Great finish to the basketball game Saturday night. Avenir played pretty poorly through the 4th quarter, and were down by 9 with just under 2 minutes to play, but lifted to break almost even. With 5.6 seconds left, Chartres led by 1 and had the ball under the basket in attack, but they turned it over, and Avenir ran it up the other end and scored as time expired for the 1-point win. Very exciting, and a bit of an escape in their last home game. Few drinks after the game, met Liz's mum & aunt who were over for a week. Home about 3:30.
Went and saw the 2s on Sunday, too. They had a win on the back of Sandy hitting 3s through the 4th quarter. Weird vibe with J in the crowd - things have changed there recently, hardly surprising.
Other than that, plenty of WoW over the weekend, including a run through deadmines with Paul, Julz & Mick on Monday. Good craic, and will be even better once we start to get closer to Paul's level. Called Mum & Dad Sunday for a chat.
Played basketball yesterday, pretty crappy time of it. Pretty crappy day all around, in fact. I was grouchy and the world around me seemingly had no problem feeding me crap. Probably need more sleep.
Wednesday, 3 May 2006
Wednesday, 26 April 2006
Just when I thought I was out...
I got back to Rennes. I guess I could tell how. The flight to Singapore was OK, watched many movies although the system was not video-on-demand, first time I haven't had that on a Singapore Airlines flight. In Singapore I lashed out and bought wifi access, since I didn't feel comfortable paying for a train ticket using the free internet machines. The flight to Paris went well - I had a window in the exit aisle, which meant I could straighten one leg, which was something. After the meal I popped a couple of sleeping pills and zonked out for 8 or 9 hours.
In Paris, I grabbed my suitcase pretty quickly, jumped the shuttle bus to the RER station and caught a slowish RER down to Denfert-Rochereau, then a metro to Montparnasse, getting there with 15 minutes to spare for my TGV to Rennes. I was going to go into Rennes in the afternoon to get my hair cut and stuff, but in the end I just managed some grocery shopping and a little WoW at home.
When I hit Paris I was wondering why I'd traded Australia for France again - there was dense fog and it generally didn't feel like I'd traded "mid-Autumn" (which has no meaning whatsoever in Brisbane) for mid-Spring. Still, once I hit Rennes it was actually a beautiful day.
I thought for a while that I'd beaten the jetlag by staying awake so long and then getting a good whack of sleep on the Singapore-Paris leg, but around 4pm I lost all energy, and about 5:30pm I crashed for a few hours. I awoke, had some dinner, and played a little more WoW until around 11:30pm, but woke up pretty brightly around 3am. Hopefully tonight will be better.
In Paris, I grabbed my suitcase pretty quickly, jumped the shuttle bus to the RER station and caught a slowish RER down to Denfert-Rochereau, then a metro to Montparnasse, getting there with 15 minutes to spare for my TGV to Rennes. I was going to go into Rennes in the afternoon to get my hair cut and stuff, but in the end I just managed some grocery shopping and a little WoW at home.
When I hit Paris I was wondering why I'd traded Australia for France again - there was dense fog and it generally didn't feel like I'd traded "mid-Autumn" (which has no meaning whatsoever in Brisbane) for mid-Spring. Still, once I hit Rennes it was actually a beautiful day.
I thought for a while that I'd beaten the jetlag by staying awake so long and then getting a good whack of sleep on the Singapore-Paris leg, but around 4pm I lost all energy, and about 5:30pm I crashed for a few hours. I awoke, had some dinner, and played a little more WoW until around 11:30pm, but woke up pretty brightly around 3am. Hopefully tonight will be better.
Monday, 24 April 2006
which will bring us back to 0
Back from Canberra to Brisbane, and more hanging out with Chris, Anjum, Mick, Paul, Julz, Anthony, Celia, and others. Tough life.
On Thursday I gave my spiel at QUT to a small but interested (well, half of them were) crowd. I was happy to get some feedback from Keith, Michael & Kerry, and the discussion we had afterwards was really stimulating. Its nice to come and talk to people with a shared vision and common understanding (delusion? relative....) of the field I'm working in. It also Kerry & Michael are settling in well at QUT and working on various funding ideas that might make a return possible for me at some point in the future near or medium-term.
