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Nutty as fruitcake
#1

You really couldn't make this stuff up! 
The Yorkshire delicacy, parkin, a cake made with ginger and treacle is being investigated over its links with slavery by Leeds city council. A council document claims some of the ingredients (i.e. sugar and treacle) used to make this local product were gained through the triangular slave trade. They are also investigating Yorkshire Tea's links with colonialism. Good job Rowntree's moved out of the county or Kit Kat and Yorkie bars would be next for the chop.

Moving across the channel to Euroland: The European Court of Justice has just decreed that the the 'working time directive' which limits worker's hours etc, applies to the armed forces as well as ordinary employees. Apparently EU forces are now subject to 'individual timekeeping, severe limitations on night work, precise calculation of time off and 11 hour daily rest time. Best of luck with that when the Russian tanks roll over the border!

It seems that April 1st now occurs every day!
[+] 2 members Like CMOTD's post
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#2

The world was in big trouble when Mr. Potato Head almost lost his gender earlier this year.

   

Tanks are growing a bit old. You can see tanks coming. World leaders know more harm is done spreading juicy and tasty lies inside enemy camps these days. It seems to be working pretty good. Unfortunately...
[+] 1 member Likes KensRedZed's post
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#3

Never much a fan of parkin myself. But looking behind the hyberbole in the British tabloids today, neither do I have a problem with what Leeds City Council are allegedly up to.

Like most councils around the UK, Leeds are looking at local contexts for teaching - in this case how local culinary favourites are reliant on global trade. There's plenty of important history in there too - tea and ginger nicely illustrates the colonial ties with India and of the earlier spice (and tea) trade with China. Of course, to look at the history of sugar without considering slavery would be ignorant in this day and age. All in all, sounds like a great locally-themed teaching resource based on a simple afternoon snack. I don't think it is any more than that.

There are plenty of fabulous resources out there which show how complex history can be taught from looking at an object or a product. The British Museum's 'A History of the World in 100 Objects' project with the BBC was a fine example and has created a popular way of teaching. There's also this about tea on the Royal Museums Greenwich website...



The page is here: https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/cup-char
[+] 2 members Like woodcote's post
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#4

Daily life just seems out of control at the moment Bigsmile Bigsmile
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#5

Woodcote, Please oh please tell me your not serious. They are talking about cancelling a food product because of some ingredients that are in them that may have been derived through the use of slavery! And you think it is a good teaching idea?
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#6

(25th-Jul-21, 03:00 AM)Zippideedooda Wrote:  Woodcote, Please oh please tell me your not serious. They are talking about cancelling a food product because of some ingredients that are in them that may have been derived through the use of slavery! And you think it is a good teaching idea?
I'm not sure they intend to 'cancel'...how could they? However, if teaching what any reasonably sensible person knows, is a good idea, then so be it. 

Our entire modern world and its hierarchy is built upon those that have (or their forebears) taking advantage of or generally putting down the plebs. Call it slavery or whatever. We know some things happened in the past ......still happening.....were terrible but why the hell should anyone apologise for a previous generation's missdeeds. 

It's there, it should be acknowledged sure but nothing can be changed now. I'm buggered if I will accept that it's my fault that the English raped the world to be top dog...for a while. It's someone else's turn now.

Sensitivity to what is and has been wrong is one thing but 'wokeness' (horrible word) is becoming a running joke.
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#7

I’ve checked the less hysterical sources (and with friends in Leeds) and this is the story: https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/news/leeds-...a-21104257

No-one is banning anything at all. The council are checking the facts before developing the new exhibit and teaching resources.

I’m heartened to see local councils and their museums are still carrying out imaginative and relevant local history. It’s a great way of helping us understand the world we live in. The small museum in my local library was a fascinating place to go back in the 70s and 80s. Their exhibit on milk bottles taught me about the growth of the borough, changes in local agriculture and industry - and how a milk float works. Simple, a little bit bizarre, but very effective - I still remember most of it.
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