tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-166925752024-03-07T06:32:35.107+00:00Daniel K. SullivanAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03238749613615582511noreply@blogger.comBlogger405125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16692575.post-35026637341613122482009-05-29T15:01:00.008+01:002009-10-05T15:33:59.400+01:00Moving the blog! Welcome to danielsullivan.ie/blog<p class="zemanta-img" style="margin: 1em; float: right; display: block; width: 250px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/41999914@N00/5598172"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/6/5598172_b520a7bb47_m.jpg" alt="Personalizando WordPress 1.5" style="border: medium none ; display: block;" height="159" width="240" /></a><span class="zemanta-img-attribution">Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/41999914@N00/5598172">juanpol</a> via Flickr</span></p>So after a good old while here (3/4 years I think) and a year and a half since I got the domain I have finally got around to installing Wordpress and moved over the old content. And all just in time to miss the local/euro/by elections which you might have expected I would be blogging loads on but it wasn't to be. Real life intervenes when you least expect it.<br /><br />Nanyway, you can get more up to date content over <a href="http://www.danielsullivan.ie/blog/">here</a>, once I start to post again with some frequency. Which should be some time over the summer.<br /><br />If you had been so good as to link to me then if you can update to the new address I'd very much appreciate it.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.danielsullivan.ie/blog/">http://www.danielsullivan.ie/blog/</a><br /><br />Otherwise I'd like to say a big thank you to blogspot. It has served me well down the years and like I say chose the tool that does the job in front of you when starting out. Latah! <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/572db5c3-e757-40ac-8744-28cd436ac59b/" title="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]"><img style="border: medium none ; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=572db5c3-e757-40ac-8744-28cd436ac59b" alt="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03238749613615582511noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16692575.post-34643463674453407182009-05-26T17:26:00.003+01:002009-05-26T17:57:24.885+01:00Compelling audience contribution from Michael O'Brein on Questions and Answers re: the Ryan Commission Report on Child AbuseWe had a pretty compelling and some might say damning contribution from abuse victim and former <a class="zem_slink" title="Fianna Fáil" rel="homepage" href="http://www.fiannafail.ie">FF</a> councillor Michael O'Brien on <a class="zem_slink" title="Questions and Answers (TV series)" rel="homepage" href="http://www.rte.ie/news/qanda/">Questions and Answers</a> last night.<br /><object height="265" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9jHqndf9Kx4&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9jHqndf9Kx4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="265" width="320"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jHqndf9Kx4">Q&A May 25th</a><br /><br />I had wanted to write something more to go with this last night but the hour was late and the spirit weak. This clip was <a class="zem_slink" title="Television" rel="wikipedia" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television">television</a> at its worst and best. <br /><a name='more'></a><br />Worst in the sense that it made you feel deeply uncomfortable, even prurient, to be sitting in the comfort of your own home watching someone who was so raw from the pain they had suffered as they and yet this too was its best aspect because it made solid and concrete the real lifelong impact on just one of the many thousands who otherwise might otherwise be merely statistics on a page.<br /><br />As for the response from the religious that it was left to them to provide these services that was in large part because any attempt to provide a secular option was fought by the church who viewed health and <a class="zem_slink" title="Education" rel="wikipedia" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education">education</a> as their domain. And we must again look to cast aside this mentality in public discourse that if someone or some organisation had done some good that this somehow acts as a <a class="zem_slink" title="Counterweight" rel="wikipedia" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Counterweight">counterweight</a> to some appalling activities they may have been involved in.<br /><br />The <a class="zem_slink" title="Political party" rel="wikipedia" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_party">party political</a> or that merely more personally political aspect to this is how the process has been managed since the problem came into the public light and the deal done by the then minister <a href="http://www.politicsinireland.com/category/td/michael-woods/">Michael Woods</a> is entirely political and so it should be. He was a minister elected to represent us in those negotiations and instead it would appear from the deal that was done and the manner of it being done that he had the interests of the religious closer to his heart than that of the citizenry, and in particular those who had been abused, who he was meant to represent.<br /><br />The fuller piece from the show is also worth watching on the RTe iplayer.<br /><br /><br /><br />Local note: I have already posted this to Irish Election last night and had intended posting a more thoughtful post but it was cut short due to lack of time. More generally my posting here and elsewhere has been truncated due to what I'm terming Dadwatch. News on that front is good, the quackerati are happy with his progress and he's up and about a bit more being a cheeky devil. So the long term prognosis is very positive. Might get some time for proper writing in the next while too.<br /><br /><div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/727b96b7-7c37-4bc3-86c2-a6be3dcf3fb8/" title="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]"><img style="border: medium none ; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=727b96b7-7c37-4bc3-86c2-a6be3dcf3fb8" alt="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]"></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03238749613615582511noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16692575.post-5195336286483532572009-04-10T19:04:00.003+01:002009-04-10T19:08:08.133+01:00Can't let a whole month go by without a post, or can I?Songbird is throwing a lot of Steely Dan at me today. Portents or mere coincidence? Feeling like a I should relieve HMV of some of their cheap music in the next while. Other than that not much to say, other more productive writing to do!