After the chat I drove back to T'ba for one last time (this trip) with Dad. We went for a game of golf on Friday afternoon out at Borneo Barracks. Last time I was back 15 months ago we squeezed in 3 games, and its a shame there wasn't time for more this time around. I really enjoy the ambiance hanging out on the golf course with Dad, and although I played like a mangy dog, the few good shots I managed were really worthwhile.
That done, it was back to Brisbane for a farewell bbq/pissup for Chris, who's heading back to CH this week, all things going well viz-a-viz visas. Beer, punch, whiskey, calva and wigs all chimed in to make it a memorable night. There are awesome photos on Chris' camera, Mick's phone, and Anthony's computer, and even one or two passable ones on my camera, which might find their way onto this forum at the upcoming flood when my return to Rennes prompts a reconciliation. The day after said party was a slow one, shall we say, not least of all for Chris, who was beyond the aid even of bacon and coffee until well into the afternoon.
Which brings us to today. I catch a plane in a handful of hours, and Australia is once again antipodean to me, probably until I have a PhD. Its kind of sad leaving - I know so many people here, and have so much in common with them, be it from having hung out together for so long or just come up in the same sort of surrounds. The conversations move faster, the comedy comes more easily, and its just a different vibe to the social milieu I have in Rennes. Now, as Chris has so often protested, if only we can get some more good jobs and European women over to Australia, it'd all be beer and skittles. For the moment I'll just have to settle for baguettes and a European summer.
On Thursday I gave my spiel at QUT to a small but interested (well, half of them were) crowd. I was happy to get some feedback from Keith, Michael & Kerry, and the discussion we had afterwards was really stimulating. Its nice to come and talk to people with a shared vision and common understanding (delusion? relative....) of the field I'm working in. It also Kerry & Michael are settling in well at QUT and working on various funding ideas that might make a return possible for me at some point in the future near or medium-term.
After the chat I drove back to T'ba for one last time (this trip) with Dad. We went for a game of golf on Friday afternoon out at Borneo Barracks. Last time I was back 15 months ago we squeezed in 3 games, and its a shame there wasn't time for more this time around. I really enjoy the ambiance hanging out on the golf course with Dad, and although I played like a mangy dog, the few good shots I managed were really worthwhile.
That done, it was back to Brisbane for a farewell bbq/pissup for Chris, who's heading back to CH this week, all things going well viz-a-viz visas. Beer, punch, whiskey, calva and wigs all chimed in to make it a memorable night. There are awesome photos on Chris' camera, Mick's phone, and Anthony's computer, and even one or two passable ones on my camera, which might find their way onto this forum at the upcoming flood when my return to Rennes prompts a reconciliation. The day after said party was a slow one, shall we say, not least of all for Chris, who was beyond the aid even of bacon and coffee until well into the afternoon.
Which brings us to today. I catch a plane in a handful of hours, and Australia is once again antipodean to me, probably until I have a PhD. Its kind of sad leaving - I know so many people here, and have so much in common with them, be it from having hung out together for so long or just come up in the same sort of surrounds. The conversations move faster, the comedy comes more easily, and its just a different vibe to the social milieu I have in Rennes. Now, as Chris has so often protested, if only we can get some more good jobs and European women over to Australia, it'd all be beer and skittles. For the moment I'll just have to settle for baguettes and a European summer.
Thursday, 20 April 2006
hell. frozen.
We interrupt your travelogues to bring you shocking news.
I agree with John Howard on this one.
Slow down there, tiger, what's doing? The Solomons thing, I mean. Sending troops in to quell the unrest there was right a few years ago when they did it, and its right now. More importantly, the policy of committing resources to the south pacific in the interests of stabilising those countries, and the strategy of trying where possible to respect their sovereignty and only send troops when they request them, seem right on the money to me. Hats off also to Labour for not turning it into the politically expedient Iraq analogy that it could so easily (and mistakenly) be made to be.
Normal service will now be resumed.
I agree with John Howard on this one.
