Anna Pickard has a hilarious summary of the week’s Diana stories. Frankly, I didn’t know there were any, what with her being dead for almost eight years and all. Clearly my loss. Anyway, it’s highly recommended — go read.
Tags: princessdiana, tabloids
Whitehall-speak part 1. According to Sir Christopher Meyer, Tony Blair’s chief of staff told the US ambassador
“get up the arse of the White House and stay there”
Whitehall-speak part 2. When asked if the story really was true, Sir Christopher said:
“Your reputation for accuracy would not be compromised by assuming that it was.”
That’s more like it.
Tags: [...]
This evening I found two Royal Mail red elastic bands had been placed neatly on my car windscreen. One over the driver’s side, one over the front passenger’s side. No other cars on the street had been so treated. Someone is having a larf.
Tags: elasticbands, royalmail
Simon picks up on a new term:
‘Wikitorial’ n: an idea that sounds very exciting but completely implodes.
Usage examples are provided. (You’ll recall we dealt with the source of this a few days ago.)
That’s a much more suitable entry for the OED, I feel, than yeah-but-no-but currently advocated in some circles and opposed elsewhere.
Update: Stephen has [...]
Technical ignorance and vested interests are conspiring to crush any sense of freedom from our future.
One: MPs vote today on the government’s ill-conceived ID card scheme. This is despite a report detailing serious fundamental failings, and despite their own Information Commissioner saying it is a disproportionate response to the problem of identity.
Two: MEPs are approaching [...]
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(Blood pressure can go up as well as [...]
Just in case you find yourself wondering what you (or your boss) should be doing. This is from work in local government in Chesterfield, which also provides a slightly less simplified version of these bullets. Thanks to Rebecca for the pointer.
Acting assertively
Takes a leading role in initiating action and making decisions
Takes personal responsibility for making [...]
On the Comment & Analysis pages of the Guardian today, John O’Farrell writes:
So Bush and Blair, your oil turns to blood for you, the Satan god-heads let Armenia earthquake be your warning (Leviticus 11,3) you will reap on the day of your bloodness judgment and twin towers (Zion money?) for Aids you have created with [...]
Don’t bother reading Ben Goldacre today — he’s writing about all that Roy Meadow/N x N probability stuff. But you’ll know all that, having read it here first.
Ah, the satisfaction of a well-chosen subject…
Tags: statistics, probability, maths, bengoldacre
Liked this, as seen at Kentish Town station…
Tags: timetable, kentishtown
