Keeping the world up to date with me.
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
The man who invented optical storage
An article about Jim Russell, who invented optical storage. No, it wasn't Philips who did it.
Tests reveal e-passport security flaw
Tests reveal e-passport security flaw. From EEDesign.com. Did you know that the US govt., together with the International Civil Aviation Organization, are planning to make you carry a chip in your passport that can be openly read by anybody? For instance, a terrorist can skim your passport without you knowing from a distance of up to 30 feet, so they can either steal your ID or target you more effectively when you're abroad. And they expect us to pay for this??? Morons.
American Civil Liberties Union: How The U.S. Ignored International Concerns and Pushed for Radio Chips In Passports Without Security
Yet another article on how RFID and ID cards are becoming inextricably linked, with the stupidest system possible. Great.
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
Saturday, December 04, 2004
Monday, November 29, 2004
Magnetic wood blocks mobile phone signals
Magnetic wood blocks mobile phone signals - from New Scientist. An interesting way to stop the b***ards in the quiet carriages on trains...
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership
Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership - an interesting website sent to me by Jon.
How good is UK.gov at its own security agenda?
The only sensible review of terrorist security I've heard.
DIY fingerprint idea thwarts ID thieves
DIY fingerprint idea thwarts ID thieves:
The Home Office is touting ID cards as a solution to ID theft in today's Queen's Speech but a Yorkshire man has taken matters into his own hands. Jamie Jameson, a civil servant from Scarborough in North Yorkshire, insists that credit can only be extended in his name on production of a thumbprint.
Jameson hit on the idea of writing to the UK's three main credit reference agencies - Equifax, Experian and Call Credit - and requesting that they put a 'Notice of Correction' on his file stating that a print must be offered with applications for loans or credit cards issued in his name. At the same time he submitted his fingerprint.
This Notice of Correction of the first thing a prospective lender will see when it calls up his records. Normally this facility provides a way for individuals to explain why they have a county court judgement against their name or other qualifications to their credit history. Jameson is using it to do a cheap security check.
Although uncommon in the UK, thumbprints are often used as an audit mechanism for people cashing cheques in US banks. A similar scheme was trialled in Wales. Jameson takes a little ink pad similar to that used in US banks around with him all the time just in case he might need it.
If an application for credit is accepted without a thumbprint - against Jameson's express instructions - then he will not be liable for losses. If a would-be fraudster gives a false print on an application then it makes it easier for them to be traced by the police. "Lenders don’t have to match prints. Using prints juts establishes an audit trail if anything goes wrong," Jameson explained. "It's not so much me proving who I am as preventing someone else being me."
Jameson has been using the idea successfully for over a year. He concedes that the scheme isn't foolproof and that it's possible to fake fingerprints ("nothing’s perfect," as he puts it). As far as Jameson knows he's the only person who's using the technique in the UK. The scheme delays the issuing of credit, which could be a problem with people who apply for multiple accounts but this is a minor inconvenience for Jameson. "This is driven by the individual so there are no data protection issues. It's a real deterrent to ID theft," he told El Reg. ®
The Home Office is touting ID cards as a solution to ID theft in today's Queen's Speech but a Yorkshire man has taken matters into his own hands. Jamie Jameson, a civil servant from Scarborough in North Yorkshire, insists that credit can only be extended in his name on production of a thumbprint.
Jameson hit on the idea of writing to the UK's three main credit reference agencies - Equifax, Experian and Call Credit - and requesting that they put a 'Notice of Correction' on his file stating that a print must be offered with applications for loans or credit cards issued in his name. At the same time he submitted his fingerprint.
This Notice of Correction of the first thing a prospective lender will see when it calls up his records. Normally this facility provides a way for individuals to explain why they have a county court judgement against their name or other qualifications to their credit history. Jameson is using it to do a cheap security check.
Although uncommon in the UK, thumbprints are often used as an audit mechanism for people cashing cheques in US banks. A similar scheme was trialled in Wales. Jameson takes a little ink pad similar to that used in US banks around with him all the time just in case he might need it.
If an application for credit is accepted without a thumbprint - against Jameson's express instructions - then he will not be liable for losses. If a would-be fraudster gives a false print on an application then it makes it easier for them to be traced by the police. "Lenders don’t have to match prints. Using prints juts establishes an audit trail if anything goes wrong," Jameson explained. "It's not so much me proving who I am as preventing someone else being me."
Jameson has been using the idea successfully for over a year. He concedes that the scheme isn't foolproof and that it's possible to fake fingerprints ("nothing’s perfect," as he puts it). As far as Jameson knows he's the only person who's using the technique in the UK. The scheme delays the issuing of credit, which could be a problem with people who apply for multiple accounts but this is a minor inconvenience for Jameson. "This is driven by the individual so there are no data protection issues. It's a real deterrent to ID theft," he told El Reg. ®
Tuesday, November 23, 2004
2 invitations to a wedding I don't want to go to
A great Ebay auction:
I've been invited to the wedding of a mate of mine who I used to know really well until he started going out with the girl he's going to marry. She's a dog. No really. I haven't seen them since I told her she's a dog over two years ago. They've stupidly invited me to their wedding, but I don't want to go. It's an invite to me '+plus 1" and involves the afternoon reception (a sit down meal in a 4 star restaurant) and evening piss up (a bus will carry you there, and drag you to the nearest b&b or trainstation after. Should be a good day out. All in all I reckon there's a good £150 worth of entertainment if you time it right. No one will know you're not me except the groom and he'll be so pissed trying to forget his new wife's a dog he won't notice. The only thing is, because she's such a dog, they might not get married, so I reserve the right to cancel the bidding.
