scottsdad

Mice in my loft space, first time in years. Poison down now but the scratching wee fuckers are keeping me awake at night.

7 for Friday

The union has, at least https://www.ucu.org.uk/media/14171/Michelle-Donelan-UKIRacademic-freedom-letter-30-Oct-23/pdf/20231030_Michelle_Donelan.pdf

Trouble brewing in academia because of this. UKRI, which funds most UK research, brought together a panel of people on equality, diversity and inclusion. A couple of members of this committee on twitter made some comments about the conflict. Specifically, a link to a Guardian article about Suella Braverman wanting police to crackdown on protestors - one academic replied saying that was disturbing. Another academic wrote something else also. Michelle Donelan (the science minister) then wrote to UKRI quite hysterically demanding that the whole committee be removed...and the UKRI folded like a pack of cards. They have suspended the entire committee and will look at how it managed EDI in future. 2500 academics have signed an open letter condemning this. There are calls to boycott reviewing bids (which would essentially shut down university research). The same Michelle Donelan who has spoken in the past about the need for free speech in universities.

Now you see it ... now you don't: Keir Starmer poppy row as Labour leader removes remembrance symbol before filming video slamming Islamophobia despite proudly sporting one for speech on Gaza hours earlier

My five (one from each of the first 5 doctors) 1) The War Machines 2) The Moonbase 3) Inferno 4) Genesis of the Daleks 5) Caves of Androzani

I never really took to either of these to be honest. The Three Doctors was the better of them just for the back and forth between Troughton and Pertwee. The Five Doctors seemed a bit of a mess to me. Trying to cram too much in.

Jeezo...what did you do to earn that?

Some journals made their guidelines in the 80s and haven't updated them! I remember one a few years ago requiring me to post them a copy of the paper as well as emailing it.

For folk who just found these hundreds of episodes on iPlayer...what 5 stories from the classic period would experienced Who watchers recommend?

This is a bit of an optical illusion for me. It looks like the "lest we forget" bits are from the inside of the extinguisher, and that a rectangle has been cut out of the front.

I've been to a few games in the past where I wish the seat was facing away from the pitch.

8 for Thursday

Cheers guys. I just occasionally get a feeling of pressure on my chest. Like yesterday. All fine now.

Quick question on chest pains. If you start getting them regularly, when should you get them seen to? I mean, if you're having them daily, sure. What about weekly?

There's a good one in Sauchie apparently (according to my mum)

A smoked sausage supper is my go-to backup if there are no pizza suppers available.

The Tories have won a fair few elections by default too, when Labour were a shambles.

Got the answer - photoshop, apparently. Installing it now.

Sounds like Trump's ideas of injecting yourself with bleach and shining a torch up your backside

The bowlcut brothers were terrible. The Mark of the Rani was just about barely watchable, but ruined by the Master showing up and being useless.

https://blazingminds.co.uk/review-hatching-cineworld-secret-screening-3/#:~:text=It was a pleasant surprise,Sophia Heikkilä and Jani Volanen.

Death to the Emperor by Simon Scarrow. Basically the same as all his other Roman books. But for years I always thought the guys were Marco and Cato. Only this time did my eyes correct and realise the name is actually Macro, not Marco.

It's so niche it barely has an impact factor

I've been told we're not going now, for 2 reasons. First, the weather is pish. Second, she googled Cineworld's Secret Screenings 1-8 and they looked terrible. I guess they have these as if they said what the movies actually were nobody would go. Wanted to do the Hallowe'en ones yesterday but couldn't make it.