Here’s something for the boys

If Santa forgets to leave Katherine Jenkins, Cheryl Cole or Jordan in your stocking this Christmas, you might like to consider the tips and strategies for wooing the love of your life offered in The John Bercow Guide to Understanding Women.

Bercow gives tips on how to pick up drunken girls and virgins as well as refined girls. He has another section entitled how to get rid of them, and he advocates lying. (I would have thought lying was a prerequisite for a politician any way).

Apparently he wrote this in a student magazine, and the Metro brought this story to light (what a mine of information the Metro is turning out to be for the blogging community).
Bercow penned this piece in 1986, and published it in Armageddon, a low-budget magazine said to have a “tiny circulation” (It is a magazine for Tory students).

According to Bercow, girls will fall for ‘anything that has a credit card and breathes’

(obviously worked for him then) – so now you know everything you will ever need to know about women - and good luck!

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/803037-john-bercows-guide-to-bedding-drunk-girls

How to be subversive

I’ve been mulling over the prospect of paywalls for online news (what a saddo, you are probably thinking, this nerd girl needs to get a life)
Well ,I was struck with a thought in the middle of the night, (when these bright ideas usually manifest themselves) what if some bloggers - who were subscribing to online newspapers , when we no longer have free online access– copied and pasted news articles into their blogs, then whored them round the internet for all to read – that would be subversive indeed.

Then I was struck with a moral dilemma.

We do need journalists to expose the evil and corruption in society. Someone has to pay for proper investigative journalism. If the newspaper industry died, we would be faced with the prospect of having a chaotic system in which corruption could spawn unchallenged.
I know I hate greedy capitalists, and that Rupert Murdoch’s mantra is: “Good journalism costs money”, but I would not want to live in ignorance – would you?

What does the future hold for bloggers?

Things in the newspaper industry are in a state of flux. The circulation figures for most of the daily national and Sunday papers are showing a consistent year on year downturn. Papers have responded to the internet revolution by putting newspapers online. The Guardian was at the forefront of this and has become the most popular site. It has also attracted a lot of readers in the USA.
Media moguls like Rupert Murdoch however are moving to change our free access to the news. Google, under pressure from Murdoch announced this week that it is going to limit the number of news searches we can make. Murdoch is already charging for the online Wall Street Journal and plans are afoot to make us pay for reading online news. This could affect bloggers who like to comment on the news. If papers erect paywalls for news, then the days of free news surfing are numbered, and blogging could become expensive .
I suppose Murdoch is in the media game to make a fortune, not provide a public service.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8389896.stm

Will your partner be faithful?

I’m doing a Shakespeare module at Uni at the moment, and one of the key themes is imagined infidelity.
Poor Othello is duped into thinking his wife is a strumpet, and is driven nuts by the evil Iago. He commits a brutal act of misogynistic violence with tragic consequences.
In The Winter’s Tale Leontes develops delusional jealousy at the sight of his wife talking to his best mate, but I won’t spoil the ending if you have not finished reading it yet.
Sadly, these misguided gentlemen did not have the benefit of the Metro.

According to an article in the Metro (the free newspaper that helps to offset the pain of astronomical rail fares, and astronomical parking charges) a person is likely to stray if their ring finger is longer than their index finger. So, have a quick look if you have doubts about the potential loyalty of your partner.

If you are still unsure then why not do the psychological questionnaire on infidelity on the BBC web site, (and get the suspect partner to join in).

Poor Leontes and Othello did not have the benefit of all this modern technology, but I suspect they would have just used it to confirm their worst suspicions.


Here is the link to the adultery test:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/adultery/

Summary of Student Meeting

Last night we had a meeting for all students. I will not bore you with minor issues, but focus on the things that got people upset and annoyed.

Jane Nelson told us about the curriculum changes. The 6 x 20 credit modules look like a fait accompli – so I don’t think that we can do anything about this. Ditto - the plan to claw back £8m by making staff redundant. Note the slippery language: ‘2 Big Projects’ and ‘repositioning’.
Apparently our university has not had an increase in applications like other places, and in the student survey apparently said we wanted more consistency in modules, and the new 6 x 20 thing will give us this wonderful new learning experience.

The big question from the students was: ‘will we be paying more for less ?’

This was answered by Aaron Porter, the vice-president of the NUS. He is an excellent speaker.
Aaron has been involved in meetings with Peter Mandelson and David Lammy. There is a plan by government to increase tuition fees once the election is over (irrespective of which of the three main parties gets elected). Universities could have a mandate to charge what they like, and prestigious universities could charge astronomical amounts. Figures bandied around for average universities are £5 -10K a year - resulting in a system of higher education based on the ability to pay, which excludes talented people who can’t afford it.
The body looking into tuition fees is comprised of business people (who must live on another planet). There is a token student rep, with no power on the committee. Aaron was told by Mandelson that he would have to resign from the NUS if he wanted to be on this committee.
Write to your MP about tuition fees – bet you don’t get a straightforward answer though.

There is also a protest meeting about tuition fees arranged for 3rd December outside the Vice-Chancellor’s office at Birmingham University.

Just to end these jolly tidings – staff at the useless SLC were paid £2 million in bonuses for cocking up people’s loans.

We live in a mad world!

Who’s been on the fiddle?

The Higher Education Funding Council for England has called for the mass resignation of governors at a university accused of misusing public funds.
The University in question is the London Metropolitan University. The university falsely claimed for thousands of students, and has to repay £36m. This will result in innocent staff losing their jobs in an attempt to claw back the cash.
London Met takes students from disadvantaged backgrounds, and has a 16.6% drop out rate for first years, putting it eighth from the bottom in league tables.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/university-accused--of-16336m-student-scam-1825909.html

Congratulations Herman

I knew you would win.

In response to your fellow Belgians slagging us off this week, I thought I would do the same.
Sadly I have nothing derogatory to say about Belgium, having spent many happy hours there as a child.

I think you have:

Great beer – nothing nicer than a tin of chilled Stella
Your chips with mayonnaise are to die for
Your smoked prawns ditto
As for your chocolate – yummmmmmmmmmmmm
You also created one of my favourite childhood heroes – Tintin
And no, we are not offended that you think we are a load of ignorant drunks.

Ha Ha Tony’s got a rival

Poor old Tony - and I must say he is looking a wee bit stressed these days – No wonder - he has a rival for the hottest job in Europe.
Yes Herman Van Rompuy – no I had not heard of him either until this week. Apparently he is the Belgian Prime Minister (yes, those folk who were slagging off the British in yesterday’s blog posting).
Mr. Rompuy is a closet poet, and a shrewd economist. He sounds like a steady sort of chap for the job. It will all be over soon. The powers that be in Europe will be deciding tonight.
I think it will be ….

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/05/tony-blair-herman-von-rompuy

What our EU mates really think about us

Apparently the Belgians egged on by the French have been slagging us off. According to them we have:
- the worst food in the world
- Britain is inhabited by drunks who actually like warm beer
- our tabloids are obsessed with scandal
- our climate is atrocious
- we drive on the wrong side of the road
- we think Britain is the centre of the universe
- we think English is the only language.


This all seems a bit harsh. We don’t all fall into this stereotypical pattern.

Never mind, they do think that we have nice gardens and they have not forgotten that we rushed to their aid in the war.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/belgium/6597009/10-reasons-to-dislike-the-British-by-the-Belgians.html

Jack the Ripper – the victims

In 1888 five prostitutes were murdered in Whitechapel over an eleven week period. In JtR films the victims are usually played by beautiful young actresses in glamorous Victorian gowns.
On the tour Lesley pointed out that four of the prostitutes were in their forties and only the last victim was in her twenties. Most prostitutes at that time would have been in their 40s to 60s. They would have been filthy, riddled with sexually transmitted diseases, edentulous, pock marked, and most of them were homeless alcoholics – so far from the image portrayed in the media. They were poor and desperate. They would have charged 4d. for the full works, but would have settled for less. A single bed for the night in a doss house cost 4d. Most homeless people however, would pay 1d. to lean over a canvass hammock with several others in a doss house room.
Prostitutes often congregated around the area of St. Botolph’s church where they met their customers. They were easy targets for JtR.
(1) Mary Ann Nichols: died aged 43 on 31.8.1888. She had been married at 13 to a Fleet Street printer. She left her husband in 1888. On the night she died she had been in the area of the docks looking for doss money. She had a new bonnet which she had been showing off. Her mutilated body was found in Buck’s Row. Her throat had been slit
(2) Annie Chapman: aged 47 with three children. She was last seen alive 8th September 1888. Her body was found in a garden. Her throat had been slit and she had been disembowelled. Her ovaries, spleen and uterus had been taken away. People reported seeing her with a man who had dark hair and a moustache, 5’6” tall, aged 30 – 40, with a black frock coat. Someone thought he wore a deerstalker hat.
The police sent officers dressed as women to pose as prostitutes I the area, but they refused to shave off their moustaches and beards, so not surprisingly none of them got picked up by the ripper.
(3) Elizabeth Stride: she was tall – 5’6” and Swedish. ‘Long Lizzie’ was last seen alive on 30.9.1888. Her throat had been slit but she escaped the mutilation suffered by the other victims. It is thought the ripper was disturbed because he murdered again the same night.
(4) Catherine Eddowes: she was 46, and from Wolverhampton. She had been arrested that night for impersonating a fire engine. After being turned out of the police station she met her death in Mitre Square. A bloodstained apron was found on a stairway leading to 108-119 Wentworth Model dwellings, Goulston Street. A message was written in chalk on the wall above the apron ‘The Juwes are the men That Will not be Blamed for nothing’. Catherine’s throat had been slashed, she had been disembowelled and mutilated, and one of her kidneys had been taken away. V shaped marks had been cut into her face; parts of her nose and ear had been sliced off.
(5) Mary Jane Kelly: aged 25. This murder took place in the victim’s house. The ripper completely mutilated her over a period of hours. Her throat had been cut, and pieces of her body had been removed and placed ritualistically around her. A witness reported seeing a dark haired aristocratic sounding man in the vicinity.

http://www.walksoflondon.co.uk/28/jack-the-ripper-photos.shtml

Jack the Ripper - The Suspects

‘Jack the Ripper’ continues to fascinate people because he was never captured. His acts were shocking and horrific, generating an atmosphere of terror on the streets of London.
Today there is a multi million pound industry in ‘Jack the Ripper’ because of the mystery that surrounds his barbaric deeds, and all we can do is continue to speculate about who he/ she /it was.