Slow down there, tiger, what's doing? The Solomons thing, I mean. Sending troops in to quell the unrest there was right a few years ago when they did it, and its right now. More importantly, the policy of committing resources to the south pacific in the interests of stabilising those countries, and the strategy of trying where possible to respect their sovereignty and only send troops when they request them, seem right on the money to me. Hats off also to Labour for not turning it into the politically expedient Iraq analogy that it could so easily (and mistakenly) be made to be.
Normal service will now be resumed.
Wednesday, 19 April 2006
c to the anzay, b to the erray
It can only be a good sign that I haven't been finding time to blog. I've been running around and having a great time on my holiday, so I hope you'll* forgive me if this entry is a little late.
* In french or some other language I'd use the grammatic differentiation between singular and plural second person to insert some Adamsish reference to the fact that I almost certainly have only one reader. In English it kind of just doesn't appear.
So, Friday 10 days ago I pushed off to Canberra to see my sisters. Despite her blog indicating that she's in fact still in Rennes, she moved back to C'ba in January, into the house she was in before she went to Oslo. Em was also up from Hobart, for the easter weekend and also to do some training.
We had a good time on Saturday morning having breakfast overlooking the lake - hot air balloons were scheduled but didn't show - followed by a walk through the farmers markets. In the afternoon we went shopping and bought Em an iPod and me a footy, then went for a walk from Lee's place over to a Thai food festival, where we sampled some excellent pad thai and green curry, and some mediocre crapes [sic].
On Sunday we went for a drive out to Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, and did a walk of an hour or so up to some high rocks with a nice view out through valleys that are still looking very much the worse for wear from the bushfires a couple of years back. We also walked down through the wetlands, the highlight there being a couple of platypii that came out to frolick (more likely chasing food, I suppose) in a little prepared lake. We had a picnic lunch under some autumnal trees while a family nearby prepared to play some backyard cricket. In the evening we went out to dinner, then Lee & I went and watched Capote at the cinemars.
Monday was the pick of the weekend. We headed around to Liz & Mike's place mid-morning with fresh-baked muffins, and helped Daisy with her Easter egg hunt. That done, 7 of us (Lee, Em, Liz & Mike, Daisy, Toby & I) headed out on bikes for a roll around the lake. We stopped after maybe 10k at a picnic area where, joined by Tom, we broke out the snags & salads and BBQ'd. After eating I broke out the footy and Mike, Toby, Tom, Em & I played some kick to kick. We rode home the other way around the lake, completing a circuit that was probably 30k or so. To finish things off we cooked a lamb roast back at L&M's. I haven't gotten and don't get to spend much time with that mob, and really enjoy their company, so was really glad of the chance to hang out with them.
On Tuesday we went shopping in the morning before a lunch with cousin #3 (for the weekend, not implying any sort of hierarchy), Joe, at a cafe at ANU. Leonie (wife of previous) couldn't make it, since she had some big meeting at PM&C. It was interesting to hear about Joe's impressions of Europe from his postdoc in Ferrara, and how he was doing in getting back to things in Australia. They had just exchanged contracts on a house that very morning, which was very exciting.
Then, on Tuesday evening, it was back to 'Vegas.
* In french or some other language I'd use the grammatic differentiation between singular and plural second person to insert some Adamsish reference to the fact that I almost certainly have only one reader. In English it kind of just doesn't appear.
So, Friday 10 days ago I pushed off to Canberra to see my sisters. Despite her blog indicating that she's in fact still in Rennes, she moved back to C'ba in January, into the house she was in before she went to Oslo. Em was also up from Hobart, for the easter weekend and also to do some training.
We had a good time on Saturday morning having breakfast overlooking the lake - hot air balloons were scheduled but didn't show - followed by a walk through the farmers markets. In the afternoon we went shopping and bought Em an iPod and me a footy, then went for a walk from Lee's place over to a Thai food festival, where we sampled some excellent pad thai and green curry, and some mediocre crapes [sic].
On Sunday we went for a drive out to Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, and did a walk of an hour or so up to some high rocks with a nice view out through valleys that are still looking very much the worse for wear from the bushfires a couple of years back. We also walked down through the wetlands, the highlight there being a couple of platypii that came out to frolick (more likely chasing food, I suppose) in a little prepared lake. We had a picnic lunch under some autumnal trees while a family nearby prepared to play some backyard cricket. In the evening we went out to dinner, then Lee & I went and watched Capote at the cinemars.
