May 7, 2008
I am really pleased with the progress my students have made since they started their course. However, after marking their latest lot of homework (writing about what they did at the weekend), I wonder whether I should actually be reporting one of them to the police …
“On Saturday I went to Sainsbury. After I came back home. After that I gave food to my children. On Sunday I did the wandry [laundry] then I cooked and served my family”.
That’s got to be against the law, hasn’t it? 
May 4, 2008
I’ve just been reading this about Josef Fritzl, the Austrian man who kept his daughter locked in a cellar for twenty four years, raped her and fathered her seven children. Apparently, if found guilty he could get fifteen years in prison.
Given that his daughter was held captive for nine years longer than this, and that the children that he fathered also suffered terrible abuse, I wonder whether a fifteen year jail term is appropriate.
People who are sent to prison in the UK for more than four years are eligible for parole after half of their time inside. If turned down, they are automatically released after two thirds of their sentence and then on licence in the community until three-quarters of the sentence has passed. If the same applies in Austria, presumably he could be realeased after 10 years (assuming he doesn’t die in prison before - he’s 73).
I’m not of the lock-em-up-and-throw-away-the key mindset. I believe that most prisoners can be rehabilitated (although maybe not Fritzl). And I’m definitely not saying that ten or fifteen years in prison is a walk in the park: if the prisons in Austria are like those in the UK, presumably Fritzl would be hated by the other prisoners and will suffer for what he has done.
But how ironic that the father may end up spending less time locked up than his daughter.
Sentencing guidelines are there for a reason of course, so I’m really not sure what the answer is.
Any thoughts?
May 4, 2008
I still can’t believe that over a million people voted for bumbling Boris Johnson, and that he is now mayor of London.
Actually I can believe it. There are so many posh twits in London who would have voted for him. And also people who are too young to appreciate the full horror of a Conservative government. What a nightmare.
That said, in his acceptance speech at City Hall on Friday, Boris was rather gracious about Ken, and I hope that they can find a way to work together. I suppose we have no choice but to give him the benfit of the doubt now.
On a brighter note, I went to pick up my lovely new Miele vacuum cleaner yesterday! I know it sounds boring, but this little beauty is going to change my life! (or least make my flat appear a bit cleaner)
April 28, 2008
SG is waiting for a man in an orange suit to come and sort her out.
SG is wondering how on earth people manage to “get everything done” - there are simply not enough hours in the day.
SG really needs a holiday.
SG is mildly annoyed by people who will not accept that their child has serious communication difficulties even though they are 5 and can’t talk.
SG watched United 93 yesterday and was really moved by it.
SG is hungry, but can’t go and buy any food until the orange-suited man has come and done his stuff.
SG has still got preparation to do for work tomorrow and really can’t be arsed.
SG has just given away the vacuum cleaner to a freecycler and is looking forward to the arrival of her new Miele (thrills ‘n’ spills, eh?)
SG has discovered an interesting fact: the following sentences are correct in both English and Afrikaans:
My pen was in my hand and My hand is in warm water.
SG really can’t be bothered with Facebook anymore.
April 27, 2008
The massive sort out continues. I have thrown away/ freecycled/ sold/ given to charity so much stuff in the last few weeks, and it feels great! Decluttering is the way forward!
Today I’m sorting out my wardrobe. Not that I have huge amounts of clothes … but I do tend to wear the same things all the time, whilst some things sit languishing at the back of my wardrobe for months on end. Today these items are heading for sartorial heaven.
I’m also going to handwash all those jumpers that have been sitting in my laundry basket for months. And once I’ve done all that, I can work out what I’ve got, and what I need … and then, my friends, I can go shopping!
April 26, 2008
Je viens de regarder ce film, et je l’ai vraiment aimé. Mais je n’ai pas compris la fin … Véronique arrive chez son père en voiture; elle s’arrête devant un arbre, et commence à le caresser (l’arbre). Son père est à l’intérieur de la maison en train de bricoler, et au moment de l’arrivée de sa fille, il éteint son outil … et puis le film se termine! Et alors? Que signifie cet arbre? Et les actions du père? Est-ce que quelqu’un peut m’expliquer?
April 24, 2008
Sorry, this post is about none of the above … although the title may get me a few more readers since these are currently my most popular search terms.
This post is actually to tell you about the next entry on my blog - the passworded one. If you want to read it, please email me (stratfordgirl@hotmail.co.uk), and I’ll (probably) send you the password.
You’ll be disappointed to know that the ’secret’ post doesn’t contain any salacious gossip, details about my sex life or nudey pictures . It’s just that I’ve written about an easily identifiable colleague, and although the colleague in question doesn’t actually use a computer, you never know who may be reading.
And by the way, I do know how to spell Esther Rantzen’s name … but it seems that there are quite a few people out there who don’t!
