The Independent (London, England) back issues from May 2008:
Do we need to have world-class universities?
May 01, 2008; ... COMMENT There is much talk about the need to establish "world class"universities. Some believe that the Government has a covert plan tocreate them by further concentrating public funding for research intraditional universities, while allowing them to charge what theylike by ...
'Club Med? A wigwam in the garden more like'
May 01, 2008 ... DIARY OF A PRIMARY SCHOOL MUM Cloud cuckoo land, that's where I've been. All those irateparents, in the papers, on the telly, harping on about how it's morepackage steals than package deals when it comes to booking a schoolsummer holiday, well it has gone whoosh over my head until ...
'Technology alone won't solve climate change'
May 01, 2008; ... AGAINST THE GRAIN Dr Kate Rawles is a senior lecturer in outdoor studies at theUniversity of Cumbria. She argues that it is dangerous to presumethat the threat of climate change can be alleviated by advances intechnology alone. There's an ideological conflict going on at that ...
'I hid behind my hair to play a solo'
May 01, 2008; ... PASSED/FAILED An education in the life of Myleene Klass, musician and formermember of Hear'Say Myleene Klass, 30, was selected in 2001 to be a member of theband Hear'Say on the ITV1 show Popstars. Their debut single, "Pureand Simple", was the fastest-selling non-charity ...
Madrid this year, China next...
May 01, 2008; ... TEFL Take a course in teaching English as a foreign language, and theworld is truly your oyster, says Frances Childs Colette Walsh, 25, giggles when I ask whether she worked part-time during her Tefl course in Brighton. "I barely had time to eat!"she says. "That course was ...
Adult education fights for its life
May 01, 2008; ... FURTHER EDUCATION Tutors and students are worried that a government consultationmay be a fig-leaf for cuts, says Neil Merrick During the next few weeks, staff and students at London's largestadult education college are being asked to undertake a little extrawork and write a ...
The gifts of sense and sensitivity
May 01, 2008; ... RECRUITMENT Being a funeral director may sound grim, but your work is muchappreciated, says Hazel Davis Most little girls dream of being Darcey Bussell or the nextMariah Carey. But while her friends were singing into makeshiftmicrophones, the 12-year-old Vicki Fraser was ...
'You could be cuddling a chimp'
May 01, 2008; ... I WANT YOUR JOB ... ANIMAL HANDLER Joanne Galvin, 38, is an animal-health officer supervisor at theHeathrow Animal Reception Centre at Heathrow airport. What do you actually do? I look after all sorts of animals that are being transported inand out of the UK. As well as ...
'This new power to validate their own degrees will give colleges more flexibility'
May 01, 2008; ... A message from Martin Doel at the Association of Colleges Today is my first as the new chief executive of AoC. Though Ihave been involved in education and training for many years,latterly as the director of training and education across all threearmed forces, I continue to be ...
'Arrogance is no good in the music industry'
May 01, 2008; ... MY WAY Paul Ballance, of MBop Music, on how to succeed at work Music entrepreneur Paul Ballance is the founder of MBop Music,the digital music service. In the Seventies, he fronted the WarmJets and performed alongside the Sex Pistols. What did you want to be as a ...
'An ex-ballerina would put away the gin and tonics'
May 01, 2008; ... MY FIRST JOB Author Blake Morrison was a bartender The best scene in the movie adaptation of his memoir And When DidYou Last See Your Father? is when we see him learning to drive on aWelsh beach and skidding happily all over the flat sand, says BlakeMorrison. A ...
'One of my maths teachers is in a relationship with a former pupil. What, as head, should I do?'
May 01, 2008; ... EDUCATION QUANDARY Hilary's advice You say that this relationship started three years ago, when theformer pupil was under 18, and that the reason the teacher has nowtold you about it is that they are about to move in together. Youwon't need me to tell you that this man may ...
'Can I go into teaching after I retire? And how do I train to be an educational psychologist?'
