vitaliya. b&w portrait
don’t do it hillary, it’s over
HuffPo has an article declaring the Democrat race to be over.
Oh pluuuuueeeeeaazzze let this be so! If the press manage to wrangle one more narrative twist out of this story, I swear, I’l scream and stamp my feet like a school girl. Surely now, with Obama winning so convincingly in North Carolina and Clinton just inching ahead in Indiana, the race is over? However, rather pathetically, Hillary still refuses to be beaten and is committed to dragging this whole sorry affair to the convention.
The Clintons, now with no real mathematical chance of overturning their delegate deficit, are threatening to cause merry-hell by appealing to “super delegates” (like normal delegates, but with flapping capes and special democracy-defying powers) to overturn the results and usher them back into the White House. Hillary is also demanding that disqualified counts, in Florida and Michigan, are considered (I think with such a contentious election, there is merit in this argument - however, rules are rules, so tough-shit Hilldog).
There is no doubt that this painfully long nomination has been a significant toll on Obama. He looks jaded and has been lacking his previous dynamism. But this is understandable, and given a quiet week away with Michelle to recharge his batteries, I’m sure he’ll return stronger than ever. Also, it’s hard, having already stared down the Reverend Wright saga, to see where the GOP salvos will come from. Few people fight as dirty as the Clintons, so Hillary may have already prepared the electorate for the worst of whatever mud can be slung in Obama’s direction. Now I’m sure the Republican’s best muck-rakers will drag up something - that or they’ll make it up, but I can’t see what’s left for McCain to work with.
Do I think Barack Obama will be the next President of the United States?
I’d like to think so, but if there was one GOP’r able to win the election post-Bush, it is John McCain.
Sphere: Related Content
on boris
You’re probably not wondering what I think of the mayoral elections, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to tell you. If a blog is anything, it’s a medium for ill-informed twaddled, so, you know, I like to do my bit.
So Boris is now mayor of one of the most important financial hubs in the world. A man famous for a runaway mouth and roving eye is now responsible for our capital city.
I like Boris. Regardless of his occasional outbursts and undoubted shadiness, he is for all accounts an affable and liberal fellow. He believes in the small state, one which serves and doesn’t dictate. He’s compassionate (one only has to read his articles to see he cares about his constituents). And he’s intelligent and informed. But Boris has never had to run anything but a magazine, been a disaster whenever he’s been given any sort of political responsibility, and is incredibly prone to almighty gaffs.
So desperate were the conservatives in their attempts to topple Red Ken, they turned to Brand Boris: everyone’s favourite sexually promiscuous, scruffy-haired baffoon. Is it really good enough?
It’s disappointing to me, that among the parties they couldn’t find a come up with a suitable candidate. I’m even more disappointed that, considering this failure, the people of London continued to prop up our tired political system. There was absolutely no reason why the mayor of London had to be party-political. Why not find a multi-lingual executive, with proven managerial pedigree to represent the people of our great capital?
No offence to Boris, but come on, Mayor of London? You have to be bloody joking…
Sphere: Related Contenti have a new toy
In preparation for my move to Tallinn, I have bought a new MacBook Pro! :o)
Specs: -
Apple Macintosh MacBook Pro
OSX 10.5.2 “Leopard”
2.5 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
4 GB DDR2 RAM
NVIDIA GeForce 6800M GT 512MB VRAM
It’s thinner than Olga’s PowerBook and so much faster. One of the main factors was the fact that my ageing iBook had become painfully slow and no use whatsoever for photography. As Olga will be in the UK most of time, another key feature was the built in “eyesight” cam for Skype use. Just got to get used to the keyboard.
I’d also like to mention John at KRCS in Nottingham, who was excellent and did me a *brilliant* deal. Seriously, if you’re in the market for a new Mac, KRCS should be your absolute first port of call. Thanks John.
Migration was a breeze
tallinn
As regular readers will know, I travel to Tallinn (Estonia), several times a year for a week or two.
This year it looks like I’ll be going for the whole summer. I fly out in June, with no return flight booked. The kids are going into Nursery, and I’ll be doing some private English tutoring. If I can make enough to tick over, then I’ll probably be staying until at least the back-end of the year.
I’ll post the occasional piece here, but I expect I’ll be doing most of my blogging over at Rational Geekery - Tallinn is Europe’s tech haven, after all. I’m not sure how this will affect my daily blog review, but if my diary permits, I’d like to continue. Although I’ll probably take a “holiday” while I settle in at the apartment and try and get some work.
Also, If anyone needs a freelance tech correspondent in the Baltics - drop me a line.
Sphere: Related Contenti have a dodgy dongle
More me(!) over at Rational Geekery: -
Sphere: Related ContentAnyway, upon excitedly unwrapping my dongle I found that even though the instructions were idiot-proof and all the software was auto-installed from the device itself, I couldn’t connect from my iBook.
I tried several things, including downloading and installing different drivers and playing with the settings. Yet nothing, I repeat NOTHING, would bloody work. As usual, when technology fails me (or I fail it), I may have used a fair bit of blue language and banged the desk a couple of times. We all have our faults, get over it.
defending the indefensible
Northern Rock proved that “irresponsible” lending is dangerous game for banks to play. If a bank has too many debtors who are over-extended, then it leaves itself wide open to punishment if suddenly the economic climate cools. In America, where mortgages are traded between banks and investors like coffee beans, bad debts have created a financial crisis on a gargantuan scale, with the entire US economy peering over the precipice of a long and painful recession. It’s now very easy for all and sundry to point at the banks and crow that their chickens have finally come home to roost. Everyone, it seems, is desperate to see the first banker throw himself 34-floors to his splatterriffic death.
