Super-positions of Emotions (and people)
Embarrased
I’ve not been watching the blogosphere quite as avidly as I usually do and it was only today that I read on the Standards Blog:
I therefore take it as obligatory that I investigate Mr. Levell’s disturbing suggestion that I am “Guardian/Radio 4’s Simon Hoggart”, rather than mild-mannered Massachusetts attorney and standards wonk Andy Updegrove….assuming that Mr. Levell is a responsible practitioner of the blogging trade and has some evidence to support his implied allegation, I must, with regret, surrender my identity.
Oooops. Despite the rarity of my posts and their usual content-free nature it appears that things written here can make their way out into the world at large. I guess this is the danger of blog search engines and RSS. Numerous people have informed me that the gentlemen concerned look nothing like each other (and one is 10 years the senior of the other!) so I guess I ought to change the subtitle of this blog to “Sporadic musings from an irresponsible practitioner of the blogging trade”.
Andy Updegrove, who luckily doesn’t seem too offended, challenges me:
Having myself (or, as the case may be, Mr. Hoggart’s self) at best only a muddled and imperfect knowledge of quantum mechanics, perhaps you can explain, for Simon’s and my benefit and in the manner of the late lamented Douglas Adams, the seeming duality of existence that I/he/we/whoever seem to be experiencing.
Explaining a duality of conciousness might be a bit beyond our abilities with Quantum Mechanics yet – we struggle to accurate describe systems as large as relatively small atoms, so rubbish on the scale I spout it would require a quantum leap ;) But in the style of Douglas Adams? Ah – it’s all to do with very strong towels, many things are!
I apologise to both people concerned – its taught me a lesson – long may you both continue to do what you do.
A Reason to be Cheerful
Wikipedia. It has taken some stick recently but people seem to be rallying around. Wikipedia is a glowing tribute to the human race – that so many people can contribute and work together so successfully when a determined minority could ruin it for everyone says good things about human nature that, in our cynical world, are often left unsaid! It occurs to me that even if I’d had the skills, the drive and the time I would never have created such a system; without first seeing it – I would never have believed it would work. I don’t think of myself as overly cynical but it’s quite an eye-opener – with the right technology behind the scenes, people are generally good.