andrewforsyth

2006-08-12T07:54:00.001-07:00

Washington National Cathedral
Designed as a "house of prayer for all people” and “a great church for national purposes”

2006-08-12T07:44:00.000-07:00

104 Valley Road My home in the District

2006-08-04T20:05:00.000-07:00

I visited Philadelphia with Erin and Cameron

National Constitution Center

"Ben Franklin is buried here"!

Looking to City Hall from the
steps of the Art Gallery (aka
the steps Rocky ran up)

Elfreth’s Alley, the oldest
residential street in the US

2006-08-04T19:41:00.002-07:00

Fireworks over the Washington Monument

The Capitol from the Mall

Jefferson Memorial

Washington, D.C. on and around the Fourth of July

2006-08-04T08:02:00.000-07:00

I travelled with San Francisco with Susan. We ate in Chinatown, saw the sights, roasted in the sun and shivered in the fog.

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Ian came down from Pollock Pines and spent time with us.

2006-07-21T20:20:00.000-07:00

After Los Angeles we headed back to Santa Barbara where we went horseriding with Erin and Cameron:

2006-07-16T14:50:00.000-07:00

Following the end of term I travelled with my friend Susan.
First to Los Angeles:

LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art)

Santa Monica Beach

Hollywood

Magic Mountain Theme Park

2006-07-15T11:11:00.000-07:00

My term finished on the 16th June.
It's been a wonderful year and there were many sad goodbyes:

to the citylooking towards Santa Barbara from the Pier

to academic staff who've taken an interest in my progress
with Professors Couclelis and Thomas

and to all my friends and housematesCienega House night-out

2006-06-04T17:30:00.000-07:00

Over the Memorial Day* Weekend I went, with Erin, to the I Madonnari Italian chalk-drawing festival by the Santa Barbara Mission.

* From wikipedia.org
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday that is observed on the last Monday of May (most recently observed May 29, 2006). It was formerly known as Decoration Day. This holiday commemorates U.S. men and women who have died in military service to their country. It began first to honor Union soldiers who died during the American Civil War. After World War I, it expanded to include those who died in any war or military action. One of the longest standing traditions is the running of the Indianapolis 500, which has been held in conjunction with Memorial Day since 1911.

2006-06-02T12:03:00.000-07:00

For Maura's birthday she held a Euro-trash Party. I had to explain, to many people, on several occasions, that despite being from Europe I do not normally dress this way...

2006-05-16T23:50:00.000-07:00

Selecting meal, with Dana, for my birthday dinner at Santa Barbara's top Peruvian restaurant

Afterwards at the Double Tree .

With Cameron, Dave and Ian.

2006-05-16T23:44:00.000-07:00

May 15th, 2006. I was 22.

2006-05-06T21:32:00.000-07:00

Whale Watching

Today I went whale watching with Ian, Erin and Ally. There were brief sightings of minky whales and a school of porpoises played alongside the catamaran.

Strong winds, sea-spray and heavy waves added to the experience!

2006-05-06T21:24:00.000-07:00

GLOBAL NIGHT COMMUTE

From the Daily Nexus:
Over 350 people participated in the Global Night Commute, an international event supporting the children of Uganda. Most had walked from several miles away, including the UCSB campus: a 12-mile hike.

The event, planned by grassroots organization Invisible Children drew 60,000 commuters worldwide. By camping overnight at urban centres, participants re-enacted the nightly trek that Ugandan children, nicknamed "night commuters", make to avoid being kidnapped during raid by the Lord's Resistance Army.

2006-04-13T14:36:00.000-07:00

All Hall Ball
The annual party for students in Halls took place on Saturday 1st April.

It took place at the Doubletree Resort owned by 50s film star Fess Parker.

With Ian and Maura

With Ally and Erin

2006-04-13T14:22:00.000-07:00

After a long Winter Quarter I spent Spring Break in Mazatlan, Mexico and Idyllwild, California.

Relaxing by the beach

The City of Mazatlan

Ian in the Old Town

In Idyllwild I stayed in a house once belonging to the actor Charles Laughton.

Idyllwild

2006-03-10T00:13:00.000-08:00

DAY IN THE LIFE: Thursday 10 March

0930-1100 Thought of the Middle Ages

Today we considered Bonaventure's
The Soul's Journey into God

1200-1500 Seminar on Jewish-Christian Relations in Antiquity

Discussion on Claudia Setzer's
Jewish Responses to Early Christians: History and Polemics, 30-150CE

1930-2130 Attended UCSB Arts and Lectures presentation of Paradise Now

2006-03-07T21:59:00.000-08:00

On Sunday I went to the Santa Barbara Mission. It was the tenth of the California missions to be founded by the Spanish Franciscans. It was established on the Feast of St. Barbara, 1786

I spent time on Saturday with Ian, Ally, Dana and Dave.

Eating sushi with Ian

2006-03-07T21:56:00.000-08:00

Today I was elected
President of the Glasgow University Dialectic Society

Thank you to everyone who helped in my campaign

2006-03-06T23:44:00.001-08:00

For a Dialectic Society that: listens and responds to its members; is efficiently administered; will confidently build on strong traditions and create inclusive activities,
Vote ANDREW C FORSYTH for Dialectic President

Personal History
A 1^st Year Rep, I complied and administered a survey that all the new debaters completed. From this I produced a report outlining our praise, criticism and new ideas. I lobbied for younger debaters to have a strong role in decision-making. Junior speakers are as much a part of the debates life as senior speakers.

Asst Hon Sec: I wrote the submission which brought additional funding from the SRC to repair the Mace; I was able to present the AGM with a bound copy of regularly completed Minutes, Reports and Publicity. I kept a sense of humour and donated the Horn of Merit.