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03238749613615582511noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16692575.post-74144270684279756512009-03-11T21:05:00.006+00:002009-03-13T15:28:23.703+00:00Watching WatchmenI've seen Watchmen and am left with mixed decidedly feelings about it. The best way to sum it up would be that it's a successful adaptation of the novel but not an equally successful movie. Like many others I've probably been seeing a movie of Watchmen in my mind for the bones of twenty years (having borrowed it from a mate in '89 and going through a couple of copies of my own in my travels)<br /><br />In many ways the cause of the main flaw was mine as I watched each scene with a mind's eye fo "oh look it's the but with X and wow that's so fateful!" But that mindset I feel harmed the overall movie watching experience. One other problem with the length of the novel is that elements inevitability had to be dropped and most of those dropped elements involved minor characters. Yet though they were minor they were for the most part real people, not super heroes and their fates as the plans enfolded through the course of the novel were very much part of what made you invest in the outcome. The newspaper man, and the comic reading kid (that was me for so many years, on the lower shelf in the local newsagents reading Cheeky) the trucker and her estranged lover. I expect they will be restored in the DVD but I felt their absence hurt the movie.<br /><br />I will watching it again just not sure if I'd do it in the movies and I'll be there with my cash in my grubby mitts to get the DVD if only for the Black Freighter.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03238749613615582511noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16692575.post-71676636137789683652009-03-06T19:45:00.006+00:002009-03-08T12:46:51.703+00:00Ideas Campaign - grassroots or astroturfI must have missed the original Prime Time appearance of Aileen O'Toole, so the launch last night on Prime Time caught me by surprise. I listened to the piece with some degree of scepticism (well I am a Kerryman reared, even if my Sarf London optimistic nature occasionally bounds in, ahwight!)<br /><br />I don't have a problem with a genuinely open forum for the debate of and the testing of ideas and all ideas, let's have the crazies in too. Sure who know who is crazy now. Yet there are considerable questions hanging over this initiative.<br /><br />One is that those behind it seem to have strong links to <a href="http://www.amas.ie/clients_public_sector.html">semi-state organisations</a> and hence to government. And also the seeking after rights to commercialise ideas that people are going to volunteer seems completely unnecessary to me. It seems to me to be primarily if not exclusively PR people who the key movers here. PR people are not my biggest inspiration and I'd have to wonder what role PR needs to play in this.<br /><br />History is replete with inventors and original thinkers who have never received the reward for their ideas. Far more often business people have become rich off the ideas of others than have the originators. So I have profound difficulty with the <a href="http://www.ideascampaign.ie/terms-and-conditions/">terms and conditions</a> of participation in this effort.<br /><br />"By submitting the idea you are thereby granting The Ideas Campaign the perpetual, irrevocable, non-exclusive right to use, reproduce, copy, modify, edit, translate, publish, display, post, transmit, distribute or part company with your submitted idea without any compensation to you, anonymously or in the aggregate, for internal or external purposes, alone or as part of other works in any form, media or technology."<br /><br />See people with ideas start with questions about where we are now, and then they go looking for solutions for well delineated problems. They are awkward to answer by definition but awkward isn't whinging though it might look it to some of the outside. Fact is I don't think there should be any parsing of the ideas (except for profanity or crudity). The ideas should be made available for all to see so that the public can then rate them, not be funnelled through a small number of people who may not necessarily have the expertise to assess their feasibility.<br /><br />I also have to say that I would question the nature of the categories. For example the retail sector for which I submitted an idea reads more like the ideas should be about helping business in that area make money while I thought a real grassroots effort would be as interested or even more interested perhaps in ideas that would promote competition in the sector and give a better deal for consumer and the average Joe Citizen rather than boosting the profits of retailers. If those managers in Dunnes or Tesco can't come up with ideas to boost their businesses then someone else should be given their jobs, not looking to crowd source solutions to bail them out.<br /><br />To be as clear as I can I think the basic premise is a good one and is worth doing but the execution for the moment is poor, looking for ideas from others that you could sell on and reap the benefit of it is exploitation. And the motives of those involved are opaque given their linkages to the semi-state and big Irish sector (the banks, Eircom, Aer Lingus, yeah they are really the go-getters that we should be emulating).<br /><br />Update: this is covered rather well over at <a href="http://www.valueireland.com/2009/03/ideascampaign-is-it-really-that-good-of-an-idea-for-you/">Value Ireland</a>. And they note that the reference to selling on of the ideas has been removed. Curious that it has been removed without noting its removal on a blog post or press release while they did find the time to issue a press release about some minor overlap in keywords in Google Adwords.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03238749613615582511noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16692575.post-21083066990329121982009-03-06T13:38:00.003+00:002009-03-06T13:44:04.455+00:00Maire Hoctor - Not ready for Prime TimeRegular readers will know that I've a certain view of Maire Hoctor TD based on my continuing astonishment that she is a minister for state. Following on from her <a href="http://dansullivan.blogspot.com/2008/07/maire-hoctor-makes-haymes-of-reassuring.html">contribution to the Oireachtas</a>, her performance on Prime Time should be compulsory viewing for all media trainers. Here it is for those that missed it.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/R4YIXGklgFg&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/R4YIXGklgFg&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />It is hard to understand how bad the rest of the Fianna Fail parliamentary party must be that she is a minister for state.<br /><br />P.S. I do apologise for the slight movement in the clip, though it's not on the level of Cloverfield or the Blair Witch. And I did add some very minor commentary of my own.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03238749613615582511noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16692575.post-85204270080482066912009-03-04T19:33:00.000+00:002009-03-04T19:34:15.312+00:00Playing a long game<p>The FF Ard Fheis with the strong television presence of various young candidates got me thinking about FF’s future; they do have one you know just as FG had one in 2002. It is just all too tempting for most of us (myself included) in writing commentary to simply write them off. </p> <p>It occurred to me that with all the talk of the impeding collapse of the government that FF might have decided to stay their course and simply ride it out. The Greens appear not to be for moving no matter what the circumstances, I believe that to be a mistake but having made that decision for their own reasons they are determined to see it through. I would still hold that the real weak link come the next budget is the FF backbenchers, however I would have to blind to the reality to ignore the alternative which is that FF are simply playing for time at the moment. </p> <div style="display: none;" id="extLink15055"> <a href="javascript:void(0);" name="ext15055" onclick="showHide(15055,'http://sluggerotoole.com/index.php/15055/',this,'entry');return false;">More...