Monday was the pick of the weekend. We headed around to Liz & Mike's place mid-morning with fresh-baked muffins, and helped Daisy with her Easter egg hunt. That done, 7 of us (Lee, Em, Liz & Mike, Daisy, Toby & I) headed out on bikes for a roll around the lake. We stopped after maybe 10k at a picnic area where, joined by Tom, we broke out the snags & salads and BBQ'd. After eating I broke out the footy and Mike, Toby, Tom, Em & I played some kick to kick. We rode home the other way around the lake, completing a circuit that was probably 30k or so. To finish things off we cooked a lamb roast back at L&M's. I haven't gotten and don't get to spend much time with that mob, and really enjoy their company, so was really glad of the chance to hang out with them.
On Tuesday we went shopping in the morning before a lunch with cousin #3 (for the weekend, not implying any sort of hierarchy), Joe, at a cafe at ANU. Leonie (wife of previous) couldn't make it, since she had some big meeting at PM&C. It was interesting to hear about Joe's impressions of Europe from his postdoc in Ferrara, and how he was doing in getting back to things in Australia. They had just exchanged contracts on a house that very morning, which was very exciting.
Then, on Tuesday evening, it was back to 'Vegas.
and then
Ah, so much to tell.
So I had a barbeque at Jesse's place with Jesse & Al, Nee & Andy, Gav, Mick, and Dave. Snags were cooked, sauce added, beers opened, and much catching up done. All was good with the world.
That evening I went to the footy with Mum & Dad to see the Lions beat the Bombers in a reasonably entertaining affair. Then on Sunday we drove down to Mullum to see Granny for her birthday. We had a walk along the beach at Brunswick Heads and had lunch at the pub. On Monday afternoon, Mum & I headed down to Goomburra, which in a former life I had known as Gordon Country, although in said previous life I hadn't ventured up into the hills into the rainforest they have there. The forest and the views were pretty awesome; photos to follow once I get some time.
On Tuesday it was back to Brisbane, hanging out at Paul's place. In the evening we went and picked up Chris & Anjum, status clarified, from the airport, and grabbed a meal before I headed over to Jesse & Al's place to crash. Wednesday, Chris, Anjum & I did the citycat thing out to Brett's Wharf, then back to uni where I grabbed a quick lunch then went to give my model typing spiel to a group in ITEE. Response pretty good, had a beer with David & Jörn afterwards.
In the evening it was the dream team for quiz night, Drs Chris & Anjum on Chemistry/Physics/Astronomy, Dr Brammer on matters medical, Paul & Jules on musical, myself and others as cleanup hitters. We pinched Dave Coyle from his regular team, too, but it didn't help, as we lucked out to them on a dodgy bonus question and came in second.
Thursday, Anjum, Chris & I continued the tourist thing, chooffing off to Lone Pine to look at koalas, roos, wallabies, snakes, wombats, etc etc. Once again, photos to follow when I get to it. In the evening we went for Punjabi with a big crowd - the Abingdon mob, Jez, Mick, Paul, etc. Afterwards I had a moment of weakness and died my hair what was purportedly blonde but what turned out to be a pale orange. Photos, well, we'll see how courageous I'm feeling. They exist, suffice to say.
So I had a barbeque at Jesse's place with Jesse & Al, Nee & Andy, Gav, Mick, and Dave. Snags were cooked, sauce added, beers opened, and much catching up done. All was good with the world.
That evening I went to the footy with Mum & Dad to see the Lions beat the Bombers in a reasonably entertaining affair. Then on Sunday we drove down to Mullum to see Granny for her birthday. We had a walk along the beach at Brunswick Heads and had lunch at the pub. On Monday afternoon, Mum & I headed down to Goomburra, which in a former life I had known as Gordon Country, although in said previous life I hadn't ventured up into the hills into the rainforest they have there. The forest and the views were pretty awesome; photos to follow once I get some time.
