London from the view of a business traveller

it's great to go around London and view it from the perspective of a business traveller - staying near the Royal Exchange, in a HOTEL (!!) with lusciously soft duvets, air conditioning and a TV that I can watch BBC shows while lying on the bed and doing homework, occasionally sipping my Starbucks Light Espresso Frappuchino with Hazelnut sugar-less syrup... eating at nice restaurants without having to go budget (i.e. worrying about trying something that looks nice but more than you'd usually pay)... having wine with dinner which goes so well rather than settling for water... seeing the city in a comfortable mini-cab while on route to Heathrow Airport...

as for my other business in London, Phedra at Donmar Warehouse Theatre (running till 3 June) was great! i highly recommend it. actually sat there in the dark writing notes and sketching the sets and costume bits so that i could reference them when doing revision for that Euro Theatre question on production.

i realise i like London only as a tourist and even then only if I had all the time in the world (i.e. being a student and didnt have to be stuck in a office for most of my day) to walk around on weekdays (can't stand the crowds on weekends!). 'nuff said, i think i would rather live in the country...

International Student Barometer Survey

i figured, since they give me this opportunity to have my voice heard (since the University is the only one not to have sent a reply, even if it is a template, to my email of complaint), I might as well make full use of it to vent my frustrations.

Question 16: If you would like to comment on the learning experience please do so here.

I am appalled at the industrial action taken at the moment and believe that my learning experience this year has been compromised. While I have put down on the form that I am satisfied at the assessment, I am only grading things that HAVE been assessed. It is unfair for international students to be paying such high fees and not getting the full education that we should be given. We have paid for a service that we are not satisfied with because it has been incomplete. I demand that the University give an answer as to what is being done in terms of reparations (and yes I am referring to monetary). We have the power to sway future Warwick students from our home countries to consider pursuing their higher education in other countries that treat their staff better and are more considerate of the needs of their students. Do not underestimate the power of 'word-of-mouth', especially if you are still considering opening a branch of the University in Singapore, my home country.

Question 24: Would you recommend the university to other students thinking of applying to this institution?
a) I would actively encourage people to apply
b) If asked, I would encourage people to apply
c) I would neither encourage nor discourage people
d) If asked, I would not encourage people to apply
e) I would actively discourage people from applying

Answer: B

Question 25: If you would like to add a comment please do so here.

In response to the question above, I would like to state that my experience at Warwick has been enjoyable until a few months ago when the Universtiy failed to bring an end to industrial action and attempted to intimidate its staff by docking their pay. Based on that, I chose that answer but might change my mind if the situation (which I was led to believe would be temporary) is not resolved.

Why can't the English? - from My Fair Lady

Henry Look at her, a prisoner of the gutter,
Condemned by every syllable she ever uttered.
By law she should be taken out and hung,
For the cold-blooded murder of the English tongue.
Eliza Aaoooww! Henry imitating her Aaoooww!
Heaven's! What a noise!
This is what the British population,
Calls an elementary education. Pickering Oh,
Counsel, I think you picked a poor example. Henry Did I?
Hear them down in Soho square,
Dropping "h's" everywhere.
Speaking English anyway they like.
You sir, did you go to school?
Man Wadaya tike me for, a fool?
Henry No one taught him 'take' instead of 'tike!
Why can't the English teach their children how to speak?
This verbal class distinction, by now,
Should be antique. If you spoke as she does, sir,
Instead of the way you do,
Why, you might be selling flowers, too!
Hear a Yorkshireman, or worse,
Hear a Cornishman converse,
I'd rather hear a choir singing flat.
Chickens cackling in a barn Just like this one!
Eliza Garn! Henry I ask you, sir, what sort of word is that?
It's "Aoooow" and "Garn" that keep her in her place.
Not her wretched clothes and dirty face.
Why can't the English teach their children how to speak?
This verbal class distinction by now should be antique.
If you spoke as she does, sir, Instead of the way you do,
Why, you might be selling flowers, too.
An Englishman's way of speaking absolutely classifies him,
The moment he talks he makes some other
Englishman despise him.
One common language I'm afraid we'll never get.
Oh, why can't the English learn to set
A good example to people whose
English is painful to your ears?
The Scotch and the Irish leave you close to tears.
There even are places where English completely
disappears. In America, they haven't used it for years!
Why can't the English teach their children how to speak?
Norwegians learn Norwegian; the Greeks have taught their
Greek. In France every Frenchman knows
his language fro "A" to "Zed"
The French never care what they do, actually,
as long as they pronounce it properly.
Arabians learn Arabian with the speed of summer lightning.
And Hebrews learn it backwards,
which is absolutely frightening.
But use proper English you're regarded as a freak.
Why can't the English,
Why can't the English learn to speak?

