Personal Blogs

Still waiting to hear about what is happening with my EMA.

the OU facebook page is flooded with people who have already heard.

I should get an email this weekend.

Really need to know, so that i can plan what to do.

Firstly, all the virus situations are awful, i work in health care and am currently doing 74 hour weeks to try and meet demand, 74 hours a week until i get infected.

With all the changes to how all societies are ordered across the world, and having just studied revolutions in DD316, the aftermath of the societal shutdowns we currently endure could be very difficult.

Shops in the high street were struggling before the lockdown, most will not reopen in the recession economy after the lockdown. That's 3 million people without work.

A lot of firms will realise that staff can work from home, office complexes will become empty, which puts service staff, such as cleaners/receptionists  out  of work.

With a recession economy firms that do survive with cut back staff numbers to save costs.

Product lines in supermarkets are simplified, international goods have/ will disappear. So although now the super markets are taking on tens of thousands of temporary staff, they won't be needed once the demand shock settles down. So more people will lose their temporary work.

Before the virus outbreak, the UK had 1 million unemployed people, 0.15% of the population. Once the lockdown is over, in the recession economy that could rise to 10 million, 15.0% of the population. That is a 10 fold increase....

How we will support 15.0% unemployed in a world recession economy is terrifying. Compounded by all the three month safety net measures currently in place from the government are based on borrowing, how can they then fund a 10 fold increase in unemployment benefits?

So whilst some officials talk about 'the economy bouncing back' once the infection rates fall, it seems that the aftermath will be more of a revolution in economic activity and social needs, things will be very different for everybody after the pandemic, not just a simple case of bouncing back to past practices.

So please do all stay safe, stay isolated and stay well.

So TMA04 is due in 3 weeks.

There is a big jump up in this one, much more independent research is required.

It seems like it will be very time consuming. 

This is the final marked tma of this level three module.

So i should not be surprised it is challenging.

Well my tutor is on strike action

TMA3 was due on the 11th of February, and still no mark has come back yet.

Think the strike ends tomorrow, so should get the marked essay back after that.

5 weeks till tma04 is due,

Then after that, everything will be about the EMA, never done a 3000 word essay before, might be quite challenging....

Got to get tma 3 done this weekend. Must not avoid doing it....

Must be motivated to do it....

I am not motivated at the moment.

I enjoyed seeing the chiefs win the super bowl. The coach, Andy Reid deserved the honour.

so we wait and wait, the pay day between December (which was paid early) and the January pay day are so far apart!!!!

Unlike the tma2 and tma3 which are only 4 weeks apart!!!

So I am skint, which is good because I have nothing else to do, or to be able to afford to do, apart form work and study.

Citizenship is the theme for block 3 and tma 3, not exactly an interesting subject, but important I suppose.

I am over half way thorough this module now, so the down hill run starts, lets just get it all finished and ty to work out what to study as my last module next year, at the moment I favour Philosophy over economics. 

But that might change.....

So myTma2 is in, just waiting for my mark.

Only 4 weeks between tma2 and tma3, so a bit of a quick turn around.

Just to wish everyone a happy holiday.

Be kind to each other.

I am working Christmas night and Boxing day night.

The money was too good to turn down, so 6pm to 6am it is for me tonight

Thank you everyone.

My view counter just chugged past 120,000.

Thank you to everyone who visits and reads this blog.

When i first started, i had no idea it would get 100 views, let alone 120,000.

It's very much appreciated.

Block 2 seems more interesting than block 1.

I have always found the 'state' and what makes  them legitimate interesting.

The Tma question for block 2 is tricky...

Are Liberal Democracies good?

So lets not fall into the trap of a value judgement.

Well Level 3 is certainly  step up in difficulty.

You do indeed need to spend the full 16 hours per week on study, not like level 1 or 2, where I found that 6-8 hours would get you through.

The material is similar to level 2, but there is a lot more of it.

plus the TMA's now need to have outside materials brought into them, so after 4 years of 'stick to the module materials, Michael', it now becomes 'where are your outside influences, Michael'

It also seems to be a much quicker launch through the material, in order to leave the required 8 weeks at the end to do the EMA.

Oh well, best crack on then.

Level 3 is hard....

I have a TMA due in a week, and i have no idea what to write.