Feeling HOT HOT HOT

Something is seriously wrong with the heating/cooling system. Today I have been mostly struggling for air --- the thermometer in the room I work in on Fridays hasn't been below 28 degrees all day (and that was with the door open). I know it's mild today but even so....

Usually we're fighting for heating to be put ON (hence why last year the complaints about the but this almost feels like a punishment to have the temperature so high. I'm sure my working environment shouldn't be this way. Given that 'dressing appropriately' according to the weather (and presumably the job) will almost certainly say a bikini is NOT appropriate, I think we can safely say 'thermal comfort' is not currently working successfully.

This incredibly new and efficient eco-designed building in terms of my office has no windows (nor even any natural light). I feel quite giddy from the heat.

*sigh*

Apologies: it's been that time of year when I get ill

Bah. Shiver me body (for that's what I've been doing since Tuesday). Need to head back to work though, despite having the throat of snotness. Bleurgh.

FYI - the hiccups departed after Monday 13th Sept...

... and so far, Cloud is fine and no longer hiccuping.

Phew. Not 60 years of hiccups then...

Belated notice: MS awareness week 26 April-2 May

Thanks to Swiss Toni for the reminder, and apologies that I am late in acknowledging that it is MS awareness week at the moment.

Become aware, find out more, be engaged with the debates and representation of MS.

Everyone deserves "The Right to a Full Life".

Editorial language: coverage of the Ray Gosling 'mercy killing'

Something really interesting has been going on in reporting about the Ray Gosling story over the last 24 hours (actually over the last 12).

Not having watched the East Midlands regional news/current affairs programme 'Inside Out' concerned, I only heard about Ray Gosling's confession when it was on the local news headlines after the 10pm national news last night.

There, the story was introduced as 'documentary filmmaker and journalist Ray Gosling has confessed on BBC East Midlands 'Inside Out' that he had killed a man in a mercy killing'. It went on say that he did not identify the man, although a brief extract from the programme broadcast earlier on Monday evening was included in the short East Midlands news bulletin.

When I went to bed a few minutes later, and was listening to the radio, I caught the Radio 4 news (and possibly even the World Service news mentioned the story once I switched over...?) who included the same story in their headlines and news coverage. They introduced the story by describing Gosling as a 'documentary filmmaker and gay rights activist' who had confessed to 'killing his lover who was dying from AIDS'.

None of those other phrases had appeared in the introductory comments to the East Midlands 10.30pm news coverage of the story which had included the Inside Out extract of Gosling talking about his actions....

By this morning, the 7am news was still describing Gosling as a 'gay rights activist' who had confessed to 'killing his lover who was dying from AIDS'. But by 8am, the news had changed the latter phrase to 'a friend who was dying from AIDS'.

By 8.24am, Sarah Montague this morning on Radio 4's Today programme described him as confessing to having 'suffocated his lover' which Gosling quickly clarified in the interview by saying "he wasn't my partner, he was my bit on the side".

Now, here are my thoughts:

1) why did East Midlands news in their coverage of their own programme omit/editorially exclude/forget to mention Gosling's position as a 'gay rights activist' and that the person he had killed was (in any way) emotionally connected to Gosling? Did they feel that Gosling's own words, in the extract included from the 'Inside Out' broadcast, were sufficient to make the context clear?

2) was it even relevant for the national news to mention Gosling's position as a gay rights activist, or that there was some emotional connection to the person who was 'killed' by Gosling?

3) why any change from 'lover' to 'friend'? (so euphemistic!)


I'm not passing judgment on Gosling, or his actions, but the editorial choices of language in this current news cycle have been fascinating to track.

East Midlands coverage of Gosling's confession
Police to investigate Gosling
More on Ray Gosling at his own site

Trapped sciatic nerve

Owh.

Flying can sometimes be the thing that tips your body's sedentary work/lifestyle over the edge.

Living on a hill that is also a school route does also not help in winter (icy paths from 'wheeeeeeeeeee' skidding school children). Heck, the hill is enough to throw out most recommended excercise processes - unless sliding for 10 mins up/down the hill till you reach flatter ground where you can THEN (just about) exercise from sounds reasonable.

Sorry. I'm just grumbling. I need to more exercise; I'm aching whether stood, sat or laying down, and work involves mostly sitting talking with people.

Mumble, mumble. Grumble, grumble. I really should not feel sorry for myself. Please ignore me. The iPlayer defying us trying to watch Being Human last night did not help.

No voice - now stop laughing all of you!

No voice at all. Had to type to communicate with students. Bonkers.

Doc says not infection - just recommended fluids and voice rest. I teach. Which bit of voice rest does she think is possible in my job?

After one day of being croaky I am now effectively unable to communicate by voice. Lots of hand gestures though!

Wish me recovery.

A Medicare Rant -- not mine, but brilliantly ranty!

PortlyDyke over at Shakespeare's Sister has given a priceless rant on the topic of the US Medicare system.