Many people have been put forward as possible suspects. The ones Lesley talked about on the walk were:

Aaron Kosminski – he was a Polish Jew. At the time people were suspicious of Jews and ‘foreigners’ anyway, and may have preferred to blame someone fitting this profile. Kosminski was a local butcher and a back street abortionist. He had a major problem – he hated women, and was known to be violent to them. He ended up in an asylum for the insane, but escaped during August 1888 and was captured in November 1888, shortly after Mary Kelly was murdered.
Is this a coincidence?
Kosminski had paranoid schizophrenia, but he did not fit the physical description of the ‘ripper’ suspect.

Montague Druitt – He fits the physical description of the ‘ripper’.
Blood stained clothes were found in his rooms, and he had written a note saying he was ‘going the same way as his mother’. She committed suicide. So, there was a history of mental instability in his family. His cousin was a Dr. Druitt, and Montague lodged with him for a time, giving him access to surgical knives, and anatomical text books etc.

Francis Tumblety – he was a visiting ‘quack’ from the states, and was in London at the time of the murders. He was a liar and a fantasist who also hated prostitutes. He kept female sex organs preserved in jars. He moved to France and then back to the states where he died nineteen years later.

The Duke of Clarence was also a suspect.


We cannot use modern forensic testing on the victims as most of them were buried in mass graves.

My preferred suspect is Kosminski, but we will never know who did it - will we?

http://www.essortment.com/all/jacktherippe_rdrb.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_the_Ripper_suspects

Jack the Ripper Walk – London 8.11.2009

Staff, with students and their friends and families from our university went on a ‘Jack the Ripper’ tour in London yesterday.
I thought you might like to know about ‘Jack’ and his evil doings, so I will do a summary of the tour in daily instalments.
Our tour guide was Lesley, and she joined us outside Tower Hill tube station. We followed her to the ruins of the medieval wall that divided the paupers of the east end from the rich of the financial district. At the time of the ripper the east end was heaving with homeless people. There was high unemployment, and people were starving. The life expectancy of a man was 30 years and 55% of children died before the age of five. Women turned to prostitution to survive. Today there are 14 million people in London, and 5,000 – 6,000 prostitutes. In 1888 the population of London was 1 million, and there were 40,000 – 60,000 prostitutes, and one in seven houses were brothels. There were high rates of alcoholism, and many people drank ‘gin’ a grain based, 120% proof drink that killed 2/3 of its consumers. The east end was a site for ‘sex tourism’. It is possible the ripper was an outsider, but in 1888 the area where the murders occurred was a warren of alley ways dating from medieval times, and the ripper may have had local knowledge enabling him to slip away unnoticed…’like the London fog, he evaporated into the night’.
So you have an area of abject poverty, with lots of prostitutes and alcoholics.
The police force was unprepared for the ripper. The city police and the Metropolitan police were divided, and did not cooperate fully. Serial killers were not really known then.
Prostitutes charged up to a maximum of 4d. for a ‘knee trembler’. Many were 40+ years old and homeless alcoholics – filthy, and diseased.
The murders took place between 31st August and 8th November 1888.
The tour took us to the actual sites of two of the murders, and we stood on the spot in Mitre Square where Catherine Eddowes was murdered. We were taken to the area near St Botolph’s church where the prostitutes and customers congregated.
We walked along claustrophobic alleyways and finished the tour at ‘The Ten Bells' pub.

http://www.jack-the-ripper-walks.com/?gclid=CNbF6s6k_Z0CFUQA4wodRA22pA

Ideas for next year’s Halloween

If you are the sort of person who likes to celebrate Halloween then you might consider copying the Halloween fun at Boulder in Colorado.
They really celebrate in style there by running round the streets naked with nothing but a pumpkin on the head. It adds a whole new dimension to the concept of meeting strangers at Masked balls.
The miserable police however decided to stop the entertainment this year and 100 officers were stationed around the town ready to pounce on anybody in an undressed state and do them for indecent exposure.
Disgruntled pumpkin people complained on their website about the violation of their rights.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6482411/Nude-pumpkin-run-cancelled-in-Boulder-after-police-threat.html

Let us write your speeches Mr. Prime Minister

Dear Gordon,
I read in the Guardian today that you paid $40,000 out of your own pocket for some speeches by ‘West Wing Writers’.
Why go to the states for your speeches when you have a goldmine of writing talent here in the West Midlands.
Let me introduce you to ‘Wolverhampton Writers’. We could knock up as many speeches as you need.
There is the incredibly intelligent Dr. Vole. He knows everything about politics, and can extend a metaphor further than anybody else I know.
If you need something to mock the opposition parties, then Mr. Ewarwoowar is your man. He is a perceptive people-person renowned for his brilliant satires of the Shropshire Star.
It is comedy you want, look no further than Britain’s foremost comic genius Dr. Paul McDonald. He will have them rolling off their seats wetting themselves with his double entendres and slapstick.
We also have lots of creative writing students who would be happy to do it for nothing for a bit of writing practice.
So, what are you waiting for, contact Wolverhampton Writers today.

Cheers,
Sue xxx

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2009/nov/04/gordon-brown-speeches-west-wing-writers
http://plashingvole.blogspot.com/
http://theriseandriseoftimlovejoy.blogspot.com/

The new face at Tesco?

My favourite person just can’t keep out of the limelight.
No – honestly just ignore the rumours- I don’t keep writing about Tony Bliar because I fancy him, I write about him because he annoys me.
Now he’s trying to get a well paid job promoting Tesco in the Middle East. Is there no end to this man’s global meddling?
There is a word in Arabic for people like our Tony – ‘eghtina’ which means using your public status to rake in loads of money.
One expects capitalist types to be on the look out for a bit of profit, but historically Labour Prime Ministers have had more affinity with their voters and tended to be mindful of the less fortunate. How times have changed.

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/debate/article-1224562/PETER-MCKAY-Why-Tony-Blairs-eyes-money.html

How do you fancy earning 80K?

There is a really prestigious and well paid job going if you fancy it.
I hear on the grapevine that Uncle Gordon is looking for a Downing Street spin-doctor - no sorry a media PR person.
A lot of high profile people have apparently shunned this tempting offer for various reasons.
Simon Lewis, Gordon’s current director of communications wishes to take a more backseat role after taking up a post as director of communications three months ago.
Poor old Gordon has not had much luck so far with his media representatives, and has got through five at least since moving to number 10 - Remember Damian McBride and his e-mails.

It would be brilliant if whoever gets this job could be given a magic truth telling drug – it would be fascinating to hear the absolute truth for once about politicians and policies – not a load of spin.

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/article-1224408/Brown-snubbed-times-hunt-80k-spin-doctor.html

What do you have for your lunch?

What do you like to have for lunch my lovely readers?

When I am at Uni I have peanut butter sandwiches. They are quick to make, especially when I have to leave the house by 7.25am to get to a 9am lecture. Peanut butter sandwiches are easy to transport, very very yummy and easy to scoff discreetly during lectures, when the lecturer is not looking. When I am not at Uni I have more time to make exciting sandwiches.

If you are lucky enough to have time for lunch would you fancy this?

White truffle carpaccio, veal Milanese, truffle tagliolini with extra parmesan cheese, accompanied by a few glasses of Chateau Petrus, Cristal rosé champagne, tawny port and a dash of Johnnie Walker Blue Label.
This is what oligarch Roman Abramovich and guests had for their lunch at Nello’s restaurant in New York. The whole lot, together with service charges, only cost £28,793.

Would you fancy that for your lunch?

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1224357/Mystery-Roman-Abramovichs-corking-lunch-29k.html#ixzz0Vb30Tebs

Plight of the honeybee

Einstein said that if the honeybee became extinct, so would mankind. Bees are vital to all our lives.
It is frightening that over the past few years there has been an inexplicable decline in the honeybee population. Bees are a barometer of the health of the environment, and their decline is telling us that we have serious problems and time is running out.
No one seems to know exactly why they are dying. Is it a virus, is it something in the environment – no one has the answer.
The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council has agreed to fund research at Warwick University.
I hope they find out what the problem is, because if Einstein is right (and I am afraid I have to agree with him) then we could be heading for trouble.

http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/media/releases/2009/091001_1million_award_honeybee_decline.html

Talking in lectures

It seems the norm for students to take phone calls and to chat to their friends during lectures.
What do you all think about this?
Should we be allowed to do this, after all we have a right to free speech don’t we.

Or do you find it extremely irritating and disrespectful. Is the background noise in lectures disrupting your learning experience?
Can you hear what the lecturer is saying above the din of conversation about who did what to whom at the Hog’s Head the night before - Yes, we would all like to know the latest salacious gossip too, and would appreciate it if you spoke a bit louder so that we could all be party to it.

Should the culprits be made to stand at the front and take over the lecture – then the lecturers could sit at the front and heckle them, to make them see what it feels like to give a lecture with a lot of background noise.

What is the general consensus on this one – should chatting be allowed or is it wrong?

Now is the winter of our discontent

It looks as if we will be in for an interesting winter. I’m not talking about the weather, but the rumblings of rebellion that are stirring in the masses.
The postmen are planning mass walk-outs, and run the risk of playing into the government's hands regarding privatisation. Bin workers up north are striking, and so are fire-fighters in Warwickshire.

At a university in the West Midlands there are rumblings of a different kind. Students are being gagged for wanting to express an opinion about 250 staff redundancies. This is not acceptable. What has democracy been reduced to if people can’t complain about things?

So, if any passing readers (especially journalists) are appalled by this, feel free to comment here and elsewhere.

Have you seen this?

Stephen Gately RIP

17th March 1976 - 10th October 2009

Stephen was adored by millions of fans across the globe. Louis Walsh said that he was his ‘very, very best friend’.
People were horrified however by the article penned by Jan Moir in yesterday’s Daily Wail. The article, entitled ‘A strange, lonely and troubling death’, was a homophobic diatribe against Gately, insinuating that his life-style choice was the cause of his death. She also managed to link Gately’s death to Kevin Mc Gee’s suicide (ex husband of Matt Lucas), implying there was something sinister about it as well.
Well, people unfortunately do die suddenly from natural causes at all ages.
People do sadly commit suicide over failed love affairs.
Gately was gay – so what Jan Moir.
A lot of people liked him.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1220756/A-strange-lonely-troubling-death--.html

Beards

Apparently the latest fashion trend for men is to flaunt a large fuzzy beard.
Lots of celebs are jumping on the beardy bandwagon, and even David Beckham is following the fashion trend rather than instigating it.

Do men think beards make them more sexy and appealing to women?
Is it a way to advertise ones masculinity?
According to a survey by Lynx (the spray stuff that is supposed to make women throw themselves at your feet) there is a division of opinion on the subject of beards.
63% of men polled reckoned that beards made them look more manly, and attractive.
Whereas 92% of women said they preferred clean shaven men.
95% of women did not want to be kissed by a beardy bloke.

