Does Our Talking About Them Encourage ISIS?
The insurgents called ISIS in Iraq are very much driven by clever use of social media and the news, to put forward their violent psychopathic philosophy.
So does our worrying on news programs and in the newspapers, actually encourage them to do something even worse in the UK?
We should not ignore them, be vigilant and have plans in place, but perhaps to keep quiet in public might be the best course of action? All we’re doing is perhaps encouraging disaffecting people to join the organisation and various other elements to take direct action.
The Robert Hooke Biodiversity Bell
I passed this work by St. Paul’s Cathedral.
It is mentioned on many web sites, but it doesn’t seem to have a serious entry on the web. This blog gives a good explanation.
To me Robert Hooke is best known for Hooke’s Law, one of the basic laws of physics, that anybody who studied that subject will probably know. But Hooke did a lot more than find the law that bears his name.
He is one of those amazing characters that populate the history of science.
A Worry For Scottish Fund Managers
I had lunch with an intelligent lady yesterday and the subject of Scottish devolution came up.
She said that she had money invested with Scottish Funds and would be moving the money to London before the devolution referendum.
So how much sensible money will be removed from North of the Border?
I certainly wouldn’t allow any of my money to be managed outside of the country in which I live. I moved my pension away from a company controlled by the Bank of Santander for just that reason.
Several of my friends have lost savings and their pension over the last few years. I wouldn’t put all or any part of my money in an overseas basket!
Fighting Talk In The BBC Radio Theatre
I took some pictures of the programme inside the theatre.
They aren’t the best, but they give a flavour of the programme. The panel was Justin Moorhouse, Dougie Anderson, Henning Wehn and Mina Rzouki. The podcast is here.
Are Politicians Stupid?
This report on the BBC web site, shows how the three major party leaders were photographed with a special World Cup promotion edition of The Sun.
The Sun is noted for various things, but faithful support for politicians isn’t probably one of them.
So why did the npoliticians ever let the photos be published?
Clegg and Cameron’s supporters didn’t seem to mind too much, but Labour Party supporters and especially those from Liverpool, are giving Milliband a hard time.
Is OFGEM On Our Side?
According to this article on Uswitch, OVO Energy’s very customer-friendly policy of paying interest on overpayments is to be banned.
Obviously, OVO have not been sucking up to the regulator enough!
14-Jun-2014 – There has been update on USwitch. It includes this statement from OVO.
Our OVO 3% Interest Reward is a central part of our offer and something our customers tell us is really important to them. OFGEM shares our ambitions to make the energy market a fairer, more open, more honest place and on this occasion we’re happy to be working with them to try and help make that happen.
If nothing else the reports have been good free publicity for OVO.
Is This The Most Annoying Advert?
Microsoft is coming under fire for their new TV advert as is reported here on the BBC. This is the first three paragraphs.
Xbox One owners are complaining that a new TV advert is switching their consoles on without their permission.
The ad – featuring Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul – has the actor say “Xbox On” near its start.
The instruction appears to trigger the machine’s Kinect voice/motion sensor, activating the console.
It won’t affect me, as I’ve never played a computer game in my life and I rarely watch adverts with the sound on. In fact, I watched the World Cup match last night, with ITV’s idiot commentary off, whilst listening to Radio 5 Live.
Liverpool University’s New London Campus Shows Itself
I walked past Liverpool University’s new London campus in Finsbury Square yesterday. The signs now show some details of the new tenant.
It is just round the corner from Broadgate and Liverpool Street station.
Matthew Paris Proposes A Humane Solution To The Badger Problem
In his column today in The Times, Matthew Paris tells a tale about how the llamas he keeps have chased the badgers away.
Matthew’s proposal may sound silly, but I’ve had many a drink with a friend, where he has told me endless tales about his llamas and their instincts and habits. Some of his used to stand up tall and spit at passengers waiting to catch a bus. I believe the stop was moved.
So will be seeing farmers using llamas to protect their animals from badgers.
Or will friends of the badgers try to get the keeping of llamas near badger sets made illegal?
The Problems In Schools
There has been several stories recently about the problems in schools in places like Birmingham, Bradford and Luton.
What worries me, is that religion is getting in the way of good education.
I went to a mixed non-religious state school, which took a very practical approach to religion and gave everybody who wanted it, a first class education. Science and history, were taught correctly and not with regard to fictitious religious texts.
So in my view religion should only be a lesson in a school and anybody with strong religious beliefs should not be allowed to influence the policy of the school. Schools are for education and not for indoctrination and repression.
The school should be co-educational, as in my view, this is to the benefit of every pupil. Could it be that the reason for the low divorce rate amongst my fellow pupils at Minchenden, is because of the healthy interaction there was at the school between the sexes.
I wonder what would have happened in Northern Ireland if all schools were not allowed to be affiliated to a particular religion!
The Anonymous Widower 