I've been in the office for 13 hours now. I've been marking essays and listening to music but - unusually for me - I can't settle on any particular type.
Usually it's easy: minimalism or Classical: Reich, Adams, Glass, Beethoven, or even some Renaissance polyphony. But today, I'm too antsy - annoyed by bad and/or lazy work. I've tried St. Etienne, and Neil Young's on right now, and working quite nicely. I also played REM's Monster to wake me up and Tallulah Gosh to calm me down.
What do you suggest?
Tuesday, 24 May 2011
Blended Learning Has No Clothes - or it's Scantily-Clad At Best
Like many institutions, The Hegemon is keen to make us look all whizzy and cool by making e-learning a compulsory segment of every module (the misleadingly-titled 'Blended Learning Entitlement'). I'm a cautious fan: Plashing Vole was born when I tried to teach some MA students about blogging (one of my worst experiences in the classroom). Sometimes, online activities are useful and pedagogically justified. Sometimes they aren't, and there's a strong suspicion that e-learning is a way to reduce staffing and building costs.
My major problem with online courses is that they imply that education is the linear transmission and regurgitation of information. It isn't. That's training. I can send you a video of how to operate a MacDonalds deep fat fryer and you'll pick it up. Painfully, I imagine, but it's possible.
But if you watch my lecture on post-structuralism, there are advantages and disadvantages. You can pause it while you check the references or read the primary text I'm discussing, which is great. But you can't put your hand up and ask for advice, or disagree with me, or test out your idea on me and your classmates. Without comrades, you're not learning. So much of what I think I know is picked up from seminars, or in the pub afterwards, or in corridors. Education is a much wider experience than e-learning alone implies. If you're not a genius, or you have family/work ties as well, you'll need a lot more support than you can get via e-mail: academic, psychological, social.
So I'm very wary of full-on distance courses of the kind that the Open University definitely doesn't do, and various other colleges do flog. I'm less than impressed the courses where we sell the material to colleges in other countries to be taught by others, then we mark the work: attainment is always lower. The stats are with me too, at least from the US - from this fascinating article:
This is the key. Online components have enriched many of my courses immeasurably. But it shouldn't be seen as a cheap or easy option either for students to get an easy degree, or for institutions to make a fast buck. One of the things that infuriates me is the lazy assumption that students are all technically skilled and hugely impressed by anything on a screen, while being turned off by an actual person speaking to them.
Put it like this: are you thrilled by an automated telephone service when you call the bank? Or do you curse and groan, before sighing with relief when an actual human being talks to you? If you prefer talking to someone at a call centre, then I think the least we can do for our students is to extend them the same courtesy when it comes to their educations.
My major problem with online courses is that they imply that education is the linear transmission and regurgitation of information. It isn't. That's training. I can send you a video of how to operate a MacDonalds deep fat fryer and you'll pick it up. Painfully, I imagine, but it's possible.
But if you watch my lecture on post-structuralism, there are advantages and disadvantages. You can pause it while you check the references or read the primary text I'm discussing, which is great. But you can't put your hand up and ask for advice, or disagree with me, or test out your idea on me and your classmates. Without comrades, you're not learning. So much of what I think I know is picked up from seminars, or in the pub afterwards, or in corridors. Education is a much wider experience than e-learning alone implies. If you're not a genius, or you have family/work ties as well, you'll need a lot more support than you can get via e-mail: academic, psychological, social.
So I'm very wary of full-on distance courses of the kind that the Open University definitely doesn't do, and various other colleges do flog. I'm less than impressed the courses where we sell the material to colleges in other countries to be taught by others, then we mark the work: attainment is always lower. The stats are with me too, at least from the US - from this fascinating article:
countless studies showing success rates in online courses of only 50 per cent—as opposed to 70-to-75 percent for comparable face-to-face classes… Online enrollments across the country are strong and growing, while success rates stay about the same: abysmalOnline has its place: as supporting material for face-to-face, and when it's that or nothing:
For students who aren't able to attend college in the traditional way, "good enough" can be a godsend. But that doesn't mean that all students, or any student who wants to, should take online courses. Our collective failure to recognize that fundamental reality is primarily responsible for the high failure rates we see in online courses.
many institutions … are even complicit in perpetuating the notions that any student can succeed in online courses and that as many as possible should be encouraged to try. (I'm sure we've all seen multiple variations on the "Go to college in your pj's" marketing campaign.)Let's be honest: these people are treated like second-class students. Their existence doesn't cross my mind when I'm writing lectures and posting Powerpoint slides (which won't help them: they provide a skeleton around which I put verbal flesh, and lots of it). I've never been trained in writing material for an audience I'll never meet, and nobody's ever mentioned their needs and educational contexts. Is that wrong? Of course it is.
