And here’s a classic piece of euphemistic spokesperson lingo, from a Guardian article about how the NHS helps to ensure access to healthcare regardless of wealth. While we have better access to health, we don’t necessarily have the best results:

A government spokesperson said: “The UK lags behind many international healthcare systems on survival rates – for example, for diseases such as cancer or stroke – and the NHS must reform in order to achieve better outcomes.”

I think my sub-conscious is trying to tell me something. I had a dream last night that I went for a curry and, upon entry, the waiter said, “welcome back, we didn’t expect to see you again so soon!”

So this probably shouldn’t bug me as much as it does.

	1. A netbook is slow. The MacBook Air is not.
	1. A netbook has sub-par graphics. The MacBook Air does not.
	1. A netbook has a low-power processor. The MacBook Air does not.
	1. A netbook feels cheap. The MacBook Air does not.
	1. A netbook has a small, cramped keyboard. The MacBook Air does not.
	1. A netbook has a tiny trackpad. The MacBook Air does not.
	1. A netbook runs an old version of its OS. The MacBook Air does not.
	1. A netbook is too slow to play games. The MacBook Air is not.
	1. A netbook is cheap. The MacBook Air is not.
	1. **A netbook is not designed to be your main computer. The MacBook Air is.**

£2 t-shirts. Who gets screwed?

£1 chicken breasts. Who gets screwed?

When I see a cheap deal I can’t help but wonder “who’s getting screwed?” With the t-shirts, it’s often the workers (though things are improving). With the chicken, it’s usually both the suppliers and the chickens (but things aren’t improving).

I like “who gets screwed” because it’s blunt; it reminds me to think. Notwithstanding the value technology can add—cheaper transport costs and supply-chain management being two big ones—if something is cheaper, the cost is elsewhere. “Who gets screwed” cuts to the chase.

My starting point on the web has never been my friends; rather it’s been other people who I’ve found to be interesting. I read blogs by people I’ve never met—and, truthfully, I’ll probably never meet—and the majority of the people I follow on Twitter are not people I know offline. I choose to listen for what they think or say or do rather than who they are. So much of my knowledge comes from the help of these strangers.