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By TheophileEscargot (Thu Sep 25, 2003 at 06:44:47 AM EST) (all tags)
Politics. Me. Web. Amazon.

Poll: can you see this article? Or do you get a "please register" message?


Politics
I think the USians might actually be on to something with their two-terms only rule. Definitely time for Blair to go.

One thing that bugs me though is all the people going on about how Blair has betrayed his promises. At the time of John Smith's death I was still in the Labour party. Anyone else remember the brief "Anyone But Blair" movement as with mounting horror we saw that he was on course to win the leadership election with a landslide? Complaining about Blair being right-wing now is a bit like a German in 1945 saying "but how were we to know Hitler was somewhat anti-semitic? Bah, we always knew what Blair was like: and to give him credit, he's never claimed to be anything else.

Doesn't seem to be any party or that appeals to me at the moment. They're all just horrific in different ways. Might go into detail in a later diary, but can't face it now.

Me
Tired, pissed off. Getting entangled in politics at work. The stuff I'm working on is going really badly too. Fuck.

Found out that someone in a different department has been complaining to management about me without saying a single word to me face to face. I've stuck to the letter of the rules so should be in the clear... but I really can't stand that kind of backstabbing.

Almost wish I could get sacked, but the job market's still pretty bad, and it looks bad changing jobs too often. Fuck again.

Web
Have posted a handful of comments and a couple of links to Metafilter now. Don't get that much interest though.

From New Scientist: Gamma Ray Bursters may have caused mass extinctions, and clever flies finish last.

Not sure about links to The Times. I don't seem to need to log in: I've checked it in two browsers that I've never logged in with The MeFites have complained that they can't see them though. Maybe it's checking whether the browser is from a UK domain? Look at the poll.

Amazon
Horribly tempted to put in another order, even though half of the last one is still unread. Currently in my shopping basket:

< Hello boys and girls | BBC White season: 'Rivers of Blood' >
Look My Eyes Are Just Holograms | 17 comments (17 topical, 0 hidden)
Not only that, but... by ti dave (5.00 / 1) #1 Thu Sep 25, 2003 at 06:48:31 AM EST
I cannot click on the CLICK HERE IF YOU ARE LOCATED IN THE UK OR ROI button.

I thought Firebird was unstoppable. Damn.

I don't care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do.
The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it. --W.S. Burroughs

Bah by TheophileEscargot (5.00 / 1) #3 Thu Sep 25, 2003 at 06:56:18 AM EST
Mozilla users don't want the Internet to work.

Interesting to see they're being UK-centric though. If it works for them, maybe we should lobby for the BBC website to do the same thing. Bah, why should my precious tax money go to foreign bandwidth...
--
It is unlikely that the good of a snail should reside in its shell: so is it likely that the good of a man should?

[ Parent ]
Oh yeah, that article... by TheophileEscargot (3.00 / 0) #2 Thu Sep 25, 2003 at 06:52:26 AM EST
...was just the recent carrot news story. I put it on metafilter.
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It is unlikely that the good of a snail should reside in its shell: so is it likely that the good of a man should?
Books by Dr H0ffm4n (5.00 / 1) #4 Thu Sep 25, 2003 at 07:36:52 AM EST
Dear Mr Escargot,

I'm in the process of moving and have many many boxes full of books now.
Being a big reader yourself, I imagine your place filled top to bottom with books.
I bet it sucks to move for you?

Yours
Dr H0ffm4n

Indeed by TheophileEscargot (5.00 / 1) #5 Thu Sep 25, 2003 at 08:02:51 AM EST
It does.
--
It is unlikely that the good of a snail should reside in its shell: so is it likely that the good of a man should?
[ Parent ]
heh by Dr H0ffm4n (5.00 / 1) #8 Thu Sep 25, 2003 at 10:23:21 AM EST
I even commented. Brain like a sieve.

I have 10 boxes of books too. That includes kids books though. For the kids.

[ Parent ]
The problem as I see it by Bob Abooey (5.00 / 1) #6 Thu Sep 25, 2003 at 08:40:18 AM EST
The true leaders end up in the private sector where they can make tons of dough without having to deal with exposing your private life to the public in a major way.

The few people who do enter politics purely on a moral basis, because they want to make the world a better place, get lost in the hard cold reality of how the system works and either get out or get lost in the shuffle because they can't "play the game" the way you're supposed to. The job of a politician is to get elected, sadly, not to serve the people.

Thusly we are left with a pool of people, some better than others for sure, and we simply try to choose the best worst choice.

I think it's the system that's faulty here in the USia as big money tends to drive what gets done and even to some extent who gets in the office. The job of the President of the USia is a good example of that. It's more who you know and what sort of $$ backing you can get than what kind of a leader you are.

Well, I guess I'm blathering on about stuff that isn't too original and perhaps a bit jaded and cynical but alas! there you have it.

re: books - Yeah, I've already got a dozen in the not-read pile and yet there are 3 ro four on my Amazon wish list that I'm very tempted to purchase.

