Despite being more keen on drinking than driving, I was entrusted with advising Independent readers about car breakdown cover this week. I would definitely classify myself as a top-flight expert now and hope many a motorist will call on me for assistance in the future.
While embracing my ambition to clarify all matters of transport, I also wrote about the new train price tariff which is gripping stuff.
Saturday 26 April 2008
Sunday 20 April 2008
Linking thinking
Carrying on the (dubious) theme of using this blog simply to link to my published stuff in a egotistical rampage, I'm whacking up some more work.
I spent a delightful few days playing with a lovely clever website that does all your bargain hunting for you on supermarket sites. I found this utterly genuis and wrote a rather effusive piece saying just that.
I also wrote some gripping stuff about how naughty easyjet is, how depressed the market is, how expensive Europe is, how lying drivers are, how cheap the iphone is and how uncomplacent Brown is, and other such heartening and motivational stuff.
I have been in Bristol for the past two days for an evangelical christian hen weekend. While the conservative christians were nothing but charming, the fun was extremely wholesome and there was even pottery painting on the agenda. Quite a long way from binge drinking and male strippers...
I spent a delightful few days playing with a lovely clever website that does all your bargain hunting for you on supermarket sites. I found this utterly genuis and wrote a rather effusive piece saying just that.
I also wrote some gripping stuff about how naughty easyjet is, how depressed the market is, how expensive Europe is, how lying drivers are, how cheap the iphone is and how uncomplacent Brown is, and other such heartening and motivational stuff.
I have been in Bristol for the past two days for an evangelical christian hen weekend. While the conservative christians were nothing but charming, the fun was extremely wholesome and there was even pottery painting on the agenda. Quite a long way from binge drinking and male strippers...
Monday 14 April 2008
Concerned of Tunbridge Wells
In my new persona of angry letter writer I was pleased to see that other people from City had also written defensive letters to the Guardian about Peter Wilby's piece about social elitism in journalism. Josh Loeb, of Angry Young Man fame, and the head of the broadcast journalism, Lis Howell, also have letters published here.
Wilby's article today about Roger Alton's move to the Independent is interesting. There is definitely a lot of excitement in the office and I think Wilby's point that Alton would not have agreed to take over unless he had received assurances about the future is valid. I hear he will move to change the 'statement' front pages and will hopefully bring new life to the floundering title. The Indy certainly has a lot of potential and I would be sad to write it off just yet.
On a completely different note, I was excited to be reviewed on Headline Money today. The lovely Rosemary Gallagher, who took me under her wing at The Scotsman last summer, wrote this:
"As chill winds blow through the City, it's springtime for savers. This more uplifting piece, by Laura Harding, focuses on a positive feature of the credit crunch, namely, how banks and building societies are vying to attract savers with high-paying accounts. If you want to bag one of these accounts, move quickly as they won't be on for long, is the message from Harding."
Wilby's article today about Roger Alton's move to the Independent is interesting. There is definitely a lot of excitement in the office and I think Wilby's point that Alton would not have agreed to take over unless he had received assurances about the future is valid. I hear he will move to change the 'statement' front pages and will hopefully bring new life to the floundering title. The Indy certainly has a lot of potential and I would be sad to write it off just yet.
On a completely different note, I was excited to be reviewed on Headline Money today. The lovely Rosemary Gallagher, who took me under her wing at The Scotsman last summer, wrote this:
"As chill winds blow through the City, it's springtime for savers. This more uplifting piece, by Laura Harding, focuses on a positive feature of the credit crunch, namely, how banks and building societies are vying to attract savers with high-paying accounts. If you want to bag one of these accounts, move quickly as they won't be on for long, is the message from Harding."
Sunday 13 April 2008
More independent thought
More tasty treats in the Indie on Sunday today. Working in personal finance has made me slightly paranoid about my financial future and I stare at bank statements, pay slips and demands that I pay back my loans with increasing horror. Maybe I should take note of my own advice to save my way through the credit crunch or take out insurance in the event I get pregnant and think I might have twins (you thought I was kidding last week??) Anyway, the rest of my stuff is not quite so optimistic: the doom of Facebook, accusations of market abuse, the doom for first time buyers, fines for a failing communications firm and help with energy bills for poor households. Well the last one isn't doom but I was working a theme.
