Life after University :: 11:11 AM :: easyjetsetter

Interesting piece in the New Yorker by one of my geek celebrities, Malcolm Gladwell. It's about college admissions, although it pivots specifically on Harvard. Not so much about affirmative action, more about the history of why college admissions became so very convoluted and ask for things beyond test scores, such as letters of recommendation, personal essays, mother's maiden name.

"More important, academic achievement was just one of four dimensions, further diluting the value of pure intellectual accomplishment. Athletic ability, rather than falling under “extracurriculars,” got a category all to itself, which explains why, even now, recruited athletes have an acceptance rate to the Ivies at well over twice the rate of other students, despite S.A.T. scores that are on average more than a hundred points lower. And the most important category? That mysterious index of “personal” qualities."

Just as a bit of background, I find this especially fascinating because the scholarship foundation that sent me to university was founded in 1955 with the aim to recruit students from North Carolina and beyond under four criteria: academic prowess, leadership, physical vigour, and moral force of character. It means that the nomination and interview process are long and arduous, and entirely subjective.

My last year of school saw the Foundation bring 120 students to Chapel Hill for the final interviews. The people I met were all exceptional: the higest test scores in their schools, probably captain of their state champion sports team, probably involved in (or president of) at least one of the following: yearbook, newspaper, model UN, girls' state, boys' state, eagle scouts, and so on. But nobody who I met that weekend who I reckoned would get the award (worth $100,000 over four years) did. Myself included. Since I have the physical vigour of a two-toed sloth and the leadership qualities of a monkey, I can only assume I also have enough of the bulllshit factor to have made it through.

There is an astonishing amount of graduates from the Foundation who went on to go into financial services, specifically investment banking. It's a bit of a self-perpetuating cycle, where current students take summer internships with the various banks that alumni head up and are subsequently offerred plush jobs upon graduation. But there may be another reason, says Gladwell:

"Male athletes, despite their lower S.A.T. scores and grades, and despite the fact that many of them are members of minorities and come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds than other students, turn out to earn a lot more than their peers. Apparently, athletes are far more likely to go into the high-paying financial-services sector, where they succeed because of their personality and psychological makeup."

Well, here's hoping some of it rubbed off eh? Interview for the job I relly want on thursday, interview for another job that isn't exactly shabby on friday. Wish me luck.

Tip # 101 for being a dilettante: learn something new every day.

In other news: Belarus is officially better at civil liberties (in the form of t shirt wearing) than Britain.

Best in show irish wolfhound :: 11:50 PM :: easyjetsetter

You know how all relatives everywhere feel that simply being connected to you by a really teenty cluster of proteins gives them the right to comment on, like, really personal stuff?

For example: "what have you done to your face!?!" was the refrain at every family gathering for three years, until my dermatologist Candace King gave me hugs and drugs to reduce the boil-like infestations that marred my natural beauty (cue sniggers).

For six, long, years chronically overweight relatives would comment on my creeping freshman fifteen, then forty, then fifty, as a sedentary lifestyle and American portions took their toll.

Mad, lush, rich Aunt Iso felt the need to tell me to my face "aren't you pretty?" and then stage-whisper "can't you make her eat less dear?" as an aside to my mother.

So why, when I inadvertently lose 20 pounds (thanks Paris! we'll always have, erm, Paris) am I surprised that they take a hold of my thighs or run their hands down my hips, or prod my tummy, or pat my bottom or exclaim "Look! a Waist!"?

I half-expected this evening's visiting aunt to check my teeth like a racehorse, or pat my head like a prize irish wolfhound, or ask the butcher for three pounds of prime rump. All that prodding! I feel violated. I shall be lodging an official complaint with the Kennel Club.

I hate DNA. I have to know these people for the rest of my life.

Who's Afraid of the EU Constitution? :: 08:13 AM :: easyjetsetter

Small Town Diva, a friend of the blog, posted something about her son's Civics homework that made me nod emphatically and think "YES! That's why the EU Constitution a) sucked and b) failed to capture the public imagination."

