The real effectof ID cards

Cory Doctorow has posted on BoingBoing about the real effect of Labour's policy on ID cards.

It is chastening.

I am opposed to ID cards; Cory's post brings the issues into focus.

(I found the post via Jennie Rigg's post on Liberal Conspiracy - "Why Labour Voters Ought to Think Again"; although I'd have seen it on BoingBoing eventually!)

The real effectof ID cards

Cory Doctorow has posted on BoingBoing about the real effect of Labour's policy on ID cards.

It is chastening.

I am opposed to ID cards; Cory's post brings the issues into focus.

(I found the post via Jennie Rigg's post on Liberal Conspiracy - "Why Labour Voters Ought to Think Again"; although I'd have seen it on BoingBoing eventually!)

Movie legend Paul Newman dies, 83

From the BBC.

I was alerted by lizziebelle.

Movie legend Paul Newman dies, 83

From the BBC.

I was alerted by lizziebelle.

Knoydart

I spent a long weekend on Knoydart. Everyone says “on Knoydart”, because although not physically an island, the Knoydart Peninsular – the Rough Bounds - is effectively cut off from the rest of the UK: there are no roads connecting it to the road network, so you can either walk twenty miles from Kinloch Hourn at the end of a very long, winding and marvellous single track road, or you can get the boat from Mallaig, a forty-five minute ride across rough, storm swept water.

The large group I was with – over thirty of us – chose that option.

Actually, the sea was flat as a pancake: barely a ripple. The sky was dark and overcast, but the weather was ok, there was no breeze at all, and the views from the boat were wonderful.

( More mountains and words beneath the cut. And a bit about Hogwarts... )

Knoydart

I spent a long weekend on Knoydart. Everyone says “on Knoydart”, because although not physically an island, the Knoydart Peninsular – the Rough Bounds - is effectively cut off from the rest of the UK: there are no roads connecting it to the road network, so you can either walk twenty miles from Kinloch Hourn at the end of a very long, winding and marvellous single track road, or you can get the boat from Mallaig, a forty-five minute ride across rough, storm swept water.

The large group I was with – over thirty of us – chose that option.

Actually, the sea was flat as a pancake: barely a ripple. The sky was dark and overcast, but the weather was ok, there was no breeze at all, and the views from the boat were wonderful.

( More mountains and words beneath the cut. And a bit about Hogwarts... )

"The Power of Art"

BBC4, the digital (freeview) channel, have been running an evening of art programes.

I just watched an episode - a repeat - of Simon Schama's "The Power of Art" about the creation and story of Pablo Picasso's Guernica.

It was a really interesting, and critical, programme; and it is a fascinating - and terrifying - work of art.

I'd give you a link to the programme, but the iPlayer home page says "Not Available" beside the programme. This might be because in the few minutes between the programme finishing and me posting this, they haven't yet put it up; or it might be that they would rather sell you a DVD set...

Either way, it was a fascinating, flawed, but exciting bit of arts tv. As the programme itself pointed out, it is a work of art which is frighteningly relevant today; it shouldn't be, but it is. We haven't learned yet, have we.

Thank you BBC4.

"The Power of Art"

BBC4, the digital (freeview) channel, have been running an evening of art programes.

I just watched an episode - a repeat - of Simon Schama's "The Power of Art" about the creation and story of Pablo Picasso's Guernica.

It was a really interesting, and critical, programme; and it is a fascinating - and terrifying - work of art.

I'd give you a link to the programme, but the iPlayer home page says "Not Available" beside the programme. This might be because in the few minutes between the programme finishing and me posting this, they haven't yet put it up; or it might be that they would rather sell you a DVD set...

Either way, it was a fascinating, flawed, but exciting bit of arts tv. As the programme itself pointed out, it is a work of art which is frighteningly relevant today; it shouldn't be, but it is. We haven't learned yet, have we.

Thank you BBC4.

"Exploding custard"

Strange and bizarre though it may seem, I do actually know people that don't like custard. Some of them may even read this journal.

So they may be pleased by this story about the wanton destruction of custard.

Me, I love the stuff.

(via Arbroath.)

"Exploding custard"

Strange and bizarre though it may seem, I do actually know people that don't like custard. Some of them may even read this journal.

So they may be pleased by this story about the wanton destruction of custard.

Me, I love the stuff.

(via Arbroath.)