The Times: Antivax Cyberwar

32 Tuesday November 10 2020 | the times Letters to the Editor should be sent to Letters to the Editor [email protected] or by post to 1 London Bridge Street, London SE1 9GF Reform of university admissions system US election polls Sir, It is clear that the errors made by Sir, Amid all the talk of building back personal circumstances of potential Sir, It is right to keep university US polls last week need to be better, Ucas’s proposal to move to students. Moreover, delaying the start admissions under constant review. As investigated. However, those errors post-qualification applications, of the academic year to January a teacher I hated the weight put on should not be exaggerated. The whereby students are offered places would have significant implications my predicted grades. Later, as a national polls predicted on average on grades already achieved, rather for overseas students, recruitment special adviser to the universities that Joe Biden would win the popular than on predictions made months and for professional qualifications minister, I pushed for a review of vote by 54-46 per cent of the before the exams, is to be lauded linked to the world of work. Any admissions to be included in the 2011 two-party vote; it now looks as if he Campaign to save (report and leading article, Nov 9). A change should take account of the higher education white paper. But has won by 52-48 per cent. The switch away from the present system reality of the world outside academia. shifting to a post-qualification system two-point error is politically very composer’s archive would reduce stress and uncertainty Lord Blunkett is not straightforward. It may be significant but statistically less so. for all applicants, and stop the Professor of politics in practice, harder for teachers to help Assuming Biden wins Arizona and Sir, Sir Malcolm Arnold (1921-2006) “gaming” that has inevitably grown up University of Sheffield; education disadvantaged pupils to find the right Georgia the polls also predicted the was one of the most important British around the process. Most importantly, secretary 1997-2001 place after if they have already left right winner in 48 of the 50 states composers of classical music in the it would be fairer for all students, school. Moving the start of the (admittedly overstating Biden’s lead in 20th century. From 1979 to 1986 he particularly those most disadvantaged Sir, That universities are considering a academic year to January would most of the battleground states). was in the care of the Court of by the existing system. This would be post-results application system is a further disrupt the education of young Of course the polls should be held Protection, and for the remainder of good news for the universities, too, welcome, and long overdue, reform. A people who have already missed out. to account for their mistakes but we his life the Court of Protection and the which would get the best applicants January start in the first year would We need an admissions system that need to get away from crude Office of the Public Guardian played a regardless of background. ensure that all first-year students had works for people who like to prepare judgments of whether polls are right significant role in his protection as a Jaideep Barot a chance to travel or work before in advance and those who want a last- or wrong. Polls are seldom precisely vulnerable person. Over this period Headmaster, Bristol Grammar School university, thereby gaining valuable minute dash. The best answer may accurate and seldom totally wrong. the court accumulated a considerable life experience, and would avoid not be a one-size-fits-all solution. Veering between blind faith in their archive of records, papers and personal Sir, I am in favour of radical change schools, universities and students Nick Hillman figures before an election and correspondence. This collection is of and “disruptive reform” but I would themselves acing the stress of securing Higher Education Policy Institute outright condemnation afterwards is great importance to researchers, caution against the presumption that offers based on predicted grades. This a mistake. It devalues the debate we biographers and musicologists. Until using crude grade outcomes at year’s centre-assessed grades debacle Sir, With the prospect of an effective need about how to assess data that, recently it had been the stated A-level or its vocational equivalent demonstrated clearly how unrealistic vaccine, I trust the government will for all their faults, provide the least intention of the Court of Protection automatically benefits disadvantaged predictions can be, and hence what a include among its priority recipients bad way of assessing public opinion. that these records would be preserved. students. Although formal interviews lottery offers are for some school all those pupils sitting GCSE and Peter Kellner However, it has