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On 16-Oct-04 at 08:59:59 BST, seller added the following information:
Since listing the tickets I've been contacted by quite a few people who think they're going to the same wedding. As it happens, 3 of you are and want to sell your tickets too. So this auction is now for 5 tickets to the wedding of a mate to a dog that we don't want to go to. Getting five of you into a wedding might be a bit of a gamble, so I'll keep the buy it now price the same, but you're now looking at at least £400 worth of free booze, good food. Even if you have to listen to her dad do karaoke, and watch her mum try to get off with the ushers.
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On 18-Oct-04 at 11:50:06 BST, seller added the following information:
For those who've been asking, I can email photo's of the invite. I didn't want to post them as I thought the pink feather trmming might make it a bit too obvious which wedding I'm talking about. Suffice to say they play a pretty good version of 'livin' la vida loca' when opened.
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On 19-Oct-04 at 15:29:39 BST, seller added the following information:
I'm getting a lot of questions, so thanks to everyone who's expressed an interest. Unfortunately I'm going to have to dissappoint most of you by telling you that the bridesmaids are likely to be dogs too. I know, it's a marital travesty. The bride's best mate works in a chippy in Colchester, and they always used to go boozing in Stoke with her aunt who I seem to remember had a penchant for DKNY tracksuits, Pineapple Bacardi Breezers and cafe creme. Now, on the basis there's a 100% certainty that at least one of them is a bridesmaid, there's not a lot of optimisim I can inject, is there? That and the fact that I've heard that 2 of the ushers are now trying to sell their tickets on loot having had the tip off about her mother.
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On 21-Oct-04 at 13:41:46 BST, seller added the following information:
Blimey - it's all gone a bit Frey Bentos here hasn't it. I only popped out to Petsmart to get the winning bidder a present to take, and I've come back to about a billion questions. Haven't got the time to answer them all but most common ones are: Yes there is a dress code - anything in satin by FILA or UMBRO. Men can substitue ties for big jewellery. Yes the ladies must wear hats - baseball caps or beanies. There's no vegetarian option, although Pedigree Dry may very well be a starter. No, bidding does not include return fare to Brisbane. No, the invite will not get you into the bridal suite. YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO. REALLY. No, I won't marry you. Thanks though. No, I'm not a misogynist, and yes, I do feel guilty... ...but she really really really is a dog. Yes there's much more to this story, but not enough room here. Any publishers out there?
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On 21-Oct-04 at 15:17:06 BST, seller added the following information:
eBay have advised me that the current bid may not be genuine. I think 300 grand to go to the wedding of someone you've never met is pretty resonable, but they've advised me to do the pre-approved bidders thing. So sorry kids, but could bidders kindly email me and get pre-approved. Not my idea. promise. good luck.
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On 22-Oct-04 at 09:44:25 BST, seller added the following information:
Most of you have hit the nail on the head, you know. I still love the old dog, despite what she did to me. And, thanks to the Colchester Massiv’s “Honk if you’re Twinklydog’s Dog” campaign, she got in touch this morning and we’ve had a good chat. It’s a bit of a gamble, but I’m going to pull the auction, go to Aberdeen and see whether she’ll put a stop to this sham of a wedding and marry me instead. Hope you understand. The cab’s outside, I’ve got to go.
I've been invited to the wedding of a mate of mine who I used to know really well until he started going out with the girl he's going to marry. She's a dog. No really. I haven't seen them since I told her she's a dog over two years ago. They've stupidly invited me to their wedding, but I don't want to go. It's an invite to me '+plus 1" and involves the afternoon reception (a sit down meal in a 4 star restaurant) and evening piss up (a bus will carry you there, and drag you to the nearest b&b or trainstation after. Should be a good day out. All in all I reckon there's a good £150 worth of entertainment if you time it right. No one will know you're not me except the groom and he'll be so pissed trying to forget his new wife's a dog he won't notice. The only thing is, because she's such a dog, they might not get married, so I reserve the right to cancel the bidding.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On 16-Oct-04 at 08:59:59 BST, seller added the following information:
Since listing the tickets I've been contacted by quite a few people who think they're going to the same wedding. As it happens, 3 of you are and want to sell your tickets too. So this auction is now for 5 tickets to the wedding of a mate to a dog that we don't want to go to. Getting five of you into a wedding might be a bit of a gamble, so I'll keep the buy it now price the same, but you're now looking at at least £400 worth of free booze, good food. Even if you have to listen to her dad do karaoke, and watch her mum try to get off with the ushers.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On 18-Oct-04 at 11:50:06 BST, seller added the following information:
For those who've been asking, I can email photo's of the invite. I didn't want to post them as I thought the pink feather trmming might make it a bit too obvious which wedding I'm talking about. Suffice to say they play a pretty good version of 'livin' la vida loca' when opened.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On 19-Oct-04 at 15:29:39 BST, seller added the following information:
I'm getting a lot of questions, so thanks to everyone who's expressed an interest. Unfortunately I'm going to have to dissappoint most of you by telling you that the bridesmaids are likely to be dogs too. I know, it's a marital travesty. The bride's best mate works in a chippy in Colchester, and they always used to go boozing in Stoke with her aunt who I seem to remember had a penchant for DKNY tracksuits, Pineapple Bacardi Breezers and cafe creme. Now, on the basis there's a 100% certainty that at least one of them is a bridesmaid, there's not a lot of optimisim I can inject, is there? That and the fact that I've heard that 2 of the ushers are now trying to sell their tickets on loot having had the tip off about her mother.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On 21-Oct-04 at 13:41:46 BST, seller added the following information:
Blimey - it's all gone a bit Frey Bentos here hasn't it. I only popped out to Petsmart to get the winning bidder a present to take, and I've come back to about a billion questions. Haven't got the time to answer them all but most common ones are: Yes there is a dress code - anything in satin by FILA or UMBRO. Men can substitue ties for big jewellery. Yes the ladies must wear hats - baseball caps or beanies. There's no vegetarian option, although Pedigree Dry may very well be a starter. No, bidding does not include return fare to Brisbane. No, the invite will not get you into the bridal suite. YOU WOULDN'T WANT TO. REALLY. No, I won't marry you. Thanks though. No, I'm not a misogynist, and yes, I do feel guilty... ...but she really really really is a dog. Yes there's much more to this story, but not enough room here. Any publishers out there?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On 21-Oct-04 at 15:17:06 BST, seller added the following information:
eBay have advised me that the current bid may not be genuine. I think 300 grand to go to the wedding of someone you've never met is pretty resonable, but they've advised me to do the pre-approved bidders thing. So sorry kids, but could bidders kindly email me and get pre-approved. Not my idea. promise. good luck.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On 22-Oct-04 at 09:44:25 BST, seller added the following information:
Most of you have hit the nail on the head, you know. I still love the old dog, despite what she did to me. And, thanks to the Colchester Massiv’s “Honk if you’re Twinklydog’s Dog” campaign, she got in touch this morning and we’ve had a good chat. It’s a bit of a gamble, but I’m going to pull the auction, go to Aberdeen and see whether she’ll put a stop to this sham of a wedding and marry me instead. Hope you understand. The cab’s outside, I’ve got to go.
