Culturally Uncompetitive

May 8, 2012

I’m glad everyone and their aunt has now figured out that a country this size needs a productive sector. However, can I point out the obvious to the Vince Cables* of this world. Unlike the financial/retail/public sector, which can take people from a variety of humanities based educational backgrounds Technology/Engineering/Manufacturing needs people from a Maths/Science/Engineering [...]

Lord, Won’t You Sort Out My Legislature

December 19, 2011

The thorny issue of reform of the House of Lords is rearing its head again. I’m beginning to think that the lack of a solution has a lot to do with a tenancy which I am going to describe as ‘British Preservetism’*. * I am talking about something that’s distinct from conservatism because that word [...]

EA Responds to Iran Banning Battlefield 3

November 29, 2011

I really like EA’s response to the news that Iran has banned Battlefield 3: In that Battlefield 3 is not available for purchase in Iran, we can only hope the ban will help prevent pirated copies reaching consumers there Its worth remembering that parts of the game are also set in Paris, during which the [...]

What It Takes

October 10, 2011

I hadn’t intended to say anything about Steve Jobs, given that the world plus all manner of canine appear to be commenting, but I guess I do want to say one thing for the record. The bloke was a cunt. He did very great things and I’m grateful for the effect his ideas, taste and [...]

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Means of Production

September 6, 2011

This has been on my mind ever since I first heard about the idea of nano machines and the concept of using them to manufacture almost anything from basic raw materials. Also relevant is the increasing prevalence of rapid prototyping devices such as 3D printers or Laser sintering machines. As the saying goes, information wants [...]

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A Stake

August 16, 2011

I’m generally in agreement with the suggestion that an important factor in the riots was that people didn’t feel they had a stake in society*. How and why many have come to feel this way is an interesting discussion in and of itself, but lets leave that for another time when I’ve thought about it [...]

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Imoral Equivalency

August 11, 2011

Re. this article by Nathaniel Tapley: I don’t have any time for that Bullingdon Club bullshit but if you see moral equivalenc between their dimwitted shenanigans and the rioters, you are a dickhead.

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Who Failed?

August 10, 2011

I’m ploughing the same furrow as the other post but you know what? It’s my blog. I’ll say what I want. The legions of well intentioned but vainly namby pamb Libirals* are already wringing their hands, asking “how have we failed these people?”. * This blogger considers himself very much a Liberal: a practical, realistic [...]

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Wealth Inequality

August 9, 2011

Everyone’s attention is focused on the escalating lawlessness occurring around England’s cities. The obvious question being asked is why all this is happening and how to overcome the circumstances that have lead to many people acting in this way. I’m sure no one will be surprised to hear that I don’t have the answer. What [...]

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Adding to +

July 11, 2011

I’ve been using Google+ for a few days now and in general I like it a lot. It’s early days, but if I had a to describe it, I would call it a better version of Facebook without all the bells and whistles that have been added in the past three years. So in the [...]

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