I'd like us to be more honest with students. Generally speaking, online courses are harder than face-to-face ones, not easier. Online courses require a tremendous amount of self-discipline and no small amount of academic ability and technical competence. They're probably not for everyone, and I think we need to acknowledge as much to students and to ourselves.
In the meantime, though, we need to think long and hard about which courses should be taught fully online, and which students belong in online courses. If students and their prospective employers ever begin to suspect that, in our rush to offer everything online, we have oversold and underdelivered, then it's going to be too late for us to have that discussion. Politicians will have it for us.
This is the key. Online components have enriched many of my courses immeasurably. But it shouldn't be seen as a cheap or easy option either for students to get an easy degree, or for institutions to make a fast buck. One of the things that infuriates me is the lazy assumption that students are all technically skilled and hugely impressed by anything on a screen, while being turned off by an actual person speaking to them.
Put it like this: are you thrilled by an automated telephone service when you call the bank? Or do you curse and groan, before sighing with relief when an actual human being talks to you? If you prefer talking to someone at a call centre, then I think the least we can do for our students is to extend them the same courtesy when it comes to their educations.
Something Rotten in the State of Denmark
Given that Denmark has just banned Marmite, it becomes increasingly clear that the mysterious mission to England on which Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are sent was in fact a Marmite smuggling operation.
If you're a Dane or living in Denmark, and desperate for supplies, I'm sure we can organise an air-drop or charitable shipment. In return for you sending some fine Carlsberg Stout instead of that mucky lager you export.
If you're a Dane or living in Denmark, and desperate for supplies, I'm sure we can organise an air-drop or charitable shipment. In return for you sending some fine Carlsberg Stout instead of that mucky lager you export.
Separated at birth
My pal Gerry wandered into the office just know, and picked up my copy of The Word. It's the only music magazine which occasionally features a living musician or current band on the cover.
The latest issue isn't one of those: yet again, it's kneeling at the cult of Keith Richards. Lo and behold:
The latest issue isn't one of those: yet again, it's kneeling at the cult of Keith Richards. Lo and behold:
Update: now to be published in next month's edition of the magazine!
Uppal's B.S. of the week
He's on to education now: another subject on which he knows nothing other than the party line.
OK. I can take that. I don't like the implication that all administration is automatically evil (for instance, I'd like schools to check the teachers are qualified - not currently a requirement in fee-paying schools - and financially stable.
Dearie me: so the government wants to give schools total control over everything they do, removing strategic oversight by the elected local authority, and they're abolishing financial checks? Nice. And 'unnecessary regulations' etc. tends to refer to things like decent sized classrooms, healthy food, banning sneaky tricks like admissions policies designed to filter out the poor and the black… burdensome regulation, you know.
But oh dear, Uphimself can't resist a bit of vacuous lying:
I'd love to see the footnotes for that. Especially as not a single 'free' school exists (they're not free: taxpayers fund them without getting any democratic oversight: they'll be playgrounds for creationists and profiteers). He's just making it up. It's not as if teachers spend half their days doing the accounts. Does he think that changing the organisational structure of a school will produce 'aspiration and ambition'? Amongst pushy parents, perhaps: but the kids are encouraged by teachers, not articles of association.
I don't know why I bother. Being an educator, I tend to think that evidence and intellectual inquiry should form the basis of my beliefs - whereas Uppal thinks that a party manifesto equates to evidence.
What steps he is taking to reduce the burden of administration on schools; and if he will make a statement.
OK. I can take that. I don't like the implication that all administration is automatically evil (for instance, I'd like schools to check the teachers are qualified - not currently a requirement in fee-paying schools - and financially stable.
The Government are committed to reducing the administrative burden on schools. We have already announced that the lengthy self-evaluation form will be removed, FMSiS—the financial management standard in schools—will be scrapped, and the inspection framework will be streamlined. All data collections are being reviewed and we have included measures in the Education Bill to remove unnecessary regulations. In addition, we are taking action to reduce dramatically the volume of guidance and advice issued to schools.
