The pain with trains is starting to show the strains

I usually quote articles. But often the letters in response to them are more revealing. And sensible.

Take these to an Indy piece on trains: Train blame

I was mainly attracted by the one about the 'Gee whizz' reporting on growth on usage.

As with waaaay too much these days, and it doesn't matter if it's making a case for good or bad, up or down, it seems oddly facile to me that too many journos and editors seem to have a slight blind spot to the fact that there are a lot more of us doing stuff year on year, and that will often explain a lot much more simply than some of the notions that they attempt to gush over or spin into a headline.

All the news that's fit to be... branded

BBC Mark II: Mr Byford gives the corporation's journalism a makeover

A long piece. I am sure that in there, somewhere, amongst the MBA-speak and brand-babble, there might be something about using funds in addressing the quality of the actual journalism.

Your licence fee at work.

Coincidentally on the matter of our public-service news reporting, I listen to a BBC News reader ask the CEO of the travel company (whose coach was rammed by a rogue truck driver) 'Should we be asking if our children can be safe when they travel overseas?'.

From the ridiculous, I move to this:

PR: The dark history of spin and its threat to genuine news

So if they are not being stupid or acting as agenda-driven mouthpieces, they are being bought (Fancy buying a toy that makes the sound of bubble-wrap? The solution, according to the BBC, is to buy bubble wrap. Or... and here's thought, keep all that you get sent and reuse it when required... with a few stress relief pops at the edges (so it still functions) as you re-wrap).

But sorry, that's all we have time for. Now, back to the skateboarding turtle...

Addendum:

The Register - Earth to Ofcom: They're our airwaves. Give them back - Priceless, if depressing.

Times - BBC rings changes with news revamp - universal appeal. Not.

CATEGORY - HOME

I'm evolving a new format for stuff I come across or get sent. Let's see how it goes. I quite like how it's shaping up.

Articles

Grants

Information

US Department of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy - Don't ask. It is what kicked me off on this new category. I found it useful. Now I must get some from the UK!

Suppliers


See labels below for previous notes. If you have anything to add to the headings above... share 'em! Direct to info[at]junkk.com or via the comments on the blog.

What's better than waste? Duplicated waste!

Government ignores energy-efficiency policy

It would be interesting, if likely depressing, to get a handle on the sheer number of well staffed gov. departmental and quango empires there are, plus massive associated comms budgets, deployed in 'environmental' pursuits, and what the actual enviROI the public and planet derives from them. Especially, as suggested here, many are either overlapping or even competing.

Lest 'we' forget

I mean those of 'us' of a green bent, who do get some compo for our efforts:

EcoLogical

At least the little things you, and I, do can lead to a bit of text that can (as writers) go towards our paying for stuff. I'm guessing you get paid for these pieces, and I have high hopes for Google Adsense on my site and blog.

So let's spare a thought to all those being exhorted to join 'us' in our eco efforts, but whose reward stays very much in their hearts, and often at some cost, as you point out.

Charitable Aims

A slightly 'easier' day newswise, as the BBC seems to have ditched all in favour of the London Marathon.

I think I might give it a miss. Barely started, and the 24/7 news-gathering machine is already struggling to find things to talk about.

But I just watched one piece of some interest, which was a noble group of Masai warriors here to run and raise money for their village. I recall these fine chaps from news several days ago.

However one thing did strike me. They are hoping to raise £600, a more than modest aim, and amazing what it will achieve back home. I am also pretty sure that, with such coverage, they will get a wee bit more than that... if they can find a use.

Thing is, bearing in mind there were a good few of them, I couldn't help but wonder how that amount equates to the flying and accommodation costs.

This does crop up quite a lot. I have been invited to sponsor charity runs/rides, etc in all sorts of exotic places, and the funding seems to kick in only after the participant's costs are covered. Many times that seems like me paying for someone to have a fairly nice holiday with a bit of exercise on top.

I am sure these guys were/are sponsored, but one does have to wonder what the chaROI is in many cases. It is not so satisfying and community bonding 'n all, not to mention no coverage means no PR means no support in the first place, but in terms of getting the maximum amount to where it will do most good you have to wonder whether the aims are being best met for those one presumes it's all intended for.

I'd like to see what the numbers are. Maybe it's all better than nothing as without an event there would be no contributions at all, but it would be interesting to see who the beneficiaries are for each pound generous souls contribute.

Times - The ego marathon - only to show I am not alone on the chugger deal when a sunny clime is involved.

Times - e-mail chuggers, take a hike

CATEGORY - Doublespeak

Indy - Brown: I am staying away from Olympics opening ceremony – but it's not a boycott -
ie: 'ceasing or refusing to deal with something as a protest, and to force it to become more acceptable'.