May 01, 2008; ... THE CAREERS ADVISER The science of teaching I'm 56, and after I've completed my statutory 40 years' serviceas a biomedical scientist, I want to pursue a new direction. I'minterested in school science, and although I don't necessarilyenvisage teaching, I'd like to be active in ...
Why physics beats drama
May 01, 2008; ... It's not just the grades that matter at A-level. Sixth-formersneed to be careful which subjects they choose to study - or topuniversities might not even consider them. By Liz Lightfoot In recent weeks sixth-formers who are told by the Government thatan A-level in one subject is ...
DIARY
May 01, 2008 ... The fallout from the teachers' strike has produced a flurry ofactivity. The ATL says it has had a surge of membership enquiries.The NASUWT says it has, too, and that this always happens whenanother union takes a strong position. The NUT is boasting of itsown surge. Membership at Royston ...
Two out of one does not go
May 01, 2008 ... The motivation behind the splitting of the old Department forEducation and Skills into two was to provide joined-up government.It was essential that all children's services should be housed underone roof, Gordon Brown argued. And so the new Department forChildren, Schools and Families ...
The facts of life
May 01, 2008 ... Schools and sixth-form colleges are doing students a gravedisservice by not telling them which A-level subjects are takenseriously by the best universities and which not (see page 6). Youngpeople need to understand the consequences of opting for subjectslike film studies and media ...
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
May 01, 2008 ... "The league tables put massive pressure on headmasters to do badthings. There is tremendous pressure on all schools not to letpupils into the ...
The man with Eton in his sights
May 01, 2008; ... SCHOOLS Despite the hostility to the Government's academies programme,Lord Adonis, the Schools Minister, remains resolutely optimistic. Hetells Richard Garner about his plans Andrew Adonis is in a buoyant mood. He hasn't given up on theidea that Eton will become a sponsor of ...
How to crack the office dress code
May 01, 2008; ... RECRUITMENT Getting it right when it comes to work clothes can be tricky, sohere are some tips. By Alice-Azania Jarvis The thing about getting dressed for work - the thing that makesit so very difficult - is that work is definitely not about clothes.On the contrary: in the ...
The creative forces shaping the future
May 01, 2008; ... NEW MEDIA DEGREES The digital age is booming - and so are courses in new media atuniversities, reports Andy Sharman The way that we approach and receive traditional media - news,television, music, advertising - has changed beyond recognition overthe last quarter of a ...
Chess
May 01, 2008; ... Tuesday was a quieter day at the FIDE Grand Prix tournament inBaku as five of the seven games were drawn: not that these drawswere without incident or that the players didn't have to displaytheir sense of balance to achieve them. Unlike snooker players, for example, who (as the ...
Poker
May 01, 2008; ... One of the features of the European poker scene over the pastcouple of years has been the growth of "poker tours" in variouscountries. Only three years ago, tournament aficionados had totravel around the pokerised nations of the continent to find eventswith sufficiently high prize money ...
You write the reviews
May 01, 2008 ... IN BRUGES (18, Martin McDonagh, 107 mins) NATIONWIDE **** It's difficult to say whether Martin McDonagh's new film willmake you want to head straight to the Belgian city of the title toenjoy the medieval splendour, or stay away to avoid the fate of thethree leads. Either way, one ...
FROGGY
May 01, 2008; ... DJ who brought mixing to the UK Until Froggy introduced live mixing in the late 1970s, DJing hadchanged very little since Jimmy Savile began using two gramophoneplayers and a microphone in the Mecca ballrooms after the SecondWorld War. Froggy took his concept further when he ...
WILLOUGHBY GODDARD
May 01, 2008; ... Rotund actor often cast as a baddie Willoughby Goddard used his rotund figure most effectively inportraying archetypal screen baddies for 40 years. The actor evenopenly acknowledged himself as "one of the fatties in the business".He will be best remembered by many who grew up ...
