Oddities

A few weeks ago, several of us were sitting around and discussing whether working in super new, high tech, state-of-the-art facilities really does improve peoples' productivity and the overall quality of their work. This stemmed from one of my workmates drawing an analogy between this, and AFL clubs who spend lots of money on brand new training facilities and strategies to improve their team's performance. I've always been of the mind, perhaps naively, that if you've got the brains (or brawn, depending on what you're talking about), you should be able to flourish anywhere. That's probably partly why it's always ticked me off when people talk about the rankings of high schools, based how much on the natural brilliance of the students they attract, versus the diligence and dedication of their teachers, or the spectacular range of resources available to them?

Nevertheless, as we were talking, one of my other workmates went on to compare the output of our own department with its surroundings. Funnily enough, we're only a short stroll away from the brand new building that houses all experimental animals, along with several of the stem cell research labs. I've only been there for induction into the animal facility, and for a seminar, and both times the enormity and pristine nature of it has had me spouting expletives. It's fair to say we're based in a fairly decrepit building. As us newer members of staff have discovered this week - our first experience of being at work during extreme temperatures - it turns into a furnace during hot weather. And on your way up to the main labs - via a stairwell that everyone including staff, students and visitors have to use to get there - you often have to watch your step lest you inadvertently squish a possum turd. It's more than the vegetation that's different on this side of town.

And were it not for our building being ancient, it likely wouldn't have provided this sort of Fail Blog fodder...




I'm also embarrassed to admit that it took a couple of months before I realised this powerpoint just outside our tea room had a pretty cool manufacturer....


Look closer!