Dearie me: so the government wants to give schools total control over everything they do, removing strategic oversight by the elected local authority, and they're abolishing financial checks? Nice. And 'unnecessary regulations' etc. tends to refer to things like decent sized classrooms, healthy food, banning sneaky tricks like admissions policies designed to filter out the poor and the black… burdensome regulation, you know.
But oh dear, Uphimself can't resist a bit of vacuous lying:
Free schools and academies reduce bureaucracy so that more time can be spent on education. Does the Minister agree that all those schools should be encouraged in all areas so that children from any background can have access to an environment that encourages aspiration and ambition?
I'd love to see the footnotes for that. Especially as not a single 'free' school exists (they're not free: taxpayers fund them without getting any democratic oversight: they'll be playgrounds for creationists and profiteers). He's just making it up. It's not as if teachers spend half their days doing the accounts. Does he think that changing the organisational structure of a school will produce 'aspiration and ambition'? Amongst pushy parents, perhaps: but the kids are encouraged by teachers, not articles of association.
I don't know why I bother. Being an educator, I tend to think that evidence and intellectual inquiry should form the basis of my beliefs - whereas Uppal thinks that a party manifesto equates to evidence.
A good morning's work
Well, I'm back at work less than ten hours after I left the office last night. I've already managed to send an e-mail with:
to 400 people, so I'm not in the clearest frame of mind.
Still, only 200 essays and several complicated online fora to mark by Thursday. At least the next essay in the pile is by someone I know will have good things to say. We're meant to have anonymous marking for very good reasons, but the administration people have deliberately and arbitrarily abandoned that without consulting the students or the staff. So if you have pissed me off, I'll try my very best not to hold it against you, but I can't answer for my subconscious. Sue the university, not me.
- the wrong date
- a broken link
to 400 people, so I'm not in the clearest frame of mind.
Still, only 200 essays and several complicated online fora to mark by Thursday. At least the next essay in the pile is by someone I know will have good things to say. We're meant to have anonymous marking for very good reasons, but the administration people have deliberately and arbitrarily abandoned that without consulting the students or the staff. So if you have pissed me off, I'll try my very best not to hold it against you, but I can't answer for my subconscious. Sue the university, not me.
Monday, 23 May 2011
When human rights meet oil
You may have noticed that the US has suddenly got a lot tougher on its allies as they start to topple - after supporting some vicious dictatorships over the years. Obama calls for tyrants to go and freedom to reign.
Yet one country is immune: pretty much the worst one of all - Saudi Arabia. No religious freedom. No political or trades union organisation. No freedom of movement. Women aren't allowed out of the house without a male relative. Torture is rife, capital punishment frequent, fair trials unheard of.
It's worse than Libya, Iran, Tunisia, Morocco, Yemen, the UAE… What do the Americans (and their British mini-Me) have to say to that?
Yet one country is immune: pretty much the worst one of all - Saudi Arabia. No religious freedom. No political or trades union organisation. No freedom of movement. Women aren't allowed out of the house without a male relative. Torture is rife, capital punishment frequent, fair trials unheard of.
It's worse than Libya, Iran, Tunisia, Morocco, Yemen, the UAE… What do the Americans (and their British mini-Me) have to say to that?
In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner, said the U.S. administration was seeking more information about al-Sherif's status. "We understand there's an active debate on a lot of these social issues in Saudi Arabia, and we trust the government of Saudi Arabia to give careful consideration to these voices of its citizens as they speak about issues of concern," Toner said.Fearless. That'll do the job. Next up: declining to shake hands with Kim Jung-Il at the UN.
White Man's Got A God Complex
I couldn't resist: this is dedicated to Harold Camping, who declared that Saturday was Rapture Day. Perhaps it was: we haven't heard from him since…
I'm marking essays on Paradise Lost at the moment too, which seems appropriate.
I'm marking essays on Paradise Lost at the moment too, which seems appropriate.
Giggetty-Giggetty
I thoroughly disapprove of the furore over Ryan Giggs' alleged marital misbehaviour: the problem is that it's uninteresting gossip has exposed serious legal, social and technical shortcomings in public discourse.
But there's a childish side to me too, and it's one which is most amused by this unfortunate juxtaposition:
But there's a childish side to me too, and it's one which is most amused by this unfortunate juxtaposition:
Surviving BA English the easy way
I've just read a very interesting website, curated by a group of English literature students at some university. Despite not being able to differentiate between 'cannon' and 'canon', they've got some interesting things to say about the texts they're studying, and they say it in lively ways too.
