that-be to call it 10 hours, even just as a cosmetic
change.

-- 
Andy Walker, Maths Dept., Nott'm Univ., UK.
anw@maths.nott.ac.uk
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
From: gibbons@libra.suneng (Alan Gibbons)
Subject: Re: O-levels, A-levels etc was Re: THE COM
Reply-To: gibbons@libra.suneng
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1992 20:46:44 GMT

In article 160556EE117@LIVERPOOL.AC.UK, EE117@LIVERPOOL.AC.UK () writes:
>Jeremy Henderson writes (quotes?)
>
>>=>There are also O/A levels, halfway between O-levels and A-levels,
>>=>and S levels which are harder that A-levels, and are taken by
>>=>people aiming for Oxbridge.
>
>>Small quibble here: S-levels have/had? no special significance for Oxbridge,
>>because most Oxbridge applicants take/took? the special entrance exams, which
>>are/were? harder than S-levels.
>
>Large quibble here:
>
>The main qualification for admittance to Oxbridge seems to be the existance of
>immensely wealthy parents who, ideally, are also titled. Exactly how many S
>levels have the Windsors [*] managed to scrape together - probably a similar
>amount to John Major's O level tally, viz nil.
>
>and another thing...
>
>given the amount of Oxbridge Old Boys in the Conservative Party (citizen Major
>apart) and the incredible academic esteem attributed to these institutions
>why is the Country in such a complete shambles
>
>[*] - having a dad who's the Chancellor is also quite useful
>
>-----
>meet me at the barricades comrades,
>
>-Ian (8 Os, 4 As,admitted to Sheffield Uni. on the strength of my UCCA form)

Nicely put - well said !

Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
From: glh@aplcomm.jhuapl.edu (Gene A Heyler)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: Anyone at Southampton Univ listening?
Date: 10 Sep 1992 12:37:00 -0500
Organization: UTexas Mail-to-News Gateway
NNTP-Posting-Host: cs.utexas.edu


   I am posting for a relative currently at Penn State. He is
interested in persuing a graduate degree in mechanical engineering at
Univ. of Southampton.

   He would have several questions about curriculum, workload, housing, etc
and would like to make E-mail contact with faculty/students, preferably but
not necessarily in the mech engr department there.

   If someone would like to do him (and me) a favor and answer some questions
please respond to
                       Edward Heyd

                  at   eeh102@psuvm.psu.edu

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Gene A. Heyler                      Phone: 410-792-5000 x8664
Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab   FAX  : 410-792-6670
Bldg 24-E131                        Internet : GLH@APLCOMM.JHUAPL.EDU
Laurel, MD  20723
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
From: godfrey@sscvx1.ssc.gov (LAURENCE GODFREY)
Subject: Re: What is a 2.1 equivalent to ?
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.4-b1  
Organization: Superconducting Super Collider Laboratory
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 1992 10:20:00 GMT

In article <1992Sep13.051141.26768@cco.caltech.edu>, miriam@legs.gps.caltech.edu (Miriam Jacks writes...
>In article <1992Sep12.235914.18962@cs.hw.ac.uk> neilp@cs.hw.ac.uk (Neil Postlethwaite) writes:
>>In article <1992Sep11.235937.8839@cco.caltech.edu> miriam@seismo.gps.caltech.edu (Miriam Jackson) writes:
>>>         stuff deleted
>>>a masters degree in the States often requires a thesis, so the masters degree
>>>takes from two years up (my office-mate took 5 years!), whereas in Britain
>>>the degree takes only 1 year.  I think the experience of 
>>>researching and writing a thesis may give a U.S. masters a slight edge
>>>over a British B.Sc./B.A. etc.
>>
>>Eh ???
>>Everybody who does an honours degree in their final year, be it 3rd in England
>>or 4th in Scotland (4 year course - better !!) does a dissertation. This 
>>being a short (in time length - equiv to maybe 3 months full time work)
>>research project in a subject usually of your chosen supervisors interest
>>or research field.
>>
>>MSc's (Master of Science) are pretty common over here. It is in between
>>BSc hons and a PhD. Normally a 1 year full-time course with a 5-6 month
>>research level dissertation included.
>>Neil (on a MSc course !)
>>
> 
>Eh???  I did an honours degree at UCL and didn't have to do a
>dissertation.  I studied maths and astronomy, and although I did
>have the option of doing an astronomy project, as the astronomy
>people did, there wasn't a choice like that in maths.  This was
>8 years ago, so things could have changed since then.
> 
>Also, I think the idea behind masters degrees is different in
>the States and Britain.  A masters degree is for specialisation,
>so a person who did a degree in physics may go on to a masters in
>medical physics and a masters in hydrogeology may follow a 
>degree in geology.  In the States, a physicist would probably
>do a masters in physics and a geologist would probably do a masters
>in geology.  The masters in the States is often a stepping stone
>to a PhD; not many people go straight from a bachelors to a
>PhD, whereas in Britain it seems not many people do both a masters
>and a PhD.
> 
>This is all based on my own experience and I am sure there are
>exceptions, but from talking to friends in Britain, and American
>students here I think the above is a fair (if simplified) summary (MHO).
> 
> 

