Wednesday, January 23, 2008
I just saw this in my RSS feed from Wired.com: Israel is worried about Iran launching an all-out, “doomsday” barrage of rockets and missiles. So military leaders have begun early planning for a new, robotic defense system, armed with enough artificial intelligence that it “could take over completely” from flesh-and-blood operators. “It will be designed [...]
Whether or not you support the smoking ban that is about to come into force in England, you cannot argue that the policy was fully debated and discussed over an extended period by those institutions in the country we trust with the business of setting laws. A legal challenge is not, therefore, something which I [...]
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I watched the transfer of power in the company of a few friends. It was quite clear that the journalists had little to say, and were trying to play up what was in the event quite a down-beat occasion. One BBC commentator, tasked with providing commentary as the car transporting Brown from the Palace to [...]
For a little over an hour today, the United Kingdom was governed by Her Majesty and the Civil Service. I think it went very smoothly indeed. I hear from the Today Programme that President Bush thinks that History will judge Blair kindly. Well it is possible, I suppose. Though I know some of the people [...]
This is a worrying tale. But then, as I’m always telling my students, check the footnotes!
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The Americans are attempting immigration reform. Here is some excellent commentary on the idiocy of the current proposals.
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From a piece in the Independent: Do you believe in the rights of women, or do you believe in multiculturalism? A series of verdicts in the German courts in the past month, have shown with hot, hard logic that you can’t back both. You have to choose.
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The BBC ran around after the election telling everyone that the Conservatives hadn’t increased their share of the vote, despite picking up over 800 local seats. It didn’t seem to make a lot of sense – see this analysis of their rather “twonkish” methodology. And then go and read your rather battered copy of How [...]
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In a matter of weeks, Britain will have a new Prime Minister. Barring miracles, it is seems likely that that leader will have a tough time and will lose the next election. It would almost be unnatural for him not too: Labour have now had a very long time in office. On the basis of [...]
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Blair has sent a message to voters which Nick Robinson amusingly paraphrases as: Please don’t kick me. I’m going soon anyway. Oh, and by the way, a Scot’s coming next – probably – and he’ll be great. Dear oh dear oh dear.
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