Far more fun is the city diary I compiled on Friday which is also in today's paper. I now live for business gossip and tittle-tattle...
Far more fun is the city diary I compiled on Friday which is also in today's paper. I now live for business gossip and tittle-tattle...
Thursday 10 April 2008
BNP in the Ham and High
I'm interested in the reaction of some Ham and High staff to the publication of a BNP ad in their paper. Their point that they do not want the BNP's cash to be paying their wages is completely legitimate and I understand why they do not want to give credibility to the organisation by advertising it. However, in a democracy that is supposedly for free speech it is interesting that we will only let speak the people who agree with us.
Geoff Martin, the editor of the H&H seems to agree and wrote on page 4, "To be able to tolerate those we vehemently disagree with is the hallmark of an open, egalitarian and democratic society, where freedom of speech and expression are sacrosanct."
So why do journalists, who prize the freedom of speech above anything else, want to suppress it? The staff of a local paper I worked at over Christmas once refused to send their pages to the printer until an advert for the BNP had been removed.
I understand their objections to the organisation, objections that I too share, but these objections seem to be more important to them than the sanctity of free speech. The idea that there are degrees of what it is ok to say is slightly alarming. I''m not sure Voltaire would approve.
Geoff Martin, the editor of the H&H seems to agree and wrote on page 4, "To be able to tolerate those we vehemently disagree with is the hallmark of an open, egalitarian and democratic society, where freedom of speech and expression are sacrosanct."
So why do journalists, who prize the freedom of speech above anything else, want to suppress it? The staff of a local paper I worked at over Christmas once refused to send their pages to the printer until an advert for the BNP had been removed.
I understand their objections to the organisation, objections that I too share, but these objections seem to be more important to them than the sanctity of free speech. The idea that there are degrees of what it is ok to say is slightly alarming. I''m not sure Voltaire would approve.
Gordon Brown + malaria crisis = American Idol
The weirdest story of the day has to be this. I'm not convinced anyone involved knew the audience of American Idol. When Brown's Scottish accent started booming about the plight of malaria-ridden African children I'm reasonably confident the most common reaction was "Wha'?" or maybe "Huh?" The newly hired PR in charge of stopping Gordon looking like a wally must have been on a tea break.
Wednesday 9 April 2008
Commitment's a dirty word
The moment in The Apprentice when the absolute spanner of a team leader, Ian, demanded they go round the table so his team could proclaim their allegiance to him and their determination to win a treat from SirAlan will go down in team-building history.
The fact this suggestion was not greeted with scoffs but declarations they would offer 110% commitment was equally mirth-worthy.
In fact there was no limit to the treats tonight's gripping installment had in store. The idea that Italian pub grub should be served with false moustaches and Italian accents was hailed as genius, the plan only tripped up when the minute-taker couldn't spell 'accents'. It was ok though, his comrades knew what he meant.
The stripping 'Bollywood' dancer was a feast for the eyes, as was the sight of fascist ex-team leader Jenny going to beserk with uncontained delight at the sight.
It is pleasing to me that SirAlan seems to be methodically firing the boys with the worst hair cuts so maybe the finalists will all be thick as two short planks but will look like Toni and Guy models. One can only hope.
The fact this suggestion was not greeted with scoffs but declarations they would offer 110% commitment was equally mirth-worthy.
In fact there was no limit to the treats tonight's gripping installment had in store. The idea that Italian pub grub should be served with false moustaches and Italian accents was hailed as genius, the plan only tripped up when the minute-taker couldn't spell 'accents'. It was ok though, his comrades knew what he meant.
The stripping 'Bollywood' dancer was a feast for the eyes, as was the sight of fascist ex-team leader Jenny going to beserk with uncontained delight at the sight.