You are correct, most people in Britain (including me) went straight from
BSc to PhD, without the MSc in between.  At UCL (where I was from 1976 to
81) it was necessary to first register for an MPhil if one wanted to do
a PhD, and this registration was later cancelled and transfered to PhD
if the candidate was thought to be good enough (sic).  Those who were
not thought to be capable of getting a PhD were asked to continue with
the MPhil, and generally quite studying after obtaining that degree.

Laurence
From: egpv29@castle.ed.ac.uk (JHenderson)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: Re: Classic-FM (was: VNS: Mon  7-Sep-1992)
Date: 10 Sep 92 12:25:26 GMT
Organization: Edinburgh University

Does anyone know why TV chef Michael Barry is involved with Classic FM under
the name of Michael SomethingBeginningWithBThatICantRemember?

What *is* his name, and why can't he stick to just one?


-- 
=======Jeremy Henderson========egpv29@castle.ed.ac.uk===============
Q: How many user support people does it take to change a light bulb?
A: We have an exact copy of the light bulb here and it seems to be
   working fine.  Can you tell me what kind of system you have?
From: peterw@spider.co.uk (Peter Woodhouse)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: Re: Nigel Mansell
Date: 15 Sep 92 12:49:22 GMT
Organization: Spider Systems Limited, Edinburgh, UK

In article <1992Sep15.100918.472@cs.hw.ac.uk> neilp@cs.hw.ac.uk (Neil Postlethwaite) writes:
>
>I see from the Grand Prix on TV at the weekend, Nigel Mansell has taken
>a tantrum and 'quit' again 'cos Williams won't give him excessive amounts
>of money.
>

What a superb piece of biased reporting this is! 
As far as I can see from the "facts" that have emerged are both Mansell and 
Brundle have been dropped by their respective teams, Mansell because he wanted
too much money and Brundle because he is not good enough (ie. not fast enough) 

>Good riddance to the toss-pot. Roll on Senna and Prost for Williams
>next year.
>
As it stands this can not happen next year.  Prost has ensured that Senna will
not drive for Williams while he is.  A bit pathetic if you ask me

>Also, did anyone believe Mansell when he was interviewed by Jonathon
>Palmer and said he was going to let Patrese win anyway. I didn't.
>
Only Mansell and Patrese know the answer to this.  I'm not even going to
bother speculating.

>Neil
>
>P.S. Shame Martin Brundle has been dropped by Benneton. Hopefully a good
>    team like McLaren will pick him up next year and give him the chance
>    he deserves.

Hopefully Brundle will get a drive next year.

Peter

-- 
Spider Software                                 E-mail:  peterw@spider.co.uk
Spider Park, Stanwell Street                    Phone :  +44 31 555 5166
Edinburgh, Scotland
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
From: hiscrp@nuscc.nus.sg (C R Pennell)
Subject: the privatisation of poverty
Organization: National University of Singapore
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 1992 04:33:00 GMT

I have been reading 1820/30s copies of The Times (London) on Microfilm.
Here is an item (originally reported in the Kentish Chronicle) which
sounds bang up-to-date

TIMES 1 January 1830

"On Monday the poor in the poor-house of the parish of Minster, Sheppey,
were hired out by tender, to be fed and clothed at 3s 9d per week, for
three years, including also bedding for their lodging. The poor are to
have three meat dinners a week. There were 11 tenders, but none exceeded
4s."

