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BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Arts | Diplomat ‘was real Shakespeare’…to which the most obvious reply is “yeah, right.” I wonder why there is such an industry trying to prove that Shakespeare didn’t write the plays. Jonson, who had an even less privileged background than Shakespeare, has never, to my knowledge, been doubted as the…

BBC NEWS | Education | Literary greats ‘key to English’ Well – who knew, eh?

Guardian Unlimited | Columnists | The price of unfairnessMore on the Marlborough boy. Mark Lawson points out that the case is symptomatic of a society in which people think money entitles them to anything. I’m reminded of a student who didn’t attend, nor do any work, and didn’t respond to messages asking him to contact…

Girl arrested over Bollocks to Blair shirt – Horse&Hound Online Here’s a first – a link to a story in Horse and Hound, not the urban vegetarian’s journal of choice. But this is ludicrous. No police were present at my workplace today when I was confronted by a trainee primary teacher wearing a tee-shirt with…

BBC NEWS | England | Wiltshire | Schoolboy told Pc he was ‘scum’More on this hilarious case, which I have mentioned before. I wonder if the father has ever stopped to think what he can possibly achieve? In the highly unlikely event of a successful prosecution, is he really going to send his son back…

Chez Topsyturvydom, the evening meal normally takes place around 8. We tend to be accompanied by our newish digital radio (about three years’ worth of Nectar points since you ask) which is great unless it’s a Tuesday and Radio 2 has “The Organist Entertains”. If Radio 3 has what we musical boffins call “plinky plonky”…

Tagged by Kat – I’ll have to find a better hiding place. OK:7 things I plan to do before I die: 1) Live a lot longer2) Get fitter3) Visit New Zealand4) Experience Il Carnevale in Venice5) Write a novel6) Dance7) Discover how to sleep comfortably with two cats on the bed 7 things I can…

Guardian Unlimited | Guardian daily comment | In memory of solipsismThis article by the combative Muriel Gray caused something of a backlash in the letters pages this week, but, aside from her somewhat gratuitously offensive conclusion, I’m with her. I live a fair distance from my place of work, about 30 miles, but, depending on…

Bee Docs’ Timeline – Featured Users I came across this interview via a link on John Naughton‘s blog. MB is one of the few reasons why a paid up liberal softie like moi would desert the Grauniad for the Indy, and this is a fascinating account of someone who straddles academia and journalism successfully. Not…

A sort of supplement to the previous post. I spent much of today doing introductory sessions to new undergraduates. I was in the middle of telling a group the details of the English Literature course they had signed up for. One student said – ” So, do we like read these books ?” Collapse of…