Unsurprisingly, I think Boris Johnson can f*ck right off. What's much more disturbing than him as such - casually racist, misogynist and elitist upper class snobs are likely to be with us for some time, and other than seek to minimise their role in public life, there's little practical to be done about them: fencing off various appropriate parts of the country - Henley'd obviously be a beginning - and refusing to allow anyone who has either worn a rugby shirt or tracksuit bottoms as causalwear out seems a bit much - is that people don't seem to see that he ought to. On the other hand, I went into my MCR to pinch some of the pastries they have left over from the May morning breakfast, and noticed that an integral part of their advertising for their bop tomorrow is offering anyone coming in a bikini a free shot. They also recently had an apparently serious motion to investigate the possibility of installing a dancing pole in the MCR, at least during bops. I wonder why they don't just go the whole hog and start hiring hookers with the bar proceeds. They could run a lottery or something. After all, when MCR newspaper subscriptions were voted on recently, we ended up with the Hate Mail, the International Herald Tribune, and the Times, so there'd clearly be plenty of takers. There are reasons I don't go there very often, and they're not exhausted by the fact that I'm a grumpy misanthrope.
Edit, 03/05/08: The Guardian today is quoting - although I can't find it on the website: presumably someone in Tory Central Office realised that even unattributed quotes comparing themselves to Mussolini might not be wise, and had it withdrawn - an unnamed but ecstatic Conservative frontbencher anticipating Johnson's victory by saying "this is like the March on Rome in 1922". Londoners have elected a racist incompetent toff, supported by the contemporary fascists of the BNP and whose own party members invoke previous fascist triumphs as benchmarks for their own success. Ken wasn't a saint, but this is disgusting. Oh, and in the end, apparently going in Speedos got you a free shot as well. Gigolos as well as hookers.
11 comments:
I'm all in favour of lotteries. Now, where can I find a bikini...
Good mood today, eh?
As resolutely cheerful as ever.
I'm not sure what's 'On the other hand' about any of that. Dear god, when will they tell us the results?
Evidence that casual sexism at least is widespread amongst groups you might think would be more progressive.
That's what I mean - is an extension of your original point rather than a retort. As an aside, could this be the influence of scientists?
Well, I suppose the thought was that I shouldn't be disturbed since it's so obviously so commonplace. It's the lawyers more than the scientists I think; particularly the MJur students, maybe - wealthy Europeans pissing about for a year.
I feel very thick indeed, but what's an MCR when it's at home? (Or indeed, when it's out and about)
I assume the CR is "Common Room", but what's the M?
The 'M' stands for Middle, between JCR (Junior) and SCR (Senior). MCRs are the graduate student body in a college, with JCRs for all students but primarily undergraduates and SCRs for teaching and senior admin staff. So amusingly, I am actually a member of all three common rooms.
Thanks for clearing that up, Rob. It was one of those utterly insignificant things that puzzled me far more than it should have done. Like an itch I couldn't scratch. Where I'm studying, we tend to use U, P, and F (Undergrad, Postgrad, and Faculty) as opposed to J, M and S.
I am here to help. Some Oxford colleges do use 'G' to indicate the (primarily) graduate common room, but presumably because M/GCRs also include undergraduates in the fourth year of their degree and anyone doing a second BA, not all do this.
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