On Tuesday it was back to Brisbane, hanging out at Paul's place. In the evening we went and picked up Chris & Anjum, status clarified, from the airport, and grabbed a meal before I headed over to Jesse & Al's place to crash. Wednesday, Chris, Anjum & I did the citycat thing out to Brett's Wharf, then back to uni where I grabbed a quick lunch then went to give my model typing spiel to a group in ITEE. Response pretty good, had a beer with David & Jörn afterwards.
In the evening it was the dream team for quiz night, Drs Chris & Anjum on Chemistry/Physics/Astronomy, Dr Brammer on matters medical, Paul & Jules on musical, myself and others as cleanup hitters. We pinched Dave Coyle from his regular team, too, but it didn't help, as we lucked out to them on a dodgy bonus question and came in second.
Thursday, Anjum, Chris & I continued the tourist thing, chooffing off to Lone Pine to look at koalas, roos, wallabies, snakes, wombats, etc etc. Once again, photos to follow when I get to it. In the evening we went for Punjabi with a big crowd - the Abingdon mob, Jez, Mick, Paul, etc. Afterwards I had a moment of weakness and died my hair what was purportedly blonde but what turned out to be a pale orange. Photos, well, we'll see how courageous I'm feeling. They exist, suffice to say.
Saturday, 8 April 2006
the socialite
OK, so yesterday I remembered part of why I like coming back to Brisbane.
Throughout the day I managed to
That's a dozen people from four different social scenes in a single day. I don't think I know a dozen people in Rennes, and yet here I'm only a third of the way through the list I made up the other day of people I'd like to see around Brisbane.
Of course, at the same time, I couldn't find a croissant for breakfast this morning.
Throughout the day I managed to
- bump into Emma in the city
- have lunch with Kerry, Michael, Keith, and David
- bump into James Cole at Taringa station
- catch up with Lach at his place in Taringa
- have a beer with Ian and Bill at Mantara
- go to Ginga and a movie with Mick, Paul & Julz
That's a dozen people from four different social scenes in a single day. I don't think I know a dozen people in Rennes, and yet here I'm only a third of the way through the list I made up the other day of people I'd like to see around Brisbane.
Of course, at the same time, I couldn't find a croissant for breakfast this morning.
Friday, 7 April 2006
back in a wide brown land
I'm back in the sunburnt country.
I spent a few days with mum & dad up in toowoomba, and got some time in for walks out around the dams through some really nice eucalypt forests.
On Wednesday I hit Bris'vegas to catch up with friends, to date Paul, Mick, Julz and a few others. I'm having lunch with the old Pegamento crowd today, possible beers at the RE this evening with the Mantara folks, and a barbecue tomorrow with Jesse and a few hangers on from the clans, before football in the evening with M&D again. I made a list of people I want to catch up with while I'm here, and its way longer than the time I've allocated, so there will no doubt be some casualties.
Despite said list, I don't feel quite as at home in Brisbane as I used to. That isn't to say that it isn't all familiar, but when I was here last time it still felt like it was my home town, but now I'm not so sure. I suppose its inevitable that with more and more time away I'd become more and more the nomad, but realising it is interesting.
I spent a few days with mum & dad up in toowoomba, and got some time in for walks out around the dams through some really nice eucalypt forests.
On Wednesday I hit Bris'vegas to catch up with friends, to date Paul, Mick, Julz and a few others. I'm having lunch with the old Pegamento crowd today, possible beers at the RE this evening with the Mantara folks, and a barbecue tomorrow with Jesse and a few hangers on from the clans, before football in the evening with M&D again. I made a list of people I want to catch up with while I'm here, and its way longer than the time I've allocated, so there will no doubt be some casualties.
Despite said list, I don't feel quite as at home in Brisbane as I used to. That isn't to say that it isn't all familiar, but when I was here last time it still felt like it was my home town, but now I'm not so sure. I suppose its inevitable that with more and more time away I'd become more and more the nomad, but realising it is interesting.
Wednesday, 29 March 2006
/me casts yoink
After a meeting yesterday with JMJ to wrap up, I'm off today to Paris, ahead of a train/plane/automobile voyage thurfriday to T'ba. I had to pack up my desk this morning in preparation for an office relocation in my absence - happily only half a box of stuff.
Entries may well be a little sparse over the next 4 weeks, depending on how much time I wind up passing in BrisVegas.
