P.S. 5 posts in one day, an Owsblog first (makes up for possible period of light-blogging coming up)
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Ooops (2)...
P.S. 5 posts in one day, an Owsblog first (makes up for possible period of light-blogging coming up)
Ooops (2)...
P.S. 5 posts in one day, an Owsblog first (makes up for possible period of light-blogging coming up)
Overlords' obrogate...
Overlords' obrogate...
Old Osram opinion...
1. Can run for up to 10,000 hours (but never do, not even close)
2. Use up to 80% less electricity than a standard bulb (straw man/see no.4)
3. Fitting just one bulb can save you on average £2.50 a year (so at least 2 years to recoup the exorbitant cost and you need to change them before that anyway)
4. More expensive but difference will be recouped on electricity bill in about a year (the more expensive is damn right, the rest is a fucking lie)
5. Invention of "soft tone" bulbs has given them a warmer glow (and?)
6. Dimmable bulbs are now available (what the fuck for? they're dim enough already)
P.S. Gildy has posted on this topic twice before (you'll note my wrath in the comments).
Old Osram opinion...
1. Can run for up to 10,000 hours (but never do, not even close)
2. Use up to 80% less electricity than a standard bulb (straw man/see no.4)
3. Fitting just one bulb can save you on average £2.50 a year (so at least 2 years to recoup the exorbitant cost and you need to change them before that anyway)
4. More expensive but difference will be recouped on electricity bill in about a year (the more expensive is damn right, the rest is a fucking lie)
5. Invention of "soft tone" bulbs has given them a warmer glow (and?)
6. Dimmable bulbs are now available (what the fuck for? they're dim enough already)
P.S. Gildy has posted on this topic twice before (you'll note my wrath in the comments).
Optimising on-board organisation...
Airlines, call U.S. astrophysicist Dr. Jason Steffen, NOW! He's waiting for their call - hoping commercial airlines will take an interest - "especially given that he estimates it could save them millions." The predictions and conclusions made on paper reflect the actual trial results: the most efficient way to board a passenger plane. [Link]
Optimising on-board organisation...
Airlines, call U.S. astrophysicist Dr. Jason Steffen, NOW! He's waiting for their call - hoping commercial airlines will take an interest - "especially given that he estimates it could save them millions." The predictions and conclusions made on paper reflect the actual trial results: the most efficient way to board a passenger plane. [Link]
Ominous (obvious?) overview...
"At moderate levels, debt improves welfare and can enhance growth. But high levels can be damaging. When does the level of debt go from good to bad?... beyond a certain level, debt is bad for growth. ...The immediate implication is that countries with high debt must act quickly and decisively to address their fiscal problems. ...Up to a point, corporate and household debt can be good for growth. But when corporate debt goes beyond 90% of GDP, our results suggest that it becomes a drag on growth. And for household debt, we report a threshold around 85% of GDP, although the impact is very imprecisely estimated.".Parts of the abstract of "The real effects of debt", from the Bank for International Settlements, BIS. Full document pdf HERE. Look at Table 1, page 6: one country is WAY way out from the crowd in terms of changes in household, corporate and government debt as a percentage of nominal GDP between 2000 and 2010. The balls and brownstuff is smothered over the bed and the UK has to lie in it. Also, we may soon know more of the reasons why: Darling on the "brutal and volcanic" Brownstuff.
Update: and obviously the UK isn't the only one that will be 'changing the sheets'; Ruth Lea on the EU's woes.
Ominous (obvious?) overview...
"At moderate levels, debt improves welfare and can enhance growth. But high levels can be damaging. When does the level of debt go from good to bad?... beyond a certain level, debt is bad for growth. ...The immediate implication is that countries with high debt must act quickly and decisively to address their fiscal problems. ...Up to a point, corporate and household debt can be good for growth. But when corporate debt goes beyond 90% of GDP, our results suggest that it becomes a drag on growth. And for household debt, we report a threshold around 85% of GDP, although the impact is very imprecisely estimated.".Parts of the abstract of "The real effects of debt", from the Bank for International Settlements, BIS. Full document pdf HERE. Look at Table 1, page 6: one country is WAY way out from the crowd in terms of changes in household, corporate and government debt as a percentage of nominal GDP between 2000 and 2010. The balls and brownstuff is smothered over the bed and the UK has to lie in it. Also, we may soon know more of the reasons why: Darling on the "brutal and volcanic" Brownstuff.