now stated that it can often benefit the very confident, leavers. Post-results offers would be A-level exams next summer and all Former president, YouGov intends to destroy the entire collection more subtle and nuanced admissions much fairer for all concerned. those teachers upon whom they rely. as it believes that all possible options criteria can often take account of the Louise Simpson Richard Cairns Sir, Clare Foges (“I’m pro-Joe but for preserving the records have been background, school experience and Head, Exeter School Headmaster, Brighton College spare me the Trump haters”, Nov 9) exhausted. We urge the government to makes some fair points but surely, intervene to prevent the destruction of after four years of rule-wrecking, the records relating to this significant wolves during the course of my work. narcissistic indulgence by President British artist and to ensure that they Antivax cyberwar Oral virus weapon I used to wear bells to to scare wolves Trump, we liberals should be allowed are lodged in the National Archives. and bears away as I walked alone a brief wallow in schadenfreude. Katherine Arnold, daughter of Sir Sir, Your article “GCHQ in cyberwar Sir, Stephen Challacombe, discussing through the Canadian bush but I had Bill Jones Malcolm Arnold; Rachel Bond, on anti-vaccine propaganda” (Nov 9) the benefits of patients using iodine a close encounter once when eating Beverley, E Yorks college librarian, Eton College; outlines the government’s fight against mouthwash to minimise transmission my lunch on a bluff overlooking a William Boyd, novelist; Sally online antivax misinformation spread of the coronavirus to anaesthetists lake. The wolf entered the clearing Cavender, Faber Music; Paul Harris, by “hostile states”. At NewsGuard we and dentists in an interview with some ten yards from me, sniffed the Hate speech laws Malcolm Arnold Festival; Sallyann have long flagged Russian news Helen Rumbelow (Times2, Nov 9), air, stared at me directly for what Kleibel; Julian Lloyd Webber; Dame sources such as RT and Sputnik as asks: “What is the downside of seemed an eternity and then, much to Sir, The Law Commission’s proposal Monica Mason; Michael Meredith, unreliable. Last week, as part of our everybody using it?” The potential my relief, walked off. to extend the jurisdiction of hate librarian emeritus, Eton College; Tony partnership with the World Health downside is allergy. True povidone- Introducing wolves in Britain might speech to private homes (leading Meredith, biographer; David Nixon, Organisation, we published a report iodine allergy has a reported well create exciting encounters for article, Nov 7, and report, Nov 5) has Northern Ballet; Tony Palmer, film on Facebook pages spreading false incidence that may be as high as one some but we might be better advised unhappy parallels. In 1932 Soviet director and composer; Dr Kriss information about the coronavirus in 250, and can result in swelling of to learn to look after our existing propaganda had it that a 13-year-old Russman; Mark Skipper, Northern vaccine to millions of users. the tongue and respiratory difficulties wildlife first, as hedgehogs have dedicated Young Pioneer, Pavlik Ballet; Michael White, music critic; I welcome the government’s efforts — dangerous at the best of times and dwindled by 30 million in my lifetime Morozov, did the “right thing” by Barry Wordsworth to tackle head-on this growing downright hazardous when to about one million, a sad indictment denouncing his father, Trofim, to the problem but we should not ignore the anaesthesia is being induced. This of our responsibilities to our wildlife. Stalinist authorities. Trofim was said power that UK internet service may be a risk that patients are willing Roger Cornish to have been executed as a result. Return sculptures providers already have to give their to undergo if there is evidence that it Oxted, Surrey Members of Pavlik’s family, somewhat users the tools to combat online anti- protects those caring for them, but unhappy with this, then murdered the Sir, The call by the curator of the Pitt vaccine content. These companies that evidence is, as yet, lacking. youth. In turn they were themselves Rivers Museum for the Benin Bronzes have long provided families with tools Dr David Bogod English nouveau executed. Pavlik was lauded in the to be returned to Nigeria (report, Nov to protect families from various Consultant anaesthetist (ret’d), USSR as a martyred hero, an example 7) overlooks the fact that the Obas of online harms. Helping users to West Bridgford, Notts Sir, Your leading article (“English for Soviet youth to follow. Benin ruled over a slave-owning navigate social media by flagging up Nouveau”, Nov 9) flatters Beaujolais Michael Olizar society and participated in the slave untrustworthy sources — often producers. They are to the south of London SW15 trade.

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