Just been asked about Bronze Age Kilns.... now heres a question for the weeekend.... any refernces, knowledge, books ... sites pics etc about them would be appreciated. A bloke near where I live wants to build one and do experiments... and I would love it to work so I can take my YAC club to a firing.... (this month they are coming with me on a Mesolithic Hunt and Gather.... no wearing of Deer Outfits though)

So ovr to you oh gargantu brained ones.....

Another day another WSI?

...History re-written, a sign of the times.

Nelson: "Order the signal, Hardy."

Hardy: "Aye, aye sir."

Nelson: "Hold on, that?s not what I dictated to the signal officer. What?s the meaning of this?"

Hardy: "Sorry Sir?"

Nelson (reading aloud): "England expects every person to do his duty, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religious sexual persuasion or disability". "What gobbledygook is this?"

Hardy: "Admiralty policy, I'm afraid, sir. We're an equal opportunities employer now. We had the devil's own job getting 'England' past the censors, lest it be considered racist."

Nelson: "Gadzooks, Hardy. Hand me my pipe and tobacco."

Hardy: "Sorry Sir. All naval vessels have been designated smoke-free working environments. "

Nelson: "In that case, break open the rum ration. Let us splice the main brace to steel the men before battle."

'Hardy: "The rum ration has been abolished, Admiral. Its part of the Government's policy on binge drinking."

Nelson: "Good heavens Hardy. I suppose we' d better get on with it. Full speed ahead then."

Hardy: "I think you'll find that there's a 4 knot speed limit in this stretch of water."

Nelson: "Damn it man! We are on the eve of the greatest sea battle in history. We must advance with all dispatch. Report from the crow's nest please?.

Hardy: ?That won?t be possible, sir.?

Nelson: ??What?

Hardy: "Health and safety have closed the crow's nest, sir. No harness. And they said that rope ladder doesn't meet regulations. They won't let anyone up there until proper scaffolding can be erected.

Nelson: ?Then get the ships carpenter, without delay?.

Hardy: "He's busy knocking up a wheelchair access to the fo?c?sle Admiral. ,
Nelson: "Wheelchair access? I've never heard anything so absurd."

Hardy: "Health and safety again, sir. We have to provide a barrier-free environment for the differently abled."

Nelson: "Differently abled? I've only one arm and one eye'" and I refuse even to hear mention of the word. I didn?t rise to the rank of admiral by playing the disability card."

Hardy: "Actually, sir, you did. The Royal Navy is under-represented in the areas of visual impairment and limb deficiency.

Nelson: ?Whatever next ? give me full sail, the salt spray beckons?

Hardy: ?A couple of problems there to, Sir. Health and Safety won?t allow the crew up the rigging without hard hats. And they don't want anyone breathing in too much salt - haven't you seen the adverts?"

Nelson: "I've never: heard such infamy. Break out the cannon and tell the men to stand by to engage the enemy.?

Hardy: "The men are a bit worried about shooting at anyone, Admiral.

Nelson: "What? This is mutiny."

Hardy: "It's not that, Sir. It's just that they're afraid of being charged with murder if they actually kill anyone. There are a couple of legal-aid lawyers on board, watching everyone like hawks,"

Nelson: "Then how are we to sink the Frenchies and the Spanish?"

Hardy: "Actually, sir, we're not."

Nelson: "We're not?"

Hardy: "No, sir. The Frenchies and the Spanish are our European partners
now. According to the Common Fisheries Policy, we shouldn't even be in this stretch of water. We could get hit with a claim for compensation."

Nelson: "But you must hate a Frenchman as you hate the devil."

Hardy: ?I wouldn't let the ship's diversity co-ordinator hear you saying that sir. You'll be up on disciplinary."

Nelson: "You must consider every man an enemy, who speaks ill of your King."

Hardy: "Not any more, sir. We must be inclusive in this multicultural age. Now put on your Kevlar vest; it's the rules. It could save your life"

Nelson: "Don't tell me - health and safety. Whatever happened to rum, sodomy
and the lash?"

Hardy: ?As I explained, Sir, rum is of the menu! And there?s a ban on corporal punishment.?
Nelson: "What about sodomy?"

Hardy; "I believe that is now legal, sir."

Nelson: "In that case... kiss me, Hardy.?

sounds too much like modern archaeological working practices to me!

Another day another WSI?

After a long (and enjoyable) phone conversation with Simon from PCA (Lincoln),
BAJR offers the following formal apology and pledges a punitive damages condition.

BAJR apologies unreservedly for recent content on the ?BAJR Baiting? forum that suggested any wrongdoing. This was not the views of BAJR and due to this incident, a new Acceptable Use Policy has been instigated.

With reference to damages, PCA (Lincoln) has asked for ?1 to be donated to a charity of my choice. It is my intension to extend this amount to ?10 and send it (along with additional monies and materials) to Joyworld Aids Orphanage in M?tongwi , Kenya. If any others would like to contribute to the ?damages? in a similar way, I would appreciate cheques made out to David Connolly and sent to the BAJR mailing address.

We learn and by learning become stronger.

Yours sincerely

David Connolly
BAJR


Another day another WSI?

The new terms and conditions include this:

"You may not post any commercial material on this site"

Recently somebody offerred a second hand GPS on BAJR surely this is a good thing. How about a small ads forum for this type of sale?

On the other hand why bother notifying a spamer that there get rich scheme quick email has been deleted.

Not sure everybody using their real names is a good thing!

