Friday, July 17, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
An Taoiseach, this is called the Streisand Effect
From Bath to Cork with Baby Grace responds to Mr. Michael Kennedy TDs objections.
Eoin O'Dell has a comprehensive list of the coverage.
At least BIFFO will have an idea of what the Streisand Effect is.
Eoin O'Dell has a comprehensive list of the coverage.
At least BIFFO will have an idea of what the Streisand Effect is.
Pat Kenny - Breaking News
This from Shane Hegarty on Twitter - Pat Kenny will leave the The Late Late show.
Update:Irish Times also covers it.
Update:Irish Times also covers it.
BIFFOs defender
By now, the world, his dog and the cat that owns them both knows about the nude portraits of Brian Cowen.
Eoin O'Dell has written an excellent article on the legal matters involved.
John Waters has commented on the scandal and, not surprisingly, has condemned the paintings.
Waters wrote:
The only amusing thing here is Casby’s deluded belief that he has something to say. His response is typical of a public discourse almost fatally degraded by internet auto-eroticism and an obsession with what is called “comedy”. His works are crude, unfunny, vindictive, without intrinsic content and wholly lacking in artistic merit.
He also wrote:
The internet has reduced public debate to the level of a drunken argument, in which no holds are barred, in which deeply unpleasant people get to voice their ignorant opinions in the ugliest terms, in the name of “free speech”. The idea that we all need “a laugh” has allowed the “joke” to become elevated beyond everything. Nobody may object if others have declared something “funny”.
The internet has little or nothing to do with this story, but John Waters can't resist taking a swipe at it. Disturbingly, he doesn't mention that the Gardai are involved. (Are crime levels so low they can afford to investigate this?)
However, John Waters also says:
What is so important about people being enabled to indulge themselves in nervous spasms triggered by, for example, cultural incongruities, that all other criteria – good taste, decency, human dignity – must be jettisoned? Much of what is now called humour is bullying, picking on an individual or group for a cheap guffaw. Anyone who doesn’t think this hilarious has “no sense of humour” – than which no more serious indictment is possible.
Now bullying is a serious matter - but if putting these paintings into an art gallery is bullying, what is having the artist questioned by police?
Waters looks up to Brian Cowen as a father figure.
He cites John LLoyd:
In his 2004 book What the Media Are Doing to Our Politics , author John Lloyd cited David Steel, the former leader of the British Liberal Party, in his belief that his portrayal in the sketches on Spitting Image destroyed the chances of the then alliance between his party and the Social Democrats replacing the Labour Party as the main party of opposition. Spitting Image invariably showed Steel as the fawning puppet of SDP leader David Owen.
Then continues:
Elaborating on the power of such crude stereotypes, Lloyd wrote: “Once again, choices made by electors were being very substantially altered by media; and because of the nature of the culture which assumed a right to intrude ever more decisively into what had been forbidden territory, not only was nothing being done about it, no serious questions were even being asked about it. Politicians became, in a variety of ways, more and more scorned, and could barely object. The media would not allow it, it had been defined as a joke, millions of people liked it . . . and thus its effects – whatever they are – cannot sensibly be discussed.”
It may seem excessive to credit the squalid affair of the Casby paintings with representing a threat to democracy, but undoubtedly such vacuous interventions are becoming increasingly the norm in a culture valuing far above ideas a propensity for “the craic”.
Spitting Image was immensely popular, but what is John Waters really saying here? Is he accusing the show of being a danger to democracy, and if so, what would he suggest doing about it?
What does this imply for journalists?
Maybe I'm reading too much into what he wrote.
Meanwhile a site selling caracatures of Brian Cowen has stopped selling them.
Eoin O'Dell has written an excellent article on the legal matters involved.
John Waters has commented on the scandal and, not surprisingly, has condemned the paintings.
Waters wrote:
The only amusing thing here is Casby’s deluded belief that he has something to say. His response is typical of a public discourse almost fatally degraded by internet auto-eroticism and an obsession with what is called “comedy”. His works are crude, unfunny, vindictive, without intrinsic content and wholly lacking in artistic merit.
He also wrote:
The internet has reduced public debate to the level of a drunken argument, in which no holds are barred, in which deeply unpleasant people get to voice their ignorant opinions in the ugliest terms, in the name of “free speech”. The idea that we all need “a laugh” has allowed the “joke” to become elevated beyond everything. Nobody may object if others have declared something “funny”.
The internet has little or nothing to do with this story, but John Waters can't resist taking a swipe at it. Disturbingly, he doesn't mention that the Gardai are involved. (Are crime levels so low they can afford to investigate this?)