So what is going on here?
Are men staging a manly rebellion against women by growing breads?
What do you think about beards – do you love them or hate them?


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1220782/Why-men-love-beards-women-hate-them.html

Grow your own

In Scotland it has been suggested that some of the golf courses should be turned into allotments. This sounds like an excellent idea to me.

In the Times this week, Dr. Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, said that we should all get back to nature and start growing our own crops on allotments. I think he has a point. We seem to have become an overworked, consumer driven society. I think a lot of us have lost touch with simple things like the pleasure of producing something.
There is nothing nicer than freshly picked organic produce…yum. The earth has a natural seasonality, which has been lost with the globalization of the food industry.

I’m sure some of you will disagree and not want an allotment. You may not like fruit and vegetables, or the thought of getting dirt under the fingernails does not appeal.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/science/earth-environment/article6872027.ece

Idiots

The latest form of mindless stupid behaviour seems to be to flash laser lights at planes coming in to land on runways. Aeroplane and helicopter pilots have reported being temporarily blinded by these laser lights.
This dangerous form of anti-social behaviour began a few years ago, but the number of reported cases has started to rise exponentially. There have already been >400 reported incidents this year. It is only a matter of time before there is a serious mishap.
The laser lights are easily purchased on the internet.
I’m terrified of flying at the best of times, but a twerp armed with a laser adds another, totally unnecessary, element of fear to the process.

National Identity Fraud Prevention Week

This week is National Identity Fraud Prevention Week

Did you know that 79% of businesses make no effort to protect your personal information?
In the UK 4.3 million people have already become the victims of ID thieves, and there has been a steep rise since the recession.
The link below will give you information on ID fraud.
What can you do to protect yourself?
Here is a list of the ways ID thieves get your personal information:
1. They raid bins for bank statements, utility bills etc – so shred your stuff before you stick it in the bin
2. Remember to get your mail forwarded if you move house
3. Tell random unsolicited callers wanting personal information to piss off.
4. If you use Facebook, be careful about how much personal information you disclose.
5. Phishing – delete any weird looking e-mails claiming to be from your bank requesting urgent personal information.
6. Thefts of purses and wallets.
7. Card skimming.

Have a nice week!

http://www.stop-idfraud.co.uk/

Nobel Peace Prize

I was delighted to read yesterday that Barak Obama had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He stated that the prize should be shared ‘with everyone who strives for justice and dignity’. The Nobel Prizes have been awarded since 1901.

Alfred Bernhard Nobel (21.10.1833 – 10.12.1896), was a Swedish engineer, chemist and business man. He bequeathed his vast fortune in 1895 to set up the Nobel foundation to award prizes for outstanding achievements in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and peace. The first awards were granted in 1901. Nobel invented dynamite. He never married, but he had three close relationships. The most enduring was with Sophie Hess, a Viennese flower seller.





http://nobelprize.org/alfred_nobel/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/6284763/Barack-Obama-surprised-and-humbled-by-Nobel-Peace-Prize.html

Election fever??

The political parties are all getting ready for the next General Election.

Are you excited about this?
Can you be bothered to vote?
Do the three main parties all look fairly similar?

YouGov figures out today suggest that the Conservatives are currently the most popular party: Con 40% Lab 31% LibDem 18% and the rest 11%

Vince Cable is the person most preferred for Chancellor, but only by a small percentage: Cable 19%, Osborne 17%, Darling 16%

Over the past year or so the Conservatives have enjoyed a rise in popularity. Is their lead in the ratings war due to their policies or has Labour failed to live up to its promise. Are people disenchanted with Gordon Brown?
60%of people polled rated David Cameron as too posh to understand the problems of real people. Do you agree with them?

http://ukpollingreport.co.uk/blog/

Booker prize winner 2009

This year’s Booker prize has been won by Hilary Mantel for her book Wolf Hall, a Tudor tale of intrigue focusing on the life of Thomas Cromwell.
Looking at the reviews of Wolf Hall today it looks like a book I would love to read, but critics have described it as a ‘hard’ book to read. Unfortunately I will probably have to wait until I have finished my degree before I tackle it.
Last year’s Booker winner White Tiger was excellent, and I would strongly recommend it if you haven’t had time to read it yet.
The 2007 winner was The Gathering by Anne Enright - a very well written book, but it left me feeling emotionally drained at the end.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/oct/06/booker-prize-hilary-mantel-wolf-hall

Porridge

Does anyone else think that good TV comedy programmes are a thing of the past?
Today David Attenborough lamented the passing of ‘Porridge’, saying that it ‘entertained and educated, gave you insight into psychology and current affairs, and was the greatest programme we've ever seen’.
Does anyone agree with him?
David Attenborough believes that as the number of channels increases, dwindling audiences will lead to a diluting of quality which bodes ill for the future.
Do people feel that the days of good programmes are numbered?
Or do programmes like the IT Crowd and Peep Show surpass Porridge for comic brilliance?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/6263273/Porridge-is-best-programme-ever.html

On the make

Apologies to all you TB fans out there, but I couldn’t resist this one.
I can’t forgive him for plodding into Iraq, and I hate people who profess to be socialists, but live like Royalty.
Well, if TB gets the Presidency then he will be laughing all the way to the bank.
Salary: £270,000 per annum
Housing allowance: £40,500 pa
Removal fees: £45,000
Residence allowance: £40,500
Incredibly generous ‘household’ and school fees allowances
Entertainment allowance: £15,663 pa, as well as numerous payments and pensions when he leaves.
I’m hopeless at maths, but that looks like an awful lot of money.

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/news/article-1218031/Alarm-bells-ring-Brussels-Cherie-Antoinette-Irelands-Yes-vote-paves-way-Tony-Blair-EU-President.html

President Ahmadinejad

I couldn’t believe it today when I read that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad hails from Jewish roots. As you all probably know President Ahmadinejad of Iran has repeatedly threatened Israel, and denied the Holocaust.
During the 2008 elections he held up his identity card. A close-up of the document revealed that his family had been previously known as Sabourjian – a Jewish name meaning cloth weaver.

An internet blogger, Mehdi Khazali, called for an investigation of Mr. Ahmadinejad's roots but was arrested this summer.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/6256173/Mahmoud-Ahmadinejad-revealed-to-have-Jewish-past.html

Resurgam

The bookies bets in Ireland are on a ‘yes’ vote in today’s referendum on the Lisbon treaty. But we will need to wait till tomorrow to find out if they are right. A consequence of a ‘yes’ vote is that we might see the return of a prominent public figure, yes Tony Bliar. He is a hot favourite for the position of president of the EU, and even Frau Merkel might be amenable to his appointment, although she would rather the job went to someone from a country that has embraced the Euro.
A yes vote will cause problems for the Tories, as they have promised a referendum if they get in at the next election.
This is a tense time.
Will Ireland vote yes?
Will Europe want TB as its president?
Will Tony accept?

Will Irish ayes be smiling?
Watch this space…

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6857807.ece

How to be a success with women

According to a recent poll, chat-up lines are supposed to impress most women, but the remarks need to be funny and succinct.
Women love confident men with a good sense of humour, and a witty chat-up line can be a good way to demonstrate this quality, and get a woman’s attention.

The five most successful chat up lines are:

‘Do you believe in love at first sight, or should I walk by again?’
‘I’ve had a really bad day and it always makes me feel better to see a pretty girl smile. So, would you smile for me?’
‘Apart from being beautiful, what do you do for a living?’
‘Shall we talk, or continue flirting from a distance?’
‘I seem to have lost my number, can I have yours instead?’

Chat-up lines to avoid (apparently) are:

Smash an ice cube than announce ‘Now I’ve broken the ice, let’s talk’
‘I guess you can kiss heaven goodbye, it has got to be a sin to look that good’
‘Were you arrested earlier? It’s got to be illegal to look that good’
‘I’ve lost that loving feeling. Will you help me find it?’
‘Do you have a map, because I keep getting lost in your eyes?’

What do you think?
Would you approach some unsuspecting female with one of the above?
Would you be impressed if some random bloke uttered one of the above examples?
Has anyone actually used any of these, or said them to you?

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/09/28/cheesy-does-it-115875-21705892/

Anglo-Saxon Gold

The discovery of a hoard of Anglo-Saxon treasure in a field in Staffordshire caused great excitement last week. The treasure probably dates from the late seventh century, when Mercia was extending its boundaries. The beauty and intricacy of the treasure casts doubts on our perception of Anglo-Saxon culture, as the ‘dark ages’.
The hoard was discovered by Terry Herbert using a metal detector in a field near Burntwood.
The treasure is currently on show at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery until the 13th of October.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/sep/24/anglo-saxon-treasure-hoard-gold-staffordshire-metal-detector

Follow-up to the snouts in trough saga

Some months ago the world at Westminster was thrown into turmoil when the Daily Telegraph began the slow leak of information regarding the abuse of the expenses and allowances system by some MPs.
Well, today the Telegraph revealed that the mole was linked to moonlighting service personnel who were incensed by what they found whilst temping in The Stationery Office. Apparently they were having to work during leave periods to pay for their own body armour etc, and were not amused.
They have done the world a favour by bringing this information to light, but it is not surprising that a book on the subject is due to be published today!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/6228694/MPs-expenses-how-fury-over-plight-of-our-soldiers-blew-lid-on-claims.html

Sydney turns red overnight

No, this is not a political posting, but a dire warning for all of us.
Australia is currently experiencing freak weather conditions. Residents of Sydney woke up to find their city enveloped in clouds of red and orange dust. The harbour bridge was obscured by an eerie glow, making it look like something out of an alien space invasion film. Flights were grounded and travelling by road was hazardous.
In Adelaide heavy rain caused flooding. Melbourne was hit by a couple of earth tremors. Hail stones the size of cricket balls fell on New South Wales and Queensland is suffering from bush fires.
It was also reported today that China and the USA are finally waking up to the problem of global warming, and have pledged to do something about it.
Well, they had better hurry up about it. The weather conditions in Australia are a warning that time is running out
Society needs to be less reliant on excessive consumerism, and more focused on saving the planet.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/23/australia-dust-storm-sydney

Who do you think is a good role model?

It is hardly surprising news that many children do not respect their parents and have little regard for adults in general. In a poll by the Children’s Society David Beckham and Cheryl Cole were rated as good role models. In the world of politics one third saw David Cameron as a good role model and only a fifth rated Gordon Brown.
Poor old Homer Simpson was seen as the ultimate bad role model. This seems a bit harsh. Homer is a devoted family man. He may drink a few Duff beers with the lads, but he is not out scoring drugs or chasing other women, and he holds down a job. I think it is unfair that poor Homer has been given this accolade. I can think of far worse examples than him.
Who do you think is a good role model for young people and who is a really bad one?