Reuters - U.N. chief will miss Beijing Olympic ceremony - seems GB is not the only world, er, 'leader' who didn't know about the Olympics this year and didn't RSVP properly to the party ('scuse pun) invite properly with first checking his diary.

BBC - Curiouser and curiouser

Ah well, he's not alone I guess. Looks like other World Leade...er, um, ers, such as the Head of the UN didn't check their MySpace calendar well enough either to avoid a schedule clash to give a proper RSVP to the party ('scuse pun) invite.

So it seems were all confused, still. I certainly am. The British government seems to be. And our media. Even the BBC...

To infinity... and beyond!

But many posters are right, this pales into insignificance compared to such vital high-profile prime ministerial outings on pressing issues such as football manager selection, plastic bags, George Clooney and US charity phone ins.

Guardian - The accidental hero - It's getting rather fun, in a tragic comedic way, swapping between various partisan media (Nick Robinson and Mihir Bose of the BBC and their blog threads are currently tying themselves into Gordian Knots!) to see just what was and wasn't said by whom, and when... as none seem to able to agree! But this is the leaders of countries and national reporting organs, remember!

Guardian - Opening comments - Gordon Brown and the Beijing Olympics

Indy - When is a boycott not a boycott?

The Times - Junior culture minister Gerry Sutcliffe and his adroit U-turn over alcohol taxes - which are either far too high or about right, depending on when you catch him - and his deft explanation for the apparent difference: “My comments do not accurately reflect my views.”

Indy - NEW - Defence Secretary Des Browne, pressed by Jon Humphrys on troops who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan because of inadequate equipment: "Well all of those cases have been examined and in each case which has been examined where the lessons have been learned we have learned those lessons."

I can see this category becoming a bit of a feature.

Will the next target please step up...

Because you're worth it...

Can't disagree. A ton of marketing to flog a very small amount of goo that is of questionable use. Thing is, it all rather smacks of another tokenistic 'Planet Ban-it'. In the example I allude to below, the total of my aftershave commitment (no other regime for this old-age male, bar soap, shampoo and toothpaste... all packaging under constant Junkk-potential probing) is about ten small glass bottles. Plus a few cardboard boxes that got recycled. In the great totality of all waste, I am not too sure this is up there priority-wise...again.

Mind you, this one might be fun, as I rather suspect it will see quite a few luvvies on board with these rather puritan advocacies finding things hitting home... or at least the mud-pack-coated weekend retreats this bunch seem to be able to afford.

A wee check in the bathroom cabinets of those (male and female) often very vocal in other 'green' related ban-advocacy might indeed be interesting. Maybe they are just lucky to be able to afford very good skin.

As to my Fahrenheit aftershave, after several years' loyalty I almost have enough empty bottles to make my bathroom mirror light shade surrounds.

Indy - Cosmetics and Excess Packaging

I'm sorry, but I think in this case the best way is to allow the consumer to decide, but provide such as Lush and Body Shop every opportunity to promote their less impactful options. As I will.

Mind you, I still need a few more of those Fahrenheit bottles to finish my mirror! Oh, the dilemma.

Getting Fry'd

A Google ad link popped up on site (hence, I guess, paid for):

Stephen Fry on Climate Change

I know he's just another celeb. But he's bright lad and I rate his intellect. His piece is too short and very simplistic, but the main plea he makes resonates well, if not addressing how one deals with some of the other consequences of such advocacy (which sort of proves the problem, and his point, by providing an angle for those who would do nothing to highlight. Hence I think one has to at least tip to the 'Economics vs. Environment' balances). Sadly these are the down sides of what some say must be done (or not), and are in the hands of our hapless pols.

Interesting comments in reply, pro and con, though following my recent thoughts on where moderation becomes censorship, and the need for some rules, I do note the system on Friction.tv does seem to allow some comments to stay up that I would not.

The % agree/neutral/disagree bar is a surprise. Without letting my own bias intrude, I would have thought it would reflect more sympathy to this view, and makes one wonder about the value of such things (if used to explain or justify anything, but certainly 'CO' vs. 'CP' views, as all too often can happen in news hungry 24/7 media environments) as valid, viable information tools. One is, after all, talking a base of... 31 (at time of writing). As one thread contributor posed, in light of his popularity, and as this has been up 4 months, it is surprising how few have engaged, especially in support. I had heard of Friction tv, and am signed up I think, but it has not passed my radar for a long while.

To blog, or not to blog, that is the question?

Many of my blogs here are as a result of my writing on other blogs. A kind of e-BOGOF, for me anyway.

I can pop a promo for Junkk in another place, and end up with content for here.