</a> </div> <p>In seeking to ride out the negative reaction to the current economic climate they could decide, much as they did partially in 2004, to throw the local and European elections. This would let the voting public get their venting out of their system and while not damaging the electoral prospects of the party at national level. In doing so it would suit them to get as much bad news and the taste of the awful medicine out of the way ASAP. Hell after all if they are going to lose the locals anyway then all the better reason to lose big at this stage while giving themselves 3 whole years to turn things around. As for the Europeans only in Dublin is the loss of a seat a serious prospect and even there it would require a strange set of circumstances for it to happen. I personally believe that a longer period than the current Dail allows for will be needed to return the country to sound finances. That said there is the small matter of a provision for the Dail term to be extended to up to seven years in emergencies, I wonder if FF might be tempted to go in that direction at some point. It was jokingly referred to back at the time of the FG/Lab coalition in the 80s. </p> <p> Yet it is not impossible that were things to be looking a good degree more stable 3 years then FF support could be up. And up substantially from their current levels in the low 20s which to be fair are pretty much disastrous. Yet a scenario whereby FF and FG are tussling it out on 30% odd while Labour are floating in the high teens to low twenties would be just fine for FF. That situation would leave SF, the Greens and the Independents to fight over the remaining 20/25% of public support. Might the greens and SF be in a position to do a deal is that were the lie of the land. While not optimum for current TDs, it is considerably better than the prospects for the party at the moment. </p> <p>Coupled with this is that fact FF’s candidate strategy which has offended so many local activists could also be marking a shift to a UK style central office directed candidate selection process for Dail candidates. Sure all the parties who stand for election want to win seats but FF want to be able to govern too and that translates that some minimum number of TDs has to be capable of being more than glorified councillors. Some of them have to be able to run ministries. </p> <p> Of course, I can’t say for sure that this is the case but I wouldn’t put it past some element of the FF hierarchy or PtB to have sat down and done the maths and decided to take the long view on the prospects of that party. And part of that long view is that a retreat in support, if it is only temporary, could well suit the party in the long term. </p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03238749613615582511noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16692575.post-89358174715666057212009-02-27T18:29:00.009+00:002009-02-28T11:08:54.187+00:00Frank Fahey, Ivor Callely and our moral bankruptcyLike many the home owner wondering if that leather corner piece was such a good idea, I am as curious as I am admiring of the bravery of Oireachtas members who have built up such extensive property empires in these difficult times. There are two in particular who must be hoping like hell that it doesn't occur to anyone renting from them to suddenly up sticks to pastures new in the middle of the night or even for such tenant types to try push hard for a rent reduction. So Frank Fahey and Ivor Callely the laurels are to you this year for being the most confident and committed of all public reps in placing such faith in the world of property.<br /><br />Now I'm sure that two such men of the world have taken all necessary measures to limit their overall exposure to the downturn. Both strike me as the type to have followed keenly the works of Lord Archer with his interest in political twists and turns. Now I've been doing some rough calculations (who do you think I am the department of finance, rough is the best I can do) and my guess is that both Frank and Ivor are probably going to err on the side of prudence and cut back on the old expenses in the near future. They might even succumb to temptation and break out the old student favourite of beans on toast as an entrée.<br /><br />Still as the bank ads say so long as they can keep up the repayments everything should be fine, right? It's not like property ever loses value, is it? Anyway if you happen to find yourself at the FF Ard Fheis this weekend be sure and not to embarrass Frank or Ivor should you see them by buying them a drink, let them save face by buying you one instead. And all with the government and let's face it much of the nation suffering from a degree of moral bankruptcy when it comes to the origins of this financial mess it wouldn't do for anyone else to be letting the side down.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03238749613615582511noreply@blogger.com258tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16692575.post-23564625974179481482009-02-23T12:38:00.005+00:002009-02-23T12:46:49.393+00:00Minister in well reasoned and logical decision shockerSo minister for defence <a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0223/breaking40.htm">Willie O'Dea says</a> we're not raising the Asgard II and on the balance of the evidence presented it seems like the right decision. The cost is not certain but would be a minimum of €2 million, nor is the outcome certain as it might not be successful and the ship might not be repairable. The alternartive of a new ship should be more seaworthy and in addition more accessible for those people with disablities who might wish to partake. I'd personally like the notion of a wooden ship but i'd like to live in a castle too but I'm not so foolish as to run out and buy one for the sake of it. It is regretable that the ship is lost to us but it was lost when it sank not when this decision was made.<br /><br />This decision is based on numbers and facts put in the public domain by the minister and likely outcomes and benefits and so on. It's just a pity we can't do the same for big ticket items like the Metro.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03238749613615582511noreply@blogger.com53tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16692575.post-56273215448877431992009-02-23T12:15:00.003+00:002009-02-23T12:27:54.275+00:00Leave that man alone!Jaysus that post has grown all kinds of legs, and appears to be scuttling across the world and dragging all kinds of folks here from far and wide. So for the record I want to say this I believe in Frank Fahey. I've seen him on the television and people I've spoken with at length have overheard people in conversation, that they know well enough to invite to the afters of their weddings, saying that they have met him and he is 100% real. Yes indeed a real live person. Frank is real.<br /><br />And I would go further and say I'd be shocked, shocked I tell you if it turned out that someone like Frank Fahey could be in anyway involved with the digout for Anglo Irish or that he would have been himself a member, facilitator, convenor or chief butler to this purported maple ten crowd. I would be absolutely astounded if he were to have so much as helped in the pouring of a cup of tea for such people. Sure anyway Frank is much too busy a man, and much too interested in helping his constituents to be able to do any of that sort of thing. Now I hope I've put that notion to bed.