British weather

yes, the weather is what everyone seems to talk about. it is a convenient subject to begin a conversation with random strangers or good friends.

recently the weather seems to have riverted to late Winter/early Spring type (meaning loads of rain) and in fact what can happen is that it will rain for an hour, stop for maybe 10 mins, then pour again (while the sun is still out). after enjoying a week of nice almost-Summer-ish weather a few weeks back, most people have been complaining about how depressing and annoying it is.

strangely enough, i love the weather! because if the weather was all nice every single day, life would be so boring - can you imagine, every day would blend into the next and you wouldnt really be able to remember what you did the 3 days ago because every day would seem the same or be remembered as "just another day". i love the little chilly wind because it exhilerates me (perhaps also because i actually do like winter) and makes me feel all perked up.

on a separate note, the library is a nice place to be after 11pm.

random things i have realised in the last 24hrs

1) Marlene Dietrich is GORGEOUS in her early films that she made with Josef Von Sternberg... i totally see how he manipulates lighting to make her seem so etheral and so beautiful (and thus validating the storylines that she traps men like flies to a bright light). I love her sense of disenchantment with the world... indeed Paramount was lucky to have her as their star because she was a "woman that even women could adore".

for viewing pleasure, watch Morocco (1930) and Shanghai Express (1932) - Anna May Wong is brilliant in this film as well! the story with her is really gritty and that's what makes Shanghai Express (other than the fantastic cinematography!) so brilliant to watch.

2) Silvana Mangano has a such a nice hairstyle in Mambo (1954) and again, maybe it's my mood, but i love her sense of disillusion with the world and empathise with the sadness you hear in her voice and see in her face of her life in Venice. And of course it's great at the end when she returns to join the dance troupe to "forget the past".

oh and when she smiles, is it just me, or do her canines look rather pronounced? i can imagine her auditioning as a female vampire! and it is so distracting everytime i watch her films and she smiles with her teeth! plus her lipstick on her top lip is one continuous curve (not rosebud-like like natural-looking makeup of today). perhaps it was the style in the 1940-50s.

3) it isnt fair that people who are in business class get upgraded to first class! and i havent even flown by business class before! (in case you are wondering, my dad had to fly to London for business purposes and the company booked him on Business Class but they bumped him up to First Class because Business Class was overbooked. i sob.)

4) tom yum soup and a good melodrama film help you forget how urgh you are feeling when you are coming down with the flu (compounded by getting caught in the rain - torrential, i should add).

2 unexpected replies to my email of complaint

Dear Adeline,

Thank you for your email to Professor Bone. We note your concern regarding the lecturers' strike. We too are extremely anxious for this dispute to end quickly and are aware that the employers are making every effort to resolve the dispute as soon as possible.

As it is UCEA who have responsibility for negotiating on pay I have asked UCEA to respond more fully to you as soon as possible.

May I take this opportunity to wish you well with your studies.

Best reards,
Susan Bradley, Information Officer, Universities UK
Direct tel +44 (0)20 7419 5523

----------------------------------------------------

Dear Adeline Li,

Thank you for your email addressing the impact of the academic unions' industrial action on your education. UCEA shares your concerns at the effect of the industrial action and I can assure you that we will continue to make every effort to resolve this dispute as soon as possible.

Employers continue to urge union leaders to reconsider their 12.6% pay offer. UCEA wants AUT and NATFHE to give lecturers themselves the opportunity to decide whether to continue the unnecessary industrial action harming students or to accept the final offer now on the table.

The academic unions' refusal to even contemplate putting the employers' final pay offer to their members - despite significant recent pressure from politicians of all parties, fellow trade unions, students and parents - remains a concern for everyone in the HE sector. However, it is students that matter most.

