This and that, possibly also the other

[usuallyhats]

The new set of recording dates for The Now Show have been announced, does anyone fancy trying to get tickets? It's a random draw type arrangement and we'd have to enter by next Friday. The recordings are on Thursday nights in London, which is not ideal for me, but probably doable.

Voting! My polling station was not where I thought it was, but this meant that I ended up having a lovely circular walk through Cotham in the sunshine, so that was ok. There weren't many other people there when I did find it, which is rather worrying. Also alarming: the fact that the BNP were right at the top of the (incredibly long) European election ballot paper. Stupid alphabet, gave me a scare. Anyway, I resisted the charms of the Cornish Independence party and the Pensioners' Party, and voted Lib Dem. I usually do: in Cheltenham, it was pretty much them or the Tories, though the Monster Raving Loony Party made a good showing. But having investigated a little more they have a few policies I like (and some not so much), especially the use of the magic words "proper public transport system". YES PLEASE, I WOULD LIKE ONE OF THOSE.

Currently (re)reading The Three Musketeers (yes, inspired by listening to The Church and the Crown) and it is just so much fun! I really didn't get it the first time round, but now I love it. So funny :D

Whee, Sue Perkins is on tonight's News Quiz! She's great, I have liked her ever since she was half of Late Lunch with Mel and Sue.

Comments

[rainshaded]

Stupid alphabet, gave me a scare.

Exactly the same thing here :)

I was trying to decide between the Lib Dems and the Green Party, and the Green Party said 'No grammar schools!' and I said 'Lib Dems it is then'.

[usuallyhats]

the Green Party said 'No grammar schools!'

They said that? Definitely not voting for them now, argh.

[rainshaded]

From here: The Green Party's position on grammar and public schools means that we would remove the charitable status of all such schools and offer state funding to them so they will be accessible to all children in the local area.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but that means 'no grammar schools', right? As a girl who is grateful for the seven years she spent in a grammar school, I'm not sure how that's supposed to improve education, at least for bright kids. Being unsetted was bad enough: I remember spending three Science lessons on a concept that I grasped in ten minutes, and Science was hardly my best subject. I was bored out of my skull. The idea of having that, in every subject, every year, is appalling.

[usuallyhats]

Yeah, and it's probably equally frustrating the other way round too: being stuck in a class that's moving too fast for you. Though that quote confuses me a little - grammar schools already have state funding, don't they? At least mine did. Either they're confused or it's badly phrased. Fail, Green Party!

[rainshaded]

So, in conclusion, academic streaming is a good thing.

grammar schools already have state funding, don't they?
*shrugs* I'd assumed they did. I mean, it was a state school. Selective grammar state school, but my parents didn't pay for me to attend other than purchasing uniform and train tickets. My school was going to have to sell off a ton of land for housing to get the odd million it needed for the new building (which is seriously needed; English, for example, was taught in a 'temporary annexe' constructed in 1919. Y halo thar, temporary annexe, you outlived my grandmother!), which the surrounding housing objected to (we were told they would have started building when we returned for Year 10; they started building mid-way through Year 13) and they were holding assemblies with the theme of 'Get your parents to donate 25k and we'll name a room after them!' and 'Look how great it's going to be!', while the unified thought 'We don't care! Why should we care, all it is to us is noise and inconvenience. Sure, the 7s and 8s were excited, they'll actually get some use out of it' was the weirdest, loudest group telepathy I've ever known, but I never thought they didn't actually receive state funding.

I don't feel tired, but when I start rambling like that, stacking up clauses like a tower of plastic boxes, I am. All my essays have an instance or two of single-sentence paragraph. Fail, Green Party, indeed. Fail, me, as well.

Completely unrelated, would you rather receive a generic present on your birthday, or a special one a few days later? I've also been fail over a friend's birthday, hence the question.

[usuallyhats]

A special one a few days later, unless the friend in question is very adamant about all birthday things happening only on the day itself. Late presents make your birthday last longer!

Yeah, I'm sure grammar schools are state funded. We were asked for a 'voluntary' contribution each year, but it was only £5 and it was, well, voluntary.

[rainshaded]

Thanks :)

All schools do that, don't they? I'm fairly certain my primary school did and my brother goes to a comprehensive and they ask for a voluntary contribution.

[usuallyhats]

Ah - my sister and I went to the same school so I did wonder how usual it was.

[the-smut-fairy.livejournal.com]

Now Show: yes please! Are you going to apply for tickets? If you are, please count me and all_five_aces in, and make it one with Marcus in it.

As for it being in London on a school night, it looks like you could catch the last train back, but if you feel like taking the following morning off, you're welcome to crash at mine.

[usuallyhats]

Thank you, I might take you up on that.

Marcus Brigstocke's only there on the 25th June and the 2nd, 23rd and 30th July, which day would be best for you and all_five_aces? I can't do the 23rd so I'll count that one out. Maybe we could maximise our chances by applying for all of the other three? Though we'd have to apply for one show each as you can only apply for a maximum of one show.

[the-smut-fairy.livejournal.com]

Any of those are OK. Applying for one each sounds like a plan (oh, and I should call ghostpaw and tell her about this...)
Right, will make plans when I turn up at your house.