However, John Waters also says:
What is so important about people being enabled to indulge themselves in nervous spasms triggered by, for example, cultural incongruities, that all other criteria – good taste, decency, human dignity – must be jettisoned? Much of what is now called humour is bullying, picking on an individual or group for a cheap guffaw. Anyone who doesn’t think this hilarious has “no sense of humour” – than which no more serious indictment is possible.
Now bullying is a serious matter - but if putting these paintings into an art gallery is bullying, what is having the artist questioned by police?
Waters looks up to Brian Cowen as a father figure.
He cites John LLoyd:
In his 2004 book What the Media Are Doing to Our Politics , author John Lloyd cited David Steel, the former leader of the British Liberal Party, in his belief that his portrayal in the sketches on Spitting Image destroyed the chances of the then alliance between his party and the Social Democrats replacing the Labour Party as the main party of opposition. Spitting Image invariably showed Steel as the fawning puppet of SDP leader David Owen.
Then continues:
Elaborating on the power of such crude stereotypes, Lloyd wrote: “Once again, choices made by electors were being very substantially altered by media; and because of the nature of the culture which assumed a right to intrude ever more decisively into what had been forbidden territory, not only was nothing being done about it, no serious questions were even being asked about it. Politicians became, in a variety of ways, more and more scorned, and could barely object. The media would not allow it, it had been defined as a joke, millions of people liked it . . . and thus its effects – whatever they are – cannot sensibly be discussed.”
It may seem excessive to credit the squalid affair of the Casby paintings with representing a threat to democracy, but undoubtedly such vacuous interventions are becoming increasingly the norm in a culture valuing far above ideas a propensity for “the craic”.
Spitting Image was immensely popular, but what is John Waters really saying here? Is he accusing the show of being a danger to democracy, and if so, what would he suggest doing about it?
What does this imply for journalists?
Maybe I'm reading too much into what he wrote.
Meanwhile a site selling caracatures of Brian Cowen has stopped selling them.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
The overrated is obnoxious
I've always found Ricky Gervais quite cringe-making and never saw what was so great about The Office - David Brent is just a slightly exaggerated version of Gervais. I see now that he likes cheap stereotypical jokes.
Perhaps in future he could do the following:
Perhaps in future he could do the following:
- Actually look at the rate of depression in areas of high unemployment.
- Find out what depression is - it's not a fashionable accessory.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Storey time
Mervyn Storey is getting all hot under the collar about an exhibition about evolution:
There are indeed other views, such as the traditional creation myth of the Igluik to pick just one:
Hang on, that probably won't make Mervyn happy as:
Oh my, 'tis enough to give the poor wee lamb a case of the fantods!
All of this would be too racy for Mervyn, who is a member of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster, founded by none other than Ian Paisley.
I haven't asked either Mervyn or Ian, but I suspect they would give a resounding "No!!!" to an exhibition featuring that!
Of course, he wants to promote a literal interpretation of Genesis only.
But more of Mervyns' objections:
He's certainly entitled to his views and to express them, but he wants to make the museum run an exhibition promoting his literalist interpretation of Genesis, which is taking it too far.
What's stopping him running his own exhibition in a hall?
He's done this kind of thing before with the Causeway Creation Campaign.
Sadly, he's a chairman of an educational committee.
However, North Antrim MLA Mervyn Storey has called for a creationist exhibition to be run alongside which explains the origin of life according to a literal reading of the Genesis account in the Bible.
“All I’m saying is that there should be a balance because there are other views out there,” Mr Storey said.
“There are people who have a different view to Darwin on creation.”
There are indeed other views, such as the traditional creation myth of the Igluik to pick just one:
Long ago a great catastrophe caused the world's supporting pillars to collapse and destroy the earth. Two men emerged full-grown from hummocks of earth. They married each other, and one became heavy with child. The other man sang a magic song, which caused the pregnant man's penis to divide, he then became a woman and gave birth to a girl child.
Hang on, that probably won't make Mervyn happy as:
- It features two men marrying.
- One of them has a sex change (performed by the other).
- Magic is used.
- The now woman gives birth (which probably confuses the hell out of Mervyn).
Oh my, 'tis enough to give the poor wee lamb a case of the fantods!
All of this would be too racy for Mervyn, who is a member of the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster, founded by none other than Ian Paisley.
I haven't asked either Mervyn or Ian, but I suspect they would give a resounding "No!!!" to an exhibition featuring that!
Of course, he wants to promote a literal interpretation of Genesis only.
But more of Mervyns' objections:
Mr Storey, himself a proponent of creationism, said that he was entitled to express his views on the subject.