Entries may well be a little sparse over the next 4 weeks, depending on how much time I wind up passing in BrisVegas.
Monday, 27 March 2006
foire, er
On Sunday I was supposed to have coffee with K, but got a call earlier than expected to come and help with filming interviews at the Foire Celtique out at the convention centre. The vast majority of the show was a commercial debauchery of the theme, but the celtic part itself, confined as it was to a small part of one hall, was entertaining enough. Some weird conversations were had. There was a stall selling exclusively rugby gear but with a TV screening gaelic football - when asked, the girl obviously had no idea why, and offered instead feeble justifications about there being rugby "in" gaelic football, which is as false by evidence as it is (I believe) by origins. There was a welsh-turned-french author who gave a great interview bagging english folk who move to Brittany but refuse to integrate - I couldn't help but think about how these are views are quite acceptable here, but would be dodgy if you substituted Western Sydney for Brittany, and Lebanese/Vietnamese for English. Food for thought. I was going to go listen to some jazz at Henry Cording in the evening, but I was wiped, so I stayed home with stirfry and "A Streetcar Named Desire".
Note: Il y a bien une tentative à un jeu de mot dans le titre, peut-être ratée. Foireux!
Note: Il y a bien une tentative à un jeu de mot dans le titre, peut-être ratée. Foireux!
good night and good stuff
Last entry way, er, Wednesday. OK.
So Thursday I dragged myself to the cinema, alone for lack of cinebuddies, to a screening of Good Night & Good Luck. Good thing I did, too, because I really liked it. The dialogue is slickly written, the performances are strong if not spectacular, the 'look', both in terms of period elements, b/w shooting, and general mood, are spot on, and the message is clear, albeit that one might say its a little thinly veiled. Most importantly, though, the film knows exactly what it is - to ask questions about the responsibility of society and of the media in particular to pay attention to the rights of the individual vs the national interest - and does it extremely well.
So Thursday I dragged myself to the cinema, alone for lack of cinebuddies, to a screening of Good Night & Good Luck. Good thing I did, too, because I really liked it. The dialogue is slickly written, the performances are strong if not spectacular, the 'look', both in terms of period elements, b/w shooting, and general mood, are spot on, and the message is clear, albeit that one might say its a little thinly veiled. Most importantly, though, the film knows exactly what it is - to ask questions about the responsibility of society and of the media in particular to pay attention to the rights of the individual vs the national interest - and does it extremely well.
Wednesday, 22 March 2006
nyargh
Usually I manage to keep my angst to one or other of my work/non-work spheres, but the last week or so it has been both at once. Things to be done, but not enough time to do them properly before chooffing off on hols. And to boot, the more I agonise over them, the more imposing the tasks seem.
While I'm here, I guess I can update stuff. I called Em on Thursday night (Friday morning in Hobart) to say happy birthday, and had a quick chat with everyone (Lee, M & D were down for the weekend). Friday night was St Pat's, and pints at a chockers O'Connells with Erwan, J-M and Andrew, the Irishman visiting us from Trinity. Saturday night was an Avenir game, which they won easily, and to which I paid less attention than usual. The party afterwards was OK, much time spent chatting, drinking and eating - usually I'm not a big fan of the post-game chow, but Erwan & Manu did themselves proud. Home about 3:30. Sunday afternoon there was a game between the Avenir 2s and Rennes Patros, in a well-hidden and well-acquitted gym near the canal.
One week til hols, back to my agony.
While I'm here, I guess I can update stuff. I called Em on Thursday night (Friday morning in Hobart) to say happy birthday, and had a quick chat with everyone (Lee, M & D were down for the weekend). Friday night was St Pat's, and pints at a chockers O'Connells with Erwan, J-M and Andrew, the Irishman visiting us from Trinity. Saturday night was an Avenir game, which they won easily, and to which I paid less attention than usual. The party afterwards was OK, much time spent chatting, drinking and eating - usually I'm not a big fan of the post-game chow, but Erwan & Manu did themselves proud. Home about 3:30. Sunday afternoon there was a game between the Avenir 2s and Rennes Patros, in a well-hidden and well-acquitted gym near the canal.
