Thursday 30 December 2010
The dangers of Public Ownership.
Listening to reports of the water crisis in Northern Ireland, I was surprised that the local water company is still publicly owned. There may be a connection. A privately owned company would try harder to avoid annoying its customers.
Tuesday 21 December 2010
American Secrets
When confidential messages from ambassadors began to be leaked I was annoyed, fearing that diplomats would in future be afraid to write that they thought.
I still have that fear, but as American manoeuvres against Wiki-Leaks continue, I begin to feel that the Americans brought the trouble on themselves and are trying to blame others for their own negligence.
I've just read an account of Bradley Manning's imprisonment. That seems outrageously severe treatment for a junior employee who is hardly more than a boy and has not yet been tried for any crime. He is indeed a naughty boy who deserves to have someone put him over their knee and spank his bottom, but to give a young lad access to gigabytes of confidential information was asking for trouble. Most of the blame should be taken by the officials who decided on such lax security, and by the supreme official who appointed the others, President Obama.
What about a presidential resignation ?
I still have that fear, but as American manoeuvres against Wiki-Leaks continue, I begin to feel that the Americans brought the trouble on themselves and are trying to blame others for their own negligence.
I've just read an account of Bradley Manning's imprisonment. That seems outrageously severe treatment for a junior employee who is hardly more than a boy and has not yet been tried for any crime. He is indeed a naughty boy who deserves to have someone put him over their knee and spank his bottom, but to give a young lad access to gigabytes of confidential information was asking for trouble. Most of the blame should be taken by the officials who decided on such lax security, and by the supreme official who appointed the others, President Obama.
What about a presidential resignation ?
Wednesday 15 December 2010
Criminals in Power
I notice that charges have been laid against the Prime Minister of Kosovo for gruesome crimes committed a decade or so ago.
Many criminals are in power, yet only a few are charged.
I eagerly await the charging of the leaders of Sinn Fein with atrocities committed by the IRA under their command.
Many criminals are in power, yet only a few are charged.
I eagerly await the charging of the leaders of Sinn Fein with atrocities committed by the IRA under their command.
Thursday 9 December 2010
Celebrating the trivial.
'Trivial' is derived from the trivium
Mediaeval education, following later Roman practice, centred on the seven liberal arts, which comprised three basic subjects, Grammar, Rhetoric and Dialectic, which were known as the trivium, and the four mathematical studies recommenced by Plato, Number, Geometry, Astronomy and Harmony, which were called the quadrivium.
'Dialectic' meant what we should call 'Logic', an important subject which most people find very difficult, so it's a pity that 'trivial' is used as a term of abuse. I may try to rehabilitate it.
Mediaeval education, following later Roman practice, centred on the seven liberal arts, which comprised three basic subjects, Grammar, Rhetoric and Dialectic, which were known as the trivium, and the four mathematical studies recommenced by Plato, Number, Geometry, Astronomy and Harmony, which were called the quadrivium.
'Dialectic' meant what we should call 'Logic', an important subject which most people find very difficult, so it's a pity that 'trivial' is used as a term of abuse. I may try to rehabilitate it.
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