Asides from other frustrations ("250, 150, 100, 65 and oblivious" is all I will say right now) there are a couple of deeper ones. Or rather, one beast, two heads: what is the actual point of academics and think-tankers? Seriously? What is the point of them, for progressive social movements? Yesterday I asked a simple... Continue Reading →
Pseud’s Corner entry…. omfg
So, since the last blog post I've become Dr Marc. So it goes. In more entertaining news, this - “Tikku is a safe-house for neo-archaic biourbanism,” says the literature, “a contemporary cave for a modern urban nomad. It will offer privacy, safety and comfort. All the rest of the functions can be found in the surrounding... Continue Reading →
Of former friends and financial metaphors
Two things on my mind: A former friend made a very good point as we parted ways, about my sometime hazy (cough cough) attention to finer detail. Blah blah extraversion blah blah ... but actually, this is something I need to work on a bit more. Hmmm (grim reality is that as an old dog... Continue Reading →
Overdue update – on flubbing interviews, books that need writing etc.
Didn’t get another job. Knew within five minutes of the interview starting that I’d blown it (these always remind me of the opening sequence of that Black Mirror episode). I can and will learn from this, and try to get hold of some more quantitative skills, or even just better analytics on my existing qualitative... Continue Reading →
Activism and the #emotacycle: opinions/suggestions sought.
Hello everyone, In July 2019 I will present a paper at an academic conference entitled “Political Emotions.” The abstract is below. I’m posting a very first draft/series of thoughts in the hope that I can stea… sorry, borrow, insights from smart people. Let me know what you think of the emotacycle concept, the details. What’s missing,... Continue Reading →
Ego-foddering: Why is it awful, who benefits, what is to be done? #oldfartclimateadvice #climate
I believe that one of the biggest problems “we” face as individuals-in-groups-trying-to-unfuck-the- world, is the seductive call of ego-foddering. This piece explains what I mean by ego-foddering, the two main types that I have spotted (there may well be others!). It then moves on to who benefits from it, who does NOT and what consequences... Continue Reading →
Beginnings of an “undercovers” fiction list
So, recently I reviewed two books "about" infiltration/undercovers, and asked for suggestions. I got loads of really helpful pointers. Here is the first very rough list of additions (there were some others, mentioned in the blog post. I've kept track of the various people I have to thank for these tips too, but decided not... Continue Reading →
Of plastic documentaries, heroism and Spanish Researchers
The Spanish Researchers UK network is kinda cool. They were created to ”promote communication within the community of Spanish Researchers working in the United Kingdom by creating a social network that facilitates the sharing of professional and life experiences. The association has encouraged this communication via the establishment of Constituencies throughout the UK.” Last year... Continue Reading →
Two novels on undercovers and infiltration – #Spycops #Spycopsfiction
Books reviewed: Under Western Eyes by Joseph Conrad (1911) Demo by Richard Allen (New England Library, 1970) So, I am guiding my reading a bit, because I am Writing A Paper. These two are both about Russian secret intelligence operations overseas. about the infiltration and attempted disruption of dissident social movements. pretty tough to... Continue Reading →
Three scrabble-tastic words I didn’t know – buckram, carmine, vaticinate
So, just did a review of Joseph Conrad's Under Western Eyes (and another, truly atrocious book) - next up on this site. UWE had me reaching for the dictionary on three occasions- buckram, carmine (I kind of knew) and vaticinated- “He felt his lips go stiff like buckram, and instead of a reassuring smile... Continue Reading →
