November 2010
6 posts
The cardinal's hat →
I think I have half made my peace with the Church today. Last weekend I went on the Today programme (an inadvertent blackleg — I hadnt realised the NUJ strike went till Saturday,…
Roman Memory →
I am off to Bochum tomorrow to give a paper at a conference on Roman Memory. It is a mad excursion in the middle of term, and I have been working at ungodly hours (even on Beard…
The House of the Gladiators at Pompeii? →
OK — you’ve been asking for my thoughts on the collapse of the House of the Gladiators at Pompeii. So here we go.
I am sure that one of the reasons that it has got so much media…
Greek pots: the naughty bits →
One of my favourite “Greek Pot” stories is about this satyr — who features on a psykter (or wine cooler) decorated, as these pots usually are, around its bulbous body.The idea was, you…
Retail -- what therapy? →
I knew that the 60 minutes shopping time I had was not going to go well when I was arraigned on my bike by the Police Constable.
I was in a hurry, but I did need some long garment to go…
BBC News - David Hockney's instant iPad art →
October 2010
7 posts
Who used to live in my house? →
We are having some building work done — to put in a shower, after 15 years with just a bath. The kids are pleased, but point out that we are installing this new technology just after…
The Cambridge University Diary goes multi-cultural →
One of the things that we teach students about the early Roman empire is the impact of imperial rule on the Roman calendar. A traditional religious festival could become also the…
I get to own a Bugatti . . . kettle →
I would never have normally spent such a lot on just a kettle. But two things coincided. First, the lid of our old faithful kettle finally bust — and second it was the husband’s…
World-class universities vs the Human Resources... →
Britain has a good number of world class universities, and many more than you would expect for its population and GDP. One of the things that KEEPS those universities world class is…
The Eagle of the Ninth →
Tomorrow I am off to the Cheltenham Literary Festival, to do the series of gigs as Guest Director there.
The first event, on Saturday afternoon, is a session of discussion with
Do we want Simon Schama as History Czar →
Declaration of interest: I dont know Prof Schama well, but what I know I like a lot. He is smart, clever, engaging and not — so far as I have any experience — remotely ill-willed. A…
I test-drive Google Latin -- and some other new... →
Our computer officer (thanks Steve) alerted me to the new addition to Googles repertoire of electronic translation aids: the Latin translator. You type the Latin words in they…
September 2010
3 posts
Emperors' first speeches: Nero to Miliband →
I’m sure you knew this post was coming. But any classicist reading Ed Miliband’s first speech to conference will have instantly gone back to some good Roman precedents.
There was the…
Ed Miliband: the police caution →
The husband and I were out at the Faculty this afternoon (preparing a party for returning alumni) when the result of the Labour leadership election was announced. I’m not sure how…
Museum parties: balls, dances, conferences and the... →
I have been doing some work in the archives of the Fitzwilliam Museum, and particularly the nineteenth-century history of the place (on which more later). But a very quick trawl…
June 2010
3 posts
Should universities teach better? →
In the 1980s, my clever friends who had gone into the Civil Service used to complain about the press they got. There they were, young people working 15 hours a day, trying to improve the…
Summer bash at the Royal Academy →
I am currently in the middle of examining and not covering myself with glory. I might have got a First when I was taking the damn things, but when it comes to exam administration I fear…
Toga party (and figs) at the British Museum →
I know that I am a Classicist rather than a real news hound, because I am too SLOW. Peter Stothard has already blogged, more than 24 hours ago, about the event I am about to share…
May 2010
15 posts
Pliny -- the elder and the younger →
It has been a good and bad week for the family Pliny. The “elder” was that unsufferable polymath who wrote the multi-volume Natural History
and was killed in the eruption of Vesuvius…
The Much Wenlock Olympics →
I have only just caught up on the 2012 London Olympic mascot called “Wenlock” (on the left). Truly ghastly it is (what designer could really have been proud of this, and what insult…
doctorboo: Marking done, article in progress,... →
doctorboo: @FrenchLibCam ooh blackberry envy...... →
doctorboo: Has a sick little monkey :o( →
Better off in Brussels →
I am in Brussels for most of this week, interviewing for the European Research Council Starting Grant programme (and what you see is the view from our interview room in EuroTower; the…
doctorboo: Is thoroughly unimpressed by her... →
The ancient Athenian sex-strike →
If you’ve ever done live radio, you’ll know how terrifying it can be. It’s the drying up over a simple question that is the scariest prospect. Some friendly interviewer asks you when…
Newnham Classics goes to Paris →
I think that my very first blog on this site wondered about how best to help students when they were coming up to final exams. They are already clever, they already know a load of stuff,…
doctorboo: is thinking about coming back to... →
Politicians look like their parties (like dogs and... →
I’m writing this while the great British newly re-energised democracy is waiting to see what government its elected representatives will cook up between them.
