My congratulations and best wishes to Brian Cox, who has been elected to succeed me as Rector of the University of Dundee. Apologies it will take a little time to get the banner above changed (I am still not up to much of the technical stuff).
All is fine: I haven’t been bloging much recently because I have been snowed under due to the radio dramatisation of Murder in Samarkand, to be broadcast a week today.
My first, not entirely implausible, thought was that the new rector is the primary topic of
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Cox_(physicist)
but then I did a quick Google and decided he’s probably the one for
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004051/bio
Still, not entirely clear.
My money is on the actor. Home from home.
Wikipedia –
Cox was born in Dundee, Scotland, the youngest of five children. Cox was subsequently brought up by a sister and an aunt. He joined the Dundee Repertory Theatre at the age of fourteen.
I think Craig’s typo ‘Brain’ (I love it) was leading us to assume it was the physicist who is busy on the Hadron Collider thingy. Not saying that actors are brainless of course before they jump down my throat.
Brian’s sister said, “he was absolutely delighted and he said he would do his best for the students and it was a great honour.”
Mr Cox had the backing of 1034 students compared to 315 for Green MSP Robin Harper and 273 for Professor Nikolai Zhelev, head of the Bulgarian consulate.
Student President Andrew Smith said,”I think Craig Murray really changed the role and politicised it and we need that to continue in the current economic circumstances.”
http://www.thecourier.co.uk/output/2010/02/13/newsstory14540935t0.asp
I love this bit in the Courier article
“Outgoing rector Craig Murray?”a former ambassador whose relations with university management were anything but diplomatic?”stood down after one three-year term, saying it was too difficult for him to spend time in Dundee.
Mr Cox, by contrast, is a long-term supporter of the university and visited only two months ago for a tour of the drug discovery unit.”
So according to the Courier Craig is **not** a long term supporter of the University.
Yes it is Brian Cox the actor. He may be a ‘long term supporter’ of the university but his visit two months ago, as far as locals are concerned, was the first time he’d paid an official visit there.
The Courier is a tory based family owned paper, part of the D C Thomson group, publishers of the Beano, Dandy, Hotspur et al.
Mr Cox is very much the local boy made good and will hopefully continue the work Craig did to support the students and not be the puppet of the heid bummers.
By the way, Craig attended more university meetings than any of his recent predecessors. I’ll keep an eye on Mr Cox’s attendance record.
For a few seconds I was trying to work out what a Physicist from Oldham was doing in Dundee.
Then I was trying to pre-record Craig Murray’s radio thing but can’t set it till tomorrow.
I have however recorded this
Its all about The Evil of the Psychopaths in Control of Us
Intolerable Cruelty: Cover Stories and a Culture of Lies
http://www.sott.net/articles/show/202789-Intolerable-Cruelty-Cover-Stories-and-a-Culture-of-Lies
Tony
bring it down, tone, bring it down…
Cox is a New Labour luvvie and superannuated Unionist.
I’m not going to look it up, but somewhere in history the Scots dealt with an unpopular bishop by hanging him over the side of the castle, naked in a cage, and letting the midges drive hin insane. I think this would be a nice traditional way to deal with Brian.
Vronsky, write to him and ask. Many people are just gagging for the back-up to speak their minds, I think.
This is the Censored Version…
Zoom Splat!!!
Zoom Splat!!!
Zoom Splat!!!
Thats all he would say.
He was 11 years old, and it kept being cancelled
But we kept going back, because his Mum was determined to do it
So on the back of a 10 year old photograph…
Because I didn’t buy her a Valentines Day Card This Year – For The First Time…
The Photograph Shows Our Son – and Her Ready To Do It With Her Parachute and Her Instructor in Cuba – Before She Jumped From 10,000 Feet
The Words Say
My Beautiful Wife
I Fell In Love With You The Moment I Met You
You Are an Angel
I Love You So
etc
Will that do?
I don’t think she’s got me owt.
I did get her a bunch of Roses £4.99 from Kenya
Tony
Every Sunday I look at Poets’ Basement on Counterpunch to see what resonates with me. As usual all three do so today.
http://www.counterpunch.org/poems02122010.html
I saw Brian Cox on stage as Titus Andronicus (he was excellent) and he has also played Hannibal Lecter. I hope he uses his skills in terrifying those in authority in support of Dundee’s students.
I fear Brian Cox may return us more to the Lorraine Kelly style of Rectoring (if indeed that is a word).
Craig – I sat through your Rectorial address as a student, and I remember pointing out that I disagreed with you on most political matters. Your response was suitably diplomatic – essentially it is a good thing to at least care. I was a Conservative back at Dundee, and there was some talk that the Tory Association supported Andy in the election – I certainly didn’t.
So many thanks for showing up to the University Court and reminding them that higher education is more than a balance sheet, even when universities in Scotland are suffering from lack of funds. Let’s hope Brian comes to you for a bit of advice on the role at some point.
David –
Thank you. Obviously I had the same worries, but I have had an email from Brian Cox that seems to show serious intentions directed the right way. Stephen Fry was both famous and a good Rector. So let’s give him Brian the benefit of the doubt at the moment.