I do not breathe your politics
"Comment is free but facts are sacred." (C.P. Scott)
Sunday, February 27, 2005
Today, my brain is a blunt instrument
This is not a day for concentration.
The title of the terminal window on my screen is, through some configuration mishap:
posted by Michael at 2/27/2005 02:59:00 PM 1 comments |
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Linux Kernel responds to Mr Dvorak
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Now, I think John C. Dvorak is a bit of a plonker at the best of times anyway, but this amusing deconstruction of his latest misunderstandings made me chuckle.
OK, so it's about Linux, and Microsoft, and the law, and the GPL in particular, but it's funny. Or maybe I'm still as much of a geek as I ever was :)
posted by Michael at 2/26/2005 02:29:00 PM 0 comments |
Friday, February 25, 2005
Alternative dictionary definitions: Schadenfreude
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Enough said, I think.
posted by Michael at 2/25/2005 09:53:00 AM 0 comments |
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
In the midnight hour
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So, I've had a [ANGLO-SAXON ADJECTIVE DELETED] day, got nothing done, had frustrating, motivationless encounters with work, and I'm all but ready to give up and go to bed. Nothing whatsoever has kept my mind on the job in hand.
So why is it, I've suddenly found my zone, and the code flows freely, and I can think straight? How does this work? Does that bit of my brain get up when the rest of it goes to bed?
I'm thinking it has to do with my choice of midnight music. Maybe Emmylou Harris is the secret patron saint of zen-like calm. Live At The Ryman, from the fabulous Nash Ramblers era, is playing right now. Her version of one of my favourite american folk songs, Hard Times (Come Again No More), is a true aural hug.
"Many days you have lingered / too long around my door / oh, hard times / come again no more".
It's only spoiled by the unreserved audience whooping and screaming at the end of the track. When I saw her perform that song, with that band, I was frankly stunned into uncharacteristic silence.
And on that note, I code.
posted by Michael at 2/23/2005 01:05:00 AM 0 comments |
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Miscellaneous dust-busting thoughts
(Yes, another long gap, but not two years this time!)
I think:
posted by Michael at 2/22/2005 08:46:00 PM 1 comments |
Thursday, February 10, 2005
Charles and Camilla: redux
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Essentially decent, semi-progressive but fairly right-wing future national figurehead marries woman he really always wanted to.
No one injured.
posted by Michael at 2/10/2005 01:58:00 PM 0 comments |
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
If you like photography at all...
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You MUST see: the Lee Miller exhibition at the NPG. Her work is surreal, always interesting and occasionally breathtaking. The world war two fire masks stuff, and Lee in Hitler's bath, particularly.
And if you want surreal, how's this. She was a war photographer and correspondent.
For Vogue.
posted by Michael at 2/08/2005 11:21:00 PM 0 comments |
Monday, February 07, 2005
File under 'interesting stuff I did not know'
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Andrew Tridgell explains the history of Samba with respect to Microsoft's little local european difficulty and their patent portfolio.
Loads of stuff in here that I had no idea about...
posted by Michael at 2/07/2005 09:45:00 AM 0 comments |
Sunday, February 06, 2005
51st State
So, taking a break from some late night work, I decide to cook some food and watch a little telly, and do so. Fifteen minutes later, a thought occurs to me: Hey, wait a second... I'm eating Szechuan food and watching the Superbowl. Almost shocked me into a mockney accent and an outbreak of union jack display.
Now, I don't understand American Football and I don't pretend to (these guys in their headgear should be introduced to Jonah Lomu, for my money). It interests largely as a media spectacle. What with all the media interest in the wholesomeness of the game, it promises to be the most scrutinised broadcast in years, I suspect. Hence Paul McCartney promising no repeat of wardrobe malfunction (as if anyone was entertaining thoughts about his nipples), and this choice moment of commentator political correctness about a player who I assume has some media history, which finally had me reaching for the remote:
McNabb, as good on the field as he is in the community'Community' is another one of those 'rendered meaningless through misuse' words, I fear. I reckon I'd continue to watch if you could only mute the posturing commentary without losing the sound of the game. Richie Benaud and Brian Johnston they ain't. posted by Michael at 2/06/2005 11:47:00 PM 0 comments |
I am in love... with a software package
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(Shameless evangelisation follows).
In exasperation at trying to key in some project outlines in text editors, I did a bit of web browsing, and hit paydirt. Seems to me that OmniOutliner has the potential to entirely change my work life.
Ever since I was taught 'stepwise refinement' at uni, and probably before, I've been making those sort of structured outlines that would be familiar to people well used to nesting ULs within LIs. OmniOutliner does all that for you in a fantastically elegant interface. I can scarcely believe it got to version 3 before I decided to get it. The Pro version does a really lovely DHTML nested document thing, as well.. very impressive. Just like the task list on a PalmPilot, only way, way better.
Oh, but you'll need a Mac. You do have a Mac, don't you?
posted by Michael at 2/06/2005 10:52:00 PM 0 comments |
libgaim/Adium weirdness?
