The Inaugural Debate

[Laura]

Wednesday 13th April, LPH, 7.30 for 8.

'THW Use Feminine Wiles to Get Its Way'


PROP
Lizzie Byrne
Dave Vinton
Alistair Pugh

OPP
someone
Stephen Haraldeson
Bonnie Ryder

That is all.

[Eliot Wilson]

No Aelius Theon? Alas.

[hr]Bill and Ted beat the Grim Reaper at Twister

Bill: "You played very well, Death, especially with your totally heavy Death robes."

Death: "Don't patronise me."

[John Stewart]

Hmmm.

Distressing lack of females.

I guess Dave Vinton is close enough.

[Eliot Wilson]

And Pugh's quite small and blond(e).

[hr]Bill and Ted beat the Grim Reaper at Twister

Bill: "You played very well, Death, especially with your totally heavy Death robes."

Death: "Don't patronise me."

[Laura]

The three debates before Summer will not, I hope, be reflective of what is to come... they're prepared at very short notice and it is difficult (especially during the week) to get external speakers etc. Internally, I found it difficult to find women willing to speak.

Ms Byrne will be very good on the topic and I invited Ms Ryder to do it last week after discussing with her the trial of working in a very male environment this year. Mis Jennings had to be replaced by a man when she returned to the US and all the external female speakers I asked who Miranda recommended didn't reply or couldn't make it this term.

Mr Martin had a busy week and Mr Joss wouldn't have been able to get back for his early class... but I hope the debate will be as decent as possible given the circumstances! Mr Martin Mr Joss and Ms OBrien have all offered to speak next semester.

Laura.

[Eliot Wilson]

[s]Laura wrote on 13:57, 11th Apr 2005:
Mis Jennings had to be replaced by a man when she returned to the US


God damn those Immigration Service people. What will their next demand be?

[hr]
Bill and Ted beat the Grim Reaper at Twister

Bill: "You played very well, Death, especially with your totally heavy Death robes."

Death: "Don't patronise me."

[Laura]

tee hee

[Mr Comedy]

[s]John Stewart wrote on 12:58, 11th Apr 2005:
Hmmm.

Distressing lack of females.

I guess Dave Vinton is close enough.


I do regularly use my feminine wiles.

[Newty]

Quoting Laura from 13:57, 11th Apr 2005
The three debates before Summer will not, I hope, be reflective of what is to come... they're prepared at very short notice and it is difficult (especially during the week) to get external speakers etc. Internally, I found it difficult to find women willing to speak.

I don't see why a lack of external speakers is necessarily a drawback - I think there are some singularly talented debaters in our midst and anything that allows them to ply their trade on an interesting topic has to be A Good Thing. What will really win the day is the talents of whoever comes up with the topics of debate...

[Laura]

Quoting Newty from 11:28, 13th Apr 2005
What will really win the day is the talents of whoever comes up with the topics of debate...

It's going to be a very democratic process.

[Caepio]

Quoting Newty from 11:28, 13th Apr 2005
I think there are some singularly talented debaters in our midst

Then why aren't they on the line-up?

[Newty]

Quoting Laura from 12:51, 13th Apr 2005
It's going to be a very democratic process.

I've never been clear on that - I always assumed it was decided by a weekly meeting in the Board-of-ten-cave - are all the members of the society able to suggest motions? Is there an official channel or must one do it by proxy - i.e. seeking out specific behatted individuals in the union or badgering Biggles after chapel?

[RJ Covino]

Quoting Newty from 15:15, 13th Apr 2005
are all the members of the society able to suggest motions?

Firstly, thank you for the delightful image of the Board of Ten-cave. Most amusing. I'm picturing Biggles as Alfred the Butler now; however, the idea of John Stewart anywhere near a Bat-Pole is making me cringe.

Anyone can, of course, suggest a motion for debate - the facility to do so is in-built into the system whereby anyone can raise an adjournment debate prior to the weekly LPH debates.

The setting of those weekly debates, though, has historically been in the purview of the Convenor and President of the UDS. Hence, if you're going to nobble somebody to get your motion on the Term Card, best seek out Miss Laura Wilson.

(Note to the new Comms Sec, there is no full stop following "Miss" - c.f. Debrett's Etiquette on the addressing of untitled ladies: "Of unmarried daughters, the eldest of the senior generation is styled "Miss [Egerton]". A younger daughter is addressed as "Miss [Helen Egerton]".)

[hr]

http://www.ralphcovino.com

[Bryn]

Quoting RJ Covino from 16:12, 13th Apr 2005
(Note to the new Comms Sec, there is no full stop following "Miss" - c.f. Debrett's Etiquette on the addressing of untitled ladies: "Of unmarried daughters, the eldest of the senior generation is styled "Miss [Egerton]". A younger daughter is addressed as "Miss [Helen Egerton]".)

Uhhh.. okay. What a random place to tell me this rather random piece of information.

[hr]

http://bryn.ipfox.com

[Guest]

Also, it should probably be pointed out that meetings of the Board of Ten are very much open and take place on Wednesdays at 4.45. Everyone is welcome to come along and make suggestions on any matters, ncluding putting forward motions for debate.
The e-mail addresses of all the Board officers are detailed in the order papers, so you can contact us on any matters you wish.
Over the next three weeks, I think that the debates can be considered to have some of our better internal speakers speaking in them, including John Stewart, Jason Vit, Simon Mitchell etc. We have also got several external people returning to the despatch box, including Alistair Pugh, Mark MacDonald and Ewan MacDonald.

[Laura]

That post was me forgetting to sign in. Sorry.

[Newty]

Hmm. Well, given I don't even seem to have the time to make an entire debate these days (what was the result by the way? I assume the house was swayed by Steveo's dashing oratroy), perhaps email might be best or even - dare I suggest it - a suggestions thread on here. Would it be possible to have posted a list of prior debate topics to give newcommers a flavour of things and to prevent the suggestion of proposals that have gone before?

[RJ Covino]

Quoting Bryn from 01:54, 14th Apr 2005
What a random place to tell me this rather random piece of information.

It was on my mind as I was typing Laura's name out and your inclusion of a full-stop there in your first link-up e-mail was the only typo I could find. Hence, I thought I should let you know, lest the problem not appear weekly.

[hr]

http://www.ralphcovino.com

[Bryn]

Here are a few pictures taken last night. We took lots of John and David speaking, but they wouldn't stop moving so every one came out blurry! So I rather gave up taking pictures of speakers after that.

New people on the Board benches.


Laura's not impressed with having to take the oath.


But Ralph knows how to make her giggle.


Laura is gracefully carried to the chair.


John has something to say about Mr Blair.


Tor scribbles away while Laura gets used to the chair.


[hr]

http://bryn.ipfox.com

[Ian McFarlane]

It was on my mind as I was typing Laura's name out and your inclusion of a full-stop there in your first link-up e-mail was the only typo I could find. Hence, I thought I should let you know, lest the problem not appear weekly.

It is of course debatable though, as 'Miss' is an abbreviation of 'Missus', which itself stems from 'Mistress'.