These posts are from my original blog. My current blog is on the My Opera
site.
Sorry, there is no comment facility for these old posts. You can always use the feedback form if you feel the need.
Please note that date/time stamps on entries are for when the entry was uploaded: many of my posts were written away from my PC and uploaded later.
Sorry, there is no comment facility for these old posts. You can always use the feedback form if you feel the need.
Please note that date/time stamps on entries are for when the entry was uploaded: many of my posts were written away from my PC and uploaded later.
Sunday, April 01/2007 10:42 PM
While tkBlog gas worked well, on the whole, I've found I hardly ever post as I have to be on my laptop at home to do so. I'm therefore experimenting with a blog at Opera's community site, as it allows posting from my mobile phone. This isn't as foolproof as I had hoped or Opera's site implies, but I think I've got it going OK now.
So if you're interested in my more recent thoughts and pictures (wahay!), mosey on over to my new blog.
While tkBlog gas worked well, on the whole, I've found I hardly ever post as I have to be on my laptop at home to do so. I'm therefore experimenting with a blog at Opera's community site, as it allows posting from my mobile phone. This isn't as foolproof as I had hoped or Opera's site implies, but I think I've got it going OK now.
So if you're interested in my more recent thoughts and pictures (wahay!), mosey on over to my new blog.
Sunday, November 05/2006 12:03 PM
Am mildly horrified that I haven't posted since early September, but then I've been busy either being ill or just gawping at the TV.
Speaking of the latter (watching TV, that is), at the risk of this blog turning into a Toppy.org.uk fansite, I feel the need for another public thankyou to the community there. Recently my Toppy PVR had a nasty crash which affected the data on the hard drive, truncating about half of my recordings. Seems to have been engendered by the clock change, and another person had the same problem, but most didn't. As usual, people rallied round with suggestions and advice, and as a result I've been salvaging what was left intact, formatting the hard drive and am now restoring the data. I'm suspicious that the problem may have been due to programme guide related TAPs (see previous post for definitions), so have taken advantage of the rebuild to re-think my add-ons. I've now installed MyStuff and related programs, and so far I'm impressed, not least because I don't have to look at the rather un-pretty native info box etc. Major downside is that MyStuff ignores the radio side of things, so you're back to the native interface for radio timers and EPG. Up side is full auto-padding and timers that reschedule themselves to match changes in the programme guide.
I'm aware that this all seems to be turning into Toppy: the religion, but hey, at least we don't go around blowing people up or burning people. Too busy watching telly :-)
Am mildly horrified that I haven't posted since early September, but then I've been busy either being ill or just gawping at the TV.
Speaking of the latter (watching TV, that is), at the risk of this blog turning into a Toppy.org.uk fansite, I feel the need for another public thankyou to the community there. Recently my Toppy PVR had a nasty crash which affected the data on the hard drive, truncating about half of my recordings. Seems to have been engendered by the clock change, and another person had the same problem, but most didn't. As usual, people rallied round with suggestions and advice, and as a result I've been salvaging what was left intact, formatting the hard drive and am now restoring the data. I'm suspicious that the problem may have been due to programme guide related TAPs (see previous post for definitions), so have taken advantage of the rebuild to re-think my add-ons. I've now installed MyStuff and related programs, and so far I'm impressed, not least because I don't have to look at the rather un-pretty native info box etc. Major downside is that MyStuff ignores the radio side of things, so you're back to the native interface for radio timers and EPG. Up side is full auto-padding and timers that reschedule themselves to match changes in the programme guide.
I'm aware that this all seems to be turning into Toppy: the religion, but hey, at least we don't go around blowing people up or burning people. Too busy watching telly :-)
Saturday, September 02/2006 04:30 PM
This will probably be a short entry, but I feel the need to express my admiration and thanks publicly to the community at toppy.org.uk. The site is worth its weight in gold to anyone who owns a Topfield PVR, both as a source of tips and resources (particularly the TAP library - for the uninitiated, TAPs are Topfield Application Programs, ie add-on programs which can do all sorts).
This outburst on my part stems from the problems which arose yesterday, when something being transmitted on one of the BBC muxes caused Toppies across the land which were using the latest (Bastille Day) firmware to reboot repeatedly. Within a couple of hours there were 3 workarounds available (revert to previous firmware, make some settings changes using a utility called Topset, watch affected channels in chase play). Within 12 hours a forum member had written a patch TAP which you just bung in the Toppy's Auto Start folder and forget about.
Meanwhile, the problem has been identified and fed back to the importer (Turbosat) and via them to Topfield in Korea, who are liaising with the BBC and working on a "proper" fix.
Of course, in an ideal world there wouldn't be any bugs in anything, but this is certainly a showcase for what an active and knowledgable user community can do for a product. Special thanks to Nigel Whitfield, who set up Toppy.org.uk, and user bdb who wrote the patch.
This will probably be a short entry, but I feel the need to express my admiration and thanks publicly to the community at toppy.org.uk. The site is worth its weight in gold to anyone who owns a Topfield PVR, both as a source of tips and resources (particularly the TAP library - for the uninitiated, TAPs are Topfield Application Programs, ie add-on programs which can do all sorts).
This outburst on my part stems from the problems which arose yesterday, when something being transmitted on one of the BBC muxes caused Toppies across the land which were using the latest (Bastille Day) firmware to reboot repeatedly. Within a couple of hours there were 3 workarounds available (revert to previous firmware, make some settings changes using a utility called Topset, watch affected channels in chase play). Within 12 hours a forum member had written a patch TAP which you just bung in the Toppy's Auto Start folder and forget about.
Meanwhile, the problem has been identified and fed back to the importer (Turbosat) and via them to Topfield in Korea, who are liaising with the BBC and working on a "proper" fix.
Of course, in an ideal world there wouldn't be any bugs in anything, but this is certainly a showcase for what an active and knowledgable user community can do for a product. Special thanks to Nigel Whitfield, who set up Toppy.org.uk, and user bdb who wrote the patch.
Thursday, August 24/2006 08:45 PM
Film4 comes to Freeview
Well, people have moaned about the lack of a film channel on Freeview since it started: for a while it looked like we'd get TCM, until they went pay via Top-Up TV. But now Film4 has launched, ditching its subscription model as FilmFour, and gaining some ads.
But who cares: the line-up of movies is pretty darned good, though if you want wall to wall blockbusters you'll be a tad disappointed. So far the mix doesn't seem that different to how it was last time I looked at it when it was a pay channel (admittedly some time ago, back when it was an add-on to ITV Digital before they went bust). Only this time round I have a PVR so I can record them for future viewing - previously I'd pay the sub but not watch much as the good stuff always clashed with something else.
I have to hand it to Channel 4: I was a bit annoyed about Quizcall when it started (waste of bandwidth), but if it helps subsidise free availability of E4, More4 and Film4 I really can't complain. Unlike ITV, who took off a perfectly good channel (Men and Motors) to put on ITV Play, then show yet more quizzes (simulcasts in some cases) across their other channels overnight, instead of real programmes. ITV do seem to have lost the plot these days, whereas Channel 4 and five are in the ascendent. It'll be interesting to see what five manage to do with their two new channels come the autumn.
The other losers are Flextech. While Sky turned Sky Travel into Sky Three a while back, available for free on Freeview and showcasing their back catalogue to a new audience (I watch some series avidly, despite not being a Sky fan at all), Flextech started out using fTN as a showcase for back catalogue from Bravo and Living etc. The rot set in when they leased the first two hours of their slot to Thomas Cook TV (selling holidays), and lately the rest of their time has been mostly converted to quizzes, with about two real programmes per week. Absolutely useless! But then their shows hardly ever looked good in comparison to other channels, and now they're up against BBCs 1-4, ITVs 1-4, Channel 4/More4/E4/Film4, five (plus five.Life and five.US soon) and Sky Three. Which is quite some competition... and if you have a PVR so you can timeshift lots of it, it's pretty difficult to run out of stuff to watch these days on Freeview.
Film4 comes to Freeview
Well, people have moaned about the lack of a film channel on Freeview since it started: for a while it looked like we'd get TCM, until they went pay via Top-Up TV. But now Film4 has launched, ditching its subscription model as FilmFour, and gaining some ads.
But who cares: the line-up of movies is pretty darned good, though if you want wall to wall blockbusters you'll be a tad disappointed. So far the mix doesn't seem that different to how it was last time I looked at it when it was a pay channel (admittedly some time ago, back when it was an add-on to ITV Digital before they went bust). Only this time round I have a PVR so I can record them for future viewing - previously I'd pay the sub but not watch much as the good stuff always clashed with something else.
I have to hand it to Channel 4: I was a bit annoyed about Quizcall when it started (waste of bandwidth), but if it helps subsidise free availability of E4, More4 and Film4 I really can't complain. Unlike ITV, who took off a perfectly good channel (Men and Motors) to put on ITV Play, then show yet more quizzes (simulcasts in some cases) across their other channels overnight, instead of real programmes. ITV do seem to have lost the plot these days, whereas Channel 4 and five are in the ascendent. It'll be interesting to see what five manage to do with their two new channels come the autumn.
The other losers are Flextech. While Sky turned Sky Travel into Sky Three a while back, available for free on Freeview and showcasing their back catalogue to a new audience (I watch some series avidly, despite not being a Sky fan at all), Flextech started out using fTN as a showcase for back catalogue from Bravo and Living etc. The rot set in when they leased the first two hours of their slot to Thomas Cook TV (selling holidays), and lately the rest of their time has been mostly converted to quizzes, with about two real programmes per week. Absolutely useless! But then their shows hardly ever looked good in comparison to other channels, and now they're up against BBCs 1-4, ITVs 1-4, Channel 4/More4/E4/Film4, five (plus five.Life and five.US soon) and Sky Three. Which is quite some competition... and if you have a PVR so you can timeshift lots of it, it's pretty difficult to run out of stuff to watch these days on Freeview.
Sunday, July 16/2006 01:27 PM
PVRs and Media Center PCs
It's amazing what unsuspecting people can be sold, especially when it comes to technology.
My current favourite example of this is the Media Center PC. These really have to be the biggest con out. You pay about £1000 or more for a medium-spec PC aimed at recording and watching TV, looking at photos and playing music/audio. Most of the ones I've seen reviewed only have analogue tuners for TV, so will be obsolete in a couple of years after analogue switch-off.
Now it's true that as MCPCs are full-blown computers you can do additional stuff like surf the net etc and burn CDs and DVDs. But mostly they're aimed at video, photos and music.
Enter the PVR (Personal Video Recorder), with a rather smug look on its face.
The most famous one in the UK is Sky+, but as that costs £10 per month on top of an already madly expensive Sky subscription, I'll focus on Freeview PVRs. These can be had for as little as £100, though you need to pay more for one with twin tuners - from about £150 upwards. Twin tuners mean you can watch one thing while recording another, or record two things while watching something you've recorded.
At the top end you have the Topfield PVR (£250-£300, depending on hard drive size), which also has PC connectivity so you can transfer programs for DVD burning and also use add-on programs (called TAPs on the Topfield). These can give you alternative program guides and extra functionality, for instance setting keyword searches for programmes and automatically setting timers. For example you can tell it to look for all programmes with CSI in the title and automatically record them.
The Topfield, and some others, can also store and play MP3s and photos. Ther are even some games, though they're a bit retro.
The main thing is that for less than £300 you get a box that does all the really useful bits of MCPCs. Another £100 or less will get you a cheap DVD recorder you can use for archiving even if you can't transfer programmes to a PC.
The next great con could be IPTV, TV "on demand" over the internet. Here's a clue or two: with my Toppy, I already have more TV available on demand than I can watch. I also have a broadband connection than can't handle more than 512k - not enough for TV of any kind of decent quality. Why would I pay for poor quality internet TV, when I have more than I can handle for free?
And then there's high definition (HD). So I'm supposed to shell out thousands of pounds on kit which can be disabled by the movie companies without a by-your-leave (check it out), when most of the stuff being broadcast in HD is up-sampled from standard definition anyway? I've read at least one article which pointed out that up-sampling is so good you can't really tell the difference in most circumstances, and you can get up-sampling DVD players for around £70 now with an HD output. The fact that much of the HD broadcast stuff is up-sampled rather proves the point: you don't really need it, least of all if it's at the mercy of the movie companies' whims. If you have or want a large enough screen for it to matter, an AV amp which can up-sample from standard definition sources would do a pretty good job with your existing PVR and DVD player...
PVRs and Media Center PCs
It's amazing what unsuspecting people can be sold, especially when it comes to technology.
My current favourite example of this is the Media Center PC. These really have to be the biggest con out. You pay about £1000 or more for a medium-spec PC aimed at recording and watching TV, looking at photos and playing music/audio. Most of the ones I've seen reviewed only have analogue tuners for TV, so will be obsolete in a couple of years after analogue switch-off.
Now it's true that as MCPCs are full-blown computers you can do additional stuff like surf the net etc and burn CDs and DVDs. But mostly they're aimed at video, photos and music.
Enter the PVR (Personal Video Recorder), with a rather smug look on its face.
The most famous one in the UK is Sky+, but as that costs £10 per month on top of an already madly expensive Sky subscription, I'll focus on Freeview PVRs. These can be had for as little as £100, though you need to pay more for one with twin tuners - from about £150 upwards. Twin tuners mean you can watch one thing while recording another, or record two things while watching something you've recorded.
At the top end you have the Topfield PVR (£250-£300, depending on hard drive size), which also has PC connectivity so you can transfer programs for DVD burning and also use add-on programs (called TAPs on the Topfield). These can give you alternative program guides and extra functionality, for instance setting keyword searches for programmes and automatically setting timers. For example you can tell it to look for all programmes with CSI in the title and automatically record them.
The Topfield, and some others, can also store and play MP3s and photos. Ther are even some games, though they're a bit retro.
The main thing is that for less than £300 you get a box that does all the really useful bits of MCPCs. Another £100 or less will get you a cheap DVD recorder you can use for archiving even if you can't transfer programmes to a PC.
The next great con could be IPTV, TV "on demand" over the internet. Here's a clue or two: with my Toppy, I already have more TV available on demand than I can watch. I also have a broadband connection than can't handle more than 512k - not enough for TV of any kind of decent quality. Why would I pay for poor quality internet TV, when I have more than I can handle for free?
And then there's high definition (HD). So I'm supposed to shell out thousands of pounds on kit which can be disabled by the movie companies without a by-your-leave (check it out), when most of the stuff being broadcast in HD is up-sampled from standard definition anyway? I've read at least one article which pointed out that up-sampling is so good you can't really tell the difference in most circumstances, and you can get up-sampling DVD players for around £70 now with an HD output. The fact that much of the HD broadcast stuff is up-sampled rather proves the point: you don't really need it, least of all if it's at the mercy of the movie companies' whims. If you have or want a large enough screen for it to matter, an AV amp which can up-sample from standard definition sources would do a pretty good job with your existing PVR and DVD player...
Saturday, April 15/2006 04:43 AM
I'm watching the BBC transmisson of the Manchester Passion and feeling a tinge of regret that it's lived down to my expectations.
Oh dear.
Nice (if odd) idea: telling the passion story through Manchester music, but the inevitable's happened. What is it about christians and music? It's not that the combination is guaranteed to be dreadful (Moby and U2 plus a whole bunch of soul singers are living proof), but this was the predictable happy-clappy emasculation I've come to expect and loathe. Brilliant songs turned into homogenised gloop. And some of the most wooden performances in living memory didn't help, including the-nonentity-playing-Jesus. The high spot was the use of Blue Monday as a duet between Jesus and Judas (played by the-man-who-used-to-be-singer-in-James), which kind of worked, but otherwise the thing was toe-curlingly bad. And as a Mancunian, it depresses me to see the great musical heritage of the city messed about with in this way, and the city show itself up like this. And since when has Robbie Williams been a Mancunian? He's from Stoke, for heaven's sake...
Anyone seeing this mess who isn't familiar with the music shouldn't judge it on this. Go listen to some real Joy Division, New Order, Oasis, M People, James etc etc. It'll be vastly more satisfying, unless you're someone who wants their music safely emasculated and homogenised. But if you're that sort of person you'll probably be happier still with James Last "playing" Beatles tunes...
Possibly even more annoying was the insufferable smugness of the happy-clappy punters who were interviewed while processing behind an 8-metre light-up cross (I kid you not). Enough to make you start reaching for the nearest bag of nails and a hammer.
I'm watching the BBC transmisson of the Manchester Passion and feeling a tinge of regret that it's lived down to my expectations.
