I meant to a post on this earlier, I have been too busy recently to do so though.
The other day I found this story, I read it again today and am praying to every god around that the Fun Police don't manage to spot it.
When I read this I thought "What a perfect argument for re-establishing pubs as social places for everyone." By this I was thinking of those under-18 who are refused entrance to some pubs due to their licensing (or so I was told upon evictions when under-18 in some pubs), those betwixt the ages of 16 and 18 being allowed pint with food (I remember clearly being told by the older generations this was allowed) and most importantly smokers.
The cynics among you laugh to yourselves at my naivety, but I still hold hope for mankind... even if it is rapidly dwindling for the immediate future of those whom inhabit these isles. My next thought was that of the bellow from the "public conscience" army of "For the CHEEEEEELDREEEEEEEN!" New tougher licensing laws to be able to serve alcohol, bouncers after 7pm, if not all day, screens hiding all alcohol, all alcohol kept behind the counter, breathalysers to ensure that those purchasing said alcohol are completely sober (I wonder how long it is before this is enacted in pubs to stop "binge" drinking), regular tests for the shop owners and workers to make sure they are fit for the task and massive fines for failure to comply.
So the aftermath of this would be ruin for I doubt even supermarkets would serve alcohol or it will be so prohibitively expensive that no one will buy it. Near every brewery in the country would close, pubs would either become restaurants or close. Everyone would turn to home-brewing, the sensible brewing beer, cider, mead and wine. The less fortunate? Blind through a poor understanding of the fermenting and distilling process. That would be the hardcore few, the rest would be nice cosy teetotallers to avoid the sheer effort now involved in drinking.
I think I might have found something to still seem fantastical enough to be in a dystopian fiction novel... I pray it can go in a dystopian fiction novel, I fear that these prayers shan't be answered.
As Bruce Dickinson so aptly (though I don't imagine he ever envisaged it being used for this) put it (certainly he would deny this is what it implied/meant) "Run to the hills! Run for your lives!" I doubt that will be far enough to escape the behemoth of Westminster now though.
Thursday, 25 February 2010
Friday, 19 February 2010
Banking Crisis
This isn't going to be long as I don't really have a very large understanding of business and economics.
I spent most of today reading (I have been working, but watching a TV doesn't require a brain cell... it does but it steals them from me rather than make me use them) a new web comic. I came across two comics which to me seem to sum up what went wrong a little better than, "those fat cats at the top taking too many risks". First I do think that I am right in saying that all the fat cats did was let their sub-ordinates do the risk taking for them. So this cartoon is probably a more accurate description of what went wrong.
Next the bonus culture. In this one, the character seems to show the real response of bankers to the emergency bail out funds.
As I said I don't know much, but if you have people who made bad investments on a faulty idea, what happened in the past will surely happen again. I doubt they would really have believed that the first failiure was actually their fault, and so learn from their lesson.
I spent most of today reading (I have been working, but watching a TV doesn't require a brain cell... it does but it steals them from me rather than make me use them) a new web comic. I came across two comics which to me seem to sum up what went wrong a little better than, "those fat cats at the top taking too many risks". First I do think that I am right in saying that all the fat cats did was let their sub-ordinates do the risk taking for them. So this cartoon is probably a more accurate description of what went wrong.
Next the bonus culture. In this one, the character seems to show the real response of bankers to the emergency bail out funds.
As I said I don't know much, but if you have people who made bad investments on a faulty idea, what happened in the past will surely happen again. I doubt they would really have believed that the first failiure was actually their fault, and so learn from their lesson.
Monday, 15 February 2010
Where will the war end?
I have just read a brilliant blog post about climate change by Brian Micklethwait of samizdata.net. I feel that there is a fantasy/war fiction/steampunk novel in this post. I have no idea if their was any intention to create this feeling of an epic in waiting. Being a climate sceptic I agree with a lot of what is said, so that may help in what I felt as I was reading...
