Ed Dowding

World War III – And so it begins…

I remember my geography teacher saying that the next world war would be about water. There have been a few issues already, but as Egypt rejects Nile water agreement I think we can probably see this a key moment in history. Switzerland, which has the largest reserves of fresh water, must be getting nervous. And it ...

Status Anxiety

(recreated from Alain de Botton’s book of the same name)

Earning vs making

Just to be very clear to anyone who makes a lot of money: there is a BIG difference between making money and earning money. There’s nothing wrong with earning lots of money, of course. Just be sure you spend it wisely. Tip: If you get more than £200,000 per year you could probably be running ...

BBC News – New government: Reaction in quotes

Hooray! Listen – you’ve heard my comment, which is one word. It’s the first time you’ve had a one word statement and it is, hooray. And I’ll repeat it. Paddy Ashdown BBC News – New government: Reaction in quotes.

How fast is Google Chrome? (Includes explosions)

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCgQDjiotG0

Entrepreneurs

Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. — Margaret Mead httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6MhAwQ64c0

Every single day is a decision you make

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rU-6r4zznp4 This is where I just had a melon and kiwi breakfast. Every single day we make a choice how we want to live. Every. Single. Day. We have spare beds and open arms.

Farm life

I’ve just applied to go on a programme called “Farm Life”. I figured the answers were quite interesting (especially if contrasted with Ali’s). EXPLAIN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR CO-APPLICANT. Ali and I have been going out for about a year now. She’s lovely. Such a great friend and ally to have in this adventure. We compliment ...

"We are now a 3 party country"

We are now a 3 party country John Humphries, Today, Radio 4 We have been a 3 party country all my life. More than that, in fact. The media has failed to represent this truth fairly and is now acting surprised like it’s not their fault that the LibDems haven’t been taken seriously. When people ...

Notes from the Pyrenees

A first tentative vodcast… Music muchos gracias to the overwhelmingly talented Nathaniel Slade (Licence)

Temporary Autonomous Zone

A TAZ is the socio-political tactic of creating temporary spaces that elude formal structures of control – the best way to create a non-hierarchical system of social relationships is to concentrate on the present and on releasing one’s own mind from the controlling mechanisms that have been imposed on it. Temporary Autonomous Zone, by Hakim ...

Growth or no-growth?

Economic growth or no economic growth? Which way is best? As with most questions with only two allowed answers, the real answer is “almost certainly both, and neither.” We have plenty of resources, if only we were to use them properly. Whichever model we choose we have to start from where we are right now ...

John Maynard Keynes

Capitalism is “the astonishing belief that the nastiest motives of the nastiest men somehow or other work for the best results in the best of all possible worlds.” via John Maynard Keynes – Wikiquote.

Travel Forever and Live Rent Free

http://www.camelotproperty.com http://www.guardianangelservices.co.uk http://www.mindmyhouse.com http://www.vagabondish.com/8-tools-travel-long-term-live-rent-free/

Fact about bottle water

Via Webecoist

FarmSubsidy.org

Interesting little site. See who near you is getting big old farm subsidies from Europe: FarmSubsidy.org Note, of course, that this does not mean they’re minted, just that they get some money from them. See also: http://www.followthemoney.eu/

Principle of double effect

The principle of double effect is a set of ethical criteria for evaluating the permissibility of acting when one’s otherwise legitimate act (for example, relieving a terminally ill patient’s pain) will also cause an effect one would normally be obliged to avoid (for example, the patient’s death.) The act itself must be good The bad ...

Design for America – govt. of/by/for the people

It’s stuff like this which gives civilisation a hope: Our goal is simple and straightforward — to make government data more accessible and comprehensible to the American public. We hope to enliven and engage new communities as partners and participants in making government information more engaging to the American public. Redesign of a Government Form: ...

Clear skies

Ah, summer!

God is a stress reaction

An interesting article in the WSJ today about how belief in God is not innate. Because humans are hard-wired for religion, it must be reformed rather than refuted to better fit the modern world. People are genetically preprogrammed to be pious because it confers a selective advantage that enhances reproductive success. If it were so ...