Oh dear.
Nice (if odd) idea: telling the passion story through Manchester music, but the inevitable's happened. What is it about christians and music? It's not that the combination is guaranteed to be dreadful (Moby and U2 plus a whole bunch of soul singers are living proof), but this was the predictable happy-clappy emasculation I've come to expect and loathe. Brilliant songs turned into homogenised gloop. And some of the most wooden performances in living memory didn't help, including the-nonentity-playing-Jesus. The high spot was the use of Blue Monday as a duet between Jesus and Judas (played by the-man-who-used-to-be-singer-in-James), which kind of worked, but otherwise the thing was toe-curlingly bad. And as a Mancunian, it depresses me to see the great musical heritage of the city messed about with in this way, and the city show itself up like this. And since when has Robbie Williams been a Mancunian? He's from Stoke, for heaven's sake...
Anyone seeing this mess who isn't familiar with the music shouldn't judge it on this. Go listen to some real Joy Division, New Order, Oasis, M People, James etc etc. It'll be vastly more satisfying, unless you're someone who wants their music safely emasculated and homogenised. But if you're that sort of person you'll probably be happier still with James Last "playing" Beatles tunes...
Possibly even more annoying was the insufferable smugness of the happy-clappy punters who were interviewed while processing behind an 8-metre light-up cross (I kid you not). Enough to make you start reaching for the nearest bag of nails and a hammer.
Saturday, March 04/2006 12:44 PM
I despair. It seems that Bliar is now claiming some sort of divine approval for his decision to involve us all in an illegal war in Iraq on the coat-tails of holy-roller Bush. Perhaps he might have made a better decision if he'd used his faculties of reason rather than relying on faith in his decision-making. He'd certainly have offended fewer people, in particular the families and friends of those British servicemen and others, who are rightfully insulted and aggrieved at Bliar's ludicrous god-bothering excuses for engaging us in this fiasco which has resulted in the deaths of their loved ones.
All of which is made worse by the antics of the US government over Guantanamo, which is back in the news and about time too. There was some twit on the radio yesterday morning who kept using "we're at war" as an excuse for it, but if that's the case the "detainees" are prisoners of war and should be treated properly. Then she started going on about them being stateless/international - doubtful as I'd hazard that most of them are quite clear about their citizenship - so we need an international judicial solution. Right, kind of like the International Criminal Court which the US refuses to acknowledge, I suppose. Largely because US citizens might be subject to it like everyone else - so what's so special and saint-like about US citizens that they can't possibly be prosecuted by an international court? Especially as the US thinks it can impose its own laws on the whole world eg the DMCA. Not helped by supine idiots like the current UK government who have happily agreed to hand us all over to the US on their say-so, without due cause, when of course the saintly US citizens can't be extradited to the UK on the same basis.
And the americans wonder why they're loathed world-wide...
I despair. It seems that Bliar is now claiming some sort of divine approval for his decision to involve us all in an illegal war in Iraq on the coat-tails of holy-roller Bush. Perhaps he might have made a better decision if he'd used his faculties of reason rather than relying on faith in his decision-making. He'd certainly have offended fewer people, in particular the families and friends of those British servicemen and others, who are rightfully insulted and aggrieved at Bliar's ludicrous god-bothering excuses for engaging us in this fiasco which has resulted in the deaths of their loved ones.
All of which is made worse by the antics of the US government over Guantanamo, which is back in the news and about time too. There was some twit on the radio yesterday morning who kept using "we're at war" as an excuse for it, but if that's the case the "detainees" are prisoners of war and should be treated properly. Then she started going on about them being stateless/international - doubtful as I'd hazard that most of them are quite clear about their citizenship - so we need an international judicial solution. Right, kind of like the International Criminal Court which the US refuses to acknowledge, I suppose. Largely because US citizens might be subject to it like everyone else - so what's so special and saint-like about US citizens that they can't possibly be prosecuted by an international court? Especially as the US thinks it can impose its own laws on the whole world eg the DMCA. Not helped by supine idiots like the current UK government who have happily agreed to hand us all over to the US on their say-so, without due cause, when of course the saintly US citizens can't be extradited to the UK on the same basis.
And the americans wonder why they're loathed world-wide...
Saturday, February 18/2006 08:25 AM
Over the last few weeks I've been tempted several times to jump into the debate on the Danish cartoons of Mohammed. Each time, I've ended up not bothering as I felt I needed to get clear on what I think and feel on the subject, rather than just vent anger etc: there are enough people doing that already!
I guess my main thought is that there is an amazing amount of woolly thinking going on, based on a fundamental confusion which also underlay the debate about the Bliar government's ill-fated "religious hatred" legislation. It's actually quite simple: there is a difference between race and religion.
I make a very clear distinction between those qualities of people which are a matter of birth/genetics (race, gender, sexuality) and those which are a matter of choice, such as religious belief or political persuasion. It's not OK to attack people for what they are: what they believe is, however, fair game.
Once you get your head round this, you've answered the problem of where lines are drawn. Some muslims accuse westerners of double standards with respect to freedom of speech, using as an example western attitudes about anti-semitism as opposed to "Islamophobia". This is based on the confusion just mentioned, and in this context Islam is essentially a victim of its own success. Jews and Sikhs (in the UK at least) are protected by anti-racist legislation. Any percieved protection of Judaism and Sikhism is a side-effect of those religions pretty much coinciding with defined racial groupings. Islam, by contrast, doesn't map neatly onto one racial group: there are muslims in most such groupings. Judaism, Sikhism and Islam are in fact treated equally: all are beliefs, and therefore subject to criticism, mockery etc. The only religion in the UK with any special protection is Christianity, and for the most part that protection is ignored as archaic, only being dredged up by the likes of Mary Whitehouse (eg her homophobic persecution of that poem). In my opinion, those protections should be repealed: the answer isn't to apply blasphemy laws to all religions, otherwise you're protecting all sorts of half-baked cults etc.
Muslims in particular need to understand how these distinctions work in liberal democracies. We don't live in a muslim society, and those of us who aren't muslims don't want to. We therefore are under no obligation to obey your rules, and you have no business expecting us to. Most of us don't give a tuppeny hoot about Islam, to be honest. And muslims expect us to put up with being offended (Sacranie's attack on gay people, nutters with banners threatening beheadings, murder and death to democracy) yet don't want to be offended themselves. What's so special about you that you should be immune to criticism and offence? Get over it: the rest of us have to.
Similarly, criticising Israelis for using Judaism to justify the terrorist takeover of Palestine is fine. Making racist criticism of Jews as a people and denying history eg the holocaust is not. Take note, Iranian newspapers and president.
Over the last few weeks I've been tempted several times to jump into the debate on the Danish cartoons of Mohammed. Each time, I've ended up not bothering as I felt I needed to get clear on what I think and feel on the subject, rather than just vent anger etc: there are enough people doing that already!
I guess my main thought is that there is an amazing amount of woolly thinking going on, based on a fundamental confusion which also underlay the debate about the Bliar government's ill-fated "religious hatred" legislation. It's actually quite simple: there is a difference between race and religion.
I make a very clear distinction between those qualities of people which are a matter of birth/genetics (race, gender, sexuality) and those which are a matter of choice, such as religious belief or political persuasion. It's not OK to attack people for what they are: what they believe is, however, fair game.
Once you get your head round this, you've answered the problem of where lines are drawn. Some muslims accuse westerners of double standards with respect to freedom of speech, using as an example western attitudes about anti-semitism as opposed to "Islamophobia". This is based on the confusion just mentioned, and in this context Islam is essentially a victim of its own success. Jews and Sikhs (in the UK at least) are protected by anti-racist legislation. Any percieved protection of Judaism and Sikhism is a side-effect of those religions pretty much coinciding with defined racial groupings. Islam, by contrast, doesn't map neatly onto one racial group: there are muslims in most such groupings. Judaism, Sikhism and Islam are in fact treated equally: all are beliefs, and therefore subject to criticism, mockery etc. The only religion in the UK with any special protection is Christianity, and for the most part that protection is ignored as archaic, only being dredged up by the likes of Mary Whitehouse (eg her homophobic persecution of that poem). In my opinion, those protections should be repealed: the answer isn't to apply blasphemy laws to all religions, otherwise you're protecting all sorts of half-baked cults etc.
Muslims in particular need to understand how these distinctions work in liberal democracies. We don't live in a muslim society, and those of us who aren't muslims don't want to. We therefore are under no obligation to obey your rules, and you have no business expecting us to. Most of us don't give a tuppeny hoot about Islam, to be honest. And muslims expect us to put up with being offended (Sacranie's attack on gay people, nutters with banners threatening beheadings, murder and death to democracy) yet don't want to be offended themselves. What's so special about you that you should be immune to criticism and offence? Get over it: the rest of us have to.
Similarly, criticising Israelis for using Judaism to justify the terrorist takeover of Palestine is fine. Making racist criticism of Jews as a people and denying history eg the holocaust is not. Take note, Iranian newspapers and president.
Sunday, January 22/2006 12:04 PM
Well, it's a looonnnggg time since my last entry, partly because I have my best blog ideas when I'm really not in a position to write them down. At least that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!
Since my last entry, the Christmas holidays have been and gone, thankfully for the most part. I tend to wander off into a kind of la-la land in the run up to Christmas - it's amazing just how much stuff you can put off "till after Christmas". So I go into a period of weeks where I do next to nothing apart from eat crap and be generally self-indulgent. Then after Christmas, of course, I don't feel like doing anything anyway, least of all the stuff I've been putting off…
One thing I am hoping is that 2006 will be a darned sight better year than 2005, which seems to have bee a universally crap year for most people I know, myself included. The level of crapness between people varies, but I don't think I know anyone who's had a good 2005. So far 2006 feels a lot lighter and optimistic, though when you look at some of the things going on in the world you could be forgiven for wondering why. I do hope that the lightness and optimism lasts and becomes the theme for the year - we all need things to start looking up.
Cultural highlight of the year so far: Brokeback Mountain. Amazing film, but have tissues handy, and if necessary book yourself in for counselling/therapy afterwards… Five stars (out of five), but incredibly sad.
Well, it's a looonnnggg time since my last entry, partly because I have my best blog ideas when I'm really not in a position to write them down. At least that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!
Since my last entry, the Christmas holidays have been and gone, thankfully for the most part. I tend to wander off into a kind of la-la land in the run up to Christmas - it's amazing just how much stuff you can put off "till after Christmas". So I go into a period of weeks where I do next to nothing apart from eat crap and be generally self-indulgent. Then after Christmas, of course, I don't feel like doing anything anyway, least of all the stuff I've been putting off…
One thing I am hoping is that 2006 will be a darned sight better year than 2005, which seems to have bee a universally crap year for most people I know, myself included. The level of crapness between people varies, but I don't think I know anyone who's had a good 2005. So far 2006 feels a lot lighter and optimistic, though when you look at some of the things going on in the world you could be forgiven for wondering why. I do hope that the lightness and optimism lasts and becomes the theme for the year - we all need things to start looking up.
Cultural highlight of the year so far: Brokeback Mountain. Amazing film, but have tissues handy, and if necessary book yourself in for counselling/therapy afterwards… Five stars (out of five), but incredibly sad.
Thursday, December 08/2005 12:21 PM
Well, it's about time I wrote something here: the last time I attempted it, it was 3am while I was suffering from insomnia and the whole thing went to pot when my laptop battery gave out. By he time I'd woken up again I'd forgotten most of what I wanted to say so I abandoned the whole thing.
Anyway, today I'm sat surrounded by chaos as I have workmen in, who are fitting a new central heating boiler and servicing the rest of the system. December isn't really an optimal time for this sort of thing so I'm wrapped up and sat in front of a Calor Gas heater, surrounded by heaps of junk and guys lugging pipes etc around. Things could be worse: at least they're here now, only two days late...
This has been one of those weeks, where you begin to feel that the universe has it in for you. Nothing major, but lots of stupid minor things building up into a picture of misery. Stuff like trying to eat lunch from a container that collapses in your hand, decanting noodles etc into your lap while at work, or the outflow from the kitchen sink deciding that it would disconnect itself, resulting in a flood of water used to rinse out some jars, some of which had contained indian pickles, so the whole place stank of brinjal pickle for the evening. Or trying to buy coffee on another day, but not having enough money on me. You get the picture...
Looking on the bright side, at least I should be warm for the rest of the winter after today's work is done. And I get a long weekend now I've had to reschedule my time off for the work to be done, even if i will spend most of it lugging furniture and other crap about the house in an attempt to get straight!
Well, it's about time I wrote something here: the last time I attempted it, it was 3am while I was suffering from insomnia and the whole thing went to pot when my laptop battery gave out. By he time I'd woken up again I'd forgotten most of what I wanted to say so I abandoned the whole thing.
Anyway, today I'm sat surrounded by chaos as I have workmen in, who are fitting a new central heating boiler and servicing the rest of the system. December isn't really an optimal time for this sort of thing so I'm wrapped up and sat in front of a Calor Gas heater, surrounded by heaps of junk and guys lugging pipes etc around. Things could be worse: at least they're here now, only two days late...
This has been one of those weeks, where you begin to feel that the universe has it in for you. Nothing major, but lots of stupid minor things building up into a picture of misery. Stuff like trying to eat lunch from a container that collapses in your hand, decanting noodles etc into your lap while at work, or the outflow from the kitchen sink deciding that it would disconnect itself, resulting in a flood of water used to rinse out some jars, some of which had contained indian pickles, so the whole place stank of brinjal pickle for the evening. Or trying to buy coffee on another day, but not having enough money on me. You get the picture...
Looking on the bright side, at least I should be warm for the rest of the winter after today's work is done. And I get a long weekend now I've had to reschedule my time off for the work to be done, even if i will spend most of it lugging furniture and other crap about the house in an attempt to get straight!
Monday, November 21/2005 11:54 PM
There are times when I despair of people (no, you don't say…).
Current causes for despair are the people who are getting their collective knickers in a twist about the move to digital TV in the UK. Now, there was a time when I could at least partially understand the concerns, when it looked like the choice was going to be between a pay TV service (Sky, cable or OnDigital/ITV Digital) or just a small number of channels. But since ITV Digital's pay service went titsup, things have improved so dramatically you wonder if people have bothered to find out what's on offer before going off on one.
Freeview now offers a pretty good line up of entertainment channels compared to a few months ago (when it wasn't bad). BBC 1-4, ITV 1-4, C4, E4, More4, Sky3, FTN, ABC. Plus a bunch of news channels, 2 kids channels (and another supposedly on its way), and a load of radio and text services. Yes, there are a lot of shopping and quiz channels too, but 14 entertainment channels isn't bad for free. Freesat will have a similar service for people who can't get Freeview, too.
And I'm sick to death of hearing about how pensioners etc can't afford it. Back when set top boxes were £100 plus I could see the argument, but you can get Freeview boxes for less than £30 in your local supermarket: just plug the damn thing in and watch. Yes, I know that some people will have to upgrade their aerial and those who have to go for Freesat will have to pay more for a box and dish. So yes, people who are really poor will need a handout of some description, but for the vast majority of the population paying out the cost of a couple of DVDs for a box is not exactly going to break the bank.
And it's not as if people haven't been warned. Now the timetable's been announced for shutting off analogue TV the furore has started – but it was announced (along with timescale) in 1998, if I remember correctly, and it was originally planned to switch off analogue by 2006. It really is time to wake up and smell the coffee on this one – and if one more person starts up about how they are quite happy with the five analogue channels I'll throw something – no-one's making them watch the other channels if they don't want to. But if they don't buy a box they won't have their precious five channels either, so it's time to hit the supermarket and buy a damn box!
There are times when I despair of people (no, you don't say…).
Current causes for despair are the people who are getting their collective knickers in a twist about the move to digital TV in the UK. Now, there was a time when I could at least partially understand the concerns, when it looked like the choice was going to be between a pay TV service (Sky, cable or OnDigital/ITV Digital) or just a small number of channels. But since ITV Digital's pay service went titsup, things have improved so dramatically you wonder if people have bothered to find out what's on offer before going off on one.
Freeview now offers a pretty good line up of entertainment channels compared to a few months ago (when it wasn't bad). BBC 1-4, ITV 1-4, C4, E4, More4, Sky3, FTN, ABC. Plus a bunch of news channels, 2 kids channels (and another supposedly on its way), and a load of radio and text services. Yes, there are a lot of shopping and quiz channels too, but 14 entertainment channels isn't bad for free. Freesat will have a similar service for people who can't get Freeview, too.
