Category Archives: statistics

Four Outstanding Schools and Disadvantaged Students

Posted on May 7, 2025 by odeboyz

In the 2022 to 2023 school year….25.2% of disadvantaged pupils and 52.4% of all other pupils got a grade 5 or above.1 The attainment gap disadvantaged children suffer is a chasm. Those schools which reduce the gap are adding value … Continue reading →

Posted in education, School, statistics | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

War Studies: Bombing Japan, 1945

Posted on December 4, 2024 by odeboyz

In March 1945 the USA bombed Tokyo. They used incendiary bombs on a wooden city purposefully creating an inferno. The Japanese didn’t surrender. In August ‘A’ bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Pacific War ended shortly afterwards. “Bombs … Continue reading →

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Lies, Damned Lies and Accountancy

Posted on June 8, 2024 by odeboyz

Accountancy Scandal Carillion: Record fine for KPMG over ‘exceptional’ failure – BBC News

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Disadvantaged Students and Educational Innovation

Posted on February 14, 2024 by odeboyz

“…in 2014, only 36.5 per cent of disadvantaged pupils achieved 5 A*-C including English and maths GCSEs, compared with 64.0 per cent of other pupils.”1 Bright Futures Educational Trust2 controls South Shore Academy, Blackpool. Achieving 5 Grade ‘A*-Cs’ is remote … Continue reading →

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American Mass Shootings: Entertainment for Psychopaths?

Posted on July 17, 2023 by odeboyz

“Mass Shooting Tracker: four or more persons shot in one incident, at one location, at roughly the same time.”1 The invasion of Ukraine began on February 24th 2022. In the USA, on that day, there were two mass shootings with … Continue reading →

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Jeff Bezos and Charity

Posted on July 6, 2023 by odeboyz

Jeff Bezos is a multi-billionaire1 and gives large amounts of money to various charities. The most recent of which is $123 million for fighting homelessness.2 This is an eye-catching amount. Some might regard it as stupendous. But is it? Bezos … Continue reading →

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Criminal Bankers and Their Keep-Out-Of-Jail Card

Posted on April 27, 2023 by odeboyz

“….more than 17,600 other record[s]… allegedly show how senior banking officials allowed fraudsters to move money [£1.5 trillion] between accounts in the knowledge that the funds were being generated or used criminally. Five global banks were named in the investigation: … Continue reading →

Posted in Finance, Politics, Prison, statistics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Premium Bonds Ride Again

Posted on April 13, 2023 by odeboyz

Premium Bonds were introduced by Harold MacMillan in 1956.1 His insight was inventing a gamble where you could get your stake back, in full: Neo-gambling, as it were. MacMillan’s Premium – note the word – Bonds had monthly ‘prizes’ instead … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Mike Davis ~ Planet of Slums (2006)

Posted on September 19, 2022 by odeboyz

For a smug Westerner like me this book is a punch in the face. Britain is currently, September 2022, obsessed by massive increases in energy bills. I too whine and demand support from the government to maintain my entitlements. Clearly, … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, environment, Finance, Health, Politics, Science, statistics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Rishi Sunak: Scourge of the Middle Classes

Posted on May 5, 2022 by odeboyz

Chancellor Sunak has increased taxation from income, which will alienate Conservative middle-class voters. Problem? No way. Adroit political footwork and the magic of inflation will square the political circle. Quietly, without fanfare, and with deadly efficiency Sunak created additional income … Continue reading →

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