“I believe in creationism and intelligent design, I don’t believe in the theory of evolution”, he said.
Mr Storey also said that a failure by the museum to reflect the views of “other people” could raise the possibility that a legal challenge may be launched under equality legislation.
He's certainly entitled to his views and to express them, but he wants to make the museum run an exhibition promoting his literalist interpretation of Genesis, which is taking it too far.
What's stopping him running his own exhibition in a hall?
He's done this kind of thing before with the Causeway Creation Campaign.
Sadly, he's a chairman of an educational committee.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Todays birthdays
Today is both the double centenary birthday of Charles Darwin and Abraham Lincoln.
Orac has an excellent article on evolution and medicine, while Seed magazine has a fine collection of articles.
Abraham Lincoln, sixteenth president of the United States, led his country during the American Civil War and is an inspiration to many, including President Barack Obama, who chose to announce his candidacy for president in front of the Old State Capitol in Springfield Illinois, where Lincoln made his "House Divided" speech.
Orac has an excellent article on evolution and medicine, while Seed magazine has a fine collection of articles.
Abraham Lincoln, sixteenth president of the United States, led his country during the American Civil War and is an inspiration to many, including President Barack Obama, who chose to announce his candidacy for president in front of the Old State Capitol in Springfield Illinois, where Lincoln made his "House Divided" speech.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Some sites to see
Leah Ceccarelli wrote an excellent piece on manufactroversy at Science Progress.
Over at Doc. Bushwell's Chimpanzee Refuge, there is disheartening news about the Texas State Board of Education. Those responsible can only say one thing.
Carnival of the Elitist Bastards most recently hosted by Submitted to a Candid World.
Over at Doc. Bushwell's Chimpanzee Refuge, there is disheartening news about the Texas State Board of Education. Those responsible can only say one thing.
Carnival of the Elitist Bastards most recently hosted by Submitted to a Candid World.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
I'm not surprised who I turned out to be...
| Which CSI character are you? Your Result: You are Gil Grissom GRISSOM | |
| You are Sara Sidle | |
| You are Greg Sanders | |
| You are Catherine Willows | |
| You are Warrick Brown | |
| You are Nick Stokes | |
| Which CSI character are you? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz | |
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Monday, September 08, 2008
Some thoughtful blogs
Maman Poulet points out A very thoughtful blog entry by Shane Hegarty. Particularly interesting is the discussion in the comments.
Thursday, September 04, 2008
More Chrome issues
Google will drop part of the Chrome licence after concerns about the licence were aired.
The key issue is the licences section about intellectual property - not everyone wants to surrender their intellectual property rights - in fact some people can't due to the terms that they work under.
There are also concerns about how much memory is used. It uses more memory than Firefox 3.01, but roughly the same amount of processor time. Like Internext Explorer 8, Chrome's designed for upcoming hardware - not everybody has that or can afford it.
The key issue is the licences section about intellectual property - not everyone wants to surrender their intellectual property rights - in fact some people can't due to the terms that they work under.
There are also concerns about how much memory is used. It uses more memory than Firefox 3.01, but roughly the same amount of processor time. Like Internext Explorer 8, Chrome's designed for upcoming hardware - not everybody has that or can afford it.
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Is the Chrome falling off?
Google has released the Chrome browser this week with much hype.
One security flaw was noted because the browser uses Apple Safari WebKit, which has a known vulnerability.
TapTheHive is disturbed by the EULA
One security flaw was noted because the browser uses Apple Safari WebKit, which has a known vulnerability.
TapTheHive is disturbed by the EULA
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Cuiling off...
Roughly a month after its launch, Cuil isn't living up to the hype - Pluggd.in notes the falling share of searches performed using Cuil, which is not surprising, given problems present on the launchday of a search engine hyped as the "Google killer".
Another of their claims doesn't seem to stand up to scrutiny either!
Another of their claims doesn't seem to stand up to scrutiny either!
Disgraceful scandal
Wednesday blogged a week ago on what should be a major scandal - a victim of trafficking for sexual exploitation has been charged with failing to produce a passport or other form of identification.
Firstly, this charge is unjust and an act of such incredible stupidity that it beggars belief.
Secondly, why the hell isn't this a major news item? Are the Olympics so important that this grotesque, bizarre travesty of justice doesn't get mentioned?
Firstly, this charge is unjust and an act of such incredible stupidity that it beggars belief.
Secondly, why the hell isn't this a major news item? Are the Olympics so important that this grotesque, bizarre travesty of justice doesn't get mentioned?
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