"Let's try that again."

Several years ago - long before the invention of "blogging" - I set up a site for, well, blogging. It was called "The Ned-Ludd Appreciation Society" and intended to be a forum for anyone to have a general bitch about stuff that should never have been invented. (Like blogging?)

The Society was "dedicated to the ridicule of useless and unnecessary technologies". It used a fairly early type of discussion forum software and was open for anyone to contribute. I put up a few items railing against things that get on my nerves: leaf blowers, "Razor" scooters and plastic fish with soy sauce in them were just a sample.

The site was eventually discovered by at least one complete moron, whom I had a bit of sport with, but then the blog spammers hit it and I had to shut it down. I still operate the domain but only as an email placeholder. Maybe someday I'll find another use for it. Anyway...

Lately I've felt the need to let off some steam so I've capitulated to the mainstream and set this site up. I wonder how long it will last? And where do I start?

The title of this blog is "Praeclarvm", which comes from a Latin motto I've adopted. I hope it indicates the main theme I'm likely to follow as I rant and rave.

"Quidvis recte factum quamvis humile praeclarvm"
"Whatsoever is rightly done, however humble, is noble."

That was the motto of Sir Henry Royce, the engineer behind the early Rolls-Royce motor cars. He's something of a hero to me because he was uncompromising, pragmatic, visionary and a brilliant designer and engineer.

The title of this first post is a quote from another hero of mine: Daffy Duck. Make of that what you will.