And I'm sick to death of hearing about how pensioners etc can't afford it. Back when set top boxes were £100 plus I could see the argument, but you can get Freeview boxes for less than £30 in your local supermarket: just plug the damn thing in and watch. Yes, I know that some people will have to upgrade their aerial and those who have to go for Freesat will have to pay more for a box and dish. So yes, people who are really poor will need a handout of some description, but for the vast majority of the population paying out the cost of a couple of DVDs for a box is not exactly going to break the bank.
And it's not as if people haven't been warned. Now the timetable's been announced for shutting off analogue TV the furore has started – but it was announced (along with timescale) in 1998, if I remember correctly, and it was originally planned to switch off analogue by 2006. It really is time to wake up and smell the coffee on this one – and if one more person starts up about how they are quite happy with the five analogue channels I'll throw something – no-one's making them watch the other channels if they don't want to. But if they don't buy a box they won't have their precious five channels either, so it's time to hit the supermarket and buy a damn box!
Sunday, November 20/2005 10:45 PM
I have problems keeping this blog going at times, partly because there are weeks when I could write a three-volume novel if I had the time, but end up writing nothing because of an embarrassment of riches.
Take this week, for example: more on schools, more on ID cards (including Dame Stella Rimington, former head of MI5, slagging them off as a dumb idea – which in any sane society would mean the last nail had been knocked into the coffin of the idea), and the Sony-BMG copy-protected CD debacle, which I have been following with great satisfaction. Trouble is, it probably still won't stop the buggers, but at least they've been well and truly exposed. Especially their dismissive attitude towards their customers.
Meanwhile, I've spent this afternoon struggling with wireless networking kit, in the process destroying my old Win98SE PC, which now won't even boot successfully in safe mode. Well, it booted and then crashed when I tried to uninstall the wifi adaptor I'd installed, which broke it so it wouldn't boot properly in normal mode. I'll have another go at some point I guess, otherwise it's probably a case for Knoppix in order to rescue the little data I still could do with off it. After all that, I tried to get a wireless print server going, only to find it would only work if you had an unsecured network (yeah, right…). A trip to the Belkin web site has resulted in a set of instructions for supposedly doing the setup semi-manually, which I'll try in a couple of days when I've relaxed a bit. Couldn't face tackling the Bluetooth adaptor after all that, but at least I have a fully functioning ADSL router. Though there's an irony in having a wifi connection to a box that's all of 6 inches away from the laptop at the moment…!
Ho-hum. Another week gone, and a new one about to start.
I have problems keeping this blog going at times, partly because there are weeks when I could write a three-volume novel if I had the time, but end up writing nothing because of an embarrassment of riches.
Take this week, for example: more on schools, more on ID cards (including Dame Stella Rimington, former head of MI5, slagging them off as a dumb idea – which in any sane society would mean the last nail had been knocked into the coffin of the idea), and the Sony-BMG copy-protected CD debacle, which I have been following with great satisfaction. Trouble is, it probably still won't stop the buggers, but at least they've been well and truly exposed. Especially their dismissive attitude towards their customers.
Meanwhile, I've spent this afternoon struggling with wireless networking kit, in the process destroying my old Win98SE PC, which now won't even boot successfully in safe mode. Well, it booted and then crashed when I tried to uninstall the wifi adaptor I'd installed, which broke it so it wouldn't boot properly in normal mode. I'll have another go at some point I guess, otherwise it's probably a case for Knoppix in order to rescue the little data I still could do with off it. After all that, I tried to get a wireless print server going, only to find it would only work if you had an unsecured network (yeah, right…). A trip to the Belkin web site has resulted in a set of instructions for supposedly doing the setup semi-manually, which I'll try in a couple of days when I've relaxed a bit. Couldn't face tackling the Bluetooth adaptor after all that, but at least I have a fully functioning ADSL router. Though there's an irony in having a wifi connection to a box that's all of 6 inches away from the laptop at the moment…!
Ho-hum. Another week gone, and a new one about to start.
Monday, November 07/2005 10:44 PM
31/10/2005 I wonder sometimes if listening to the Today programme on Radio 4 is good for my health...
This morning there was a discussion about the Bliar regime's plans for schools and you just want to scream and then take a very large axe to the whole boiling of them. Sheesh.
Turns out the idiots want to give schools more autonomy, but by that they mean "developing partnerships" with outside organisations eg businesses and religious loonies. As if faith schools weren't divisive enough already (should be outlawed IMHO), and as for business getting involved, what on earth is the good of letting the money-grubbing low-lifes loose on the nations children so they can turn them into good little workers who think being exploited is fine? And this from a supposed Labour government...
31/10/2005 I wonder sometimes if listening to the Today programme on Radio 4 is good for my health...
This morning there was a discussion about the Bliar regime's plans for schools and you just want to scream and then take a very large axe to the whole boiling of them. Sheesh.
Turns out the idiots want to give schools more autonomy, but by that they mean "developing partnerships" with outside organisations eg businesses and religious loonies. As if faith schools weren't divisive enough already (should be outlawed IMHO), and as for business getting involved, what on earth is the good of letting the money-grubbing low-lifes loose on the nations children so they can turn them into good little workers who think being exploited is fine? And this from a supposed Labour government...
Saturday, October 01/2005 05:38 PM
There are times when I despair of my fellow Europeans, and this week has been one of them, with the row over how to start the talks around Turkey joining the EU. What on earth is up with the Austrians? They seem to be determined to live up to the stereotype of being unreconstructed neo-Nazis, having voted in that plonker the other year and now trying to pretend that the crusades are still running. It's bad enough that we have a load of fundie "muslims" who seem determined to stay in the middle ages, without equally stupid and backward-looking "christians" getting in on the act. Yes, Turkey has a long way to go before it can join, particularly on the human rights front with the Kurds and Armenians, but it is a secular state (and pretty determinedly so, from the looks of things), and it's already a member of NATO, and here's a prime opportunity to show just what we mean by liberal western democracy. The accession process would take 10-15 years, plenty of time to make big strides on tackling those issues, so what the hell is all this "defence of christendom" crap all about? It just looks like cheap racism, which is probably what it is. Shameful and disgusting.
There are times when I despair of my fellow Europeans, and this week has been one of them, with the row over how to start the talks around Turkey joining the EU. What on earth is up with the Austrians? They seem to be determined to live up to the stereotype of being unreconstructed neo-Nazis, having voted in that plonker the other year and now trying to pretend that the crusades are still running. It's bad enough that we have a load of fundie "muslims" who seem determined to stay in the middle ages, without equally stupid and backward-looking "christians" getting in on the act. Yes, Turkey has a long way to go before it can join, particularly on the human rights front with the Kurds and Armenians, but it is a secular state (and pretty determinedly so, from the looks of things), and it's already a member of NATO, and here's a prime opportunity to show just what we mean by liberal western democracy. The accession process would take 10-15 years, plenty of time to make big strides on tackling those issues, so what the hell is all this "defence of christendom" crap all about? It just looks like cheap racism, which is probably what it is. Shameful and disgusting.
Saturday, October 01/2005 05:37 PM
Sometimes, the universe does its best to restore balance, and it’s fascinating to watch. Particularly this week’s events at the Labour Party conference which really highlighted a bunch of points about "New Labour" (translation: a betrayal of all the Labour Party used to stand for). So we have:
Sometimes, the universe does its best to restore balance, and it’s fascinating to watch. Particularly this week’s events at the Labour Party conference which really highlighted a bunch of points about "New Labour" (translation: a betrayal of all the Labour Party used to stand for). So we have:
- No substantive debate on Iraq, despite the current crisis.
- Octogenarian hecklers being dragged out by heavies, then arrested under the terrorism legislation (which could have meant 3 months imprisonment without trial if the new proposals go through).
- Blair wishing he'd wrecked even more of our public services and institutions.
- Blair wanting to revive nuclear power in the teeth of all the evidence, instead of putting big bucks into wind and wave power.
Monday, September 05/2005 11:27 PM
I haven’t seen too much of the Katrina news coverage until lately so it’s only over the last couple of days that I’ve cottoned on to just how bad the mess is. Not in terms of the destruction wrought by the storm, which is understandable (though as with the tsunami unimaginable in terms of scale), but the shambles of the evacuation of New Orleans and the shame of poor people initially being dumped, effectively.
Of course, who knows in practice if it would be any better here in comparable circumstances, but I can’t help feeling that having a national health service would give us a head start (no one left out who needs care because they’re poor or black), and the fact we have far fewer guns lying about would probably make life easier for the rescuers. Also, not having the perpetual tensions between states and federal government would be an advantage.
All of which is trivia in the light of so many people dead and suffering, but it’s coming to something when a disaster in the richest country on the planet is handled so poorly, especially compared to how the Asian countries hit by the tsunami handled that devastation.
I haven’t seen too much of the Katrina news coverage until lately so it’s only over the last couple of days that I’ve cottoned on to just how bad the mess is. Not in terms of the destruction wrought by the storm, which is understandable (though as with the tsunami unimaginable in terms of scale), but the shambles of the evacuation of New Orleans and the shame of poor people initially being dumped, effectively.
Of course, who knows in practice if it would be any better here in comparable circumstances, but I can’t help feeling that having a national health service would give us a head start (no one left out who needs care because they’re poor or black), and the fact we have far fewer guns lying about would probably make life easier for the rescuers. Also, not having the perpetual tensions between states and federal government would be an advantage.
All of which is trivia in the light of so many people dead and suffering, but it’s coming to something when a disaster in the richest country on the planet is handled so poorly, especially compared to how the Asian countries hit by the tsunami handled that devastation.
Sunday, August 14/2005 10:53 AM
It's the small hours of Sunday morning and I'm still up thanks to the BBC putting on The Best of Glastonbury 2005 going on until 0200. Which has prompted some thoughts on what's happened to music these days.
Just writing that has probably already made me sound like some old codger grumbling about how things aren't how they used to be. Which is how I'm beginning to feel...
While there was the odd spark of genius in evidence during the Glastonbury programme (eg White Stripes), for the most part it was all a little lacklustre. Dance music is still pretty vibrant but not developing much, I'm tired of "world music" which manages to sound pretty much the same irrespective of where it comes from as it's been homogenised so much, and the state of rock is enough to make you weep. I blame Coldplay, myself. I've never quite seen the point of Coldplay, it's terminal bland dribble which seems to have a particular appeal for women for some reason. Which would be bad enough (the bland dribble, not the female appeal), except that they seem to have spawned a myriad bastard offspring in the form of tripe like Keane, Razorlight, Snow Patrol etc etc etc... Yawn... So a good 50% or more of the Glastonbury rock output was this ineffectual drivel, and most of the rest seemed to be trying to cross pseudo punk with Squeeze, eg Killers. In passing I'd like to note that I have developed a particular loathing for Doves, whose main song (ie the one that always gets shown) has as its main component a blatant rip-off of Martha and the Vandellas' Heatwave - a record which could wipe the floor with the lot of them despite being a good 40 years older, I might add.
Upsides in all this: the aforementioned White Stripes (with whom I was seriously impressed and I may yet spend money onan album or two), New Order finally being OK with doing the odd Joy Division song (both band and song being 25 years old speaks volumes), and Eliza Carthy (who managed to get through my folk barrier).
It's the small hours of Sunday morning and I'm still up thanks to the BBC putting on The Best of Glastonbury 2005 going on until 0200. Which has prompted some thoughts on what's happened to music these days.
Just writing that has probably already made me sound like some old codger grumbling about how things aren't how they used to be. Which is how I'm beginning to feel...
While there was the odd spark of genius in evidence during the Glastonbury programme (eg White Stripes), for the most part it was all a little lacklustre. Dance music is still pretty vibrant but not developing much, I'm tired of "world music" which manages to sound pretty much the same irrespective of where it comes from as it's been homogenised so much, and the state of rock is enough to make you weep. I blame Coldplay, myself. I've never quite seen the point of Coldplay, it's terminal bland dribble which seems to have a particular appeal for women for some reason. Which would be bad enough (the bland dribble, not the female appeal), except that they seem to have spawned a myriad bastard offspring in the form of tripe like Keane, Razorlight, Snow Patrol etc etc etc... Yawn... So a good 50% or more of the Glastonbury rock output was this ineffectual drivel, and most of the rest seemed to be trying to cross pseudo punk with Squeeze, eg Killers. In passing I'd like to note that I have developed a particular loathing for Doves, whose main song (ie the one that always gets shown) has as its main component a blatant rip-off of Martha and the Vandellas' Heatwave - a record which could wipe the floor with the lot of them despite being a good 40 years older, I might add.
Upsides in all this: the aforementioned White Stripes (with whom I was seriously impressed and I may yet spend money onan album or two), New Order finally being OK with doing the odd Joy Division song (both band and song being 25 years old speaks volumes), and Eliza Carthy (who managed to get through my folk barrier).
Tuesday, August 09/2005 12:57 AM
Sometimes I could kick myself. Especially if I’m repeating the same old mistakes...
By now you (OK: I) would have thought that I’d learnt that planning stuff with my current health situation is a mug’s game. So taking a couple of days off work with grand plans to do a whole load of tasks was doomed to failure from the start.
Having spent the weekend feeling off-colour, it’s no surprise I’ve been feeling similarly today, the first of my two days off. Which is where the stupid repeating mistake thing comes in: instead of just going with the situation and enjoying myself as much as possible doing not a lot, I’ve spent most of the day mentally beating myself up for not doing the impossible.
I guess it shows how easy it is to think you’ve dumped your negative patterns, only for them to creep up and catch you unawares.
Sometimes I could kick myself. Especially if I’m repeating the same old mistakes...
By now you (OK: I) would have thought that I’d learnt that planning stuff with my current health situation is a mug’s game. So taking a couple of days off work with grand plans to do a whole load of tasks was doomed to failure from the start.
Having spent the weekend feeling off-colour, it’s no surprise I’ve been feeling similarly today, the first of my two days off. Which is where the stupid repeating mistake thing comes in: instead of just going with the situation and enjoying myself as much as possible doing not a lot, I’ve spent most of the day mentally beating myself up for not doing the impossible.
I guess it shows how easy it is to think you’ve dumped your negative patterns, only for them to creep up and catch you unawares.
Wednesday, July 20/2005 09:44 PM
I've not commented on the London bombings up to now, mainly because my feelings have been changing by the day, as I suspect is the case with many people.
Once it became clear that this wasn't a disaster caused by an electrical fault, I suppose I felt a kind of resigned sadness, followed by predictable flashes of anger including at one point wondering why we don't just nuke Mecca and see how these bastards like that. Not exactly a rational response, nor one I'm proud of, especially as the people who did this are just giving Islam a bad name.
I seem to have settled down now to converting that anger and sadness into something much more British: the kind of quiet determination I've seen in a lot of people lately, that we're not having this and that we're not going to see our way of life messed up by some lunatics.
I confess to a certain wry amusement on reading that garbage the BBC found on the web saying that we were all cowering with fear blah-di-blah. Yes, people are being more cautious and understandably those caught up in the carnage either directly or indirectly are deeply affected, but what's been really to the fore since 7/7 has been the quiet dignity and the determination I mentioned above. Just look at the two minute silence: the most eloquent two fingers to maniacs I can think of.
Bottom line: our parents and grandparents lived through the horrors of two world wars fighting tyranny. I've spent most of my life under the constant threat of IRA bombings etc. Do these people think we're that easy to frighten? I don't think so, somehow...
Also, take a look at the last couple of weeks and what happened. We (by which I mean secular people and sane people of faith) managed to pull off Live8 (and that was a LOT of people). They (followers of fake religion) blew up a load of people including themselves (dumb) in various places across the globe (not just London). As the two minute silence showed, if it wasn't already apparent, there are a lot more of us than there are of them.
I think I'll stick with the light, thanks, and to hell with moronic death-worshippers.
I've not commented on the London bombings up to now, mainly because my feelings have been changing by the day, as I suspect is the case with many people.
Once it became clear that this wasn't a disaster caused by an electrical fault, I suppose I felt a kind of resigned sadness, followed by predictable flashes of anger including at one point wondering why we don't just nuke Mecca and see how these bastards like that. Not exactly a rational response, nor one I'm proud of, especially as the people who did this are just giving Islam a bad name.
I seem to have settled down now to converting that anger and sadness into something much more British: the kind of quiet determination I've seen in a lot of people lately, that we're not having this and that we're not going to see our way of life messed up by some lunatics.
