There's hope:
I've written to the author: On the mend
"I was very interested in your piece today, and as re:pair is very much in our re:mit, would like to follow up with you. By karmic synergy we are also based in Herefordshire, just like John Harris.
And we are starting to build up a good selection of those, near and further, who can and will fix things. Or the tools and techniques to do it at home. Ask and we may have an answer.. or be able to get one.
And even if the vacuum can't be fixed, there's always re:use."
Monday, January 15, 2007
What goes up...
...Looks like it stays there.
And interesting snippet from the Sunday Times Travel Page Reader's rants.
Seems a reader booked a holiday with an agent back in May. Now the same outfit has decided to 'scrap' fuel tax, but will not refund those booked before Dec. 22.
There were reas.. excuses given, but somehow they didn't... wash.
And interesting snippet from the Sunday Times Travel Page Reader's rants.
Seems a reader booked a holiday with an agent back in May. Now the same outfit has decided to 'scrap' fuel tax, but will not refund those booked before Dec. 22.
There were reas.. excuses given, but somehow they didn't... wash.
Medium vs. medium
Mathematically of course, it should be a tie.
Well, I guess we are a medium, and I do cock an eyebrow on occasion, so who's to talk.
So it was nice to see another having a mild go at another, though it did come across as a bit 'green is our turf': An incomprehensible truth - as it's short term I'll pop it all in here:
Sky News viewers will by now be wearily familiar with its "UK's CO2 emissions this week" counter, part of the news channel's must-watch "green week". A giant string of numbers across the bottom of the screen, it is apparently counting - guess what? - the UK's CO2 emissions this week, presumably to tell us what a right bunch of pollutants we are. Hmm, interesting. Last time Monkey looked it was 6,385,073. What does this tell us, exactly? Monkey's not sure. In the absence of any context, it's about as useful as a petrol car with diesel in the tank. And how can Sky be so sure they have the correct figure? Have they strapped some measuring device to the top of the ozone layer, like a giant molecular pedometer? What if this week turned out to be a particularly good one (or bad one, depending on how you look at it) for CO2? We can only hope, in the hope of making it a better story, that they haven't left the cars running in the Isleworth car park all week.
They do have a point. And sadly, I suspect this will not be the last odd bit of green thing, thing and statistics trotted out in the coming... er, however long we have while they slug it out.
Well, I guess we are a medium, and I do cock an eyebrow on occasion, so who's to talk.
So it was nice to see another having a mild go at another, though it did come across as a bit 'green is our turf': An incomprehensible truth - as it's short term I'll pop it all in here:
Sky News viewers will by now be wearily familiar with its "UK's CO2 emissions this week" counter, part of the news channel's must-watch "green week". A giant string of numbers across the bottom of the screen, it is apparently counting - guess what? - the UK's CO2 emissions this week, presumably to tell us what a right bunch of pollutants we are. Hmm, interesting. Last time Monkey looked it was 6,385,073. What does this tell us, exactly? Monkey's not sure. In the absence of any context, it's about as useful as a petrol car with diesel in the tank. And how can Sky be so sure they have the correct figure? Have they strapped some measuring device to the top of the ozone layer, like a giant molecular pedometer? What if this week turned out to be a particularly good one (or bad one, depending on how you look at it) for CO2? We can only hope, in the hope of making it a better story, that they haven't left the cars running in the Isleworth car park all week.
They do have a point. And sadly, I suspect this will not be the last odd bit of green thing, thing and statistics trotted out in the coming... er, however long we have while they slug it out.
We are what we eat
An old politician has raised what he claims is a moral issue: Morality at mealtime
Unsurprisingly, it seems to be a can/can't, is/isn't playground spat bet wen extreme vegans and blood-thirsty carnivores already.
"I almost ignored this discussion as it did not immediately seem to cover my usual remit, which is trying to identify and support any and all ways to ensure we have a future (aka 'help saving the planet')... pragmatically. But of course it is, in more than most ways, and I guess morally is in there somewhere.
Skipping quickly over finite land space and the ever-growing population it is expected to support, it seems pretty clear to me scientifically, that, per acre, veg is better than meat.
Against this 'fact', is another inconvenient one of nature: we were, to the best of my understanding designed to be omnivores.
