A Visit to the Bod
I went to the Bodleian library the other day. It was a memorable visit for all sorts of reasons. I was there to present prizes to nine children, whose designs were being turned into gargoyles for the Bodleian. Now that may not seem a big deal, but I suspect they are the first designs for 500 years, and may well be in place for centuries to come. So to create a lasting monument to your existence on the world’s most famous library at the age of 11 is quite something.
There were other reasons why I loved the visit. I got to look at and touch one of the Bod’s three copies of the Magna Carta - a major thrill. In the Divinity Halls, I was able to look on the doorway that Wren created to provide a passage to the Sheldonian. It was described at the time as a major piece of architectural vandalism, reminding us that great architects were criticised even in the sevententh century. And in this case, the critics were right. The door completely throws the symmetry of the building.
The ceiling of the Divinity Hall is covered in the bosses (shields) of those who funded the building. Again, a useful reminder that corporate sponsorship was alive and well half a millenium ago. We should not be so precious about it today, providing it is done tastefully.
canvas said on January 20th, 2008 at 4:18 pm:
taste? taste can be the enemy of art
Tizzy said on January 21st, 2008 at 6:04 am:
Quote from the Bod on Reader’s cards (including spelling mistake):
Most bona fide researchers will receive Gold cards.
Brown will be restricted to those given acess to the Bodleian for exceptional reasons.
[end quote]
Poor old Gordon, unable to see that glorious ceiling.
Sue said on January 22nd, 2008 at 6:24 pm:
Hey Ed, I hope your fingers have stopped tingling
Am also quite glad your shape didn’t change (I’ll leave it for you to explain to everyone who didn’t see you on The Wright Stuff this morning, or hear you chatting to Bill Heine on BBC Radio Oxford this evening - all I can say is OMG!! 
Please can you fix the link a couple of posts down, about the science cuts? Thanks
And you’re never going to get another mention by Iain Dale if you don’t post more often
Sue said on January 22nd, 2008 at 7:21 pm:
Sorry, couldn’t resist it - here’s a link from the Daily Mail
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=509753&in_page_id=1770
Tizzy said on January 22nd, 2008 at 7:54 pm:
Quote from Sue’s link, above, after Ed takes herbal sex drug:
“The stiffest part of me was my legs following a particularly hard run yesterday.”
I know, puerile.
Tizzy said on January 22nd, 2008 at 8:11 pm:
Sue, see my comment on the ‘Science Cuts’ page - I’ve put the correct URL there.
Sue said on January 22nd, 2008 at 8:24 pm:
thanks Tizzy
Sue said on January 23rd, 2008 at 6:56 pm:
I was wrong about Iain Dale, he’s turned you into a caption competition!! Unfortunately, I’m hopeless at things like this, I find them much too hard
canvas said on February 1st, 2008 at 1:32 pm:
earth to ed…again.
Is there an award for the worlds worst blogger? LoL
So, what’s your view on super tuesday now ed?
Looks like Romney is flaking out and Hillary has met her match.
It’s not an easy call but the money is on McCain vs Obama.
Maybe?
Go Obama!
Tizzy said on February 2nd, 2008 at 11:17 pm:
“Is there an award for the worlds worst blogger?”
What about bloggers who continue to have Webcameron as their ‘must read’ links?
Sue said on February 4th, 2008 at 11:11 pm:
Well, as Ed’s given up (again), I thought I’d take over his blog (again)!
We’re moving house on Thursday, into rented accommodation and I’m absolutely terrified. Terrified that the kids will puke all over the brand new carpet, or have a nose bleed, or that the dog will poop inside instead of outside, and that it will all end up costing us a small fortune in replacing said carpet :O Then there’s the fact that the new house is on a main road. I’m agoraphobic, and traffic unnerves me at the best of times - having to live so close to constant traffic is something that I’m really worried about (impossible to explain just why it worries me so very much) - but I know there’s nothing I can do, so will just get on with it.
Oh, and my son might have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - he’s still being tested to see if it’s something else causing his symptoms…..but we all think it’s a result of the flood. Both kids have had much more sickness since last July, and we know that at least one house down our road had MRSA in their flood water, so it stands to reason that what we had in our house wasn’t exactly clean and healthy! Who knows what other long term affects there might be from this flood?
And today I tried to get contents insurance for the rented house - not so easy anymore, as we now live in a flood zone. The house we’re moving into is nowhere near the stream that flooded us, but because it has the same post code, as does the entire, very large, village, it seems that the entire village will now be classified as being in a flood risk area. I wonder if Ed’s thought of that, and the consequences that will mean for many of his constituents. Ouch, all I know is, this flood is costing my family in too many ways. I wish we had the money to screw working here http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=512077&in_page_id=1811 and we’d s*d off to Oz.
Sue said on February 5th, 2008 at 1:08 pm:
I just realised that it’s not just my village which will forever be classed as a flood-risk area, but the entire town of Wantage as well, as we all share the same post code.
There are going to be a lot of very unhappy people at contents/buildings insurance renewal time
Tizzy said on February 5th, 2008 at 9:47 pm:
Hey! What’s with the moderation?
Sue said on February 5th, 2008 at 10:13 pm:
What moderation Tizzy?
I wonder if Ed’s planning on ditching this blog, it hardly seems worth keeping it going.
canvas said on February 6th, 2008 at 7:51 am:
What moderation?!
Ed should kill his blog - his apathy just reflects badly on him.
Either do something properly - or don’t do it at all.
At least that’s what my mother used to tell me…
Ed, your blogging skills suck and you’re a huge disappointment to the blogging world - and I’m going to tell on you. Ohhhh Iain… Iain Dale??