A small village, that keeps itself to itself, in a small county of a giant nation governed by a weak ruler who hides behind his trusted advisors. Slowly the evil and malice of these advisers starts to pollute the nations minds. This once liberal land starts being crushed under the heelof the ruler's name. The majority, unthinking, just continue with their lives slowly being subverted by the lies of the propoganda machine, ignoring the quiet disappearances of those who start to question. The lord of the small county, who was a reasonable man preaching of understanding and accomodation, is summoned by the ruler to be brought to heel.
For some time an intelligent, presumed mad, and badly tolerated member of the isolated village has been trying to tell the village of what is happening, of these malicious forces bent on domination, determined, and monstrous these shadows. It is not until the summons of their Lord does anyone seek to question the old man on his opinions. In questioning a part yet not the whole of the group of people whom question him come to doubt and investigate. In the questioning they begin to realise the danger of this misinformation and start to work to build a point of defence from where to attack the chinks in the armour.
Slowly, word starts to reach the advisors of this redoubt of hope, by this time expanding slowly to encompass most of the small county. Upon the obtaining of this information a force is sent to swat them away, to arrest and slaughter the higher echelons of this free-thinking collection. As this force moves to crush this rebellion of thought word of these secret actions start to spread throughout the nation, with more people flocking to the banner.
This primary force meets with a small amount of success, but fails to destroy the uprising, merely containing it. Reinforcements are requested, again the advisor's misjudge the power of the movement sending in sufficient support. When battle is next enjoined, the forces of the ruler are crushed. The support for the resistance grows rapidly. Elite soldiers and commanders flock to the banner of the rebels and the truth they stand for.
The rebels consolidate their gains and prepare for the next assault. The ruler's advisor's are in disarray, all arguing with no leader. Finally a group of the more extreme members of councillors gains control. They summon the army and prepare for total war.
Meanwhile small elite groups of soldiers have been sent to prepare for the assault of the castles, keeps and hill forts of the enemy. The remaining troops ready for battle knowing the cost of failiure and willing to sacrifice. The armies of the enemy draw near the battle lines are drawn and the nation holds its breath for the first charge. Unknowingly, in skirmishes being fought all around the armies, a convoy containing correspondence for the upcoming fight, and the long running campaign of propoganda is captured. This, the commanders of both sides hide one waiting for the time to strike, the other in the hope it was destroyed and was not captured. Intelligence is recieved on the planned date for the first offensive by the coucillors. The signal releases the, now much duplicated, correspondance to be released to the enemy.
The clash of arms the following day is a hard fought victory for the warriors of the county, but the defeat causes large amounts of desertion from the councillors ranks. Battle after bloody battle is fought in a rear gaurd action, with the extreme councillors often entering the fray to rally troops. Soon one is lost, the others start to cause dissent in the ranks of the councillors army causing the more reasonable councillors to leave with the majority of the army and retreat further to other strongholds. The tide of the county' army unstoppable marching through scorched ground littered with bodies, few from their own side, eliminating pockets of resistance with clinical effiency.
The uncontrollable advance of the counties troops extends near to its limits. The commanders upon seeing this call for a halt and regrouping, some heed the call, others still with the bloodlust carve out the remaining of the extreme councillors forces.
This shattered land now lies still, in the eye of the hurricane. An uneasy and unnatural calm that onl makes those whom observe fret and fear. Where will the fight continue... Can the councillors be overcome...
A small village, that keeps itself to itself, in a small county of a giant nation governed by a weak ruler who hides behind his trusted advisors. Slowly the evil and malice of these advisers starts to pollute the nations minds. This once liberal land starts being crushed under the heelof the ruler's name. The majority, unthinking, just continue with their lives slowly being subverted by the lies of the propoganda machine, ignoring the quiet disappearances of those who start to question. The lord of the small county, who was a reasonable man preaching of understanding and accomodation, is summoned by the ruler to be brought to heel.