Namely: (for some reason my amazon links didn't work.. ah well)

The Great Unraveling by Paul Krugman
Lie and the Lying Liars who tell them by Al Franken
Cats Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut - can't find this one used yet
Quicksilver - Neal Stephenson.

Etc., etc., etc.

Warmest regards,
--Bob

Well by TheophileEscargot (3.00 / 0) #7 Thu Sep 25, 2003 at 08:54:22 AM EST
I think in the UK a lot of people exaggerate the cynicism of a lot of politicians. They don't really cackle gleefully as they plot ways to screw up the country for their own benefit. As you say, there's a lot more money, available a lot faster, in the private sector.

A lot of any country's problems are intractable: there aren't any easy solutions. But the conventional view seems to be that everything would be just wonderful if it wasn't for the evil politicians spoiling everything.
--
It is unlikely that the good of a snail should reside in its shell: so is it likely that the good of a man should?

[ Parent ]
You got a MeFi account? by CarryTheZero (5.00 / 1) #9 Thu Sep 25, 2003 at 12:04:07 PM EST
How, pray tell, does one do that? My emails to MH asking nicely have been politely ignored.

"I mean, it sure makes us feel good about ourselves to think that we're targeted by people who are envious of our crispy golden fries." -- tps12
i think by tps12 (5.00 / 2) #10 Thu Sep 25, 2003 at 02:27:26 PM EST
TE's old school. All of the members have had accounts for at least two years or something (since they closed registration). It really sucks for us johnnies come lately, who can never hope to post there, but think about the enormous erections they must all get when they log in.

[ Parent ]
Well, I certainly do by TheophileEscargot (3.00 / 0) #12 Thu Sep 25, 2003 at 05:17:19 PM EST
I got my account in November 2002. I think he likes to open registration for brief periods to reward the most obsessiveloyal readers.
--
It is unlikely that the good of a snail should reside in its shell: so is it likely that the good of a man should?
[ Parent ]
Hmmm... by ti dave (3.00 / 0) #14 Thu Sep 25, 2003 at 08:02:29 PM EST
it's time to regroup and reprogram to better handle the crowds.

Maybe having Matt on the CMF board might be a good idea after all.
That was refreshingly prudent on his part.

I don't care if people hate my guts; I assume most of them do.
The important question is whether they are in a position to do anything about it. --W.S. Burroughs

[ Parent ]
Indeed by CarryTheZero (5.00 / 1) #13 Thu Sep 25, 2003 at 05:56:35 PM EST
I get an enormous erection just thinking about the idea.

"I mean, it sure makes us feel good about ourselves to think that we're targeted by people who are envious of our crispy golden fries." -- tps12
[ Parent ]
Hmmm by TheophileEscargot (3.00 / 0) #11 Thu Sep 25, 2003 at 05:17:06 PM EST
Didn't realise it, but membership is now completely closed.

When I joined, they were issuing a limited number of free accounts per day: you had to go there at just the right time to get one. You could also buy a membership for a small fee, but even that seems to be closed now.

Annoying, but it's one way to keep a community small. I'm surprised because the site doesn't seem to be that busy: I'm sure they used to get lots more links posted per day.

I expect he'll open it up again eventually...
--
It is unlikely that the good of a snail should reside in its shell: so is it likely that the good of a man should?

[ Parent ]
Go Alan Moore! by edo (5.00 / 1) #15 Sun Sep 28, 2003 at 08:20:38 PM EST
The incredible Alan Moore has spent the past couple of years cranking out some fantastic comics, including Tom Strong (book 2 looks even better), The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Top 10 and the insanely brilliant Promethea, issue 12 of which (collected in book 2) he himself considers the best thing he has ever done.

Then there's his wonderful spoken-word CDs, including Highbury Working, which introduced me to the world of Joe Meek, and the profound yet entertaining (or should that be "entertaining yet profound"?) Snakes and Ladders, which is so good that it makes me wish my friends spoke English just a little bit better. Like Tom Stoppard's best stuff, it simply has to be experienced in the original language (I'm a professional translator, so it hurts to admit that).

And do pick up his mind-blowing novel Voice of the Fire, originally published in 1997, but republished this month to celebrate his 50th birthday. Despite its silly title and a very tough first chapter, it's been in my top 5 of favourite books ever since I first read it.

Yes, folks: Alan Moore is a god!
--

I didn't get very far with 'Voice of the Fire' by TheophileEscargot (3.00 / 0) #16 Mon Sep 29, 2003 at 05:37:47 AM EST
It's still sitting on my shelf: I never got past the first chapter. Might give it another go if it gets better, but I didn't think novels were his strong point.

I've ordered Tom Strong but have a lot of reading to get through at the moment. The League I thought was highly entertaining and a good read, but not a classic.
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It is unlikely that the good of a snail should reside in its shell: so is it likely that the good of a man should?

[ Parent ]
My advice by edo (5.00 / 1) #17 Mon Sep 29, 2003 at 09:27:46 AM EST
Skip the first chapter. It'll grow on you.
--
[ Parent ]
Look My Eyes Are Just Holograms | 17 comments (17 topical, 0 hidden)
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