The Virgin Mary and the cheese toastie
eBayer punts Virgin Mary in grilled cheese sandwich - from The Register. Great stuff:
Ever had one of those momemts when a crucifix was not enough? When a christingle couldn't cut it? When you wanted to show your faith in a tangible, unequivocally ecumenical way?
Well, the answer is at hand! Prove your piety by purchasing the world's tastiest holy relic, the Virgin Mary in Grilled Cheese, currently at the low low price of $99,999,999.
The seller has provided irrefutable proof of divine provenance:
I made this sandwich 10 years ago, when I took a bite out of it, I saw a face looking up at me, It was Virgin Mary starring back at me, I was in total shock, I would like to point out there is no mold or disingration, The item has not been preserved or anything, It has been keep in a plastic case, not a special one that seals out air or potiental mold or bacteria, it is like a miracle, It has just preserved itself which in itself I consider a miracle, people ask me if I have had blessings since she has been in my home, I do feel I have, I have won $70,000 (total) on different occasions at the casino near by my house,
Clearly the Madonna has decreed that gambling shall no longer be held as sinful as well as exercising divine powers over the forces of corruption, including cheese-eating fungus.
The seller warns against foolish consumption of Our Lady, however:
I would like all bidders to know that this item is not intended for consumption, it is intended for collectable purposes only
All bidders must be pre-approved by the seller, presumably after undergoing a gruelling test of their faith via email.
Copied from The Register. ® Thanks guys, this is really funny!
Ever had one of those momemts when a crucifix was not enough? When a christingle couldn't cut it? When you wanted to show your faith in a tangible, unequivocally ecumenical way?
Well, the answer is at hand! Prove your piety by purchasing the world's tastiest holy relic, the Virgin Mary in Grilled Cheese, currently at the low low price of $99,999,999.
The seller has provided irrefutable proof of divine provenance:
I made this sandwich 10 years ago, when I took a bite out of it, I saw a face looking up at me, It was Virgin Mary starring back at me, I was in total shock, I would like to point out there is no mold or disingration, The item has not been preserved or anything, It has been keep in a plastic case, not a special one that seals out air or potiental mold or bacteria, it is like a miracle, It has just preserved itself which in itself I consider a miracle, people ask me if I have had blessings since she has been in my home, I do feel I have, I have won $70,000 (total) on different occasions at the casino near by my house,
Clearly the Madonna has decreed that gambling shall no longer be held as sinful as well as exercising divine powers over the forces of corruption, including cheese-eating fungus.
The seller warns against foolish consumption of Our Lady, however:
I would like all bidders to know that this item is not intended for consumption, it is intended for collectable purposes only
All bidders must be pre-approved by the seller, presumably after undergoing a gruelling test of their faith via email.
Copied from The Register. ® Thanks guys, this is really funny!
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Halo 2 meets the bow and arrow?
Trigger-happy surfers pop a cap in Bambi's ass. From The Register. Oh my god.
Monday, November 15, 2004
Monday, November 01, 2004
Friday, October 29, 2004
Monday, October 25, 2004
Thursday, October 07, 2004
Wednesday, October 06, 2004
Country music makes you kill yourself
This is the abstract from an article published in 1992 in Social Forces, for a study showing that listening to Country music increases your chances of suicide. But then you knew that....
The Effect of Country Music on Suicide
STEVEN STACK, Wayne State University JIM GUNDLACH, Auburn University
Abstract
This article assesses the link between country music and metropolitan suicide rates. Country music is hypothesized to nurture a suicidal mood through its concerns with problems common in the suicidal population, such as marital discord, alcohol abuse, and alienation from work. The results of a multiple regression analysis of 49 metropolitan areas show that the greater the airtime devoted to country music, the greater the white suicide rate. The effect is independent of divorce, southernness, poverty, and gun availability. The existence of a country music subculture is thought to reinforce the link between country music and suicide. Our model explains 51% of the variance in urban white suicide rates.
Sociological work on the relationship between art and society has been largely restricted to speculative, sociohistorical theories that are often mutually opposed. Some theorists see art as creating social structure ( Adorno 1973), while Sorokin ( 1937 ) suggests that society and art are manifested in cyclical autonomous spheres; and still others contend that art is a reflection of social structure ( Albrecht 1954). Little empirical work has been done on the impact of music on social problems. While some research has linked music to criminal behavior ( Singer, Levine & Jou 1990), the relationship between music and suicide remains largely unexplored. Music is not mentioned in reviews of the literature on suicide ( Lester 1983; Stack 1982, 1990b); instead, the impact of art on suicide has been largely restricted to analyses of television movies and soap operas (for a review, see Stack 1990b).