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23744575-details/David+Beckham+and+Cheryl+Cole+

Bring back pyjamas

According to a survey this week ,sales of Pyjamas are increasing astronomically, and top designers are featuring pyjamas in their couture collections. Sales of women’s pyjamas have trebled in the last decade (could this be something to do with Bridget Jones’s Diary?).
Pyjamas were appropriated by ex-pats in India in the seventeenth-century. They became popular in England in the nineteenth-century, replacing the Wee Willie Winkie nightshirts that were ubiquitous. The fifties was probably the golden age of pyjama wearing, with a sharp decline from the seventies onwards when duvets became popular and more houses had central heating.
Thanks to the credit crunch and extortionate fuel bills, pyjamas are making a dramatic come back as people strive to keep warm. There may even be a resurgence of the ‘pyjama and bottle’ parties that were all the rage in the roaring twenties.

There is something deliciously decadent don’t you think about slobbing around the house in pyjamas – now at least it is the latest a fashion craze, and not a lazy student thing!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1214947/As-pyjama-sales-soar-closet-fan-celebrates-return-unfashionable-item-mans-wardrobe.html

More bad news for students

The Confederation of British Industry announced today that the problems caused by greedy bankers should be passed down the line to students. They advised that the government could save £1.4 billion by screwing students. They want tuition fees raised, grants limited, and student loan repayments brought in line with mainstream interest rates. They suggest that tuition fees should be £5,000+
These increases could help to stave of the proposed cutbacks in higher education, but are they fair?
In my opinion, for what it is worth, in a civilized society top quality education and health care should be free for everybody.

Politicians should go back to the drawing board and have a hard look at the real reasons why the world is in a mess.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8263672.stm
http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKLNE58K00I20090921

Happy Birthday to me

Today is my birthday.

Unfortunately thanks to Mr. Bin Laden my birthday is no longer a happy occasion.
11.9.2001 was a terrible day when the world seemed to change for ever, and thousands of innocent people lost their lives.
I feel at a loss to understand why Al-Qaeda et al hate their fellow humans so much, and feel compelled to destroy them.
What alternative model of society is Al-Qaeda trying to promote? Judging by their actions it seems to be a violent and destructive ideology that does not respect the lives of others. Only the sick, psychopathic, and deluded could find such a way of life appealing.
If any of you understand what their aim is please feel free to enlighten me, because I am struggling to understand what the issues are.

All I want for my birthday is for people to live in peace. I wish all the bloodshed and corruption in the world would stop, and that everyone could focus on real issues like poverty and global warming.

Thank you.

Who’s hot and who’s not?

Who do you think deserves the title of hottest looking person around, and who makes you want to rush for the nearest exit?

I love costume dramas. I recently watched Desperate Romantics and the sight of Aidan Turner, who played Dante Gabriel Rossetti, sent my pulse racing. He definitely gets my vote for best looking man.

I ended up with three joint contenders for the accolade of least appealing though.
Michael Winner - because he seems arrogant and self-satisfied
Alistair Darling - because he has the charm and looks of a dodgy car salesman
And last but not least Gordon Brown who has less appeal and charisma than a bowl of gruel.

Who do you rate or hate???

What will happen today?

Today is the 9th day of the ninth month and the year is 2009 → 999
Doom mongers have been predicting that today could be the end of the world or at the very least something nasty could happen.
Some fans of numerology and Nostrodamus are anxiously waiting for us all to be sucked into a black hole caused by the Hadron Collider in Switzerland, or something more sinister.
Others think that 999 might herald a terrorist attack, mimicking the 9/11 attack in America (emergency call numbers)
Can anyone predict the future? , or are these predictions just a load of nonsense.
Well, we will soon find out.
I was going to post this at nine minutes past nine, but I’m going out now.

Have a nice day !!!!!!!!!


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1212107/World-end-today---Well-9-9-09--doom-mongers-predicting-disaster.html

Whodunnit?

A dreadful crime has been committed in the allotments of the peaceful sea-side town of Torquay.
The police are trying to track down the villain or villains responsible for several ABH attacks on prizewinning fruit and veg.
Mr. Mason found that his pumpkins had been stabbed with a spike and Mr. Pastewski’s flowers were poisoned with weed killer.
This terrible spate of vegetable nobbling appears to be motivated by spite. The victims are people who were hoping to enter their home-grown produce in the Torquay Allotment Association Show.
The traumatized gardeners are planning to set up a ‘vegilante’ group to patrol the allotments.

It takes a lot of time, effort, and love to grow things, so I hope the miscreant will be caught and forced to eat a bucket of sprouts!

http://www.thisiswesternmorningnews.co.uk/news/Jealous-rival-blamed-allotment-attacks/article-1307444-detail/article.html

Dirty Students

Most of you are looking forward to going back to university, but be warned - some of our fellow students may be harbouring some filthy habits.
The Beckmann cleaning company did a student survey and found that many male students only wash their knickers once a fortnight, and their socks once every four days.
The girls were guilty too - many only wash their bras every couple of months.
The smell of unwashed clothes is masked by generous squirts of aftershave or deodorant.

Shockingly, two thirds of male freshers arrive at university not knowing how to use a washing machine.
Is it the credit crunch and poverty that is driving students to shun washing?
Or are students literally 'the great unwashed' as people suspect?

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20090830/tuk-students-slip-back-to-squalid-era-6323e80.html

Mercury poisoning, Shakespeare and Victorian crime novels

This villain could have graced the pages of a Victorian novel as a sly poisoner.
Sixty-nine year old William Dowling tired to woo back his estranged wife by poisoning her!
Poor unsuspecting Mrs. Dowling used to visit him weekly for a cup of tea. Mr Dowling served it to her in a bone china cup, but the tea had hidden extras.
Dowling, a retired electrician had a secret stash of mercury in his cellar, and was slipping it into her tea cup in the hope that she would become unwell and he could nurse her back to health. (No wonder she had left him in the first place – what a psycho)
Mrs Dowling became suspicious when she noticed small silvery ball-bearing like bits in the bottom of the cup. She also began to feel unwell.
Thankfully Mrs Dowling was seen at her local hospital, correctly diagnosed, and advised to report him to the police.
Prosecuting barrister Mark Lamberty kept alluding to Shakespeare in the trial (why he did this I do not know, unless he was trying to elevate the tone of the proceedings)

See if any of you can spot where the two quotes he used came from,

‘This even-handed justice

Commends the ingredients of our poison'd chalice

To our own lips…

‘No, no, they do but jest, poison in jest—

Answers on a post card, or in the comments section below, and have a great week-end!

Does it pay to be nice?

Apparently being nice at work may not be such a good idea. Drs Nicoletti and Nandi at Essex University undertook a research project on three thousand working males between the ages of 24 – 64. The team classified the men into different personality types by using personality traits such as openness to experience, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness and neuroticism. What the study found was that men with extravert personalities who were ‘open to new experiences’ earned 6% more than their ‘nicer’ more introverted colleagues.
Does this suggest that men should stop being nice at work?
I suspect most people would prefer to be happy at work and have pleasant, agreeable colleagues.
I wonder if employers are more inclined to give pay rises to loud, opinionated or aggressive men because they would make a fuss and complain if they didn’t.
Nice men might be less inclined to complain and employers could exploit them, knowing they would be unlikely to cause trouble.

http://www.eadt.co.uk/content/eadt/news/story.aspx?brand=EADOnline&category=News&tBrand=EADOnline&tCategory=xDefault&itemid=IPED23%20Aug%202009%2020%3A24%3A21%3A430

Who do you think you are?

Well, according to research done by Dr. Jason Rentfrow at Cambridge University, your taste in music says a lot about your personality.
Our personalities influence the types of music we like to listen to and those we avoid.
So be careful about letting a new love interest look at your iPod collection, because this is what your taste in music says about you.

People who like classic/folk and jazz are creative and imaginative, with good verbal ability.
(Though the classical music lovers are perceived as less attractive and a bit boring)

Pop music fans are sociable extroverts who are warm, chatty and dependable, but less intelligent.

Rock fans are natural rebels who are artistic, imaginative but emotionally unstable.

Rap fans are more hostile than the rest, but are energetic, self-respecting and athletic

Electronica fans are a bit neurotic.

(Having confessed to liking Pendulum on my blog a few weeks ago I think I’ll keep quiet about my taste in music after this!)

http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/news/dp/2009082101
http://web.mac.com/jrentfrow/iWeb/Dr.%20Peter%20Jason%20Rentfrow/Music%20%26%20Personality.html

The Oxfam bestsellers list

I read an interesting fact today. Dan Brown’s books are the ones most likely to end up being donated to charity. It seems that this best selling author’s works are only worth a one-off read. Unlike well written works of literary fiction that people keep, and read time and time again.
Dan Brown has been incredibly successful with his page turning plots, buts his books are otherwise lacking in depth and complexity, so it is not surprising that they get recycled.

Does anybody in blogland like Dan Brown and rate him as a writer, or is he more of a literary entertainer?
Should creative writing students be trying to emulate his style, or should they aim to follow the advice in The Art of Fiction by John Gardner?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2009/aug/21/dan-brown-oxfam-most-donated-books

A new form of Darwinian low life - or the origin of specious?

Prison officers were angry this week when ex-prison officer John Darwin flouted rule 39 by smuggling his memoires out of Everthorpe prison. The fifty-nine year old conman faked his own death in a ‘canoeing accident’ in 2002, which lead to £150,000 being wasted by the emergency services in searching for him. He conned £250,000 out of an insurance company and ‘disappeared’ to Panama. The most dreadful aspect of this case was the way Darwin and his wife Anne (an ex-convent school girl) callously conned their grieving sons into thinking he was dead.
Now this rogue is hoping to make £1 million from the book of his escapades.
Darwin was able to smuggle his manuscript out of jail by using a bogus legal firm set up by a fellow conman he met in Durham Jail.
Darwin would have known that under rule 39 prison officers are not allowed to open correspondence between prisoners and their legal advisers, unless there are ‘special circumstances’.
Rule 39 needs to be reviewed if people like Darwin can blatantly abuse the system for profit, and other suspect activities.
It is left to be seen which publication agrees to pay the £1m this slippery individual is demanding for his ‘memoires’.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6799663.ece
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/aug/17/canoe-man-john-darwin-memoir
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/2591154/Canoe-Mans-1m-jail-plot-to-sell-his-story.html

Girls behaving badly

According to the Daily Star, arch self-publicist Ms Jordan is frightened that the Russian Mafia are planning to kidnap her in Marbella when she arrives there to promote her latest range equestrian clothes. She has been in the news headlines most days with her sexploits since her ‘split’ with Mr. PA.
Apparently KP has been bragging that she is nearly a billionaire, and she is listed as twelfth in the Sunday Times young person’s rich list. The gangsters are said to be plotting to whisk her away to the Med on a yacht
How do people know the details of the gangsters’ alleged plot?
I think that this must be another of KP’s publicity stunts.
She is without doubt one of the shrewdest business women on the planet, and rapidly becoming one of the wealthiest.

