Lots of good stories and poems :)
http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2010/04/fifth_annual_mo.html#c427359
"One day, Little Red was walking in the forest to visit her Granny, when a Wolf appeared. In those dark days, large areas of our Land used to be covered by ‘forests’ that consisted of so-called ‘trees’. Trees were useless, inedible plants that provided hiding places for ‘wolfs’, nasty animals with sharp teeth, feeding on small children and their grandparents.
Had there been a registry for wolfs, Little Red would have received an early warning about the child predator around. But Little Red did not suspect anything.
–Where are you going, Little Red?
–To see my Granny.
–Why don’t you bring her some flowers? – asked the Wolf. ‘Flowers’ used to be plants causing severe allergic reactions to people."
Dun Laoghaire CoCo on our Green want to clear out trees and bushes so playground across the green is more overlooked by houses. It would make a very marginal (marginal!? none whatsoever really) difference and for now they have been persuaded them not to do it I think I hope.
And someone got loose in Dalkey quarry with a digger against the rock climbs that are there: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/group.php?gid=109450665765423
http://www.schneier.com/crypto-gram-1005.html#1 Worst-case thinking.
Interesting idea. Bruce Schneier's security newsletter is always thought-provoking/stimulating. Mmmmm, yummy, intelligent thoughts. Proper risk analysis versus headless chicken thinking (can you call a thoughtless vacum thinking?). Apply that to DLRcoco and our trees.
Als interesting: #2 Why Aren't There More Terrorist Attacks? and #3 9/11 Made us Safer?
9/11 was so big that terrorists can't hope to impress people much unless they surpass it.
Ben Goldacre of Bad Science. http://www.badscience.net/2010/05/a-staggeringly-weak-interview-of-andrew-wakefield-on-the-today-programme/ Good to see the original MMR vaccine causes autisim guy is struck off. Not because of pushing the incorrect facts about the vaccine but for among other things "arranged for his son's friends to have blood samples taken from them during his birthday party". Sheesh!
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Thursday, 27 May 2010
Saturday, 30 January 2010
Why people vote the wrong way!?
This from the BBC is very interesting.
"in politics, when you are explaining, you are losing. And that makes anything as complex or as messy as healthcare reform a very hard sell."
"stories always trump statistics"
"in contemporary politics, if you can fake sincerity, you have got it made"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8474611.stm
... please excuse me ... this is how I rant ... mostly to myself inside my head ... sometimes to Fionnuala ... sometimes to my computer/everyone in the whole wide intarweb ...
What in this world now is not made complex, even seemingly simple things opened up to debate and put under the microscope suddenly have murky waters with hydraen creatures lurking). Any issues with complexity like any green/environment/planning issues, like Lisbon have many facets. If you are against one facet then it puts you against the whole thing. Focus is much more easily put against any negative facets and positive facets count for nothing.
We must understand all facets of an issue logically and scientifically correctly and work out the best solutions. But when debating politically and persuading people the logic and intellectual argument only counts for a little.
Can we debate and convince people of the correct argument in an entertaining and sincere and emphatic way which is also honest and accurate?
After working out the intellectual argument every point should be translated to allegory. But that can then be countered by better allegory. Nuts.
etymology of allegory
Ben Goldacre's bad Science
Bruce Schneier on Security
Green Party Ireland
"in politics, when you are explaining, you are losing. And that makes anything as complex or as messy as healthcare reform a very hard sell."
"stories always trump statistics"
"in contemporary politics, if you can fake sincerity, you have got it made"
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8474611.stm
... please excuse me ... this is how I rant ... mostly to myself inside my head ... sometimes to Fionnuala ... sometimes to my computer/everyone in the whole wide intarweb ...
What in this world now is not made complex, even seemingly simple things opened up to debate and put under the microscope suddenly have murky waters with hydraen creatures lurking). Any issues with complexity like any green/environment/planning issues, like Lisbon have many facets. If you are against one facet then it puts you against the whole thing. Focus is much more easily put against any negative facets and positive facets count for nothing.
We must understand all facets of an issue logically and scientifically correctly and work out the best solutions. But when debating politically and persuading people the logic and intellectual argument only counts for a little.
Can we debate and convince people of the correct argument in an entertaining and sincere and emphatic way which is also honest and accurate?
After working out the intellectual argument every point should be translated to allegory. But that can then be countered by better allegory. Nuts.
etymology of allegory
Ben Goldacre's bad Science
Bruce Schneier on Security
Green Party Ireland
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
Brother Bill new single: Welcome to the Breakdown
Brother Bill new single just being launched into the general-whatever-o-sphere. Hentertaining :)
Welcome to the Breakdown
More info and MP3 available from http://music.bcoleman.com - Brian Cowen does his utmost to save the Irish economy when someone kidnaps the Celtic Tiger.
Bill says:
The new single 'Welcome to the Breakdown' is hereby released ! What fun...
It's all about getting laid off and spending the ill-gotten-gains recording and making music. You can buy it by clicking on the download link on the music widget you can see to the right of the screen or, if you're in ROI you can buy by texting 'music 4175' to '57501'. Texts will cost €1.