What struck me tonight, and what I learned all over again, is that the conservatives of our country, the cautious people, the ordinary people--------they are the ones who carefully considered the long term implications of their decisions. They didn't have another election to win or a political reputation to preserve. They are the ones who really made the Constitution an enduring document. Many of the bright stars of the day were willing to weigh in about what is important NOW, but didn't have the vision to think about what would be most significant later. They had their reputations to maintain, rather than their legacies to leave.

Now, she IS indeed a Republican, but I am not a mad foaming leftie who can't hear that she's also a very sensible woman. This is exactly what was wrong with the EU Constitution: no sense of longevity, it described the EU as it is NOW (or even, as it WAS before enlargement, which was idiotic, frankly) and looked to enshrine specific policy things for today's Europe, without a grand unifying vision for the future.

I've often said before that the difference between Americans and British people can be traced back to the fact that America was founded on a set of principles that all Americans believe in in one form or another: a common vision (however flawed or misinterpreted in practice). Conversely, Britain is a country that has eveolved: it's progression has not been a building on foundations but a series of revolutions necessary to reject the current status quo in order to move on to the next set of ideals. All the countries in the EU are like this. Depending on who is invading at the time, of course.

I AM alive, see? :: 08:03 PM :: easyjetsetter

New post up at the Sharpener.

Babies, Cars and Guns :: 11:22 PM :: easyjetsetter

I find analogies a very useful way to look at the world. Some people consider that they simplify the world to the point of making it nonsensical, but I personally believe that a really good, well-cogitated analogy often connects two subjects at a certain, finite set of points.

It's like tangents on a curve in a quadratic equation, and often, it is by determining where these tangents are that harvests the most information from the curve. I am good at anlagies, but bad at maths - so I am not sure I am using the right words here, but you get my drift.

My point is, making analogies often boils down a given subject to its essential, salient points. Sometimes the significance of these points is lost when looking at the subject on its own, and only become clear when lined up against an analogy.

I passed my theory test last september, five years after being legally allowed to learn to drive. I must pass the practical test within the next year unless I want to sit the horrible pointless theory again. I know I have to learn to drive. I just don't want to. And I have not one, but two angalogies for you: one to explain why I don't want to drive, and one to explain why I am going to end up doing it anyway.

On the one hand, cars are like guns. Sure, it's real fun to go fast, to shoot, to use a machine with so much power in it, I get a kick out of all of it. But driving a car and shooting a gun sometimes, not always, but sometimes, has adverse effects. The idea that I am wielding an instrument that is not only able, but likely, to cause death, scares the crap out of me. In addition, in owning a car or a gun, there are adverse side effects for society, and my ownership is in effect an endorsement of those side effects. I will be contributing to the creation of a car-owning, or a gun-owning society.

On the other hand, one of the reasons I don't drive is because I don't consider myself a very good driver and think it's irresponsible to go on the roads knowing that. Equally, one of the reasons I don't want kids much is because I'm not sure I'd be a good enough parent. I could never do what my parents did and create such a fabulous person as myself. However, in both cases, there's no way to get good at such a thing, really and truly, until you're doing it for real on a daily basis: driving or bringing up kids I mean.

I am sure I will end up with a license and a child eventually for two reasons: first, society demands both of me, and just as one day it will be much easier to rely on my own car to get me places so too will old age be much easier with someone who owes me 20-odd years of drool-wiping and nappy-changing. The prospect of relying forever on a state-supported infrastructure of transportation makes me itch to get behind a wheel. The prospect of a nursing home, an NHS provided nurse and meals on wheels makes start thinking about my uterus.