You may be aware that the vast majority of students oppose the exam boycott imposed by lecturers. The NUS has appealed to the AUT for lecturers to begin setting examinations for students but has yet to receive a positive response. It is important to note that strike action of this magnitude should be an absolute last resort - not one that is used before negotiations have even been given the chance

For a full briefing papers, press releases and media coverage relating to the dispute please log on to www.ucea.ac.uk (click on "Pay Dispute"). I hope this answers your questions at a national level and I wish you every success in your studies.

Yours sincerely

Jocelyn Prudence
Chief Executive

i just had the strangest conversation with a random stranger

a few days ago someone added me on MSN and i clicked on 'accept' so that i could figure out who it was because i couldnt actually tell if it was anyone i knew from the address (linglingyanyan@hotmail.com) and since i did know some 'lings', i figured maybe it was someone from RGS.

anyway today this linglingyanyan person started a conversation with me:

(by the way, this took ages to type because she used lots of chinese emoticons that had to be retyped - thanks to Tie Han and Babelfish! i will do some translation since there is some chinese and hanyu pinyin)

linglingyanyan@hotmail.com says:
丽丽姐姐!
(Li Li Big Sister)
ade says:
hi who is this?
linglingyanyan@hotmail.com says:
你的记性太差了!
(your memory isnt very good - in a joking manner)
linglingyanyan@hotmail.com says:
艳艳
(Yan Yan)
ade says:
from where?

then she goes offline and i am like ?!?!?

linglingyanyan@hotmail.com says:
刚掉线
(just got disconnected)
ade - inspired by a TV show says:
where do i know you from?
linglingyanyan@hotmail.com says:
你是丽丽姐姐吗?
(are you Li Li Big Sister?)
ade says:
no
ade says:
how did you get my address?
ade says:
and who is Li Li Jie Jie?
linglingyanyan@hotmail.com says:
sorry.....
ade says:
do i know you...? or is this a case of mistaken identity? i'm really interested to know how you got my email address
linglingyanyan@hotmail.com says:
oh..I'M SORRY....it is mistake..
ade says:
did someone give you my email address by mistake?
ade says:
and do i know the person that gave you the address?
linglingyanyan@hotmail.com says:
我想你误会了,,,
(i think you are mistaken)
linglingyanyan@hotmail.com says:
我不是故意的
(this isnt intentional)
linglingyanyan@hotmail.com says:
可能我记错别人给我的地址
(maybe i remembered an address someone gave to me wrongly)
ade says:
ah i see
ade says:
nevermind then...
linglingyanyan@hotmail.com says:
你能看懂中文
(you can read chinese) <--- at this moment i am thinking 'of course, right? considering YOU have been typing in chinese and i have been replying'
ade says:
yes
ade says:
but my MSN hasnt been set to mandarin
ade says:
or rather, chinese
linglingyanyan@hotmail.com says:
你是中国人?还是?
(are you from the People's Republic of China? or are you... [from somewhere else]...?)
ade says:
i'm not from china
linglingyanyan@hotmail.com says:
and where are you from?
ade says:
wo shi xin jia bo ren
(i am Singaporean)
linglingyanyan@hotmail.com says:
oh.."lion city"xingapo.. <--- YES SHE ACTUALLY TYPED THIS!
linglingyanyan@hotmail.com says:
there is a very beauty city!
ade says:
xie xie
(thank you)
ade says:
ni ne?
(and you?)
linglingyanyan@hotmail.com says:
I'm from china of beijing.I'm a girl.my chinese name is feng ling yan.
ade says:
wo you qu guo beijing... 2000 nian de shi hou...
(i've been to Beijing before... in the year 2000...)
linglingyanyan@hotmail.com says:
北京好玩吗?
(was Beijing fun?)
ade says:
shi ah. wo qu de shi hou gang kai shi dong tian (12 yue).
(yes it was. when i went it was just starting to be winter [in december])
linglingyanyan@hotmail.com says:
你去过泰国吗?
(have you been to Thailand before?)
linglingyanyan@hotmail.com says:
因为我奶奶是泰国人..
(because my grandmother [paternal] is Thai)
ade says:
you ah... wo zhui xi huan ta men de shi wu...
(yes i have... i especially like their food)
linglingyanyan@hotmail.com says:
我去过新加坡三次,所以感觉very good
(i've been to Singapore 3 times, so the feeling is very good - erm that's the best translation i can think of! i dont really get what she means either...)
ade says:
ying wei wo xi huan chi la
(because i like to eat spicy food)
ade says:
zhen bao qian... wo dei zou...
(i'm sorry... i need to go...)
linglingyanyan@hotmail.com says:
OK..很高兴认识你
(OK... very delighted to gain your acquaintance)

upon which i promptly ended the conversation and deleted her... strange...

can someone who speaks Japanese and is rich take me to these restaurants?

