I recently got hounded off a 'list' (I thought it was a forum, but such words, and distinctions, seemed to matter to them) that had the word 'sustainability'.
It appears my notion of what it meant didn't gel with theirs.
Frankly I am not sure if anyone knows what it means.
But I'd have loved to pop this one over their way as a parting gift:
Sustainable living? It's only a game
I may or may not agree with what many folk write, but if they have lived within a population I tend to give them some credit for knowing a bit more than some armchair luvvies who seem to base their world view on a Guardian slow-travel eco-tour.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Just when I was going to log off and relax...
NESTA shows the ineffectiveness of Britain's quangocracy
I thought I might have entered this one. Can't recall as there are so many they kind of blur into one another. Makes me wonder how many there actually are, all with their own little cabal of administrators, comms budgets, offices, mutual exchange programmes to each other's events (travel, accom, per diems all covered), etc.
Then I see those wonderful words 'not for profit'. Well, I kind of would like to try and make one, so I can create a better, growing business. Now I know one good way to not make a profit is to create all sorts of board members on £200k salaries and many trips overseas to study how others blow funds like water, but I have this old-fashioned notion of DOING something rather than talking about looking like it is being done, and drumming up some awareness targets to meet to score a nifty bonus.
Mind you, the few in the innovation arena I have entered where making a profit is in theory part of the plan seem to have been staffed by career social workers or brain-dead bean-counters who would know a bright spark if it set fire to their EU-funding forms, and often 'judged' by folk whose qualifications seem to be playing golf with the CEO of the quango doling out the money on the taxpayers' behalves, or some Z-list celeb chosen to try and score a column inch in a tabloid.
Yes, it is sad. On so many counts. So... is it going to change (a word used once in a Third Sector puff speech I spluttered over by some chap who saw our country's future was in innovation when on work experience as Minister for that Department, for a few weeks one summer. Now gunning for PM, I believe)?
I thought I might have entered this one. Can't recall as there are so many they kind of blur into one another. Makes me wonder how many there actually are, all with their own little cabal of administrators, comms budgets, offices, mutual exchange programmes to each other's events (travel, accom, per diems all covered), etc.
Then I see those wonderful words 'not for profit'. Well, I kind of would like to try and make one, so I can create a better, growing business. Now I know one good way to not make a profit is to create all sorts of board members on £200k salaries and many trips overseas to study how others blow funds like water, but I have this old-fashioned notion of DOING something rather than talking about looking like it is being done, and drumming up some awareness targets to meet to score a nifty bonus.
Mind you, the few in the innovation arena I have entered where making a profit is in theory part of the plan seem to have been staffed by career social workers or brain-dead bean-counters who would know a bright spark if it set fire to their EU-funding forms, and often 'judged' by folk whose qualifications seem to be playing golf with the CEO of the quango doling out the money on the taxpayers' behalves, or some Z-list celeb chosen to try and score a column inch in a tabloid.
Yes, it is sad. On so many counts. So... is it going to change (a word used once in a Third Sector puff speech I spluttered over by some chap who saw our country's future was in innovation when on work experience as Minister for that Department, for a few weeks one summer. Now gunning for PM, I believe)?
Spin cycle
Clothes Washin' Man (a pedal-powered alternative to wringing)
Now, combine this with the local laundry and health club, and you have a business!
Probably the best explantion in the world?
You know those A5 sales flyers for gizmos you can get?
Most headlines propose an absolute claim but sort of get out of a challenge by making it a question: 'Could this be the best electric toenail buffer in the world?'.
I was minded of this when I read an ASA ruling on a topic I am interested in, namely regrading solar and the claims made by manufacturers.
As one still considering solar, though dubious about the efficiency and hence payback period in our climate, I am not sure I am too encouraged by what the consumer is left with here.
FWIW, I have looked at my exploding collection of packaging junkk and have in mind a S/SW wall structure made out of them by way of a solar experiment. Watch this space.
Most headlines propose an absolute claim but sort of get out of a challenge by making it a question: 'Could this be the best electric toenail buffer in the world?'.
I was minded of this when I read an ASA ruling on a topic I am interested in, namely regrading solar and the claims made by manufacturers.
As one still considering solar, though dubious about the efficiency and hence payback period in our climate, I am not sure I am too encouraged by what the consumer is left with here.
FWIW, I have looked at my exploding collection of packaging junkk and have in mind a S/SW wall structure made out of them by way of a solar experiment. Watch this space.
The message, the medium, the media, the mess
I know I usually stay out of the (PMWN) CC 'debate' for various reasons.
But I do want to share this as it relates to a major interest of mine, namely how information is communicated to the public and/or how they then engage with what they are served.
Real Climate - Journalistic whiplash
Now, Real Climate are definitely in the 'climate pessimistic' camp, but they are much more sincere than many, and the rational tone adopted, along with factual references, certainly makes them worth listening to. Plus of course there are often those who post counters (and do get rebutted by the majority quite forcefully, which can often seem like group bullying, but if they are asking for a challenge and it's done well, why not engage in robust debate).
There is certainly still a tone of 'well it's true, so why don't people accept the obvious?', but at least there is also some acceptance that however the issues are being portrayed, the public, via the media, are not quite getting the message, at least in the way this group would like it to be received.
Of course, I could just as easily post links to other sites with the word climate in their titles which pretty much mirror all this from the other side.
Which is kind of the problem. And the default of 'not sure'/'don't understand', as the Irish EU referendum demonstrated, is, quite reasonably, often to err on the current status quo.
Hence I applaud the fact that this group is trying to understand this issue better, hopefully with a view to better communications. Certainly hectoring by most does not seem to have worked to well to date.
But I do want to share this as it relates to a major interest of mine, namely how information is communicated to the public and/or how they then engage with what they are served.
Real Climate - Journalistic whiplash
Now, Real Climate are definitely in the 'climate pessimistic' camp, but they are much more sincere than many, and the rational tone adopted, along with factual references, certainly makes them worth listening to. Plus of course there are often those who post counters (and do get rebutted by the majority quite forcefully, which can often seem like group bullying, but if they are asking for a challenge and it's done well, why not engage in robust debate).
There is certainly still a tone of 'well it's true, so why don't people accept the obvious?', but at least there is also some acceptance that however the issues are being portrayed, the public, via the media, are not quite getting the message, at least in the way this group would like it to be received.
Of course, I could just as easily post links to other sites with the word climate in their titles which pretty much mirror all this from the other side.
Which is kind of the problem. And the default of 'not sure'/'don't understand', as the Irish EU referendum demonstrated, is, quite reasonably, often to err on the current status quo.
Hence I applaud the fact that this group is trying to understand this issue better, hopefully with a view to better communications. Certainly hectoring by most does not seem to have worked to well to date.
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