In 1986... In 1986, the US bombed Libya, a state that sponsored terrorism (see http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-bombs-libya). The west knew then -- had known for some years -- that Qaddafi was a mad despot. In 1986, I was living and working in Saudi Arabia when the US bombed Libya, and my employers shoved an advisory memo under my apartment's front door (in those days before email, asynchronous communications consisted of people printing/photocopying memos and literally shoving them under doors). It read, in part: "you are advised to use common sense precautions...maintain a low profile...avoid crowds." If the West had used "common sense precautions" we might not find ourselves, 24 years later, in a situation where the same mad despot has now made his people the target of a UN-approved "no fly zone" aka excuse for NATO/the US to again bomb Libya. Note, I don't believe it is the place of any one nation or group of nations to decide the fate or right path of another nation or people. However, when I hear Kevin Rudd speak of humanitarian concern for Libya, and his hope that this "final resolve" (viz military response) "is not too late for the Libyan people" (http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1502772/Rudd-hopes-Libya-no-fly-zone-not-too-late) I can't help but wonder if these Western leaders live on the same planet as me. Of course, they do live here, and they are generally very smart people, much better informed than the rest of us. They know the history well. They know exactly what's been going on since 1986 and before, and they know exactly why it's useful to act now -- as in, useful for them, not the Libyan people. I do hope they are able to reconcile the benefits they have reaped from Libyan oil against the blood of the Libyan people -- and, presumably, the blood of the victims of terrorism they considered so important in 1986.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Today's work setup may seem a little over the top, but I assure you it is necessary!
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Saturday, July 10, 2010
Wednesday, June 09, 2010
Only Magical
Imagine you are William Shakespeare. Imagine you have a witty tale to tell, and that you think it is worth sharing with others. You take a quill, dip it in some ink, and begin scratching words onto parchment. Some hours and many stanzas later you feel the need for inspiration --- or just a break, a little escape from the hard work of being a bard. You think it would be nice to read somebody else's work for a while, perhaps to marvel at their wordcraft and turn of phrase, or maybe lose yourself in their literary world. Instead of putting down your quill and picking up another author's book, you simply wave your hand over the parchment you have been working on and your words are (temporarily) replaced by those of another. Magical. Well, magical it would have been to Bill if he had indeed been able to do such a thing. And magical is how Apple have marketed the iPad, on which I can do (am doing) these very things. But to today's critics, this technology which I can use to not only read and write, but to publish, is flawed. Apple products are for a niche market: overpriced artefacts which privilege "design" over function, features and capability. The iPad doesn't do anything that wasn't possible four years ago. An Android tablet could do those things better. The iPad is just a big iPhone, anyway. And it's a media consumption device, not nearly as good for content creation as a Windows netbook. I find it a bit sad that we have we reached a point where magical is not good enough.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
RT @culturedcode: Support the Haiti relief efforts. Today, 100% of the proceeds from these fine apps will be dona...
RT @culturedcode: Support the Haiti relief efforts. Today, 100% of the proceeds from these fine apps will be donated: http://www.indierelief.com
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