Monday, July 18, 2005
Wiki Three
When my parents have finished putting together their lifestory, through the use of a Wiki, we can have it published by Life Lines Press.
A Comment
In response to this Post
The media has been distorting things for a long time, in fact I would argue that it is unavoidable. Usually a correction will come far too late to change the impact of the original piece.
One of the most famous attempts to "correct" a report was when the BBC accused the Government of "sexing up" the Iraq WMD document. After extensive and expensive investigation Lord Hutton concluded, as many of us did, that the report could be considered sexed up. However he went on to say, unlike many of us, that he would not use those words. [Chapter 12 467,1,viii]
Unfortunately I don't think there is a course of action that will make a difference. Any correction process will always be dominated those with power an influence, the very people who need it least. Leading to an equally unclear picture at the end. People read what they want to hear, we are rarely as open to debate as we like to think.
The media has been distorting things for a long time, in fact I would argue that it is unavoidable. Usually a correction will come far too late to change the impact of the original piece.
One of the most famous attempts to "correct" a report was when the BBC accused the Government of "sexing up" the Iraq WMD document. After extensive and expensive investigation Lord Hutton concluded, as many of us did, that the report could be considered sexed up. However he went on to say, unlike many of us, that he would not use those words. [Chapter 12 467,1,viii]
Unfortunately I don't think there is a course of action that will make a difference. Any correction process will always be dominated those with power an influence, the very people who need it least. Leading to an equally unclear picture at the end. People read what they want to hear, we are rarely as open to debate as we like to think.
Thursday, July 14, 2005
Extreme Thoughts
An extremist is by definition at the edge of the Bell Curve. Nobody can be a terrorist without support. The supporters are more numerous but still towards the edge. The supporters have sympathisers. The sympathisers are more numerous than the supporters but further from the edge.
To stop the extremists we must remove their support, to do this we must stop the sympathisers. How do we do this?
In theory suicide bombers should soon disappear and leave us in peace, but something keeps causing new bombers to be made. What makes them?
It is common to find a connection between the terrorist acts is Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Is it strange that these undemocratic countries are staunch allies of the countries that are trying to bring democracy to the world?
I find it hard to listen to our government saying that the London bombers cannot blame others for their actions, and refusing to take responsibility for the death of an innocent man.
It is hard to here the IRA abandon arms after years of dialogue and attempts at mutual understanding, and then be told that these new terrorists are different and we cannot have a dialogue.
We must remember the bell curve, we must enter in to a dialogue. Starting in the middle and working outwards. Our leaders cannot pretend that ignoring Israeli WMD is acceptable, that the deaths of tens of thousands of people is just collateral damage.
What we in the west must understand is that the suffering we cause is greater that the suffering we experience.
To stop the extremists we must remove their support, to do this we must stop the sympathisers. How do we do this?
In theory suicide bombers should soon disappear and leave us in peace, but something keeps causing new bombers to be made. What makes them?
It is common to find a connection between the terrorist acts is Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Is it strange that these undemocratic countries are staunch allies of the countries that are trying to bring democracy to the world?
I find it hard to listen to our government saying that the London bombers cannot blame others for their actions, and refusing to take responsibility for the death of an innocent man.
It is hard to here the IRA abandon arms after years of dialogue and attempts at mutual understanding, and then be told that these new terrorists are different and we cannot have a dialogue.
We must remember the bell curve, we must enter in to a dialogue. Starting in the middle and working outwards. Our leaders cannot pretend that ignoring Israeli WMD is acceptable, that the deaths of tens of thousands of people is just collateral damage.
What we in the west must understand is that the suffering we cause is greater that the suffering we experience.
Monday, June 20, 2005
Web Apps
I have started to make use of a few web apps, which I thought I would list here for your enjoyment. One of the great things I have found is the way my home and work computers can become linked. By the way, they are all free to use.
Google search history; I use the search history function constantly. If you do any googlised research then switch this on.
Google Local; search for anything local.
Google Maps; including superb driving directions.
Gmail, the more I use it the more I like it, I now have my home email at work.
Mozilla Calendar; lets a PC sync with iCal, so I can share my home calendar with work and vice versa.
Backpackit; a great little organiser.
Basecamp; an online project manager, my company has no default management tool, so this is starting to be helpful. The calendar also synchs with iCal and Mozilla calendar.
Ta Da lists; I don't use this but...
Other sites I have seen but don't use yet:
Synched bookmarks.
cafepress.com; will sell your stuff, and print a book on demand.
I found this via Paumanok Review.com, which is itself worth a read.
Google search history; I use the search history function constantly. If you do any googlised research then switch this on.
Google Local; search for anything local.
Google Maps; including superb driving directions.
Gmail, the more I use it the more I like it, I now have my home email at work.
Mozilla Calendar; lets a PC sync with iCal, so I can share my home calendar with work and vice versa.
Backpackit; a great little organiser.
Basecamp; an online project manager, my company has no default management tool, so this is starting to be helpful. The calendar also synchs with iCal and Mozilla calendar.
Ta Da lists; I don't use this but...
Other sites I have seen but don't use yet:
Synched bookmarks.
cafepress.com; will sell your stuff, and print a book on demand.
I found this via Paumanok Review.com, which is itself worth a read.
Sunday, May 22, 2005
Feed Reading
I was asked for this reference, I hope it is useful.