In this article, we explore the link between a particular form of popular music (country music) and metropolitan suicide rates. We contend that the themes found in country music foster a suicidal mood among people already at risk of suicide and that it is thereby associated with a high suicide rate. The effect is buttressed by the country subculture and a link between this subculture and a racial status related to an increased suicide risk.
The Effect of Country Music on Suicide
STEVEN STACK, Wayne State University JIM GUNDLACH, Auburn University
Abstract
This article assesses the link between country music and metropolitan suicide rates. Country music is hypothesized to nurture a suicidal mood through its concerns with problems common in the suicidal population, such as marital discord, alcohol abuse, and alienation from work. The results of a multiple regression analysis of 49 metropolitan areas show that the greater the airtime devoted to country music, the greater the white suicide rate. The effect is independent of divorce, southernness, poverty, and gun availability. The existence of a country music subculture is thought to reinforce the link between country music and suicide. Our model explains 51% of the variance in urban white suicide rates.
Sociological work on the relationship between art and society has been largely restricted to speculative, sociohistorical theories that are often mutually opposed. Some theorists see art as creating social structure ( Adorno 1973), while Sorokin ( 1937 ) suggests that society and art are manifested in cyclical autonomous spheres; and still others contend that art is a reflection of social structure ( Albrecht 1954). Little empirical work has been done on the impact of music on social problems. While some research has linked music to criminal behavior ( Singer, Levine & Jou 1990), the relationship between music and suicide remains largely unexplored. Music is not mentioned in reviews of the literature on suicide ( Lester 1983; Stack 1982, 1990b); instead, the impact of art on suicide has been largely restricted to analyses of television movies and soap operas (for a review, see Stack 1990b).
In this article, we explore the link between a particular form of popular music (country music) and metropolitan suicide rates. We contend that the themes found in country music foster a suicidal mood among people already at risk of suicide and that it is thereby associated with a high suicide rate. The effect is buttressed by the country subculture and a link between this subculture and a racial status related to an increased suicide risk.
Monday, October 04, 2004
Viking Laws
Taken from plone.org:
Be Brave and Aggressive:
Be direct
Grab all opportunities
Use varying methods of attack
Be versatile and agile
Attack one target at a time
Don't plan everything in detail
Use top quality weapons
Be Prepared:
Keep weapons in good conditions
Keep in shape
Find good battle comrades
Agree on important points
Choose one chief
Be a Good Merchant:
Find out what the market needs
Don't promise what you can't keep
Don't demand overpayment
Arrange things so that you can return
Keep the Camp in Order:
Keep things tidy and organized
Arrange enjoyable activities which strengthen the group
Make sure everybody does useful work
Consult all members of the group for advice
Be Brave and Aggressive:
Be direct
Grab all opportunities
Use varying methods of attack
Be versatile and agile
Attack one target at a time
Don't plan everything in detail
Use top quality weapons
Be Prepared:
Keep weapons in good conditions
Keep in shape
Find good battle comrades
Agree on important points
Choose one chief
Be a Good Merchant:
Find out what the market needs
Don't promise what you can't keep
Don't demand overpayment
Arrange things so that you can return
Keep the Camp in Order:
Keep things tidy and organized
Arrange enjoyable activities which strengthen the group
Make sure everybody does useful work
Consult all members of the group for advice
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Woman left injured in busy road
The state of Britain today. Or at least South London. Dog-eat-dog, huh?
Friday, September 24, 2004
Tuesday, September 21, 2004
Free phone booth at Burning Man
Free phone booth at Burning Man. The burning man is a bit strange, to say the least. I've been involved in a couple of this type of festival, and I can tell you, it's not pretty....
Monday, September 20, 2004
Friday, September 10, 2004
Shakespeare in quarto
Original copies of Shakespeare's plays from before 1642. Available to view online. Henry V is excellent.
Thursday, September 09, 2004
Differential Evolution Homepage
Differential Evolution Homepage - Differential Evolution Code in a variety of languages.
Wednesday, September 08, 2004
Tuesday, September 07, 2004
Monday, September 06, 2004
Thursday, September 02, 2004
Supercomputers on your desk
Cluster supercomputers that look like a normal PC. The next wave of computing??
Thursday, August 26, 2004
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
BBC NEWS %7C World %7C South Asia %7C Pilgrim carries mother on 17-year trek
BBC NEWS %7C World %7C South Asia %7C Pilgrim carries mother on 17-year trek. Words can't really describe this....
Wednesday, August 18, 2004
An Allegory of the PhD?
An allegory of the PhD?:
The story starts with Frodo: a young hobbit, quite bright, a bit dissatisfied with what he's learnt so far and with his mates back home who just seem to want to get jobs and settle down and drink. He's also very much in awe of his tutor and mentor, the very senior professor Gandalf, so when Gandalf suggests he take on a short project for him (carrying the Ring to Rivendell), Frodo very quickly encounters the shadowy forces of fear and despair which will haunt the rest of his journey and leave permanent scars on his psyche, but he also makes some useful friends. In particular, he spends an evening down at the pub with Aragorn, who has been wandering the world for many years as Gandalf's postdoc and becomes his adviser when Gandalf isn't around.
After Frodo has completed his first project,Gandalf (along with head of department Elrond) proposes that the work should be extended. He assembles a large research group, including visiting students Gimli and Legolas, the foreign postdoc Boromir,and several of Frodo's own friends from his undergraduate days. Frodo agrees to tackle this larger project, though he has mixed feelings about it. ("'I will take the Ring', he said, 'although I do not know why.'")
