First thing: Why Bobbled?
My internet moniker is a by product of there being far too many Robert Davidsons in the world. Since my first email account was set up, I’ve had to chose some alternative to my name and I’ve never wanted to be RobertDavidson69 or some other number.
Quite simply, Robert shortens to Bob, the middle initial ‘L’ is phonetically pronounced ‘el’ and rolling the two together makes Bob-el or Bobble. Add on the initial from the surname (because domain name profiteers have nicked all the bobbles) and we arrive, quite quickly, at Bobbled.
Second: What’s happening here?
Well, I guess I wanted a space to espouse my views, vent my anger, to wax lyrical or philosophical, to try to interact with my fellow h. sapiens, and perhaps even to post some research, stories, photos.
I am a computer programmer and currently PhD candidate and so at times I may post questions, observations and solutions relating to various programming and Pattern Recognition problems I’m working on. These will most likely be centred on Metabolomics as that is my current line of work.
I am also keen on human rights and equality and so will probably be promoting various campaigns and issues that I think are important. I will probably make posts asking for reasoned debate on the underlying issues and potential solutions so please respond with your views.
Current issues I’m keen on are Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Feminism. The DRC has been the site of ongoing conflict since around 1996 and it is estimated that over 6 million people have died as a result of the conflict and instability. It has been dubbed the rape capital of the world and the worst place in the world to be a woman as a result of the incredible use of rape to control populations in the east of the country. Much of our modern technology relies on minerals mined in eastern DRC and proceeds often go towards funding illegal militias and thus fuelling the violence and rape. These Conflict Minerals are our responsibility, in my view.
I’ve been building and running a website for the coalition of UK based NGOs, Congo NOW! so I will be shamelessly plugging their campaigns as well as posting comments on website building and design.
Finally, I am interested in religion. Growing up in Britain, it’s no surprise that I’ve had experience of the Christian faith more than any other and so much of my ponderings will be along those lines. But, I’m also interested in the much reported conflict between science and religion, anti-discrimination and freedom of conscience and the sometimes claimed persecution of people of faith in the UK. I should probably point out that I do attend a Christian church in the UK and that I’m about as liberal as they come.
In summary: I’m going to be posting anything and everything on my mind. Human Rights issues and campaigns, techie problems and research, religious musings and considerations. I may also pop in some Environmental Issues, gardening observations and maybe even a recipe, poem (probably not), story, or photos.
(Sounds alright, but will I have time to actually put anything up? we’ll see)