Iron Chef JAPANESE

* The first: ROKUSABURO MICHIBA (retired from the show)
Poisson Rokusaburo in Akasaka, Tokyo. (2min. walk from Akasaka Station.)
Plaza Mikado Building 1F&B1F
03-5570-6317
* The second: KOMEI NAKAMURA (retired from the show)
Nadaman Komei in Shibuya, Tokyo. (5min. walk from Shibuya Station.)
Tokyu Honten Department 8F
03-3477-3655
* The third: MASAHARU MORIMOTO
Morimoto in Philadelphia, PA. At 7th and Chestnut Street.

Iron Chef FRENCH:

* The first: YUTAKA ISHINABE (retired from the show)
Vietnam Alice in Ginza (2min. walk from Yuuraku-cho Station)
03-5250-0801
Lunch 1500 yen onwards, Dinner 2500 yen onwards
* The second: HIROYUKI SAKAI.
RaRochelle in Shibuya (3min. walk from Shibuya Station)
03-3400-8220
Lunch 2800 yen, onwards, Dinner 8500 yen onwards

Iron Chef CHINESE:

* CHIN KENICHI
Akasaka Shisen Hantenin Akasaka (3min. walk from Nagata-cho station)
03-3263-9371

Iron Chef ITALIAN:

* MASAHIKO KOBE
Massain Ebisu (1min. walk from Ebisu station.)
Lunch 2000 yen onwards

e-mail sent

Dear Professor Vandelinde, Professor Bone, and the Minister for Higher Education Bill Rammell,

I am writing to formally lodge a complaint about the standard of my education at the University of Warwick.

I find it highly unacceptable that the Universities are stalling negotiations with the AUT on pay issues and instead threatening staff with a 20% pay dock. The University is not doing anything to address the issue, merely trying to intimidate the staff into accepting what is less than they deserve. It is disheartening that in the UK, teachers are not given much respect even though they play an integral part in molding the future of the country, if not the world.

As an international student paying a large sum of £8,700 this year (which will increase each year) for tuition fees, I am appalled that I am not receiving the full educational experience that I should rightly get. Just as one should get a refund on unsatisfactory service, I demand that international students get a refund of fees since the service we have paid for has not been up to standard nor in any way complete.

This matter has dragged on longer than we students have been willing to tolerate and it is unfair that our degrees are being jeopardised. I understand that because of the strike, many of the papers are being outsorced to be set and marked and this is unfair to students because external academics are unaware of what has been taught or focussed on throughout the entire year and we are penalised by having papers that are vastly different from past years' and graded differently. How are we to be certain that the grades we attain at the end of our degrees are an acurate reflection of the work we have done throughout our time as students in the University? This brings to question even the validity of the degree and the value of the degree to future employers within the country and back home. This is especially distressing to an international student who has become disillusioned with the education system in the UK and I am having serious doubts if the money I have paid for my education has in fact been a wise and good inverstment. My parents have been saving for the last 10 years so that I can have an university education in the UK and I believe that many of my international peers share similar backgrounds. I ask that you put an end to the dispute over lecturers pay and restore the full educational experience that I deserve or else do something to redress us international students.