Very rapidly, things go wrong. First, Gandalf disappears and has no more interaction with Frodo until everything is over. (Frodo assumes his supervisor is dead: in fact, he's simply found a more interesting topic and is working on that instead.) At his first international conference in Lorien, Frodo is cross-examined terrifyingly by Galadriel, and betrayed by Boromir, who is anxious to get the credit for the work himself. Frodo cuts himself off from the rest of his team: from now on, he will only discuss his work with Sam, an old friend who doesn't really understand what it's all about, but in any case is prepared to give Frodo credit for being rather cleverer than he is. Then he sets out towards Mordor.
The last and darkest period of Frodo's journey clearly represents the writing-up stage, as he struggles towards Mount Doom (submission), finding his burden growing heavier and heavier yet more and more a part of himself; more and more terrified of failure; plagued by the figure of Gollum, the student who carried the Ring before him but never wrote up and still hangs around as a burnt-out, jealous shadow; talking less and less even to Sam. When he submits the Ring to the fire, it is in desperate confusion rather than with confidence, and for a while the world seems empty.
Eventually it is over: the Ring is gone, everyone congratulates him, and for a few days he can convince himself that his troubles are over. But there is one more obstacle to overcome: months later, back in the Shire, he must confront the external examiner Saruman, an old enemy of Gandalf, who seeks to humiliate and destroy his rival's protege. With the help of his friends and colleagues, Frodo passes through this ordeal, but discovers at the end that victory has no reward.
While his friends return to settling down and finding jobs and starting families, Frodo remains in limbo; finally, along with Gandalf, Elrond and many others, he joins the brain drain across the Western ocean to the new land.
The story starts with Frodo: a young hobbit, quite bright, a bit dissatisfied with what he's learnt so far and with his mates back home who just seem to want to get jobs and settle down and drink. He's also very much in awe of his tutor and mentor, the very senior professor Gandalf, so when Gandalf suggests he take on a short project for him (carrying the Ring to Rivendell), Frodo very quickly encounters the shadowy forces of fear and despair which will haunt the rest of his journey and leave permanent scars on his psyche, but he also makes some useful friends. In particular, he spends an evening down at the pub with Aragorn, who has been wandering the world for many years as Gandalf's postdoc and becomes his adviser when Gandalf isn't around.
After Frodo has completed his first project,Gandalf (along with head of department Elrond) proposes that the work should be extended. He assembles a large research group, including visiting students Gimli and Legolas, the foreign postdoc Boromir,and several of Frodo's own friends from his undergraduate days. Frodo agrees to tackle this larger project, though he has mixed feelings about it. ("'I will take the Ring', he said, 'although I do not know why.'")
Very rapidly, things go wrong. First, Gandalf disappears and has no more interaction with Frodo until everything is over. (Frodo assumes his supervisor is dead: in fact, he's simply found a more interesting topic and is working on that instead.) At his first international conference in Lorien, Frodo is cross-examined terrifyingly by Galadriel, and betrayed by Boromir, who is anxious to get the credit for the work himself. Frodo cuts himself off from the rest of his team: from now on, he will only discuss his work with Sam, an old friend who doesn't really understand what it's all about, but in any case is prepared to give Frodo credit for being rather cleverer than he is. Then he sets out towards Mordor.
The last and darkest period of Frodo's journey clearly represents the writing-up stage, as he struggles towards Mount Doom (submission), finding his burden growing heavier and heavier yet more and more a part of himself; more and more terrified of failure; plagued by the figure of Gollum, the student who carried the Ring before him but never wrote up and still hangs around as a burnt-out, jealous shadow; talking less and less even to Sam. When he submits the Ring to the fire, it is in desperate confusion rather than with confidence, and for a while the world seems empty.
Eventually it is over: the Ring is gone, everyone congratulates him, and for a few days he can convince himself that his troubles are over. But there is one more obstacle to overcome: months later, back in the Shire, he must confront the external examiner Saruman, an old enemy of Gandalf, who seeks to humiliate and destroy his rival's protege. With the help of his friends and colleagues, Frodo passes through this ordeal, but discovers at the end that victory has no reward.
While his friends return to settling down and finding jobs and starting families, Frodo remains in limbo; finally, along with Gandalf, Elrond and many others, he joins the brain drain across the Western ocean to the new land.
Friday, August 13, 2004
Mao and forever
Su is frank about the limits imposed on him. “History textbooks are a public interpretation of the country’s political will,” he says. “Editors are therefore like birds dancing in a cage.”
Wednesday, August 11, 2004
Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Monday, August 09, 2004
Wednesday, August 04, 2004
Oops, Wrong Car. Sorry.
A German woman became so furious after a fight with her husband she stormed out of the house armed with a hammer and smashed up his car -- before realizing she had vandalized the wrong vehicle, police said Wednesday.
The 43-year-old from Essen, western Germany, told police she shattered the windshield, broke the headlights and wrenched off the wing mirrors, causing more than $1,200 in damage, because she was filled with rage after a telephone quarrel.
After going back indoors she realized she had battered the wrong car. Only noticing the color, she had attacked her neighbor's blue Opel Corsa and not the blue Ford Fiesta belonging to her spouse.
The 43-year-old from Essen, western Germany, told police she shattered the windshield, broke the headlights and wrenched off the wing mirrors, causing more than $1,200 in damage, because she was filled with rage after a telephone quarrel.
After going back indoors she realized she had battered the wrong car. Only noticing the color, she had attacked her neighbor's blue Opel Corsa and not the blue Ford Fiesta belonging to her spouse.