Take, for instance, this entry on Milton's Paradise Lost, which was so interesting that one of my students decided that - with a few cosmetic changes and grammatical errors - it should form the majority of 'his' own essay.
Be warned, kiddies: I am the Plagiarism Plenipotentiary and I will never be deceived!
Take, for instance, this entry on Milton's Paradise Lost, which was so interesting that one of my students decided that - with a few cosmetic changes and grammatical errors - it should form the majority of 'his' own essay.
Be warned, kiddies: I am the Plagiarism Plenipotentiary and I will never be deceived!
Staying with the Irish theme
Following hard on the heels of Elizabeth Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (who at least didn't try to claim Irish ancestry, not having any sort of electorate to please), comes Barack O'Bama. Dinner with the politicos and a grip-and-grin in his great-great-great-grandfather's village and the tourist authorities, government and party machines will all be happy.
There's even a song:
There's even a song:
Vole's laugh-in
The highlight of the weekend - other than the Rapture of course - was seeing Karl Spain and Ed Byrne, the Irish stand-up comedians. Other than Stewart Lee and perhaps Ted Chippington, I'm rather indifferent to going to see stand-up, but we had free tickets because Karl is Emma's cousin.
I'm glad we went - both men were very funny, and even when the subject matter was unpromising (e.g. "I've just had a child, isn't parenthood funny and amazing?' - Byrne), their masterly grasp of comedy technique - how to build up expectations, when to go back to an earlier gag and so on) meant that we were carried through effortlessly. It was also brilliant hearing your friend namechecked in a gag, and her family stories being recycled in sharpened form to the amusement of several hundred people.
After the show, we hung around to chat to Spain and - it turned out - Ed Byrne. On stage, he looks like a trendy, friendly and well-paid professor of creative writing: nice jacket, ironic Robocop t-shirt, floppy hair and specs. When a guy dressed as Kevin or Perry (complete with reversed baseball cap) joined us, I assumed it was a roadie - it turned out to be Byrne himself, paying tribute to the spirit of the early Beastie Boys.
That's when it all got a bit weird. Gradually, we were encircled by a wary group of what looked like escapees from the Teen Goth Ward of the local sanatorium: barefoot, weirdly made-up and clearly coping with a range of Voices. We edged away, they edged in. In very British fashion, the nutters formed an orderly queue to say weird things to their idols.
It struck me that for Ed and Karl, staying faithful to their partners while on the road was rather easier than for, say, Keith Richards. Their groupies are the perfect contraception.
Here's one from Ted Chippington's high point:
I'm glad we went - both men were very funny, and even when the subject matter was unpromising (e.g. "I've just had a child, isn't parenthood funny and amazing?' - Byrne), their masterly grasp of comedy technique - how to build up expectations, when to go back to an earlier gag and so on) meant that we were carried through effortlessly. It was also brilliant hearing your friend namechecked in a gag, and her family stories being recycled in sharpened form to the amusement of several hundred people.
After the show, we hung around to chat to Spain and - it turned out - Ed Byrne. On stage, he looks like a trendy, friendly and well-paid professor of creative writing: nice jacket, ironic Robocop t-shirt, floppy hair and specs. When a guy dressed as Kevin or Perry (complete with reversed baseball cap) joined us, I assumed it was a roadie - it turned out to be Byrne himself, paying tribute to the spirit of the early Beastie Boys.
That's when it all got a bit weird. Gradually, we were encircled by a wary group of what looked like escapees from the Teen Goth Ward of the local sanatorium: barefoot, weirdly made-up and clearly coping with a range of Voices. We edged away, they edged in. In very British fashion, the nutters formed an orderly queue to say weird things to their idols.
It struck me that for Ed and Karl, staying faithful to their partners while on the road was rather easier than for, say, Keith Richards. Their groupies are the perfect contraception.
Here's one from Ted Chippington's high point:
Still here. Damn it.
Well, neither I nor anyone I know was Raptured, which is a profound disappointment: though the high wind warnings and Wolves' continuing Premiership tenancy are surely signs of the End Times.
Apart from the obvious benefits of getting rid of some religious zealots and the fun of seeing the other religious zealots left behind confounded (hopefully including the spiteful authors of Left Behind), I wanted to drift off in the knowledge that all my marking didn't matter any more. I'm a long way behind and time's getting extremely tight. I spent the weekend marking dissertations - including your effort, Ewar.
