@stephentall’s weekly Twitter updates for 2011-08-19

by Stephen Tall on August 19, 2011

But monthly repayments to fall (headline u won't read) >RT @timeshighered: Student debt ‘to double’ under new fee regime http://t.co/1MLcB3Y #
People lauding Oborne's attack on 'establishment': http://tgr.ph/nSErlO He has a point but idea this is new is woefully ahistorical. #
Me on Oborne in 08: "a chippy Tory whose vapid broad-brush polemic disregards almost any event that hasn’t taken place in the last 25 years" #
That quote Oborne from this post – http://bit.ly/p1paR9 – by the way. #
RT @alixmortimer: The more I hear about "the old days" (circa 1950s usually) more convinced I am that *everyone* is projecting onto them. #
RT @bubbalou: @stephentall Correct. http://jiltedgeneration.blogspot.com/2011/07/education-is-silver-bullet.html – re b) #
@neilfawcett Not sure any real evidence it's worse. More visible, yes. The point is still valid, but dislike Oborne's 'golden age' nostalgia in reply to neilfawcett #
Girlfriend a little resentful that I've lost weight as a result of her diet. Can't see the problem myself. Apparently that's not helping. #
Just watched Never Let Me Go http://t.co/7DfoVkQ: good film if not ideal Fri night fare (red wine, moist eyes). Three thoughts follow… #
1) Andrew Garfield is a great actor http://t.co/LVmoVZa Coincidentally watched Red Riding ep1 last night. He is compelling. #
2) Kazuo Ishiguru an extraordinary novelist http://t.co/SbeoKVP < surely time for a new novel, yesbutplease. #
3) Since you ask, Ishiguru's The Unconsoled is one of my desert island books. http://t.co/9T3wj2m Read it 17 years ago, *LOVED* it. #
@alixmortimer Frankly @rob_knight we've only ourselves to blame. Men are such bastards. #guaranteedpullingline in reply to alixmortimer #
@geordie365 Yes, book is better / more subtle. Not his best 'cos parallel is in extremis, but still. in reply to Geordie365 #
@graemearcher Yes, huge Ishiguru fan, so read novel even before it was Richard & Judy-ed Novel's reveal far more sinister / shocking. in reply to graemearcher #
@geordie365 True, Knightley not bad. She's always hetero-watchable, but actually acts pretty well in Never Let Me Go. in reply to Geordie365 #
@nickthornsby Unconsoled ain't an easy read, and famously repelled a load of Ishiguru fans. I squee-ed at it but I was precocious 6th-former in reply to NickThornsby #
@geordie365 It really is worth reading, I think. Tho I was half my age when I did read it, so if it's shit blame my pseudy adolescence in reply to Geordie365 #
@geordie365 I liked her in Atonement. And I have a huge soft spot for Love Actually whatever its flaws in reply to Geordie365 #
@timmontgomerie Out of interest, should Govt implement whatever 71% or more of public thinks? in reply to TimMontgomerie #
@graemearcher 'When we were orphans' is perhaps his best – great combination of pre-Unconsoled and post-. in reply to graemearcher #
@graemearcher Huge PD James fan, but haven't read that one. A Taste For Death one of my all-time fave crime fiction books. in reply to graemearcher #
@geordie365 Too true re Love Actually! The world's divided: into humans who get it 'n love it. And the rest, who're heartless weirdos. in reply to Geordie365 #
@alexfoster That explains a lot. Plus the kittehs. in reply to alexfoster #
@nickthornsby Wrote a review of it when I was 18, compared it with Martin Amis's The Information http://t.co/BfaNymY. Not sure why. #pseud in reply to NickThornsby #
@graemearcher There are worse Tories whose idiom to channel Have met her & she is a star. in reply to graemearcher #
@timmontgomerie I guess. Regardless of views on policy, wld encourage scepticism of opinion polls asking loaded questions. in reply to TimMontgomerie #
@nickthornsby A generous interpretation. I would also answer to "precocious tw*t" (tho only when I was younger). in reply to NickThornsby #
