Harriet Jean Evans takes a look at the social commentary of the past, and explains why she believes it just doesn't matter.
Our anonymous blogger reflects on her attempts to have a student Christmas... and how she came to the conclusion that home-made is always best.
Gillian Love urges you to vote 'No' to the motion to replace Women's Committee with a 'Gender Equality Committee'.
Citizens of the world: Stephen hawking has finally come out. As an atheist, that is.
In a move described bizarrely as a ‘shock’ by The Guardian, Stephen Hawking said in an interview on the paper’s website: "I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark."
Treading the ground some scientists fear to tread, Hawking’s views have come under fire from some religious figures, and, of course, Guardian readers whose comments vary from the dull to the sort of thing you like to snigger at but don’t tell anyone in case they think you’re elitist. This one, from chianedheart (probably not her real name), falls into the latter category:
“Of course he would say that! He's a scientist!!!”
Whilst I applaude cianedheart’s healthy suspicion of those pesky scientists, she lets herself down with the three exclamation marks. Following Terry Pratchett’s astute observation of the inverse relationship between number of exclamation marks and sanity, I just don’t trust her.
Another comment read:
“Ironic, Stephen, how you are shown on the photograph [of Hawking in front of a blazing sun] to be superimposed on a lake of fire. Who knows... after your computer packs in, perhaps this is where you might find yourself due to your evangelical atheism.”
Perhaps in answer, a keen observer pointed out, of Hawking’s iconic wheel-chair bound profile at the head of the article:
Looks like he's saying "Mmmm Mmmm, Don't Even Go There Girlfriends!"
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Following the Eurovision Song Cheese-Fest at the weekend, I have identified that everyone fits broadly into four categories of opinion:
1) Eurovision is terribly good fun, and lets us bond with our European cousins without getting too close to them.
2) Eurovision is harmless, but a bit out-dated and slightly sickening
3) Eurovision is a camp conspiracy to embarrass us as Brits and bring shame on the Union Jack
And, after Azerbaijan’s victory:
4) Eurovision is impure! They’re not even from here! Muslims in Europe? Not over my dead body! Send them back! Take the trophy back! IF YOU LET THEM WIN THEY’LL THINK THEY CAN SWAN INTO THE EU AND FLOOD THE CONTINENT WITH IMMIGRANTS! HATE! HATE! HATE!
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A delightfully satirical sign has appeared near the Jack Lyons Concert Hall purporting to be from Poppy Babcock, the Secretary of the University of York Style Advisory Committee. The sign suggests students don’t dress ‘like they’re still on their gap year,’ or wear festival bracelets as a (largely unwashed) badge of honour throughout the year. Also, don’t dress like a poor black person.
Huh?
Yeah … ‘The wearing of hats such as those sported by Mr Dizzee Rascal (leader of the black people) on white people is considered a mockery of the Britain’s black culture [sic]. Those identified wearing them on campus will undergo a means test assessment of their background; those found to have studied at fee paying schools in London or the Home Counties will be asked to kindly reconsider their actions.’
OMG guys, that’s hilare, I mean, I didn’t ever even see an ethnic at my school in Richmond, isn’t it funny how they wear their little hats and sing about bitches and hoes and needing dollar! I saw soooo many of them on my gap yah!
Woops. Looks like you might have fallen into your own trap, Poppy…
Can't wait until next week? Click the Comment tab and head over to Double Take, The Yorker's satire section.
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