Randomness...

Tallie, Ben and Elle have all just been in touch to let me know that The NUS Governance review has been defeated by a very, very narrow margin - the review needed 717 votes to be passed, but only received a (scarily-close) 692.

While I am a lot less opinionated on matters of student governance than some of my colleagues - a conscious decision to avoid a heart attack before 30 - I have to say I wholeheartedly disagree with the way in which bluster, rhetoric and speculation have been used as the main selling points of a "reform" process whose single biggest change appeared to be the abolition of the NUS Conference which, for all its faults, has served for many years as a vital proving ground for policy review and direction-setting by democratic consensus.

What happens next remains to be seen, but I sincerely hope any similar attempts to review and restructure the NUS are carried out with a significant amount more openness, honesty, and consultation with the students' unions the NUS is responsible (and duty-bound) to represent.

(As always, anything here is my tuppence-worth and not the views of the Union as a whole, or of anyone apart from myself!)

(This post isn't endorsed by anyone apart from me... ;o)

I just couldn't resist this:

Housemate Jen told me Chargrilled - the "humourous" t-shirt and hoodie company - are selling navy hoodies at half price today (April 1st... Yes, I know it's April Fool's day), as well as their "buy two, get one free" t-shirts deal - I've just chucked £100-worth of stuff in the shopping cart and the subtotal weighs in at... £57.

Bargainous :o) Check them out today - chargrilled.co.uk (and they're on Facebook, too).

As I said before, this post is entirely my own work, is not endorsed by the Union (or anyone else), and should something go horribly wrong with any orders you place with any outside companies and you end up losing your home, your car and your family, I'll deny any knowledge. So there... ;o)

This is horrible - a light aircraft has crashed in a residential area while taking off or landing at Biggin Hill airport. The crash site is less than a mile from my little brother's old school, and about a mile from my parents' house:

(click to enlarge)

It's horrible when something like this happens; it's worse when it's practically in your "back yard", and my thoughts go out to everyone affected by the incident.

More news coverage is online at the BBC and Sky News. 

News editor Jacob Leverett was given the potentially career-defining opportunity of interviewing the minister, with a clean-slate interview (i.e. we weren't proscribed any questions), and Jacob, after the inevitable nervousness, handled the task with aplomb. At one point I thought there was going to be a punch-up - you'll be able to see what I mean in the video - but overall, the interview, which we video'd and recorded - went very well indeed.

Throughout the interview, I was sat off behind camera and, as the grilling drew to a close, and realising the need to get a photo of the occasion, I grabbed the only camera to hand: Jacob's Nikon D-something-or-other (D40 perhaps? I dunno...). I managed to turn it on and ask, in my best "meeja-related-person" voice, "ehhm, could I ask you gents to pose for a very quick photo please?".

Both Mr Denham and Mr Leverett agreed and, putting on their best grins/grimaces, turned to the camera. Yes, I managed to take a photo... But no, I hadn't got as far as figuring out how Jacob's damned flash worked.

Bugger.

Of course, I bravely soldiered on and did my best to give the impression that I knew exactly what I was doing, and that my command of the camera's manual configuration meant I didn't need such paltry technological aids as a flashgun... Until Jacob shattered my carefully-crafted illusion with "You have no idea how to operate my camera, do you Alex?"

"Err, no... Not exactly" I replied.

Bugger. Again.

Still, I think you'll agree the photo below is singularly one of the most impressive pieces of photography this year:

... ahem. You can read the University's more coherent take on the visit here, or read our teaser article-thing here. Or you could check back on Monday to see the video of the MP's interview, in our news section. 

Cheers! /al 

p.s. As I type this, a massive fight's kicking off outside (i.e. outside Portsmouth's fabled Scandals). I'm off to watch... Or, more likely, hide under my bed...