Ed Dowding

Bloody hell, Israel

I’m a little late watching this, since it’s two years old, but it still applies. Dispatches: The Killing Zone — http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5RAxay3jg8 I strongly recommend you watch it, and then do all you can to restrain yourself sufficiently to direct you anger wisely. I’m… well.. fucking hell. I’m close to Godwin-ing.

Summit findings

After the inaugural Bowel Movement Alpine Summit it was concluded that 1) “Just do it” is about as good as it gets as a motto. (Well done Nike.) 2) That after that, very little needed saying.

Life is great. It really is.

These just bought a tear to my eye. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3578168772014330138 http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6309668192149177108 @Jules: “Good old Yellow Pages” – right?

"Look how much bad shit there is going on."

I think the media have a great deal to answer for. Let me explain. There is a great deal of bad news to be reported, that is true. But there always has been, it’s just that we were not aware of it before. We can let the woes of the world hang heavy, or we ...

Read regularly and often

If you’re not subscribed to both of these, you really should be: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/analysis/default.stm http://www.globaldashboard.org

Solar power

Enough solar energy falls on the UK in 45 minutes to power its needs for a whole year.

debate

I’ve just listened to 4h of “42 days” debate courtesy of the marvellous BBC. Never truer has the statement been, “Everything has already been said, but not everyone has said it yet.” No one is changing their minds, because the proposers are not open to reason; instead they seem to be solely intent on absolving ...

Umbrella

It’s interesting to realise that neither of our two words for umbrella (umbrella and parasol) indicate that they’re actually to prevent a soaking from the rain. Umbra = shade in Latin so an umbrella is to provide shade. Similarly para (against) sol (sun). It’s only the french parapluie which reveals its true intent.

It's in the mix

Thomas Malthus predicted that we’ve have the fourt horsemen of the Apocalypse on our doorstep due to geometric rise in population levels, but arithmetic rise in our capacity to support ourselves. This has not yet come to pass. Why not? Some say that the more people you have the more ideas there will be, and ...

CCTV does not work

Well duh. CCTV boom ‘failing to cut crime’ Huge investment in closed-circuit TV technology has failed to cut UK crime, a senior police officer has warned. BBC News

Motto

Use it up, wear it out, Make it do, or do without Orson Scott-Card

People in Bars

Here’s a problem. The most interesting people are the ones with interesting thoughts. Those thoughts probably keep them entertained, and so they don’t chat as much to strangers in bars. Which means that the majority* of people who DO talk with strangers in bars are the ones who bore easily. * because even smart people ...

"It's time growth was dethroned as a goal for this country"

Too damned right. Have a listen to Marcus Brigstocke on Post Offices. In comedia veritas.

Marcus Brigstocke on Religion

Just in case you’ve not seen it yet

A more perfect union

More inspirational and wise words from the only politician of my lifetime who I believe in.

I'll bet we won't all get a phone call from Condi

I think you can probably bet your bank details that the following would not happen if your details were breached on the forthcoming UK ID card US Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton has said her passport file was improperly accessed by officials at the state department. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice contacted Mrs Clinton about ...

UK's MI5 Wants Oyster Card Travel Data

Well, well, well… guess what? UK’s MI5 Wants Oyster Card Travel Data

Weather forecasts

I realised today that I doubt the good forecasts but believe the bad ones. That possibly says deep things about my personality.

Allegience to the Queen

Sigh. Another folly masquerading as change. People just do not respond well to being pushed. We take pride in our (country’s) actions where they are noble, moral, well thought through, and demonstrably good. It is the quality of our (government’s / organisations’) daily actions which has the ability to nurture pride within us. This, it ...

How to prepare children for the future?

My answer to this question: The best article I’ve seen on this is http://www.changethis.com/38.03.EdInnovation, followed closely by another from the IEA arguing for the economic liberatlisation of education and removing it from Government control / state monopoly. It certainly seems very true that innovation in education will come from countries like India and China who ...