Shakespeare's rule-breaker
May 01, 2008; ... As artistic director of the Globe, Dominic Dromgoole is theofficial keeper of the Bard's flame. But don't expect him to play itby the book. He talks to Rhoda Koenig "Excuse the mess," says Dominic Dromgoole. His apology fordisorder - an office strewn with the detritus of his ...
WILLIAM STEWART
May 01, 2008; ... Crusader against smoking 'Caution - Cigarette Smoking May Be Hazardous to Your Health." Bytoday's explicit and bloodcurdling standards the warning thatappeared for the first time on cigarette packs in the United Statesin 1966 was quaint in its understatement. But with those ...
ALBERT HOFMANN
May 01, 2008; ... Chemist who discovered the mind-altering properties of LSD whenhe accidentally took the first acid trip A whole generation experienced psychedelic enlightenment thanksto Albert Hofmann, the discoverer of LSD, or lysergic aciddiethylamide. His chemical induced a new genre of pop ...
1707 THURSDAY 1 MAY
May 01, 2008 ... England and Scotland united Under the Act of Union, England and Scotland were joined ...
The big hitters
May 01, 2008; ... Tomorrow, 'Iron Man' kicks off a blockbuster summer at thecinema. Tim Walker picks the ones to watch 1. Iron Man (2 May) The first feature to be produced solely by Marvel Comics' filmstudio arm, Iron Man opens a packed summer blockbuster seasontomorrow. And the producers have ...
The Ten Best Architecture books
May 01, 2008; ... independent.co.uk/best 1 Delirious New York Rem Koolhaas Koolhaas is known around the world for his pioneering designs,such as Beijing's CCTV building, and this tome is one of the mostinsightful and intelligent books on cities. Monacelli Press (US), 17.76 2 Did ...
Ronaldo lays low as police investigate prostitute claims
May 01, 2008; ... Ronaldo has gone into hiding after an encounter with cross-dressing prostitutes that prompted police to investigate whether tocharge one with trying to extort money from the three-time FifaPlayer of the Year. The Milan striker, in Brazil recovering from aknee surgery, cancelled two TV ...
McCoist urges final effort from worn-out Rangers
May 01, 2008; ... Rangers' assistant manager, Ally McCoist, won nine league titlesand 10 domestic cups with the club, finished two seasons as Europe'stop scorer, played 61 times for Scotland and was also Walter Smith'sNo2 when Scotland beat France in a storming start to Euro 2008qualifying. But ...
Zenit hope imperfect pitch will aid final quest
May 01, 2008; ... Zenit St Petersburg hope their worn-out pitch will help themreach a first European final by upsetting favourites Bayern Munichin the return leg of their Uefa Cup semi-final today. After last week's 1-1 first leg draw in Munich, Zenit coach DickAdvocaat said the uneven surface at ...
Rijkaard criticises 'lack of beauty' in United's victory
May 01, 2008; ... It could be dismissed as sour grapes from a coach who knows he isto be fired, but Frank Rijkaard had a point yesterday when he addeda barbed caveat to his glowing tribute to the strength of Englishclub football. "I think the level of English teams is very high,"said the Dutch coach who ...
Classic Scholes adds to his Old Trafford legend
May 01, 2008; ... There is an old tale about Paul Scholes' years playing juniorfootball in Salford that he would find the competition so easy hehad a habit of ditching games at half-time or not bothering to turnup at all. So much so that Manchester United dispatched their thenassistant manager Brian Kidd ...
Champions in waiting Real relaxed and ready to retain crown
May 01, 2008 ... Members of the Real Madrid squad take a breather at the club'sValdebabas training ground yesterday. The defending champions visitOsasuna on Sunday knowing that a victory will guarantee them theSpanish title for ...
THE MEANING OF RUGBY
May 01, 2008; ... Rugby union in the northern hemisphere is thriving, but ifproposed rule changes are approved today they could destroy thesport as we know it. Rucks will all but disappear, and so willprops. Chris Hewett fears the worst Battle for the soul of the oval ball game At a riverside ...