Moderation considerations aside, I have had almost no issues at all with the technicalities of posting. They can happen, and indeed have on the Junkk Forum, for instance when I managed to kill something with my Mac O/S!

But on the whole, they work pretty well. Why not? They need not be too complex.

Except, it seesm, those deployed, at vast expense, with hordes of staff, by the BBC. It was getting almost impossible to post, or know if your post got through.

But what really got to me was how cavalier they have been over the last several months, especially when I know others beside me must have been keeping them well apprised of what is going wrong.

Yes, I have had the odd 'Thank you for your feedback; we're sorry (but really couldn't care less... what can you do about it? Withdraw your patronage or payment?) and we're working on a fix'. But at no time have I seen anything remotely like an advice to explain what might happen and where they are doing something.

Well, now we have. Worth reading the replies, too:

Blog problems - a solution is nigh

Flushed with, well, anything really

Tread lightly: Install a water-saving device

Some of the kit to help flush with less looks promising as one hopes they will be able to be tuned to still actually work. Flushing 2/3 times to clear the bowl kinda defeats the object.

But when it comes to the simple act of replacing a certain volume of water within the cistern, surely it is not beyond the wit of man to make something out of a second use item ( This may kick off some notions to find and share what works)?

Smokin'!

Carbon emissions to be turned into CDs

Hey, if it works as billed, what’s not to like?
So long as the energy used in reprocessing adds up, I’m sure if the resultant raw material is reliable then many re:uses can be found.
Thumbs up from here on what’s been shared so far!

Can't be licked... or hard to swallow?

Green initiatives: Matthew Neilson of the Royal Mail

Whenever I see the prefix 'Carbc.. sorry, Carbon' in marketing materials I do start cranking an eyebrow, especially when followed by offsets, neutralities, etc. I frankly still have no clue what they really refer to, or mean, in the great enviROI+ scheme of things. Until that becomes clearer, I often feel 'Climate friendliER' may be more accurate, especially on a factual basis.

Of course there are oodles of initiatives that are better than nothing, especially vs. what could go down, but very often the plain and simple fact is not doing anything in the first place, especially involving new stuff being made and then going places, is perhaps the 'purest' enviro-solution.

As mentioned that's hard to avoid even with a lot of consumer-based marketing I know, but worth bearing in mind when the eco-labels get licked and applied, especially to my nth 'we're in your area' double glazing DM pack.

And when it comes to fellow public servants HMG, I idly glance at the plastic bag my 2008 Tax return just arrived in. Hope Somerfield will be happy to accept it in their recycle bin:)

Moderated Out - As potent as what is allowed in

A few days ago I posted on a blog in Nature and, it seems, ended up 'moderated out'.

Hence I have created that label to help track if I ever get put in eventually, and just to create an archive of where and when it happens.

It's a technique worth noting, if only for being as pervasive as it can be powerful. Rather depending on the scope, reputation and heft of the medium, what folk read can only influence their views, and if they only get to read one set of views, or see a huge imbalance between differing ones, it's also hard to see how one would avoid thinking that there is a majority at work. And be swayed by a perceived 'group think'.

Hence editors have a huge power, especially online, which is seen erroneously as 'open'. What they choose to leave in, change or leave out can have profound effects.

As a blog 'owner', I can see why and how certain moderating rules need to apply, which is the chink in the armour of any censorship debate. Who decides, and what is the limit?

But often it is pretty clear what the reasonable rules are. BBC has them. Guardian CiF has them. I have them. And usually they revolve around good taste, decency, manners and adhering to certain standards of factual accuracy even if wild subjectivity can creep in.

So far I have not had to purge anything... and fingers crossed I won't. And if I do I hope to be able to make clear why in an acceptable way to the spirit of free debate I wish to encourage. I fear I cannot say that many of even our most major national media are quite so true to even their own rules.

On top of the subject at hand, there is also an equally pernicious moderation at play, and that is when the moderator feels they are being 'dissed'. Depends how it is done of course, but often it just comes across as precious. Hence why I no longer contribute to such as Biased BBC, though I still lurk.

Here's another, just to add to the list. It's an ad blog, for heaven's sake.

Here's what they posted: Is it possible to separate the Olympics from politics?

Here's my reply: 'You are joking, right? Let's just look at our history books. I repeat, let's...'

I remain unclear why it was not deemed worthy of inclusion.

CATEGORY - TRAFFIC (UK)

Whatever your thoughts on using a car, there is no doubt that if and when you do, the best environmental option is to get the journey over with as quickly and smoothly as possible.