I confess to a certain wry amusement on reading that garbage the BBC found on the web saying that we were all cowering with fear blah-di-blah. Yes, people are being more cautious and understandably those caught up in the carnage either directly or indirectly are deeply affected, but what's been really to the fore since 7/7 has been the quiet dignity and the determination I mentioned above. Just look at the two minute silence: the most eloquent two fingers to maniacs I can think of.
Bottom line: our parents and grandparents lived through the horrors of two world wars fighting tyranny. I've spent most of my life under the constant threat of IRA bombings etc. Do these people think we're that easy to frighten? I don't think so, somehow...
Also, take a look at the last couple of weeks and what happened. We (by which I mean secular people and sane people of faith) managed to pull off Live8 (and that was a LOT of people). They (followers of fake religion) blew up a load of people including themselves (dumb) in various places across the globe (not just London). As the two minute silence showed, if it wasn't already apparent, there are a lot more of us than there are of them.
I think I'll stick with the light, thanks, and to hell with moronic death-worshippers.
Saturday, June 18/2005 10:37 AM
This is something I wrote a while ago but never got round to posting.
I'm a child of the 60s, so grew up with a vision of the future where, thanks to the onward march of technology, by this point we'd all be working less and retiring earlier for a life of fulfilling leisure.
So the current pensions "crisis" is an even bigger irritation than it might otherwise have been. Having been looking forward to an early retirement since I started work, as early as possible, there is now a very real possibility that I might have to work until I die or live out my old age in poverty.
Obviously, with an aging population, there will have to be changes to the way we fund pensions. But that's what taxes are for... and the reason most people don't trust governments which raise taxes is that they have a track record of wasting them. People in general want good public services etc, and are prepared to pay for them. But when governments throw public funds down the toilet courting big business and starting wars no-one wants, the temptation is to starve them of the ability to raise cash.
The other thing I find seriously annoying about all this are the employers, who were quite happy to take "contribution holidays" when times were good, but now wail and wring their hands about how they can't afford their commitments and start closing down good pension schemes and foisting substandard ones on their employees. It's about time the government stopped pandering to these people and legislated to make them cough up the payments they didn't make over the past 20 or 30 years, with the interest, and made provision of a good final salary scheme a statutory obligation. So sorry if the shareholders have to cope with a few less pennies in their greedy little mitts...
This is something I wrote a while ago but never got round to posting.
I'm a child of the 60s, so grew up with a vision of the future where, thanks to the onward march of technology, by this point we'd all be working less and retiring earlier for a life of fulfilling leisure.
So the current pensions "crisis" is an even bigger irritation than it might otherwise have been. Having been looking forward to an early retirement since I started work, as early as possible, there is now a very real possibility that I might have to work until I die or live out my old age in poverty.
Obviously, with an aging population, there will have to be changes to the way we fund pensions. But that's what taxes are for... and the reason most people don't trust governments which raise taxes is that they have a track record of wasting them. People in general want good public services etc, and are prepared to pay for them. But when governments throw public funds down the toilet courting big business and starting wars no-one wants, the temptation is to starve them of the ability to raise cash.
The other thing I find seriously annoying about all this are the employers, who were quite happy to take "contribution holidays" when times were good, but now wail and wring their hands about how they can't afford their commitments and start closing down good pension schemes and foisting substandard ones on their employees. It's about time the government stopped pandering to these people and legislated to make them cough up the payments they didn't make over the past 20 or 30 years, with the interest, and made provision of a good final salary scheme a statutory obligation. So sorry if the shareholders have to cope with a few less pennies in their greedy little mitts...
Thursday, June 02/2005 10:29 PM
Well, the Dutch have just voted NO to the proposed EU constitution, following hot on the heels of the French. Can't say I'm surprised: it's precisely what nobody wants.
I'm basically pro-EU. It seems our only hope unless we want to kiss the backsides of the Americans for the foreseeable future. But we need an EU which is democratic and accountable. Where the commission does what it's told by the elected body (ie the European Parliament, which we all vote for), instead of trying to ride roughshod over it - see the history of the software patents fiasco for a prime example. The parliament also needs to have higher standards of openness and accountability, for example MEPs should have to be publicly accountable for their expenses.
Along with this the UK government needs to be much more proactive about showing the UK people the benefits of membership, and in particular they need to stop blocking EU legislation which benefits ordinary people, such as the social legislation limiting working hours etc. Why shouldn't UK workers have the same employment rights and protection as the rest of Europe?
What we have at the moment is frequently just a Europe for business. What we need is a Europe for people. Sod business! I'm sick to death of hearing politicians saying that people should be glad to be crapped on yet again because it's good for business. The Nordic states manage to have good social policies alongside successful businesses (Nokia, Ikea, Volvo...). Why can't the rest of us have the same?
Well, the Dutch have just voted NO to the proposed EU constitution, following hot on the heels of the French. Can't say I'm surprised: it's precisely what nobody wants.
I'm basically pro-EU. It seems our only hope unless we want to kiss the backsides of the Americans for the foreseeable future. But we need an EU which is democratic and accountable. Where the commission does what it's told by the elected body (ie the European Parliament, which we all vote for), instead of trying to ride roughshod over it - see the history of the software patents fiasco for a prime example. The parliament also needs to have higher standards of openness and accountability, for example MEPs should have to be publicly accountable for their expenses.
Along with this the UK government needs to be much more proactive about showing the UK people the benefits of membership, and in particular they need to stop blocking EU legislation which benefits ordinary people, such as the social legislation limiting working hours etc. Why shouldn't UK workers have the same employment rights and protection as the rest of Europe?
What we have at the moment is frequently just a Europe for business. What we need is a Europe for people. Sod business! I'm sick to death of hearing politicians saying that people should be glad to be crapped on yet again because it's good for business. The Nordic states manage to have good social policies alongside successful businesses (Nokia, Ikea, Volvo...). Why can't the rest of us have the same?
Tuesday, May 31/2005 09:41 PM
Well, the saga of the mobile phone connection problem now seems to be over, and not much thanks to Sony Ericsson support.
Though I’m probably being unfair, but when I get asked to reiterate information they’ve already had (and quoted in their reply) I get a bit miffed. To put it mildly.
Contrast ZoneLabs support, who responded quickly and gave straightforward instructions which solved the problem. I seem to remember a time when it was fashionable to slag off ZL support, but my experience of them has always been positive.
So I’m less annoyed at SE because they couldn’t help than because they mucked me about pointlessly. Several days wait for responses which lead you to believe that they’ve barely read your email doesn’t inspire confidence.
There is an irony here in that the better support came from a company whose product costs less than £50, as opposed to one whose product costs nearly £500.
Well, the saga of the mobile phone connection problem now seems to be over, and not much thanks to Sony Ericsson support.
Though I’m probably being unfair, but when I get asked to reiterate information they’ve already had (and quoted in their reply) I get a bit miffed. To put it mildly.
Contrast ZoneLabs support, who responded quickly and gave straightforward instructions which solved the problem. I seem to remember a time when it was fashionable to slag off ZL support, but my experience of them has always been positive.
So I’m less annoyed at SE because they couldn’t help than because they mucked me about pointlessly. Several days wait for responses which lead you to believe that they’ve barely read your email doesn’t inspire confidence.
There is an irony here in that the better support came from a company whose product costs less than £50, as opposed to one whose product costs nearly £500.
Sunday, May 29/2005 10:03 AM
Despite having some doubts about George Galloway MP (which I can't quite put my finger on), I have to congratulate him on his taking on of the US Senate committee which accused him (with no evidence) of profiting from Saddam Hussein's oil scams. The sight of someone having the guts to go into the lion's den and give a bunch of dodgy Americans politicians a good (verbal) kicking was like a breath of fresh air. And he's doing pretty well on Question Time, which I'm watching as I write. If he keeps going at this rate my doubts could start to evaporate...
Despite having some doubts about George Galloway MP (which I can't quite put my finger on), I have to congratulate him on his taking on of the US Senate committee which accused him (with no evidence) of profiting from Saddam Hussein's oil scams. The sight of someone having the guts to go into the lion's den and give a bunch of dodgy Americans politicians a good (verbal) kicking was like a breath of fresh air. And he's doing pretty well on Question Time, which I'm watching as I write. If he keeps going at this rate my doubts could start to evaporate...
Sunday, May 29/2005 10:01 AM
There's been much huffing and puffing on the news about economic slowdown because sales aren't growing in the shops. Does it never occur to these people (businessmen) that maybe there isn't some deity-ordained edict that says we all have to keep consuming more and more? Can't they be satisfied with people buying enough? This constant unseemly grasping at every last penny in our wallets verges on the obscene.
There's been much huffing and puffing on the news about economic slowdown because sales aren't growing in the shops. Does it never occur to these people (businessmen) that maybe there isn't some deity-ordained edict that says we all have to keep consuming more and more? Can't they be satisfied with people buying enough? This constant unseemly grasping at every last penny in our wallets verges on the obscene.
Sunday, April 24/2005 09:49 PM
It's Sunday, around noon, and I've just had breakfast. I'm sitting in the garden with a large coffee and a slight headache, breathing deeply of the air, which still has a slight edge of chill. The sun is trying to come out, though at the moment it's behind a cloud. My garden is a bit tatty: weedy and unkempt. But the dandelions are out and the place feels cheery in its neglect. Calmly uplifting. I need more of this, and this could be the last great summer here. They're building some great cinema/bowling alley next to my house on what's been wasteland with trees and wildlife for the past twenty years, so once it opens in the autumn it could be the end of quiet afternoons and evenings in the garden. I've been angry about this on and off, but at the moment I'm just sad about it. Also determined to make the most I can of this summer here.
I've been "post-viral" since Christmas, permanently tired and incapable of much physical exertion without laying myself low. Sitting here watching insects buzz round the dandelions, the sun warming the back of my head, listening to quiet ambient music (Susumu Yokota) on headphones blend with the birds singing, a slight air movement now and again: it's what I need. Healing. A reminder that there's beauty in life. Encouragement to breathe.
It's Sunday, around noon, and I've just had breakfast. I'm sitting in the garden with a large coffee and a slight headache, breathing deeply of the air, which still has a slight edge of chill. The sun is trying to come out, though at the moment it's behind a cloud. My garden is a bit tatty: weedy and unkempt. But the dandelions are out and the place feels cheery in its neglect. Calmly uplifting. I need more of this, and this could be the last great summer here. They're building some great cinema/bowling alley next to my house on what's been wasteland with trees and wildlife for the past twenty years, so once it opens in the autumn it could be the end of quiet afternoons and evenings in the garden. I've been angry about this on and off, but at the moment I'm just sad about it. Also determined to make the most I can of this summer here.
I've been "post-viral" since Christmas, permanently tired and incapable of much physical exertion without laying myself low. Sitting here watching insects buzz round the dandelions, the sun warming the back of my head, listening to quiet ambient music (Susumu Yokota) on headphones blend with the birds singing, a slight air movement now and again: it's what I need. Healing. A reminder that there's beauty in life. Encouragement to breathe.
Saturday, April 23/2005 06:09 PM
The capacity of technology for inducing panic seems to know no bounds.
Last night I ended up being wide awake and perky in the small hours (having been nodding and sleepy for most of the evening), so instead of trying in vain to sleep I decided to write up some ideas for this blog which were buzzing in my head. In the past, this would have been a simple matter of jotting them down using my phone and copying them over later: I should have stuck with that idea. Instead, there I was at 4am unpacking my new laptop ready for a typing session in bed. So I power it up and it happily boots itself, and I decide a little ambient music would be nice. Click the button for Windows Media Player and up pops a message saying it isn’t installed properly. Cue instant panic: WMP was the last program I used before shutting the PC down: how come it’s broken? Has something horrid happened to the registry due to mucking about trying to get the phone to connect properly? Is the disk corrupt? *gibber*
Then I notice the hard drive is whizzing away like a mad thing, and a penny drops. Sure enough, it’s the antivirus, which has decided that now would be a good time to do a scheduled full system scan. The whole machine has therefore slowed to a crawl, so in the end I play Spider Solitaire for another 20 minutes or so until the scan finishes. At which point I try WMP again and it’s absolutely fine: it seems that if it complains it’s not installed properly it just means it’s having problems with disk access, even if that’s down to another program using it. Thank you, Microsoft, for inducing minor heart failure unnecessarily...
As a result, of course, all my inspiration evaporated, and now I can’t even remember what it was I was going to write about. Good grief!
The capacity of technology for inducing panic seems to know no bounds.
Last night I ended up being wide awake and perky in the small hours (having been nodding and sleepy for most of the evening), so instead of trying in vain to sleep I decided to write up some ideas for this blog which were buzzing in my head. In the past, this would have been a simple matter of jotting them down using my phone and copying them over later: I should have stuck with that idea. Instead, there I was at 4am unpacking my new laptop ready for a typing session in bed. So I power it up and it happily boots itself, and I decide a little ambient music would be nice. Click the button for Windows Media Player and up pops a message saying it isn’t installed properly. Cue instant panic: WMP was the last program I used before shutting the PC down: how come it’s broken? Has something horrid happened to the registry due to mucking about trying to get the phone to connect properly? Is the disk corrupt? *gibber*
Then I notice the hard drive is whizzing away like a mad thing, and a penny drops. Sure enough, it’s the antivirus, which has decided that now would be a good time to do a scheduled full system scan. The whole machine has therefore slowed to a crawl, so in the end I play Spider Solitaire for another 20 minutes or so until the scan finishes. At which point I try WMP again and it’s absolutely fine: it seems that if it complains it’s not installed properly it just means it’s having problems with disk access, even if that’s down to another program using it. Thank you, Microsoft, for inducing minor heart failure unnecessarily...
As a result, of course, all my inspiration evaporated, and now I can’t even remember what it was I was going to write about. Good grief!
Wednesday, April 20/2005 11:06 PM
Well, despite the fact that I’d decided to avoid ranting on this blog, it looks like it’s that or nowt, so ranting, here I come!
Having decided that my old PC was coming to the end of its useful life, I finally took the plunge and bought a replacement about a fortnight ago. Seduced by sleek lines and good reviews, I am now the proud owner of a rather nice Sony laptop. However the shine has definitely been taken off my new toy by hassles which really shouldn’t be there by this point. Ridiculous things, like spending the first 3 days of ownership downloading security patches and updates for Windows, firewall, antivirus, Office, Uncle Tom Cobbleigh and all. Multi-megabyte downloads over dial-up. Argh.
So I took the decision to minimise software installations and go with the preinstalled stuff as much as possible to keep a clean system. Only then I find that Norton Internet Security stops me connecting my phone, so as I knew all was well on my old Win98 machine ZoneAlarm didn’t interfere like that, out went Norton and in came the ZoneLabs Security Suite. Sure enough, the phone connects, I can browse the contents with Explorer and transfer files, I can sync with Outlook, and sync other data. Great. Even managed a backup, though it took a couple of tries. Should have seen the warning: next time I tried to backup, it failed. And has continued to fail, despite software and driver uninstalls, reinstalls, upgrades, firewall and antivirus switched off, disabled, unloaded, not loaded etc. Spyware sweeps (clean), search toolbars uninstalled (no loss, actually) etc etc etc etc. Irony is that it’s a blooming Sony phone trying to connect to a Sony laptop, and the SonyEricsson support people just suggested trying the above list of possible solutions... Madness.
I’ve even tried a system restore, but that broke the whole connection thing so I undid it. So much for the clean machine idea.
Other highlights: discovering that if you follow best practice and set up a limited account for everyday use, various bits of software stop working correctly (including Norton’s auto updates: how stupid is that?), finding out that you can’t get a standalone RealPlayer any more: it comes with the jukebox etc built in, finding out that Sony’s SonicStage can rip to MP3 but not in the version installed on the machine, being awash with media players (Windows MP, RealPlayer, SonicStage, VaioZone, Quicktime etc etc), all overlapping in functionality and bloated beyond belief, having more photo albums than you can shake a stick at (Adobe Photo Album, Microsoft Office Picture Manager, Serif PhotoPlus Picture Manager, VaioZone), none of which seem to do anything useful that Windows Explorer can’t manage unless you’re a terminal idiot who can’t remember where you’ve filed anything. Sheesh. Oh, and discovering that my antique-but-almost-unused scanner has no real XP drivers so as it was free anyway I’ll have to replace it or risk making the new system unstable by installing old drivers. Not worth it, IMHO.
Heaven knows how you deal with all this bollocks if you’re a novice computer user, it’s a nightmare even if you have a hint of a clue.
Well, despite the fact that I’d decided to avoid ranting on this blog, it looks like it’s that or nowt, so ranting, here I come!
