May 10, 2005

What should be the main aims of University education?

I have been considering a rant for a while. I'm approaching the end of my degree and do not feel I have got value for money and wasting three years (sort of). But before I do go off on one I would be interested to know how people would answer the following questions…

What should University education be trying to achieve a) for an individual personally and b) for society as a whole?

What changes would you make to the University system if you were in charge?

: 10 May 2005 22:58 | Comments (3) | Close comments | Report a problem

April 28, 2005

I'm trying to be good, really I am….....

…....but people keep encouraging me to procrastinate (including to be honest me).

I've been good all week, not as good as my ideal revision schedule should make me, but making an effort like I haven't since A-Levels some 4 years ago.

10:45…Ready to go, earliest yet, up in two snoozes, only 45 minutes late. I wasted an hour on the net.

11:45… mindful of that fact I've done a car swap with Spuggy because mine is bigger and he's off on a trip this weekend, I decided to go on a hunt for new tyres as mine are getting a little dodgy and I don't want Spuggy to crash my car. I failed to get tyres.

12:40… That out of the way, I discovered RaW have got coverage of Elections Night, so I listened to my interviews and stuff, my voice doesn't sound nearly as weird as I thought.

13:30 – 14:30… I did an hours work (go me)

14:30 – 16:05… Stopped for a supposedly brief lunch break. Got distracted by somebody keeping me up to date with the John Cross affair.

16:05 – 16:10… Worked

16:10… Housemate comes to ask how I am, develops into and hour long conversation about Union democracy

17:10… Looks like I might get to work, other housemates descend on my room and try to instigate trip to pub

17:10–17:30… Protest I need to work

17:30 – 18:30… Pub

18:30–18:45… Locked out of room by mean housemates

18:45 – 18:50… Work!

18:50… MSN Message to phone Spuggy urgently about car (Wet myself there). He is in Varsity, has managed to break the key by 'playing with it'. Asks if I have spare (I did). Suggests I drop it round to his house and he'll pick up car in morning, no way in hell I'm leaving my car in Varsity car park on a Thursday night

18:50 -19:50… Deliver spare key to Spuggy

19:50 – 20:20… Speak to Ellie (allowed!)

20:30… Sit down to work

20:31… MSN, am I coming to mixed hockey social tonight, for an hour or so

20:32… Protest

20:33… Agree to go

20:33 – present… Blog that I tried to revise and that it didn't go well but it wasn't (entirely) my fault.

: 28 Apr 2005 20:46 | Comments (1) | Close comments | Report a problem

April 25, 2005

Wow, it's been dead tonight

Which is good because I've been trying to write an essay but bad because I've been bored silly.

This is my last allnighter, ever, EVER. 750 words and some tidying up to go.

: 25 Apr 2005 07:00 | Comments (0) | Close comments | Report a problem

April 17, 2005

And while I'm at it this one too…

This is my favourite of all these thingies. Mine doesn't look that impressive but it does involve 15 countries, just quite small ones. Still I Don't think I could say I have seen any of them really well apart from maybe UK and France.

create your own visited countries map

or vertaling Duits Nederlands

: 17 Apr 2005 17:50 | Comments (0) | Close comments | Report a problem

May as well do it for the record…

Last time I did this I came out as Lib Dem, but it's still close.

Who should I vote for?

Your expected outcome:

Labour

Your actual outcome:

	Labour 12
Conservative -15
	Liberal Democrat 10
UK Independence Party -16
Green -13

You should vote: Labour

The Labour Party is broadly pro-Europe and takes a strong line in favour of all anti-terrorism measures, and of course supported the war in Iraq. Labour is against explicit increases in income tax to fund public services and against the abolition of university tuition fees, but has pledged to reintroduce maintenance grants for students.

Take the test at Who Should You Vote For

: 17 Apr 2005 17:46 | Comments (0) | Close comments | Report a problem

April 16, 2005

That who to vote for election thing…

…surely written by a lib dem? I haven't seen one come out with anything other than that so far, even my own.

: 16 Apr 2005 13:41 | Comments (9) | Close comments | Report a problem

Weak UEFA

Writing about web page http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/4439545.stm

UEFA had and opportunity to send a real message that behaviour like that of Inter fans will not be tolerated. I personally would have fined them all prize money for this years competition and ban them from European competition next season. Although if I'm honest the punishment was more heavy than I expected them to give.

I have seen some people write about this and condone it in the name of "passion" or say "it's not as bad as heysel" but I think this attitude is extemely naive. Ordinairy decent people don't react to a footballing decision with violence – the AC Milan keeper could have been killed by that flare, so ultimately it is a matter of life and death.
Until those fans learn how to behave they should not be allowed to watch games of this nature. What's more, this is not the first time an incident like this has happened there, how many more chances?

I have seen football hooliganism happen – a mass pitch invasion and people confronting the referee from my team's own fans, and hiding in my car as another teams fans left a trail of destruction. It's not big or clever and is frankly scary. Anybody caught behaving like this should be banned from football for life, and clubs that fail to take suitable measures to control their fans should themselves face the maximum punishment.

: 16 Apr 2005 00:10 | Comments (1) | Close comments | Report a problem

February 28, 2005

Economics makes me nauseous

I think I've spelt nauseous wrong too….

This has happened throughout my three years of studying at uni. I will be awake alert and in a good mood, go into a lecture and come out feeling tired, miserable and lethargic.

Today I was in the library trying to do some reading for my RAE project. I thought it was going ok, I was understanding it and everything. Then wham, an hour and a half in and I can't concentrate, I go all shaky and feel weak and tired. I've come to the computer room and am writing this blog to procrastinate and hopefully redress the balance.

Bloody economics

: 28 Feb 2005 15:32 | Comments (0) | Close comments | Report a problem

January 27, 2005

The blue screen of death

Damn Microsoft, although it probably wasn't their fault, stupid Kodak camera software. I haven't had a computer problem for almost two years, and all in all it has decided to die at an extremely inconvenient time….. I made myself feel better by remembering that it wasn't the 'worst' possible time, that would have been at 2am on the morning of an all nighter.

Now in the Learning Grid, doing what I'd prefer to be doing in the comfort of my own room!

: 27 Jan 2005 09:43 | Comments (0) | Close comments | Report a problem