The husband, I should…
The Cambridge vote →
No I don’t mean the vote that has just closed. I’m writing this in front of the television before the first result from that one has come in….and already I am fed up with the Labour…
doctorboo: @martinhearson Thanks Martin - an... →
In Woodstock -- and scammed! →
I don’t often get scammed. I was once nearly taken in by one of those hand-written letters that arrive from Africa, asking you for 200 quid for some poor woman to complete her…
BBC News - Where They Stand: Guide to party... →
Useful summaries, if you’re still undecided.
April 2010
7 posts
General election 2010: The liberal moment has come... →
Although I rarely post anything political - and very rarely recently, I’ve been in Venice!! - this is very interesting and worth a read for UK voters.
Roman election gaffes →
In the wake of Bigot-gate, you will be expecting me to come out with some old Roman versions of politicians putting their feet in it. My favourite, I mentioned a few months ago (re…
10 dotty (well meaning?) ideas from the party... →
After a serious study of the main party manifestos, let me reveal some of the dottier ideas that have got by the party committees and into their official promises. How on earth, one…
Can women write reviews? →
On Sunday I was chairing an discussion at the Cambridge Wordfest. Called “The Literary Editors’ Breakfast”, it featured a galaxy of Peter Stothard, fellow blogger and Editor of the…
Jane Asher wears the Villa of the Mysteries →
This one is thanks to the husband, who spotted it online: a pity, as he said, that she didn’t know what she was wearing. The Daily Mail headline ran, “I cant remember how wicked I…
Why "good practice" can ruin good practice →
When I was a graduate student, things were different. I didn’t have to fill in many forms — in fact, I think I just applied for a British Academy grant (as it then was) to work on a PhD…
The cess-pits of Herculaneum →
I have to confess that I quite enjoyed filming the TV documentary in Pompeii. You, oh readers, may not be surprised at that (imagining that there would be nothing that the don would like…
March 2010
16 posts
BA cabin crew -- I'm on their side. →
I came out to Italy (atmospheric picture — from Torre del Greco — above) with BA and I’m going back the same way, and by the luck of the devil both these trips have avoided the cabin…
BBC News - Did the over-45s ruin life for the rest... →
Hmm… they might just be on to something. Grrr.
A ride up Vesuvius →
As I have been hinting from time to time, I am currently making a documentary about Pompeii. When I say “making”, I mean presenting and having quite a lot of content input — it’s…
Orwell Prize →
I am posting this on the way to Pompeii. Just to give the good news that “A Don’s Life” (along with 13 other excellent blogs - congratulations all) has just been shortlisted for the Orwell Prize
Theresa Breslin's top 10 books about the Spanish... →
Do we need a written constitution? →
Yesterday evening I went to London, first to go to a book launch/colloquium on the idea of a written constitution for the UK — to celebrate the publication of Richard Gordon’s book,
Ever heard of Google? →
On Tuesday I went to an enterprising day at the Open University, organised by the “National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement” — all about how academics and the media can…