Category Archives: UK

The Birth of the Shard

Posted on 24 February 2011 by Robert

I have found that the damp and foggy days when the building emerges from midst are when the Shard looks most interesting. The giant looms on the horizon, and one’s sense of scale is confused and compressed. Continue reading →

Posted in London, Visual | 4 Comments

Farringdon Lane Docking Station

Posted on 18 February 2011 by Robert

Right then, here’s my tentative foray into the world of webtools for urban living: The Farringdon Lane Docking Station on Twitter. Continue reading →

Posted in Diary, Internet Philosophy, London | 4 Comments

The cowardly fudge behind the rhetoric of Control Orders

Posted on 7 January 2011 by Robert

As the Home Secretary conducts her review of control orders in the coming months, look out for examples of this rhetoric, “we know, but we cannot convict.” It is a half-formed argument, a question not an answer. It is a cowardly fudge for those who do not want to make the tough decision: do we let these suspects go, or do we allow phone-tapping evidence to be admissable in court? Continue reading →

Posted in Debate, Human Rights, Liberal Conspiracy, UK | Leave a comment

The Seams of Our Society Are Exposed Tonight

Posted on 9 December 2010 by Robert

We live in interesting times. As I write there are protesters kettled by police on Westminster Bridge, and burning portaloos in Parliament Square. The army are deployed in Edinburgh, clearing the effects of the worst snow for 40 years. Meanwhile, … Continue reading →

Posted in Edinburgh, Internet Philosophy, London, Politics | 3 Comments

The Internet is A Really Nice Place

Posted on 15 November 2010 by Robert

In the Independent, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown writes on the delights that post-colonials bring to the English language, and laments the decline of language and civility online: The future looks bright then, until you notice those who use new technology without due … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Rights, Index on Censorship, Internet Philosophy, Political Correctness, UK | 1 Comment

Crowdsourcing Clegg Commentary

Posted on 21 September 2010 by Robert

It is surprising how often the act of yeilding some control of your content to The Cloud or The Rabble yeilds something true and pleasing Continue reading →

Posted in Diary, Internet Philosophy, Liberal Democrats, Literature, UK | 3 Comments

“Psychosis” as a term of abuse

Posted on 20 September 2010 by Robert

On Twitter, I have been discussing the use of mental health terms in political speech with the journalist Beatrice Bray.  In recent weeks, Guardian cartoonists Martin Rowson and Steve Bell have both used the term ‘psychotic’ to describe political figures … Continue reading →

Posted in Human Rights, Media, Political Correctness, UK | 9 Comments

Free Speech in Parliament Square

Posted on 13 July 2010 by Robert

If the authorities are genuinely concerned about hygeine then they should provide modest facilities for ablutions and waste disposal… thereby facilitating the protest, not hampering it. It would be unfair for residents of the City of Westminster, or Greater London, to foot the bill for this. Instead, UK taxpayers should pick up the tab. Continue reading →

Posted in Human Rights, London | 4 Comments

Chromaroma

Posted on 25 June 2010 by Robert

Ask and ye shall be rewarded.  In reply to my previous post, Matt Somerville tweets: @robertsharp59 Sounds like you want to see http://www.chromaroma.com/ Indeed I do.  It is described as: an online multiplayer game played out as you travel the … Continue reading →

Posted in Art and Cultures, London | 2 Comments

The Underground Project

Posted on 24 June 2010 by Robert

A fascinating link that has been doing the rounds recently is the Live London Tube Map by Matthew Somerville.  The link is meant to be here, but at present (24/6/2010) it is not active… probably because so many people re-tweeted … Continue reading →

Posted in Art and Cultures, Diary, London | 1 Comment