Anyhoo, I thought you'd like to hear another perspective on the Rapture:
This is of course Aziraphale, rather naughtily hijacking the body of a Televangelist, in Pratchett and Gaiman's glorious Good Omens (1990), which you really need to read. It's got an added bonus for me: the real Anti-Christ in the novel bears the same name as my very good friend who works in banking and was a Tory - and is therefore a good candidate.
Apart from the obvious benefits of getting rid of some religious zealots and the fun of seeing the other religious zealots left behind confounded (hopefully including the spiteful authors of Left Behind), I wanted to drift off in the knowledge that all my marking didn't matter any more. I'm a long way behind and time's getting extremely tight. I spent the weekend marking dissertations - including your effort, Ewar.
Anyhoo, I thought you'd like to hear another perspective on the Rapture:
'I mean, you're right about the fire and war, all that. But that Rapture stuff - well, if you could see them all in Heaven - serried ranks of them as far as he mind can follow and beyond, league after league of us, flaming swords, all that, well, what I'm trying to say is who has time to go round picking people out and popping them up in the air to sneer at the people dying of radiation sickness on the parched and burning earth below them? If that's your idea of a morally acceptable time, I might add.
And as for that stuff about Heaven inevitably winning… Well, to be honest, if it were that cut and dried, there wouldn't be a Celestial War in the first place, would there? It's propaganda. Pure and simple. We've got no more than a fifty percent chance of coming out on top. You might just as well send money to a Satanist hotline to cover your bets, although to be frank when the fire falls and the seas of blood rise you lot are all going to be civilian casualties either way. Between our war and your war, they're going to kill everyone and let God sort it out - right?'
This is of course Aziraphale, rather naughtily hijacking the body of a Televangelist, in Pratchett and Gaiman's glorious Good Omens (1990), which you really need to read. It's got an added bonus for me: the real Anti-Christ in the novel bears the same name as my very good friend who works in banking and was a Tory - and is therefore a good candidate.
Friday, 20 May 2011
Coins in, policy out
I sometimes write to my Member of Parliament. The previous one - Rob Marris - was a New Labour clone, but he was an honest and hardworking man who always replied personally. We disagreed on a lot of things, but I respected him and was sad when he narrowly lost the election.
My current MP is self-absorbed multimillionaire property speculator Paul Uppal. One of my friends wrote to him detailing her concerns about the government's assault on the National Health Service.
Amazingly, she got a reply:
Now, she and I are both academics. We spend a lot of time reading students' written work, and we can smell plagiarists from a mile off. We know when a sentence is nicked from somewhere, and Uppal's response stunk like a dead fish with halitosis. Putting his signature in a different font is a classic schoolboy error.
So - like I do with cheating lying students, I got onto what my dad calls The Google. Well, you could have knocked me down with a feather when I found this letter to an MP and his reply:
So much for the idea that Parliament is the place where fearlessly single-minded representatives examine every proposal for flaws and speak truth to power…
Marks for original thought: 0
Marks for blatant contempt for your constituents: 10.
(In the interests of balance: Labour did it too. They all view citizens as carping, moronic whingers getting in the way of governance).
Can I ask you all to write to your Tory MPs and see how many send the same letter out? According to this site, Nigel Mills MP, Steve Baker MP, Damian Collins MP, Nick Boles MP, Andrew Selous MP, while the Lib Dems send out a similar stock response which almost but doesn't quite end with 'not the face!'.
I love the Internet. Before that, they might have got away with this kind of behaviour. Now we can all compare and contrast in seconds.
My current MP is self-absorbed multimillionaire property speculator Paul Uppal. One of my friends wrote to him detailing her concerns about the government's assault on the National Health Service.
Amazingly, she got a reply:
Thank you for contacting me regarding the Government's Health and Social Care Bill.
Last year, the Government set out the changes it wants to see in the NHS. We also set out why the NHS needs to change: first, because Ministers want to protect and improve the NHS so that it can be even better in the future; and second, because – with the pressures of an ageing and increasing population, new technologies and rising costs – the NHS simply has to adapt and improve.
The changes the Government want to see are simple ones. First, where patients have greater choice and control over how and where to be treated. Second, where the NHS is left free from political interference to focus on what really matters – whether patients get the best possible care. Third, where doctors and nurses are driving improvements in patient care, and supported by high-quality management.