Yours sincerely,
Adeline Li

getting all nostalgic

damn. while talking to chengsi on MSN i suddenly brought up the topic of VJ and in a flash i had this bout of nostalgia...

i miss...

going to school early in the morning and having my breakfast of noodles or congee - it'll be a rotation of fried beehoon with otah, fishball noodles, mince pork and shredded chicken noodles, wanton noodles, congee with egg, prawn noodles or yong tau fu noodles. mmmmm...

my class table right next to the snapple machine. we did homework there, eat there, bum around late in the afternoon there, used it as a meeting point.

class trips to east coast park or even just walking to marine parade via the path next to the highway.

going with friends to eat in katong, siglap, suntec city, tampines, bedok - good food plus fab company!

climbing over the gate when you have to be in school before 6am or leaving school after 9pm.

walking around aimlessly at 1am on campus and randomly lying down in the middle of the carpark/basketball courts looking at the stars and having heart-to-heart talks with friends.

wandering and wondering about the dark and quiet parts of school late at night.

hanging out in the library till closing time (and watching people do stupid things while studying).

hanging out outside the CTC room on saturdays (and in between classes on weekdays) and the reading rooms.

walking out of school by the side entrance during free period to go to marine vista (once with Ave when she randomly decided to get her hair cut).

finding a nice and quiet spot to read/study/ponder in the middle of the day.

listening to girls bitching in the toilets while you are in the cubicle.

group trips to the toilets to get a break from class.

lessons because of the mind-boggling things we learn and all the funny stuff that happened in them.


but most of all, i miss the friends i made in VJ. because they were/are amazing.

Senate Approves Temporary Regulation – 2006 Graduation to Go Ahead

(taken from Warwick insite - for Warwick students)


Yesterday the University Senate, the supreme academic authority of the University, approved a new temporary University Regulation designed to ensure that all final year students will graduate this summer and their prospects will not be damaged by the AUT industrial action.

New Regulation Follows Aegrotat Principles

The new temporary Regulation will ensure fair treatment for all candidates and is entirely consistent with current practice. It follows long-established principles for the award of aegrotat degrees where some marks are missing (due, for example, to absence from an examination for medical reasons).

Classified and Unclassified Degrees

Under the new Regulation Boards of Examiners have the right to reach any decision they would normally reach, including the award of a classified degree (if there is sufficient evidence available). Alternatively, they may decide to award an unclassified Honours degree if more than 30% of marks from examinations or other pieces of assessed work are missing because they are being withheld by AUT members. In some cases, even where more than 70% of marks are presented, Boards may still determine that an unclassified degree should be awarded (if, for example, one or two core module marks are missing). The Regulation ensures that the Boards of Examiners meetings will proceed as normal.

Once the full marks profiles are available for all candidates (after the suspension or conclusion of the AUT industrial action) Boards of Examiners will meet again to make decisions on classifications for all those who received unclassified degrees and to review all previous classification decisions. New, and final, degree certificates will then be issued to those affected.

It is important to stress that, in the case of students who receive a classified degree and whose marks are then reconsidered, the new Regulation stipulates that any changes to the degree class awarded can only be to the student?s benefit, i.e. there will be no lowering of degree classifications.

Degree Congregation

At the Degree Congregation in July graduating students will receive a degree certificate together with a letter explaining the background to the award of unclassified degrees.

Interim transcripts will be issued to graduates in the summer in the normal way. These will be provisional and will be re-issued with the complete set of confirmed marks once these become available.

Employer Liaison

The University is keenly aware of the possible impact of the award of unclassified degrees on students in career terms and is taking advice from the Careers Service and AGCAS, the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services, about the guidance for potential employers.

All Examinations to Proceed as Normal

It is now clear that all this year's examination question papers will be set and students must prepare for exams as normal.

The University sincerely hopes that the AUT industrial dispute will be resolved before July and that the University will not have to use this temporary regulation but the Senate has approved it as a necessary precaution to ensure that students are not disadvantaged by industrial action.

Warwick Standards Maintained

The new Regulation is intended to ensure that all students will ultimately achieve the degree they have earned.

Further Information

If you have any comments or questions please email internalcomms@warwick.ac.uk

3 fabulous things that have made this day GREAT!

1) breaking the vicious cycle of stagnant 63s for my Hollywood Cinema module. for the last 3 essays i have handed in, they come back with cover pages that all have the same mark. this time, it came back with a 66 (whoopeee!) which thankfully brings my average up since the requirements of the module was a 'best of 2' for the longer essay and i did both (and thus this 66 can replace my previous 63). phew! it pays to be kiasu.

2) i got into Blake and Wordsworth with Emma Mason! *dances with joy* she's brilliant and i'm going to really enjoy that module next year because a) i get a fabulous tutor who is amazingly enthusiastic and engaging, b) i get to study poetry and c) i get to look at politics as well as contemporary themes in Romantic poetry.