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/view/94267/JORDAN-KIDNAP-TERROR/

Girls behaving badly

Kerry Katona has lost her £250,000 a year contract with Iceland foods. The dopey mother of two was secretly filmed snorting coke with a £20 note, whilst her two daughters aged six and seven were in the house.
I never understood why the Iceland supermarket chain chose a boozy drug sorter with a dodgy taste in partners for its ‘mum’s gone to Iceland’ adverts. She is the antithesis of what a sensible loving mother, devoted to her family should be like – unless lots of children have mothers just like her, and she is actually – God forbid – a realistic representation of modern parenting – Yikes!!!!!

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/2593033/Kerry-Katonas-gone-from-Iceland.html

Oh La La

French men love parading about in their Speedos - in fact in a lot of swimming pools in France they are mandatory. In England however, the topic of male swimwear is causing controversy. Speedos were banned at Alton Towers this week, on the grounds that they are not suitable for a ‘family friendly’ venue - and anybody caught wearing them could be subjected to a bikini waxing.
I find it weird that they are compulsory in France yet regarded with shock and horror in Staffordshire.

Is this just a publicity stunt on the part of Alton Towers?
Are Speedos really so shocking and offensive?
Is the British male a modest creature, preferring to hide in large trunks and Bermuda shorts?
Do French men have better bodies, ou sont-ils les poseurs?

What do you think?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/aug/10/alton-towers-speedo-ban

Loan Sharks

Here is another scum bag for the ‘being bad’ wall of shame. ‘Johnny Boy Kieley’ a loan shark, terrorized his victims over a six year period in the Manchester area. He would lend money, and then demand extortionate interest, of more than 2000%, with menaces. He targeted hard-up people, and struggling families living on Manchester’s housing estates.
Kieley set up his ‘business’ in 2003 and used threats and blackmail to extort ridiculous interest payments from his ‘customers’. If that failed, he resorted to violence by proxy from his gang of hired thugs.
This beast made over £3 million from ripping off the poor, lording over his victims in his black range rover with ‘BOY’ personalized number plates.

If you are the victim of a loan shark report them to the trading standards office – these scumbags should not be allowed to get away with this appalling behaviour.

Credit card crisis

The international monetary fund has sent out a warning that Britain could be plunged into more economic gloom as people are unable to pay off their credit card bills. The IMF has estimated that £1.5 billion will not be paid off, and most of this will be in Britain. This has already happened in the USA.
Calls to the Natonal Debtline have doubled.
The country faces ever increasing interest on its debts too. The outcome of all this is that we will all be poorer (except bankers of course), have to work longer (that is if we are lucky enough to have jobs), and will face ongoing cut backs in key services.

We will all have to tighten our belts - that is if we can still afford them.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/borrowing/creditcards/5914853/Credit-card-crisis-to-grip-Britain-IMF-warns.html

Rip off Britain?

I’m feeling cross this morning. I looked on Wolf, and saw that 250 jobs are going at our university. I know there were rumours in the press a while ago that the West Midlands was going to loose 450 jobs in higher education, but 250 at Wolverhampton seems disproportionate as well as horrendous.
What annoyed me as well was the news that banks are making billion pound profits again, from investment banking (i.e. gambling)

Has the world has gone mad?
Are the British a load of mugs?

Why are we standing by, letting the health service and education - the basic building bricks of society - be plundered, while banks are allowed to make obscene profits?

I don’t understand it – does anybody else?

How do you quantify honesty?

It is very difficult to define what constitutes honest behaviour. We probably all have our own versions of what is morally right and wrong, and this is influenced by our own individual values, and the characteristics of the person being judged as potentially dishonest.
The judicial system has no definition of dishonesty and the concept is very blurred round the edges. Dr. Stefan Fafinski and Dr Emily Finch, experts I criminal law at Brunel University have devised an online survey to evaluate the boundaries between honest and dishonest behaviour. The survey is open to all and involves an on-line questionnaire of video clips of various scenarios. To take part visit http://www.honestylab.com/

The results will be presented at the British Science Festival in September, and it is hoped they will be used improve decision making in law policy, which in turn could alter the way legal trials are conducted.


http://www.guildford.gov.uk/GuildfordWeb/Community/BritishScienceFestival2009/BritishScienceFestivalHonestyLab.htm

A few oddments

I went to Oxford to see my daughter today (she is a student there). As always it is a wonderful excuse for some culture. No, sorry – that should read gluttony. If you ever get the chance to go to Oxford, you must try G & D’s ice cream. Make mine three scoops of crème Anglaise with the hot chocolate sauce…yummm….heaven…
Oh, sorry I digress.
On the way there I read the Metro, the free paper available at the railway station.
It is a wonderful source of information.
For sometime I have wondered if people would ring the NHS swine flu hotline under false pretences and get hold of Tamiflu. Well, according to the Metro this devious practice is happening, and people are making money from flogging Tamiflu at car boot sales.
To anybody out there who is taking Tamiflu unnecessarily, you need to realize that it is not without side effects, and should only be taken by those who need it.

The side effects, in case you want to know are: nausea, diarrhoea, fatigue, headache, insomnia, nose bleeds and rashes. (Very rarely it can cause: hepatitis, hallucinations in young people, and a horrible condition that makes your skin slough off – (called toxic epidermal necrolysis, if you really want to know). Also fake Tamiflu is being sold on the internet.

Health Warning - Obtaining Tamiflu using a fake ID can lead to prosecution.

Witch Hunt

Three thousand people applied for the job of resident witch at the Wookey Hole caves in Somerset. The interviews were today. I’m not surprised that it was so popular - the pay is £50,000 a year!
The downside is that the successful applicant will have to live in a cave, and perform ‘magic’, especially at Halloween.
Apparently an old lady lived in the caves in medieval times, and got the blame for crop failures and disease (as they did in those days – now we just blame the government for that sort of stuff). She was said to have been turned to stone by a splash of holy water.
The modern witch will be part of a tourist venture, and will entertain visitors.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8138665.stm

What do you do when you get dumped?

On the BBC news this morning I was very concerned when I watched artist Jasper Joffe talking about selling all his possessions. He did not go into details, but he looked very unhappy.
I was intrigued by this, because I was worried that he might be depressed. Selling all your possessions is a drastic thing to do – it is a renunciation of the past. Sadly, possessions can be removed from ones life, but painful emotions and feelings stay with you, until the pain and hurt have taken their course. This can take a few weeks for the lucky ones or last a lifetime for others.

I did a bit of research and found that Jasper had been jilted by his girlfriend.

Getting dumped or rejected by someone you care about is one of the worst and most painful experiences to go through. I’m sure most of you will have been through this. It is hell.
On a lighter note, Jasper painted the above picture of his girl friend. To be honest to my untrained eye it does not look that flattering. Was she a fake tan addict?
Maybe she was not as wonderful as you thought Jasper, if this picture is a true representation of her.
Jasper - If you can see that she was not perfect, and maybe feel a bit angry about the situation, instead of beating yourself up - you will be able to start moving on.
We wish you luck and hope you feel happy again soon.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2009/jul/25/jasper-joffe-life-for-sale


http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/arts_entertainment/art/jasper+joffe+donapost+go+breaking+my+art/3257382

Finders keepers, losers weepers?

What would you do if you found something of value lying on the ground in front of you?
I suspect most of you would hand the item in, being a really honest group of people.
Well, that would be the right thing to do legally (and morally).
A couple from Swindon found a lottery ticket on a supermarket floor, and cashed it in - it was worth £30,000.
They went on a spending spree with it.
The person who had lost the ticket, reported it missing, and was able to prove this. The case went to court, and the couple who found the ticket got an eleven month suspended sentence.

In law, you are not entitled to keep something that has been ‘lost’, but you are entitled to keep something that has been ‘abandoned’.

If I saw a lottery ticket lying on a supermarket floor, I would just assume it was rubbish, and leave it there.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1170467/Fraud-couple-30k-lottery-ticket-supermarket-floor-went-spending-spree.html

Naughty Vincent Crabbe

Harry Potter star Jamie Waylett, who plays bully Vincent Crabbe, has been sentenced today to 120 hours of community service for growing cannabis.
The police stopped Waylett and his pal John Innis under the Terrorism Act, for taking a photo of their patrol car. When police searched their black Audi they found several bags of cannabis. Waylett had pictures of his cannabis growing enterprise, which he had set up in his bedroom, on his mobile phone.
Waylett has a history of drug abuse, and was caught snorting coke a few years ago.
Waylett and his friend sound like a right pair of thick divs, who were just asking to be picked up by the police.

Some of my fellow bloggers despair about the abysmal state of our society. The widespread use of drugs, and associated out of control behaviour are deeply worrying.

What will the brains of these people be like in twenty years time?
Will there be any responsible people left in society, or will every body be drugged up and out of it?

Bingo players knit voodoo dolls of chancellor

This is an amusing credit crunch story (or not if you happen to like bingo or Alistair Darling)
Furious bingo players in Cheshire knitted voodoo dolls of Mr. Darling after he increased tax on bingo. Margaret Knowles, 73, said: “Alistair Darling is stabbing people in the back. Now we want him to know how it feels.”
Ninety clubs have closed in the UK in the past couple of years. This is on a par with the decline in the pub trade.

It looks as though people will have to resort to alternative pastimes, with the steady decline of these more traditional entertainments.

Oh, Alistair, if you are experiencing pain in any parts of your anatomy, you know who to blame!

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/view/88760/Voodoo-hell-for-Darling-/

University job cuts

Worrying figures published today reveal that there are going to be substantial job losses in higher education. It is estimated that around 6,000 jobs are to go, with 403 job losses in the West Midlands.

This is disgusting.

I remember Tony Bliar getting into number 10 on the back of the mantra ‘Education, education, education’
Well, it seems to me that the government think it is all right to bail out banks, and send people off to be slaughtered in wars, but when it comes to paying for all of this, then it is soft targets like universities and students that are being made to suffer.

Why?

‘Education, education, education’ was something the government promised, raising our hopes of a better future. Now they are reneging on their promises. So where do we go from here?

