Look what I've found!

[David Bean]

It's the old UDS web site!

http://web.archive.org/web/200502160458 ... ndex.shtml

Including minutes from Board of Ten meetings and debates from the infamous 2003-'03 term - anyone interested in reading contemporary accounts of the events leading up to the fall of the first Board of Ten of that term should check out the minutes from 18 September and 4 October 2002 in particular, and later you can read minutes from the Board that followed it.

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Psalm 91:7

[Dickie]

"The Convener thanked the Royal Bank of Scotland and the Courier again, especially Ms. Catriona McInness and Miss Natalie Hancock, the organiser of the competition on behalf of the Courier; he then thanked the Schools' Secretary, Mr. Peter Blair, and the judges - especially Dr. Lang. He then announced that, as a new measure introduced for this competition, all finalists would be presented with honorary life membership of the University of St. Andrews Union Debating Society. The teams came up, in the order of Proposition then Opposition, to collect their certificates. "
http://web.archive.org/web/200407200358 ... unior.html
Is this still the case?

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http://facebook.com/p.php?id=37106107&l=217e435e0a

[David Bean]

As I recall, that was what Hendrik said on the night, and certificates had been made up in advance in conjunction with Peter, but the Board of Ten hadn't formally agreed to any such thing. It was later determined that what was conferred was not an actual honorary life membership, but some kind of "schools' membership", the terms of which were never defined. So I think it's pretty safe to forget about it by now.

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Psalm 91:7

[ChrisH]

The writing style is a little ... odd.
Although describing Evil Uncle John as a "ponce in a suit"... genius!

On a better note to pre-empt any comments I shall be endeavouring to revert the website back to the "old" version, that is the one from last year, tomorrow afternoon. Alcohol permitting.

[Imago]

Ooh what fun David. So far a cursory glance – it being late – has thrown up references to then schoolchildren who are now variously a Fellow of All Souls, several World Schools semi-finalists, a current World Schools Champion, a former European Champion and even someone who is still a member of the Scottish schools’ development squad. Oh, and me.

[David Bean]

Yes, I knew you were in there somewhere! In fact, I think the speech in question may have beenn the first I saw you give at an actual competition.

Chris: odd, eh? I figured out I wrote more words that year in Parliament Hall minutes alone than I did for my degree, so please forgive the creeping insanity!

Oh yes, and the layers of irony in this particular tidbit (where the principal subject was still at school) are quite suffocating:

The Convener recognised some fellow called Watt, whose speech the Clerk refuses to minute as he had the impertinence to fail to take his seat when commanded by the Chair. Mr. Puschmann, proving that he had vays of makink him not talk, called upon Miss Russell to eject him from the chamber, which - with near-Teutonic efficiency - she did. Sadly Herr Convener, proving that he does indeed have a heart (the fool), decided to allow him to sit at the back of the hall with his lips tightly closed, and the sword remained safely on the table. The Convener also commented that perhaps a wish for Miss Russell to manhandle him may have been what motivated the Watt boy to behave as he did; with this motive, at least, the Clerk sympathises greatly.

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Psalm 91:7

[Mr Comedy]

The Convener recognised Mr. Bean, who welcomed Mr. O'Hare to the debate as he had thought he was due to be gunged in the Union instead (though Mr. O'Hare replied that this would take place later on). He wished to address the old issue of cannabis as a gateway drug. Firstly, what could the term mean - is cannabis some kind of admission ticket? This had been the case at certain parties he had attended, but he really did not think that was the point. In fact, it concerns the notion that taking cannabis leads to the consumption of far more dangerous drugs. But is this not because of the seamy underworld into which one wishing to buy drugs is forced to enter? Drug dealers are evil and unscrupulous, not looking at anyone in particular, Mr. Dyson. He wished to conclude before his speech degenerated into a McCarthyite witch-hunt, but proposed removing the problem by legalising drugs and allowing supplies to be bought from reputable sources. Therefore, he sided with the Proposition.

Don't lie to me David - you've never been to those parties! (It's the ones with a mountain of coke which are better actually).
I've also hugely enjoyed reading all Sir Clem's speeches again - I forgot how enjoyable they were. Can some diligent clerk (hint) put these all on the new website?