Peter

Hey just wanted to get 2 no sum of you guys as im new
XXXXX



C.Stowers

Hello all

I don't know how many others here subscribe to Britarch, but if you don't then you might be interested to read the two emails circulated there regarding the ongoing turmoil at the university of Wales, Newport (apologies in advance fo length):

03/10/2005

Archaeology at the University of Wales, Newport

The management of the University of Wales, Newport have decided to close down the Department of Archaeology at Caerleon, which will cease to exist in two years time. This will be a great loss for archaeology in South Wales - staff at the department have an enviable publication record for such a small department, and have been very active in research projects at Ogmore-on-Sea (mesolithic and neolithic occupation), Lodge Hill (Iron Age and post-Roman hillfort) and Gray Hill (multi-period upland landscape). They have also been involved with local archaeological groups. Many UWN graduates have gone on to work in museums, and have taken up curatorial and contracting positions in many archaeological trusts and commercial field units, including the National Museum of Wales, the Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust, Wessex Archaeology and the Cambridge Archaeological Unit. Archaeology at UWN has also been very active in lending their support to groups such as the Friends of the Newport Ship, following the find of the well-preserved medieval ship in Newport.

Despite being told earlier this year to go ahead and recruit a new 1st year undergraduate cohort, this decision was suddenly reversed in August (when most staff were away on research projects), and those students which had been accepted have now been told to reapply elsewhere. Many are now considering legal action against the UWN management. Existing 2nd and 3rd year students will therefore be the last at Newport. Archaeology staff were also told to cut the number of hours in existing taught modules, and it will not now be possible to have the same breadth of options and staff members for teaching (several part-time posts have already been cut). Although this is being strongly resisted, this has very worrying implications for academic standards. Archaeology has also been moved into a new School of Health and Social Science, whereas History, with whom Archaeology had previously very close contacts, has been moved into the separate School of Education. Many 2nd and 3rd year students are now also considering legal action too, and they will be publicly protesting these decisions on Tuesday 4th October.

Archaeology at Newport's Caerleon campus had already lost their Archaeology Centre. Although Archaeology had been encouraged to submit a bid for the redevelopment of the existing building, in secret and without the knowledge of any Archaeology staff, UWN management were also considering a planning application for the same site, to develop it as further space for Art, Media and Design (despite a new campus for these subjects being planned for the centre of Newport). The head of Archaeology at Newport, Professor Stephen Aldhouse-Green, only found out this out by accident when he overheard a conversation between two members of Estates staff in a corridor! On several occasions in the past few years, UWN management and the Vice-Chancellor Professor James Lusty in particular, have been disingenuous with Archaeology staff and have not informed them of key decisions relating to their subject area.

Archaeology have since had to move into two very cramped rooms, with very inadequate facilities for the storage of site archives and the numerous artefacts in the department's teaching collection. Having been reassured that enough room would be made available on the Caerleon campus, this is not the case, and it now seems likely that staff and students will have to travel to the Alt-yr-Yn campus in Newport for some lectures. (There is an obvious irony in that, despite being closed for an ostensible lack of students, the department now has too many for the allocated rooms). At the beginning of this semester vital equipment such as data projectors and
computers were still not in place at Caerleon. Postgraduate archaeology students are being moved into one room shared with other humanities postgraduates, and this small room has very inadequate facilities, and is directly beneath a noisy undergraduate hall of residence. Given the insecurity of existing staff posts, there are also doubts about the continued provision of supervision for these postgraduates.

As I have mentioned, our undergraduate students are considering legal
action and are mounting a series of public protests, beginning tomorrow on Tuesday 4th October. I would urge anyone who cares about the provision of academic archaeology in Britain, and about archaeology in South Wales, to write to the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wales, Newport, and to the new Dean of Health and Social Science. It would be particularly good to have the support of leading academics from other archaeology departments in Britain, and from the Council for British Archaeology, RESCUE and the Institute of Field Archaeologists.

Adrian Chadwick
Department of Archaeology
University of Wales, Newport
Caerleon Campus
PO Box 179


05/10/2005

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

The University of Wales, Newport, will be closing down its archaeology department in 2007.

This means that they have taken away our archaeology building, which means that we now have to fit into whatever free space there is on campus, often too small for all of us to fit in to, we have lost a lecturer and our lecture time has been cut by almost 50%, often meaning that we have subject lectures every other week.

We need you to spread the word to anyone that you feel can help us to save our course!

I have always had only a slim grasp of university departmental politics but even I think that this sounds like a bit of a rum do. What does everyone else think?

S

I am now back in the country.. and have opened the forum again.

sorry to all for the inconvienience.

In the next couple of days a new area will be opened that will deal with problems in a more general way... no names ....

It may be something that could benefit everyone... where perceptions and misunderstandings can be aired and discussed without the spectre of finger pointing. communication and listening will make everyones life easier.

Glad to be back

David Connolly


Another day another WSI?

I have had a request from YAT and others that were also concerned about some of the allegations- but they want to know more about this. However what has be requested is that you contact me privately... info@bajr.org and I will collate them, talk with teh companies and they will either explain where there is a misunderstanding OR investigate ... this is a very very reasonable offer that does not involve public rants that damage BAJR and/or the company.

So.... if you have a beef.. contact me privately..

The forum stays closed until my return on the 5th October. Then we can discuss how best to run it, so we do not have a repeat of what happened.

Positive action... not negative comment

take heart

Another day another WSI?

I am very sorry to do this..... but I am too far away and unavailable to respond quick enough to what is going on....

I get back on the 5th October when I wil unlock again .... I hope you all understand... this is not permanant... I just need time to think about an Acceptable Use Guidlines Policy... so that everyone is clear what is and is not allowed. I also notice tht Peter is not a moderator on BAJR Baiting... that is my fault as I must have forgotton to tick his permissions checkbox...

So.... until the 5th October........ sorry but I know you will understand.

Another day another WSI?

Mmmm...just reading an 'ology report where they describe having to 'poodle' for hidden/buried archaeology with sondages. new one on me. any light on that.

For that matter any other weird words just used by the profession?