Blog posts

So we’re married.

As I’ve grown accustomed to watching US television news I’ve found myself repeatedly asking what it is that feels so alien. The preponderance of celebrity news on the Today Show, and the avalanche of advertising is certainly a part of it, but the more I’ve watched, the more I’ve focussed in on one thing: interviewing. My favourite television interviewers in the UK tend to be people like John Snow, who are sharp enough to respond quickly if an answer doesn’t make sense, irreverent enough to press anyone they come up against, and fond enough of playing devil’s advocate that they’re not worried about appearing partisan. ...

It was this article at ateaseweb.com announcing that Pedro The Lion have released a tour EP featuring a cover of Radiohead’s ‘Let Down’ and promising archived audio that drew me to kexp.org. I haven’t yet managed to find the promised track, but there is so much other live goodness that I’m not sure I mind terribly…

So I live in America…

When we were in Iran in the summer of 2001 one of the most striking things was the cultural gulf between North and South Tehran. The cost of property in Iranian cities usually correlates with proximity to mountains. From the mountains comes water, and the rich have historically jostled for positions near to that supply of fresh water. These days, access to clean water isn’t quite such an issue, but the property prices still reflect that legacy. ...

Since I posted this article about Comcast’s reported union-busting activities, Kari and I have decided to go with SBC’s DSL offering rather than a cable modem. I should have been ready for the prospect that SBC’s employees will be on strike over a pay-deal dispute on the day our service was meant to be connected.

This blog is powered by the Moveabletype blogging software. I discovered it a couple of years ago, and have since used it in many locations thanks to its adaptability and straightforward interface. The company behind Moveabletype, Six Apart, have kicked up a little storm over their announcement last week of new license fees that will extend to those using MT for non-commerical purposes. Such has been the backlash, that they’re asking for feedback on how people use their software. So here’s my contribution: ...

There are plenty of accounts available online of other peoples’ visits to the US Embassy as the final stage of applying for a K1 Fiance Visa. Reading them, it was readily apparent that the process was little more than a formality for most. Yet it’s still a nervous experience, knowing that the officials within hold such immediate power over you. I arrived at the office of Dr. Phelan—the Embassy’s official (monopoly provider) surgeon—at 7.35am to see a queue of people already assembling. We’d ended up with a good day for it, the sun was shining and there was plenty going on to keep us entertained as we waited, such as a man walking past dressed and looking exactly like Seraph from The Matrix. ...

My last University of Reading meeting was that of the Careers Advisory Board this morning. It was the second meeting of the board this year, and therefore the place to discuss the annual, government-required Graduate First Destinations Survey. Such surveys are always good sources of spinnable material. The survey is prepared by HESA to ensure the same template is used nationwide, and the results themselves were relatively unremarkable. Some slight fluctuations, and a few concerns that electronic engineering students seemed to be having some trouble finding employment in that field, but no real surprises. ...

There is currently much discussion about reforming the university admissions system in the UK. The current system, whereby students apply to universities during the autumn of their final school year and are then offered places subject to interviews and particular grades in exams yet to come not only places a huge amount of pressure on students, but leaves a high degress of uncertainty for universities. It is also said to often fail to adequately distinguish between the high number of students achieving the top grades, and certainly produces dilemmas of how to respond to particularly able students held back by a range of societal factors. ...