Mrs T. would have been quite at home

Richard Pennell, History Dept, NUS
From: venable@faculty.coe.wvu.wvnet.edu (Wallace Venable)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: The BACCALAUTEATE?? was Re: O-levels, A-levels
Date: 8 Sep 92 22:06:52 GMT
Organization: WVU College of Engineering


>I'm surprised Americans haven't heard of A-levels, as they are used  
>(like the Baccalaureate) quite widely outside Britain, to allow students
>from backward countries to get a recognised secondary qualification.

	Now we've started another problem.  To most Americans, the 
"baccalauteate" would be the B.A. (Bachelor of Arts) or B.S. (Bachelor of 
Science) degree obtained as the first "college" degree at about age 22.
From: adam@castle.ed.ac.uk (Adam Hamilton)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: Gordon Bennett
Date: 10 Sep 92 12:23:49 GMT
Organization: Edinburgh University

>	The Gordon(-)Bennett in question is a Gordon (not Gorgon) Bennett
>	........
>	However, why did his name get adopted in Britain, but not in the
>	U.S.?

	Because it used as a euphemism for god which in Britain may be
(mis)pronounced as gawd (or gord if you prefer) whereas in the USA it is
more like gaahd (which you cant extend to to Gordon Bennett).
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british,rec.arts.tv.uk,rec.arts.movies
From: edd151s@nella3.cc.monash.edu.au (Mr I.P. Rayner)
Subject: Re: Why are the British portrayed so falsely on TV/Film
Reply-To: edd151s@nella3.cc.monash.edu.au (Mr I.P. Rayner)
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 07:35:39 GMT


>. All Australian's are XXXX obsessed  Neighbours watching
>morons etc ............. :-) !!!! We believe the TV God !!

This is funny ... In Britain there are more people watching Neighbours than
the entire population of Australia.  So who are the morons obsessed with 
Neighbours?

Ivan Rayner
(Melbourne Australia, who personally thinks Neighbours is sh*t!)
From: stuart@minster.york.ac.uk
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: Re: This England
Date: 10 Sep 92 09:36:33 GMT
Organization: Department of Computer Science, University of York, England
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1 PL5

Evelyn S. Hlabse (esh2@po.CWRU.Edu) wrote:
: 
: There is a friendly argument that I would like help with.  There
: is a poem which United Airlines is currently using in its ads
: that is from a poem and I don't remember the poem or author.  It
: has the phrase "this sceptered isle, this England".  I think it
: was Spencer or Milton, my daughter says Churchill quoting
: Shakespeare.  Anyone know for sure.
: 
: Thanks.

Not sure who was speaking, nor if they are quoting a poem, but its sounds
like a paraphrase of Shakespeare's Richard-II:

	This royal throne of kings, this scepter'd isle,
	This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
	This other Eden, demi-paradise,
	This fortress built by Nature for herself
	Against infection and the hand of war,
	This happy breed of men, this little world,
	This precious stone set in the silver sea,
	Which serves it in the office of a wall,
	Or as a moat defensive to a house,
	Against the envy of less happier lands,
	This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England,

: Evelyn
: -- 

Stuart
(stuart@minster.york.ac.uk)
From: colin@cs.uq.oz.au (Colin Millerchip)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: Re: Rain Relief Fund
Date: 10 Sep 92 23:45:13 GMT
Reply-To: colin@cs.uq.oz.au

In <1992Sep10.093908.6116@cs.hw.ac.uk> neilp@cs.hw.ac.uk (Neil Postlethwaite) writes:

>In article <18litfINNehn@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> rahman@ces.cwru.edu (Rahman A. Soomro) writes:
>>Recent rains in Pakistan have caused devastating effects on the 
>>daily life of the Pakistani people. Scores of people have lost there
>>lives and more than a million have been homeless.
>>
>> [Appeal for donations - deleted to save bandwidth]
>>
>>Please mail your contributions to:
>>
>>Pakistan Rain Relief Fund
>>4105 Providence drive
>>St. Charles, MO 63304

>Or better still, send it to a *REPUTABLE* organisation like the Red Cross, Save
>the Children, OXFAM etc .........

