With admin continuing to lay low—which is really only a bad thing in the context of this blog—it’s become necessary to find other admin analogous activities to take cheap potshots at. So, welcome to the first, irregularly scheduled edition of the Bonehead Comment of the Day (BCD), where I pay “tribute” to some statement madeContinue reading “BCD 05.11.2021”
Tag Archives: corona
Flying in the face of the pandemic
After a long, corona-induced abstinence, I recently had the necessity to take to the skies again. Which also meant that after a good six months of pretty much avoiding all forms of public transit, I also had to take a taxi, a streetcar, a train, and a bus all in short order. The last timeContinue reading “Flying in the face of the pandemic”
COST cutting
Right. If this blog is going to be about the absurdities of admin, might as well finally go after the granddaddy of them all: the European Union. You know, the entity of which the choking bureaucracy was part of the reason that an entire country decided to leave Europe? (Speaking of absurdities, let’s talk aboutContinue reading “COST cutting”
A question of form
Forms are synonymous with admin. And forms are simply awful. Period. (Although most people would agree with each of these sentiments, I strongly suspect that they have never contemplated the logical consequence of linking them together.) There is, of course, the pain inherent to any form in and of itself. However, there’s whole bunches ofContinue reading “A question of form”
Hours are not to reason why
If you’ve ever wanted a good example of the old saying that time is relative, you need look no further than the admin behind teaching in Germany. It all seems so simple going in. When I arrived at the University here in Not-Bielefeld, I was told that my teaching load was nine hours a weekContinue reading “Hours are not to reason why”
Bureaucracy goes to (well, after) the dogs
This entry probably deals more with bureaucracy (a system) than admin (the people and institutions indentured to that system) per se, but I’m hoping that only admin types (together with their lawyers, both of whom I’m also hoping aren’t reading this blog) would take me to task for this. (More to the point: my blog,Continue reading “Bureaucracy goes to (well, after) the dogs”
Printing in the pandemic
My university here in Not-Bielefeld, on the whole, has taken a careful, considered, and thoughtful approach to the whole coronavirus pandemic. (And to those people who are already screaming that I should be writing “COVID-19”, don’t ever let me hear you refer to “the flu” or “influenza”, ok?) One could only wish that most governmentsContinue reading “Printing in the pandemic”
The Blog About Fog 