Update: and obviously the UK isn't the only one that will be 'changing the sheets'; Ruth Lea on the EU's woes.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Organisation of observation options...
Sky wins battle for Tripoli: "It's really time we asked whether the TV Tax is going to the right people" writes Raedwald; he's not alone and even the BBC tried to get their defense in early; will this be Sky's rebirth as per CNN and the Gulf War? Chris Cramer, the then head of the Beeb's newsgathering operation admits he was so humiliated by CNN's superior coverage he finally went to work for them.
Now, the point of this post is that today Labour is seeking parliamentary support to tighten rules on media takeovers; Ed Miliband has told David Cameron that he should prevent Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation bid for BSkyB. Ivan Lewis the shadow culture secretary says Labour wants a wider "public interest test". I'll be honest Ivan, careful what you wish for: looking at news coverage of Libya as an example (there are many more), if it was for the public interest the bid would already be accepted!
Let's be clear: Miliband last month called a company with 20% of the - shrinking rapidly - newspaper market unhealthy and "frankly quite dangerous." I'll be frank too, in terms of news provision, only one organisation has a dangerous and unhealthy monopoly in the UK.
Organisation of observation options...
Sky wins battle for Tripoli: "It's really time we asked whether the TV Tax is going to the right people" writes Raedwald; he's not alone and even the BBC tried to get their defense in early; will this be Sky's rebirth as per CNN and the Gulf War? Chris Cramer, the then head of the Beeb's newsgathering operation admits he was so humiliated by CNN's superior coverage he finally went to work for them.
Now, the point of this post is that today Labour is seeking parliamentary support to tighten rules on media takeovers; Ed Miliband has told David Cameron that he should prevent Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation bid for BSkyB. Ivan Lewis the shadow culture secretary says Labour wants a wider "public interest test". I'll be honest Ivan, careful what you wish for: looking at news coverage of Libya as an example (there are many more), if it was for the public interest the bid would already be accepted!
Let's be clear: Miliband last month called a company with 20% of the - shrinking rapidly - newspaper market unhealthy and "frankly quite dangerous." I'll be frank too, in terms of news provision, only one organisation has a dangerous and unhealthy monopoly in the UK.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Outstanding Oz...
P.S. For those looking for the Women's rugby picture you have to click on the image above.
Outstanding Oz...
P.S. For those looking for the Women's rugby picture you have to click on the image above.
Omen of oncoming obsequies...
From Marcus at Harry's Place: "In the Navy". "Have a look at this clipping from January 2009.
"Russia has decided to establish naval bases in Libya, Syria and Yemen within a few years, a Russian military official was quoted as saying on Friday by Itar-Tass news agency...“It is difficult to say how much time it will take to create the bases for our fleet in these countries, but within a few years this will be done without question"Gives a new twist to the Arab Spring; not so close to home it may also be getting Hugo a bit nervous what with a strategic bomber base, joint manoeuvres plus gold and uranium...what say 2012, mi pana primavera?
Update:...and loans to buy weapons.
Omen of oncoming obsequies...
From Marcus at Harry's Place: "In the Navy". "Have a look at this clipping from January 2009.
"Russia has decided to establish naval bases in Libya, Syria and Yemen within a few years, a Russian military official was quoted as saying on Friday by Itar-Tass news agency...“It is difficult to say how much time it will take to create the bases for our fleet in these countries, but within a few years this will be done without question"Gives a new twist to the Arab Spring; not so close to home it may also be getting Hugo a bit nervous what with a strategic bomber base, joint manoeuvres plus gold and uranium...what say 2012, mi pana primavera?
Update:...and loans to buy weapons.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Overdoing obesity...
Overdoing obesity...
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Operational overspend?...
No. However, am I being too cynical not to expect much coverage of this news: "Majority of PCTs predict cash surplus for end of financial year". The General Practitioners Committee had warned that because NHS primary care trusts debts were likely to be transferred to the new GP consortia when they take on commissioning they would be starting with millions of pounds in debt and deficits; they expressed concern that these difficult financial conditions could mean that GP commissioning was doomed to fail. They need not fear: not a single one of the seventy one trusts that responded to the request for information "forecast a deficit at the end of the 2011/12 financial year"... "In fact 90% of PCTs predicted that they would be in surplus."
