Green Flash

A few years ago, the Pope of Dope and I jumped in the NORMLmobile to assist a supporter who was getting hassled by the cops in Albert Park. On the way there, an idea popped out that what we really needed to cut through the Auckland gridlock was a flashing green light and a siren that went DOOOO-BEEEEE.

Thank Dagg we never did it:

However, regulations already exist for the use of green flashing lights - according to the Road Code, doctors, nurses and midwives can use a roof-mounted green flashing light and drivers must pull over to let the vehicle pass.

We might be rendering aid, but we aren't that professional.

Back from the Blue

Over the years, the struggle at Oxford University between the establishment and kiwi Vice-Chancellor Dr John Hood ran with remarkable parallels to Tom Sharpe's novel Porterhouse Blue. In both reality and fiction, a new head of university arrives with modern ideas, and departs after stiff opposition from stubborn traditionalists.

At least Dr Hood gets off better than his parallel does in the novel. David Cohen at NBR notes that at least one establishment figure eulogises for the departing VC. Closer to home, Pattrick Smellie at Business Scoop highlights the integral work Dr Hood accomplished in NZ as well as Oxford. He could have been science advisor to Helen Clark.

What now for Dr Hood? I'd like to see him appointed as head of a complete review of NZ's university system. Do unto the entire sector what he did at University of Auckland and almost got away with at Oxford. Dagg knows, it needs it.

It just works

In my more ponderous moments, I wonder what would have happened if the scientists had beaten the missionaries to the Maori. Instead of learning the empowerment of the written word through the bible, what if The Complete Works of Shakespeare or Newton's Principia Mathemathica had been handed out freely instead?

Alas, we'll never know. But there are glimpses of the alternative:

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Lines of Communication

Mauricio Freitas over at Geekzone has some interesting news. Yellow are offering Skype users 3 months free calling to participating business listings. This is not only one very cost-effective promotion, it taps an unrealised potential. I'd like to see government departments accept free Skype calls too. It would be a hell of a lot cheaper than paying for 0800 access. As a beneficiary with a cellphone and not a landline, it would make communication a lot less complicated here too.

The De Beers Job

I'm a big fan of scams, from Howard Marks to Michael Caine:



Wired presents Joshua Davis' story of a 2003 heist involving $100 million of diamonds from an Antwerp vault. Read the story (as we know it) of Notarbartolo, Speedy, The King of Keys, The Monster and The Genius. If in doubt, check out the accompanying vid:

Dodging definitions in EFB

Supporters of Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul have demonstrated how easy it is to avoid proscriptive definitions on electoral advertising:



No-one is soliciting a vote for Ron Paul. All the blimp asks is that you Google him.