K. Morris's Blog, page 783
May 21, 2014
Help For Disabled Students To Be Cut
As a registered blind person who is not able to read print I benefited, as a disabled student from the Disabled Student’s Allowance (DSA) which enabled me to purchase a Kurzweil reading machine. The Kurzweil translated printed text into speech via scanning books, documents etc enabling me to access material which was only available in print. The Kurzweil was extremely important in allowing me to study independently and obtain my BA and, later an MA in political theory.
I was concerned to read in The Guardian that the government intends to cut the amount of money available through the DSA due to it’s potential impact on people with disabilities. The support provided via the DSA is vital to many disabled students and the reduction of that assistance could cause disabled people to either not go on to further and/or higher education or (if they do go on) to suffer academically due to the lack of adequate support. I will be writing to my MP to raise my concerns. For the article please visit, http://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/may/20/disabled-students-shut-out-government-cuts-allowance
May 19, 2014
Brain Hacking
If, at some future date machines can read our memories as well as our dreams this is, obviously open to abuse by hackers and/or an authoritarian government. I wonder whether anti brain hacking software will be developed in the same way that people use Zone Alarm and similar products to prevent people from hacking their computers. Science fiction perhaps but stranger things have happened, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2632115/Machine-scan-brain-read-dreams-Scanner-powerful-detect-reconstruct-images-faces-people-thinking-of.html
May 11, 2014
Thoughts On A Windy Day
Wind gusting on a spring day, you speak to me of freedom, of things beyond expression. Eternal force blowing forever on ancient peoples and now on me. You care not for civilisation, your gusts of laughter shake the bending trees. You blew before these buildings came, when all is gone you will remain.
Sometimes like a gentle girl, your soft caresses delight the world. At other times cold and sharp, your ice laden gusts freeze human hearts.
You are a force beyond control, you dwell within the human soul.
Love For Sale Elvis Costello
Originally sung by Cole Porter and performed here by Elvis Costello, this rendering of Love For Sale is sad and beautiful, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt4HS1ce8Hs.
May 4, 2014
Who Will Remember Me?
A plethora of books, a degree, when I cease to be, who will remember me? Laughter with friends, me caught in the lense, who will remember me? These thoughts in my head, gone once dead, who will remember me?
The Playground
Life is a playground. We play our pleasures entrancing us the livelong day. Caught up in shallow joys we boys play with our broken toys. Our joys, fleeting give way to weeping come close of day.
April 27, 2014
Islamification Of Birmingham Schools
The Telegraph reports on the ongoing investigations in to whether Islamic radicals attempted to islamify Birmingham schools. The Office For Standards In Education (OFSTED) is investigating claims that teachers who voiced opposition to the alleged plans where passed over for promotion in favour of more compliant colleagues. Other allegations include pupils being suspended for holding hands and girls being treated as second class citizens with some teachers favouring boys over them. If true this is deeply worrying.
For the article please visit http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/10790441/Guide-to-school-Islamisation-by-ringleader-of-Trojan-Horse-plot.html
April 26, 2014
Ring Around Rosie By Emily Pattullo Book Review
It isn’t often that I read a book in one day but, in the case of Ring Around Rosie by Emily Pattullo, this is what I did, all 299 pages!
Ring Around Rosie deals with the issue of child trafficking and is aimed at the young adult market, however Pattullo’s novel can be read by all ages (12-13 upwards). Rosie, a rebellious 14-year-old leaves London with her parents and brother Ted to escape the temptations of the capital. Following a group of men she finds they are engaged in criminal activity but before Rosie can slip away she is captured and finds herself on the way to London in a truck full of children.
Rosie is drawn into a world of child prostitution, one in which “respectable” men pay for sex with trafficked children in their homes or in exclusive member’s only clubs. Pattullo deals sensitively with rape. The reader is aware that abuse of children is taking place, however the writing isn’t graphic, many abuse scenes being hinted at (not described in graphic detail) which makes the book suitable for the young adult market.
Pattullo shows how victims can become dependent on their captors and even bond with them in a perverse manner.
Rosie’s brother Ted is distraught at the plight of his sister and goes to London to rescue her. Will he succeed before Rosie is lost to him and their parents forever? The ending is not what the reader is expecting.
Ring Around Rosie can be purchased as a Kindle download for £1.99 at Amazon, http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009T5W4TC/ref=pe_364691_36330161_M1T1DP
April 24, 2014
Is this the month self-publishing becomes respectable in the UK?
Good news for self published authors.
Originally posted on BRIDGET WHELAN writer:
The Guardian newspaper has joined with publisher Legend Times to offer a monthly literary prize to the best self-published novels written in the English language – translations are also eligible. Submissions are first read by a panel of Legend’s readers who will draw up a shortlist of up to 10 titles a month. The prize is respectability and exposure – the winning book will be reviewed in the Guardian. Claire Armitstead, the newspaper’s literary editor , explained why they had decided to launch the prize:“the phenomenon of self-publishing over the last couple of years has become too big for any of us to ignore”.
Submissions will be open for the first fortnight of each calendar month. The book must have been self-published after 31 December 2011 and should be sent to self-published@theguardian.com with “Self-Published Book of the Month Submission” in the subject line. Find out more here.
Without quality…
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