3) i sent out my CV with a cover letter to the Birmingham REP Theatre for a speculative application for work experience yesterday and got a reply today saying they are looking for 1 or 2 students to do some information pack about careers in the performing arts and that they will doing some shortlisting next week and will be in touch to possibly arrange an interview. FINALLY! some form of hope/response to all my previous applications. even if i dont get it, at least they replied (and that there is that slim chance i can get work experience here over summer)!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU GOD!

the forum on IMDB: "Guy Woodhouse is the true villain of the film 'Rosemary's Baby'"

i was doing some reading of forums on IMDB for the fun of it while looking at the reviews of 'Rosemary's Baby' and chanced upon some very funny posts:

"I don't think Guy was the villian. The only reason why he did it was to create a better life for his family. Like he said, they could always have another child. It reminded me of when Anakin Skywalker turned to the dark side. He did it to save his wife and was convinced his new powers could keep her from dying. It's the same principle.

And to those of you who say Guy didn't have any love for Rosemary, he loved her so much that, as his role and husband and father, it was his duty to create a better life for his family. If Rosemary had acutally thought the baby had died, they could've just moved on and started over, but this time they'd have a better foothold.

If an elderly couple told you that you could create a better life for your family, make you more successful and famous, chances are that you'd, at least, listen to what they'd have to say. Guy didn't have any evil intentions. He was thinking about his family's welfare."


you sir, sound like you've already made a deal. tell us about it.
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She's so ethereal & he's so basically crude that it's hard to believe that they ever married in the first place, even under an opposites attract theory. It's a scary picture of married life in the 60s. Not anything to be nostalgic for. No wonder women went to work.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

I don't agree.... I think Roman Polanski is this movies biggest villain....
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this is E-V-I-L

THIS is soooo bad because i've spent a few hours reading it and only gotten to the halfway point of the page. and i should be revising...

many apologies for not really blogging much about myself these days but life has been pretty mundane so far - waking up mid-day, reading some notes, writing some of my own, feeling confused about some issues/questions regarding my module materials and exams, e-mailing tutors, reading some random webpages, watching a few films, then going to bed at about 3am.

will update when i feel like i have more of an interesting life.

Pay strike set to shut down universities

Anushka Asthana, education correspondent
Sunday May 14, 2006
The Observer

Universities across Britain face a complete shutdown next month as plans are formulated for a one-day strike in the escalating war over lecturers' pay.

The action could come on 1 June, after universities have started docking pay and suspending lecturers who refuse to set or mark exams. Lecturers' unions are demanding a 23 per cent pay rise over three years, claiming they have been underpaid for 20 years.

The Association of University Teachers (AUT) and its sister union, Natfhe, have accused vice-chancellors of bullying their members and warn of 'a meltdown' if they do not agree to new talks.

Lecturers are already refusing to mark exams, putting the final degree results of many students at risk. 'This will damage higher education irreparably,' said AUT general secretary Sally Hunt. 'The universities should be concentrating on getting a settlement rather than bullying staff. If they continue, students will not graduate.'

Many final-year students are considering suing universities for loss of earnings if they do not receive their degrees on time. Some universities have contingency plans that would allow students to graduate without completing their work, but professional bodies and the degrees standard watchdog have warned that such a move could devalue degrees.

The crisis is already affecting students who are under intense pressure revising for exams. The National Union of Students (NUS) is preparing to beg employers to meet unions. It accused the Universities and Colleges Employers' Association (UCEA) of being 'unco-operative in setting a date for new talks'.

Although it has supported lecturers boycotting marking, the NUS is against the decision by AUT members to not set exams. Alain Desmier, president of the student guild at Exeter university, said: 'Students are disheartened about revising because they are worried their work won't be marked and they won't graduate. At Exeter, we think the lecturers are being offered a fair deal.'

The unions have rejected an offer of 12.6 per cent over three years, amounting to 4 per cent until 2008/09. Over the past three years vice-chancellors have been awarded the equivalent of a 25 per cent pay rise.

Northumbria University, Newcastle, was the first to be hit by plans to suspend lecturers who refuse to mark papers. On Friday, staff voted for continuous strike action after the vice-chancellor kept his pledge to dock wages by 100 per cent. It will be the first time staff have walked out indefinitely in higher education.