Having decided that my old PC was coming to the end of its useful life, I finally took the plunge and bought a replacement about a fortnight ago. Seduced by sleek lines and good reviews, I am now the proud owner of a rather nice Sony laptop. However the shine has definitely been taken off my new toy by hassles which really shouldn’t be there by this point. Ridiculous things, like spending the first 3 days of ownership downloading security patches and updates for Windows, firewall, antivirus, Office, Uncle Tom Cobbleigh and all. Multi-megabyte downloads over dial-up. Argh.
So I took the decision to minimise software installations and go with the preinstalled stuff as much as possible to keep a clean system. Only then I find that Norton Internet Security stops me connecting my phone, so as I knew all was well on my old Win98 machine ZoneAlarm didn’t interfere like that, out went Norton and in came the ZoneLabs Security Suite. Sure enough, the phone connects, I can browse the contents with Explorer and transfer files, I can sync with Outlook, and sync other data. Great. Even managed a backup, though it took a couple of tries. Should have seen the warning: next time I tried to backup, it failed. And has continued to fail, despite software and driver uninstalls, reinstalls, upgrades, firewall and antivirus switched off, disabled, unloaded, not loaded etc. Spyware sweeps (clean), search toolbars uninstalled (no loss, actually) etc etc etc etc. Irony is that it’s a blooming Sony phone trying to connect to a Sony laptop, and the SonyEricsson support people just suggested trying the above list of possible solutions... Madness.
I’ve even tried a system restore, but that broke the whole connection thing so I undid it. So much for the clean machine idea.
Other highlights: discovering that if you follow best practice and set up a limited account for everyday use, various bits of software stop working correctly (including Norton’s auto updates: how stupid is that?), finding out that you can’t get a standalone RealPlayer any more: it comes with the jukebox etc built in, finding out that Sony’s SonicStage can rip to MP3 but not in the version installed on the machine, being awash with media players (Windows MP, RealPlayer, SonicStage, VaioZone, Quicktime etc etc), all overlapping in functionality and bloated beyond belief, having more photo albums than you can shake a stick at (Adobe Photo Album, Microsoft Office Picture Manager, Serif PhotoPlus Picture Manager, VaioZone), none of which seem to do anything useful that Windows Explorer can’t manage unless you’re a terminal idiot who can’t remember where you’ve filed anything. Sheesh. Oh, and discovering that my antique-but-almost-unused scanner has no real XP drivers so as it was free anyway I’ll have to replace it or risk making the new system unstable by installing old drivers. Not worth it, IMHO.
Heaven knows how you deal with all this bollocks if you’re a novice computer user, it’s a nightmare even if you have a hint of a clue.
Monday, April 11/2005 09:44 PM
Well, it's an awfully long time since I last wrote anything here, and this entry will be short and sweet: a new PC has necessitated the transfer of the software, so this is just a test post. Hopefully something a little more exciting will show up here soon!
Well, it's an awfully long time since I last wrote anything here, and this entry will be short and sweet: a new PC has necessitated the transfer of the software, so this is just a test post. Hopefully something a little more exciting will show up here soon!
Thursday, January 27/2005 11:47 PM
Holocaust Day
I heard on the radio this morning about the shameful proportion of British schoolchildren who don't know anything about Auschwitz and the Holocaust.
This is worrying on multiple levels, not least being the simple lack of awareness as to what happened under the Nazi regime to Jewish people, gay people and other groups who the Nazis arbitrarily decided were "subhuman", and therefore fit only for degradation, exploitation and murder.
It's particularly apt at this time to remember how the Nazis came to power: they were elected by a population who'd been propagandised into believing a load of hate-inspired rubbish scapegoating minorities and playing on people's fears of "other" and for the future. Anyone who saw the recent series The Power of Nightmares will have seen a much more eloquent exposition than I'm capable of doing, about how similar tactics have been used by our current politicians to hoodwink the public into accepting the erosion of civil liberties. This is particularly in evidence today, when the British Home Secretary announced measures to bring in the possibility of house arrest for all UK citizens, without due process of law, just on the say-so of himself. What democratic way of life are we protecting when the UK government is slowly turning us into a police state?
Look again at the rise of the Nazis and you will see disturbing parallels. And then ask yourself if you want the kind of society that leads to an Auschwitz or not before casting your vote in the next election. It might be your last chance before someone denounces you and you're incarcerated without trial, or worse.
Holocaust Day
I heard on the radio this morning about the shameful proportion of British schoolchildren who don't know anything about Auschwitz and the Holocaust.
This is worrying on multiple levels, not least being the simple lack of awareness as to what happened under the Nazi regime to Jewish people, gay people and other groups who the Nazis arbitrarily decided were "subhuman", and therefore fit only for degradation, exploitation and murder.
It's particularly apt at this time to remember how the Nazis came to power: they were elected by a population who'd been propagandised into believing a load of hate-inspired rubbish scapegoating minorities and playing on people's fears of "other" and for the future. Anyone who saw the recent series The Power of Nightmares will have seen a much more eloquent exposition than I'm capable of doing, about how similar tactics have been used by our current politicians to hoodwink the public into accepting the erosion of civil liberties. This is particularly in evidence today, when the British Home Secretary announced measures to bring in the possibility of house arrest for all UK citizens, without due process of law, just on the say-so of himself. What democratic way of life are we protecting when the UK government is slowly turning us into a police state?
Look again at the rise of the Nazis and you will see disturbing parallels. And then ask yourself if you want the kind of society that leads to an Auschwitz or not before casting your vote in the next election. It might be your last chance before someone denounces you and you're incarcerated without trial, or worse.
Tuesday, January 18/2005 10:48 AM
It feels cold today, as much as I can judge without setting foot outside. I'm confined to the house with a horrid cold/bug/virus/whatever-you-want-to-call-it, so I'm going on how well my (slightly duff) central heating is coping. Have been rudely awakened by hammering and banging from the building site next door so am feeling grumpy as well as ill and sorry for myself...
I've been trying to think of interesting things to write about which aren't just rants, which so far hasn't been a resounding success. Probably 'cos I'm frustrated due to time on my hands but not enough energy to do anything much. I' m determined not to go off on one about religion, minor royals at fancy dress parties, the iniquities of the Blair regime or the madness of technology not working as advertised. Which doesn't leave much else at the moment.
Hopefully, the next entry will be more inspired!
It feels cold today, as much as I can judge without setting foot outside. I'm confined to the house with a horrid cold/bug/virus/whatever-you-want-to-call-it, so I'm going on how well my (slightly duff) central heating is coping. Have been rudely awakened by hammering and banging from the building site next door so am feeling grumpy as well as ill and sorry for myself...
I've been trying to think of interesting things to write about which aren't just rants, which so far hasn't been a resounding success. Probably 'cos I'm frustrated due to time on my hands but not enough energy to do anything much. I' m determined not to go off on one about religion, minor royals at fancy dress parties, the iniquities of the Blair regime or the madness of technology not working as advertised. Which doesn't leave much else at the moment.
Hopefully, the next entry will be more inspired!
Wednesday, January 12/2005 12:56 AM
Jerry Springer: the Opera
I'm writing this while watching this on BBC2. Probably wouldn't have bothered, frankly, if there hadn't been such a fuss made by a bunch of idiots trying to prevent me being able to watch it. This appears to have been a concerted campaign by a bunch of narrow-minded so-called "Christian" fundamentalists trying to impose their own views on the rest of us, as usual. Instead of learning where the remote is to switch channels or turn off their TVs.
I really hate it when self-proclaimed “moral" people start telling me what I should and shouldn't be able to watch/hear/read/say/think. Usually dried-up middle age women or cramped little men in suits who want us all to live in some artificial golden age. Probably Daily Mail readers...
Like many, I'd hoped that this kind of cobblers had died the death with Mary Whitehouse, but plainly not. Looks like we've got our own small-scale version of the US right-wing fundies who've been wrecking the US media for as long as I can remember. Who are doubtless claiming to represent some silent majority. Who in reality are quite capable of making their own decisions, thank you very much, and don't need some fundie to decide for us.
So thanks, BBC, for sticking to your guns. Frankly I don't give a damn how many times they sing "fuck" or mock the sort of evangelical Christianity which breeds the sort of narrow-minded busibodies who've been kicking up such a fuss. My verdict so far: mildly entertaining, but the singing is getting on my wick. Which is predictable as I hate trained voices and opera/musicals. Doubt I'll last the course as a result, but at least I've added to the viewing figures.
Our parents and grandparents fought the second world war to preserve our freedoms, free of the kind of people who burn books they dislike and try to force censorship on us. I for one am not about to let these nasty little people dictate what I can see, read or think. Or anyone else, for that matter.
Meanwhile, I've just seen the tap-dancing Ku Klux Klan, which had me in fits :-)
Jerry Springer: the Opera
I'm writing this while watching this on BBC2. Probably wouldn't have bothered, frankly, if there hadn't been such a fuss made by a bunch of idiots trying to prevent me being able to watch it. This appears to have been a concerted campaign by a bunch of narrow-minded so-called "Christian" fundamentalists trying to impose their own views on the rest of us, as usual. Instead of learning where the remote is to switch channels or turn off their TVs.
I really hate it when self-proclaimed “moral" people start telling me what I should and shouldn't be able to watch/hear/read/say/think. Usually dried-up middle age women or cramped little men in suits who want us all to live in some artificial golden age. Probably Daily Mail readers...
Like many, I'd hoped that this kind of cobblers had died the death with Mary Whitehouse, but plainly not. Looks like we've got our own small-scale version of the US right-wing fundies who've been wrecking the US media for as long as I can remember. Who are doubtless claiming to represent some silent majority. Who in reality are quite capable of making their own decisions, thank you very much, and don't need some fundie to decide for us.
So thanks, BBC, for sticking to your guns. Frankly I don't give a damn how many times they sing "fuck" or mock the sort of evangelical Christianity which breeds the sort of narrow-minded busibodies who've been kicking up such a fuss. My verdict so far: mildly entertaining, but the singing is getting on my wick. Which is predictable as I hate trained voices and opera/musicals. Doubt I'll last the course as a result, but at least I've added to the viewing figures.
Our parents and grandparents fought the second world war to preserve our freedoms, free of the kind of people who burn books they dislike and try to force censorship on us. I for one am not about to let these nasty little people dictate what I can see, read or think. Or anyone else, for that matter.
Meanwhile, I've just seen the tap-dancing Ku Klux Klan, which had me in fits :-)
Wednesday, January 05/2005 10:40 AM
(written 04/01/2005)
People I'm glad are in the world: Germaine Greer
Just had the odd experience of waking up in the small hours, having fallen asleep while watching TV, to find Germaine Greer on News24 arguing for an aboriginal Australia. And I was mesmerised. It's always great to hear someone doing serious intellectual argument well, and you'd have to be pretty sharp to try to spar with Prof Greer. We need more people like her to stir things up and frighten the current crop of spin-obsessed milksop politicians. There's precious few politicians capable of arguing with that kind of coherence and rigour, but boy could we use them. And not just politicians: people like Prof Greer raise the tone of public debate in a unique way. Gods know it needs raising! Every time I hear her speak on TV or radio I end up paying attention, underused mental faculties get kick-started, and it's like someone turns on the lights. I often disagree with her, though I wouldn't relish trying to argue with her without prior training! All that, and she can be hilarious, too.
(written 04/01/2005)
People I'm glad are in the world: Germaine Greer
Just had the odd experience of waking up in the small hours, having fallen asleep while watching TV, to find Germaine Greer on News24 arguing for an aboriginal Australia. And I was mesmerised. It's always great to hear someone doing serious intellectual argument well, and you'd have to be pretty sharp to try to spar with Prof Greer. We need more people like her to stir things up and frighten the current crop of spin-obsessed milksop politicians. There's precious few politicians capable of arguing with that kind of coherence and rigour, but boy could we use them. And not just politicians: people like Prof Greer raise the tone of public debate in a unique way. Gods know it needs raising! Every time I hear her speak on TV or radio I end up paying attention, underused mental faculties get kick-started, and it's like someone turns on the lights. I often disagree with her, though I wouldn't relish trying to argue with her without prior training! All that, and she can be hilarious, too.
Wednesday, January 05/2005 10:35 AM
(written 02/01/2005)
Well, Xmas is over and a large part of the world is devastated. If ever there was an example of why war and political shenanigans are futile, the Indian Ocean earthquake and subsequent tsunamis should give us all pause for thought. I can't imagine the situation of people in the affected areas: TV can't give the full picture, just an impression.
What is encouraging is the response of the world: donations are flooding in, and it's a timely reminder that there are enough good people around to overcome the miserable, narrow-minded dangerous fools who often seem to be taking over. Light in the darkness: a sign of hope.
(written 02/01/2005)
Well, Xmas is over and a large part of the world is devastated. If ever there was an example of why war and political shenanigans are futile, the Indian Ocean earthquake and subsequent tsunamis should give us all pause for thought. I can't imagine the situation of people in the affected areas: TV can't give the full picture, just an impression.
What is encouraging is the response of the world: donations are flooding in, and it's a timely reminder that there are enough good people around to overcome the miserable, narrow-minded dangerous fools who often seem to be taking over. Light in the darkness: a sign of hope.
Sunday, December 19/2004 12:34 PM
Looking out of the window, it looks like a gorgeous day: blue sky and that low winter sun that makes colours looks so rich and seems to sharpen up everything. The trees are mostly bare of leaves now, but we have a fair few evergreen bushes etc around, and the contrast with the red of the brick in this light is amazing.
Sadly, this could be the last time I get to see light like this through my window, as the council have seen fit to allow the building of an enomous shed housing a bowling alley, cinema and (god help us) a bingo hall, which will put these houses into permanent shadow when it's built. They've been digging the foundations for a few weeks now, having decimated the trees which used to be on the site and displaced all the wildlife which used to live there (in preparation for being turned into a car park). I could just about see myself using the cinema, but it's apparently to be run by the people who "run" the current small cinema in Crewe (the Apollo), which I and most of my friends have long-since stopped using as it's so crap. So the new one will probably be crap, too, and I'll probably still be travelling to the Potteries to see films in comfort. So no compensation for having to live in permanent shadow, then.
Looking out of the window, it looks like a gorgeous day: blue sky and that low winter sun that makes colours looks so rich and seems to sharpen up everything. The trees are mostly bare of leaves now, but we have a fair few evergreen bushes etc around, and the contrast with the red of the brick in this light is amazing.
Sadly, this could be the last time I get to see light like this through my window, as the council have seen fit to allow the building of an enomous shed housing a bowling alley, cinema and (god help us) a bingo hall, which will put these houses into permanent shadow when it's built. They've been digging the foundations for a few weeks now, having decimated the trees which used to be on the site and displaced all the wildlife which used to live there (in preparation for being turned into a car park). I could just about see myself using the cinema, but it's apparently to be run by the people who "run" the current small cinema in Crewe (the Apollo), which I and most of my friends have long-since stopped using as it's so crap. So the new one will probably be crap, too, and I'll probably still be travelling to the Potteries to see films in comfort. So no compensation for having to live in permanent shadow, then.
Sunday, December 19/2004 12:20 PM
Well, it's a while since I wrote anything here, which is a pity, really, as I had a couple of ideas in the gap which I've now forgotten: lost forever in the never-never land of forgotten inspiration (strikes dramatic pose).
At least Blunkett had the good race to go (eventually), but as his replacement immediately embraced the ID card programme it looks like more of the same...
I'm currently trying to get myself together for Xmas, aka midwinter-festival-of-your-choice, and am due to spend the best part of today cleaning and clutter-clearing. Hence I'm sat with a cup of coffee in front of the PC doing anything-but-cleaning-and-clutter-clearing... At least if I manage to shake myself into action I should end up with a better living environment, which would be a nice present to myself. Transforming my hovel back into a house would be a good plan, though the fact that it takes Xmas and the desire to put up twinkly lights and tinsel to push me into doing something about it is a tad depressing.
Well, it's a while since I wrote anything here, which is a pity, really, as I had a couple of ideas in the gap which I've now forgotten: lost forever in the never-never land of forgotten inspiration (strikes dramatic pose).
At least Blunkett had the good race to go (eventually), but as his replacement immediately embraced the ID card programme it looks like more of the same...
I'm currently trying to get myself together for Xmas, aka midwinter-festival-of-your-choice, and am due to spend the best part of today cleaning and clutter-clearing. Hence I'm sat with a cup of coffee in front of the PC doing anything-but-cleaning-and-clutter-clearing... At least if I manage to shake myself into action I should end up with a better living environment, which would be a nice present to myself. Transforming my hovel back into a house would be a good plan, though the fact that it takes Xmas and the desire to put up twinkly lights and tinsel to push me into doing something about it is a tad depressing.
