Gavin Burnell

University academic, materials physicist, Quaker

[Gavin Burnell @Gavin_Burnell]

@Dunc76 One suspects that the PM's definition of "sociay useful" is "higher rate tax paying" so probably doesn't think there is a contradiction....

[Gavin Burnell @Gavin_Burnell]

@Dunc76 Well apparently not for awarding degrees.....

[Gavin Burnell @Gavin_Burnell]

@Timmytondall It's mainly private sector pay growth. The public sector is ~17% of the employee base yet according to the Government public sector pay "restraint" should do the heavy lifting of cutting inflation...

[Gavin Burnell @Gavin_Burnell]

@HarrietCannon @Dunc76 I disagree, I found Stephen Hawking's lectures really hard going to listen to and follow (& not just because the physics - even toned down to 1st year undergrad level - was brick hard). I think some of it wae that it was harder in person than on TV - I guess good mic's help.

[Gavin Burnell @Gavin_Burnell]

@Dunc76 @HarrietCannon I rather suspect that Keir Starmer had in mind the skill set that he acquired as a barrister in public debate and spoken argument. Not that producing a nation of barristers is the aim, but one of the glaring advantages of the privately educated kids is a greater leyel of oracy.

[Gavin Burnell @Gavin_Burnell]

@Dunc76 @HarrietCannon But oracy is so much more than just speaking - it's about constructing an argument for the spoken form or telling a story that will only be heard and not read. It's the difference between giving a presentation versus reading out a paper at a conference.

[Gavin Burnell @Gavin_Burnell]

@SamLP @tombennett71 It is both remarkable and depressing how intolerant some students can be of even moderately accented English

[Gavin Burnell @Gavin_Burnell]

@SamLP @tombennett71 But positive quotes from students are still deemed a good thing to put on promotions cases.....

[Gavin Burnell @Gavin_Burnell]

@bbcnickrobinson The rate at which the world spins does change over time - there's a longterm trend of it slowing down by a fem ms/century but with fluctuations. Most recently it has sped up a bit.

[Gavin Burnell @Gavin_Burnell]

@Dunc76 i reported it as phising attempt and deleted the email, as I have been trained to do.....

[Gavin Burnell @Gavin_Burnell]

@SamLP The LIV Golf of Higher Education. Watch out for the announcement of a merger with a major University grouping...

[Gavin Burnell @Gavin_Burnell]

Another @BraggRoyceLeeds paper...

[Gavin Burnell @Gavin_Burnell]

I've had junior game interrupted for loose dogs but not this! - BBC News - Hot air balloon interrupts Sussex kids cricket match
https://t.co/9ikBAtAquV

[Gavin Burnell @Gavin_Burnell]

@SamLP @jim_dickinson But I feel for their exams officer - accreditation in engineering is way more prescriptive than ours. I wouldn't imagine that this was 1st choice!

[Gavin Burnell @Gavin_Burnell]

@SamLP I'm team #NoPatentsPleaseJustUsePNG - am I showing that I'm an aging geek?

[Gavin Burnell @Gavin_Burnell]

@Dunc76 There was a good bit on R4's PM programme from Wikipedia's co-founder

[Gavin Burnell @Gavin_Burnell]

I'm glad this has got some attention, I'd been told of this with a big ris in students getting ADHD diagngses : BBC News - ADHD: Private clinics exposed by BBC undercover investigation
https://t.co/JkNGOtSkag

[Gavin Burnell @Gavin_Burnell]

@SamLP @tes @ofqual One suspects that the opinion of people with experience of managing online exams would be rather different...

[Gavin Burnell @Gavin_Burnell]

@LottieHaigh @Dunc76 @diervilla It better do, otherwise I'm sooo screwed....!

[Gavin Burnell @Gavin_Burnell]

@SamLP How did a flood turn into a lorry? I mean wine I've heard of, but a lorry!?