links, random thoughts, various opinions
Starting From Scratch
“Let’s start with mentality. We are not “rebuilding” Iraq. We are “building” a new Iraq — from scratch. Not only has Saddam Hussein’s army, party and bureaucracy collapsed, but so, too, has the internal balance between Iraqi Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds, which was held together by Saddam’s iron fist. Also, the reporting on […]
More wisdom from Dilbert.
‘I Should Always Believe Journalists,’ He Said, Adding: ‘Please Pray for Me.’
“Sergio and Nadia lived lives of sacrifice and substance. Their deaths both shame and mock the armchair warriors, the television talk-show mudwrestlers, the pontificators, the manipulators and the simplifiers. Their deaths are a reminder that imperium, no matter how benign its intent, is never […]
Why is our Federal Cabinet and government caucus golfing when B.C. is literally on fire, Toronto is having massive blackouts, SARS like diseases are taking out the elderly and Canadian military vehicles in Afghanistan are permanently immobile due to dust? I’m hoping the fresh air helps them solve these things.
Wrong Profession?
“My brother writes to tell me of an unnerving experience, involved with hiring someone to manage a computer lab. It’s more than just a little tough out there.”
I hate jet lag.
CNet has an excellent interview with Ernie Ball, “the world’s leading maker of premium guitar strings.” He talks about their companies switch to open source on the desktop after a software audit. He particularly notes the humour in which he’s become a celebrity ‘just because’ he doesn’t use microsoft on the desktop. […]
A picture of our family dog - Jewel - from a party this weekend. A face to love.
I’m back in Vancouver and digging out from under the phone calls, voicemails and emails. Sorry to everyone I haven’t gotten back to yet.
Saw that Fast Company (which remains a pretty cool magazine post dot com melt down) now has a staff weblog. Very cool and topical.
Not surprisingly the wireless access at Singapore airport is easy to use, cheap and fast. It’s provided by StarHub Internet. They even offer just a 30 minute package (with transaction processing by Citibank) for just six Singapore dollars (about 5.50 Canadian).
Easy and fast, I was online in one minute.
Wish I had more time […]
Working in London last week actually gave me a better feel for the city than ever before, particularly as it frayed under the heat. The office we were at was near Trafalgar Square (and Canada House). At lunch we went to the National Portrait Gallery, walked across the Thames, cooled down in the […]
You can tell the time anywhere in the world based on what anchor is at the CNN International desk.
It’s a cliche for frequent travellers but wow, is Singapore airlines a great airline.
Driving from the Singapore airport I’m always struck at how lush the highway seems, as well as extremely well groomed. It’s like the pictures I used to stare at in elementary school depicting life in the 21st century. Tall glass buildings, lush(?) highways, sleek cars and a place for everything. It’s like […]
I’ve never lived for an extended period in a hot place. It’s hard to get your mind around that you are in your suit, cool, working away in a tightly air conditioned building and then bang - your outside hit by a wall…literally…of heat. It’s not the heat itself that is so strange […]
At a blow, Arnold Schwarzenegger has transformed the California political scene.
“The Terminator also has a compelling story to tell: one that cannot help melting the hearts of people obsessed with celebrity and upward mobility. He is an Austrian immigrant who came to America with little command of English. Yet he lived the American dream, earning […]
If you only read one mind-blowing,…
“If you only read one mind-blowing, prescient essay today on the architecture of the internet, read Karma Vertigo: or Considering The Excessive Responsibilities Placed On Us By The Dawn Of The Information Infrastructure (1994) by Jaron Lanier [via Heckler & Coch]. On democracy, the formative nature of the network design […]
Grant sums up my feelings on the whole California recall issue (well not all of them). Nonetheless I think it’s interesting to see Arnold run. He hasn’t spoken much about his policy stances but he’s hardly new to politics, and he’s clearly an intelligent businessman. I think Grant is right, he may […]
Now that I’m in Hong Kong I’m reminded what it means to be a city prepared for hot weather. There is (powerful) air conditioning everywhere and in general the ocean breeze contributes to keeping the city air moving. Back in London they are suffocating under a heat wave and it’s clear the city […]
London wrapped up well and I’m at the Frankfurt airport waiting for my connection to Hong Kong. Lufthansa has wi-fi in the lounge (I think via vodafone), anyways its free for now…and lightning fast.
Europe is still brutally hot, of course Hong Kong at 30 should make me feel much better.
English […]