I have been engaged with the Highways Agency of the value of some roadside signs (Variable Message Signs (VMS)) in conveying relevant information as well as they might, but in passing was given this useful site:

Planned Roadworks and Events

I will be using it in future to check with prior to major trips, and share in case you might find it worthwhile too. The RSS update is worth it, but remember to purge dated advisories regularly.

Traffic Info

PROF'S POSER - Book 'im Dano!

This is inspired by a PR piece I read (online) about saving the planet with some eco-books: Dorling Kindersley turns back on gloss for green book range

These go under 'Better than nothing... but...'

Nice little bit of CSR PR , but 'a' range of 'a number of titles'.

Hmnn.

Any numbers on what % of total this is?

And, in devil's advocacy mode, what in the great scheme of things is the actual enviROI- impact of the usual non-ultra 'green' stock/ink, etc vs. the other stuff still involved, namely shipping, etc.

One presumes even non-recycled stock is from managed forests, etc. I have often wondered if these might not be argued as having a carbon sink value that in some way might equate to the processes involved in recycling.

My 'poser' is the last part. Though I am keen to find out more about the totality of the paper industry impact, and what's doing the most in terms of enviROI-, and what can be done to pump up the enviROI+.

I personally love reading paper bound in a form I can look at in my hands. I'd just liek to be sure that waht I do enage with is really that bad... or good.. as is bing made out.

Answers on a postcard*...

Cavalier on climate

'...but is Gordon Brown about to make the same mistakes as his predecessor in Number 10? Saying some of the right things on the international stage, but pressing ahead with policy making as though nothing has changed?'

*Maybe from Bali, Kyoto...

Fascinating ongoing debate in the threads on the difference and/or connections between local, national and international issues. But it is getting hard to sift those with purely political points to score (and may even be paid to trawl and comment in doing so) and those with sincere views, left right or centre.

Mirror, mirror, here in the gutter, what's the truth behind what I utter?

Nothing more edifying or informative than a medium talking about media by trying to slag off another medium.

Press panic

Bet he's glad he asked now.

Speaking, I repeat.. speaking is not necessarily saying anything

Hot on the heels of a more trivial example in our PC-obsessed culture of not saying anything (or often doing anything either) we have this: Australian PM please explain? In Mandarin ..

There is also not being pinned down on anything, not matter what. Hence we get this on climate from Australian PM Rudd:

"There has to be a greater synergy between, let's call it our policy leadership in this, which has been focused so much, legitimately, on targets and global architecture, almost reverse-engineered back to the means by which you can quickly deliver outcomes,"

Leadership on the big issues at the best. I await our Dear Leader following suit as it works so well. or maybe we just insist it all happens in Mandarin so we can get an idea of what they actually believe and are up to.

Sticks stones and weasel words

I have missed out on a few grants in my time, not so much of what I do, but because I often can't.. won't say things happen in ways the clipboard jockeys demand.

And I don't sign forms that are not accurate. Despite 'encouragement' to do so to 'help'.

So I was intrigued not only by the story of a couple denied fostering accreditation because they wouldn't say they didn't resort to the odd smack, but by how it got reported and who got plonked onto the BBC sofa to 'discuss'.

Just love the endless troupes of PC 'experts' that get wheeled on, all so happy that if people tell them something they want to hear then it must be true. Which they then trot out on air so we must believe it is fact, too.

Boxes are ticked. Surveys collated. Idealistic worlds and dreamy headlines created. Only 10% approve of smacking? Very likely, along with the 110% who recycle daily. What else are you going to say these days?

Are we really keen on a world where not only do folk lie in a heartbeat to achieve a result, but the authorities and media choose to ignore and accept this inevitable result of their policies and coverage, just to ensure they get the results they want?

And speaking of talking a lot but without much clarity on the doing, I am now watching a piece on the amount of rubbish washing up on the beaches. It is awful... and a disgrace... and I agree that the only possible solution is international action (so all credit to those who have given their free time to doing a tidy and get coverage to make this point).

But as to what actions we are left a little wondering by the statement that 'it's got worse'. Well, D'uh. And as more and more people come online to make, buy, use and dispose of ever more stuff it's likely to get even worse still. All I do, and for now know I can do, is put my rubbish in the designated containers provided.

I don't think it is that productive to use PR and media to tell the public to stop consuming in this simplistic way, as I don't see folk giving up on fish to prevent fishing nets strangling seals.

Perhaps it would be better to focus for public support on the currently woeful actions of some individuals (not sure how effective telling a person who litters not to actually is, mind) and mechanisms of disposal that mean too many of these now sadly inevitable by-products of human activity are ending up in the drink?

Addendum - Welsh beaches plagued by plastic - 'Beaches in Wales have more plastic litter than any other country in the UK, an annual beach survey finds'.