@graemearcher She's among last generation of women who had to fight, fight, fight & have scant patience for those who won't/can't/refuse. in reply to graemearcher #
@graemearcher One of few contemp crime novelists who'll last (tho early books /are/ dated). Other is Reginald Hill (same critique applies). in reply to graemearcher #
@davidallengreen Starkey a great example of how being an expert does not mean you are intelligent. in reply to DavidAllenGreen #
RT @graemearcher: @stephentall that's quite brilliantly correct. < For future ref, this applies to *all* my tweets. #
@graemearcher *shock* LOVE Reginald Hill. (Hate tv adaptations, /spit/, tho Warren Clarke fab). Read Midnight Fugue? Funny/literary/fab. in reply to graemearcher #
@nickthornsby True. Foresight better than hindsight, mind in reply to NickThornsby #
@lonwon @NickThornsby Ignore him! Plunge into the greatest book Ishiguru's written & enjoy in reply to LonWon #
@graemearcher Now don't get tribal on me when we've just bonded in reply to graemearcher #
Fascinating > RT @davidallengreen: Very interesting blogpost re academic charlatan, Susan Greenfield: http://t.co/NFnXvne (ht @mariawolters) #
RT @lonwon: @NickThornsby And if you hate it, ignore @stephentall saying it's Ishiguro's best, & read any other by that author! < THIS #
@hopisen You've made a mistake. You seem to assume New Twitter has been designed with the user in mind. #suchnaivety in reply to hopisen #
Yay Fascinating Aida being fab on Newsnight Review. Friday night redeemed. #
@falsettosocks Simply close your eyes and enjoy. Altogether now 'Kay Why?' in reply to falsettosocks #
A message to Da Kidz: don't drink too much wine if you've ready access to 1-click Amazon Kindle. Don't learn the hard way, like me. #
@owenblacker But then u miss the surprise & joy on Sat morning when yr Kindle wakes to tell u what new books you won't get round to reading. in reply to owenblacker #
@alexfoster @owenblacker You mean the postie actually delivers yr parcels & doesn't simply pretend yr out? in reply to alexfoster #
I know everyone means well by abusing Starkey's casual racism, but TBH he's just asking for it. Don't indulge him. #
I'm guessing I heard wrong when Newsnight Review said Simon Cowell wd be judging the James Tair Black Prize – yes? #slightlycredible #
RT @falsettosocks: Adam Adamant theme & titles http://t.co/AwhPOjY 1966 < Order here – http://t.co/fW24PUg – y'know u want to #
The 'golden age' of telly > 'Nazi Flag on Multi Coloured Swap Shop' http://t.co/CKYgNxq < Peter Oborne prob approved. #
RT @jemimasandhu: @stephentall Ohh…1-click Amazon Kindle is dangerous… << Or liberating. #
*FUCK*, I feel old >> 'Brown Sauce – I wanna be a Winner 1981' http://t.co/Tl9PjCu #
@alexfoster I didn't initially read that as 'narked'. Don't worry, that says more about me… in reply to alexfoster #
@jemimasandhu It'll never catch on in reply to JemimaSandhu #
The kids used to like this kinda thing – Stu Francis | Ooh I Could Crush A Grape http://t.co/lPJ1xrK < simpler, happier days :~ #
@willhowells This explains much. in reply to willhowells #
Ahh, BBC's Dark Towers > http://t.co/MONiiEs < Best. Theme. Tune. Ever. #
*gasps* Dark Towers (http://t.co/dYT4mLn) 1) not on Wikipedia, 2) written by *the* Andrew Davies. I am so totally Fridayed out now. #
RT @loveandgarbage: I think someone should tell David Starkey that the real problem with accents in this country lies with Fraser Nelson,… #
@KathViner Why should Maitlis have stopped Starkey? We can form our own opinions of his ignorance without media filter, thanks. in reply to KathViner #
RT @alexfoster: Clegg might not have said anything newsworthy in Leicester, but he made front page of Nottingham Post flic.kr/p/acCXTG #