For some time an intelligent, presumed mad, and badly tolerated member of the isolated village has been trying to tell the village of what is happening, of these malicious forces bent on domination, determined, and monstrous these shadows. It is not until the summons of their Lord does anyone seek to question the old man on his opinions. In questioning a part yet not the whole of the group of people whom question him come to doubt and investigate. In the questioning they begin to realise the danger of this misinformation and start to work to build a point of defence from where to attack the chinks in the armour.
Slowly, word starts to reach the advisors of this redoubt of hope, by this time expanding slowly to encompass most of the small county. Upon the obtaining of this information a force is sent to swat them away, to arrest and slaughter the higher echelons of this free-thinking collection. As this force moves to crush this rebellion of thought word of these secret actions start to spread throughout the nation, with more people flocking to the banner.
This primary force meets with a small amount of success, but fails to destroy the uprising, merely containing it. Reinforcements are requested, again the advisor's misjudge the power of the movement sending in sufficient support. When battle is next enjoined, the forces of the ruler are crushed. The support for the resistance grows rapidly. Elite soldiers and commanders flock to the banner of the rebels and the truth they stand for.
The rebels consolidate their gains and prepare for the next assault. The ruler's advisor's are in disarray, all arguing with no leader. Finally a group of the more extreme members of councillors gains control. They summon the army and prepare for total war.
Meanwhile small elite groups of soldiers have been sent to prepare for the assault of the castles, keeps and hill forts of the enemy. The remaining troops ready for battle knowing the cost of failiure and willing to sacrifice. The armies of the enemy draw near the battle lines are drawn and the nation holds its breath for the first charge. Unknowingly, in skirmishes being fought all around the armies, a convoy containing correspondence for the upcoming fight, and the long running campaign of propoganda is captured. This, the commanders of both sides hide one waiting for the time to strike, the other in the hope it was destroyed and was not captured. Intelligence is recieved on the planned date for the first offensive by the coucillors. The signal releases the, now much duplicated, correspondance to be released to the enemy.
The clash of arms the following day is a hard fought victory for the warriors of the county, but the defeat causes large amounts of desertion from the councillors ranks. Battle after bloody battle is fought in a rear gaurd action, with the extreme councillors often entering the fray to rally troops. Soon one is lost, the others start to cause dissent in the ranks of the councillors army causing the more reasonable councillors to leave with the majority of the army and retreat further to other strongholds. The tide of the county' army unstoppable marching through scorched ground littered with bodies, few from their own side, eliminating pockets of resistance with clinical effiency.
The uncontrollable advance of the counties troops extends near to its limits. The commanders upon seeing this call for a halt and regrouping, some heed the call, others still with the bloodlust carve out the remaining of the extreme councillors forces.
This shattered land now lies still, in the eye of the hurricane. An uneasy and unnatural calm that onl makes those whom observe fret and fear. Where will the fight continue... Can the councillors be overcome...
Bah humbug!
By the Gods I feel I might just go and kill myself! Screw that I may aswell go donw guns blazing creating a major international incident and start a war. It would probably actually make things a little brighter if I did this in a chicken suit on stilts, certainly if I didn't I wouldn't feel that I would be causing the news to get more depressing.
That, or I could just stop reading my favoured blogs. The Pub Curmudgeon for the latest on CAMRA's intransigence and the demise of social drinking; Dick Puddlecote for keeping me uptodate with the latest outbreaks in authoritarian, self-righteous, freedom-choking news updates; Underdogs Bite Upwards for the comprehensive debunking of the anti-smoking propoganda and "science", I think we should get the BBC to interview him against an ASH spokes person, with both at the same place, outside and watch the sponateous combustion of the ASH member as it comes within 5 yards of the "ANTICHRIST"! This would probably defy the point of my reading them, a method of keeping up on news, where the media tends to be rather socialist.
My frustration comes with the fact that these blogs are always having to deal with extreme incompitence from so called "scientists", politicians and newspaper commentators who would believe the noise emanationg from a laboratory rat's ear if it had Obama* tatooed to its back. All these authoritarian, ignorant stories they have to deal with is starting to wear me down and get depressed. I feel a change must be achieved.
