Jude Smith

I was teaching about Pearl Harbour today. I was talking about Japan using Pearl Harbour to control the timing of when the USA went to war. And so watching the Iranian sailor crisis unfurl it makes me ponder. Now would be a good time for Iran to fight (or accept the inevitable air strikes), whilst it would be a bad time for the USa and UK.. I just wonder..

So this weekend I spent an unhealthy amount of time looking at the terrible explosionfest that is Pearl Harbor! It has three good clips in for looking at the lead up to the USA declaring war. I got it all set, made notes on how it would link into today's lessons.. .. And then school had a partial power failure that meant I had no electricity! ... I will leave you to imagine the words that tumbled from my mouth! Bah!!!

.. of me as "Miss Smith".. this was yesterday.. 7.45- leave house, head for School 7.50- coffee stop- alas no pastries to help while away the morning 8.05- arrive in school, stagger into staffroom (must empty bag, too much paperwork) 8.10- find year seven books, check what I have planned fits, grab work for excluded student, write instructions for her, give to head of year. 8.20- pick up note from mentor about student. His grades have dropped under my care. Write note saying will catch up with him today but not my fault he can’t grasp abstract concepts! Wonder about how to help him improve. 8.25- plan lessons for rest of day- 6 lessons to sort. 8.35- chat with staff member asking me to check friend’s piece of work. 8.40- check piece of work, write up comments. 8.45- read notes on year ten mentee- note down to catch up with him and make him do some work! 8.55- create worksheets and resources for child soldier lesson, maybe use next week? 9.10- head to classroom 9.15- Year 7...

I think he may have just pulled it off! A 2p drop in income tax as your parting shot! Well done! When it lands in April 2008 it should give Gordon a nice platform for a May election, while the Tories try to work out how they can still be teh party of low taxes. He's cut in with help for the less well off before David and his Eton chums can cut the upper rate! Very proud of you Gordon!

Calorie offsetting. I eat a cream cake. Someone in California does twenty minutes on a stepper. The universal balance is restored! Happy days.

So the inevitable has happened. Mike Newell just got sacked. He's been outspoken, allegedly sexist, has annoyed the board and has lost a few too many games.. but it was fun. thanks Mike.

As I type the BBC news site keeps adding to the list of people who have resigned government positions in order to vote against Trident. I'm wondering of this may push TB out. If Gordon Brown has to be 'away' for any vote we'll surely know its near! Watch this space.

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A Labour MP is about to resign over Tony Blair's desire to update Britain's nuclear defence systems. Good on him. Many more should do the same. Those who change history are those who make themselves vulnerable. If Britain truly wants a role on the world stage: if we want to influence for good, then we must go the way of Christ, Gandhi, King. We should abandon new plans, scrap the existing systems and kick out the US's systems too. Only then will we have any integrity to challenge Iran, North Korea and the USA.

Can anyone confirm that this is true? Apparently 57% of 20's who attend church do so in London. London has 11 per cent of all churches in England, and 20 per cent of all churchgoers. It has 53 per cent of all English Pentecostalists, and 27 per cent of all Charismatic Evangelicals. Also, it caters for 57 per cent of all worshippers in their 20s. "I couldn't believe that figure myself, and had to check it again," said Peter Brierley, the director of Christian Research" (Church Times 2005) London has 13% of the general population by my rudimentary calculations.

New fave for the dog!!!

So, I started the movies on WW2 thing today. We looked at life under Nazi rule through the epic that is The Sound of Music! So, we took a look at the clip from just after the wedding to the end of the concert. In amongst the singing is a glimpse at Austrian nationalism, at how the Nazi's gained control- and at the impact of Edelweiss on occupied Austria.. Next lesson is who was with the Nazi's and who was against: plus the all important how reliable is this film as evidence! Then its onto Goodnight Mister Tom (or Hope and Glory!). Happy days!!!

After a hazy couple of days in bed, yesterday saw me get straight back up to speed. Eight hours in the car, three interviews, one Bishop- a good day. Bristol was lovely and I think finds itself in the lead again. The weather both times I've been recently has been great, with amazing views over the Severn Estuary. I'm sure it helps in deciding where you want to be. The offset was an amazing set of thoughts on justice from the Bishop of Durham- the guy is so so articulate and clever. He's just a legend! Maybe I'll just let him be my boss in a few years!!! I might write up a summary of his thoughts in the not too dim and distant! Got home to find my diocesan sponsoring papers.. dead encouraging! And now I'm back in school. But thats for another post.

Hello. Today has been a bit of a duvet day. I woke up at 6.30 still sounding like a Marge Simpson sister and called in sick. I forced myself to set work- emailed it into school and and went back to bed. I woke up again at 12 when my phone rang! Night Nurse really does work, still feel a bit bleary now! Have to say that I've quite enjoyed pottering: opening windows to let the illness out, reviewing some stuff for Youthwork, eating cheese and pickle sandwiches! Alas, it all ends quite soon. I need to go get a crown fitted in half an hour, and tomorrow need to be in Bristol.. but hey.. for the next thirty minutes its still duvet day!