Wednesday, 6 January 2010

Re: Wootton Bassett March

We have the right to peaceful political protest in this country.

If you don't like that you can fuck off to North Korea.

Tuesday, 4 August 2009

Free Parking?

Bikes get to park free in Edinburgh. In theory only though, because you have to apply for a permit.

How come I can get a Tax Disk over the counter at a P.O. in five minutes without even filling out a form, but if I want a parking permit from Edinburgh Council I have to: wait in two queues; fill in two forms; wait an hour for my number to be called; be given wrong information and made to feel like a cunt for pointing this out; and still have to wait a fortnight for the actual permit?

This is even more galling when you realise that since any roads in the city centre which have not (yet) been closed due to tram works have been closed for the festival, meaning that moving is a non-starter and parking is basically the only option for the next three years or so.

Sunday, 21 June 2009

More Iran Tweets

Faeze Hashemi Rafsanjani and family members being held prisoner in military compound - #Iranelection -half a minute ago from web

# RT ppl prepare - soon Iran will be cripple with strikes - already petrol shortages being reported - #Iranelection2 minutes ago from web

#
RT http://bit.ly/1uRaDK - setting up proxy for Iranians - #Iranelection37 minutes ago from web

#
RT Today the militia is in the streets, beating innocent ppls, arresting, burning property, making terror - #Iranelection RT RT RT38 minutes ago from web

#
neutralizer is saline 10g salt/1L water.Use to flush eyes. Bicarb solution for skin 50g bicarb/1L water. #gr88 #IranElection [RT THIS]about 13 hours ago from web

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RT: Double ck your information before passing it on, Basij is using Twitter to spread disinformation #iranelection #gr88 #iran9 #iran09about 13 hours ago from web

#
RT from Iran: Basij are marking doors to attack later. Use oil/petrol to remove marks. Pls RT! #iranelection #gr88about 14 hours ago from web

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RT DO NOT email names or other info of missing and dead to ANYONE - DO NOT RT from USERNAME - exposes ppl to danger! RT RTabout 14 hours ago from web

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RT CNN confirms: Basij raiding homes, dragging people from their homes, marking homes for later raids. WASH MARKS OFF WALLS!! #IranElectionabout 14 hours ago from web

#
RT: Besiji may be camping outside embassies now. Be very cautious if trying to go to one. #iranelection [RT PLEASEabout 14 hours ago from web

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RT @rexrufus: "Acid" is tear gas w/ water. Treat w/: sol. of 5% baking soda/95% cold water. Carry spray bottle. #iranelectionabout 14 hours ago from web

#
Pls RT RT RT: لطفا یک روزنامه از امروز در ویدیو و عکسها را تأیید کنید ، که تاریخ بسیار مهمی برای نشان دادن سی ان ان و غیره #iranelectionabout 14 hours ago from web

#
RT NEW UPDATED MAP W/ OPEN EMBASSIES 4 INJURED http://tinyurl.com/nwrvsd #iranelectionabout 14 hours ago from web

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PLZ RT CNN confirms people in Iran are being dragged out of their homes & homes being raided. #IranElection #gr88 (vabout 14 hours ago from web

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RT Great map to embassies accepting injured http://tinyurl.com/nwrvsd thanks for making this resource available #IranElection #gr88about 18 hours ago from web

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RT Australian Embassy accepting injured No. 13, 23rd Street, Khalid Islambuli Ave -Telephone+98 21 88724456 #iranelectionabout 18 hours ago from web

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RT IRANIANS FIRST AID INFO NOW IN FARSI !! http://gr88.tumblr.com #iranelectionabout 19 hours ago from web

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RT IRAN RT Injured are confirmed being removed from hospitals and taken away by Basij #IranElectionabout 19 hours ago from web

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RT Injured protests are confirmed to be being removed from hospitals and taken away. #iranelectionabout 19 hours ago from web

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pls don't use sources' names in RTs about #iranelection 20 hours ago from web

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RT http://bit.ly/1EFn - today - #Iranelection

Tuesday, 16 June 2009

#iranelection

"A critical network upgrade must be performed to ensure continued operation of Twitter. In coordination with Twitter, our network host had planned this upgrade for tonight. However, our network partners at NTT America recognize the role Twitter is currently playing as an important communication tool in Iran. Tonight's planned maintenance has been rescheduled to tomorrow between 2-3p PST (1:30a in Iran)." (http://blog.twitter.com/2009/06/down-time-rescheduled.html)

Twitter just earned its "usefulness" badge.

Last night it was a flurry of communication between Iranian revolutionaries - including messages listing secure proxies free from Iranian government blocks.

The real time on the ground reporting from people directly involved was fascinating (and slightly chilling) and made understanding the truth far easier than it would be from the the news "product" we are fed by professional journalists looking for a 'story'.

The story exists despite the journalist, let the people who were there tell it and let the journalist tell us where to find that.