RT @libdemvoice: The rightward shift of British and European politics ldv.org.uk/25011 #
RT @charlotteahenry: Excellent from @stephentall > “@libdemvoice: The rightward shift of British and European politics ldv.org.uk/25011”… #
@charlotteahenry TY in reply to charlotteahenry #
I /think/ this is the point David Starkey tried and failed to make & which Chris Rock nails: 'Black People vs Niggaz' http://t.co/Z5CQCEM #
@jerryhayes1 Have you seen Chris Rock's 'Black People vs Niggaz'? http://t.co/Z5CQCEM < far more eloquent/incisive than Starkey. #
Ooh, just been personally canvassed by Electoral Reform Society candidate for council election. He's an STV fetishest so out of luck with me #
@duncanborrowman Personally, I feel 'electoral reform' shd be goal of Electoral Reform Society. in reply to duncanborrowman #
@mattdowney1342 I'm in favour of STV, just not theological about it. AV is fairer so would have done me fine, for now. in reply to mattdowney1342 #
RT @nissemus: The ERS's obsession with STV irritates me greatly. < Agreed, I'm happy to settle for fairer not obsess about purity. #
RT @matgb Electoral Reform Society elections – runners and riders http://t.co/ueSjm4t < interesting run-down. #
RT @TheEconomist Don’t look down: The poor like taxing the rich less than you would think http://t.co/Kc9wXFQ < utterly ESSENTIAL reading. #
I'm watching: 'David Starkey Raps on Newsnight' http://t.co/NX2y7Tm via @youtube #
My favourite household chore now underway: rearranging my bookshelves #
This makes me happy: shelves of books properly arranged & all is well with the world. http://t.co/PQEZ5tS #
RT @DanielMRussell: @stephentall A man after my own heart. Guilty pleasure or sad? « Can it not be both? #
@_Deborah_King Oh, she *knows* quite how lucky she is, trust me. in reply to _Deborah_King #
Here's a board game I've not played in a few years. Not sure it'd be the gf's cup of tea. http://t.co/vSCCd6Z #
The outside of the box not exciting enough for you? Wait til you sneak a peek inside… http://t.co/vAUVvUc #
@CllrIainRoberts Persoanlly I think Monopoly missed a trick by not pitting Derek Jameson against Nigel Dempster + televising it. in reply to CllrIainRoberts #
@CllrIainRoberts True. They'd already started by including the stations, I guess. in reply to CllrIainRoberts #
Little ripple of excitement in Oxford: notorious Norrington Table published ranking colleges by exam results > http://t.co/ekZKnCp #
@AndyMay101 Thanks for the link, Andy. What's voting deadline? in reply to AndyMay101 #
Heffer's Germany's '4th Reich' is here hate-Mail piece: http://t.co/XukKGj2 < Lazy revival of 80s' xenophobia, best ignored. #
@ldnik I was proud to see Mansfield at 12th in reply to ldnik #
@ldnik Probably since my year, yeah in reply to ldnik #
Perhaps the best part of living where we do are the amazing summer sunsets. Gorgeous. http://t.co/k14YLiT #
Moscow in October. Sun, sand and sea, yes? Looking fwd to speaking at Russian Donors' Forum: http://www.donorsforum.ru #
Just catching up with today's news: does the economy still exist, or should we all just go to sleep and never wake up? #
@alexfoster Who still has both kidneys? So last millennium. in reply to alexfoster #
@travelling_wolf I'm going to spend it all on shares in Tivo and MySpace. in reply to travelling_wolf #
@alixmortimer It's alright, he's grown up now & everything. You're fine. Just delete your cached history. in reply to alixmortimer #
@MotionJoanna Great news! We're delighted to retain John! in reply to MotionJoanna #
RT @MotionJoanna Just heard that *all* this year's @CASE_Europe Grad Trainee Fundraisers have won jobs in HE FR. Proud of them! < Q right! #
Dreamt Jedward were international terrorists on the run. Simon was blaming Louis for their death-toll. (I didn't even watch #cbb honest.) #

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