Friday, July 30, 2004
Spot the Fed
At the next DefCon conference, they're having a competition to spot the undercover surveillance:
'DOUBLE SECRET NOTE TO FEDS: This year I am printing up extra "I am the Fed!" shirts, and will be trading them for coffee mugs, shirts or baseball hats from your favorite TLA. If you want to swap bring along some goodies and we can trade. Be stealth about it if you don't want people to spot you. Agents from foreign governments are welcome to trade too, but I gotta work on my mug collection and this is the fastest way.'
'DOUBLE SECRET NOTE TO FEDS: This year I am printing up extra "I am the Fed!" shirts, and will be trading them for coffee mugs, shirts or baseball hats from your favorite TLA. If you want to swap bring along some goodies and we can trade. Be stealth about it if you don't want people to spot you. Agents from foreign governments are welcome to trade too, but I gotta work on my mug collection and this is the fastest way.'
Friday, July 23, 2004
The BBC, the lost tape and the 6-foot fridge
Apparently, someone in London recently sent an urgent video tape via courier which duly arrived in the post room at said outpost of The Corporation. One of the operatives therein - noticing that the label was peeling off - decided to replace it with a new one. He removed the original and stuck it on the fridge, intending to copy the address after lunch.
The next morning, the sender of the tape was surprised to find this voice message on his mobile. Enjoy:
"First saved message: message received yesterday at 9.20am."
"Hi Paul, this is Beth. We have an emergency. Apparently you gave the courier a six-foot fridge to be delivered to BBC Bristol instead of the tape we need in the studio today. Could you call me on 0117-xxx-xxxx as soon as you get this message? Bye."
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Makeover-o-matic
A useful website for you girls to try out different looks. There are other websites too.
Monday, July 19, 2004
Wednesday, June 30, 2004
The Everlasting Staircase
The treadmill, also (rarely) called Colonel Chesterton's everlasting staircase after its inventor, was introduced by England's Prison Discipline Society. Developed in the early 1820s, it was designed to exhaust and demoralise difficult inmates, and to encourage repentance and the 'abandonment of vicious pursuits'. Its presence in prisons was also to inspire dread of punishment by prospective criminals. Use of the treadmill was abandoned around 1900 after it was concluded to cause grevious injuries and to inflict psychological trauma on the victim. Ironically, most modern gyms now contain treadmills (running machines or Stairmasters), the use of which is paid for by large subscriptions.
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
Sunday, June 27, 2004
Saturday, June 26, 2004
Friday, June 25, 2004
WiGLE - Wireless Geographic Logging Engine - Plotting WiFi on Maps
WiGLE - Wireless Geographic Logging Engine - Plotting WiFi on Maps - shows just how poor wireless security actually is....
Monday, June 21, 2004
The funniest movie ever to come out of Germany
A German health and saftey video for fork lift truck drivers. Genius.
Thursday, June 17, 2004
Tuesday, June 15, 2004
Avon and Somerset Constabulary - Examples of real 999 calls
The stupid calls that the police have to deal with in this country. Give them a break - only use 999 for serious things....
Cloak of Invisibility
Optical Camouflage form the University of Tokyo. This is really really cool. Take a look at the videos to see what I mean.
Friday, June 11, 2004
Wednesday, June 09, 2004
Tuesday, June 08, 2004
Monday, June 07, 2004
Building a safer NHS for patients: Improving Medication Safety
Report on Medication Safety. 5% of medications are in error. Yikes!
Saturday, June 05, 2004
The Fishman Affidavit
The curious affair of The Fishman Affidavit. How the barmy Scientologists were outed by the courts.
The Draft IP Enforcement Directive
An article on the threat to liberty from new Intellectual Property law.
How to control information
I've been quite naive about information up until now. These guys makes the following points about information:
Point 1: Information is costly to produce but inexpensive to reproduce.
The competition between Britannica Encyclopedia and Microsoft's Funk & Wagnalls brings reader into this topic. The cost change of information products is coming up with the shifting of pricing models and corresponding versions of a product to create both the maximum revenue opportunities and establish the largest number of members of the product's network of users.
Strategy: Personalize your product and your prices
There are three ways to pricing information: personalized pricing, group pricing and versioning. Let's analogize those strategies to the modern fashion industry, a fashion designer can tailor dresses specifically for the need of one customer (personalized pricing) or a group of customer (group pricing). At the same time, he/she also designs different styles (different versions of your products) which are hanged in the window of shopping center. This allows customers to select the styles (versions) that best meets their needs and enables you to pick up as wide a base of customers as possible. There are variety of dimensions along which you can version your products: delay, user interface, convenience, image resolution, speed of operation, flexibility of use, capability, features and functions, comprehensiveness, annoyance, support.
Point 2: Switching costs and lock-in
The total cost of switching = cost the customer bears + costs the new supplier bears. In companies' stance, products that can achieve "lock-in" will benefit from the "switching costs" that preclude customers from switching-over to competing solutions. The more successful you are at getting customers more locked-in to your products, the more successful you will be in keeping customers at peak prices.
Strategy:
1.Invest to build an installed base. 2.Cultivate influential buyers and buyers with high switching costs. 3.Get your customers to invest in your technology, thereby raising their own switching costs. 4.Sell complementary products and access to your installed base
Point 3: Positive feedback
The value of your product to new users depends on the total number of other users there are (externalities). As the base of users grows, more and more users add in. In information economy, the companies that have been propelled forward by positive feedback will become the biggest winners. So, it is the ultimate metric of success that each company pursues.
Strategy:
There are four generic strategies in network markets for igniting positive feedback, Controlled Migration (Windows 98), Performance Play (Iomega Zip), Open Migration (fax machines), Discontinuity (records to CDs).