Operational overspend?...
No. However, am I being too cynical not to expect much coverage of this news: "Majority of PCTs predict cash surplus for end of financial year". The General Practitioners Committee had warned that because NHS primary care trusts debts were likely to be transferred to the new GP consortia when they take on commissioning they would be starting with millions of pounds in debt and deficits; they expressed concern that these difficult financial conditions could mean that GP commissioning was doomed to fail. They need not fear: not a single one of the seventy one trusts that responded to the request for information "forecast a deficit at the end of the 2011/12 financial year"... "In fact 90% of PCTs predicted that they would be in surplus."
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Oncoming obstipation...
Bloomberg News yesterday released data obtained through FOI requests, months of litigation and trawling 29,000 pages of previously secret documents re the lending to banks and other companies USD1.2 trillion of public money [Overview].
The six or seven non-US companies in the top 20 may surprise a few: many on that list are banks that "survived the crisis without government capital injections" (and some that received a lot: mention no names RBS) but were lent money via programmes that promised confidentiality... "You don’t have to be a Hairy Leftie to discern that these people are taking the piss." (hat-tip: The Slog)
[edit 20:04 CET, click on image to see the future]
Oncoming obstipation...
The six or seven non-US companies in the top 20 may surprise a few: many on that list are banks that "survived the crisis without government capital injections" (and some that received a lot: mention no names RBS) but were lent money via programmes that promised confidentiality... "You don’t have to be a Hairy Leftie to discern that these people are taking the piss." (hat-tip: The Slog)
[edit 20:04 CET, click on image to see the future]
Odd obscurantism over one observation...
* The Prague Declaration has not been without it's critics but as Barry Rubin wrote last year, responding to that criticism, and quoting the Declaration: "Those who neglect their past have no future".
Odd obscurantism over one observation...
* The Prague Declaration has not been without it's critics but as Barry Rubin wrote last year, responding to that criticism, and quoting the Declaration: "Those who neglect their past have no future".
Monday, August 22, 2011
Obfuscation obeisance...
Why feel the need to pay homage to a traitor? Charles Moore's article in the DT today, perhaps following on from a Letter by Jon Ball's (**below) to the DT yesterday (scroll down) and alluded to by Guido this afternoon - albeit with a different point - is more rewriting of history: "When will the BBC ever tell the truth about Anthony Blunt?"
"What was disgraceful, though, was the structure of the programme. For many, The Reunion's version may be the first they have heard of the subject. It is the duty of the BBC to apply to history the impartiality on which its Charter insists. Yet, as with the same programme's treatment of the 30th anniversary of the Brixton riots (which this column criticised on March 28), the entire panel was on the same side. Blunt was a virtually innocent victim, we were told, and the only villain was the press.""The Reunion propagated the theory that spying for the Soviets in the Thirties and Forties was nothing worse than an excess of zeal. This is a shocking untruth. Hitler and Stalin were moral equivalents. ... The BBC would (rightly) never dream of making a programme which sought to excuse traitors who worked for the Nazis."
**The Blunt fact.
SIR – A group of worthies on Radio 4’s The Reunion were concerned that Anthony Blunt may be remembered not as an art historian, but as a spy. They need not worry. Although his Soviet controller was indeed a spy, Blunt himself was not. He was a traitor.
Obfuscation obeisance...
Why feel the need to pay homage to a traitor? Charles Moore's article in the DT today, perhaps following on from a Letter by Jon Ball's (**below) to the DT yesterday (scroll down) and alluded to by Guido this afternoon - albeit with a different point - is more rewriting of history: "When will the BBC ever tell the truth about Anthony Blunt?"
"What was disgraceful, though, was the structure of the programme. For many, The Reunion's version may be the first they have heard of the subject. It is the duty of the BBC to apply to history the impartiality on which its Charter insists. Yet, as with the same programme's treatment of the 30th anniversary of the Brixton riots (which this column criticised on March 28), the entire panel was on the same side. Blunt was a virtually innocent victim, we were told, and the only villain was the press.""The Reunion propagated the theory that spying for the Soviets in the Thirties and Forties was nothing worse than an excess of zeal. This is a shocking untruth. Hitler and Stalin were moral equivalents. ... The BBC would (rightly) never dream of making a programme which sought to excuse traitors who worked for the Nazis."