>Neil

>P.S. Bog off out of soc.culture.british puhlease.

Whilst I have no intention of starting a flame war, and whilst your
point that this charity might not be "reputable" may be valid, I feel
that to accuse this article of being mis-posted is a bit off. There is
a sizeable Pakistani contingent in the UK, many of whom are still
concerned about their homeland (albeit perhaps a homeland many
generations removed).  

After all, this isn't soc.culture.british.WASP.

Follow-up flames regarding politically incorrect phraseology to 
alt.witty.apposite.flames.NOT.

C.

--
|Colin Millerchip           | "And all this science I don't understand,|
|University of Queensland,  |  It's just my job five days a week"      |
|Brisbane, Australia.       |   - "Rocketman", Elton John              |
|colin@cs.uq.oz.au          |                                          |
From: ag129@cl.cam.ac.uk (Alasdair Grant)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: Re: O-levels, A-levels etc was Re: THE COMPLETE BRITISH TO AMERICAN DICT.
Date: 6 Sep 92 14:39:44 GMT
Reply-To: ag129@cl.cam.ac.uk (Alasdair Grant)
Organization: U of Cambridge Comp Lab, UK


I'm surprised Americans haven't heard of A-levels, as they are used  
(like the Baccalaureate) quite widely outside Britain, to allow students
from backward countries to get a recognised secondary qualification.
In Australia I did a general maths A-level, which was at least a year's
work beyond the Australian Pure and Applied Maths high school certificates
I did later that year. The British universities who regulate A-levels make
a lot of money overseas, I think.
From: wilcox@vax.oxford.ac.uk
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: Re: O-levels, A-levels etc was Re: THE COMPLETE BRITISH TO AMERICAN DI
Date: 10 Sep 92 16:32:33 GMT
Organization: Oxford University VAX 6620

In article <92253.160556EE117@LIVERPOOL.AC.UK>, EE117@LIVERPOOL.AC.UK writes:
> 
> Large quibble here:
> 
> The main qualification for admittance to Oxbridge seems to be the existance of
> immensely wealthy parents who, ideally, are also titled. Exactly how many S
> levels have the Windsors [*] managed to scrape together - probably a similar
> amount to John Major's O level tally, viz nil.
> 
Even larger quibble here:

Well if you count Rev & Mrs, I suppose my parents are titled. But immensely 
wealthy: do you know how much clergymen and teachers earn? What the Windsors or
the Chancellor's daughter did is irrelevant to the overwhelming majority of
Oxbridge students. What *is* important is brains and application, as it is for
any university.

> and another thing...
> 
> given the amount of Oxbridge Old Boys in the Conservative Party (citizen Major
> apart) and the incredible academic esteem attributed to these institutions
> why is the Country in such a complete shambles
What do you expect with a Conservative government? Economic success? Full
employment? Good public health services? Good public education? Their education
is irrelevant: if they had good policies the country would not be in a mess.
 
> -Ian (8 Os, 4 As,admitted to Sheffield Uni. on the strength of my UCCA form)
Do I detect a disgruntlement at being turned down by another University?

Stephen (not one to boast, but since you ask 14 Os, 5 As and 3 Ss, admitted to
Oxford University on the strength of UCCA form, interview and exam results.)
 
-- 

Stephen Wilcox             |   Remember what happened to the dinosaurs!
wilcox@maths.oxford.ac.uk  |    I did---and look what happened to me.
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: Re: The BACCALAUTEATE?? was Re: O-levels, A-levels
From: ace@kryton.UUCP (Catherine Beckstead)
Date: Wed, 09 Sep 92 17:21:14 PDT
Organization: Paradox Alley F&SF BBS 805-492-8789

venable@faculty.coe.wvu.wvnet.edu (Wallace Venable) writes:

> 
> >I'm surprised Americans haven't heard of A-levels, as they are used  
> >(like the Baccalaureate) quite widely outside Britain, to allow students
> >from backward countries to get a recognised secondary qualification.
> 
> 	Now we've started another problem.  To most Americans, the 
> "baccalauteate" would be the B.A. (Bachelor of Arts) or B.S. (Bachelor of 
> Science) degree obtained as the first "college" degree at about age 22.