Wednesday, December 08/2004 08:07 AM
I''ve just heard this morning's Thought for the day on Radio 4, about the proposed legislation on inciting religious hatred. The speaker was Ann Atkins, who I usually don''t agree with, but for once I was in pretty much total agreement with her. Bottom line: if your faith can't deal with being insulted, it probably isn't worth having. If it is worth having, then all the insults in the world won't affect you.
This just seems to be another example of the New Labour/Blunkett thought police in action, probably because they are trying to court the muslim vote in the next election. Which probably won't work anyway, but since when has common sense had anything to do with what Blair and his cronies get up to? As a basically Old Labour person, I find the sight of a supposedly socialist government pandering to big business, the Americans and religion positively nauseating.
I''ve just heard this morning's Thought for the day on Radio 4, about the proposed legislation on inciting religious hatred. The speaker was Ann Atkins, who I usually don''t agree with, but for once I was in pretty much total agreement with her. Bottom line: if your faith can't deal with being insulted, it probably isn't worth having. If it is worth having, then all the insults in the world won't affect you.
This just seems to be another example of the New Labour/Blunkett thought police in action, probably because they are trying to court the muslim vote in the next election. Which probably won't work anyway, but since when has common sense had anything to do with what Blair and his cronies get up to? As a basically Old Labour person, I find the sight of a supposedly socialist government pandering to big business, the Americans and religion positively nauseating.
Sunday, December 05/2004 10:06 PM
One of the delights of my new phone is picture messaging, which you would have thought by now would be a well-established function in the mobile phone world. And set up by default. But no... Settings provided automatically via SMS, no problem, then multiple failures culminating with a call to O2, when I'm told my account isn't "provisioned" for MMS. Second phone call: 10 minutes on hold, then I'm told it'll take up to 24 hours to activate. Which eventually happens...
So what's my point? Why do customers have to go through all this rigmarole to get a standard feature set up? Just another mad complication muddling up the ostensibly simple. This stuff's supposed to "just work" - it doesn't, though.
One of the delights of my new phone is picture messaging, which you would have thought by now would be a well-established function in the mobile phone world. And set up by default. But no... Settings provided automatically via SMS, no problem, then multiple failures culminating with a call to O2, when I'm told my account isn't "provisioned" for MMS. Second phone call: 10 minutes on hold, then I'm told it'll take up to 24 hours to activate. Which eventually happens...
So what's my point? Why do customers have to go through all this rigmarole to get a standard feature set up? Just another mad complication muddling up the ostensibly simple. This stuff's supposed to "just work" - it doesn't, though.
Thursday, December 02/2004 12:35 AM
I don't like to think of politicians being pilloried for their private lives, unless they are raging hypocrites, eg "Victorian values" tories etc. However there is a pleasing irony to the current situation of David Blunkett, the Home Secretary. Considering the atrocious attacks on the civil liberties of UK citizens he's perpetrated, and the ones he's planning, and particularly his erosion of the right to privacy, it seems positively just that his private life is being spread all over the papers.
It would be nice if this meant that we got rid of him and his programme of draconian police-state measures, though I fear that he'll remain in office and even if he went the grinning Tony Blair would continue with this madness.
Nice to dream about it, though...
I don't like to think of politicians being pilloried for their private lives, unless they are raging hypocrites, eg "Victorian values" tories etc. However there is a pleasing irony to the current situation of David Blunkett, the Home Secretary. Considering the atrocious attacks on the civil liberties of UK citizens he's perpetrated, and the ones he's planning, and particularly his erosion of the right to privacy, it seems positively just that his private life is being spread all over the papers.
It would be nice if this meant that we got rid of him and his programme of draconian police-state measures, though I fear that he'll remain in office and even if he went the grinning Tony Blair would continue with this madness.
Nice to dream about it, though...
Friday, November 26/2004 07:51 AM
The traffic planners in this town (Crewe) are on a mission to make the place grind to a halt completely. Everywhere you look there are new traffic lights, mad remodelling of roundabouts with traffic lights and lines all over them which deposit you in the wrong lane for exiting, multiple lanes leading to single lane exits from roundabouts, new speed restrictions on perfectly good roads, and speed bumps are now being installed on main roads...
The irony here is that none of this addresses the real problem the town has: railways. Specifically the lack of bridges over them: this town was built for the railways, after all. What this means is that no matter what else you do to the roads, sooner or later the majority of traffic has to cross one of the bridges. So everything else snarls up. Adding yet more obstacles to the free flow of traffic won't help anything, and the current changes are so poorly thought through you could be forgiven for thinking that they got the nearest available gibbon to do the work. Apologies to any gibbons out there!
The traffic planners in this town (Crewe) are on a mission to make the place grind to a halt completely. Everywhere you look there are new traffic lights, mad remodelling of roundabouts with traffic lights and lines all over them which deposit you in the wrong lane for exiting, multiple lanes leading to single lane exits from roundabouts, new speed restrictions on perfectly good roads, and speed bumps are now being installed on main roads...
The irony here is that none of this addresses the real problem the town has: railways. Specifically the lack of bridges over them: this town was built for the railways, after all. What this means is that no matter what else you do to the roads, sooner or later the majority of traffic has to cross one of the bridges. So everything else snarls up. Adding yet more obstacles to the free flow of traffic won't help anything, and the current changes are so poorly thought through you could be forgiven for thinking that they got the nearest available gibbon to do the work. Apologies to any gibbons out there!
Tuesday, November 23/2004 12:23 AM
It's amazing what a bit of retail therapy can do for your mood: have had a lot of fun since Saturday having bought a new smartphone to replace my ailing Treo 270. It's a SonyEricsson p910 and so far so wonderful, though it's taking a while to get used to the way it does things after a few years working with PalmOS.
Some time in the near future I'll be updating my PDA pages to reflect the change, when I can tear myself away from the phone!
It's amazing what a bit of retail therapy can do for your mood: have had a lot of fun since Saturday having bought a new smartphone to replace my ailing Treo 270. It's a SonyEricsson p910 and so far so wonderful, though it's taking a while to get used to the way it does things after a few years working with PalmOS.
Some time in the near future I'll be updating my PDA pages to reflect the change, when I can tear myself away from the phone!
Friday, November 19/2004 07:17 AM
Well, it looks like winter is properly upon us: it snowed yesterday. Until now we've had quite mild weather for the time of year, and very little frost. I suspect it's frozen overnight so it'll be time to get out the de-icer before I can set off to work.
To be honest, all I really want to do at this time of year is hibernate. This is not a good time for rushing abouut doing things, we're not built for it. We should be sitting by the fire telling stories or doing a modern equivalent - huddling by the radiators and watching TV, probably.
Well, it looks like winter is properly upon us: it snowed yesterday. Until now we've had quite mild weather for the time of year, and very little frost. I suspect it's frozen overnight so it'll be time to get out the de-icer before I can set off to work.
To be honest, all I really want to do at this time of year is hibernate. This is not a good time for rushing abouut doing things, we're not built for it. We should be sitting by the fire telling stories or doing a modern equivalent - huddling by the radiators and watching TV, probably.
Wednesday, November 17/2004 06:29 PM
I actually think that copyright is important, and that artists, musicians and other creators of what seems to be being called "content" these days (ugh!) should have a right to fair compensation for their work.
It's because I think it's so important that I get so irate about the way the big media companies who own most of the music and film industries are abusing it and bringing the whole concept of copyright into disrepute.
The legislation (in the UK, US and most copyright-aware countries) has been tweaked to try to extend principles which originally applied to print to cover new media and print-in-an-age-when-photocopiers-are-available.
IMHO, it's time that "copy protection", digital rights management (DRM) and ever more draconian legislation was dropped in favour of sensible new payment models (eg the one proposed by The Register's Andrew Orlowski). That means proper CDs (ie not broken by "copy protection") and un-DRMed downloads. If I buy a CD I expect it to work in my choice of player: I don't expect to have to play roulette about whether it's going to play properly and whether I'll be able to copy tracks to my portable player. Same goes for music files. Why would I buy files that are tied to one PC, can't be burnt to an audio CD, or get nuked if I stop subscribing to a service. What the hell use is that to anyone?
The bottom line is that photocopiers, CD burners etc exist. People use them. Get over it, music and film industries, and find a way to embrace how your customers actually use your products rather than trying to turn them into criminals.
I actually think that copyright is important, and that artists, musicians and other creators of what seems to be being called "content" these days (ugh!) should have a right to fair compensation for their work.
It's because I think it's so important that I get so irate about the way the big media companies who own most of the music and film industries are abusing it and bringing the whole concept of copyright into disrepute.
The legislation (in the UK, US and most copyright-aware countries) has been tweaked to try to extend principles which originally applied to print to cover new media and print-in-an-age-when-photocopiers-are-available.
IMHO, it's time that "copy protection", digital rights management (DRM) and ever more draconian legislation was dropped in favour of sensible new payment models (eg the one proposed by The Register's Andrew Orlowski). That means proper CDs (ie not broken by "copy protection") and un-DRMed downloads. If I buy a CD I expect it to work in my choice of player: I don't expect to have to play roulette about whether it's going to play properly and whether I'll be able to copy tracks to my portable player. Same goes for music files. Why would I buy files that are tied to one PC, can't be burnt to an audio CD, or get nuked if I stop subscribing to a service. What the hell use is that to anyone?
The bottom line is that photocopiers, CD burners etc exist. People use them. Get over it, music and film industries, and find a way to embrace how your customers actually use your products rather than trying to turn them into criminals.
Sunday, November 14/2004 02:32 PM
People I'm glad are in the world: the first in an occasional series(!)
Please note, there is no kind of order or ranking involved here: it's just a question of who's popped up on my radar recently and made me feel the world is a better place for them being here.
Elton John: Elton's not the person I would have thought would be the first person I'd write about in this way, but I just saw him being interviewed on the Jonathan Ross show, and it's really heartening that someone can be so sorted after being through the mill he's been through in the past. Musically I sort of parted company with him around the time of the Captain Fantastic album (mid/late 70s?), and haven't heard any of his more recent stuff, though it sounds like he's getting back to basics and back on form judging by what I saw last night. Plus he's looking good, still off the drink and drugs and 11 years into a happy relationship. And still outrageous with it...
John Lydon: Well, who'd have thought it? I came late to the Sex Pistols, loved early PiL, haven't heard any of his more recent music, then got entranced along with half the UK when he was on (of all things) I'm a celebrity, get me out of here. Some review or other called him "televisual gold", which he certainly was: my abiding memories of that show are the poor man being pecked to death by a bunch of ostriches and sticking a candle on his head to celebrate one of the other contestant's daughter's birthday. Now he's doing nature programs (direct result of IAC?), and having seen the shark one it's like a breath of fresh air compared with most natural history shows. Direct transmission of enthusiasm pretty much sums it up, funny and deadly serious at the same time. Reminds me of seeing PiL in the early 80s when a friend of mine pointed out he hadn't seen anyone having such a good time on stage before.
People I'm glad are in the world: the first in an occasional series(!)
Please note, there is no kind of order or ranking involved here: it's just a question of who's popped up on my radar recently and made me feel the world is a better place for them being here.
Elton John: Elton's not the person I would have thought would be the first person I'd write about in this way, but I just saw him being interviewed on the Jonathan Ross show, and it's really heartening that someone can be so sorted after being through the mill he's been through in the past. Musically I sort of parted company with him around the time of the Captain Fantastic album (mid/late 70s?), and haven't heard any of his more recent stuff, though it sounds like he's getting back to basics and back on form judging by what I saw last night. Plus he's looking good, still off the drink and drugs and 11 years into a happy relationship. And still outrageous with it...
John Lydon: Well, who'd have thought it? I came late to the Sex Pistols, loved early PiL, haven't heard any of his more recent music, then got entranced along with half the UK when he was on (of all things) I'm a celebrity, get me out of here. Some review or other called him "televisual gold", which he certainly was: my abiding memories of that show are the poor man being pecked to death by a bunch of ostriches and sticking a candle on his head to celebrate one of the other contestant's daughter's birthday. Now he's doing nature programs (direct result of IAC?), and having seen the shark one it's like a breath of fresh air compared with most natural history shows. Direct transmission of enthusiasm pretty much sums it up, funny and deadly serious at the same time. Reminds me of seeing PiL in the early 80s when a friend of mine pointed out he hadn't seen anyone having such a good time on stage before.
Saturday, November 13/2004 02:37 AM
I find that sometimes choice as a concept is overrated. I'm basically in favour of choice and the freedom to choose whatever suits you, but when it becomes a political totem and artificially created, it becomes a pain in the neck (or other anatomical location of your choice...).
Here's an example of what I'm writing about:
I grew up in a world where basic services and utilities were publicly owned and run for the benefit of all. The gas came from the gas board, electricity from the electricity board, coal from the coal board, water from the water board. The doctor, dentist and optician worked for the NHS, rubbish and waste disposal was done by the council. The buses and trains were publicly owned and run, and were often integrated in urban areas. You get the picture.
Then some crazed free-marketeers (read: Thatcher's tories) decided that we needed choice in these areas. Take gas as an example. So British Gas was split up, into the half that does the distribution and the half that does the retailing, then a zillion other companies were brought in on the retail side. All with a myriad different tarriffs into which the consumer can get locked, only to find that they are no better off once the price goes up. Half the country spends hours of its time trying to figure out the best deal. Yet in actual fact, it's the same gas coming through the same pipes just as it always did, except now the process of buying it is made multiple times as hard as it needs to be. There is no great saving to be made by switching "providers" as you can bet your life that what's cheapest today won't be tomorrow, but by then you'll be stuck with an expensive tarriff for several years. The rest of us saw this coming and never bothered to mess around with our arrangements, much to the distress of those who set up this phoney "choice", with its phoney "competition".
I cannot think of one instance where privatisation has actually resulted in a better service. "Choice" just creates confusion and complication, and leads to our resources (eg water supply) being owned by French and American multinationals. The emphasis switches from service to consumers to lining the pockets of shareholders, and fragmentation (particularly in transport systems) results in chaos, lack of coordination and inefficiency.
In this sort of area, I don't want choice. As long as the gas comes through the pipes reliably and at a reasonable cost, I don't want to have to even think about it, let alone mess about comparing tarriffs etc. If I buy a bus or train ticket, I don't want to have to watch three buses and trains leave that would have got me to my destination but on which my ticket isn't valid because it's from the wrong company.
This isn't "choice", it's unnecessary hassle which I can do without, thank you very much.
I find that sometimes choice as a concept is overrated. I'm basically in favour of choice and the freedom to choose whatever suits you, but when it becomes a political totem and artificially created, it becomes a pain in the neck (or other anatomical location of your choice...).
Here's an example of what I'm writing about:
I grew up in a world where basic services and utilities were publicly owned and run for the benefit of all. The gas came from the gas board, electricity from the electricity board, coal from the coal board, water from the water board. The doctor, dentist and optician worked for the NHS, rubbish and waste disposal was done by the council. The buses and trains were publicly owned and run, and were often integrated in urban areas. You get the picture.
Then some crazed free-marketeers (read: Thatcher's tories) decided that we needed choice in these areas. Take gas as an example. So British Gas was split up, into the half that does the distribution and the half that does the retailing, then a zillion other companies were brought in on the retail side. All with a myriad different tarriffs into which the consumer can get locked, only to find that they are no better off once the price goes up. Half the country spends hours of its time trying to figure out the best deal. Yet in actual fact, it's the same gas coming through the same pipes just as it always did, except now the process of buying it is made multiple times as hard as it needs to be. There is no great saving to be made by switching "providers" as you can bet your life that what's cheapest today won't be tomorrow, but by then you'll be stuck with an expensive tarriff for several years. The rest of us saw this coming and never bothered to mess around with our arrangements, much to the distress of those who set up this phoney "choice", with its phoney "competition".
I cannot think of one instance where privatisation has actually resulted in a better service. "Choice" just creates confusion and complication, and leads to our resources (eg water supply) being owned by French and American multinationals. The emphasis switches from service to consumers to lining the pockets of shareholders, and fragmentation (particularly in transport systems) results in chaos, lack of coordination and inefficiency.