**The Blunt fact.
SIR – A group of worthies on Radio 4’s The Reunion were concerned that Anthony Blunt may be remembered not as an art historian, but as a spy. They need not worry. Although his Soviet controller was indeed a spy, Blunt himself was not. He was a traitor.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Original or obvious?...
Connected in a way to my post yesterday although this time it is about Britain and not Venezuela. In the great tradition of misquoting out of context (e.g. 'There is no such thing as Society') the arch vampire himself has come out and said 'hug a hoodie'! Of course Blair hasn't said that; in exactly the same way that Cameron didn't say it several years ago despite what lefty twats like Russell Brand think (my comment to RB on that thread). What Blair said (akin to what DC said in opposition) is that the major cause of the recent riots is that there is a group of alienated, disaffected youth who are outside the social mainstream and who live in a culture at odds with any canons of proper behaviour", so hug a hoodie! Also, "he believes this generation is more respectable, responsible and hard-working than his own", clearly he is entitled to his opinion but - on this point - I think he's talking bollocks. HOWEVER, I agree with something else he says:
"This is a hard thing to say, and I am of course aware that this too is generalisation. But the truth is that many of these people are from families that are profoundly dysfunctional, operating on completely different terms from the rest of society, either middle class or poor."Blair adds, correctly IMHO, that this is a current and general phenomenon in almost all developed nations. He says the solution - his plan as New Labour (ha!), later abandoned (pah!) - was "intervention family by family, a reform of criminal justice around antisocial behaviour, organised crime, persistent offenders and gangs." Unfortunately, during ten years as PM he saw fit not to stop or reverse the emasculation of the police and the politicisation of both the police and the judiciary. [post edited 16:15 CET]
Original or obvious?...
Connected in a way to my post yesterday although this time it is about Britain and not Venezuela. In the great tradition of misquoting out of context (e.g. 'There is no such thing as Society') the arch vampire himself has come out and said 'hug a hoodie'! Of course Blair hasn't said that; in exactly the same way that Cameron didn't say it several years ago despite what lefty twats like Russell Brand think (my comment to RB on that thread). What Blair said (akin to what DC said in opposition) is that the major cause of the recent riots is that there is a group of alienated, disaffected youth who are outside the social mainstream and who live in a culture at odds with any canons of proper behaviour", so hug a hoodie! Also, "he believes this generation is more respectable, responsible and hard-working than his own", clearly he is entitled to his opinion but - on this point - I think he's talking bollocks. HOWEVER, I agree with something else he says:
"This is a hard thing to say, and I am of course aware that this too is generalisation. But the truth is that many of these people are from families that are profoundly dysfunctional, operating on completely different terms from the rest of society, either middle class or poor."Blair adds, correctly IMHO, that this is a current and general phenomenon in almost all developed nations. He says the solution - his plan as New Labour (ha!), later abandoned (pah!) - was "intervention family by family, a reform of criminal justice around antisocial behaviour, organised crime, persistent offenders and gangs." Unfortunately, during ten years as PM he saw fit not to stop or reverse the emasculation of the police and the politicisation of both the police and the judiciary. [post edited 16:15 CET]
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Opinion opposing odium...
I guess we all should have such an opinion but it was interesting to read Herman Petzold Rodriguez's opinion in El Universal (Spanish) today, directed at the 'two tribes' that have made up the whole of Venezuela for the last decade or more: pro Chavez or Anti Chavez: 'Para ti que eres chavista', 'For you, the chavista.' loosely translated by Ows. "We live in a polarised country; a growing rift between us caused by physical and verbal violence." Too true, and later "You know very well that political differences cannot be so strong that we can't be friends and work for the common good." On the whole a good opinion piece: something really does need to change - I have predicted the possibility of things getting so bad as to reach civil war; at the very least blood on the streets - but with Chavez's poor health (combined with him winding his neck in a bit) things seem to be calming down. One paragraph caught my eye:
"It's about what each one of us does. Unsupervised. The decision we make individually...//...What act of humility and respect I can do to strengthen ties with others? How I can help others? How to stop judging someone for their political tendency?...//...When will we understand that a problem of our family, friends, companion or neighbours is also our problem."Of course you should feel that is slightly familiar and you'd be right: there is no such thing as society...
P.S. Off topic but I was amazed at the numbers and percents of migration in South America; it's overall figures (2010), no information of how many were actual nationals returning home/leaving.
