I thought these were well worth sharing!

I can't believe how long it's been since I last posted! I think the New Year resolution will have to be to try harder.

A UK government official has been giving his opinion on the topic today.

It's a common perception that the UK is a classbound society, but I'm quite perplexed about the arguments flying around today. I'll agree that race is less of a barrier to success than it was between the 1950s and the 1980s. However, class is much less clear-cut.

One the one hand, I'm working class and I grew up in a working class area in a house which was fairly low-waged in comparison to most. Mining was the best money around and the main industry. My dad wasn't allowed to be a miner after having TB as a teenager and his factory wages were lower. None of this stopped me from doing well at school and getting a degree afterwards. Granted I wouldn't have chosen teaching as a career if I'd known my health was going to fold within 10 years, but as things have panned out I have a fairly interesting job and I fit in a bit of lecturing on the side.

On the other hand, we have some filled with street after street of people living on benefits where kids are feral and roam in packs. Is it a disadvantage to grow up somewhere like that? Yes, it probably is. However, it's not because the children don't have access to schooling, qualified teachers and books or would be refused grants for higher education. It's not because no employer will take someone from that part of town. It's sadder than that. The barrier comes from within. The child is so conditioned to live in his environment that very few have the aspiration to want out. How you solve that I don't know.

The BBC website has a stunning satellite picture of the UK covered in snow.

According to the forecast my region will be getting more tonight. I'm going out to do the food shopping tomorrow morning and after that I'm staying in the warm until Monday.

Yesterday's snowfall is still with us. Apparently there's more to come on Friday and Saturday. According to the BBC website the temperature is forecast to be -4'C, but the readings from the local weather centre (3 miles away) had it at -15'C an hour ago.

I wish I had central heating.

I knew it was cold out this morning, when I picked my way over the ice to get to work, but according to colleagues travelling in cars it was -11'C. I got there without incident and luckily got a lift home this evening. The forecast for tonight is sleet followed by more snow in the small hours. I left the gas fire on whilst I was at work so at least the flat is warm.

The weather forecast said we would have light snow. It's coming pretty thick and fast at the moment. I went shopping at lunchtime and there were very few people around in the marketplace. No stalls were in use and the butcher was in the process of closing up when I got there at 1.20pm. Luckily I got served. I overheard people talking in the greengrocer's and it seems like the roads out of town are in a state.

I think I might venture out to the bins before the snow gets trodden into ice or slush.

It's been a long time since I've posted. I think it's too much screenwork in my job that's doing it. It makes the recreational computer use much less fun. I want to try and pick up on writing generally this year.

I've had a bit of a cry watching David Tennant's last Doctor Who this evening. I watched the Confidential on iplayer afterwards and cried at that too.

I was highly depressed that the racist BNP won two of our 69 allocated seats in the European Parliament. I had thought to link to a youtube snippet of their leader, but I can't bear to listen, so why should I inflict it on you? He drones on about indiginous population and a return to a pre-1948 racial mix. One of my great-grandmothers was born visibly black british in 1886. Somehow, I think she falls outside his definition.

I stayed up watching the results come in this morning and despite the fact that he's Conservative, I think Daniel Hannan's speech deserves an audience.



I'm still travelling to London on Wednesday for my conference. At the moment the Tube strike is still on, but apparently other services are being stepped up to compensate. Hopefully I'll be able to find a restaurant open to eat in.