My train journey to work this morning went ok. It was notable that there were a large number of school kids milling around the centre of Chichester who’d obviously decided to "miss" the only train to school for an hour. But milling around Chichester in full school uniform is not subtle, it must be said.
I really should kill the
I really should kill the CV page (linked under "gissa job" in the sidebar), what with starting my own business and all.
Apologies for yet another BBC
Apologies for yet another BBC link, but this article is well worth reading, as it helps to explain the rôle of oil in the current conflict – and it may not be what you think. Certainly has made me think about the issue again.
From Darren comes notice of
From Darren comes notice of the internet urinal. hmm.
I need something cheery to
I need something cheery to write here. This blog is getting all too serious, what with war, train strikes and Indian actresses. What we need is more silliness and frivolity, less seriousness – a lighter look at life.
Yes! What we need is cheese!
After devoting yesterday’s front cover
After devoting yesterday’s front cover to the uprising in Basra that didn’t happen (or at least not on anything like the scale that was reported), the Daily Telegraph devotes today’s cover to the counter-attack by the Republican Guard consisting of 1000 tanks and armoured vehicles.
Ooops. Seems that is wrong as well. Apparently the Republican Guard are still dug in, and the armoured column near Basra consisted of probably not more than ten vehicles, according to the reporting I’ve seen.
Doesn’t look like the Telegraph even attempts to verify any of its stories before running them, does it?
I’m trying to figure out
I’m trying to figure out whether it is worth trying to get to work on Friday and Monday by train whilst the guards are having their stupid, pointless, irrelevant, stuck-in-the-dark-ages strike. According to the announcement I heard on the way home this evening, South Central will be running no services west of Barnham. South West are not involved in the strike and will be running a "very limited" service, but if they run the scheduled 0845 to Brighton, I should be able to get to work just ten minutes late. Guards on Wessex are to be re-balloted, but if they run their normal service, the train that I use to get home will still be running.
But there are rather too many "if" factors in there for my liking.
UPDATE: asked at the station, and it seems that I will be able to travel. by train without too many problems.
British Spin is interesting. I’m
British Spin is interesting. I’m not sure that I agree with everything (or even most) of what the author (about whom we are told nothing) writes. Nor am I sure that the chronic lack of proof-reading is not a distraction. But it is worth reading if you’re interested in British politics.
I notice that my posts
I notice that my posts about Aishwarya Rai have attracted far more comments than my posts about the war (or anything else for that matter). Maybe Kenny has the right approach after all?
Have you noticed that western
Have you noticed that western journalists seem a little two-faced at times? Oh, not just me then.
Over the last few days, I’ve noticed that whenever the Iraqi authorities have claimed something, the BBC/CNN/ABC/whoever journalists are quick to point out that they have no way of verifying the claims. Examples: number of dead in today’s market blast (or even, whether it was a missile or some other cause), or the Iraqi troops said to be active in southern Iraq. Yet, whenever the coalition forces make a claim, the western journalists swallow the whole thing. Examples: Umm Qasr captured (nope, not yet), Iraqi TV stops broadcasting (for about ten minutes), local uprising in Basra (evidence anyone?). In the case of the Basra "uprising", the Daily Telegraph gave the whole of the front page to it today, yet as the day wears on it is becoming increasingly clear that either the uprising was small and quickly quashed by the Iraqi authorities, or it never happened at all.
I appreciate that it is difficult to get objective reports and information. There is a war on after all. But I wish that journalists would be a little more circumspect and remember that information given to them by the coalition military authorities is just as likely to be spun or simply wrong as the information given to them by the Iraqis. Perhaps, if we can not rely on the "independent" media to consider this, it is up to us to be circumspect in our interpretation of what they report.
And, as a reminder: my news sources page may help you get a slightly broader view.
UPDATE: maybe I’ve been a bit harsh. This is a quote from BBC reporter Tim Franks, published on the BBC’s reporters log thingy:
It’s very difficult to pin down what is actually happening in Basra. We’ve been metaphorically pinning British military spokesmen against the wall all day and last night saying "Come on – what is the evidence of this uprising?"
All they have said to us is that they are absolutely 100 percent, copper-bottom certain that there was some sort of uprising. They don’t know its scale, they don’t know where exactly it happened but they are certain there was some sort of disturbance there.
All they have said to us is that they are absolutely 100 percent, copper-bottom certain that there was some sort of uprising. They don’t know its scale, they don’t know where exactly it happened but they are certain there was some sort of disturbance there.
Which suggests that Mr Franks, at least, is not accepting everything he is being told at face value.