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03238749613615582511noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16692575.post-40643165658715241452009-02-22T21:18:00.003+00:002009-02-22T21:22:36.637+00:00Desperate Housewives in SpaceOk so this weeks's Battlestar wasn't great in terms of advancing the story and it didn't quite have enough of those Gaius being Gaius moments that we all so love, but I think the description given to me that it is Desperate Housewives in Space is a little harsh. Harsh but with that element of truth that is all too genuinely scary.<br /><br />Still Lost made up for it in our televisual watching "we're not going to Guam are we?" No Frank we're not.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03238749613615582511noreply@blogger.com124tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16692575.post-75208994496337486372009-02-22T11:53:00.010+00:002012-08-19T10:39:45.345+01:00Are the Irish blog awards fixed?There is something rotten in the state of DamienMark and the Irish blog awards. I had simply thought it was a harmless bit of nonsense which had some weird quirks and oddities. But that someone could not post during almost the entirely of the period that was stated as a minimum requirement for nomination and yet still win an award is more than odd. That two would do so goes beyond passing strange.<br />
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The fact is that no one can independently vouch for the judges because no one outside the inner circle knows who the judges are. The rules or even mere guidelines are lacking to the point of being vapour but even the most lax of rules wouldn't have had two nominees making the short-list for what is meant to be a year's work when they didn't post for most of the year in question. The bald fact is that one of those winners only started to post less than 2 weeks before the deadline, while another took a sabbatical for 8 months only returning to resume posting less than 2 weeks before the deadline.<br />
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With this kind of arbitrary inclusion and exclusion it is hard not to see the awards as being more about currying favour and jumping on bandwagons than any sort of real assessment of quality over the course of a year. It's pretty like crowning the league champions on the basis of a few good matches at the end of the season. Having the accolade of being the best for a particular year should mean that you were the best over the course of that period not that you had flashes of excellence here and there. It must be galling for those who lost out that their entire years work wasn't judged to be as good as a few weeks or a couple of months output by someone else.<br />
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Then going beyond that we have the peculiar notion that the winner for best newcomer (a nice young lad by all accounts) was heavily promoted by the organiser and his friends.<br />
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Then the winner for best blog from a journalist appears to have provided the <a href="http://expad.ie/?p=546">goodie bags</a>.<br />
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That the winner for best current affairs and ultimately the Grand Prix prize for best blog is also a close friend of the organiser shouldn't in the normal run of events be a matter of any concern but with everything else that is going on one can't not mention it. I don't doubt that it is amongst the best in its category but the absolute best?<br />
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In the normal run of events, one or or two of the above you could gloss over but all of them? Then you have the all organisational strangeness. Why have no confirmation for registration that people made in December until just 48 hours beforehand? Especially, when you consider that many people had to travel to attend and stay overnight? Why is no confirmation mail sent to those who nominate of their nomination choices so that they have some proof that they did nominate and who they nominated? Why was it that registration for attendance opened weeks in advance of opening the nominations, meaning people who were nominated couldn't register to sit at a event that they should have been the focus of? Why is it that we have no publicly available criteria of what is used for the judging? Why is there no confirmation for people that they applied to be judges? Why is it no one can know who the judges are? I applied to be a judge in 2007 but heard nothing back then, other people I know applied last year but heard nothing back. Yet we're repeatedly told that judging is open to all but that is not true, you can offer to be a judge but the selection of judges is not open. I noticed in my own case some touching on my blog from the judging area of the awards.ie site -I was longlisted for political blog - a few hours before the short-list was posted. Only one of which actually looked at the archive for the previous year. I wouldn't have had me remotely near the short list but it would be good to know you didn't make it having actually been really reviewed not just glanced at at the last minute. I wonder how much assessment was really made of other the categories, was it as superficial as that?<br />
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Again, none of these things on their own is proof of misdeeds, indeed taken together they might still be a matter of mere coincidence but the absence of any transparency about proceedings must naturally lead to questions. The notion of Ceasar's wife being above reproach comes to mind. When the process is secret all efforts should be made to ensure that there can be no inference of wrong doing. It might sound dull but the process matters, it takes from the winners that such a cloud should exist over the process and for no good reason either I can understand.<br />
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When it comes to our electoral process we don't have people vote then take the votes into a locked room to be countred by only a few people who appointed by the government and who we never get to see and then at the end a government representative would come out and tell us the result. Everyone would look at that and shout fix. Yet the process for the blog awards is little different. Judges are appointed in secret, they judge in secret, their votes are weighed up in secret.<br />
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Sure it's a fun night out for those concerned but so too apparently are 12th July parades and lynchings in the deep south on the 1930s were very good at bringing the community (some of it at least) together. Of course, this is nowhere on that scale but the mentality that will be used to defend it is much the same. A group who enjoy one another company refusing to answer any questions about the process involved because it is just a bit of craic. A bit of craic which leads to business being generated for some of those concerned? That sound like a straightforward business promotion to me.<br />
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Needless to say none of the actual nominees are in a position can say anything because the temperamental nature of the host is well established at this stage and the potential consequences of making any kind of critique is there for all to see. Since my card is marked anyway I'm saying it, I've nothing to lose by asking merely questions. The wonder is will we see any answers, or will it be a case of simply attack the man and not deal with the questions.<br />
<br />
