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Archives for February, 2017
SS-GB [review] BBC Adaptation of Len Deighton’s SS-GB
I watched the BBC Adaptation of Len Deighton's SS-GB last night. I read the book a long time ago, it was probably one of the first alternative histories that I ever read. I've also enjoyed Young Lions by Andrew Mackay which is also set post-German Invasion of Britain. SS-GB Review The bombed-out ruins of Buckingham Palace as depicted in SS-GB. Image © Sid Gentle Films Ltd. SS-GB has a lot of elements that I enjoy. It's an alternative history, it's a police procedural, it has espionage/intelligence aspects and it's set during WW2. It also has another element that fascinates me. When do you remain loyal and when should you change sides? I was always going to watch this programme. The story is set in 1941, fourteen months after a successful German Invasion of Britain. In the opening shots we are…
Disneyland Paris Experience at Half Term Feb 2017
This week's blog post is slight late because I spent the first five days of this week at Disneyland Paris. It was a tiring holiday, but my kids seriously enjoyed Disneyland Paris, so it was worth doing. We've had a fab time, although Disneyland Paris was a bit busier than I'd expected at February half-term. Some of this was because a lot of the bigger rides were closed for refurbishment over the winter. So more people were trying to get on the rides that were still open. Star Wars at Disneyland Paris I think the highlight of the week was probably Alexander doing the Jedi Academy. Disneyland Paris is getting a Star Wars themed makeover, two of the big rides are being re-vamped to bring them up to date with the Star Wars franchise (Star Tours and Space Mountain). There are…
Inquiry as a Tool for Leaders (B204)
Inquiry should form the basis for leadership decision-making and action, because without productive inquiry you cannot be certain what needs to be done. Here's a bit I wrote for an assignment while studying B204 Leadership, Influencing and Change with the Open University. What is Inquiry? Dewey defines it as “determination of an indeterminate situation” in his book Logic: the Theory of Inquiry (1938). He sees patterns of inquiry as a sequential process which iterates following experimentation. Dewey links this to the scientific method, there is a need to gather information, and to make conscious practical tests of theory developed through reflection. Cook & Seely Brown (1999) expanded on Dewey’s theory by bringing in organisational theory, distinguishing between knowledge and knowing, and interaction with the real world. In blending these ideas Cook & Seely Brown show that there is more to learning than simply…
B204 Leadership, Influencing and Change – Tutorial Two Tips
Three models of change in scientific theories, depicted graphically to reflect roughly the different views associated with Karl Popper, Thomas Kuhn, and Paul Feyerabend. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) I went to the B204 Leadership, Influencing and Change tutorial in the LSE a week or so ago, and I learnt quite a bit about TMAs and engaging with B204's course material. In summary there's a lot of material on this course, and you can't read it all. So don't try. A key part of the critical thinking required is choosing what to read, and knowing when you've got enough theory to answer the questions. B204 doesn't have an exam, so you don't need to cram everything in your head. Useful B204 Leadership Theories The tutor suggested that a good strategy for B204 Leadership, Influencing and Change was to focus on a small…