Marking Time

links for 2005-11-30

Panama Canal Miraflores locks

time-lapse, 1 week compressed into 11 minutes - Google Video

(tags: cool movies technology)
How to be uncomfortable

(tags: meditation)
Confessions

More background before I dive in.

(tags: meditation)
18 Tricks to Teach Your Body

(tags: health)
Crooked Timber - Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell Seminar

Finished Part I about six months ago. Maybe this will get me back into it.

(tags: books)

Mark Waters marked time at 7:18 pm on November 30th, 2005 | Add a comment .

Froth

Mark Waters marked time at 9:59 am on November 29th, 2005 | Add a comment .

Walking to America

At the time that my grandfather decided to emigrate from Ireland it was easier to get into Canada than the United States. So in late Autumn he made his way to Montreal and waited for the winter freeze. When it came, he walked across the St. Lawrence river and into the land of opportunity.

When he returned to Ireland he brought a Buick with him. So the story goes.

Mark Waters marked time at 5:20 pm on November 28th, 2005 | Add a comment .

Irish Ferries

When I travelled from Cherbourg to Rosslare with Irish Ferries I noted how pleasant an experience it was, and how this was in large measure due to the friendly and helpful staff. Of course all that has changed now as the management at Irish Ferries seek to replace that staff with cheaper foreign labour.

I have no sympathy for the management at Irish Ferries for the current mess they find themselves in. It is not a simple case of market forces determining who will work for the lowest wage. It’s a case of a company making a conscious decision to employ workers who are more vulnerable to exploitation. In much the same way, they exploit the labour laws by flying a flag of convenience (the Bahamas) while trading on the goodwill of the ‘Irish’ name.

If you want to live by the laws of the Bahamas then take your ships there.

Mark Waters marked time at 3:58 pm on November 28th, 2005 | 6 comments .