Hence my initial idea for starting an international incident with my death. I have decided however that a much better idea would be to start a blog where I hunt around for some amusing, entertaining stories which make you feel happier, or at least less miserable. My first post, I forget who's blog I found this through I shall continue hunting, shall be on this story. I just made me giggle. I feel the title being something akin to "oh for a laugh..."
Editorial: New blog for amusing stories, funny videos, and silly anecdotes is here! at http://haveachuckleonme.blogspot.com/
* On an aside I feel a bit sorry for Obama. He was elected into power, at the end of George Bush's incompitence and, as far as I can tell through my ignorance, is being blamed for everything that mostly was started during his predecessor's eight year reign. But I do reiterate I don't really understand what is going on across the pond.
That, or I could just stop reading my favoured blogs. The Pub Curmudgeon for the latest on CAMRA's intransigence and the demise of social drinking; Dick Puddlecote for keeping me uptodate with the latest outbreaks in authoritarian, self-righteous, freedom-choking news updates; Underdogs Bite Upwards for the comprehensive debunking of the anti-smoking propoganda and "science", I think we should get the BBC to interview him against an ASH spokes person, with both at the same place, outside and watch the sponateous combustion of the ASH member as it comes within 5 yards of the "ANTICHRIST"! This would probably defy the point of my reading them, a method of keeping up on news, where the media tends to be rather socialist.
My frustration comes with the fact that these blogs are always having to deal with extreme incompitence from so called "scientists", politicians and newspaper commentators who would believe the noise emanationg from a laboratory rat's ear if it had Obama* tatooed to its back. All these authoritarian, ignorant stories they have to deal with is starting to wear me down and get depressed. I feel a change must be achieved.
Hence my initial idea for starting an international incident with my death. I have decided however that a much better idea would be to start a blog where I hunt around for some amusing, entertaining stories which make you feel happier, or at least less miserable. My first post, I forget who's blog I found this through I shall continue hunting, shall be on this story. I just made me giggle. I feel the title being something akin to "oh for a laugh..."
Editorial: New blog for amusing stories, funny videos, and silly anecdotes is here! at http://haveachuckleonme.blogspot.com/
* On an aside I feel a bit sorry for Obama. He was elected into power, at the end of George Bush's incompitence and, as far as I can tell through my ignorance, is being blamed for everything that mostly was started during his predecessor's eight year reign. But I do reiterate I don't really understand what is going on across the pond.
Friday, 12 February 2010
YAY!
Hooray! Not all science has devolved into partisan stupidity. I have just read this article on dark matter research and the line that has made me remember that the climate science is but a tiny fraction of the scientific community, and that it is the scientists like these whom I revere.
These are the scientists whose struggle with the unknown creates giant leaps in technological advancement for the rest of us, but for them leads to a small increase in accuracy or computing power. I am also reading another article, here, which again reminds me of why I hold scientists and engineers in such high regard. This research, which is really not terribly important for what goes on in the world, into how elephants move at high speed is an essential part of scientific research. This research required the use of pressure plates that could withstand elephants running over them. As one of the researchers said,
These are the scientists whose struggle with the unknown creates giant leaps in technological advancement for the rest of us, but for them leads to a small increase in accuracy or computing power. I am also reading another article, here, which again reminds me of why I hold scientists and engineers in such high regard. This research, which is really not terribly important for what goes on in the world, into how elephants move at high speed is an essential part of scientific research. This research required the use of pressure plates that could withstand elephants running over them. As one of the researchers said,
"We had to build the plates - you just can't go down to your local hardware shop and pick up an elephant-sized force plate."This may well have meant that this design provided some groundbreaking new technology, unlikely but still needs to be done. So this is a post to say THANKYOU to all you scientists out there taking part in extremely difficult and extremely random experiments. Life would be much more boring without you.
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