One week til hols, back to my agony.
half a world away
Larry, which got a few words in the local rag Ouest France on Monday, jumped up today for a back page spot with a photo of a unroofed house. It was right in between an article about a french lesbian "other" mother losing her court appeal for paternity leave, and an article about chinese frogs that emit ultrasound. *Sigh* I guess it got some press, at least. Cyclones are good like that - they know what gets em in the papers. Not as dumb as some.
In the meantime, no-one is still dead, although with Johnny and god-knows how many other politicians traipsing through over the next few days, that may not last.
In the meantime, no-one is still dead, although with Johnny and god-knows how many other politicians traipsing through over the next few days, that may not last.
Tuesday, 21 March 2006
go back to your own damned campus
I was surprised upon arriving this morning to see a crowd of students hanging around the foyer of IFSIC (the IT school here). I then read in my email that they are there to blockade the lecture theatres. This has been going on at the other major campus in town, home of the arts students at Rennes 2, for 4 weeks or more, but until this point hadn't really hit home for the sciency types out this way.
I have a problem with this, but before I vent on it, let me say that I'm fairly sympathetic to their gripe. Now, I'm not really up on the CPE (contrat première embauche - first employment contract), but as I understand it, its a contract that offers very little job security, the goal being to make employers more likely to hire graduates and thus lower the very high unemployment rate in the 18-25 demographic. A noble aim, but a high price to pay for a slight increase in employment, particularly if, as anticipated, the low job security makes the contract useless as a security, for example when renting an apartment. I personally think its not as bad as the recent changes to Australian IR law, but its worth protesting over.
And there's the rub. A student protest is a beautiful thing. Students are young, they should be involved, and they should speak their minds and seen to be speaking their minds. A student strike, on the other hand, is silly, and a classroom blockade is just plain bloody-minded.
The only people hurt by locking students out of classrooms are students. Its just not visible. It doesn't impact the workings of the state like a doctor's strike or a transport workers' strike, so it won't speak to politicians that way, and it doesn't make good TV, so won't get reported, and thus won't offer any propaganda value. It hurts them and their fellow students, and has no value for their cause. If they really want to help get the word out, they'd be more use downtown facing the CRS and tear gas and getting their mugs on TV.
I have a friend over at Rennes 2 who has been locked out of classes for 4 weeks. She's been to the meetings where they vote whether to continue, but its more a rally than a vote, and the odds of ending the blockade are not helped by the vote being a show of hands. This isn't helping her masters, and she's not looking forward to explaining to potential employers that the explanation for lower marks this semester is based in a french industrial dispute. The employers aren't from France; they don't care.
What's particularly deplorable about the blockades downstairs today are that the students aren't even from IFSIC. In the paternal wisdom, a group of blow-ins (I really want to say arts students, but I restraining myself) seem to have decided that they know what is best for the students here, and that is that they not learn. Its forced equality at the cost of both liberty and fraternity.
Update: Pour les francophones interessés, il y un article sur le blog de redaction d'Ouest France qui discute des issus associés.
I have a problem with this, but before I vent on it, let me say that I'm fairly sympathetic to their gripe. Now, I'm not really up on the CPE (contrat première embauche - first employment contract), but as I understand it, its a contract that offers very little job security, the goal being to make employers more likely to hire graduates and thus lower the very high unemployment rate in the 18-25 demographic. A noble aim, but a high price to pay for a slight increase in employment, particularly if, as anticipated, the low job security makes the contract useless as a security, for example when renting an apartment. I personally think its not as bad as the recent changes to Australian IR law, but its worth protesting over.
And there's the rub. A student protest is a beautiful thing. Students are young, they should be involved, and they should speak their minds and seen to be speaking their minds. A student strike, on the other hand, is silly, and a classroom blockade is just plain bloody-minded.
The only people hurt by locking students out of classrooms are students. Its just not visible. It doesn't impact the workings of the state like a doctor's strike or a transport workers' strike, so it won't speak to politicians that way, and it doesn't make good TV, so won't get reported, and thus won't offer any propaganda value. It hurts them and their fellow students, and has no value for their cause. If they really want to help get the word out, they'd be more use downtown facing the CRS and tear gas and getting their mugs on TV.
