h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I took over one of Caius' tutorial groups this morning so that he could do a more pressing job for another acad. The tutorial went ver' well. I tried out a new method of delivery; I actually allowed the students to participate, and - demmy! - it actually worked. They had done some of the reading, and were prepared to answer questions &c. I may repeat the exercise some time.

Of course, the tutorial group was obviously an elite one, as three of them had gone to the staff -v- student moot, and singled out my performance for praise.

I have four groups tomorrow.

Doing things is difficult with a splinted right forefinger. It's sausage softies for tea - I had intended doing something spectac. but can't cope with the knived, and also want to leave the paper stitches and splint on for as long as possible before changing them. The finger is swell'd up like a sausage. I can type OK but haven't tried handwriting yet.

I went in to town and met a former work colleague, now a solicitor. She bought me lunch.

An OK day.

Good news re. the Chilean miners, but some of the guff I've read anent their rescue from the religiously-deluded is quite sick-making. It is when the the dog has done its business that the fly reveals its nature and the same is true with disasters and persons of religious faith.

Lawyer pal went to see Eat Sleep Pray and had not one single good word to say about it. Fatuous. Vacuous. Pablum. Drivel.


Douglas

All the religious stuff annoyed me too. As a working engineer, I think it trivialises the work of many skilled and dedicated people to say that the rescue was a "miracle". If the god-botherers think it to be absolutely necessary, then the miners' survival of the original earthquake could just about be billed as a "miracle", rather than the bit of good luck (and planning for disaster) that it actually was.

I note that the PORFs of various denominations in Chile are arguing about whose god created the "miracle". None of them seem to be arguing about whose god caused the earthquake in the first place.

Sorry to hear about the finger. Offspring broke his in the spring when playing cricket but it seems to have healed OK.

PJ's OH

dagesh linked to this in his journal - http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/commentandblogs/2010/10/13/it-was-surely-praying-at-their-%E2%80%98makeshift-shrine%E2%80%99-that-kept-the-chilean-miners-sane/ - an absolute hoot, as, indeed, appears to be the entire newspaper. The readers' comments are worth a scan - some real damaged stuff in there.

If you look at the picture illustrating the article - I can't begin to undestand why the moners are hauling around that statue of Boy George, but I do like his handbag.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znnFmTuGVyc


Douglas

Morons.

PJ's OH