So, in time, I see a bit of a do on the horizon, perhaps a tad after 4x4s and cheap flights, where to survive at the maximum numbers the planet can sustain (which will, sadly, have an upper limit no matter what choice of cuisine we are given – it will be fun to see who grabs the mantle of trading in this), it may be necessary to ban or price out certain key elements of our dietary lifestyles. Enjoy.
Solyent Green anyone?"
Unsurprisingly, it seems to be a can/can't, is/isn't playground spat bet wen extreme vegans and blood-thirsty carnivores already.
"I almost ignored this discussion as it did not immediately seem to cover my usual remit, which is trying to identify and support any and all ways to ensure we have a future (aka 'help saving the planet')... pragmatically. But of course it is, in more than most ways, and I guess morally is in there somewhere.
Skipping quickly over finite land space and the ever-growing population it is expected to support, it seems pretty clear to me scientifically, that, per acre, veg is better than meat.
Against this 'fact', is another inconvenient one of nature: we were, to the best of my understanding designed to be omnivores.
So, in time, I see a bit of a do on the horizon, perhaps a tad after 4x4s and cheap flights, where to survive at the maximum numbers the planet can sustain (which will, sadly, have an upper limit no matter what choice of cuisine we are given – it will be fun to see who grabs the mantle of trading in this), it may be necessary to ban or price out certain key elements of our dietary lifestyles. Enjoy.
Solyent Green anyone?"
Soemthing in the air tonight. And every night. And day.
And so, it continues, and deteriorates, as predicted: Flying off the handle
"I rather fear another unnecessary war is now being fought on various fronts: class (cheap flights), urban/country divide (4x4s, car travel, wind turbines), etc, and the only victim is DOING something to improve the future.
Sadly, I have a sense that those from both sides, with short term agendas for career, targets or ratings, are happy to keep fanning the flames. And are rewarded with column inches, speaking engagements in Bali (Carb-con traded, naturally) or a nifty book-shifting, greenwashing or policy-pushing slot on Breakfast TV.
With some professional reasons, I'd do read these pages. I am not sure what % of the 'lite green' average consumer population do.
But when competing politicians, activists and their media shock and awe troops do battle, I wonder how many who might engage turn away from the scrum and prefer to do nothing rather than wade through the fog and mud of a very obscure (little that is green can be black or white) no man's land, unable to get decent bearings because of the distracting artillery exchanges of the chattering classes above?"
"I rather fear another unnecessary war is now being fought on various fronts: class (cheap flights), urban/country divide (4x4s, car travel, wind turbines), etc, and the only victim is DOING something to improve the future.
Sadly, I have a sense that those from both sides, with short term agendas for career, targets or ratings, are happy to keep fanning the flames. And are rewarded with column inches, speaking engagements in Bali (Carb-con traded, naturally) or a nifty book-shifting, greenwashing or policy-pushing slot on Breakfast TV.
With some professional reasons, I'd do read these pages. I am not sure what % of the 'lite green' average consumer population do.
But when competing politicians, activists and their media shock and awe troops do battle, I wonder how many who might engage turn away from the scrum and prefer to do nothing rather than wade through the fog and mud of a very obscure (little that is green can be black or white) no man's land, unable to get decent bearings because of the distracting artillery exchanges of the chattering classes above?"
All the news that's fit to print
What goes around, comes around.
A nice pass on that I, in turn, pass on (and will try and live by): Do you follow these journalistic guidelines?
"And I, in turn, thank you.
Though not a trained, or professional journalist (whatever such animals may be), I do report on things in my blog.
And despite much online being the Wild West of news and opinion, with more than its fair share of cowboys, I choose to believe that those who 'hew close to the line, but let the chips fall where they may' will gain a respect, trust... and an audience."
A nice pass on that I, in turn, pass on (and will try and live by): Do you follow these journalistic guidelines?
"And I, in turn, thank you.
Though not a trained, or professional journalist (whatever such animals may be), I do report on things in my blog.
And despite much online being the Wild West of news and opinion, with more than its fair share of cowboys, I choose to believe that those who 'hew close to the line, but let the chips fall where they may' will gain a respect, trust... and an audience."
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