A spokesman from UCEA said: 'We would urge the AUT and Natfhe to put the offer on the table to their membership. It is a good offer and we urge them to take it seriously and consider the position of students.'

you can buy yourself crazy things on ebay!

like work experience (at a theatre company, a designer's studio, a PR company...), 1 year's supply of Krispy Kreme and swimwear shopping with Liz Hurley (?!?)...

click HERE

You're a Bernese Mountain Dog!

No bones about it, you're a good-hearted, people-loving Bernese Mountain Dog. Down-to-earth and loyal, no one works or plays harder than you do. You put your nose to the grindstone when it really counts, but you never neglect your social calendar. Simultaneously strong and sweet, you're very tuned-in to the feelings and needs of the other dogs you run with. Without having to be asked, you always have a helping paw to lend and a sympathetic shoulder to lean on. "Communication" is your middle name, and when that's paired with your unswerving devotion, you get a breed that everyone respects and trusts. Woof!

What Breed of Dog Are You?
Brought to you by Tickle

Bet you didnt know

that the British Anthem 'God Save The Queen' has a line about crushing the Scots... (also note the contradictions!)


1. God save our gracious Queen,
Long live our noble Queen,
God save the Queen!
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us;
God save the Queen!

2. O Lord our God arise,
Scatter her enemies
And make them fall;
Confound their politics,
Frustrate their knavish tricks,
On Thee our hopes we fix,
God save us all!

3. Thy choicest gifts in store
On her be pleased to pour;
Long may she reign;
May she defend our laws,
And ever give us cause
To sing with heart and voice,
God save the Queen!

4. Not in this land alone,
But be God's mercies known,
From shore to shore!
Lord make the nations see,
That men should brothers be,
And form one family,
The wide world over.

5. From every latent foe,
From the assassins blow,
God save the Queen!
O'er her thine arm extend,
For Britain's sake defend,
Our mother, prince, and friend,
God save the Queen!

6. Lord grant that Marshal Wade
May by thy mighty aid
Victory bring.
May he sedition hush,
And like a torrent rush,
Rebellious Scots to crush.
God save the Queen!

rice, rice and more rice

i am absolutely stuffed from dinner tonight because it was rice, rice, rice and oh, rice...

we had claypot rice for dinner with chicken, lap cheong and chinese mushrooms (very easy - fry all the ingredients in a pan then add to the rice and a packet of Asian Home Gourmet Cantonese Claypot Rice Mix in the rice-cooker) which was OoooOoooOooO...
and then we had Thai sticky rice with mango and coconut cream which was delicious but like josh said, couldnt decide if it wanted to be a hot or cold dish.

anyway, i soaked 1 1/2 cups of glutinous rice overnight (well, actually for about 19 hours) and then cooked it in a pot over the stove with a 3 finger-widths' height of water.
let the water boil before switching it to low and keeping the lid on for about 15 minutes. i did put too much water though so i let it stand uncovered for about 10 minutes so that the excess evaporated. in a pot, heat up 400ml of coconut milk with 225g of sugar and a teaspoon of salt. once it starts to boil, turn the heat off and spoon the rice into the coconut milk, letting it sit for an hour.meanwhile, cut up some mangoes and chill in the fridge. Warm some coconut milk with sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla extract, thickening with some water chestnut flour (or any starch). over one serving of rice, ladle some coconut cream and accompany with chilled mango.
best served either hot or cold (not warm like mine was). :)

Uninspired

talking to people on my course who can't be bothered with university (the academic side at least) isn't the best thing to do when you should be hitting the books and studying. perhaps having tutors tell you that it isn't the content they are testing you in examinations but how you make use of what you know to answer the question (and that you will never not have things to write about in the exams) doesnt motivate you much either.

i feel the urge to travel now.

and i was planning to make sticky rice with coconut cream and mangoes this evening but now i feel bored and not even very excited about it. something is wrong.

i need to psych myself up for getting all intellectual. i need to get the energy levels up and going (possibly by attempting something new in the kitchen). i need to get up and out and moving those limbs so that i dont feel so restless (which will be hard considering i am planning to write my essay today).

bummer.

i couldnt resist!