And we're to trust them to keep us safe? :: 01:33 PM :: easyjetsetter

According to Yahoo news, the SIS has launched a website in the name of transparency and to boost recruitment. Based on what I saw this morning, I'd say web developers are desperately needed:



The government has spent about £3 billion since 1998 on making all departments at all levels "e-enabled" which means everyone has an email address and every department has a website (well, other things too, but basically, that's it) This isn't transformational technology that changes our fundamental relationship with government, it just opens up additional lines of communication and therefore creates more work and therefore more jobs...simple to keep an economy afloat in the short term, innit?

According to the ODPM, responsible for these changes, government is 97% e-enabled and should be at 100% by Christmas. I reckon the SIS is that 3% that's lagging behind the rest. If these are the panoramic heights that their technological capabilities aspire to, it's no bloody wonder they couldn't find any WMD.

Christ, even I could do a better job by Christmas...

Cold Comfort :: 05:07 PM :: easyjetsetter

I just got a no from a job that looked pretty certain to be mine. This may sound cocky, but in the style of Lloyd Grossman, let's look at the eh-vidence.

First, the organisation, a non-departmental public body (quango to normal people) has recently produced a report in tandem with the think tank where I was interning until recently. Second, the job description bullet points exactly matched the bullet points on my CV relating to what I did at my think tank (before editing, I hastily add). Third, when I mentioned to a friend where I was interviewing, she exclaimed that an ex of hers worked there, so I got to chat to him, drop his name in the interview, etc.

This would have been enough, but I also read the latest issues of various trade journals related to the quango, looked at news clippings it had appeared in over the last six months, read several reports they had produced and, since these were design people, wore a black polo neck: design people love black polonecks.

I answered each question flawlessly, in my humble opinion. I love interviews, it's the only time people let you talk about your self uninhibited. He was visibly impressed at several of my answers. I did not, in my opnion, put a foot wrong.

Not enough, however, when one is up against someone with two years' public affairs experience. The gentleman who interviewed me was kind enough to let me know that "under ordinary circumstances" I'd have been "a strong contender" and that I "interviewed excellently."

I'm willing to bet, at this level, that whoever got the job was working for free at this public affairs firm. Who the fuck can afford to work for free for two years? Then I look around at the general class of people who get entry level jobs in this field and realise: people like David Cameron. This is why you don't hear much non-RP in the corridors of power.

My evil sister (who's involved with the Cameron campaign: tells you everything you need to know really) was at home a few days last weekend. She felt the need to make a snide comment about "lack of work" and "laziness" addling the brain.

My mother hastily dragged me out of the sitting room and into the kitchen where she whispered "you've got a much fuller life than her: look, all she's got is a nasty job, and you've got a lovely chap" which made me wail even louder "I don't CARE whether I have a lovely chap or not, I want a JOB, I'd trade the lovely chap in a SECOND for a decent JOB." (He knows this, by the way, I think this overriding ambition is one of the reasons he likes me...)

When Dad got the news I wasn't going to be off his hands by the time he came home from visiting relatives in Georgia and Tel Aviv, he called and said "nevermind dear, you don't need a job, we'd love to have you at home with us forever, then you could look after us until we're old and dribbly."

My parents are not too good at the whole "feelings" side of parenting.

Dating an accountant :: 11:25 PM :: easyjetsetter

When I didn't get the job I was sure I had my nicer sister didn't try to say something comforting, she just told me she was taking me to a Chamber of Commerce event. It was exactly what I needed, to sit around a table discussing psychometric testing with a bunch of smart, educated, successful people: I got to feel like one of them briefly, and got my self-confidence back (although it's never lurking very far below the surface.)

We had a guy from Thomas International to talk about how behavioral analyses and classifications (such as Myers-Briggs) can help to determine, experience and qualifications being equal, if a person's work temperament is suited to a certain job.

His favoured test split along four lines: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Compliance. We all did the test and it will be no surprise to you that I am high D, high I, low S, and medium C. In fact, when he mapped out the behavioral culture of a market capitalist society, that was also the pattern: I am the ideal of the free market. Scotland, however, is low D, middling I, high S and high C: the perfect accountant.

