Ironic Moments 94

[faustus]

So last night, whilst insufficiently binge-drinking, I was reflecting on the role of programme leader and how at some point I as likely to have to take the role on again. I'm not convinced that timetabling, checking registers, and giving extensions are academic jobs, or, if we are being paid to teach and research, I don't think it's an effective use of resources. (I leave to one side the notion that a third of our time is thought to be administration.) In addition to this the logic of whatever DRAM is called now - devolving the visibility of budgets as far down the foodchain as possible, and at Bucks that was meant to be the programme before they hastily retreated - it might include number crunching. In return for this, you are given teaching remission equivalent to one day a week. My theory is that I would therefore only spend a day a week doing so.

As I said last night, if I wanted a job where I had to take work home and work in the evenings and weekends, I would have become an accountant like my dad.

Comments

[lamentables]

It's all bonkers...learn to pub early.

[faustus]

I got there at 4pm and paced myself - but unfortunately at the very point that I was going to shift to top shelf a friend asked for help on her driving theory test (and I still don't know how a motorist can distinguish a toucan from a pelican crossing if there are no bicycles present - would you know it's a wider crossing?). By ten my legs were drunk but not my head, and I didn't move to spirits until eleven, which was too late. (It didn't help that the Golden Braid was end of barrel and insufficiently quaffable.)

[lamentables]

Okay, I thought you were taking the piss there and had to google 'toucan crossing' just to be sure. Good job I'm not planning to take a driving test for another few decades. Apparently there are pegasus crossings too..

(Answer to your question appears to be the sequence of the lights, btw.)

[faustus]

Moi? Take the piss?

The flashing amber light seemed to me to be the only distinguishing feature from the motorist's point of view (I'm not convinced you'd be able to tell if it was wider than your memory of pelican crossings was).


On the other hand, if there are pedestrians on the crossing and no flashing amber light, I'm guessing you are still meant to give way?

Pegasus is for horses.


Then there are Puffins (and a question about Toucans did come up in her test).