[Notes from a Twitter thread, 28FEB] Everyone keeps writing takes about how rapidly Europe reacted to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but I never see one about what I think is the most significant reason why change came so fast: EU soft power. The EU spent seventy years patiently building interconnected webs since ECSE in… Continue reading On Ukraine
NaNoWriMo
I wrote a story in November. NaNoWritMo is the national novel writing month, the aim being to “win” by writing 50,000 words. In the end, I produced just short of 60,000 words. It’s got a beginning, middle and end, mostly in that order. But it’s very definitely a zero draft of a story, not a… Continue reading NaNoWriMo
Elephant in the Room
It’s weird how invisible the pandemic is in TV. It’s there in the background, reduced crowd scenes, fewer extras, more outdoor action, but mostly unacknowledged. I’m told that references to current events date a show very quickly, but I’m not sure that stands up. Compare to how pop culture dealt with the 2016 US election… Continue reading Elephant in the Room
Notes from 7.11.21
Wikipage suggestion: Notable stories removed from Google search. Though as I understand it, it’s only when personal names are searched for that RTBF kicks in, so something like “€100k wedding cake” might still get a page hit? The bigger issue here of course is the wisdom of allowing a private company like Alphabet/Google make these… Continue reading Notes from 7.11.21
How It Works
Do not feed the trolls. It’s hard, and infuriating, and frustrating, but in 25 years online the only tactic I’ve ever seen work effectively is Do Not Feed The Troll. Do not feed them your time. Do not feed them your emotion. Do not feed them your attention. Do not feed them your audience.
What The-?
Myles and Miles to go before I sleep.
This is how we have always done things
There’s a story in today’s Dublin Inquirer about delays in citizenship applications leading to legal action from applicants. Here’s a quote: “A spokesperson for the Department of Justice didn’t say whether it considers policy reform based on the issues highlighted in cases it settles out of court. But they said it considers court judgments when… Continue reading This is how we have always done things
Nano Nano – Day One
Canon From the introduction by A O’Kelleher to the 1918 translation of the Betha Colaim Chille, Manus O’Donnell’s Life of Columcille: Like many other mediaeval writers, O’Donnell thinks of the traditions which he has collected as a fragment of a once complete and perfect whole. “Be it known,” he says, “that this Life was lost… Continue reading Nano Nano – Day One
Writing Prompt
In 1953, Raymond Chandler parodied science-fiction, namedropping Google. Did you ever read what they call Science Fiction. It’s a scream. It is written like this: “I checked out with K19 on Adabaran III, and stepped out through the crummaliote hatch on my 22 Model Sirus Hardtop. I cocked the timejector in secondary and waded through… Continue reading Writing Prompt
Revue: Drapier Online
Social media is a strange creature. In some ways, we are back in the 17th century, trying to figure out which pamphleteers are worthwhile. Blogs, in essence, are pamphlets. And bloggers are pamphleteers. AngryDude1966 is the new Drapier, or Thomas Paine. Which is fine. Trouble is, as the web grows more similar thanks to Google… Continue reading Revue: Drapier Online