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/latest/2009/07/16/job-cuts-at-crunch-hit-universities-115875-21522801/

Propane Nightmares (again)

The great thing about having your own blog and it being the summer holiday is that you can quote from Wikipedia! During term time at Uni it would be tantamount to academic suicide to go anywhere near this fount of all knowledge. I decided to look for an explication of Propane Nightmares. Here’s what it said – the music video was loosely themed around a cult called Heaven’s Gate, who decided to hold a mass suicide event by drinking poison. The final part of the video shows two members escaping.

The Heaven’s Gate people were a UFO cult, based in California, lead by Marshall Applewhite, and Bonnie Nettles. They believed that the earth was about to be ‘recycled’ and that they had to ‘escape’ i.e. to turn against the ‘next level’ that was being offered.

The cult members were expected to live a monastic and ascetic existence. Members were not allowed to be alone, and everything was recorded and monitored.
The suicides took place in 1997.

It is frightening how charismatic figures with strange beliefs can drag vulnerable people into their delusional belief systems, and persuade them to kill themselves. The cult seems to have been run by people who were completely paranoid, and controlling. I did not know any of this background information. It is truly shocking and horrible.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propane_Nightmares


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heaven%27s_Gate_(religious_group)

Propane nightmares by Pendulum

I just love this!
The lyrics are a bit weird, but I’ve had a great time debating what they are about with other Pendulum fans. Feel free to leave your suggestions about the meaning. The video is weird too – but the music is stupendous – enjoy!!!



Here are the lyrics - unfortunately they appear in continuous prose here on blogger.


Something’s tearing me downAnd downCan’t help but feel it’s coming from youShe’s a gunshot brideWith a trigger criesI just wonder what we’ve gotten our selves intoIn a trail of fire I know we will be free againIn the end we will be oneIn a trail of fire I’ll burn before you bury meSet your sights for the sun
Mind is willingSoul remainsThis woman cannot be savedFrom the drawn into the fireMind is willingSoul remainsThis woman cannot be savedFrom the drawn into the fireAny dangerBring it on home (4x)
Much to weak to jump yourselfHeal the wounds or crack the shellLift yourself from once belowMuch too weak to jump yourselfHeal the wounds or crack the shellLift yourself from once belowPraise the angerBring it on home (4x)
In a trail of fire I know we will be free againIn the end we will be oneIn a trail of fire Ill burn before you bury meSet your sights for the sunBring it on home

Speed writing – a new definition?

As a creative and professional writing student, I am interested in what goes on in the real world of journalism and book production. Michael Jackson died just over a fortnight ago, but already publishing houses are racing against each other to produce hardcover biographies. Harper Collins is hoping to be the first

How did they do this so quickly?

Well, Harper Collins are said to have tasked a freelance writer with the job of producing 10,000 words in 48 hours. This is a mind boggling feat, and the writer must have been totally knackered at the end of it.

The book, Michael Jackson – Legend, Hero, Icon, will be released for sale on 17th July.

Go on – we dare you!

In the press today there is yet more on the continuing saga of political ordure.

According to the Mail online, MPs have been given an ultimatum by the Fees Office to produce documentary evidence of their second home arrangements by the 31st of July. Some MPs feel angry about this, and blame the Fees Office for leaking details of their expenses to the press. Instead they are threatening not to cooperate. Some are even threatening to resign.

Do we value them so much that we are bothered if they resign?
I say – let them get on with it, the sooner the better. We have had enough of duck-houses and mortgage scams.

I think it just shows how out of touch with reality a lot of MPs are.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1199072/Furious-MPs-vow-We-quit-new-expenses-blitz.html

In praise of Big Ben

Like the queen, Big Ben has two birthdays. Today marks the 150th anniversary of the first chime, although the clock started ticking on 31st May 1859, and the quarter chimes were added on 7th of September that year.

Big Ben was originally the name given to the bell. It has chimed in the hours, centuries and millennium. It only lasted two months, before cracking, after it was first installed. Over the years it has suffered damage from various causes, but has been skilfully repaired.

The clock has been a steadfast icon, in happy times and sad ones - marking the passage of time for all of us. It is a magnificent example of Victorian engineering, and was once the most accurate and well maintained clock in the world. It needs winding up three times a week.

Last year Big Ben was voted Britain’s favourite attraction.

After sunset today, the message ‘Happy Birthday Big Ben 150 years 1859-2009’ will appear on the tower.
I love the reassuring sound of the chimes, and wish this symbol of Britain a long and happy future.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8145668.stm

Who’s bugging you?

Here is another load of stink to hit the headlines. Journalists have been using private investigators to find out information for scoops. The methods used have involved phone tapping and collecting personal information such as tax records and itemized phone bills. On the BBC breakfast news programme this morning, John Prescott, one of the victims, announced that he would be requesting an urgent investigation into this. He also queried why the Metropolitan Police force had done nothing, although they knew about the problem.
Rupert Murdoch’s News Group is behind a string of out of court settlements, designed to hush up the victims of this gross invasion of privacy. David Cameron’s director of communications, Andy Coulson, used to be the deputy editor of the News of the World when this was taking place – so what is going on?

I can understand journalists being desperate for the salacious tit bits of the rich and famous, but is this just a step too far?
How low should journalists stoop for scandal and gossip items?
Are the powerful, rich and famous of society entitled to some privacy, or is it in order to ruthlessly peruse them for the sake of selling papers?


http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/jul/08/murdoch-papers-phone-hacking

Hot dog eating championships

Here is another mad thing to do at week ends.
For the past ninety-four years Coney Island has hosted this event. Apparently it all began on July 4th 1916, when four immigrants had a row about which of them was the most patriotic American. They decided to settle this by seeing which of them could eat the most hot dogs in ten minutes. Luckily there was a Nathan’s hot dog stand near by, serving this traditional American delicacy. Mr. Sehgal managed thirteen, and was declared the winner.
The competition has gone from strength to strength, and this year’s champion, Joey Chestnut, managed sixty-eight in ten minutes. Joey, aged twenty-five and weighing in at 218lbs beat his arch rival Takeru (Tsunami) Kobayashi, by two hot dogs. Joey won $20,000 for his Herculean effort, and was allowed to take home the coveted mustard belt.

Anyone for tennis?

This evening people will be rushing home from work to watch the battle of the two Andys. I always feel like a freak at this time of year because I cannot understand what pleasure people get from watching tennis. To me it seems like a total waste of time. Where is the excitement in watching two or more individuals lobbing a ball at each other over a net?
I know people who find the Wimbledon season the most wonderful time of year, and talk about it in wistful and reverential terms. Are they total saddos – or is it me?
Well, I won’t be watching it – I’m off to watch some paint dry – far more exciting I think!!!

More misery for students

As you all probably know tuition fees are going up next term – this is not a surprise, unfortunately grants and loans are to be frozen at current levels .This will add to the level of student debt.
As a result of the recession, Universities have seen record numbers of applicants, but the number of places has not increased. This means that there will be fierce competition for pre-existing places – plus having to pay more for a place.
Students have enough stress already with trying to cope with degree courses, let alone having to worry constantly about money.
It is not fair that students are forced to suffer further hardships, when the fat cat bankers are allowed to keep their ridiculous pensions and bonuses after their greedy gambling has left the world in mind-boggling debt.
Will students protest about this?
I doubt it – they are too busy holding down jobs on top of trying to study, and do not have the time or energy to complain.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/5714809/Kick-in-the-teeth-for-students-as-grants-are-frozen.html

Identity cards – Do you think they are a good idea?

I can’t believe it is exactly two years since Gordon brown became Prime minister. An awful lot has happened during that intervening period, including changes in policies. One of the most controversial topics is ID cards.

As I see it, the government is sending out mixed messages about them.
ID cards were first suggested by John Major, but he was quickly ignored. David Blunkett (2001) resurrected the idea, but there were concerns that it would be a gold mine for fraudsters. Last year the Home Office statistics revealed that 60 % of the population were in favour of them, but this figure is now thought to have dropped to a 50-50 - thus no consensus. The cost of producing them may now be a major reason why we have this sudden hotchpotch of confusion.

My advice to the government would have been to calmly consider what benefits the population would gain by them, balanced against any objections and drawbacks. Having decided what was in the general best interest of all of us, to then make it either compulsory for all, or not have them. What I can’t stand is all the dithering about. This hybrid situation is ridiculous, unfair, and does not inspire confidence.

http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/uk/Labour-in-retreat-as-.5415982.jp

You may be richer than you think!

No – this is not some mad pyramid or dodgy, get rich quick scheme. Check your loose change ASAP.
The Royal Mint at Llantrisant, near Cardiff has produced a duff batch of 20p coins. The exciting news is that these coins are worth up to £50.
The faulty coins have no dates stamped on them. The dates should be on the Queen’s head side of the coin, but are missing.
This only applies to coins with the lion’s tail - NOT the Tudor Rose.

So get your purses, wallets, jars, and piggy banks out girls and boys, and start looking – oh, and don’t forget to look behind the sofa!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_east/8123749.stm

Michael Jackson RIP

Michael Jackson died yesterday afternoon from a suspected heart attack. Fans around the world have been left devastated by the news. Internet sites crashed as people went on-line to find out more. Michael Jackson attracted acclaim and controversy. The success of his musical career contrasted with his troubled personal life, and the allegations of paedophilia.
He was planning to stage fifty shows, in a come-back tour, and although he appeared to be fit, he must have been under considerable stress, given his much publicized financial problems. His endless skin whitening treatments and plastic surgery revealed a man who was unhappy in his own skin – literally. His close friend Uri Geller remarked on TV this morning that Michael Jackson was a very lonely man.

Cyber terrorist threat

According to Lord West, the security minister, we face the threat of cyber terrorist attacks from Al-Qaeda, and others. Hackers could gain access to the computer technology underpinning our daily infrastructure and bring the country to a stand-still. Cyber hackers could sabotage our power and water supplies, ground aircraft, and cause total chaos in many other key areas that we take for granted. If these key areas were targeted simultaneously it could be catastrophic. Our reliance on computers has left us all in a very vulnerable position.
Lord West is looking to recruit former hackers to help counter this threat.
Let’s hope that they can protect us from the next potential wave of terror attacks.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/5634820/Al-Qaeda-China-and-Russia-pose-cyber-war-threat-to-Britain-warns-Lord-West.html

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Embarrassing Parents

Yes – parents are embarrassing.
In a poll of 2000 children at Chessington Zoo, twenty five percent of children admitted that they do not want to bee seen out with their parents. Fathers were seen as slightly more embarrassing than mothers, especially dads trying to dance (remember Minty Trebor?)