Everyone who buys the single will get two bonus tracks. Simply mail your receipt/pin number (depending on whether you bought by widget/sms) to adminbcolemancom and we'll send you back a download code.
As it's a somewhat recessiony kind of a tale I put together a flash video to go with the song. It features Brian Cowen, man boobs, the invention of NAMA, a strangely Star Wars-y like Banker creature, a new Super Hero for the Times We Live In and builders arse (blink and you'll miss it). Oh, and there's ninjas. And a dust up - along the lines of the gunfight at the OK Corral, only the offensive weapons are hurleys and sliothars. Those poor ninjas didn't stand a chance...
It's come out a little clunky, by virtue of the fact that I gave myself a month to figure out how to use Flash. Not because I like putting myself under pressure or anything, it's just that's how long the free trial of Flash lasts before you have to hand over some serious wonga to Adobe for the full version.
Funk that for a game of soldiers...
Anyway, warts (and there are many, many warts) and all. Here's the vidjo. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQPh7SBUoec
Finally, I'm doing a fair few gigs over November - full listing as follow - would be great to see you at one :-)
2 Nov 2009 20:00 Everyman Palace Theatre Bar - The KC Sessions w/ Andy Wilson and Lynda Cullen Cork
5 Nov 2009 20:30 Whelan’s - Upstairs - Supporting Identity Parade and Pocket Promise Dublin
10 Nov 2009 21:00 Doyles Pub - Ruby Sessions - SINGLE LAUNCH TOUR Dublin
11 Nov 2009 20:00 An Cruibin - Triple Headliner - Cork - SINGLE LAUNCH TOUR w/ Justin Grounds and Niamh Murphy Cork
12 Nov 2009 21:00 Boyles - Boyles, Slane - SINGLE LAUNCH TOUR w/ Wayne O’Connor Slane, Meath
17 Nov 2009 21:00 Downstairs in the Spirit Store - The Spirit Store - SINGLE LAUNCH TOUR Dundalk, Louth
20 Nov 2009 20:00 Roisin Dubh - Double Headliner - SINGLE LAUNCH TOUR w/ Justin Grounds Galway
28 Nov 2009 20:00 Academy 2 - Double Headliner - SINGLE LAUNCH TOUR w/ GDC and Alan Marshall Dublin
That's all for now - Cheerio,
Welcome to the Breakdown
More info and MP3 available from http://music.bcoleman.com - Brian Cowen does his utmost to save the Irish economy when someone kidnaps the Celtic Tiger.
Bill says:
The new single 'Welcome to the Breakdown' is hereby released ! What fun...
It's all about getting laid off and spending the ill-gotten-gains recording and making music. You can buy it by clicking on the download link on the music widget you can see to the right of the screen or, if you're in ROI you can buy by texting 'music 4175' to '57501'. Texts will cost €1.
Everyone who buys the single will get two bonus tracks. Simply mail your receipt/pin number (depending on whether you bought by widget/sms) to adminbcolemancom and we'll send you back a download code.
As it's a somewhat recessiony kind of a tale I put together a flash video to go with the song. It features Brian Cowen, man boobs, the invention of NAMA, a strangely Star Wars-y like Banker creature, a new Super Hero for the Times We Live In and builders arse (blink and you'll miss it). Oh, and there's ninjas. And a dust up - along the lines of the gunfight at the OK Corral, only the offensive weapons are hurleys and sliothars. Those poor ninjas didn't stand a chance...
It's come out a little clunky, by virtue of the fact that I gave myself a month to figure out how to use Flash. Not because I like putting myself under pressure or anything, it's just that's how long the free trial of Flash lasts before you have to hand over some serious wonga to Adobe for the full version.
Funk that for a game of soldiers...
Anyway, warts (and there are many, many warts) and all. Here's the vidjo. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQPh7SBUoec
Finally, I'm doing a fair few gigs over November - full listing as follow - would be great to see you at one :-)
2 Nov 2009 20:00 Everyman Palace Theatre Bar - The KC Sessions w/ Andy Wilson and Lynda Cullen Cork
5 Nov 2009 20:30 Whelan’s - Upstairs - Supporting Identity Parade and Pocket Promise Dublin
10 Nov 2009 21:00 Doyles Pub - Ruby Sessions - SINGLE LAUNCH TOUR Dublin
11 Nov 2009 20:00 An Cruibin - Triple Headliner - Cork - SINGLE LAUNCH TOUR w/ Justin Grounds and Niamh Murphy Cork
12 Nov 2009 21:00 Boyles - Boyles, Slane - SINGLE LAUNCH TOUR w/ Wayne O’Connor Slane, Meath
17 Nov 2009 21:00 Downstairs in the Spirit Store - The Spirit Store - SINGLE LAUNCH TOUR Dundalk, Louth
20 Nov 2009 20:00 Roisin Dubh - Double Headliner - SINGLE LAUNCH TOUR w/ Justin Grounds Galway
28 Nov 2009 20:00 Academy 2 - Double Headliner - SINGLE LAUNCH TOUR w/ GDC and Alan Marshall Dublin
That's all for now - Cheerio,
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