Am I the only one who thinks that BBC Radio 2 is pushing Teddy Thompson’s ‘In my Arms’ just a teeny weeny bit too hard? For the last 3 months it’s only been on, what, hourly?
….and yes. I listen to Radio2. But only at work. And one day I could be Popmaster….
In last week’s Observer Magazine was a well researched article about one author’s journey into the heart of New Labour’s educational core invention, the so called ‘Academies’. As far as I understand the concept, it’s an independent school not under the control of the local authorities, seed funded by private companies or individuals who in turn have a say about the educational priorities. They can appoint govenors and oversee the curriculum. This of course can be a can of worms if the sponsor’s worldviews or beliefs are extreme or unusual. Geraldine Bedell, the author of the article observes pointedly the Royal Society’s concerns about the promotion of creationism in the three academies the ‘evangelical Christian Sir Peter Vardy’ (her words) is sponsoring. Surely a valid point of view? I am sure we would be outraged if we would find out that an Islamic faith school somewhere in Nort England would be teaching the ideologies of Al-Quaida. Lord Adonis, the government’s parliamentary undersecretary of state responsible for schools interestingly enough begs to differ. Quote:
“The schools which have been most criticised by fundamentalist secularists have without exception been praised for the quality of edcation they are offering. And parents are queing up to send their children to those schools.”
Now hold on a second. Worrying about creationism in schools makes you a ‘fundamentalist secularist’ ?
I am aware that in a country that combines the head of state with the head of of the state religion secularism might be a slight problem, but funnily enough I always thought the the United Kingdom traditionally had a more relaxed attitude to religion than their fire and brimstone spewing evangelical brethren from the United States. But what makes a fundamental atheist? Somebody who wants to keep out creationism out of biology class? I would have thought that this should be a mainstream view (outside the U.S.).
What about being able to choose to not attend religion classes at school? Again, I am pretty sure that most adults in the western world (again, apart from the U.S.) would allow a mature, consenting 16 year old to make up his or her own mind whether he/she wants to attend state sponsored religion classes. For George Pitcher, conservative commentator for that most enlightened (cough) of British broadsheets, the Telegraph, this too is ‘secular fundamentalism’. But then Pitcher is an ordained minister and can hardly be taken seriously on that subject as his bias is more than obvious. But Adonis?
I have no idea how a statement like this can slip out. My instinct tells me that Adonis didn’t read that particular press release and some evangelical intern wrote the statement without checking it with his superiors. I find it hard to believe that the Ministry for Children, Schools and Families is secretly purporting the introduction of intelligent design into the curriculum, especially now that Tony Blair has left the building, but it does leave a sour taste. It’s alarming enough that The Royal Society had to get involved and remind the government of the importance of leaving creationism outside the classroom.
I wonder whether the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster has a branch in the UK. Maybe it is time to introduce Lord Adonis to His Noodliness.
I did it again. I visited another Cafe in the East End to try out the Eggbaconchipsandbeans meme. This time it was the magnificent Mr G’s on Mile End Road in that lovelies of all East End quarters, Stepney. Mr G’s has a bright orange, friendly sign over his door that invites his guests into the small but cosy cafe.
The gentleman behind the counter (Mr G. himself?) takes your order, passes it through the window to the smiling chef and before you can fully open The Guardian and try to find the magazine, you already have an enormous plate in front of you. And if I say enormous, I mean enormous.
This is not just a plate full of eggbaconchipsandbeans. This the mother of all plates of eggbaconchipsandbeans. The chips are well done and have a decent crunch and desperately try to cosy themselves up to the sea of beans, that is covering the most magnificent two slices of bacon I have ever had, both in size ans in taste. The whole ensemble looks more like a picture of Andy Warhol and I was almost tempted not to spoil its beauty and just worship it silently, but then the hunger took over and soon this wonderful meal was unfortunately history.
The condiments are well placed and the tables are so clean that you might think you’re seeing double:
While one is silently chewing, the sociable gentleman behind the counter entertains his regulars with surprisingly erudite banter and keeps the atmosphere relaxed and positive. You leave MR. G’s not only well fed, but indeed also spiritualized, marvelling how you functional yet inspiring the interior is. Le Corbusier would have liked it here.
It doesn’t get much better than Mr. G’s, you know.
MrG’s Cafe, 222 Mile End Road, London E1 4LJ
Well, isn’t that lovely? It’s only days since John Mc Cain, republican presidential candidate in the U.S., presented his choice for vice-president. The 44 year old Governor of Alaska has a Bachelor of Science from the University of Idaho and was mayor of Wasilia, Alaska for 6 years. That means she is looking after a similar number of people as the mayor of Duesseldorf, Germany. Plus, undoubtedly some Mooses. And fewer cultural institutions. She has 5 kids and a hubby who is a champion snowmobiler and is a conservative christian on the more hardcore side of her faith.
According to CNN:
Palin said when running for governor in 2006 that she would support funding for abstinence-only education in schools, according to Eagle Forum Alaska, a conservative group that sent a questionnaire asking gubernatorial candidates their views on a range of issues.
Well, she should have done her homework. Would she have read some of the literature out there, she’d have found out that telling your kids not to have sex doesn’t work. Telling your kids to have safe sex works much better. The evidence is now overwhelming, as Mrs. Palin has just found out herself.
Her 17 year old daughter is pregnant and there are expectations that there will of course be a quick marriage.
Well, congratulations Grandma Palin. I hope your grandchild will be a happy and healthy one and that the bond between your daughter and ‘the young man’ will be a long one, but honestly: maybe it’s time for a policy rethink when it comes to the whole abstinence thing?
Yes, it’s that time of the year again, when the great and geeky unwashed masses around the world again get under the shower, have a shave, put on a colourful t-shirt and show the rest of the world the benefits of free and open software. I did my bit in 2006 when I tried to persuade the inhabitants of a small town in New Zealand to convert (at least they’re now all using firefox) but since I am back in the UK these Kiwis will not have the benefit of me looking like an orange sausage again (they give you tight orange t-shirts to wear).
So this year I thought I help out one of the UK’s team. With me living in the south – east, London comes to mind, but there doesn’t seem to be much demand for FOSS in the capital.
The one entry in the London section states:
Now, call me a notorious moaner, but is that all London has to offer? No install fest, no radio interviews, newspaper articles, tables on highstreets full of glittering compies?
Sad. Very sad.
P.S. And for those of you wondering why I’m not doing anything this year, I have not even been able to contact my local LUG. Apparently it’s extinct.
Messaged from the Outhouse 