Point 4: Standardization
The key assets in winning standards battle are: 1. Control of an installed base, 2. Intellectual property rights, 3. Ability to innovate, 4. First mover advantages, 5. Manufacturing abilities, 6. Presence in complimentary products, and 7. Brand name and reputation. Preemption and expectations management are two basic marketplace tactics that companies will need to employ.
Point 5: Intellectual property
Given the low cost of reproduction and quick, cheap and invisible distribution, protecting and managing intellectual property are more difficult. Although authors believe that the technological advance offer new opportunities which are far outweigh this rights problem, the solutions recommended here are relatively weak and difficult to carry out.
Strategy:
Take advantage of the lower distribution costs by promoting your products more effectively. Such as giving away free samples to sell the content, selling complementary products, choosing the terms and conditions that maximize the value of your property.
Point 1: Information is costly to produce but inexpensive to reproduce.
The competition between Britannica Encyclopedia and Microsoft's Funk & Wagnalls brings reader into this topic. The cost change of information products is coming up with the shifting of pricing models and corresponding versions of a product to create both the maximum revenue opportunities and establish the largest number of members of the product's network of users.
Strategy: Personalize your product and your prices
There are three ways to pricing information: personalized pricing, group pricing and versioning. Let's analogize those strategies to the modern fashion industry, a fashion designer can tailor dresses specifically for the need of one customer (personalized pricing) or a group of customer (group pricing). At the same time, he/she also designs different styles (different versions of your products) which are hanged in the window of shopping center. This allows customers to select the styles (versions) that best meets their needs and enables you to pick up as wide a base of customers as possible. There are variety of dimensions along which you can version your products: delay, user interface, convenience, image resolution, speed of operation, flexibility of use, capability, features and functions, comprehensiveness, annoyance, support.
Point 2: Switching costs and lock-in
The total cost of switching = cost the customer bears + costs the new supplier bears. In companies' stance, products that can achieve "lock-in" will benefit from the "switching costs" that preclude customers from switching-over to competing solutions. The more successful you are at getting customers more locked-in to your products, the more successful you will be in keeping customers at peak prices.
Strategy:
1.Invest to build an installed base. 2.Cultivate influential buyers and buyers with high switching costs. 3.Get your customers to invest in your technology, thereby raising their own switching costs. 4.Sell complementary products and access to your installed base
Point 3: Positive feedback
The value of your product to new users depends on the total number of other users there are (externalities). As the base of users grows, more and more users add in. In information economy, the companies that have been propelled forward by positive feedback will become the biggest winners. So, it is the ultimate metric of success that each company pursues.
Strategy:
There are four generic strategies in network markets for igniting positive feedback, Controlled Migration (Windows 98), Performance Play (Iomega Zip), Open Migration (fax machines), Discontinuity (records to CDs).
Point 4: Standardization
The key assets in winning standards battle are: 1. Control of an installed base, 2. Intellectual property rights, 3. Ability to innovate, 4. First mover advantages, 5. Manufacturing abilities, 6. Presence in complimentary products, and 7. Brand name and reputation. Preemption and expectations management are two basic marketplace tactics that companies will need to employ.
Point 5: Intellectual property
Given the low cost of reproduction and quick, cheap and invisible distribution, protecting and managing intellectual property are more difficult. Although authors believe that the technological advance offer new opportunities which are far outweigh this rights problem, the solutions recommended here are relatively weak and difficult to carry out.
Strategy:
Take advantage of the lower distribution costs by promoting your products more effectively. Such as giving away free samples to sell the content, selling complementary products, choosing the terms and conditions that maximize the value of your property.
Ch'ing China: The Opium Wars
An article about the Opium Wars. We wer chatting about this at lunch the other day. Interestingly another article relates this to Bill Gates' recent attempts to pursue the Trusted Computing initiative largely to make people pay for software. Open Source is the answer to this effective monopoly on our technology.
Teen sues over 'lesbian Barbie' shirt ban
Natalie Young sued her school when she was told to go home for wearing a T-shirt that said 'Barbie is a Lesbian'. The school said it was inappropriate. Natalie said it infringed her 'civil rights', as she was an openly gay girl and this repressed her in some way. She was 15 at the time. Go figure. More American rubbish.