In answering my own question I would say that "no the awards aren't fixed" but they sure as hell seem broken.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03238749613615582511noreply@blogger.com100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16692575.post-28423473942639641712009-02-22T11:52:00.000+00:002009-02-22T11:53:01.684+00:00Curtain Twitching and TwitterIn combination with Emerald Discount we've come up a new twitter terminology for tweets that are from those who are the curtain twitchers of rural and small town areas. So if you're twitching back your curtain to be all nosy about what your neighbours are doing and then you twitter about it: that's a sign that you are a twitcher and your tweet is a twitch!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03238749613615582511noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16692575.post-20845040166973532172009-02-18T23:02:00.002+00:002009-02-18T23:05:20.483+00:00Did he ask or did they tell?The Taoiseach Brian Cowen has stated that no government minister is involved in the €300 million loan for share purchase in Anglo-Irish bank. How does he know this, did he ask them or did they tell him, or has he seen the list of the ten? It's a pretty straight forward situation, one of the three must be the case and we're entitled as the owners of the bank and the ones stuck for the bill to know which it was. But will he tell us?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03238749613615582511noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16692575.post-67954885564386977702009-02-18T15:12:00.007+00:002009-02-20T11:34:15.377+00:00Frank Fahey TD should invest in a bank.Frank Fahey TD has so many houses he should think about investing in a bank. When thinking back to the register of TD's interests from last year, I can't help remembering all the property Frank Fahey had and the global reach of his interests. There were apartments here and houses there, he had a hairdressing business in Russia at one point if memory serves.<br /><br />And I wonder to myself that he hasn't thought about getting himself into a bank instead of being in hock to them for so much all the time. I mean we all have to deal with the banks to finance our business but no one likes the idea of going cap in hand to them for another million or two when you've come across the sweetest little deal in some far off land. I hear Anglo-Irish is going cheap, I'm sure the government would let him have it for half nothing at this stage. He could even borrow the money to fund the purchase if necessary. I'm sure someone in the global financial environment that a mover and shaker like Frank moves in would be up for it.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03238749613615582511noreply@blogger.com81tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16692575.post-32492708285548724392009-02-17T21:00:00.002+00:002009-02-18T20:27:57.629+00:00Best blog posts of 2008 - bad datesLast year I got myself into <a href="http://dansullivan.blogspot.com/2008/01/best-blog-posts-of-2007-my-eye.html">some hassle</a> because I pointed out that the best post category for the Irish Blog Awards tends to suffer from that old Oscar problem of forgetting about anything decent that came out before the summer block busters blinded us. I'm not sure why people decide to take comments about a matter of process so personally but what the hey, I think process is important to warrant the occasional post.<br /><br />So how does this year's line up compare? Well not nearly as bad though there is still a marked tendency to nominate material from the very end of the year. And as I noted last year unlike the Oscars people aren't deliberately saving their best work for the year end so this means good stuff is missing out. January is still a weird month for nominations, people really don't know which year they should nominate for. Nothing from 2008 makes it into the '08 list but one from 2009 does. Some clarity around dates wouldn't go amiss.<br /><br />On the topic of dates, the return of the Swearing Lady was long over due to my mind and she was much missed by all but the <a href="http://awards.ie/blogawards/nominations/">rules for nomination</a> were that people had to be actively blogging between July 15th and December 15th 2008*. But Sweary only returned to us the <a href="http://www.arseendofireland.com/2008/12/slight-return.html">first week of December</a>, and had five posts before Dec 15th so I'm not sure how stands up as active blogging Then we've the curious case of the new Irish Economy Blog which on the short list for specialist Blog and which is a work of real quality and something I hope will long be with us but it didn't start until <a href="http://www.irisheconomy.ie/index.php/2008/12/">Dec 23rd</a>.<br /><br />Update: as pointed out by Philip from Irish Economy the first post was Dec 2nd. Which is still less than 2 weeks before the Dec 15th date.<br /><br />I'm not saying it's all being made up as it goes along but it sure seems like it to even the most causal observer. It is entirely possible that some people didn't nominate a particular blog because they thought they had to follow the rules. Or maybe the truth is only the little people have to follow the rules.<br /><br />The numbers month by month for 2008 and then 2007 are<br /><br />December 15/17<br />November 11/12<br />October 5/8<br />September 7/4<br />August 5/6<br />July 6/5<br />June 5/2<br />May 5/3<br />April 6/3<br />March 5/4<br />February 6/0<br />January 0/0<br /><br />Jan of 2008 had 7 nominations compared to this year's 1.<br /><br />Sadly, I would say based on this that there is a more than fair chance that many of the posts nominated are not even the best posts the individual bloggers have done this year not to mind the best posts of the whole year overall. The idea of the best post of the month has helped, but it still leaves us with a problem at the tail end.<br /><br />If I was to consider what should happen here, it would not be feasible at this stage to remove either of the blogs involved from the running for their categories. Instead what should happen is the proposed rules for next year should be posted within the next 4 weeks and people given a chance to provide feedback on them. I would also suggest if no questions were asked about the eligibility by any of the judges for those sections that they shouldn't be judges again. I mean how superficial were the criteria and assessment that no one noticed that the blogs hadn't been blogging?<br /><div class="entry"><p>*A reminder of the rules:</p> <p>A Blog can be nominated in any category by anyone, but the Blog owner can only accept nominations in one category (with the exception of Best Blog Post) to move the blog forward into the judging rounds. To be nominated the Blog has to have been actively blogging between July 15th and December 15th 2008. Winners of each category will be sent forward into the Grand Prix category where they will compete for the title of “Best Blog 2009″</p> </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03238749613615582511noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16692575.post-69907738941809478362009-02-16T18:27:00.002+00:002009-02-16T18:31:35.072+00:00For fans of Half-life - Escape from city 17 the movie!Please someone give these folks a series!<br /><br /><object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/q1UPMEmCqZo&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/q1UPMEmCqZo&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object><br /><br />It looks great given it was made for a fiver or $500 Canadian.