In this sort of area, I don't want choice. As long as the gas comes through the pipes reliably and at a reasonable cost, I don't want to have to even think about it, let alone mess about comparing tarriffs etc. If I buy a bus or train ticket, I don't want to have to watch three buses and trains leave that would have got me to my destination but on which my ticket isn't valid because it's from the wrong company.
This isn't "choice", it's unnecessary hassle which I can do without, thank you very much.
Thursday, November 11/2004 08:12 AM
Yasser Arafat died this morning, and it feels like the world just became more dangerous as a result. I don't have a great deal to say about this, there are far too many people making a lot of noise about what will happen now.
I'd just like to pay tribute to a man who spent his life trying to maintain the Palestinian people in a sense of nationhood, and led them away from terrorism to the negotiating table.
Yasser Arafat died this morning, and it feels like the world just became more dangerous as a result. I don't have a great deal to say about this, there are far too many people making a lot of noise about what will happen now.
I'd just like to pay tribute to a man who spent his life trying to maintain the Palestinian people in a sense of nationhood, and led them away from terrorism to the negotiating table.
Wednesday, November 10/2004 06:58 AM
There was an item on Newsnight tonight about English apple growers and the difficulties they are about to face when new rules for subsidies come in with the new year. It also covered the state of biodiversity in apples: we used to have over 2000 varieties of English apple, now you're lucky if you can find more than a couple in the supermarket, and they may be foreign varieties grown here.
I'm not a great eater of apples, but it makes me cross when I hear supermarket spokespeople gassing on about consumer choice on the one hand and removing it almost completely on the other.
The heartening thing in the Newsnight item was the apple grower who had stopped selling via supermarkets due to their stupid demands for uniformity etc. They were happily shifting vast quantities of multiple varieties via farmers' markets, giving the lie to the "no demand" excuse for not stocking multiple varieties peddled by big business.
Note to self: make the effort to use and support the farmers' market which takes place in Crewe on the third Saturday of each month.
There was an item on Newsnight tonight about English apple growers and the difficulties they are about to face when new rules for subsidies come in with the new year. It also covered the state of biodiversity in apples: we used to have over 2000 varieties of English apple, now you're lucky if you can find more than a couple in the supermarket, and they may be foreign varieties grown here.
I'm not a great eater of apples, but it makes me cross when I hear supermarket spokespeople gassing on about consumer choice on the one hand and removing it almost completely on the other.
The heartening thing in the Newsnight item was the apple grower who had stopped selling via supermarkets due to their stupid demands for uniformity etc. They were happily shifting vast quantities of multiple varieties via farmers' markets, giving the lie to the "no demand" excuse for not stocking multiple varieties peddled by big business.
Note to self: make the effort to use and support the farmers' market which takes place in Crewe on the third Saturday of each month.
Tuesday, November 09/2004 07:07 AM
Part of my motivation to start this blog (apart from playing with a new toy...) was to encourage myself to write. Not particularly about any one thing, but to express something in a coherent(-ish) manner on a regular basis. I find I become very lazy in terms of communication given half a chance, and there's something about trying to write intelligibly which is good mental discipline. To a certain extent, it doesn't therefore matter if nobody else bothers to read what I write here: I make no claims to be a good or interesting writer, anyway. To borrow a wonderful turn of phrase from Robert Fripp, I reserve the right to be as bored as the audience... That said, the ego-maniac within is hoping that I'm developing some sort of audience who hang on my every word!
Anyway, if you're reading this, I hope you're enjoying it and thanks for taking the time.
Part of my motivation to start this blog (apart from playing with a new toy...) was to encourage myself to write. Not particularly about any one thing, but to express something in a coherent(-ish) manner on a regular basis. I find I become very lazy in terms of communication given half a chance, and there's something about trying to write intelligibly which is good mental discipline. To a certain extent, it doesn't therefore matter if nobody else bothers to read what I write here: I make no claims to be a good or interesting writer, anyway. To borrow a wonderful turn of phrase from Robert Fripp, I reserve the right to be as bored as the audience... That said, the ego-maniac within is hoping that I'm developing some sort of audience who hang on my every word!
Anyway, if you're reading this, I hope you're enjoying it and thanks for taking the time.
Sunday, November 07/2004 02:34 PM
This is an oddly peaceful afternoon: it's been raining, but that stopped a while ago and it's just grey sky and a damp, fallen-leaf smell to the air, which is surprisingly mild. The ground is covered in soggy orange-yellow-brown leaves, and the trees are beginning to look bare.
It's very quiet.
Possibly has something to do with an unexpected visit from a friend, who left a short while ago, but there's an air of quiet calm which is quite relaxing. It's early afternoon but the light appears to be fading and there's a sense of being held by the earth.
It's a while since I felt like this, too long in fact. Feels like time to wind down for the winter, which is something never really allowed for in our busy lives, all rushing about as if most of the crap we do matters. There's a gentleness in the air just now that we could all do with experiencing more often.
This is an oddly peaceful afternoon: it's been raining, but that stopped a while ago and it's just grey sky and a damp, fallen-leaf smell to the air, which is surprisingly mild. The ground is covered in soggy orange-yellow-brown leaves, and the trees are beginning to look bare.
It's very quiet.
Possibly has something to do with an unexpected visit from a friend, who left a short while ago, but there's an air of quiet calm which is quite relaxing. It's early afternoon but the light appears to be fading and there's a sense of being held by the earth.
It's a while since I felt like this, too long in fact. Feels like time to wind down for the winter, which is something never really allowed for in our busy lives, all rushing about as if most of the crap we do matters. There's a gentleness in the air just now that we could all do with experiencing more often.
Friday, November 05/2004 09:25 PM
It's bonfire night tonight, and usually I like to go and see some fireworks. This year, no. I had sort of half-planned a trip to the local park, where there's a big display, but really couldn't get enthusiastic. Even my neighbours haven't been setting any fireworks off - we had quite a jolly party last year, but no sign tonight and no-one's mentioned doing anything.
There's a lot of noise and flashes lighting up the sky, so there are obviously a lot of people having fun tonight. Which is a good thing, on the whole.
At least the noise and flashes here are just for show, unlike in many places around the world where things are a lot more serious.
So much for positivity...
It's bonfire night tonight, and usually I like to go and see some fireworks. This year, no. I had sort of half-planned a trip to the local park, where there's a big display, but really couldn't get enthusiastic. Even my neighbours haven't been setting any fireworks off - we had quite a jolly party last year, but no sign tonight and no-one's mentioned doing anything.
There's a lot of noise and flashes lighting up the sky, so there are obviously a lot of people having fun tonight. Which is a good thing, on the whole.
At least the noise and flashes here are just for show, unlike in many places around the world where things are a lot more serious.
So much for positivity...
Friday, November 05/2004 05:58 PM
How come politicians spend so much time in their own la-la land with not much connection to reality?
I'm just listening to PM on Radio 4, and they're covering Tony Blair denying the validity of the article in The Lancet estimating the number of civilian casualities in the Iraq war. This is peer-reviewed scientific research using reliable methodologies to come up with a best estimate of the number, only necessary as the US/UK invasion force has decided that Iraqi deaths aren't worth counting.
It's not just UK politicians: there was some US Republican (whose name escapes me) on the US election special edition of Queston Time (the one from Miami), who had the front to say that the fact that Saddam Hussein had been funded and armed by the US and UK in the 80s was a fabrication. Fortunately Michael Moore was on the panel for the same show, and pointed out that it was going out to a UK audience, who know their history. The fact that the aforementioned Republican either believed what he was saying or believed he could get away with such tripe speaks volumes...
OK, so it's part of the territory of being a politician to pretend that white is black and vice-versa, but when it gets this blatant do they really think we're going to swallow this rubbish?
I despair at times...
Note to self: find something positive to write about over the weekend before this blog just turns into one long moan!
How come politicians spend so much time in their own la-la land with not much connection to reality?
I'm just listening to PM on Radio 4, and they're covering Tony Blair denying the validity of the article in The Lancet estimating the number of civilian casualities in the Iraq war. This is peer-reviewed scientific research using reliable methodologies to come up with a best estimate of the number, only necessary as the US/UK invasion force has decided that Iraqi deaths aren't worth counting.
It's not just UK politicians: there was some US Republican (whose name escapes me) on the US election special edition of Queston Time (the one from Miami), who had the front to say that the fact that Saddam Hussein had been funded and armed by the US and UK in the 80s was a fabrication. Fortunately Michael Moore was on the panel for the same show, and pointed out that it was going out to a UK audience, who know their history. The fact that the aforementioned Republican either believed what he was saying or believed he could get away with such tripe speaks volumes...
OK, so it's part of the territory of being a politician to pretend that white is black and vice-versa, but when it gets this blatant do they really think we're going to swallow this rubbish?
I despair at times...
Note to self: find something positive to write about over the weekend before this blog just turns into one long moan!
Thursday, November 04/2004 08:38 PM
"We have one country, one constitution and one future... When we come together and work together, there is no limit to the greatness of America."
Yes Mr Bush, sounds great. Does that mean you'll be recognising the civil rights of gay people, women with unwanted pregnancies, non-Christians etc? Somehow I doubt it. My heart goes out to all those Americans who will be marginalised, ignored or attacked by an administration saturated by right-wing fundamentalists intent on imposing their choices on everyone else. Not to mention the millions of Americans without proper health care.
I'm not naive enought to believe that Kerry would have solved all those problems, but at least there might have been a chance at starting work on them.
Today I'm glad I'm a European. I am most days, to be honest, but particularly today.
"We have one country, one constitution and one future... When we come together and work together, there is no limit to the greatness of America."
Yes Mr Bush, sounds great. Does that mean you'll be recognising the civil rights of gay people, women with unwanted pregnancies, non-Christians etc? Somehow I doubt it. My heart goes out to all those Americans who will be marginalised, ignored or attacked by an administration saturated by right-wing fundamentalists intent on imposing their choices on everyone else. Not to mention the millions of Americans without proper health care.
I'm not naive enought to believe that Kerry would have solved all those problems, but at least there might have been a chance at starting work on them.
Today I'm glad I'm a European. I am most days, to be honest, but particularly today.
Wednesday, November 03/2004 05:43 PM
While I'm on the subject of the US elections, one of the things which seems odd from this side of the pond is how cumbersome the organisation of them seems to be. The electoral college idea seems overly-complicated. Though considering the UK election system (mostly first-past-the-post, with a smattering of PR hither and thither) we're not in a position to chuck stones in this particular glass house.
But how come it's going to take so long for the votes to be counted?
Also, what is this need for voter registration? How come everyone isn't registered as a matter of course? Here in the UK every household lists those eligible to vote who live there once a year, with a statutory obligation to reply. You have to work quite hard at not being registered, plus risk prosecution if you don't. The idea that large numbers of people are by default not registered and are therefore disenfranchised strikes me as plain bizarre in a supposed democracy.
While I'm on the subject of the US elections, one of the things which seems odd from this side of the pond is how cumbersome the organisation of them seems to be. The electoral college idea seems overly-complicated. Though considering the UK election system (mostly first-past-the-post, with a smattering of PR hither and thither) we're not in a position to chuck stones in this particular glass house.
But how come it's going to take so long for the votes to be counted?
Also, what is this need for voter registration? How come everyone isn't registered as a matter of course? Here in the UK every household lists those eligible to vote who live there once a year, with a statutory obligation to reply. You have to work quite hard at not being registered, plus risk prosecution if you don't. The idea that large numbers of people are by default not registered and are therefore disenfranchised strikes me as plain bizarre in a supposed democracy.
Wednesday, November 03/2004 05:32 PM
Considering that the people of the USA elected Reagan more than once, I probably shouldn't be surprised that it looks as if Bush has got a second term (at least it looks pretty much like it at the moment, short of a miracle).
I've just been checking out the public feedback on this issue on the BBC website, and it's heartening that there are still some US citizens who are aware of what this really means, instead of swallowing right-wing propaganda hook, line and sinker.
Unfortunately, Bush looks like having another 4 years in which to continue endangering the whole planet, with the ill-conceived "war on terror" and total disregard for environmental issues.
I confess that I find the USA's recent concern over terrorism somewhat belated. Would that Americans had shown similar concern over the past 30 years during which time the IRA was funded in large part by US donations. Some of us have been living with the results for most of our lives, and seen the effects over and over again. My birth city (Manchester) had its centre ripped apart by an IRA bomb, likewise similar incidents across the UK, in which many have lost their lives. There have also been several bomb alerts here in Crewe while I've been living here - thankfully no bombs were found or went off.
9/11 was an appalling incident, and I don't mean to minimise it in any way, or show any disrespect to those who died and their families/loved ones. But the kind of terrorist attacks Americans now fear so much are something that much of the rest of the world (including the UK) has largely got used to by now. Welcome to the club.
I suspect that this is why non-Americans generally don't see the issues as being so black-and-white and therefore are less inclined towards poorly though-out gung-ho responses... an exception being the current UK government, of course...
Considering that the people of the USA elected Reagan more than once, I probably shouldn't be surprised that it looks as if Bush has got a second term (at least it looks pretty much like it at the moment, short of a miracle).
I've just been checking out the public feedback on this issue on the BBC website, and it's heartening that there are still some US citizens who are aware of what this really means, instead of swallowing right-wing propaganda hook, line and sinker.
Unfortunately, Bush looks like having another 4 years in which to continue endangering the whole planet, with the ill-conceived "war on terror" and total disregard for environmental issues.
I confess that I find the USA's recent concern over terrorism somewhat belated. Would that Americans had shown similar concern over the past 30 years during which time the IRA was funded in large part by US donations. Some of us have been living with the results for most of our lives, and seen the effects over and over again. My birth city (Manchester) had its centre ripped apart by an IRA bomb, likewise similar incidents across the UK, in which many have lost their lives. There have also been several bomb alerts here in Crewe while I've been living here - thankfully no bombs were found or went off.
9/11 was an appalling incident, and I don't mean to minimise it in any way, or show any disrespect to those who died and their families/loved ones. But the kind of terrorist attacks Americans now fear so much are something that much of the rest of the world (including the UK) has largely got used to by now. Welcome to the club.
I suspect that this is why non-Americans generally don't see the issues as being so black-and-white and therefore are less inclined towards poorly though-out gung-ho responses... an exception being the current UK government, of course...
Monday, November 01/2004 06:06 PM
Continuing the theme about stupid businesses and deliveries, I've found that this is an area where small local businesses can really shine (if they want to, that is). A couple of years ago I wanted to buy a new fridge. Went round the usual suspects, ie chain stores etc, and couldn't find exactly what I wanted. Also became appalled at the delivery arrangements - couldn't guarantee a date or time, charged extra etc etc.
So in despair I went home, and then remembered the one place I hadn't tried: a local electrical shop. Walked in, saw the perfect fridge straight away (OK, I admit this part is more luck than anything), at a good price, too - no more expensive than the big shops. I asked about delivery. It was a Saturday afternoon and I asked if they ever did Saturday deliveries as I work and live alone, expecting to hear the usual guff I'd had everywhere else. The answer was that they didn't usually do Saturday deliveries, but the salesman would ask his boss. Back came the answer that they could deliver it right now if I lived locally - I actually had to ask them to give me 45 minutes to get home and shift the old fridge out of its hole in the kitchen! Sure enough, I'd just finished clearing the cobwebs out etc when they arrived, unpacked it, and fitted it into its hole: I had to do precisely nothing...
Not only did this mean that the big companies lost that sale, but they lost future ones, too. When I needed to replace my cooker I just saved myself a lot of grief and went straight back to the local shop, who proceeded to provide the same level of service.
Take a bow, Charlesworths of Crewe, and a big raspberry to the big electrical shops.
Continuing the theme about stupid businesses and deliveries, I've found that this is an area where small local businesses can really shine (if they want to, that is). A couple of years ago I wanted to buy a new fridge. Went round the usual suspects, ie chain stores etc, and couldn't find exactly what I wanted. Also became appalled at the delivery arrangements - couldn't guarantee a date or time, charged extra etc etc.
So in despair I went home, and then remembered the one place I hadn't tried: a local electrical shop. Walked in, saw the perfect fridge straight away (OK, I admit this part is more luck than anything), at a good price, too - no more expensive than the big shops. I asked about delivery. It was a Saturday afternoon and I asked if they ever did Saturday deliveries as I work and live alone, expecting to hear the usual guff I'd had everywhere else. The answer was that they didn't usually do Saturday deliveries, but the salesman would ask his boss. Back came the answer that they could deliver it right now if I lived locally - I actually had to ask them to give me 45 minutes to get home and shift the old fridge out of its hole in the kitchen! Sure enough, I'd just finished clearing the cobwebs out etc when they arrived, unpacked it, and fitted it into its hole: I had to do precisely nothing...
