A leak from Department for Education has suggested that Michael Gove, Education Secretary, will ban the discretionary up to 2 weeks leave of absence that Head Teachers are permitted to grant during term time, according to the Telegraph. Apparently, this will help cut down on truancy. Ostensibly this leave of absence is supposed to be … Continue reading »

Earlier this week it was seen that Tesco were (apparently mistakenly) advertising for permanent slaves. Oops. In fact I believe the slavery contracts are supposed to be temp only. So, whatever, does anyone fancy going and working night shifts at Tesco for free? You know, learning really valuable skills that will look great on your … Continue reading »

The other day I ate a piece of cake and felt a little bit guilty about it. That might sound like a perfectly normal sentence for a young female to say. Isn’t it? Now I’ve never felt guilty about eating cake before in my entire life, unless it wasn’t my cake. And even when it … Continue reading »

We hear a lot about rights. And rightly so, in most cases. Human rights, equal rights, the right to vote, the right to free speech, the right to work, the right to a living wage, the right to a free education, the right to bear arms, the right to party, the right to take a … Continue reading »

So, we got busted by Trading Standards/The Filth. And just to get serious for a minute, how the bloody hell is this legal? If an undercover copper approaches you and asks you for drugs or sex, it’s called entrapment and gets thrown out of court, but if they send an undercover 17.8 year old in … Continue reading »

Thanks to the supermarkets’ insistence that we accessorise the milestones of our year with cards, bunting and awful injection-molded plastic stuff, we’ve all got used to the notion that particular festivals will be represented by particular colours. Christmas is red and green. Hallowe’en is black and orange. Easter is daffodil-yellow. Mother’s Day is pastel, like … Continue reading »

I worked out today that I have spent roughly 2/3 of my life in thrall to the academic calendar.* The concept, post university, of marking years by dates and not by term starts took some time to sink in.  It was a shock to the system, despite having had jobs since my teens, to have … Continue reading »

It must be hard living up to a label like ‘the next big thing.’ There’s a weight of expectation engendered by the title that nothing can possibly live up to. In terms of popular music, so many next-big-things have fizzled out or else failed to ignite altogether that after a while you stop paying any … Continue reading »

Every week, one of our writers will be given five tracks – they could be unsigned, they could be international superstars.  Any genre could be included, and the writer gets one week to give their verdict on each song in under 100 words.  This week, Nick Duffy takes his turn.  If you like what you … Continue reading »

Djanan Turan (pronounced “like naan bread, but with a ja!”) makes a fascinating impression, with tales on her website about singing in cupboards, and lyrics about being a goldfish. More intriguing still is her latest album, Artigo. It invokes the same euphoric absurdity of Regina Spektor at her most bizarre, but with a thread of unearthly yet … Continue reading »

It’s a cliché really, remembering parts of your life by the songs you were listening to, but in these days of instant access to online music it is easier than ever to reflect on music and days gone by. I have been a music fan for as long as I can remember – I have … Continue reading »

When exactly will Lego lose its appeal? When it’s sent into space as a mini-naut by University students? When an 8ft Lego man named Ego Lennard washes up on the beach of Sarasota and becomes a global celebrity or when it costs over £500 on Ebay for a vintage ‘hard to find’ Lego Greengrocer ? … Continue reading »

When I told my sister that I wanted to join a union, she laughed and said: “You can’t go on strike – what will you do, go to work?” She had a point. I suffer from a severe mental illness, and so am unable to work. My husband works part time in a shop and … Continue reading »

It was bound to happen just days after I post my only review, in which I clearly state I don’t normally do reviews, that I get sent a number of CDs to pass my judgement upon. Although not a dedicated music site, many releases have landed on the desks of The Camel’s Hump*, and, for … Continue reading »

This a gluten and dairy free, Paleo friendly (not vegan as it contains eggs) recipe for a very satiating nut loaf that’s nice hot or cold. This works really well with roast veg. I had Asparagus and Sweet Potato. Serves 8 x 150g meal portions or 16 x 75g snack portions. Prep time- 2-3 hours, plus 1 … Continue reading »

Lost: Sense of Perspective. Last seen somewhere between problems and issues. If found, please return to MmeLindor, c/o CamelsHump Have you ever lost perspective and suddenly found it again? I did this week. I was having one of those days, when everything seemed to go wrong. I was cross and irritated, and settled down to … Continue reading »

Last night’s meal was one of those real ‘throw together’ easy efforts. Which turned out to be unbelievably flipping scrumptious. And quick. And cheap. So I thought I’d share the results of my latest fridge forage. You could get fancy with this, adding in some toasted breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, a dash of white wine or … Continue reading »

She looks approximately 18. HER: Hiya, you OK? Just this please [hands me a bottle of Jacques] ME: OK…sorry, it’s policy, do you have any ID? HER: I haven’t. Sorry. ME: I can’t serve you then. Sorry. HER: [Breezily] Oh, that’s ok. See ya! Must have been the test purchaser. No swearing? Civil? Not pointlessly … Continue reading »

Libraries are facing cuts, and are closing at an alarming rate all over the country – CILIP (Chartered Institute of Librarians and Information Professionals) estimates that 600 libraries, mobile libraries and services could be destroyed in the next few years.  As a former Library Assistant (totally different to a Librarian, but more of that later) … Continue reading »

Every week, one of our writers will be given five tracks – they could be unsigned, they could be international superstars.  Any genre could be included, and the writer gets one week to give their verdict on each song in under 100 words.  This week, Cassandra Parkin takes her turn.  If you like what you … Continue reading »

I’m a sucker for subscriptions.  I love anything where you pay so much a month and you get something through the post – especially if it is something that will introduce new things to me, like Graze or the organic veg boxes I sometimes get from Riverford.  It’s like getting a little present through the … Continue reading »