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03238749613615582511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16692575.post-91277724475432651502009-02-16T11:13:00.010+00:002009-02-17T19:33:58.007+00:00Not the final cylon - or I don't think I am at least.I go away for a few days and traffic jumps massively. Why? all because of a few posts about Battlestar I did way back and the mere coincidence of a name. It's all rather odd and yet so obvious we knew there was an 8, why did we presume that the final five were part of the 12 in some sequential order?<br /><br />One interesting connection between Baltar and Daniel is Baltazar who is in the book of Daniel. The smart money at this stage appears to be on Kara Thrace's father being Daniel though this makes her the first hybrid and apparently they have heavily focused on the primacy of Hera as the hybrid, the opera house and so on. I wonder if someone has parse what was said about Baltar not being a cylon or was it just not a member of the final five.<br /><br />Given the stretch for Ellen I wonder if Daniel could be someone more minor rather than a major character. Anyhoo, I'm personally not the 7even, though there are those who think me a smidgen otherworldy or a tad alien at times.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03238749613615582511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16692575.post-88033276645095434172009-02-12T23:10:00.005+00:002009-02-13T00:04:04.526+00:00Time for Labour/FG to talk to John Gormley directly and cut a dealBy now most people have seen the results of the opinion poll from the MRBI <a href="http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0212/breaking95.htm">published</a> in the Irish Times. Moving beyond the mere numbers, it is clear that the government does not have the support of the public to act. It is time for someone from FG and Labour to approach John Gormley and if necessary cut a deal that would allow them to go softly, softly on the majority of the existing Green seats.<br /><br />The problem for the Greens in the next election whenever it comes will not be whether they get 4% or 7% nationally but whether or not they get transfers. And if there are any Green candidates out there reading this who are thinking that FF transfers will see them home, either in the general election or more immediately in the upcoming local elections, then they need to wake up and smell the stale coffee of the FF core vote. It simply won't come to their rescue. If they really value their policy agenda, their seats and the long term viablity of their party then they should withdraw now from a goverment that no one explicitly voted for and which now utterly lacks the mandate to act as a government need to given the difficulties we are faced with.<br /><br />If you did happen to miss them then these are the adjusted figures for party support, compared with the last Irish Times poll in November are: Fianna Fáil, 22 per cent (down 5 points); Fine Gael, 32 per cent (down 2 points); Labour, 24 per cent (up 10 point); Sinn Féin, 8 per cent (up 1 point); Green Party, 4 per cent (no change); and Independents/others, 9 per cent (down 4 points).Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03238749613615582511noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16692575.post-60602443129179010942009-02-11T11:09:00.002+00:002009-02-11T11:09:00.311+00:00Cowen's speechListening to the reaction to and commentary on Cowen's set piece speech on Thursday night one would be forgiven for wondering if the standard of public discourse in Ireland has fallen so low that the fact of an elected politician being able to string a few sentences together is viewed as a cross between the sermon on the mount and the Gettysburg address.<br /><br />In all truthfulness, we have a history of generally weak public oratory in Ireland. For the last decade we've had a Taoiseach who couldn't get through a paragraph with causing us to wonder if it might all be so much better if only we could lip read. For all his considerable wit and the logic he presents his points with, I'm not gone on listening to Eamon Gilmore myself . His voice doesn't carry us with him. We're all bold children to him and he's chastising and telling us off. I think that Enda Kenny tries too hard to make a speech instead of just talking to the public, he gave a speech in 2003 in Galway that I think was one of the best in the last ten years. A pity hardly anyone saw it. After that he's been too stiff, almost too focused on not making mistakes instead of relaxing into it. Gerry Adams comes across as just too damn pleased with himself and reminds me a lot of the time of a priest back from the missions with a worthy, worth message.<br /><br />For sure the Taoiseach said some things that are true and needed saying. Yet they've needed saying for quite some time. So why the delay? The problem as I see it about the Taoiseach's analysis is that there is no element of mea culpa, no admission that the country was unprepared, like a parent who lets their child run about in the nip but then shrugs their shoulders that sure it could happen to anyone when their kid gets pneumonia while other children have the sniffles. We have gotten pneumonia while other countries are down with the flu.<br /><br />The mantra from the government is everything would have been fine if that blasted turn in the road hadn't come along (the same logic is used by speeding boy racers a lot too). We can debate about when the turn was going to come, but we should all be in agreement that a turn was going to come at sometime. And let's face it this was no 90% corner that came out of the blue. It could be seen easily that we were out of control, and whether it was a deer running out into the road, or a corner or an oncoming car our government simply didn't have their concentration on the road. And that is the fault of the driver.<br /><br />Taking for example the so-called highlights as selected by the Irish Independent<br /><br /><div class="body font-null"> <p>YOUNG IRISH</p><p>"The one thing that characterises their success is their self belief. </p><p>If we decide to wallow in a sea of doubt, do not be surprised if we end [up] in the turbulent waters that we are in today."</p><p>Ok so young people are confident, jeez who knew? Haven't we been told this for years, in fact we've been told that young people are overconfident on the roads.<br /></p><p>STANDARD OF LIVING</p><p>"Unless we're prepared to say that we as a country are prepared to step back a few places now and take a drop in our standard of living -- yes, of 10 or 12pc over the next couple of years -- in the perspective of a country that has increased its wealth so much over the last few years, by 70, 80pc; yes it's a step back, but we are in a far better position than previous generations had to contend with."</p><p>Ah but did the country really increase its wealth by 70/80%? That is the question? Are we better placed than previous generations yes? Undoubtedly, but that is our own doing mind not the sole doing of the state. We did the overtime and saved our few quid, or some of us did. There again some of the commentariat are overreaching when it comes to which generations to compare us against. Eoghan Harris was comparing us to the Irish at the time of the Vikings and Cromwell. Is this how it is done elsewhere? Do the French console themselves that at least it's not the great Terror, or the Portuguese that it's not the Lisbon earthquake of 1555?