The Health and Social Care Bill sets out how, in legislative terms, we will meet these aims. The Government recognises, however, that there are some concerns. Many of these concerns are genuine, but many are based on myth. Doctors and nurses are asking about what these plans will mean for them. Patients and carers want to see how these changes will improve services for them. We hear those concerns.
So, now that the Health and Social Care Bill has successfully completed its Committee stage in the Commons, the Government is going to take the opportunity of a natural break in the legislative process to pause, listen, reflect and improve our plans. This is a genuine listening exercise. Where there are good suggestions to improve the legislation and the implementation of these plans, changes will be made.
I welcome your interest in these essential reforms. Indeed, the Government is encouraging everyone to help improve its plans, so that the NHS is protected for future generations as a high-quality and comprehensive health service – free at the point of use and based on need, not ability to pay.
I do believe the Government’s listening exercise is genuine. Ministers are taking the opportunity of the natural break in the legislative process to pause, listen, reflect on and improve their plans for NHS modernisation. Where there are good suggestions to improve the legislation and its implementation of the plans, changes will be made.
Some concerns about these plans are based on myth, such as the belief that we are not trialling the changes. However, some are genuine. This lobby group is raising concerns about cherry-picking, about involving the full range of experts in commissioning decisions, about competition on price, and about democratic accountability. It has always been the Government’s aim that cherry-picking should not be permitted, that commissioning should involve the full range of experts, that competition should be based on quality, and that the NHS is made more democratically accountable. These are all areas where we have already strengthened our plans, and hope to improve them still further.
I would strongly encourage you to contribute to the consultation which you can do online at healthandcare.dh.gov.uk. I would be very interested to receive a copy of your submission.
Thank you again for taking the time to write to me.
Paul Uppal MP
Now, she and I are both academics. We spend a lot of time reading students' written work, and we can smell plagiarists from a mile off. We know when a sentence is nicked from somewhere, and Uppal's response stunk like a dead fish with halitosis. Putting his signature in a different font is a classic schoolboy error.
So - like I do with cheating lying students, I got onto what my dad calls The Google. Well, you could have knocked me down with a feather when I found this letter to an MP and his reply:
Thank you for contacting me regarding the Government’s Health and Social Care Bill.
Last year, the Government set out the changes it wants to see in the NHS. We also set out why the NHS needs to change: first, because Ministers want to protect and improve the NHS so that it can be even better in the future; and second, because – with the pressures of an ageing and increasing population, new technologies and rising costs – the NHS simply has to adapt and improve.
The changes the Government wants to see are simple ones. Firstly, where patients have greater choice and control over how and where to be treated. Secondly, where the NHS is left free from political interference to focus on what really matters – whether patients get the best possible care. Thirdly, where doctors and nurses are driving improvements in patient care, and supported by high-quality management.
The Health and Social Care Bill sets out how, in legislative terms, we will meet these aims. The Government recognises, however, that there are some concerns. Many of these concerns are genuine, but many are based on myth. Doctors and nurses are asking about what these plans will mean for them. Patients and carers want to see how these changes will improve services for them. We hear those concerns.
So, now that the Health and Social Care Bill has successfully completed its Committee stage in the Commons, the Government is going to take the opportunity of a natural break in the legislative process to pause, listen, reflect and improve our plans. This is a genuine listening exercise. Where there are good suggestions to improve the legislation and the implementation of these plans, changes will be made.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
Yours sincerely
The Rt Hon Hugo Swire MP
Member of Parliament for East Devon‘Now this isn't the time to do a deconstruction of the multiple lies and distortions in this dishonest speak-your-weight garbage, or to critique both MPs' refusal to address the specific points raised by their correspondents. It's the time to excoriate these lazy bastards and this cynical, arrogant government for the way they treat us.
So much for the idea that Parliament is the place where fearlessly single-minded representatives examine every proposal for flaws and speak truth to power…
Marks for original thought: 0
Marks for blatant contempt for your constituents: 10.
(In the interests of balance: Labour did it too. They all view citizens as carping, moronic whingers getting in the way of governance).
Can I ask you all to write to your Tory MPs and see how many send the same letter out? According to this site, Nigel Mills MP, Steve Baker MP, Damian Collins MP, Nick Boles MP, Andrew Selous MP, while the Lib Dems send out a similar stock response which almost but doesn't quite end with 'not the face!'.
