Rum Doings Episode 43
by John Walker on Oct.01, 2010, under Rum Doings, The Rest
This week on Rum Doings, episode 43, we don’t discuss whether it’s time to abolish the metric system. Instead we discuss John’s adventures in France, and Nick’s adventures in complaining about John.
We talk about angry listeners, read French labels, and driving 1 litre cars with cup holders. And John makes a bold declaration: no more anecdotes. In an attempt to stop repeating anecdotes.
Our French theme continues with recalling French lessons at school, then bad teachers, big vases, and exponentially expanding biscuits.
There’s an attempt to identify what fills Victoria Wood’s bilious bag, confederate flags on British cars, and Nick teaches us Chinese. Then we handle the tragic death of Jimmy Heselden with extreme sensitivity. This takes us onto discussing those who were killed by inventions they were closely associated to. Then, as you’d expect, an exploration of the Chinese Five Pains Method.
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[audio: http://rumdoings.jellycast.com/files/audio/rumdoings_e43.mp3]
October 1st, 2010 on 11:17
About bloody time!
October 1st, 2010 on 12:00
Hurrah!
October 1st, 2010 on 15:42
It’s always a bad move to make a declaration that “I’m never going to go to/listen to/watch X ever again!” In my mind it’s an indication of youth, as I did it when I was much younger and was angry at restaurants. It always feels so shameful to walk back into the joint.
It is absolutely bonkers that you don’t like The Wire, but there’s no point in belaboring the issue.
October 1st, 2010 on 22:53
I am sated. thank you.
October 2nd, 2010 on 17:07
To all who think John Walker hates the wire: He hates the first two episodes, as most others do.
October 3rd, 2010 on 15:10
Things!
1. The bloke who jumped from the Eiffel Tower wearing his Coat-Parachute-But-Not-Really-A-Parachute: there was footage taken of his attempt, which can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BepyTSzueno
2. The man who died from strangulation (from the whole stupid levers-and-pulleys thing), Thomas Midgley, was also the inventor of some of the ghastliest man-made chemicals to affect the earth; he invented tetra-ethyl lead (leaded petrol), causing the levels of lead found in nature to rise by a huge amount in the 20th Century. He also helped to popularise the use of CFCs (Chlorofluorocarbons, those things eating a whole in the ozone layer) in fridges and such. So his hilarious demise is probably a bit karmic.
Good to hear the Rum Doings back.
October 3rd, 2010 on 17:03
just wanted to say that as a primary school teacher, i’ve seen my fair share of bad teachers. i don’t agree that most teachers are rubbish. some are. on my teacher training course there was a special remedial maths set because some test scores were so low (i wasn’t in it). one of the memories i have is of the biggest idiot in the room asking what ‘holistic’ meant. she always had her hand up because she didn’t understand and used to work on big brother. she was 26 at the time.
as always the onion gets it right:
http://www.theonion.com/articles/report-increasing-number-of-educators-found-to-be,2732/
October 4th, 2010 on 01:05
I liked how the Daily Mash put it, using trademark british wit:
http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/experts-to-decide-if-pupils-or-teachers-are-morons-201009153089/
October 5th, 2010 on 12:12
Glad you’re back guys.
My experience with teachers reflects that of Nick’s. I’ve often met people who will talk about this “one teacher” that really “changed their life” and helped them to “fall in love with learning” and other such nonsense.
I’ve found every single one of my teachers to be astoundingly stupid, umpteen years past caring or bullying and unpleasant.
My p.7 teachers (year 7 in England?) once told me off for using made up words in a short story I had written. The “made up word”? Humungous….
October 5th, 2010 on 13:49
Yay for this!
This podcast is a podcast that is a lovely podcast.
October 5th, 2010 on 15:03
James: Interesting you should mention that. My teacher once told a young-me off for using the “made up word” humongous as well! I remember showing it to her in the dictionary, and that just made her angry that I was “trying to be clever”.
Evidently teachers are made in the same wonky factory world-over.
October 6th, 2010 on 13:20
Ha, this time Nick’s repeated something he’d already mentioned before – the -er thingy in German.
Funnily enough, I can’t remember which episode it was in, but I remeber which building I was passing when I listened to that bit.
October 6th, 2010 on 13:57
Wir werden immer seniler!
October 7th, 2010 on 11:43
Actually in my school the best teachers i had was in science, they didn’t change my world, but they did get me enthusiastic about the subject and i don’t think i would have gotten my B without them.
Also we had one good Maths teacher in our school which was kind of the same, if i had stayed with my other maths teacher i would have failed maths.
I do agree though that there are to many bad teachers out there, and because it is so fecking difficult to get rid of teachers in this country there always going to be a problem.
October 7th, 2010 on 20:21
As a current A level student I’d like to confirm that a large number of the teachers in my school are completely incompetent even though this is supposedly (according to exam results) one of the best comprehensive schools in Wales. However I’m lucky in that all of my 5 current teachers are pretty good even if one is more than a little odd.
October 8th, 2010 on 10:25
“even if one is more than a little odd”.
Mr Rutland odd or Mr Myers odd?
October 10th, 2010 on 14:09
I recall a primary school teacher telling me off in front of the class for copying directly from a book in something I’d done about birds.
I showed him the book to prove that I hadn’t and that I was just somewhat precocious.
He was unimpressed with me.
October 15th, 2010 on 16:25
He’s not exactly like either of them he simply has quite a few odd mannerisms and loves to tell bad jokes at any opportunity that presents itself.