Not only did this mean that the big companies lost that sale, but they lost future ones, too. When I needed to replace my cooker I just saved myself a lot of grief and went straight back to the local shop, who proceeded to provide the same level of service.
Take a bow, Charlesworths of Crewe, and a big raspberry to the big electrical shops.
Monday, November 01/2004 05:47 PM
A quick note on browser compatibility: managed to do some testing of this site (and this blog in particular) over the last couple of days, and as is entirely predictable, it's at its best in modern browsers, eg Firefox and other Mozilla-based browsers. It's probably fine in Safari and Konqueror, too, but I've not tested it. It's just a tad less good in Opera (which doesn't do the spacing correctly in this blog), and just-about-OK in Internet Explorer 5.5/6 (but no max-width for the body text, and forget the spacing in the blog... and if you're using a version older than 5.5, you really should upgrade if at all possible because of the security holes).
Why is this of interest? well, on 9th November they're releasing the official first full public version of Firefox. I've been using it since it was called Firebird, and the preview release of version 1.0 has been so good I now have it set as my default browser.
If you're still using Internet Explorer, do yourself a favour and try Firefox out. I guarantee it will transform your browsing experience, especially once you get the hang of using tabbed browsing. And it gets modern web designs right. And it's more secure. And you can install it as an additional browser to try it out, and make it your default later if you like it, so you have nothing to lose apart from download time, and it's not that huge (4.5Mb I think).
Go on, give it a whirl, you know you want to :-)
A quick note on browser compatibility: managed to do some testing of this site (and this blog in particular) over the last couple of days, and as is entirely predictable, it's at its best in modern browsers, eg Firefox and other Mozilla-based browsers. It's probably fine in Safari and Konqueror, too, but I've not tested it. It's just a tad less good in Opera (which doesn't do the spacing correctly in this blog), and just-about-OK in Internet Explorer 5.5/6 (but no max-width for the body text, and forget the spacing in the blog... and if you're using a version older than 5.5, you really should upgrade if at all possible because of the security holes).
Why is this of interest? well, on 9th November they're releasing the official first full public version of Firefox. I've been using it since it was called Firebird, and the preview release of version 1.0 has been so good I now have it set as my default browser.
If you're still using Internet Explorer, do yourself a favour and try Firefox out. I guarantee it will transform your browsing experience, especially once you get the hang of using tabbed browsing. And it gets modern web designs right. And it's more secure. And you can install it as an additional browser to try it out, and make it your default later if you like it, so you have nothing to lose apart from download time, and it's not that huge (4.5Mb I think).
Go on, give it a whirl, you know you want to :-)
Sunday, October 31/2004 11:16 PM
One of the most irritating aspects of American culture which has wormed its way into the UK, is the practice of "trick or treating". At least that's how I currently feel, having been interrupted twice within the space of ten minutes by brats-with-parents-lurking-in-the-shadows ringing the doorbell and begging for unhealthy snacks. Fat chance: I'm diabetic so no sweets available... Said parents-in-the-shadows seemed to be shocked at my standard response to being asked to choose between trick or treat: "Neither: I'm not American". Tough: we've got enough customs of our own which are being neglected. Why import American ones?
Before I get a flood of hate mail from outraged Americans, let me point out that I'm very happy for you to enjoy your own customs. I just don't like the way they end up swamping everyone else's outside America, to the detriment of our own. Especially when it means I get disturbed by other people's bloody kids.
That said, I do think the commercial halloween industry indulges in vicious stereotyping of witches. Most of the ones I've met have been rather pleasant people...
One of the most irritating aspects of American culture which has wormed its way into the UK, is the practice of "trick or treating". At least that's how I currently feel, having been interrupted twice within the space of ten minutes by brats-with-parents-lurking-in-the-shadows ringing the doorbell and begging for unhealthy snacks. Fat chance: I'm diabetic so no sweets available... Said parents-in-the-shadows seemed to be shocked at my standard response to being asked to choose between trick or treat: "Neither: I'm not American". Tough: we've got enough customs of our own which are being neglected. Why import American ones?
Before I get a flood of hate mail from outraged Americans, let me point out that I'm very happy for you to enjoy your own customs. I just don't like the way they end up swamping everyone else's outside America, to the detriment of our own. Especially when it means I get disturbed by other people's bloody kids.
That said, I do think the commercial halloween industry indulges in vicious stereotyping of witches. Most of the ones I've met have been rather pleasant people...
Sunday, October 31/2004 11:14 PM
It amazes me how stupid some businesses can be. By now I should have enough experiences under my belt for me not to be amazed, but obviously under my carapace of cynicism there lurks a touch of hope springing eternal...
Wednesday before last I ordered some goods online. There was a 48hr delivery option, so I took it as I was likely to be in on the Friday, Saturday and Monday. Nothing. No parcel delivered, no note left saying they'd tried to deliver and couldn't. So last Wednesday, I rang the company. Very pleasant and helpful, all but said that their carrier was hopeless. They'd get in touch, let me know what they found out. It got to Friday, no more news, rang them again. According to the carrier, the parcel had been put on a van on Thursday, then taken back to the depot that afternoon. Again, no indication they'd ever been near the house. So we left it that they'd ring me on Tuesday. To cut a long story short, I found the parcel left on my front doorstep this afternoon (Sunday). Now, I rarely come and go through the front of the house, so it's quite possible that it was put there yesterday, and has been there overnight. Either that or they deliver on Sunday, which I find hard to believe. It's only by chance I found it, and it's a minor miracle it wasn't stolen.
Needless to say I won't be buying anything off this company again: if they're too stupid to use a decent carrier, why should I suffer?
Delivery, or lack of it, is obviously today's theme: my father told me this afternoon that he can no longer get a newspaper delivered. He's had one delivered for the last 70 years, but now he can't get out to buy a paper he can't get one delivered. Makes me want to throw things.
It amazes me how stupid some businesses can be. By now I should have enough experiences under my belt for me not to be amazed, but obviously under my carapace of cynicism there lurks a touch of hope springing eternal...
Wednesday before last I ordered some goods online. There was a 48hr delivery option, so I took it as I was likely to be in on the Friday, Saturday and Monday. Nothing. No parcel delivered, no note left saying they'd tried to deliver and couldn't. So last Wednesday, I rang the company. Very pleasant and helpful, all but said that their carrier was hopeless. They'd get in touch, let me know what they found out. It got to Friday, no more news, rang them again. According to the carrier, the parcel had been put on a van on Thursday, then taken back to the depot that afternoon. Again, no indication they'd ever been near the house. So we left it that they'd ring me on Tuesday. To cut a long story short, I found the parcel left on my front doorstep this afternoon (Sunday). Now, I rarely come and go through the front of the house, so it's quite possible that it was put there yesterday, and has been there overnight. Either that or they deliver on Sunday, which I find hard to believe. It's only by chance I found it, and it's a minor miracle it wasn't stolen.
Needless to say I won't be buying anything off this company again: if they're too stupid to use a decent carrier, why should I suffer?
Delivery, or lack of it, is obviously today's theme: my father told me this afternoon that he can no longer get a newspaper delivered. He's had one delivered for the last 70 years, but now he can't get out to buy a paper he can't get one delivered. Makes me want to throw things.
Sunday, October 31/2004 12:06 PM
It's Sunday morning, I've just had breakfast and too much strong coffee.
The clocks changed last night, so I woke at a stupidly early hour despite having been up till the small hours. Combined with the coffee that leaves me with a fuzzy head and eyes popping out of my skull. Add in a bit of depressing music (Songdog's Goodbye Isobel, at this precise second) and I'm in a strange mood.
I find miserable music oddly comforting at times, often more so than music that's supposedly uplifting. Something to do with it being OK to be a bit down: I'm intrinsically suspicious of people who are perpetually cheerful. Makes me wonder what they're hiding, particularly from themselves. I suspect there's a world of sadness below the surface somewhere. Call me pessimistic...
I'm particularly suspicious of that kind of plastered-on-grin "happiness" displayed by some religious fanatics. Born-gain christians spring to mind, but I've seen it with some new-age types, too. Probably get them in all religions. The kind of people Terry Pratchett refers to as "left-ear people" in one of his books (I think it's Strata, I could be wrong): they never seem to quite look you directly in the eye, but stare at your left ear, slightly crazed.
Before I get flamed by a zillion cheesy-grinned fundies, I should perhaps point out that, while I have a rather jaundiced view of religion, there are plenty of religious people that I admire and respect. They just tend to be the ones who display human qualities and an understanding of the human condition, rather than the cheesy-grinned artificial happiness displayed by money-grubbing fundie preachers with bad suits, toupees and capped teeth. HH Dalai Lama, Ghandi, Moby, Bono all spring to mind, in stream-of-consciousness order.
It's Sunday morning, I've just had breakfast and too much strong coffee.
The clocks changed last night, so I woke at a stupidly early hour despite having been up till the small hours. Combined with the coffee that leaves me with a fuzzy head and eyes popping out of my skull. Add in a bit of depressing music (Songdog's Goodbye Isobel, at this precise second) and I'm in a strange mood.
I find miserable music oddly comforting at times, often more so than music that's supposedly uplifting. Something to do with it being OK to be a bit down: I'm intrinsically suspicious of people who are perpetually cheerful. Makes me wonder what they're hiding, particularly from themselves. I suspect there's a world of sadness below the surface somewhere. Call me pessimistic...
I'm particularly suspicious of that kind of plastered-on-grin "happiness" displayed by some religious fanatics. Born-gain christians spring to mind, but I've seen it with some new-age types, too. Probably get them in all religions. The kind of people Terry Pratchett refers to as "left-ear people" in one of his books (I think it's Strata, I could be wrong): they never seem to quite look you directly in the eye, but stare at your left ear, slightly crazed.
Before I get flamed by a zillion cheesy-grinned fundies, I should perhaps point out that, while I have a rather jaundiced view of religion, there are plenty of religious people that I admire and respect. They just tend to be the ones who display human qualities and an understanding of the human condition, rather than the cheesy-grinned artificial happiness displayed by money-grubbing fundie preachers with bad suits, toupees and capped teeth. HH Dalai Lama, Ghandi, Moby, Bono all spring to mind, in stream-of-consciousness order.
Saturday, October 30/2004 10:10 AM
I confess I was initially rather sceptical about starting a blog. Part of the motivation was that we have started to investigate their potential at work (we're looking into the possibility of using one to replace an email newsletter, for instance), and in trying to find out more I came across tkBlog, which seemed to be just the kind of thing I'd need for personal use: simple, and works with static web space (dont have to install server software, can integrate with existing web site).
I did wonder if I had enough material to write regularly, but so far I'm finding it something of a relief to be able to vent my feelings in public :-)
Guess I have a lot to get off my chest these days!
Of course I could be just yelling into the void and no-one's reading this. Still works quite nicely as therapy, though...
I confess I was initially rather sceptical about starting a blog. Part of the motivation was that we have started to investigate their potential at work (we're looking into the possibility of using one to replace an email newsletter, for instance), and in trying to find out more I came across tkBlog, which seemed to be just the kind of thing I'd need for personal use: simple, and works with static web space (dont have to install server software, can integrate with existing web site).
I did wonder if I had enough material to write regularly, but so far I'm finding it something of a relief to be able to vent my feelings in public :-)
Guess I have a lot to get off my chest these days!
Of course I could be just yelling into the void and no-one's reading this. Still works quite nicely as therapy, though...
Friday, October 29/2004 11:30 PM
This posting is a bit late: it's a few days since John Peel died of a heart attack in Peru, but I've just been listening to a recording of one of the shows profiling him on the day he died and become very sad. Unusual in that I'm not usually that affected when people I don't know die.
There's an irony in that I haven't listened to his music show on Radio 1 much during the last decade and a half, and lately heard him more often on Home truths. But like many other people I'm painfully aware of how much he's affected my life. This isn't some kind of mawkish exaggeration. Music has been and is an enormous part of my life, and most of the music I've loved only flourished because of John Peel's influence, either directly (because he played it, and I sometimes heard it on his show or friends played me stuff they'd heard on it) or indirectly (because of the number of musicians he inspired to create their work). He's the reason I found the Cure, Joy Division, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, you-name-the-reggae-artist, "world music" (how I hate that term, but useful shorthand) etc etc etc. And why I go through phases of digging up oddities in record shops just for the hell of it, finding some real gems along the way.
The man is irreplaceable. In a musical world of corporate blandness and manufactured pap, he played the records no-one else would or could and music got better. We need him now more than ever, but he's gone.
I just want to say "thanks" for all the good stuff. RIP doesn't come into it: the music just got better wherever he is now!
This posting is a bit late: it's a few days since John Peel died of a heart attack in Peru, but I've just been listening to a recording of one of the shows profiling him on the day he died and become very sad. Unusual in that I'm not usually that affected when people I don't know die.
There's an irony in that I haven't listened to his music show on Radio 1 much during the last decade and a half, and lately heard him more often on Home truths. But like many other people I'm painfully aware of how much he's affected my life. This isn't some kind of mawkish exaggeration. Music has been and is an enormous part of my life, and most of the music I've loved only flourished because of John Peel's influence, either directly (because he played it, and I sometimes heard it on his show or friends played me stuff they'd heard on it) or indirectly (because of the number of musicians he inspired to create their work). He's the reason I found the Cure, Joy Division, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, you-name-the-reggae-artist, "world music" (how I hate that term, but useful shorthand) etc etc etc. And why I go through phases of digging up oddities in record shops just for the hell of it, finding some real gems along the way.
The man is irreplaceable. In a musical world of corporate blandness and manufactured pap, he played the records no-one else would or could and music got better. We need him now more than ever, but he's gone.
I just want to say "thanks" for all the good stuff. RIP doesn't come into it: the music just got better wherever he is now!
Friday, October 29/2004 07:02 PM
Perhaps foolishly (because of the effect it has on my equilibrium...) I listen to the Today program on Radio 4 most mornings. By now I should be used to politicians making extraordinary remarks, but I was incensed to hear some Tory muttering on about how it was important for the EU Commission to succeed and avoid bowing to the will of the European Parliament, in the name of preserving democracy and the supremacy of the nation states. Er... that would be the Commission which is appointed by national governments (who often represent a minority of citizens due to polling practices), would it? And the Parliament which is directly elected by the people of Europe through proportional representation (though the UK government did its best to prevent direct elections, IIRC)? So which is the democratic, representatitive body, then?
It's all the more important that the Commission should have its wings clipped and become answerable to the democratic body, considering the way it usually sides with big business at the expense of the people, eg the current fracas re software patents, where the Commission is desperate to please a bunch of multinationals by letting them patent their grannies and the Parliament is trying to stop them in order to preserve innovation.
Perhaps foolishly (because of the effect it has on my equilibrium...) I listen to the Today program on Radio 4 most mornings. By now I should be used to politicians making extraordinary remarks, but I was incensed to hear some Tory muttering on about how it was important for the EU Commission to succeed and avoid bowing to the will of the European Parliament, in the name of preserving democracy and the supremacy of the nation states. Er... that would be the Commission which is appointed by national governments (who often represent a minority of citizens due to polling practices), would it? And the Parliament which is directly elected by the people of Europe through proportional representation (though the UK government did its best to prevent direct elections, IIRC)? So which is the democratic, representatitive body, then?
It's all the more important that the Commission should have its wings clipped and become answerable to the democratic body, considering the way it usually sides with big business at the expense of the people, eg the current fracas re software patents, where the Commission is desperate to please a bunch of multinationals by letting them patent their grannies and the Parliament is trying to stop them in order to preserve innovation.
Friday, October 29/2004 12:06 AM
This is the first entry in my blog, and it's essentially an experiment, which is why it's not currently my front page.
The content is likely to become rather varied - at the moment this feels like a good place to get things off my chest, so expect some ranting, if nothing else!
Rather than use a commercial blogging site, I've incorporated this into my static website by using tkBlog, so this is missing a lot of the bells and whistles you usually find in blogs.
You can always use the feedback form if you really want to feed back on anything written here, if you're desperate!
This is the first entry in my blog, and it's essentially an experiment, which is why it's not currently my front page.
The content is likely to become rather varied - at the moment this feels like a good place to get things off my chest, so expect some ranting, if nothing else!
Rather than use a commercial blogging site, I've incorporated this into my static website by using tkBlog, so this is missing a lot of the bells and whistles you usually find in blogs.
You can always use the feedback form if you really want to feed back on anything written here, if you're desperate!