But is this fair, and is this a progressive position to take?
We live in a capitalist society. There are few mainstream Western politicians who still promote a truly socialist economic model. We are now, is seems, locked into market economics. So surely now our aim as progressives, is to make the system as open and as equal as possible? And this is just what the banks, with their reckless lending, have done. I know, shocking, but please stay with me…
Lenders have empowered people to buy into a growing economy. We have seen astonishing growth over the last decade, and house prices have rocketed. What could be more progressive than enabling every hard-working person to enjoy the good-times? Why should people without ready access to capital be denied the opportunity to invest?
The reality is, as banks tighten their belts, young families and professional singles will be forced to rent their homes. They’ll be paying rent to landlords, rather than investing in a property. Large scale property investors will get richer, while their tenants will be cut out of the housing market for the foreseeable future.
Also, I’m not convinced we’ll see a considerable fall in prices. There are plenty of investors willing to pick up empty properties, especially when they know more and more people are looking to rent. And as the economic outlook grows more precarious, home owners will sit tight to see how the situation plays out, so reducing the number of houses on the market and stabilising prices. There are too many factors, including a national shortage of homes, that suggest a collapse in prices is unlikely. So if the predicted dramatic fall in prices doesn’t materialise, and banks are unwilling to take risks, what chance do wannabe homeowners have?
Easy access to capital is the greatest liberator in a capitalist society, and what our so-called reckless banking system has actually done, is enabled people to get onto the housing market and enjoy the growing equity in their properties. Why should it just be the rich who benefit from an economic boom? As progressives we should celebrate cheap capital, and prey that our banks don’t become so “responsible” that they deny hope to so many aspirational families.
Sphere: Related Contentpostman pat
It’s just dawned on me that the hateful bastards in charge at Postman Pat PLC, have changed the the bloody theme tune. No longer is it “Postman Pat and his black and white cat”,no, it’s been replaced by a forgettable generic effort that washes over you like elevator muzak (hence why i just realised it had changed). It’s awful.
But why change it? By all means bring back Pat - one of TV’s more genteel and honourable characters, but why change one of its classic tunes and replace it with god-awful aural tedium?
Mind you, the new theme is more suitable than this intro (seriously, NSFW).
Sphere: Related Contentthis blog is boring. fact
It seems I’m a bore.
Gus of 1820 has decided that this blog is a yawnfest and will be removed from his blogroll. I can’t say I blame him.
I just don’t seem to have the energy and vigour for political blogging that I once had. I spend most of my day getting stressed out that I can’t get a minute to myself to write, and when I do finally get the baby to bed, I’m knackered. Now Mrs. tyger has returned to working after her maternity, this working from home just isn’t going very well. Looking after two very-young kids is a full-time responsibility and I think I’d be better going back into industry and putting the kids into childcare again. At least then I’d be getting out of the house, rather than being a sulky house-bound grinch. I simply don’t have the time to “work”.
Mrs. tyger is also clearly fed-up listening to me whinge. As am I.
Also, politically, I’m not sure what I think anymore. Labour have consistently proved their incompetence and slyness. Anyone who thinks that working for the Labour Party is something of value is mistaken. The Tories, Liberals, and Labour are all fighting for the same political oxygen in the centre of British Politics. There is no ideology left in our political life, and therefore no difference between the “managers” who govern us (I would be much happier if they could actually manage, but alas…). So let’s drop the pretence that they’re different, and elect proven managers instead of partisan incompetents who couldn’t organise a cutlery draw.
My personal story wasn’t always like this, there was a time when I believed that government could be a force for good - indeed in some Northern European countries it still proves to be. So let’s be straight: the British body politic is poisoned. It’s cancerous. It’s terminal.
So thanks for the previous link-love, Gus, but yeah, I think another blogger deserves my spot. I’ll make a decision regarding continuing this blog over the next week or so.
*current mood: nihilistic*
Sphere: Related Contenteconomic banditry
John Band has an interesting post here.
He claims that, despite the almost-constant media doom-mongering, the sky is not falling in on the UK’s economy. He makes a few valid points about like-for-like sales against the actual takings on the high street: -
It’s partly due to misleading reporting, of course. Hands up who read this morning’s paper and came away with the take-out that UK retail sales fell when comparing March 2008 to March 2007? Wrong: they rose by 1.1%. The fall was in ‘like-for-like’ sales - i.e. new shops are opening faster than people are increasing their spending. That’s not great news if you’re a retailer, for sure - but it also for sure doesn’t mean that sales are falling…
These points are valid. Also, UK economic watchers have always concentrated too hard on high street performance - we’re a nation of shopkeepers after all, rather than on more indicative economic measures. People seem to think if M&S sells fewer pairs of panties, the country is going to the dogs.
Anyway, a somewhat related post over at LC has prompted an interesting thread between John, myself, and a few others in the comments. Take a look.
Sphere: Related Contentover at rational geekery
I have two posts over at my tech blog: -
Blockbuster wants to take on the might of Apple, Microsoft, netflicks and the cable companies, who stream (and download) content directly to their customers’ homes. And it plans to do this by buying an outdated electronics retailer. Hmmm.
Sphere: Related ContentI’m not going to replace any new Mac for several cycles, so my best return on my investment, would be to wait until the platform makes a significant jump (trusting I can be confident of the new technology’s stability).