It is pleasing to me that SirAlan seems to be methodically firing the boys with the worst hair cuts so maybe the finalists will all be thick as two short planks but will look like Toni and Guy models. One can only hope.
Monday 7 April 2008
Wealthy and connected?
Peter Wilby's rant in today's MediaGuardian arguing that journalism is a profession for the wealthy and connected seems a little skewed.
He makes the legitimate point that to be able to forge a career in the media some kind of expensive postgraduate qualification is necessary. As a result, it excludes people who cannot afford the fees. He also argues that the work experience so crucial to advancement is the preserve of people living in and around London or those who can afford to pay for somewhere to stay and outlines the supposed small pool of universities from which students on my course are taken.
While there are a number from Oxford, Cambridge, Bristol and Leeds there are also people from Exeter, St Andrews, Manchester, UCL, Imperial, Durham and Lancashire. His argument that we are not representative of the population because these universities take people from fee-paying schools is misguided. While a number did go to private or public schools, they were all selective, meaning they were already deemed clever enough to meet the standards of the establishment. It makes sense they would then go on to good universities and get places on competitive postgraduate courses.
His argument that courses such as the one I am undertaking are the privilege of the wealthy is undermined by his own employer.
The Scott Trust, which owns the Guardian, is paying the fees of three of my colleagues who might not otherwise be able to cover the expense. Not only that but the trust sets them up with work experience at papers such as the Guardian, Observer and MEN and pays accommodation costs over the holidays.
In addition, I was given funding by the Chancellor of my undergraduate university and a number of other colleagues have funding from the AHRC and have bank loans.
Every single person at City has worked incredibly hard to be there and forge a career for themselves in a highly competitive and ruthless industry. We have already competed to get on the course and this experience has set us up to carry on competing for jobs and promotions and whatever else comes our way.
Such a narrow minded view of his own profession shows Wilby as a man keen to see the worst in his successors, instead of supporting and encouraging those entering the industry at such a precarious time.
He makes the legitimate point that to be able to forge a career in the media some kind of expensive postgraduate qualification is necessary. As a result, it excludes people who cannot afford the fees. He also argues that the work experience so crucial to advancement is the preserve of people living in and around London or those who can afford to pay for somewhere to stay and outlines the supposed small pool of universities from which students on my course are taken.
While there are a number from Oxford, Cambridge, Bristol and Leeds there are also people from Exeter, St Andrews, Manchester, UCL, Imperial, Durham and Lancashire. His argument that we are not representative of the population because these universities take people from fee-paying schools is misguided. While a number did go to private or public schools, they were all selective, meaning they were already deemed clever enough to meet the standards of the establishment. It makes sense they would then go on to good universities and get places on competitive postgraduate courses.
His argument that courses such as the one I am undertaking are the privilege of the wealthy is undermined by his own employer.
The Scott Trust, which owns the Guardian, is paying the fees of three of my colleagues who might not otherwise be able to cover the expense. Not only that but the trust sets them up with work experience at papers such as the Guardian, Observer and MEN and pays accommodation costs over the holidays.
In addition, I was given funding by the Chancellor of my undergraduate university and a number of other colleagues have funding from the AHRC and have bank loans.
Every single person at City has worked incredibly hard to be there and forge a career for themselves in a highly competitive and ruthless industry. We have already competed to get on the course and this experience has set us up to carry on competing for jobs and promotions and whatever else comes our way.
Such a narrow minded view of his own profession shows Wilby as a man keen to see the worst in his successors, instead of supporting and encouraging those entering the industry at such a precarious time.
Sunday 6 April 2008
Miss Independent
I did some freelance work at the Independent on Sunday last week and am posting the links here. The delectable selection includes the NAO's report on HMRC, the struggle the middle classes face to survive the credit crunch, the decline in customer satisfaction in home phone companies and the virtue in choosing consistently strong savings accounts. Wait with bated breath for the feature next weekend on parents who take out insurance in case they have twins.
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