The top ten worst behaviours are:

1. Kissing them in front of friends.
2. Treating them like a child.
3. Telling them off.
4. Spit washing them.
5. Holding their hand.
6. Trying to disco dance.
7. Using baby/pet names.
8. Telling jokes.
9. Wearing un-cool clothes.
10. Singing.

My sister and I cringe when we go out with our mother. She is inclined to comment on people in a very loud voice (well within their earshot).She makes pointed remarks about their weight, lack of dress sense etc. It is a miracle no one has decked her so far for her forthright opinions.

http://www.gm.tv/lifestyle/families-and-parenting/35824-embarrassing-parents.html

Dodgy neighbours

It is always heartening to see ‘bad’ people having to atone for their misdemeanours. Craig Johnson formerly of Meaford Hall in Stone masterminded a £138 million scam which involved businesses illegally claiming back VAT on imported mobile phones, (which they had not paid tax on in the first place). Johnson laundered the money by buying luxury items, flashy cars, helicopters and mansions.

His neighbours reported that he would not disclose how he had made his money – now they know why!
Johnson has been ordered to pay back £26 million, or face a further ten years in jail.

Meaford Hall is now up for sale, so let’s hope Johnson’s ex-neighbours have more luck with the next owner of this Grade II listed stately home.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article5209131.ece
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7650883.stm

Who would you choose?

Today is the start of the election process for the speaker of the House of Commons. Ten candidates have been nominated. The position has a salary of £144,520 per annum, and accommodation thrown in. The process is already attracting controversy, with claims that Gordon Brown has been putting pressure on MPs to vote for his favourite, Margaret Beckett (She is currently accused of claiming £11, 000 for gardening expenses). Given the current feelings of the public towards MPs in general, the selection of speaker needs to be carried out fairly and honestly. Should the general public be asked to consider the merits of the candidates and asked to choose instead?

The only candidate I have met is Ann Widdecombe. She was the speaker at my daughter’s school speech day a few years ago. She seemed like a decent, straightforward, no-nonsense sort of person. She would be my choice for speaker.

http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/principal/speaker/speakers_election.cfm

Snouts in trough – the sequel

Following on from the tidal wave that started with Jacqui Smith’s porn videos the Metropolitan Police are finally considering a fraud investigation in the corridors of power - about time too. Members of the public would not have got away with dodgy claims and fiddling expenses, so why should MPs?
Over fifty MPs have claimed more for council tax than they were entitled too. Many have given the lame excuse that it was a ‘mistake’, but this does not wash with the public. Anyway, who wants to be governed by careless folks?
Speaking as ‘seriously cynical of Shropshire’, people who put themselves forward for positions of power and authority need to set a good example. How can the general public trust the people who claim to represent them, if they behave like a bunch of self-interested parasites.

Parliament – the day of reckoning

Today saw yet another politician ousted for fiddling expenses. Over the last six weeks we have seen politicians of all political parties fall like dominoes in the wake of the Daily Telegraph exposé. The list of MPs expenses is now available on the parliament web site – although certain expenses have been covered up.
These have been confusing and unprecedented times in politics, leaving the general public feeling confused and disenchanted with the revelations of the ‘snouts in the trough’ behaviour of many politicians. The rise of fringe parties is telling us that all is definitely not well, and serious and credible reform is needed, from people we can trust, (or is a trustworthy politician an oxymoron)

So - politicians, what are you going to do to restore your credibility?
What are you going to do about the problems in society?

http://mpsallowances.parliament.uk/mpslordsandoffices/hocallowances/allowances-by-mp/

Free booze

Here is a job opening that might appeal to students.
The market town of Wellington, in Shropshire, is looking to revive the ancient post of ale taster. This much sought after position originated in the fourteenth-century, and fizzled out in the 1840s. It was originally intended to ensure the local ales were of good quality.
The twenty-first century ale taster will be responsible for promoting local food and drink.
Unfortunately the post is an unpaid one, but the successful candidate will presumably be entitled to loads of free drinks.

The application details are on the link below – the closing date for applications is 13th July.
http://www.townandcountrymarkets.co.uk/shoppers/shoppers-useful-information/wellington-ale-taster

Male belly dancers

Bet you thought that belly dancing was just for girls – wrong.
Men have invaded this sacrosanct girlie enclave. The only problem is that it could cause unforeseen consequences when the teacher yells ‘stand on your balls!’ – ouch!!!!!




This is Jamil, he has sickeningly good hip shimmies.

Naked cyclists

What were you doing this week-end readers?

Hundreds of intrepid cyclists across Britain ditched their clothes and cycled naked through our major cities.

Was it the heat?
Was it summer madness?
Were they promoting nudism?

No, it was a desperate attempt by environmentalists to get people to take climate change seriously. It was also a peaceful protest against our dependency on oil, and the car culture.
On a serious note, cyclists are incredibly vulnerable in traffic, and their nakedness highlighted this fact.

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/Naked-cyclists-on-Ecclesall-Road.5365101.jp

World nettle eating championship

It is amazing what people will do for a bit of fun. The world nettle eating championship took place in Dorset yesterday. The competition began in 1986 when two farmers had a dispute about who had the longest stinging nettles in his fields. Farmer Williams vowed to eat any nettle longer than his – and so this weird activity began.
Now people come from all over the world to take part in this annual event at the Bottle Inn.
The rules are quite simple – the winner is the person who has the most denuded two foot stalks at the end of an hour.
Beer is provided to help the vegetation slip down, and cheating is severely frowned on.

Is this masochistic nettle fest a new variant of self-harm?

I don’t feel brave enough to try this out in the name of research – but if any contestants see this blog posting, please feel free to tell us what nettle eating is really like - we are intrigued, and would love to know more about it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/dorset/content/articles/2005/06/17/nettle_eating_feature.shtml

Major Phil Packer

I burst into tears when I saw this brave man struggling to pull himself up a 3000ft mountain to raise money for Help for Heroes.
Major Phil Packer was seriously injured in a rocket attack in Basra, in February 2008, leaving him paraplegic. Despite losing the use of his legs he has completed the London marathon on crutches, rowed across the English Channel in fifteen hours and completed numerous other feats to raise money for injured servicemen.
He is quoted as saying ‘It is about making the most of a situation’. He is to be applauded.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/5497672/Major-Phil-Packer-I-dont-want-to-let-other-people-down.html

http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/phils_index.html?gclid=CO63nIHfh5sCFUYA4woduTctpQ

Gordon Ramsay eats humble pie?

Gordon Ramsay caused a furore in Australia by insulting television journalist Tracy Grimshaw. Ramsay shocked his audience in Melbourne by waving a picture of a naked woman with multiple breasts and a pigs head, saying it was Tracy Grimshaw. He also stated she needed to see Simon Cowell’s Botox doctor, then inferred that she was a lesbian.
Ms. Grimshaw refuted this statement, adding that Ramsay must think that any woman who does not fancy him is a lesbian.
The Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd became involved. He described Ramsay’s comments as reflecting ‘a new form of low life’. Australians have a reputation for being robust people, so Ramsay must have been seriously offensive.
Ramsay claimed he was just having a joke, and tried to wriggle out of this mess by saying he had not been well due to food poisoning.

After the publicity surrounding his infidelity, and the boil in the bag meals, the comment about food poisoning is worrying – was it from a meal he cooked himself?
If this is the case - is his cooking as unappealing as his comments?

Ramsay’s business is in trouble. This Neolithic football hooligan needs to clean up his act, and buy a dictionary to increase his vocabulary (the dictionary does not stop at ‘F’ Mr. Ramsay) – then he might stand a chance of salvaging his career and his reputation.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/jun/09/gordon-ramsay-australia-kevin-rudd

The Mobile Phone Directory - an invasion of privacy?

Connectivity, the company running the 118800 service is launching a directory for mobile phones on June 18th. This means that people can potentially obtain anyone’s private mobile number. Connectivity state that they will call first to ask permission to release the number to a third party.
Most people only want friends and family to have their mobile numbers, and I can foresee that his new service could lead to problems. I used to work with victims of domestic violence and the last thing people need when they are trying to rebuild their lives is to be tracked down by a violent ex – partner, or be tormented by phone calls from Connectivity.
Similarly it could lead to employers abusing staff by contacting them on work related issues outside their normal contracted working hours. Doctors could be inundated by patients trying to ring them out of hours for various reasons.
Connectivity will make a lot of money out of this service, but does the general public want it?
It seems that this is being forced on people – like a lot of things that we have not had the chance to agree to.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/working_lunch/8091621.stm

Blog Questionnaire

Age: Over 21
Sex: Female
What is your degree subject (both if joint)? Creative and Professional Writing and English
Does ‘Being Bad’ relate well to the other modules you are taking? I do not think it has much relevance for English, but it could be helpful for creative writing.
Have you found ‘Being Bad’ too demanding, too easy, or at an appropriate level? It is pitched at an appropriate level.
Do you think the list of topics covered on the module was appropriate? Yes
Are there any topics not included in the module that you would like to see included? No
Do you think that the format for classes has worked well? See below
What did you think of the module team? They provided some very interesting and thought provoking lectures. They are a brilliant team.
Do you think it would have been better to have had more?
Small group discussions? Yes – I think more people would have contributed to small class discussions rather than trying to contribute in a very large lecture theatre.
Discussion and debate among the class as a whole? No – I think the large lecture theatre was not conducive to having meaningful debates. Sitting at the front meant I could not hear what people at the back were saying, it would be helpful if the lecturer could repeat what had been said, presuming their hearing is better than mine.
Information and talk from lecturers? Yes
The approach taken in the module is interdisciplinary (drawing on perspectives from English Literature, Film Studies, Creative Writing, Philosophy, Media Studies and Politics): do you think this a useful way of approaching the topics covered in the module The interdisciplinary format worked well for this module, as that was the intention.
Do you think that interdisciplinary modules are a good idea? No - I would personally prefer to take extra modules in creative writing and English, as that is what I came to University to study.
Do you think you have benefited from the interdisciplinary approach taken in the module? I really do not know the answer to this one.
Would you like to see more modules that cover this kind of subject matter? No – this one was good.
Are you planning to take the follow-up module PH2004 ‘It Shouldn’t Be Allowed’ at level 2? I have not decided yet.
Would you recommend ‘Being Bad’ to a friend? Yes
Do you think that the blogs (web logs) were a good idea? The blog component of the module was the thing that I was dreading the most. I had not looked at blogs before. Creating blog entries turned out to be a very interesting and rewarding activity - In fact I became addicted to it. I am very grateful to the Being Bad module for introducing me to the brilliant world of blogging. I will probably continue to be a blogger as I had such fun. (Or I need to get out more and stop being such a sad nerd).
What did you think of the other assessments (e.g. would it be better to have one longer assessment rather than two shorter ones?)? The two short assessments were good, although it meant having to write in a lean way and focus on the main points. It would have been nice to have a greater choice of topics for the last assignment. I was hoping for questions on bad comedians and alcohol.
What have you learned from the module? Lots - it has all been very good.
What parts of the module have you found most useful and why? All of it, but especially the blogging as it has introduced me to a whole new world in the blogosphere. I would never have got into blogging without this course, so thank you.
What parts do you think were a waste of time and why? It has all been useful and relevant.
Are there any other comments you wish to make regarding ‘Being Bad’? - Just to say thank you to Dr. Jones and his team for a very informative module, and for teaching us how to blog. It was a good learning experience.