As SRC Vice-President (Activities and Development) I gained valuable experience coordinating Freshers’ Week, convening committees, handling budgets… I remained an Ordinary Member of the Dialectic Board.

Third Term
I will not be at Glasgow University for 3rd term. I’m confident the Society will select Officers capable of running the organization in my absence. A Vice-President is selected specifically to deputise in the place of the President.

If elected I will be in continual interaction with the Board through the website and by email.

The Board
For three years I’ve been keen to liberate the energies of Board Members: I know they are enthusiastic and keen to bring positive change. I want to enable them to fulfil personal goals and to guide the agenda for the year. Let’s hold away-days to discuss our aims for the year. I want Board Members to be Ambassadors for the Society empowered to encourage members, confident to contribute ideas, trusted to have responsibility for running projects. Equally I will insist that business is well handled, with agendas, minutes and chairing that will use everyone's time efficiently.

Specific Aims
Communication. There must be defined, clear procedures for involving the members: maintained data bases, regular emails, appropriate use of the website. An external publicity policy: targeted advertising to appropriate academic Departments, widely disseminated posters (simply achieved through e.g. all Board Members collecting some from the Porters Box to pin-up in their classes).

Inclusiveness. A survey reported in the BBC showed that nearly 1 in 4 students are teetotal. As a Society we need to provide a range of events appealing to the whole student body. I love our dinners and pub crawls but we should be confident to actively hold non-alcoholic events alongside traditional ones: Dialectic Afternoon Tea anyone? Let’s actively hold events outside the GUU while of course, continuing to enjoy the warmest of relationships with the Union. (Both organizations benefit from bringing more people into debates.)

Administration and Events. We should review lunchtime debates (making sure that it’s the best way to provide accessible debating experience and entertainment). I have a passion for organisation and the details that count. It should be simple to make sure that the basics are done well e.g. that we collect annual membership fees from everyone.

Collegiality: there should be continual dialogue between the Board and our peers- generating ideas. The Board should review every event to consider how we can improve it for next time e.g. we should immediately speak to the current first years about their experience of Freshers’ Week.

2006-02-20T17:24:00.000-08:00

PUBLIC LECTURES
On Thursday 9th February I attended a lecture marking the creation of the Virgil Cordano Chair in Catholic Studies. Ann Taves, an internationally recognized historian of Christianity and of American religion, is the first Cordano Professor.

The endowed chair is in honour of the Rev. Virgil Cordano, a Franciscan friar and former pastor of the Santa Barbara Mission, He has devoted his life to promoting greater understanding of all religions and increased dialogue among them.

On Friday 17th February I attended a lecture by Colin Powell, Former Secretary of State and Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

2006-02-12T23:16:00.000-08:00

Wine-tasting with the Larive Family in the Santa Ynez valley

2006-01-16T17:55:00.000-08:00

Halls High Jinks

Liam, Ian and me

With Maura, pre Residence Halls Masquerade Dance

Our Album Cover: Dave, Dana, Andrew and Ian

2006-01-05T16:57:00.000-08:00

Loch Lomond
Today with my parents and Auntie Sheena I walked by the bonnie bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.

2006-01-04T09:41:00.000-08:00

World Universities
Debating Championships

Dublin

27th December 2005-
4th January 2006

Seventh Round being announced:
"This House Would Recognise a Legally Enforceable Right to a Minimum Standard of Living"

Kirsty, Euan and University College, Dublin
The campus' design specifically aimed to prevent riots.

Trinity College, Dublin

James Joyce bust,
St Stephen's Green

With Ailsa at the Championship Dinner

2005-12-18T11:27:00.000-08:00

Daft Friday at Glasgow University Union

At the James Bridie Memorial Dinner with David Adams

2005-11-29T11:30:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Break

Fireworks at Riverside

Larive Family at Joshua Tree National Park

View over Riverside from Erin's house in University Heights

2005-11-29T11:22:00.000-08:00

Campus Scenes

Studying on the beach

Statue amidst fall/autumn colors/colours

2005-11-14T19:50:00.000-08:00

At the weekend I travelled south to San Diego

Downtown San Diego

Gaslight District

Mission San Diego de Alcala (1769)

With Kate (Monash University, Melbourne)
and James (University of Warwick)

US Pacific Fleet, San Diego Harbour

2005-11-09T11:25:00.000-08:00

Research Methods in Human Geography

Recent work for this class included creating (and testing) a survey on environmental attitudes. I had to record the opinions of a pilot group.

I used some of the people who live in my floor of Cienega House as that group. I had to take some pictures of them completing the exercise.

Photographs:
Ally
Ian
Liam and Sacha

2005-11-06T15:18:00.000-08:00

On Friday 4th November I saw Desmond Tutu speak on the subject of Ubuntu: "a person is a person through other persons".

Tutu describes further:
"A person with ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, for he or she has a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are humiliated or diminished, when others are tortured or oppressed."

2005-10-31T17:37:00.000-08:00

Three views from my room

2005-10-31T17:25:00.000-08:00

HALLOWEEN PHOTOGRAPHS

Me and Erin

Street scenes

Erin and Grant

2005-10-25T21:36:00.000-07:00

Some more images of campus

Trinity Episcopal Church, Santa Barbara

2005-10-19T20:28:00.000-07:00

The Facebook is an online directory that connects people through social networks at universities. It's essential that you have a listing. Also important, at UCSB, is to have as affected a photo as taste allows. Here's mine:

2005-10-10T10:55:00.000-07:00

2005-10-07T09:03:00.000-07:00

My dorm

Campus' beach

Bikes on campus

Santa Barbara as seen from a trolley

Downtown Santa Barbara

An example of the Santa Barbara 'Spanish style' architecture

Santa Barbara Harbour

Freeway 101: driving to Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz Beach