"only official march today is valli asr. others may be a trap - avoid others - #Iranelection"

"Shiraz university reports of unrest and governor resignation #Iranelection"

"unconfirmed rumours - army generals arrested - many rumours of coupdetat by army - #Iranelection"

Persiankiwi

The effectiveness of Twitter was shown when there were massive protests about a scheduled maintenance downtime being badly timed and Twitter users successfully urged the site ti delay this maintenance until the Iranian rebels had organised their activities for today.

BTW - I think the election result was fair (polls from independent sources have upheld the outcome - I'madinnerjacket is very popular in rural Iran - but that's not the point.

Thursday, 11 June 2009

Ach Well

The Christian Voice site is back.

Back to ruin stuff some more.

Which makes me think he simply ignored my email, which I hope made a few pertinent points in a civil manner.

Simply ignoring it is rude.

Wednesday, 10 June 2009

Hehe

http://www.christianvoice.org.uk/


No wonder he didn't reply to my email.

Seems that privately prosecuting an artist for blasphemy can be quite expensive.....

...or maybe the Rapture has occured and he's been carried off.

OK, probably not. He's just skint because 'it's not 1508' (S. Lee)

Thursday, 4 June 2009

No BNP Here.

Even I'm going to vote today. And I'm not even gonna spoil my ballot thus spoiling a recent tradition.

I'm going to vote Green and I'm going to vote Green in the hope that those racist cunts at the BNP don't benefit from those other cunts who make us pay for their duck islands and moats.

Monday, 1 June 2009

64

That's how many measly percent I got for my Sociology essay.

My disappointment was tempered by the superb comments from my tutor which pointed out exactly where I had gone wrong (as well as where I had gone right).

Among the most telling of these comments was:

"Some of it is, however, slightly off-topic, almost answering a different essay question to that set here."

In other words ' twisting the question to fit your answer'.

It's a fair cop. I need to work on that.

I like it when a tutor takes the time to provide a comprehensive critique of my work - it makes the assessment process part of the learning experience and helps me to learn how to express ideas coherently and efficiently.

Having said that, I also like it when few comments are required. When I did higher Geography in 6th year we were set a question from a past-paper as homework every week, and every week I would spent a little more time than normal on them because I wanted to get full marks for at least one during the year.

The closest I managed was 19.5/20 on two occasions - one of which I was docked half a mark for a spelling error. I felt incredibly hard done by at the time...

I did once manage full marks for an essay mind you - and for a proper 2000 worder too; none of this highers crap!!

It was when I (briefly) trained for Primary Teaching (imagine...) and it was for an essay about teaching Drama and Music.

It was marked by two tutors and there were two comments:

"Well done" from one

and

"Well done for showing that a music lesson doesn't have to include a song" from the other.

I wrote it on an early Mac and, iirc, spellcheck ensured that my Higher Geography heartache was not repeated!

Friday, 29 May 2009

The Right Horrible Gentleman.

Don't mind the gap; it's mainly due to laziness on my part.

Anyway, politicians.

Politicians in our society should be role models. People who's attitudes are noble and who's actions are honourable. We, as citizens, should want to aspire to be like them. We should admire them and their lifestyle.

With that in mind I've decided to screw every penny I can from the system and from my friends and family.

The other day I stole my friend's tobacco and soon I might claim every benefit, grant and payment from the government to which I am, technically, entitled. Even if I'm stretching the purpose of the scheme to breaking point I will claim anything which the law says I'm allowed.

I'll start with Incapacity Benefit. You see I sat in the lotus position in the pub for ten minutes the other day and my leg hurts (I think I pulled a hamstring...). I was showing off and as such I deserve to have a sore leg but I've decided that I can get money for it so I'm gonna - just like my masters and role models would do.

I think I'll spend the money on a drawbridge.

Wednesday, 13 May 2009

Bumming!!!

I mentioned the Collings and Herrin podcasts a few months ago and, possibly a bit late, I thought I should point out that they are not for the comedically challenged.

At first listen you might think that it's a bit sick, then after a while you might be tempted to switch off and decry it as very sick indeed.

If you do that then you may well be the aforementioned humourless cunt. It's some of the best edgy satire around but the layers of irony can be difficult to reveal and the context all too easily forgotten. It might take a while to get used to the humour - think Derek and Clive - but don't take too long or keep listening if you don't like it - Richard won't like that.





Tuesday, 12 May 2009

Needlessly Delaying Procrastination

Well I got the plan for my essay done at home today, but I know fine well that I'd have done a lot more in the library and if I didn't have an essay to write I'd send a strongly worded letter to all three of my local councillors.

Maybe I'll send one when (if?) the essay gets written, or maybe there will be far too many distractions and I'll forget.

So now I have to find other time to do what I should have done today - which will eat into my planned procrastination time somewhat.

Now I'm not sure if planned procrastination is any kind of procrastination tbh because I'm pretty sure that one can only be procrastinating when one has something more important to do. In that case nothing qualifies - because procrastination is, for me, the most important activity possible - which leaves us with a logic problem.

Is it possible to procrastinate if procrastination is the most important thing in your life?

According to good ol' Wiklipedia however it has to be "counterproductive, needless, and delaying" so delaying alone isn't the issue and therefore I have to re-evaluate my favourite activity.

So I enjoy lounging now.

That'll do.