<br /></p><p>Cowen "If we lose the belief in our own capacity to confront this issue and to do whatever is necessary to avoid putting at risk that which we have achieved so well, and of which we are rightly proud of in recent times, then perhaps we didn't deserve it in the first place."</p><p>JOBS, JOBS, JOBS</p><p>"Jobs, jobs, jobs has to be the priority in the coming years."</p><p>The sentiment is ok but the line is awful, 'the coming years' and what would be so wrong with some alliteration. How about this instead?<br /></p></div>"Jobs, jobs, jobs are my focus, I know they're your focus, and they must be and will be the focus for all of us for the future. So have they been before and so they should be again." It's not something Jon Favearu would write for President Obama but it trips off the tongue better than Cowen's version.<br /><br />I found Harris's claim on the late that Cowen had to speak to a few hundred people because he's just not comfortable in front of the Dail or on television a bit like the great footballer who can only do his magic on a small pitch in front of a small crowd on a balmy summer's day, not much use is he? And does this completely invalidate the argument used by FF and others against Enda Kenny that because he's not good in the Dail or on tv that he's just not Taoiseach material. Or is it ok for a FF leader to be hopeless in the Dail and on the box so long as he's ok speaking to the right crowd?<br /><br />I suspect that Cowen was in part attempting to do an Arnie Vinick last week with all the media appearances. Meet the press in so many guises that they tire of him and move on.<br /><br />I'm reminded of the words of Aaron Sorkin spoken in the The American President.<br />Lewis Rothschild: "...in the absence of genuine leadership, they'll listen to anyone who steps up to the microphone. They want leadership. They're so thirsty for it they'll crawl through the desert toward a mirage, and when they discover there's no water, they'll drink the sand.<br /><br /><b>President Andrew Shepherd</b>: Lewis, we've had presidents who were beloved, who couldn't find a coherent sentence with two hands and a flashlight. People don't drink the sand because they're thirsty. They drink the sand because they don't know the difference. "Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03238749613615582511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16692575.post-13859033119546735032009-02-10T06:45:00.001+00:002009-02-10T06:45:00.956+00:00Whither the knowledge economy.Over the last few years you could barely get from your front door to the local bookies without bumping into some reference to the knowledge economy, it was on the tip of the tongue of every government spokesperson and half the political class - at least those members that were awake. The knowledge economy was the oft-declared destination that was to be reached by means of our extensive up-skilling and personal mental re-tooling.<br /><br />Yet in the last couple of weeks it is hard to avoid noticing it's replacement with a new phrase, the 'smart economy'. So sudden is the dropping of the idea of the knowledge economy that I'm genuinely concerned that someone in the government might have broken the 'knowledge economy' by accident, and its replacement with the smart economy is simply designed to avoid the awkward questions that are bound to crop up such as to who was last seen carrying the knowledge economy and if they were impaired at the time in some way by drink or carrying the addresses of too many prospective task force members.<br /><br />Did former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in fact crack the knowledge economy while descending his stairs in Drumcondra and did he simply fail to mention it when leaving it in the care of the new Taoiseach Brian Cowen. Then one lovely crisp winter morning as Brian was exercising his vocal chords did he hit a note that resonated with the knowledge economy and the crack widened to shatter the entire edifice? Does anyone remember when they last saw or heard of the knowledge economy? Did Martin Cullen bring it to China with him and was it replaced there with a cheap knock off?<br /><br />Perhaps this was because knowledge required bukkes and they cost money and in this straitened times we can't afford them But what do they mean by a 'smart economy' is it a cheeky economy that gives you back lip,or talks out of turn?<br /><br />And who in the wider world is likely to give much credence to any further ideas we have when we were so quick to pick up, run with and then drop the knowledge economy for no good reason. Cowen's speech to the Dublin Chamber of Commerce was peppered with the phrase, but does he actually mean by it? Is it smart to spend when you have it and then to cut back drastically when you don't without bothering to saving for a rainy day in between? Is it smart to judge your construction industry purely by how many houses they build and not where they are built? Or is it that smart in this instance is just short for smartarse?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03238749613615582511noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16692575.post-86893562835612642072009-02-05T19:24:00.007+00:002009-02-05T20:53:06.708+00:00Doorstep challenge '09A good <a title="The old version" href="http://www.irishelection.com/11/doorstep-challenge/" target="_blank">while back I wrote here </a>about trying to invert the common political process as we know it in Ireland whereby the candidate comes to your home and seeks to impress upon you what it is they are really, really interested in. My idea was along the lines of the public challenging the candidate on the issues that actually concerned the voter, (in particular I was hoping that people might challenge them with some outlandish topics, 'tis the fecking geese have the country ruined minister') and to record and upload them so we 'a merry band of polly anoraks' could get some jollies out of them. It didn't pan out as planned (I do say planned but that is more than a little overstating it, it was an idea that stayed overly on the vaporware) so we've not any content to look back on but the idea itself still has merit.<a name='more'></a><br /><br />Now with the local and European elections fast approaching I've decided to revisit it with some novel changes in particular building on what William Wall had suggested with his <a title="Citizen's Manifesto" href="http://www.irishelection.com/05/a-citizens-manifesto-for-the-doorstep-challenge/" target="_blank">citizens Manifesto</a>. Welcome to the <a title="Doorstep Challenge '09" href="http://www.doorstepchallenge.com/" target="_blank">Doorstep Challenge</a> 2009: for the moment I've just parked the site. The overall idea is somewhat different this time in that I would be inviting organisations, individuals, community groups whatever to send/upload a document/small leaflet that will then be available for any and all members of the public to download, print off and hand to the politician along with their contact details should they so desire. Or we could link to such documents that advocacy organisations already have on their sites. The site should be a sort of one stop shop for the concerns of voters.