I love the Internet. Before that, they might have got away with this kind of behaviour. Now we can all compare and contrast in seconds.
From Misery to Absurdity
I am, as you may know, knee deep in essay and dissertation marking. As always, work goes from the absurd to the wonderful (though nobody has approached the Olympian heights of Ed's dissertation).
One of the worst aspects is marking poor work by people you either personally like, or whom you respect for their abilities. I have infinite patience for people who work hard but still struggle, and none for the lazy or dishonest. But it's emotionally draining to mark down or fail people when you know they've worked seriously hard. Responsibility is an issue, especially with dissertation supervision. If the piece has failed, isn't this an indictment of my supervision?
They say at PhD level that a supervisor shouldn't allow a potential failure to be examined: if they tell you to send it off, it's probably OK. Does this apply at undergraduate level? Of course, some people haven't bothered attending much supervision. Others have turned up to chat about ideas but not provided written material for discussion. Yet others present work you know is weak and all you can do is cajole them into the right frame of mind.
Anyway, light relief tonight: I've got a free ticket to see Karl Spain, a comedian who is supporting Ed Byrne in town tonight. He'd better be funny: I'll be sitting next to his cousin…
One of the worst aspects is marking poor work by people you either personally like, or whom you respect for their abilities. I have infinite patience for people who work hard but still struggle, and none for the lazy or dishonest. But it's emotionally draining to mark down or fail people when you know they've worked seriously hard. Responsibility is an issue, especially with dissertation supervision. If the piece has failed, isn't this an indictment of my supervision?
They say at PhD level that a supervisor shouldn't allow a potential failure to be examined: if they tell you to send it off, it's probably OK. Does this apply at undergraduate level? Of course, some people haven't bothered attending much supervision. Others have turned up to chat about ideas but not provided written material for discussion. Yet others present work you know is weak and all you can do is cajole them into the right frame of mind.
Anyway, light relief tonight: I've got a free ticket to see Karl Spain, a comedian who is supporting Ed Byrne in town tonight. He'd better be funny: I'll be sitting next to his cousin…
Are you Rapture Ready?
A tiny bunch of the nuttiest wing of Christianity is wandering the airwaves announcing that tomorrow (21st of May) is the Rapture, when the Elect (a few thousand at most) ascend to heaven, leaving the rest of us to fight it out, with or against the Antichrist.
There was even a representative of Familyradio.com on the streets of Manchester today. I'd love to have stopped him for a chat. Imagine being absolutely certain that the world ends tomorrow: that you're either going to heaven, or being left behind with the damned after devoting your life to worshipping him. How would you feel? How would you spend your last day? I'd have thought that if you're one of the elect, there isn't much you could do in 24 hours to lose your place, and therefore spending the day leafleting wouldn't be your first choice. In fact, as all the sects believe that only a small number get Raptured, I'd bin the leaflets. They're your competition! I'd keep very quiet about it. Unless you're the smug type of course. But gloaters might get a beating, and deservedly so. Is gloating a sin?
How considerate of God to get my grandmother a place early, beating the rush, and to wait until my brother's birthday (today) is over. Personally, I'm looking forward to burgling the houses of the Godly.
Needless to say, the satirical responses are legion - even Doonesbury has spent the week teasing the gullible (start here and keep clicking 'next'). But very few people have considered the practicalities. So here's some useful advice for our devout friends:
There was even a representative of Familyradio.com on the streets of Manchester today. I'd love to have stopped him for a chat. Imagine being absolutely certain that the world ends tomorrow: that you're either going to heaven, or being left behind with the damned after devoting your life to worshipping him. How would you feel? How would you spend your last day? I'd have thought that if you're one of the elect, there isn't much you could do in 24 hours to lose your place, and therefore spending the day leafleting wouldn't be your first choice. In fact, as all the sects believe that only a small number get Raptured, I'd bin the leaflets. They're your competition! I'd keep very quiet about it. Unless you're the smug type of course. But gloaters might get a beating, and deservedly so. Is gloating a sin?
How considerate of God to get my grandmother a place early, beating the rush, and to wait until my brother's birthday (today) is over. Personally, I'm looking forward to burgling the houses of the Godly.