I have a friend over at Rennes 2 who has been locked out of classes for 4 weeks. She's been to the meetings where they vote whether to continue, but its more a rally than a vote, and the odds of ending the blockade are not helped by the vote being a show of hands. This isn't helping her masters, and she's not looking forward to explaining to potential employers that the explanation for lower marks this semester is based in a french industrial dispute. The employers aren't from France; they don't care.
What's particularly deplorable about the blockades downstairs today are that the students aren't even from IFSIC. In the paternal wisdom, a group of blow-ins (I really want to say arts students, but I restraining myself) seem to have decided that they know what is best for the students here, and that is that they not learn. Its forced equality at the cost of both liberty and fraternity.
Update: Pour les francophones interessés, il y un article sur le blog de redaction d'Ouest France qui discute des issus associés.
populitis
Poor old Beazer is ill today, struck down with a nasty case of populism. This might just be the stupidest thing I can ever recall him saying.
I'm far from a Libertarian, but here's my take on this. Blocking porn, and spam, and other subjectively "undesirable" content, is a great service for an ISP to provide, and should be an important bullet point on the brochure that arrives in Mr & Mrs 2.3-kids Jones' letterbox on a Thursday. It is a vendor's value-add selling point, and legislators should steer well clear of it. Talk about making content filtering the legally-obliged default for internet service provision is just silliness. As for "its too hard to install a content blocker", that's patronising and insulting. Back me up here, John.
And anyway, what is Labour trying to achieve with this? The only creditable reason I can see is that it's an attempt to convince ISPs to offer abovementioned glossy bullet point more, but my cynical side doesn't buy it. Surely they don't really believe this is an important issue? Is it an attempt to wedge the big 'L' social conservatives from the few remaining small 'l' liberals in the government? Please! If the small 'l'-ers didn't poke out their little heads over the farcical changes to sedition in the terror legislation, why on earth would they do so over porn? Populist social conservatism is the new black in Australian politics, and liberals are judiciously ducking their heads. Kimmy, I know you're a caretaker, but for God's sake show a little ticker.
I got this via Chris, who we can all only hope will resume blogging at some point.
Update: I was being a bit harsh. Social conservatism isn't the new black. Looking like a moron while talking about net porn is the new black.
Update: I asked a question on Bartlett's blog, and he replied with an article. He's more conservative and less cynical than I am, but he still throws the "wedge" word out there.
There's also a good post over at Electron Soup.
I feel I'm dignifying this non-issue more than it merits. I'll post something else in a moment to get off of it.
I'm far from a Libertarian, but here's my take on this. Blocking porn, and spam, and other subjectively "undesirable" content, is a great service for an ISP to provide, and should be an important bullet point on the brochure that arrives in Mr & Mrs 2.3-kids Jones' letterbox on a Thursday. It is a vendor's value-add selling point, and legislators should steer well clear of it. Talk about making content filtering the legally-obliged default for internet service provision is just silliness. As for "its too hard to install a content blocker", that's patronising and insulting. Back me up here, John.
And anyway, what is Labour trying to achieve with this? The only creditable reason I can see is that it's an attempt to convince ISPs to offer abovementioned glossy bullet point more, but my cynical side doesn't buy it. Surely they don't really believe this is an important issue? Is it an attempt to wedge the big 'L' social conservatives from the few remaining small 'l' liberals in the government? Please! If the small 'l'-ers didn't poke out their little heads over the farcical changes to sedition in the terror legislation, why on earth would they do so over porn? Populist social conservatism is the new black in Australian politics, and liberals are judiciously ducking their heads. Kimmy, I know you're a caretaker, but for God's sake show a little ticker.
I got this via Chris, who we can all only hope will resume blogging at some point.
Update: I was being a bit harsh. Social conservatism isn't the new black. Looking like a moron while talking about net porn is the new black.
Update: I asked a question on Bartlett's blog, and he replied with an article. He's more conservative and less cynical than I am, but he still throws the "wedge" word out there.
There's also a good post over at Electron Soup.
I feel I'm dignifying this non-issue more than it merits. I'll post something else in a moment to get off of it.
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