I think I'm dating an accountant.

Now, he's not actually an accountant, and I know lots of very sociable, fun and outgoing accountants, notably a Flemish one. However, the combination of his natural pedantry mixed with a profession that demands precision and fastidiousness plus living in a country which the SWISS consider anally retentive means he's a little, well, literal.

Here's a sample of conversation we had recently:

Me: that would REALLY suck
Him: It would be distinctly sub-optimal
Me: but is, it must be recognised, possible
Him: In an infinite number of universes, yes, of course

Do you see what I mean?

However, my report also said that as well as me being witty, fabulous, influential and results-orientated, I need people around me with more attention to detail and aptitude for the administrative.

I certainly quite like having him around.

It's all our fault :: 02:03 PM :: easyjetsetter

Bird Flu originated in Scotland.

Och aye the noo :: 02:22 AM :: easyjetsetter

Continuing the Scottish theme to this weekend's posts, I believe I have mentioned before that the Scottish Parliament has a PDF replica of itself in a variety of languages, one of which is 'scots' which is basically phonetically written out scottish accent with a few lexical and grammatical variations.

It's a dialect, not a language, but that doesn't stop it from being frightfully, frightfully amusing. Every time I need a goog giggle I go and read it. I especially like that housing issues is 'hoosin.'

Now, I have found an even greater source of mirth: the scots language wikipedia. It doesn't even have a section for 'lingueestics' page yet. I have found my life's work.

Of course, Scots is a perfectly valid form of expression, and I obviously don't think people speaking the dialect are intrinsically funny for doing so, but the notion that Scottish people are SO special and SO different that THEIR dialect needs to be given the status of a LANGUAGE. Well, I find it amusing. It's as if someone decided to keep a dixie wiklipedia.

Telly conundrum :: 01:48 PM :: easyjetsetter

The market research lady that the squall blew through my door last night brought to my attention the fact that the Government is about to switch off analogue TV. It's true, I already knew this, but what the 'consultation' that I took part in revealed to me is that the Government can't actually come up with a decent reason for doing do, and is trying to work out which the public responds to best before going public with it.

Market research ladies don't have tickboxes that correspond to the kind of answers that I give. When asked to rate the reasons for the switch 1 to 5, with 1 being 'very good reason' and 5 being 'very bad reason,' I rated 'to raise revenue by selling transmitters to other countries' as 'who to? Romania? Bad reason' and 'to increase public and educational broadcasting' as 'that's a lie. Bad reason.'

The market research lady also asked what, as a Sky digital subscriber, I would do about the other tellies in the house. Beyond the fact that a) it's not my house and b) none of them will be in working condition by the time they switch off analogue TV, they're that decrepit, I paused for thought. The options were costly and limited: 1) buy Sky mulitroom, 2) buy a freeview box or 3) throw them out. I answered 3, as I suddenly realised that I hardly watch terrestrial TV anymore. The shows I watch with avid enjoyment and arrange my week around are all on digital, extra-terrestrial channels.

I am the perfect Murdochian/Blairite consumer really...

I note with interest in the telegraph this morning that Sky are now offering a 'freeview' type service: £150 for the box, dish and installation and you can access basica digital entertainment for free. Way to marketshare murdoch!

Incisiveness :: 03:10 PM :: easyjetsetter

I've written the two "regular" pieces for the Sharpener this week. First up, Nosemonkey's blogging equivalent of the Kevin Bacon game where you browse the blogosphere by following links and seeing where they'll take you, and second my attempt at Nick's TV Review piece. Happy reading.

By George, I've got it! :: 04:17 PM :: easyjetsetter

I now know, thanks to this article, why the French are always late.

"Suddenly I find it impossible to break the rules, to wear non-matching underwear. I would as soon wear odd shoes. I am now always late going anywhere as it is essential I leave the house in matching underwear. So if I have decided on a bra that will go well under whatever outfit and I can’t find the matching knickers I have to start all over again."