Journal Entries
Which is the tail and which is the dog
Posted Aug 5, 2011
My dissertation supervisor has just advised me to stick with my case study but think up a new question, because the case study topic is cool and sexy but unfortunately it's not a good way to answer my question. But I *like* my question. I'm *interested* in my question. I've wanted to answer it for five years, which is why it's my bloody question.
He's also said I should hang out with my case study for a bit, maybe go see a movie with it, take out for some sushi, go for a walk on the beach perhaps if the weather's nice. And then see what question comes out of it all. I don't know what that is, but it's not research. Cargo cult research, maybe, but not actual research.
And the worst of it is I've no time left. I've got to take the shortest and quickest route to get into its knickers, er, to get to my MSc. Which looks like buying my case study enough cheap wine to get it thoroughly drunk, and then ask it if anyone's said what amazingly expressive eyes its got.
Ptah.
Ben
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Latest reply: Aug 5, 2011
NSFW
Posted Jul 31, 2011
Note to self. Useful links in the swearing debate.
http://www.audiencemap.com/whitepapers/delete_expletives.pdf (the BBC's white paper on swearing)
http://www.collegehumor.com/tag/internet-commenter-series (the index page for College Humor's videos (NOT the videos themselves) which demonstrate how sterile unmoderated internet forums can become.)
Ben
Discuss this Journal entry [48]
Latest reply: Jul 31, 2011
Walk slowly and carefully away from the website, keep your mouse where we can see it.
Posted Jul 3, 2011
From now until, erm, the end of September when I hand in my dissertation I will be checking emails first, noesis second, and h2g2 only at weekends.
My two weeks' study leave is done now, and I am back to work on Monday, and into the teeth of a horrendous workload.
The only way I will manage is if I get up at sparrows' fart and study for three hours before going into work. Since work takes well over 8 hours each day and is topped and tailed with an hour's travelling each way, this means I will have an hour or so for h2g2 stuff in the evening before I get into bed.
Which means that I'll be operating on a very ruthless regime of emails first, noesis second and h2g2 not at all.
Sorry about this.
Ben
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Latest reply: Jul 3, 2011
I've been looking at things saying Wednesday 29th all day....
Posted Jun 29, 2011
I've been looking at things saying Wednesday 29th all day....
... and only remembered at 18:30 I was supposed to take my car into the garage for an MOT 
B
Discuss this Journal entry [10]
Latest reply: Jun 29, 2011
What a difference a week makes
Posted Jun 28, 2011
I can't believe it's only seven days since the Announcement. So many things I've been blown away by; the unconfined joy's turned around my flolloping energy levels and we've had visits not just from Robbie Stamp but also from James Thrift (who's Douglas Adams' brother), from Richard Creasey (who co-founded h2g2 with DNA and Robbie), and from Mark Moxon and Peta. The giants and heros of the site took the time to endorse what h2g2c3 has done. 
What else about these first seven days? 
The sheer number of elves who are back in the building.; it's so good to see so many long-missed faces back. The energy on the site again, the busy threads, the joi de vivre. Happy, happy, happy times. The number of volunteers in the volunteer forums on Noesis. Jordan has had a rocky ride sorting out permissions, but people are getting stuck in to the task of the Giant Drag And Drop into our new home. Seeing the Teams come together, settle down and work out what they need to do has been a privilege. I get nervous without To Do Lists, but after two or three days when we said "eeeep" a lot, the Teams have now worked out their own priorities and are getting stuck right in. The sense of being part of a really busy, buzzy community and all I have to do is help people get what they need to do their jobs and then get out of their way. What they do is then amazing. The way we've got our mojo back.
Special mentions to everyone, but super-special mentions for the extra work by Jordon who took a tiger by the tail when he agreed to set up the volunteers on the Noesis forums and by Tav who flew through her final practical exam for her Masters in the middle of all of this.
This has been one of the most exciting weeks of my life. I cannot believe it has been only seven days.
Ben
PS - comms update tomorrow. 
PPS - mental image of the week: 2legs putting on his thinking thong. 
Discuss this Journal entry [5]
Latest reply: Jun 28, 2011
Mrs Zen
Researcher U500175
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