Alcohol

Here is the last posting on bad behaviour. Today GMTV reported that the gender gap for binge drinking is getting narrower with double the number of women binge drinking in recent years. There has also been a steady increase in drinking amongst the middle-aged and elderly. The ‘safe’ limits do not seem realistic for a lot people; many are either ignorant of the safe drinking limits or in denial and do not want to think about them.
There may be something more profound going on in society which is making people, especially women, want to get hammered regularly.
Is life more stressful? Are people feeling nihilistic about the future with the planet boiling up under the effects of global warming? Is it the credit crunch? Is it down to successful advertising? Do women feel they have achieved equality with men, including drinking like men ? Are people feeling depressed? Are people becoming too self-indulgent with growing levels of consumption in all aspects of life? Or is because people are bored?
It could be all of the above, and lots of other reasons.
The level in young men has reduced – why? There was a suggestion that more young men are smoking cannabis instead; there is certainly a trend locally in Shropshire for ‘grow your own’ amongst young males.
This article has links to information on safe drinking limits – that is if anyone gives stuff and would like to know.

http://www.gm.tv/index.cfm?articleid=34687

Comment - Throwing food away

http://beingbadwolv.blogspot.com/

Hi Ashley,
I am sorry you found English food so revolting, and had to throw stuff away. At the farm shop this morning here in rural Shropshire they were giving away leaflets on the bad behaviour of wasting food. A third of the food we buy gets thrown away. This is appalling, and as you quite rightly point out it is dreadful for the environment. The link below gives tips on how to avoid so much waste, and how to use leftovers.
At lot of food thrown away is still in date.
Standard guidance is to adhere to ‘use by’ dates, and never use eggs after this date.
Some foods with ‘best before’ dates on have a bit of leeway – just use common sense. If it looks past it, bin it.
I think supermarkets are to blame with all the special offers, encouraging people to buy more than they need. I suspect that accounts for a lot of the waste problems. It may also be contributing to obesity as people feel obliged to eat all these extra things.

http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/shropshire

The baby P case

This child’s death was harrowing. Little Peter was found dead in his blood spattered cot with a broken back and fractured ribs. He had sustained over fifty injuries, and had been grotesquely abused throughout his short life. His mother and his killer stepfather are facing life sentences.
The actions of Peter’s mother and stepfather are beyond evil. Peter’s grandmother told reporters that her daughter was manipulative, and that her boyfriend was obsessed with violence. Haringey Social Services were vilified for missing the serious risk Peter’s ‘carers’ posed. Psychopaths are calculating and devious, and this pair could have easily conned the social work team.
Peter looked a beautiful little boy and it is incomprehensible how anybody would want to harm him.
Peter’s stepfather is also guilty of raping a two year old girl.
The bad thing about this case is that this evil monster has had the audacity to appeal against the evidence because the main prosecution witness, i.e. the victim, was only four when she gave her evidence.
Peter's mother and srepfather were not tried in court under their real names, for fear of an internet hatred campaign influencing jurors. Why should evil people have the right to be protected when they have committed such brutal acts? They should be exposed and made to face the consequences.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20090504/tuk-baby-p-stepfather-may-appeal-6323e80.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8029832.stm
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/baby-p/5257667/Baby-P-stepfather-convicted-of-rape.html

Comment - Gordon Brown

http://stripeybees.blogspot.com/


Hi Briony,
I had a good laugh reading your post on Gordon Brown, and I totally agree with you that the man is a complete tosser - literally - I did not realize that has temper tantrums and throws things like laser printers around. He is exhibiting bad behaviour, and should be setting a good example to the rest of the population. You said that he expects people to sanitize messages they have to give him - sounds like he does not want to hear the truth and is a bully.
He use to annoy me by going on about how ‘prudent’ he was; in fact all he has done over the years is stealthily rob the population, which is a bad and underhand thing to do. Now he is presiding over a bankrupt Britain. His Youtube performance of manic grinning scared the life out of me – he may have been trying to charm the voters, but he just looked incredibly sinister. I confess to having to turn the TV off when he and his ‘Darling’ are on because those two Muppets annoy me so much.

Comment - Dangerous driving

http://beingnaughty.blogspot.com/


Hi Zoe,
I’ve just spotted your posting on dangerous driving, and it links in with a posting I’ve made on speeding. I did not realize that the Portuguese lorry driver, who killed a family of six, only got a three year sentence. This is appalling and sends out the message that dangerous driving and speeding are not serious offences. If the jail term was thirty years or more for something like this , then it might curb the reckless behaviour of these drivers, or at least make people think before doing daft things on the road.

Speeding

Scottish footballer Lee Miller is awaiting trial for speeding at 120 mph in a 70 mph area. He is just typical of many high profile cases of speeding footballers. A lot of top footballers think they are above the law, and because they have the money for high performance vehicles, they speed. It is frightening being on the road when some maniac screeches past, well above the speed limit. It is dangerous and anti-social. I hate fast cars and have no respect for drivers who try to 'impress' by speeding.
The government is considering bringing in tighter speed limits. Some urban areas will have limits of 20 mph instead of 30 mph, and some danger spots in rural areas will be reduced from 60 to 50 mph. I think this is a good thing to do; it appears to be backed up by statistics showing that there should be a reduced mortality and morbidity rate. (Cynically) - It will also rake in more money for the government from speeding fines, as people are caught out by the changes.
It will however do nothing to reduce the risks of accidents caused by footballers,joy riders, people high on drugs, or under the influence of alcohol, who probably account for a lot of the problems on our roads caused by speeding and dangerous driving.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8009364.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/north_east/8022487.stm

Comments - Bottled water

http://beingbadwolv.blogspot.com/



Hi Ashley,
Your posting on bottled water was a brilliant idea. The craze for bottled water started some years ago with ‘health gurus ’telling people to drink 2 litres of water a day. Goodness only knows how the entire population did not become extinct from dehydration before the invention of the ubiquitous plastic bottle. It is just another dreadful aspect of consumerism. I hate the effect all this useless plastic is having on the environment, it is toxic stuff. If institutions provided drinking water fountains, or jugs of tap water and glasses that can be washed and endlessly re-used we would not need all the plastic stuff. It might dent the profits of the bottled water manufacturers but it would be a lot better for the environment.

The consequences of lying

I don’t normally buy celeb magazines, not my sort of thing. But at the hairdressers today I ended up reading about Fern Britton in Now magazine. Fern has resigned from her £3/4 million a year job following all the stress cause after lying about her gastric banding operation.
Fern let the public think for ages that she had lost piles of weight by dieting, and was the ‘face’ of Ryvita. When it came to light that she had not lost weight through her own efforts she lost the trust of the public - Although the number of gastric banding operations has risen by 25% (so, a lot of happy gastric surgeons out there).
The public are fickle, so lying to them is not a good idea. People loose credibility, and popularity if they tell lies. If she had been honest about her surgery from the start , people would have respected what she was doing and she would not be in her current mess. The lies caused a rift with her co presenter Philip Schofield, and according to Now magazine she is having problems with her husband.
It is better to tell the truth!

http://www.nowmagazine.co.uk/celebrity-news/314452/fern-britton-finally-cracks/1/

Happy St George's Day

John Sentamu has proposed making St George's day an English bank holiday to promote unity. I think this would be a great idea, and we could all do with a holiday from the banking system.
Instead of a celebration today, we are left pondering the propositions in the budget, which taps into some of the bad behaviours on our module.
As usual smokers, drinkers and motorists are being hammered. People may feel this is morally acceptable. This group of people are soft targets for bailing out Britain’s debt problem. Research shows however that increasing the price of alcohol and cigarettes does not change people’s behaviour. The price rise is merely a cynical attempt to screw money out of people who chose to smoke and drink. Regarding petrol, many people have to use their cars to get to work (because the public transport system does not encompass everybody’s needs and is woefully inadequate in rural areas) - the price hike is unlikely to help the environment.
Britain is now sitting in the world’s pawn shop with staggering levels of borrowing. It is estimated that the government will need to borrow £175 billion for this year alone. This will culminate in less spending on the NHS and education. Our own University is being subject to cost cutting measures. This is imprudent and short sighted because healthy, well-educated citizens could create a better and more enlightened society.
Breaking promises constitutes a form of lying. In my opinion it is dangerous to make promises; circumstances can change, and promises may have to be broken. People feel let down and trust is broken. The government promised not to increase taxes, but have had to renege on this.
Robin Hood was lionized for robbing the rich to help the poor. At lot of people would consider this morally a good thing to do, although it is stealing, which is illegal. Now the government is taking 50% tax from high earners, knowing there cannot be a brain drain this time, because high taxes are a global problem; many people think it is a good thing for the rich to pay more.
The most immoral part of this however is that all of us, and innocent generations to come, will have to pay for the greed of the banking system.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8011882.stm

Some more bad guys

Drug smuggling is potentially very profitable. Philip Doo from Brixham in Devon, and Christopher Wiggins from the Costa del Sol were caught smuggling drugs in their yacht, ‘Dances with Waves’. The pair had 1.7 tonnes of cocaine on board from South America, estimated to be worth a mind boggling £580 million. Luckily (or unluckily for them and their customers) they were picked up by the Irish navy, gardai and customs.
I cannot believe how incredibly profitable drug smuggling is. These fellows would have made an absolute fortune, so from their point of view their behaviour was understandable.
It is terrifying to think of that amount of cocaine on the streets. There are enough people in society suffering as a result of drug problems, not to mention the neglected children growing up with drug abusing parents who are too ‘out of it’ to care. I am sure the two smugglers did not give a stuff for the welfare of society when they set out on this expedition, they were just thinking of the money.
Congratulations to the intelligence agencies for their diligence in tracking this pair and bringing them to justice.

http://itn.co.uk/news/e434f3b4508754ab31302536ee909bee.html