<br /><br />The outcome should be that politicians can more easily gauge what it is that is really concerning people in their specific electoral area, and what they need to do in practical terms to get support. Rather than simply relying on the intensity of one or two doorstep experiences they have something measurable to work from. Of course, it would be my personal view that someone standing for election should be resolute enough to stay the course and not be deflected from doing the right thing or arguing for the right thing simply because they encounter some element of organised resistance. That said our system of governance is meant to be a process of constant engagement with lots of back and forth between the led and those purporting to be doing the leading. This initiative is very much about facilitating the public in providing their input to candidates in advance of making their choice about who to vote for.<br /><br />The paper leaflet of course should be recycled by the candidate, and the content should be designed to be easily printed and, I think at least, be no more than one page of a leaflet (DL sized say) in size. Non-colour images might be best for now. We will perhaps to begin by limiting the file size of the content and we would stress that the content should be issue/topic based, and not about attacking individuals or even particular parties. I would very much prefer that it would be non-partisan to that regard.<br /><br />As this is a dotcom we will be looking in due course to branch out beyond the local Irish political scene and in time offer different sections that might be used to cater for different countries and their electoral systems and set ups. Not much need for a doorstep challenge for list based electoral systems or might there be even more?<br /><br />Anyway, it will be a little while before the site goes live but I'd be very interested in hearing comments.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03238749613615582511noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16692575.post-31199613517415815772009-02-03T08:48:00.000+00:002009-02-03T08:48:00.293+00:00Warship meets its matchAn old joke in new clothes<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yeZ-RFYlMao&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yeZ-RFYlMao&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03238749613615582511noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16692575.post-42499172124732419652009-02-02T08:01:00.001+00:002009-02-04T21:18:12.771+00:00The coming of dapper DanI'm not known for my sartorial elegance, or elegance period. I'm a bloke, I regard clothes in almost all forms as coverings and were they skins or pelts of some sort then I'd be fine with that too. I want the coverings to be warm, roomy, practical, and come with a weapon of some kind.<br /><br />However, since we're just about still in the new year predictions aura I think there is one general point I could make about personal clothing choices. It was fine for all and sundry to wear tracksuits and hoodies when it wasn't a sign that you couldn't afford to wear anything else. Now that not having a job is a real prospect for many more people, being able to mark yourself out as not being unemployed is going to matter more. So expect a new dapper style of dress especially for men, New Edwardian dandies even, though if Charles succeeds to the throne across the water I would expect it be the Neo-Georgian. So over the next 2 years I expect us men to brush up our appearance and for make a real effort. A pity if it were all to become about presentation and that is not a scenario that would suit me personally (I don't carry the suit look off well) but still I suspect it will happen.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03238749613615582511noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16692575.post-60477193725746274932009-01-30T06:01:00.002+00:002009-01-30T06:01:00.579+00:00Phases of the 'netIt would be my view that the history of the 'net can be described by breaking it into a number of phases. These phases aren't cleanly distinguished from one another - you can't say that one ends here and thus the other starts - nor are they intended to suggest that the last few decades can't be broken up into other differentlt flavoured segments. Not alone is there more than one way to skin a cat but you can use a dog or bonobo if you prefer, and instead of skinning it you could just stroke it. This is all just a means to take a semi-logical speculative look at the future.<br /><br />The first phase of the net was primarily focused with <span style="font-weight: bold;">connecting things</span>, and people and places. This manifested in the development of URLs, Mosaic and so on. Following on from this, the 2nd phase, once people were able to link to one another, this phase was when people concentrated on the creation of vast amounts of user <span style="font-weight: bold;">generated content</span>, much of it rubbish or duplicates of what already existed admittedly. But for all that still very necessary. People were made to get to places, now they needed places to go and reasons to go there.<br /><br />The 3rd phase which is the one we've seen over the last decade or so was next addressed to the problem of finding that content, or sorting the wheat from the chaff- in essence <span style="font-weight: bold;">search</span>. Finding what you wanted to find. You're no longer doing Lewis and Clark cross country discovery journey across the country but are focused on going from downtown Boston to the Drake hotel in San Fran. How do you do that?<br /><br />Still for all the indexing and vast trawling and spidering that has gone on we are still left with a problem. That is that Google or whatever search engine you use might well find what you're looking for, but will you actually recognise it when it is shown to you? It's why something like <a href="http://www.searchme.com/">Searchme</a> or <a href="http://www.cooliris.com/">CoolIris</a> is a sexier prospect than <a href="http://www.cuil.com/">Cuil</a> for the common or gardener user because it mirrors more closely how we as people already flick through artefacts when searching for things that we don't know about. That Cuil might find what you're looking for is less important if you can't recognise that they've found it.<br /><br />In my opinion, there are two broad types of search. There is the looking for your keys type - you know what it is you are looking for but not quite where it is - and then there is the looking for a present for your nephew if you're an aunt - you know sort of what might suit but don't have a solid idea in your mind.<br /><br />This is why I reckon that the phase we're heading into now or are already in is mostly about <span style="font-weight: bold;">presentation</span>. Showing us what is there. Of course, this is all conjecture on my part, and I'm sure that others are or have already written about it in more depth or greater insight. It is odd how the desktop is still just a mess of a thing, though the likes of BumpTop are seeking to do something around that. We have had connecting, making, finding and now showing. Where after that? I think deciding comes next. How do we choose...<br /><br />The personal aspect for me in this idea is that I think I've found a way to marry my concerns about the expression and fostering of opinion via blogs and also how to present divergent views in such a manner as to allow a genuine exchange of views to take place, and for those who are reading those views to be able indicate support or dissent for all or merely part of the content. Rather than a Parliament, might we one day talk perhaps of a visualment or scribblement, or just pure divilment! Anyway, the idea would be that there will be more come from <a href="http://www.theafterword.com/">The Afterword</a> at some point. Just not quite yet.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03238749613615582511noreply@blogger.com0