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"I am in no way interested in immortality, but only in the taste of tea. " -Lu Tung

[Tweedle-Dum]

Quoting David Bean from 00:25, 21st Jan 2008
Yes, I knew you were in there somewhere! In fact, I think the speech in question may have beenn the first I saw you give at an actual competition.

Chris: odd, eh? I figured out I wrote more words that year in Parliament Hall minutes alone than I did for my degree, so please forgive the creeping insanity!

Oh yes, and the layers of irony in this particular tidbit (where the principal subject was still at school) are quite suffocating:

The Convener recognised some fellow called Watt, whose speech the Clerk refuses to minute as he had the impertinence to fail to take his seat when commanded by the Chair. Mr. Puschmann, proving that he had vays of makink him not talk, called upon Miss Russell to eject him from the chamber, which - with near-Teutonic efficiency - she did. Sadly Herr Convener, proving that he does indeed have a heart (the fool), decided to allow him to sit at the back of the hall with his lips tightly closed, and the sword remained safely on the table. The Convener also commented that perhaps a wish for Miss Russell to manhandle him may have been what motivated the Watt boy to behave as he did; with this motive, at least, the Clerk sympathises greatly.

That wasn't my motive, I'm sure of that, I do love the section on peter though:

As a typical Glaswegian (heroin adict, teenage pregnancy) I found myself very at home in St. Andrews


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Tetragrammaton is a four letter word.

[Eliot Wilson]

Someone enjoyed Freud's speeches? Jesus. I had no idea. I thought he was a tedious old fool who ought never have been allowed to stand, personally. And some of his jokes were even older than he was.

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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."

[Mr Comedy]

Quoting Eliot Wilson from 21:38, 22nd Jan 2008
Someone enjoyed Freud's speeches? Jesus. I had no idea. I thought he was a tedious old fool who ought never have been allowed to stand, personally. And some of his jokes were even older than he was.

It is infinitely preferable to sitting through another IV style speech with no attempt at wit.

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"I am in no way interested in immortality, but only in the taste of tea. " -Lu Tung

[Mr Comedy]

Oh, and I don't seem to be able to get access to the minutes where Miranda sacked the whole BoT.

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"I am in no way interested in immortality, but only in the taste of tea. " -Lu Tung

[David Bean]

Quoting Mr Comedy from 20:24, 22nd Jan 2008
Don't lie to me David - you've never been to those parties! (It's the ones with a mountain of coke which are better actually).
I've also hugely enjoyed reading all Sir Clem's speeches again - I forgot how enjoyable they were. Can some diligent clerk (hint) put these all on the new website?

All right, I'll concede I may have been exaggerating slightly. But I do love the irony of my comment about gunging - I'd never have dreampt I'd be the one in that position three years later!

Miranda didn't sack the Board of Ten in a Board meeting - she did it at a meeting of the SSC, by a motion passed and adopted. Some of us knew what was coming (mainly because we were in on it), but God knows how the rest of them took it when they dfound out. Looking back it does seem amazing that a convenor was ever able to get away with something like that.

If you can't find a particular set of minutes, it's probably because the archive didn't capture it on that date. If you follow the link in the page saying that the file is missing, and then select one of the other captures, it'll probably be there in at least some of them.

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Psalm 91:7

[Eliot Wilson]

Quoting David Bean from 22:43, 23rd Jan 2008
Miranda didn't sack the Board of Ten in a Board meeting - she did it at a meeting of the SSC, by a motion passed and adopted. Some of us knew what was coming (mainly because we were in on it), but God knows how the rest of them took it when they dfound out. Looking back it does seem amazing that a convenor was ever able to get away with something like that.

Yes, I can only guess she was badly advised. Cough cough cough.

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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."

[exnihilo]

Well, at least one of the speeches I made has been recorded.

[David Bean]

Quoting Eliot Wilson from 23:15, 23rd Jan 2008
Yes, I can only guess she was badly advised. Cough cough cough.

Advised... or assessed?

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Psalm 91:7