The faces of the day >>
May 01, 2008 ... MICHAEL VAUGHAN Survives against England bowlers on County duty THEO WALCOTT Senior-side hopeful ...
Notes from a small town
May 01, 2008; ... In the hippy enclave of Totnes, they don't just shop local - theyhave their very own currency. Rob Sharp hits the high street If you were to nip down to Devon's Totnes market on a Saturdaylooking to buy some spelt flour pancakes, crpes or falafels, thenyou might just encounter Lou ...
You can't always blame the parents
May 01, 2008; ... Last Night's TV Madeleine, One Year On: Campaign for Change ITV1 Journalists and commissioning editors like round-figureanniversaries, which is why, nearly one year on from MadeleineMcCann's abduction, ITV1 cleared two hours of its prime-timeschedule for a programme about ...
Concise Crossword #6721
May 01, 2008 ... Across 1 Moo (3) 3 To-do (9) 8 Indistinct (7) 9 Very large (5) 10 Radioactive element (5) 11 Formal permission (7) 12 Every twelve months (6) 14 Cut in two (6) 17 Prolonged dry period (7) 18 Tortilla snack ...
Cyclotherapy
May 01, 2008; ... Forgive the metropolitanism, but as Londoners vote in today'smayoral election, and the candidates vie for the cyclist's vote,here (in no particular order) are 10 great things about bike-ridingin the capital: 1. The traffic. It seems to be the done thing to complain - orworry - ...
O'Brien camp hit by Jupiter thunderbolt
May 01, 2008; ... Jupiter Pluvius, long considered the leading Ballydoyle contenderby the bookmakers, is not certain to be declared for the Stan James2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday. Aidan O'Brien, his trainer,was disappointed by the results of a scope on the unbeaten coltyesterday morning and ...
Revived Coach bid talk drives Burberry higher
May 01, 2008; ... MARKET REPORT Burberry was back in fashion yesterday after early rumourssuggested a bid may be forthcoming from Coach, the American handbagmaker. The rumours were vague, bearing no clues about the level or thetiming of an offer, and follow earlier speculation in March, ...
Main movers
May 01, 2008 ... AHome Retail Group 264p (up 21.25p, 8.75 per cent) Positive finalresults. ABSkyB 545p (up 4.5p, 0.83 per cent) Solid third- quarternumbers. AAstraZeneca 2,128p (up 36p, 1.72 per cent) Applies to US FDA forSymbicort approval. ACairn Energy 3,134p (up 134p, 4.47 per ...
The spectre of national politics looms large, but this is not a vote for Cameron or Brown
May 01, 2008; ... On days such as these it is tempting to state the obvious.Elections are big, nail-bitingly nerve -wracking tests for politicalleaders. Of course they are. There is no bigger test for politiciansthan when voters have the chance to give their verdicts. But, less obviously, elections ...
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
May 01, 2008 ... 'A society that puts equality before freedom will get neither. Asociety that puts freedom before ...
China remains a land of torture and repression
May 01, 2008; ... As the Olympic torch heads up Everest on the next phase of itstroubled journey next week, it is almost certain to attract moreprotests as it gets closer to Tibet. But peaceful demonstrations must go ahead: what's becoming clearis that the real opportunity to protest against the ...
The man that still lurked in the monster
May 01, 2008; ... "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy inits own way." If ever a family has been unhappy in its own way, thenit is the Fritzl clan, in Amstetten, Austria. I don't believe thegeography is important in this most abject story - the nationhood,the location, the really ...
1 MAY 1916
May 01, 2008 ... Days like these Patrick Pearse, Irish nationalist and political activist, writesin a letter to his mother: "I was brought in here [Arbour HillBarracks, Dublin, where Pearse was imprisoned after his role inorganising the Easter Rising] on Saturday ... Our hope and belief isthat the ...
