Everyone seems very upset about the fact that private security firm G4S has not delivered as many guards as contracted to police the white elephant that is Sports Day 2012, with many people suggesting it's an example of why outsourced contracts are terrible . I'm not sure they should. Let's rewind on what's happened here... G4S … Continue reading Why the G4S Olympics screw-up proves that outsourcing is good
Banditry
As someone who works in social media marketing, my definition of 'spam' isn't aligned with the definition among techie purists. This is mostly because I think "talk to someone unless they tell you to go away" is a completely legitimate way to behave, in life as in work, whereas techie purists tend to think "don't … Continue reading A template for non-spammers sending ludicrous PR emails
In the wake of a punch to the face from phone-hacking-Leveson-scandalous-British-naughtiness, and a kick to the balls from shrinking print revenues, News Corporation is contemplating splitting its TV assets from its print ones. The plan would be to remove the newspaper drag from the share price, and hopefully bypass some of the regulatory fallout from … Continue reading The future of News: from one oligarch to the next?
Inspired by the "send a letter to the Government of Ecuador" left-meme, here's my letter to the Government of Ecuador: Dear the Government of Ecuador. You've got a slightly disturbing Cuba-light personality cult going, and Julian Assange is an autistic pervert who I wouldn't let within a hundred yards of any female friends or relations. … Continue reading All open letters are pathetic in the same way
List of significant winter sports and the teams who play them seriously who are from English-speaking countries American Football (USA) Australian Football (AUS) Ice Hockey (CAN, USA) Rugby League (AUS, GB[ENG],NZ) Rugby Union (GB [ENG, IRE, SCO, WAL], NZ) Soccer (GB [ENG,SCO,WAL,NI], IRE) List of significant winter sports and the serious teams who play them … Continue reading If we had the same sports, we might properly fight
"[Great Blasket] island was inhabited until 1953, when the Irish government decided that it could no longer guarantee the safety of the remaining population. It was the home of three noted Irish writers: Tomás Ó Criomhthain, Peig Sayers and Muiris Ó Súilleabháin" - some slightly ropy web slideshow. It's a fair call. There is absolutely no … Continue reading A man of genius makes no mistakes
After a massively high-spending recall campaign, a controversial Republican state governor has held onto power with a slightly increased majority (while losing control of the state senate). Naturally, the oh-so-left-wing US media are spinning this as Terrible Democrat Defeat, Disaster Due for November, etc. To highlight the fact that this spin is absolute dingoes' kidneys, it's … Continue reading The sun is, most likely, still gonna shine in November
From Ian B at Tim's place: The problem with a society in the grip of a moral panic- an example is the Gay Panic that started in Victorian England- is that it does not recognise it. The hysterical and extreme behaviours exhibited by panickers are considered not only normal, not even just desirable, but effectively … Continue reading 100% true, 100% of the time
Just a quick one on the incompetent Mr Beecroft's attempt to take labour relations back to the 1830s... noting that in private sector workplaces in England & Wales without union recognition agreements, all of the following are the case: There are straightforward processes available to sack lazy/incompetent workers which, if you follow them correctly, take … Continue reading Sacking people is easy to do
Everything is retro is coming round again, and so on. In that vein, I've dragged some offensive old blog or other from the depths of my spare hard drive. My foreword to the reprint may provide context. Dive in, if that's your thing. You'd probably do better just to watch this, though: