More of the same? Yes, but...
Condoleezza Rice, the new Secretary of State over in the US, isn't exactly going to change the way things are run, but there was one tiny little shift in her (and therefore the Bush administration's) viewpoint yesterday: Zimbabwe is now, finally, on the agenda.
In her appearance before the Senate, which has to ratify her appointment (not that there's any question that they won't), she stuck to the party line completely, including the worrying-but-hey-we're-getting-used-to-it idea that Iraq II has gone completely according to plan, no mistakes were made and there's nothing we'd change about it in retrospect (hint, Condy: Weapons of Mass Destruction?). The 'Axis of Evil' has apparently now changed its name to 'Outposts of Tyranny', which is a kick in the bread-tray for one of my songs (the one entitled 'Axis of Evil') but which allows for a re-defining of who's in and who's out of the current most-likely-to-receive-a-military-kicking next list. Out, it seems, are Iraq (well, done that), Libya and (for some unknown reason) Syria; in come Cuba (I knew they couldn't stay away long), "Burma" (actually called Myanmar for a number of years now, but we won't worry about that), Belarus (?!) and, finally, Zimbabwe.
About time. For too long, standing up to the disgusting, murderous regime of Robert Mugabe has been the exclusive job of the England Cricket Team and Henry Olonga. I'm not suggesting that the US is right to continue its self-proclaimed role of world police-person, but the fact that Zimbabwe is mentioned in such a list at least shows that some attention is being paid to states who torture and murder their own citizens, implement apartheid and even give police backing to ethnic-cleansing programmes, even if there is no oil in the country. After we missed the boat with Darfur (perhaps the worst genocide since Rwanda, and that's saying something when you consider Bosnia and Kosovo), it is somehow encouraging to see the US, and therefore Britain (like we're going to disagree??), saying something about it. Finally, Nassar Hussein has some backing.
Final point: since we're talking about countries that murder their own citizens, implement apartheid and (occasionally) ethnic cleansing and things like that, it's worth remembering which country is currently in breach of more UN Security Council resolutions than any other, by some distance. Israel, please stand up. Interestingly Turkey are second on this list, and they're about to join the EU.
Postscript: Blogspot's spellchecker thinks 'Condoleezza Rice' should be corrected to 'Candle-wick Rice'. Sounds like a kids TV show to me, maybe a spin-off from Camberwick Green?
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
Monday, January 17, 2005
17 January 2005: Patent
I may have missed an outcome to this since the article is a few weeks old now, but it seems an interesting question to me: is Google Scholar, unwittingly or otherwise, infringing a patent held by the Citeseer folks?
If anyone knows, I'd be interested to hear.
If anyone knows, I'd be interested to hear.
Monday, January 03, 2005
3 January 2004: Mullins
Goodness me, seems a long time since I wrote anything on here. That's Christmas vacations for you.
And what to write about? The fact that it's been the coldest winter here in Texas for eighty-seven years? (Which isn't saying much: there was snow, but I've been wearing shorts most of the time.) The tales of travelling to meet Gloria's family and friends? The introduction of Christmas crackers to rural Texas towns? Actually, all of those would be good topics, but last night we watched a video about the life of Rich Mullins, and that gave me much more to think about.
For those who don't know, Rich Mullins was a distinctly unconventional Christian musician. He read the Bible for himself, he didn't take denominational instructions from anyone, he led a ragamuffin life where he gave away the vast majority of his income: he himself lived in a trailer in New Mexico, where he wrote his songs and taught the local native American kids about the Bible in his own unique way. He rattled the cages of the mainstream religious movements, but the people loved him. He did what he was gifted to do, he loved people with a genuine love and he said what he thought, and didn't care what others said about him. When he died in a car accident in 1997 it was a sad loss to the world (not just to the Christian cliques of America), but somehow it was fulfillment rather than loss for Mullins himself. Heaven was something he'd been running toward all his life.
He was cynical about government - he didn't believe any government would ever have the answers to the problems of the world - and he championed the unprivileged, the oppressed, the minority. He personally brought the good news to the poor in his native land and around the world. Watching the video last night brought home to me the stuff Jesus talked about, stuff like being the light of the world, and how the church has twisted it almost out of all recognition. It's about love, having time for people, meeting needs, showing grace, allowing God to work through us. Mullins was far from perfect - but he was so unconventional it was often hard to tell what was wrong and what was just prejudice on the part of those judging him.
I wish I'd known more about him while he was alive - I only knew the song 'Our God is an Awesome God' prior to his death - but I'm pleased he did what he did, and I'm pleased that people haven't forgotten. Christianity over here in America is often so middle-class, so morality-preaching, that it's forgotten what the word 'grace' means. But even in these days of bad news, where the death toll from the tsunami continues to increase daily and we continue to ask how there can be a God when such suffering takes place, it's helpful for me to remember Rich Mullins, who served faithfully and loved honestly with all he was, being Jesus to all the people he could. We're not here to judge God or each other. We need to learn to love again. And to do that, we need to learn how to show grace, which is something so many of us have forgotten to do.
There's a ninety-minute tribute to Rich Mullins by Jon Rivers on the '20 The Countdown Magazine' website in Windows Media format. Well worth a listen.
And what to write about? The fact that it's been the coldest winter here in Texas for eighty-seven years? (Which isn't saying much: there was snow, but I've been wearing shorts most of the time.) The tales of travelling to meet Gloria's family and friends? The introduction of Christmas crackers to rural Texas towns? Actually, all of those would be good topics, but last night we watched a video about the life of Rich Mullins, and that gave me much more to think about.
For those who don't know, Rich Mullins was a distinctly unconventional Christian musician. He read the Bible for himself, he didn't take denominational instructions from anyone, he led a ragamuffin life where he gave away the vast majority of his income: he himself lived in a trailer in New Mexico, where he wrote his songs and taught the local native American kids about the Bible in his own unique way. He rattled the cages of the mainstream religious movements, but the people loved him. He did what he was gifted to do, he loved people with a genuine love and he said what he thought, and didn't care what others said about him. When he died in a car accident in 1997 it was a sad loss to the world (not just to the Christian cliques of America), but somehow it was fulfillment rather than loss for Mullins himself. Heaven was something he'd been running toward all his life.
He was cynical about government - he didn't believe any government would ever have the answers to the problems of the world - and he championed the unprivileged, the oppressed, the minority. He personally brought the good news to the poor in his native land and around the world. Watching the video last night brought home to me the stuff Jesus talked about, stuff like being the light of the world, and how the church has twisted it almost out of all recognition. It's about love, having time for people, meeting needs, showing grace, allowing God to work through us. Mullins was far from perfect - but he was so unconventional it was often hard to tell what was wrong and what was just prejudice on the part of those judging him.
I wish I'd known more about him while he was alive - I only knew the song 'Our God is an Awesome God' prior to his death - but I'm pleased he did what he did, and I'm pleased that people haven't forgotten. Christianity over here in America is often so middle-class, so morality-preaching, that it's forgotten what the word 'grace' means. But even in these days of bad news, where the death toll from the tsunami continues to increase daily and we continue to ask how there can be a God when such suffering takes place, it's helpful for me to remember Rich Mullins, who served faithfully and loved honestly with all he was, being Jesus to all the people he could. We're not here to judge God or each other. We need to learn to love again. And to do that, we need to learn how to show grace, which is something so many of us have forgotten to do.
There's a ninety-minute tribute to Rich Mullins by Jon Rivers on the '20 The Countdown Magazine' website in Windows Media format. Well worth a listen.
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
8 December 2004: Redknapp
Harry it is.
From the sounds of things, Harry was about to go on holiday when Woopert called him with an offer he couldn't refuse. Woops then chatted to Steve Wigley at the Under-18s game last night, presumably telling him he was going to be resigning (because Woops, of course, never sacks managers). Latest rumours are more about the time of the press conference (3.00pm sounds favourite) rather than whether or not Harry's coming. He's already here. Sans Jim, as predicted yesterday, as Kevin Bond will be his number two.
An insightful piece by John May on the BBC site clearly states the situation:
"Redknapp and chairman Rupert Lowe are not so much chalk and cheese as strawberries and strychnine."
It's up to you to decide which is which. Personally, I'd give Harry less than a year in the job.
Which begs the question, what now for Wigley? Also, what now for Denis Rofe? And what now for the Damiano guy whom we signed as assistant coach a couple of months ago, apparently, but nobody has seen him since, except for Marian Pahars who got the address of a French doctor from him. Are they all going to stay on? Even if Wigley departs (new Portsmouth manager, perhaps?) that still leaves four high-profile staff at Saints. Maybe we could call them the Teletubbies and be done with it.
Back in the real world, Paul Sturrock won Manager Of The Month for November with Sheffield Wednesday. What a shockingly bad manager he must be.
Footnote: By the way, if you're unsure, I do actually think this is a good thing. It's just hard not to be cynical about anything Woopert does.
From the sounds of things, Harry was about to go on holiday when Woopert called him with an offer he couldn't refuse. Woops then chatted to Steve Wigley at the Under-18s game last night, presumably telling him he was going to be resigning (because Woops, of course, never sacks managers). Latest rumours are more about the time of the press conference (3.00pm sounds favourite) rather than whether or not Harry's coming. He's already here. Sans Jim, as predicted yesterday, as Kevin Bond will be his number two.
An insightful piece by John May on the BBC site clearly states the situation:
"Redknapp and chairman Rupert Lowe are not so much chalk and cheese as strawberries and strychnine."
It's up to you to decide which is which. Personally, I'd give Harry less than a year in the job.
Which begs the question, what now for Wigley? Also, what now for Denis Rofe? And what now for the Damiano guy whom we signed as assistant coach a couple of months ago, apparently, but nobody has seen him since, except for Marian Pahars who got the address of a French doctor from him. Are they all going to stay on? Even if Wigley departs (new Portsmouth manager, perhaps?) that still leaves four high-profile staff at Saints. Maybe we could call them the Teletubbies and be done with it.
Back in the real world, Paul Sturrock won Manager Of The Month for November with Sheffield Wednesday. What a shockingly bad manager he must be.
Footnote: By the way, if you're unsure, I do actually think this is a good thing. It's just hard not to be cynical about anything Woopert does.
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
7 December 2004: Counter-Rumour
William Hill have stopped taking bets on whether Steve Wigley will still be Saints manager at Christmas. Apparently they've taken a rush of bets from a sufficient number of people to figure "hmm, something's up here" and they've closed the book.
The applicable SaintsForever thread states just as clearly that Harry Redknapp (possibly sans Jim Smith) will be appointed, possibly as soon as tomorrow.
Me, I still think Woopert wants the job himself.
The applicable SaintsForever thread states just as clearly that Harry Redknapp (possibly sans Jim Smith) will be appointed, possibly as soon as tomorrow.
Me, I still think Woopert wants the job himself.
7 December 2004: Rumour
So the rumour was false, Glenn Hoddle has taken over as manager of Wolves instead of Saints.
Which means a number of things.
Which means a number of things.
- St Nick from The Ugly Inside has to eat some humble pie as he said he had inside info that Hoddle would be appointed at St Mary's today.
- The fans on SaintsForever are now extremely worried that there'll either be no management appointment or, worse, that it will be a man named Houllier. Frankly, I'd take Houllier right now.
- Harry Redknapp rumours continue to roll on, rather like Andrex toilet paper.
- Steve Wigley is still Saints 'Head Coach', meaning the team have in charge of them a man with no motivational or tactical abilities, and who himself admits he never wanted to do this for a living. Presumably he... wanted to be... a LUMBERJACK!
- Saints remain firmly entrenched in the relegation zone and could well be playing Hull City next season.
As much as Rupert never makes public statements these days (which is extremely out of character), you get the impression he is trying to say "there's no pressure on Wigley, we're not looking at any other managerial options."
If, Woops, it is true that you are not looking at other managerial options, can I ask just one question? Why on earth not?
Final point: looking back to August, I remember pointing out Paul Sturrock's record in his first thirteen matches, which got him the sack: Won 5, Drawn 2, Lost 6. Points 17.
Steve Wigley's first fourteen games: Won 1, Drawn 6, Lost 7. Points 9.
But of course that doesn't include our magnificent Coca-Cola Cup run, where we scrambled our way past Northampton and a come-from-behind struggle against Colchester, only to be humiliated - utterly humiliated - by the Mighty Hornets of Watford.
Time to sort it out Rupert - if, in fact, you actually care. Which I suspect you don't.
Saturday, December 04, 2004
4 December 2004: Chair
Well, it's supposed to be embargoed until Monday, but the ECS website is already reporting it and I even heard it on Wave 105 yesterday: Sir Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web and the daddy of HTML, HTTP and no doubt other things beginning with HT, is to join Southampton University as Chair of Computer Science in January. This is in addition to his ongoing work with the W3C and MIT, so he won't be here all the time, but apparently he wants to do a bit of work with us on the whole Semantic Web thing. I do have one fear: I'm concerned as to whether he will get a real chair as part of this appointment, one he can actually sit on. At last Monday's meeting Wendy had to search around to find one, because our group has got rather large now. And she's the Head of School.
But back to the Semantic Web, and I'm pleased to note I actually got some decent work done this week, which partly explains the shortage of blogs. A working WUN AKTive Space demo was handed to Nigel on Wednesday evening, along with the prospect of being able to add data to it in the usual Triplestore way - make a relevant RDF file, chuck it in 3Store, and AKTive Space picks it up and strings it all together. A good demo of what the Semantic Web is about would probably show how easy it is to add information to AKTive Space: just chuck the data in there, and the application does the rest. It was a bit of a pain moving the whole thing across to a new server and getting the different pieces all working together, but I got there in the end, and on Wednesday evening I went to sleep, which made a nice change.
Finally, it's good to see BBC TV are making the most of the live football they're able to show these days: tomorrow's 'Match Of The Day Live' features the big clash of the weekend: Hinckley United verses Brentford. Who says the best sport is all on Sky?
*Sigh*
Only seventeen weeks until the baseball season starts. Roll on the steroid boys and the wonderful MLB.TV, which is quite easily the best current use of Professor Chair Sir Tim's World Wide Web. Maybe I should start making 'Semantic MLB.TV'?
But back to the Semantic Web, and I'm pleased to note I actually got some decent work done this week, which partly explains the shortage of blogs. A working WUN AKTive Space demo was handed to Nigel on Wednesday evening, along with the prospect of being able to add data to it in the usual Triplestore way - make a relevant RDF file, chuck it in 3Store, and AKTive Space picks it up and strings it all together. A good demo of what the Semantic Web is about would probably show how easy it is to add information to AKTive Space: just chuck the data in there, and the application does the rest. It was a bit of a pain moving the whole thing across to a new server and getting the different pieces all working together, but I got there in the end, and on Wednesday evening I went to sleep, which made a nice change.
Finally, it's good to see BBC TV are making the most of the live football they're able to show these days: tomorrow's 'Match Of The Day Live' features the big clash of the weekend: Hinckley United verses Brentford. Who says the best sport is all on Sky?
*Sigh*
Only seventeen weeks until the baseball season starts. Roll on the steroid boys and the wonderful MLB.TV, which is quite easily the best current use of Professor Chair Sir Tim's World Wide Web. Maybe I should start making 'Semantic MLB.TV'?
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