July 23, 2008

As they burned it hurt because I was so happy for you

The last couple of paragraphs in this Times Ed. article about engaging working class lads at school caught my eye:

Another school had success with boys after asking a group that was being rewarded with cakes for doing well why it was predominantly made up of girls.

One girl said: “It's not that boys are not clever. They mostly are, but they need quick results. You just have to be showing them the cakes.”

I wonder at which point the Ofsted folks wandered into the Aperture Science laboratory?

July 18, 2008

Their ballots will block out the sun, then we will vote in the shade.

If I was eligible to donate to this campaign, I would.

July 11, 2008

Ask away

It's the random flickr comment thread difficult question game: pile on!

July 10, 2008

Effectual opposition FAIL

What is the matter with the Democratic party in the USA? First they have this terrible internecine slaughter of a primary that divides the base so much that many erstwhile Clinton supporters now say that they're going to vote for McCain(!), and now this.

In an aside to another guest after a Fox News Channel interview on Sunday, Jackson had said Obama had been talking down to black people and added: "I want to cut his nuts out." Initially, news organisations had hesitated to broadcast the off-air derogatory remarks. CNN's Wolf Blitzer said: "It's so crude we can't repeat it on the air." ... Jackson, who has known Obama's wife, Michelle, for years, made his remarks in what he thought was an off-air moment during an interview with Fox television.

WTF? He had a Fox News mic on him and he blithely assumed it would be off and made a remark like that? Don't Democratic politicians realise that for them the hyper-partisan Fox News is distinctly enemy territory? How careless can you get FFS? Democrats, the only safe assumption to make while you are on the premises of Fox News is that everything you say and do is being recorded and comport yourself accordingly. Do not say anything that you wouldn't want broadcast on national TV.

Cripes, and we wonder why the Republicans keep winning elections despite being a bunch of venal, corrupt, rapacious, elitist, hypocritical, economy-wrecking warmongers. The modern US Democratic party must be the least effective opposition party in the history of western democracy.

*fume*

July 8, 2008

Shack Up

I'm playing around with this MyMiniCity flash trinket to see if it's any fun. So, if you fancy helping me grow Banizton then click away at the pic below to increase the population (if you can be arsed, you can do it daily):

If I dig it I'll add links to the other options when I get the population to be able to do it.

Oh, and if you decide to paly with it too I'll happily click away at yours. Fnar.

Chin chin!