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Anyone else having problems with MSN (logging in but all sorts of errors) and Yahoo (not logging in?)
It's quite maddening.
posted by Michael at 2/06/2005 02:23:00 PM 1 comments |
Saturday, February 05, 2005
'Entertaining' is about right
As of this evening, http://www.veritas.org.uk/, the website for the domain name that Robert Kilroy-Silk should have checked was available, bears the message:
"The owner of this domain is currently entertaining offers"There's a bidding war I'd like to be witness to. posted by Michael at 2/05/2005 08:26:00 PM 0 comments |
quotations and explanations
For those who are interested to know, the title of this blog comes from a fabulous song called 'Heidelberg', by Things Of Stone And Wood (who are criminally neglected outside Australia, and were only brought to my attention by this particular song on a Vox magazine CD).
Well I got your breath, But I do not breathe your politicsIt's pretty much about intellectual rebellion against a parent, in this case a parent whose views were informed (I presume) by WWII: While father swore that we should hold the shore, against the evils in this world, If I must watch this sunset, I know I will dream of HeidelbergThe person quoted under the blog title is an erstwhile editor/proprietor/owner of 'The Manchester Guardian', before they dropped the 'Manchester', from an editorial he wrote in 1926 about the role of the newspaper: The newspaper is of necessity something of a monopoly, and its first duty is to shun the temptations of monopoly. Its primary office is the gathering of news. At the peril of its soul it must see that the supply is not tainted. Neither in what it gives, or what it does not give, nor in the mode of presentation, must the unclouded face of truth suffer wrong. Comment is free but facts are sacred."I first saw this ages ago while browsing a book of quotations, and only memorised the last bit because I'm something of a Guardian reader, but it seems pertinent in the post-Drudge blog ethics debate as well. As an aside, he's on the same page as Dorothy L. Sayers: As I grow older, and totter towards the tomb, I find that care less and less Who goes to bed with whom posted by Michael at 2/05/2005 04:29:00 PM 0 comments |
To celebrate my new page style...
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A new post.
And yes. I do know it's 4am.
OH GOD, IT'S 4 AM!
posted by Michael at 2/05/2005 03:59:00 AM 2 comments |
Friday, February 04, 2005
Cute, really cute
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Man asks novel question on Question Time.
My only question: where can I find a woman who would think that being asked that question on a politics show is not entirely sad?
posted by Michael at 2/04/2005 01:44:00 AM 0 comments |
Thursday, February 03, 2005
Finally, she discovers her heart
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According to the BBC, Kimberley Quinn has finally decided to stop fighting her stop-saying-you're-the-daddy battle in the papers:
...the paper said Mrs Quinn, publisher of Vogue magazine, declined to disclose the baby's name, adding: "I've taken the decision to stop talking about the details of my private life.
"It's best for me not to say too much."
Halle-flipping-lujiah. I never did understand why a successful publisher didn't know to shut up sooner. All she managed to do was make the British people feel some sympathy for a Home Secretary, which is surely not the unique event she wished to create.
posted by Michael at 2/03/2005 02:19:00 PM 0 comments |
Wednesday, February 02, 2005
not www.veritas.org.uk
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First observation: this looks like one of Kilroy's personal rants, with 'I' and 'me' replaced by 'we' and 'us'.
If you want a party that tells the truth and only the truth, this is the party for you.
That truly would be a novelty.
Fed up of being made to feel ashamed of being British? So are we. Had enough of being made to feel embarrassed about celebrating British traditions, culture and values? So have we.
I'm concerned about asked-and-answered questions like this. I don't recall being made ashamed, or feeling embarrassed about celebrating British traditions. (English traditions, maybe, once - when I had to be a morris dancer at primary school).
We will stop all this nonsense. We will not tolerate the bullying and the intimidation by the liberal elite in London.
In short: "nonsense" is a very Kilroy word. I don't see any bullying or intimidation. And yes, he really did say 'liberal elite'.
Then we have:
We will speak openly and fearlessly for the British people - of whatever ethnic background, colour or creed - and for the British way of life.
Hmm, how to make it look more like that middle bit was added at the last minute...
The protofascist slogan:
FOR WHAT IS IN THE INTERESTS OF THE BRITISH PEOPLE
I strongly suspect that one day he'll give his definition of 'The British People', and it'll be somewhat less inclusive than mine.
And then there's that logo. Can anyone else see a marketing person in a meeting saying: "no, Robert, purple doesn't do it for me. How about, black, in a white circle, on a red background. It'll look really nice on your party uniform. And have you thought about, maybe, a picture of Winston Churchill? Or a clenched fist. Yes, that's it! a clenched fist!"
All in all, I think I prefer the offer of parties on the beach on www.veritas.org.uk.
posted by Michael at 2/02/2005 01:52:00 PM 0 comments |
Checklist for a future fascist organisation, and a news item
posted by Michael at 2/02/2005 01:14:00 PM 0 comments |