Actually the "first" college degree would be a 2 year degree called
the AA/AS or Associate of Arts or Associate of Science.  This is usually
receieved from a Junior College/Community College or Technical School.
Those who do not attend these type of schools but only go to 4 year
colleges get a BA/BS.  But this isn't s.c.usa, is it?  I digress.


-------------------------------------------------------------------
Catherine Beckstead                    ace@kryton.uucp
"Do you want to argue with a can of deodorant that registers
NINE on the Richter scale?"        --Ace, in "Dragonfire"
From: EE117@LIVERPOOL.AC.UK
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: Re: Words from the "Sun"
Date: 15 Sep 92 16:01:15 GMT
Organization: University of Liverpool

> Did you know that it was a Sun journalist who coined the phrase "lager lout."
> Now, don't ask me who it was, because I don't know.

No 'lager louts' up here, only 'brown ale bums'

-Ian.
From: mmh@cs.qmw.ac.uk (Matthew Huntbach)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
Subject: Re: Are foreignborn kids of UK citizens etc
Date: 14 Sep 92 08:43:07 GMT
Organization: Computer Science Dept, QMW, University of London, UK.

From: hiscrp@nuscc.nus.sg (C R Pennell)
>CONCLUSION: Beware HO representatives in countries of immigration (we
>know that anyway) More important: think of a way round this outrageous
>situation where a mother cannot legally accompany her children. My
>betting is that it is fundamentally racist - were my wife white ther'd
>be no problem. She's Chinese, which is noy quite as badly seen by the
>official racists (I hope). But were she Indian/Bangladeshi, no chance.
>Comments anyone?

You've got it, more or less. The British immigration laws have
been regularly tightened since the 1960s, and each tightening
is essentially to try and exclude people with non-white skins
while not actually mentioning skin colour in writing.

Actually, the law against which you complain does have some
sense to it. It is to prevent "marriages of convenience", which
I have to say are a regular feature of life in the immigrant
communities with which I have contact. Nowadays, the
immigration officials want some proof that the marriage is
genuine - a simple marriage certificate is not enough to give
permanent residency in the UK. Permanent residency is also not
given immediately, the marriage has to survive for some time.

I have seen enough cases of British nationals marrying
non-British nationals, and then finding they have just been
used to get residency to know that there is some safeguard in
this, it also prevents the worst excesses of the "mail-order
bride" industry.

Nevertheless, the level of intrusion into personal lives used
to prove that marriages are genuine is a cause for complaint.
If you are involved in a marriage of convenience, it is now a
good idea to fake some love letters, marriage photos etc, to
show to the immigration officers; also practice looking shocked
as they ask to see this sort of personal detail - handing over
you fake intimate love letter as if it were a passport is not
likely to impress.

Sorry, I don't mean to offend - from the details you've given
us, and your genuine outrage at what you have to go through,
you should have no problem. I've know plenty of far more dodgy
spouses get through.

Matthew Huntbach
Newsgroups: soc.culture.british
From: banarji@unixg.ubc.ca (Ajai Banarji)
Subject: 2.1 and public schools
Originator: banarji@unixg.ubc.ca
Organization: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 20:55:15 GMT

		   Equivalent to 2.1.......

  It is really remarkable to see the number of responses which are generated
on this newsgroup by any query on the educational system in the UK.
  Anyway, I suppose that (if the need arises) I should be able to convince
people there that an MS from Stanford is "comparable" to a 2.1
  Here's another question in the same vein which I am sure will generate
plenty of responses. How important is a public school education in the
UK nowadays? We see various surveys about how the country is dominated
by people from Eton and Winchester (with Harrow getting a look-in sometimes).
  I remember reading Anthony Sampson's "Anatomy of Britain" (published in
1982) which had a number of tables showing how people from these two schools
are heavily over-represented in the cabinet, higher ranks in the civil service
and armed forces, directorships etc. Have things changed since then?