Back in a Bit

Truthful Translations of Political Speech

Politics is the practice of doublespeak. Fortunately, through the magic of creativity and relatively cheap digital audio editing tools, the speech of political creatures can finally be unspun, and the truth laid bare.

These are galleries of translations of popular politicians as made by audio collage artists from around the planet… Those who are easily offended by heavy doses of irony should probably leave now.

Steal my ideas

About four years ago, I had this idea to start two sister sites called “Great Website, Crap Product” and “Great Product, Crap Website” which would highlight sites that fell into either of these categories. I then thought about two more sites: “Great Website, Great Product” and, predictably, “Crap Website, Crap Product”. Never got past the idea stage, and never likely to either. Feel free to pinch it and make a million.

BOFH

I have a copy of the Bastard Operator From Hell on my Palm, that helpfully generates excuses as to why things aren’t happening in the way they are expected so to do. I’ve often wondered how the BOFH came to be, and now I know. You can’t escape the irony of it being on the NTK server. Also, I’ve dug up a comprehensive list of the BOFH responses—some of which did not make it onto the Palm.

Bust

You shouldn’t laugh—the BBC reports on the sheep that turned. Also, there should be a new section of F*cked Company that caters for people like letsbuyit.com—why not call it ’Am I Going Bust Or Not?’. I have trouble understanding stories such as these. When I went out to found a dot com (not this one), the bank said ’where’s your business model?’. I showed them the business model, and they told me to get lost. I then made a few minor alterations and went to another bank, who also said ’where’s your business model?’. It took seven redrafts for them to be as confident as I was with the idea, and only then would they show me the money. Was it only me that was queried like this? Do the investors not check business models for everybody? I never went bust…