the "before"












and the "after", or at least one side of the "after"












first attempt! (i need more practice!)

i bought a curling iron

and it arrived today in the post!

and it's so fun to play with (well i had to test it out so that feedback could be left on ebay) and i so forsee it as something to do when i am bored of studying and need a break.

i tell you, this summer thing is messing with my mind! how do i study when the sun only sets at 9pm? i need winter to come again! i work so much better when it is nice and cold and you just want to snuggle in a humongous sweater and do work (because it's dark and you wasted the day away). and now all i want to do is go for long drives, sit in the sun, go for a picnic... AAAAAHHHH! and what do i have to do these days? i have to sit indoors and watch films for revision! being indoors on a warm/hot afternoon when you can be outdoors and getting a tan?

on the other hand, Charlotte Brunsdon seems to think i am on the right track with my exam preparations... i'm keeping my fingers crossed that my work speed and concentration levels will improve...

it is 25 degrees now!!! :(

inspiring (and encouraging)

"Preparing for the exams isnt about revising - it is about making the plays your own. It should be a creative process, enjoyable rather than torturous." - Tony Howard

yesterday i had my last lecture with this wonderful wonderful man and it brought a tear to my eye... what he says is unorthodox (like how to prepare for the exam you should read more plays that are not on the course and even write about them rather than module plays because it'll be fresh - and thus the tutors will enjoy reading your essay more - and you'll enjoy studying for the exam) but he's got so much passion for his course and so brilliant in entertaining you and engaging you in his lectures (i got another epiphany yesterday!) that you've just got to love that scruffy eccentric man. and he's so nice in person when you meet him to discuss essays (and gives such constructive criticism plus he told me once that he could tell i enjoyed writing my essay and that even though the grade wasnt good, he had confidence i had the ability to get a first class for my next essay)! sorry tony, i didnt get a first for my next essay...

oh well! onward for my Naturalism essay! (last one of the academic year!) Rob Burns finally posted some information on his revision lecture and added a postscript:

"this is a REvision session. only people who have attended my seminars regularly will be allowed to attend. i.e. more than half of the sessions for both terms"

hahaha! i bet he has waited 1 year to get back at all the people who decided not to turn up for his seminars! we were laughing in the common room at how conniving he is!

waaahh it's hot!

i'm glad i am asian because i dont turn red (like a lobster) after 10 minutes in the sun. THANKYOUTHANKYOU GOD!

suddenly the skies have broken and the sun has come shining out in full force. today it is a full 19 degrees celsius and humidity is at 73%. walking to the library today with my jacket, i started to perspire! :| aaahhhhhh!

which is not good. because it means next month will be worse. which means... the library will be a terrible place to study in (because there's no air-conditioning) and the learning grid will be packed. which means i need to be productive in josh's place (at least he has a fan!) and it's time to leave a few pairs of FBT shorts and baggy t-shirts so that i wont feel disgustingly icky and sweaty in the heat.

it isnt so bad in Singapore. everyone has and everywhere is air-conditioned! :(

oh my goodness you have got to be kidding me

i received this "comment" on my last post (i have elimated the numbers so that they dont get their publicity):

"While you read this, YOU start to BECOME aware of your surroundings, CERTIAN things that you were not aware of such as the temperature of the room, and sounds may make YOU realize you WANT a real college degree.

Call this number now, (413) ***-****

Get an unexplained feeling of joy, Make it last longer by getting your COLLEGE DEGREE. Just as sure as the sun is coming up tomorrow, these College Degree's come complete with transcripts, and are VERIFIABLE.

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first of all, if you want me to get a real college degree, you should learn to spell "CERTAIN" properly.

next, helllooooo! cant you tell that i am at university and that i am doing a degree?!?

sarcasm obviously isnt understood by spammers.

i also took an IQ test

ade says:
my IQ is also 136!
adrian says:
no wonder we are related!

"Your IQ Score is 136!
Your mind's strengths allow you to think ahead of the game -- to imagine or anticipate what should happen next in just about any situation. Because you're equally skilled in the numerical and verbal universes of the brain, you can draw from multiple sources of information to come up with new ideas and this makes you a Visionary Philosopher.

You also have a knack for matching and anticipating patterns in all sorts of situations, a talent that adds to your visionary philosopher mind."