We don't have to live with a mendacious mayor
May 01, 2008; ... Yes, yes. I know everyone is getting tired of the London mayoralelection,. Outside of the city most people couldn't care less. Evenwithin London there's a mood of weariness with a campaign that seemsto have been based entirely on personality preferences. When Ken Livingstone was ...
QUOTE OF THE DAY
May 01, 2008 ... 'If I have been accused of not listening in the past, ...
'Ben suggests that I ask for cold, hard cash. Why shouldn't we make some moolah out of the wedding list?'
May 01, 2008; ... He's Out There So we're starting to do the exciting things to do with thewedding - the wedding list. This is a fabulous opportunity to playyour friends off against each other to force them to be moregenerous than each other. Victoria had this really dumb idea ofasking them all to ...
Eye-popping calamari, 30.04.08
May 01, 2008; ... Picture Post They may look like a pair of lychees, but the wobbly specimenspictured here (far right) are in fact parts of the lens of thebiggest animal eye ever found. The creature in question is noneother than a half-tonne colossal squid, whose eyes measure anextraordinary 27cm ...
The great organic myths
May 01, 2008; ... They're not healthier or better for the environment - and they'repacked with pesticides. In an age of climate change and shortages,these foods are an indugence the world can't afford, arguesenvironmental expert Rob Johnston MYTH ONE Organic farming is good for the ...
I've still got a beef with supermarkets
May 01, 2008; ... The Competition Commission yesterday published the lacklustrefinal part of its two-year investigation into British supermarkets,concluding that, overall, there was little cause for concern. Thereport, costing tax payers an estimated 4m, does not compelsupermarkets to divest themselves of ...
Freud's topical application for nervous speech writers
May 01, 2008; ... Miles Kington Remembered 14 NOVEMBER 1995 There are two diametrically opposed schools of thought when itcomes to writing an after-dinner speech. There is the Clement Freudschool of thought and the non-Clement Freud school of thought. Ilearnt this when as a young man I foolishly ...
How much do prisoners earn, and why was their pay rise blocked?
May 01, 2008; ... The big question Why are we asking this now? Prisoners were due from today to receive their first pay increasefor more than decade. That was until Gordon Brown learned of theplanned 37.5 per cent rise and vetoed it on the spot. The amounts of cash involved in the mooted ...
Gaza on point of explosion, warns UN
May 01, 2008; ... Gaza is about to reach a "point of explosion" that could lead toanother breakout by the desperate Palestinian population trapped byan Israeli economic blockade, the most senior UN official in theterritory has warned. Thousands of Palestinians surged across the border with ...
Nato warns Putin over Abkhazia
May 01, 2008 ... European News IN BRIEF *BRUSSELS Nato warned Russia yesterday that its recent troopbuild-up in Georgia's two breakaway provinces had undermined itsneighbour's territorial integrity. Russia's moves in Abkhazia ...
Lesbians protest over group name
May 01, 2008 ... European News IN BRIEF *ATHENS Islanders from Lesbos - the home of the ancient poetSappho, who praised love between women - are taking a gay rightsgroup to court for using the word lesbian in its name ....
Vaughan stands up to the early threat of Sidebottom and Broad
May 01, 2008; ... *CRICKET YORKSHIRE 51-1 NOTTINGHAMSHIRE Were he Yorkshire's captain, Michael Vaughan might have come upwith several reasons not to bat first here yesterday, among them theprospect of exposing his lack of runs so far this season to the twinthreat of Ryan Sidebottom and Stuart ...
Virgin puts iPlayer on cable TV platform
May 01, 2008; ... Virgin Media launched the BBC iPlayer on its cable televisionplatform yesterday, upping the ante in its ongoing rivalry withBSkyB in the pay TV market. The cable company's customers can now access the past seven daysof BBC programmes, some 350 hours of content, for no extra charge ...