Opinion opposing odium...
I guess we all should have such an opinion but it was interesting to read Herman Petzold Rodriguez's opinion in El Universal (Spanish) today, directed at the 'two tribes' that have made up the whole of Venezuela for the last decade or more: pro Chavez or Anti Chavez: 'Para ti que eres chavista', 'For you, the chavista.' loosely translated by Ows. "We live in a polarised country; a growing rift between us caused by physical and verbal violence." Too true, and later "You know very well that political differences cannot be so strong that we can't be friends and work for the common good." On the whole a good opinion piece: something really does need to change - I have predicted the possibility of things getting so bad as to reach civil war; at the very least blood on the streets - but with Chavez's poor health (combined with him winding his neck in a bit) things seem to be calming down. One paragraph caught my eye:
"It's about what each one of us does. Unsupervised. The decision we make individually...//...What act of humility and respect I can do to strengthen ties with others? How I can help others? How to stop judging someone for their political tendency?...//...When will we understand that a problem of our family, friends, companion or neighbours is also our problem."Of course you should feel that is slightly familiar and you'd be right: there is no such thing as society...
P.S. Off topic but I was amazed at the numbers and percents of migration in South America; it's overall figures (2010), no information of how many were actual nationals returning home/leaving.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Orinoco oro observations...
[Edited:'dead' image removed] Gold! Krusty has announced that he will nationalise Venezuela's gold industry to boost the country's reserves; interestingly the same day he stated that gold reserves deposited in foreign banks will be brought back to Venezuela. Hugo may not be so much of a clown in this action: OK, he may have something to gain from this latest nationalisation but the country already owns it all already except one half of the only private gold miner left [miningdotcom] but the "bringing home the 211 tonnes of gold reserves, worth $12.3 billion, held overseas, is a different story altogether" and "bullion traders are preparing for one of the largest transfers of physical gold in recent history"...another BUT, more importantly:
CTV News quotes a precious metals strategist at investment bank UBS: "There is a growing preference among many different communities in the gold market to have their physical gold at home."...[I'd say that was entirely sensible, wouldn't you?]P.S. Looking at that first link, from Q2 2006, gold had almost touched it's second highest price ever; now it's USD1100 more per ounce than then, did anyone take my advice then? Gold price chart provided by goldprice.org (click on image)
Orinoco oro observations...
[Edited:'dead' image removed] Gold! Krusty has announced that he will nationalise Venezuela's gold industry to boost the country's reserves; interestingly the same day he stated that gold reserves deposited in foreign banks will be brought back to Venezuela. Hugo may not be so much of a clown in this action: OK, he may have something to gain from this latest nationalisation but the country already owns it all already except one half of the only private gold miner left [miningdotcom] but the "bringing home the 211 tonnes of gold reserves, worth $12.3 billion, held overseas, is a different story altogether" and "bullion traders are preparing for one of the largest transfers of physical gold in recent history"...another BUT, more importantly:
CTV News quotes a precious metals strategist at investment bank UBS: "There is a growing preference among many different communities in the gold market to have their physical gold at home."...[I'd say that was entirely sensible, wouldn't you?]P.S. Looking at that first link, from Q2 2006, gold had almost touched it's second highest price ever; now it's USD1100 more per ounce than then, did anyone take my advice then? Gold price chart provided by goldprice.org (click on image)
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Opposing obscurantism...
Opposing obscurantism...
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
'Ochlesis' observation...
England's twenty one year major riot cycle? Stuart Bonar's discovery of David Willet's 'prediction': "The first postwar peak was in 1947 (881,026 births), which was exactly 21 years before the 1968 riots. The next peak was in 1964, with 875,972 births; this was exactly 21 years before the 1985 riots... ...the third postwar peak in births (lower than the other two at 706,140, but still a peak with a trough either side) occurred in 1990. Yes, that’s right: 21 years ago this year."
'Ochlesis' observation...
England's twenty one year major riot cycle? Stuart Bonar's discovery of David Willet's 'prediction': "The first postwar peak was in 1947 (881,026 births), which was exactly 21 years before the 1968 riots. The next peak was in 1964, with 875,972 births; this was exactly 21 years before the 1985 riots... ...the third postwar peak in births (lower than the other two at 706,140, but still a peak with a trough either side) occurred in 1990. Yes, that’s right: 21 years ago this year."
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