At home I have been using NewsMac for some time, I originally used NetNewsWire and I am thinking of going back to it, but I won't change until I have looked at the new Safari RSS.
At work I originlly used Feedreader, and then moved to Lektora because I wanted my feeds mixed with my browser. At my new job I have started using the NewGator web version, which is the best for work so far.
At home I have been using NewsMac for some time, I originally used NetNewsWire and I am thinking of going back to it, but I won't change until I have looked at the new Safari RSS.
At work I originlly used Feedreader, and then moved to Lektora because I wanted my feeds mixed with my browser. At my new job I have started using the NewGator web version, which is the best for work so far.
Sunday, May 15, 2005
Debate
There has been time to reflect upon the recent election campaign, and again I am left disappointed.
Whenever I saw or heard a “debate” I was reminded of Monty Pythons Argument sketch. The interviewer always took the position of opposition; “the automatic gainsaying of any statement the other person makes”. It is never permissible to say good point, I think you’re right, there was always bah humbug! No wonder we have such a low opinion of politicians when our only view of them is at the end of an interviewers pointy stick.
One of the few political programmes I could watch with any regularity was ’This Week’, I dislike Andrew Neil, I can’t warm to Diane Abbott, and am not the greatest fan of Michael Portillo. I watch it because Diane and Michael will discuss things properly, their friendship shows through no matter how much they disagree. Sometimes they even agree, they do not look to score points of each other as usually happens, and they even gently make fun of each other. How I wish more programmes were like this.
It is such lazy journalism to enter in to a fake argument. All politicians suffer from being criticised constantly by journalists. I would love to see a journalist actually do some research, put forward a point of view. Perhaps, they could try and understand why a particular policy appeals to the public. So often a party policy was argued over, statistics thrown around, but no journalist ever put forward a view or indicated what the public perceptions were.
One of the difficulties facing journalists is that they must be impartial, this just makes them equally critical. Removing impartiality runs the risk of political rants, as favoured by US journalists and the UK papers.
The solution seems to be to replace the population of the world with thoughtful compassionate and reasoned people, oh well.
Whenever I saw or heard a “debate” I was reminded of Monty Pythons Argument sketch. The interviewer always took the position of opposition; “the automatic gainsaying of any statement the other person makes”. It is never permissible to say good point, I think you’re right, there was always bah humbug! No wonder we have such a low opinion of politicians when our only view of them is at the end of an interviewers pointy stick.
One of the few political programmes I could watch with any regularity was ’This Week’, I dislike Andrew Neil, I can’t warm to Diane Abbott, and am not the greatest fan of Michael Portillo. I watch it because Diane and Michael will discuss things properly, their friendship shows through no matter how much they disagree. Sometimes they even agree, they do not look to score points of each other as usually happens, and they even gently make fun of each other. How I wish more programmes were like this.
It is such lazy journalism to enter in to a fake argument. All politicians suffer from being criticised constantly by journalists. I would love to see a journalist actually do some research, put forward a point of view. Perhaps, they could try and understand why a particular policy appeals to the public. So often a party policy was argued over, statistics thrown around, but no journalist ever put forward a view or indicated what the public perceptions were.
One of the difficulties facing journalists is that they must be impartial, this just makes them equally critical. Removing impartiality runs the risk of political rants, as favoured by US journalists and the UK papers.
The solution seems to be to replace the population of the world with thoughtful compassionate and reasoned people, oh well.
Tiger, Tiger
Two Tiger disappointments:
I still haven't been able to install Tiger OSX, I am waiting for my new hard drive to be delivered.
Then yesterday Wasps beat Tigers in the premiership playoff.
Stripes, who needs 'em.
I still haven't been able to install Tiger OSX, I am waiting for my new hard drive to be delivered.
Then yesterday Wasps beat Tigers in the premiership playoff.
Stripes, who needs 'em.
Wiki Two
I have thought of an interesting use of a Wiki; to do a family history. The idea would be for a family to start collecting memories, allowing other members to add & change. Being to lazy to do it myself, I thought I would encourage my parents and the aunts & uncles to collect childhood memories. A small thought.
Friday, April 22, 2005
Wiki
Surely this is of use Seed Wiki? Or maybe this Wiki Spaces?
Perhaps I should start a wiki discussion on what we could do with a wiki, could a wiki be better than a blog?
He Just Listens to Music
How do you do it? You hardly write but the music keeps ticking through. You are basically an auditorium with legs?? But really how do you create that link which says what you are listening to?
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Friday, April 08, 2005
Why not email?
Recieving personal emails at work has always seemed a delicate issue, even when you ignore the whole timewasting aspect. I am always concious of the fact that I can't keep personal emails, or if I do I have to think very carefully about what, where and other things begginning with "wh".
Using a web site with comments seems to solve the whole archive thing, and with site feeds available it will continue to allow the usual immediacy, if you want it.
Am I off track with this?
Using a web site with comments seems to solve the whole archive thing, and with site feeds available it will continue to allow the usual immediacy, if you want it.
Am I off track with this?
Thursday, April 07, 2005
In the end
I have four weeks left at work, and my boredom creates all sorts of opportunities for me.
My main focus at work is anticipating the Lions squad; to be announced on Monday.
My main focus at work is anticipating the Lions squad; to be announced on Monday.
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