Banditry

Tories, speed cameras, and Voluntary Idiot Tax

There are mild signs of upset at the Coalition opting to cut the number of new speed cameras. There shouldn't be. For one: speed cameras are, entirely, a voluntary tax on idiots. Most non-urban speed limits are far lower than the safe speed for the average vehicle on the road in question driven by the … Continue reading Tories, speed cameras, and Voluntary Idiot Tax

What I’ve been up to, week ending 2010-05-23

Wow, I managed to confine drunken lunacy to Skype last night - no visible online traces. # Not another bloody ash cloud? Thor will, clearly, have his revenge. Hope they're gone by August... # If you think teaching The Wire in university seminars is 'dumbing down', you're officially the dumb one http://bit.ly/a6j8rp # #ebz The … Continue reading What I’ve been up to, week ending 2010-05-23

Geeks miss point on Facebook

A silly XKCD today, suggesting that because sensible non-ubergeek people didn't back open source file formats in the early 2000s, they now have no right to be upset by Facebook's Doing Great Evil. There are only two problems with this analysis: 1) Facebook isn't doing great evil, at all, and if you think it is … Continue reading Geeks miss point on Facebook

This is not pikey, this is just *correct*

From Popbitch: In the 2004 European Championships a whole load of Jamie Carragher's family went out to Lisbon to support him. Our favourite over-heard moment from the posh WAG hotel where they stayed, from one of his close relatives: "Call this a 5 star hotel? They don't even have a kettle in the room!" I … Continue reading This is not pikey, this is just *correct*

‘Newspapers are doomed’ forecast of the day

From a media expert: The future of national newspapers is in doubt [...]: the purveying of 'news' (which is only one of a newspaper's functions) is in several respects more interesting, more immediate and more dramatic on-screen. The greater part of all newspapers is given over to advertising [...] which keeps them alive, and to … Continue reading ‘Newspapers are doomed’ forecast of the day

What I’ve been up to, week ending 2010-05-16

I suspect a lot of stupid lies are going to be told in the UK about fairer electoral systems over the next few weeks. # So I re-edited the drunk piece from last night and published it (it's the OneWorld article that I auto-tweeted about 10 mins ago). # Conclusion: I can still do some … Continue reading What I’ve been up to, week ending 2010-05-16

Tories stitch up Lib Dems on civil liberties

Sunny at LC reckons he has a copy of the Libservative agreement. Libertarians, of both left-and right- varieties, have been getting super-excited on Twitter about section 10, which is dedicated to reversing ZaNuLieBore's Evil Police State, freeing the dissidents from the gulags, etc: A Freedom or Great Repeal Bill. The scrapping of ID card scheme, … Continue reading Tories stitch up Lib Dems on civil liberties

Well, I called that one wrong

I've got my reaction up on LC. In short, Nick Clegg has destroyed the Liberal Democrat party because he wants to be a minister. The country benefits in the short term, very very slightly - the Libservative government will be slightly less socially nasty than a Tory plus Ulsterite minority government - but it's still … Continue reading Well, I called that one wrong

We have just OneWorld, but we live in different ones

Within a few years, there will only be about five real long-haul airlines, all based around the current alliance systems. The non-alliance airlines will stop flying long-haul, or where national egos won't allow that to happen they'll cut down to a couple of planes on flagship routes that nobody in their right mind would use … Continue reading We have just OneWorld, but we live in different ones

What I’ve been up to, week ending 2010-05-09

#Sydney's public transport system reminds me of London's 10 years ago - ace for routes you commute, 'mare for infrequent trips. # ....and lack of through bus/train or bus/bus tix for single journeys is criminal in both cities. # This is not beatable. All other makers of offensive satirical songs should, at this point, give … Continue reading What I’ve been up to, week ending 2010-05-09