Needless to say, the satirical responses are legion - even Doonesbury has spent the week teasing the gullible (start here and keep clicking 'next'). But very few people have considered the practicalities. So here's some useful advice for our devout friends:
Ughppal
Our illustrious MP made a cameo appearance in the city today. He oiled down to the local further education college to schmooze the kids there:
Him: I've abolished your Education Maintenance Allowance. And whacked up university fees to £9000. And helped privatise the NHS. And slashed benefits for everybody. Vote Tory!
Them: !
Unless this was of course a stage-managed, Potemkin village publicity stunt…
Unfortunately, there's no detail as yet, though I'm hoping some of the students will post something (use the comments box). I note that Uppal hasn't managed to make it as far as the university yet, and his reticence about what the college kids said to him speaks volumes.
Had a great Q&A this morning with students from City of Wolverhampton College.How did the conversation go?
Him: I've abolished your Education Maintenance Allowance. And whacked up university fees to £9000. And helped privatise the NHS. And slashed benefits for everybody. Vote Tory!
Them: !
Unless this was of course a stage-managed, Potemkin village publicity stunt…
Unfortunately, there's no detail as yet, though I'm hoping some of the students will post something (use the comments box). I note that Uppal hasn't managed to make it as far as the university yet, and his reticence about what the college kids said to him speaks volumes.
A New Low?
I saw the wonderful slowcore band Low last night, at Manchester University Students' Union (while the rest of the city went to see Rush, unfortunately. It was in their smallest, darkest subterranean bar and wasn't sold out, which was a little disheartening: I can't ever imagine not wanting to hear Low and despair that the rest of the world doesn't feel the same way.
However, it didn't bother the band. They delivered a set of ethereal beauty, leavened with the occasional loud, impassioned song. They were, in a word, perfect, and the new album (C'Mon) is a thing of stunning wondrousness.
As an aside, boo to the security, who ban the use of 'cameras like that', i.e. good ones (without any policy displayed anywhere). Hence these snatched and unsatisfactory shots.
However, it didn't bother the band. They delivered a set of ethereal beauty, leavened with the occasional loud, impassioned song. They were, in a word, perfect, and the new album (C'Mon) is a thing of stunning wondrousness.
As an aside, boo to the security, who ban the use of 'cameras like that', i.e. good ones (without any policy displayed anywhere). Hence these snatched and unsatisfactory shots.
James in the murk
Sleepingdog (support act)
Mimi Sparhawk and Steve Garrington
Mimi Sparhawk and the audience
Low
Thursday, 19 May 2011
Interlude…
Right, I'm off to Manchester to hang with the cool kids. Well, ex-cool kids: there won't be a single person at the Low gig with anything less than a Master's degree.
I should doff my hat to you Facebookers and Tweeters: annoyed by the spam from IDS Ltd., you've linked to my cheeky reply to the bastards in droves: more visitors in the last hour than I usually get in a day.
I'll leave you with a taste from the CD I got yesterday: Japanese percussionist Kuniko's arrangement of Steve Reich's Electric Counterpoint. If you're an incredible hifi nerd, you can go here to listen in Studio Master 192Khz 24bit quality and a range of other versions before deciding which to buy. I'm in my 30s so my ears are degraded beyond the point of caring.
and her Sound Space Experiment:
I should doff my hat to you Facebookers and Tweeters: annoyed by the spam from IDS Ltd., you've linked to my cheeky reply to the bastards in droves: more visitors in the last hour than I usually get in a day.
Total | 59,566 | ||
Average Per Day | 97 | ||
Average Visit Length | 2:27 | ||
Last Hour | 132 | ||
Today | 590 |
I'll leave you with a taste from the CD I got yesterday: Japanese percussionist Kuniko's arrangement of Steve Reich's Electric Counterpoint. If you're an incredible hifi nerd, you can go here to listen in Studio Master 192Khz 24bit quality and a range of other versions before deciding which to buy. I'm in my 30s so my ears are degraded beyond the point of caring.
and her Sound Space Experiment:
Camera Corner
I'm off to Manchester tonight, to see Low, a wonderful slowcore Mormon rock band (enticing, no?). Ben hates them, I think they're one of the best bands of the last 15 years.
I'm taking my camera - and just read this very good guide to taking good shots in such places. The last time I did gig photography (David Wrench and Julian Cope) it came out very well - though my Richard Thompson shots weren't quite as good (but his violinist liked them).
I'm taking my camera - and just read this very good guide to taking good shots in such places. The last time I did gig photography (David Wrench and Julian Cope) it came out very well - though my Richard Thompson shots weren't quite as good (but his violinist liked them).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)