It opens with the best defense ever of having a rant:

This is a rant. This is only a rant. For the next few minutes, you will be experiencing a rant. If this were an actual political-action item, the rant you are about to read would be followed by official information, news, or instructions.

Pure Awesome.

Pain thresholds

If you have not already read it, then may I urge you to read Marie's awesome post about the Dr Denis Walsh story.

Whilst I appreciate that as a non-mother (and one not seeking to give birth in this lifetime) even I can recognise bullshit when I hear it.

"Pain in labour is a purposeful, useful thing, which has quite a number of benefits, such as preparing a mother for the responsibility of nurturing a newborn baby."

That line really better be a misquote or frankly I'm going to be taking a short walk with the largest watermelon I can find and putting it where the sun don't shine. Purposeful? Useful? Well, perhaps in terms of timing and responding to contractions - but that seems to be mistaking cause and effect. A number of benefits? For whom exactly? (and surely it depends on the birthing situation of the individual mother/baby --- I had the cord around my neck....) And do not get me started on that part of the sentence to which I added emphasis. Fathers presumably then have no part to play, and certainly not responsibility, in nuturing a new born baby?

Give me strength.

Not been well

Sorry folks: I will be back on track at some point this week I hope but I keeled over poorly end of last week and didn't go near a computer until yesterday (Bank Holiday Monday) when I charged my iPod.

A plea for forgiveness if I may be so bold?

Multiple Sclerosis Week

I know most of you will associate the lovely Swiss Toni with all things earwormy and Shuffleathony -- some of you will even still treasure the gloriously listy Alphabeticon he did (search within 'pointless cataloguing'!).

But this week ST is turning most of his thoughts to promoting awareness of MS Week.



Whether your awareness of MS comes from from your own experience, from friends and family, or even The West Wing, raising awareness is something that is important for a condition whose symptoms may not be visible to others.

Raise money if you can; raise awareness at the very least.

Rullsenberg in new glasses

Yep, my eyes are deteriorating*.

But I do like my new glasses.


*No jokes at the back of the class thank you!

Measles

The measles rates have rocketed up over the last three years; something that's attributed to the MMR scare stories.

I'm just intrigued though as to why there was a rise in 2002 and 2003 - followed by a significant fall again for the two years after?

Anyone got Sat 22 Nov 2008 edition of the Telegraph magazine?

No particular reason (she lies), but it would be nice to have a copy of yesterday's Telegraph magazine in the flesh, so to speak.

In defence, I haven't been well and was only just well enough last night by 9pm to watch BBC2...

A short Rullsenberg Rant: Abortion amendments - now I can go to bed

I have to say that the debates over recent weeks and days about reducing the abortion time limit from 24 weeks have disturbed me greatly. I don't often watch Parliamentary votes, but this was one I felt I had to know before I could begin to try and rest in my bed.

No-one has an abortion lightly. The reasons for doing so are always hard and complex and have social ramifications. Frankly, I don't care how much science can advance the survival rates for a foetus; the limit is now 24 weeks and I want it to remain that and not to be reduced. Taking and thinking through the decision to have an abortion takes time; some, already vulnerable women - exactly the women that the self-same MPs voting to cut the abortion limit would prefer not to have children at all - need more time and support to get to the position to have an abortion even when it is clearly the right thing for all concerned. Making that decision harder, more rushed and more complicated does no-one in society any favours.

I'm glad that the limit is staying at 24 weeks...

BTW apologies for lack of online presence

I've been off work much of this week with a bad back. I finally feel old. I'm not happy about this.

Meh. Meh. And thrice I say "Meh"

Monday - sore throat, could hardly talk. MEH.
Tuesday - better voice (just) but aching limbs, general bleugh. MEH. Went home ill by 10.30am.
Wednesday - Exhausted. Stayed home ill. MEH.
Thursday and today - back in the office. Voice back, general urgh-ness reduced. Unfortunately workload hasn't gone down in absence. Several students with significant support issues to field. MEH. MEH. MEH.

At least if I can force myself to endure Children in Need I get the pay-off of a Moffatt written double Who mini-episode...

Defining "physical exertion"

From the BBC:

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also known as ME, is a condition with a diverse range of symptoms but particularly characterised by profound muscle fatigue after physical exertion.

To say it's a lot more complicated than that would be an understatement - not least for defining and naming the illness. I'd also remark that, for some, 'exertion' can equate to 'filling a kettle with water and putting it on to boil': that rather puts that definition of physical exertion into a different category than, say, running up a flight of stairs.

I try not to get cranky about these issues, but for anyone experiencing ME, the shorthand of the BBC article would certainly have irked. And when the Communications Manager for Action for ME spoke up, I can't help but hear a typeface for irony/sarcasm in her voice:

Heather Walker, Communications Manager, Action for ME, said: "Wouldn't it be wonderful if eating chocolate every day could alleviate the symptoms of chronic illness?

"If it were that easy, there would not be 250,000 people in the UK today whose lives are being been devastated by ME."