European Peaks
Iceland, Hvanndalshnukar - 2119m
Denmark, Yding Skovhoj - 173m
Norway, Galdhoppigen - 2469m
Sweden, Kebnekaise - 2111m
Finland, Haltlatunturi - 1328m
Estonia, Sur Munamagi - 318m
Latvia, Gaizina Kaln - 311m
Lithunia, Juozapine - 294m
Belarus, Dzyarzhynskaya - 346m
Hungary, Kekes - 1015m
Ukraine, Hoverla - 2061m
Moldova, Mt. Balaneshty - 430m
Romania, Moldoveanu - 2544m
Armenia, Mt. Aragats - 4090m
Russia, Mt. Elberus - 5642m
Cyprus, Mt. Olympus - 1915m
Greece, Mt. Olympus - 2917m
Macedonia, Rudoka - 2747m
Bulgaria, Musala - 2925m
Albania, Mt. Korab - 2751m
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Maglic - 2387m
Croatia, Dinara - 1831m
Slovakia, Gerlachkovka, 2655m
Poland, Mt. Rysy - 2499m
Czech Republic, Snezka - 1602m
Austria, Grossglockner - 3797m
Slovenia, Triglav - 2864m
San Marino, Monte Titano - 739m
Malta, Ta'Gidem - 249m
Vatican, Castelgandolfo - 426m
Germany, Zugspitze - 2962m
Liechtenstein, Grauspitze - 2599m
Switzerland, Dufourspitze - 4634m
Italy, Gran Paradiso - 4061m
France, Mt. Blanc - 4807m
Monaco, Chemin de Revoires - 162m
Andorra, Coma Pedrosa - 2949m
Spain (Canaries), Pico Tiede - 3718m
Portugal (Azores), Pico - 2315m
Luxembourg, Huldange/Buurgplaatz - 559m
Netherlands, Vaaiserberg - 321m
Belgium, Botrage - 694m
Ireland, Carrauntuohill - 1041m
United Kingdom, Ben Nevis - 1343m
Kosovo, Daravica - 2656m
Georgia, Shkara - 5068m
Turkey, Ararat - 5137m
Denmark, Yding Skovhoj - 173m
Norway, Galdhoppigen - 2469m
Sweden, Kebnekaise - 2111m
Finland, Haltlatunturi - 1328m
Estonia, Sur Munamagi - 318m
Latvia, Gaizina Kaln - 311m
Lithunia, Juozapine - 294m
Belarus, Dzyarzhynskaya - 346m
Hungary, Kekes - 1015m
Ukraine, Hoverla - 2061m
Moldova, Mt. Balaneshty - 430m
Romania, Moldoveanu - 2544m
Armenia, Mt. Aragats - 4090m
Russia, Mt. Elberus - 5642m
Cyprus, Mt. Olympus - 1915m
Greece, Mt. Olympus - 2917m
Macedonia, Rudoka - 2747m
Bulgaria, Musala - 2925m
Albania, Mt. Korab - 2751m
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Maglic - 2387m
Croatia, Dinara - 1831m
Slovakia, Gerlachkovka, 2655m
Poland, Mt. Rysy - 2499m
Czech Republic, Snezka - 1602m
Austria, Grossglockner - 3797m
Slovenia, Triglav - 2864m
San Marino, Monte Titano - 739m
Malta, Ta'Gidem - 249m
Vatican, Castelgandolfo - 426m
Germany, Zugspitze - 2962m
Liechtenstein, Grauspitze - 2599m
Switzerland, Dufourspitze - 4634m
Italy, Gran Paradiso - 4061m
France, Mt. Blanc - 4807m
Monaco, Chemin de Revoires - 162m
Andorra, Coma Pedrosa - 2949m
Spain (Canaries), Pico Tiede - 3718m
Portugal (Azores), Pico - 2315m
Luxembourg, Huldange/Buurgplaatz - 559m
Netherlands, Vaaiserberg - 321m
Belgium, Botrage - 694m
Ireland, Carrauntuohill - 1041m
United Kingdom, Ben Nevis - 1343m
Kosovo, Daravica - 2656m
Georgia, Shkara - 5068m
Turkey, Ararat - 5137m
Friday, June 04, 2004
Facts - maybe true or false!
If you yelled for eight years, seven months and six days you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee.
The male praying mantis cannot copulate while its head is attached to its body. The female initiates sex by ripping the male's head off.
A 10-gallon hat only holds 3/4 of a gallon.
35 percent of people using dating services are already married.
10% of Russia's income comes from selling vodka.
All of the clocks in 'Pulp Fiction' are stuck on 4:20.
American Airlines save $40,000 in 1987 by removing one olive from each salad served to first class passengers.
North America is 38% wilderness. Only 28% of Africa is wilderness.
If she were life-size, Barbie would be 39-23-33.
36% of Americans think that God has spoken individually to them.
If you're brainy, you have more zinc and copper in your hair.
The youngest pope was 11.
Jupiter is bigger than all the other planets combined.
Each king in a pack of cards represents a great ruler from history: Spades - King David; Clubs - Alexander the Great; Hearts - Charlemagne; Diamonds - Julius Caesar.
Also see this page.
The male praying mantis cannot copulate while its head is attached to its body. The female initiates sex by ripping the male's head off.
A 10-gallon hat only holds 3/4 of a gallon.
35 percent of people using dating services are already married.
10% of Russia's income comes from selling vodka.
All of the clocks in 'Pulp Fiction' are stuck on 4:20.
American Airlines save $40,000 in 1987 by removing one olive from each salad served to first class passengers.
North America is 38% wilderness. Only 28% of Africa is wilderness.
If she were life-size, Barbie would be 39-23-33.
36% of Americans think that God has spoken individually to them.
If you're brainy, you have more zinc and copper in your hair.
The youngest pope was 11.
Jupiter is bigger than all the other planets combined.
Each king in a pack of cards represents a great ruler from history: Spades - King David; Clubs - Alexander the Great; Hearts - Charlemagne; Diamonds - Julius Caesar.
Also see this page.
Thursday, June 03, 2004
Wednesday, June 02, 2004
Friday, May 28, 2004
Suppression of the Knights Templar
Formed in 1118 to protect pilgrims headed for Jerusalem, the Templars were simultaneously a religious and military order. Also known as the 'Poor Knights of Christ' they helped Plunder the holy land, making a large fortune which allowed them to set up what was effectively Europe's first international banking system. They provided many loans to enable various crusades to take place. Based in France, they drew the envy of the weak king Philippe IV, and his minister Marigny, who suppressed the order in 1312. Branding them 'ravening wolves, a perfidious, idolatrous society, whose works and words alone are sufficient to pollute the earth and infect the air', most were arrested, tortured and executed. Some were accused of worshipping a preserved, severed head called 'Baphomet', held by some to be the remains of St. John the Baptist. Modern theories link them to an ancient Egyptian order of stonemasons related to the monotheist king Akhenaten; he was driven from Egypt and possibly to Spain, whereon the masonic teachings were passed to the Templars. After their suppression it is said that some took refuge in Scotland (at that time allied strongly to France), and after many years resurfaced as the modern Freemason society. Graves with Templar motifs can be found in Scottish churchyars. The Templars have also resurfaced as an independent organisation, which among other things now offers student loans.
Thursday, May 27, 2004
Is Islam in the same condition Christianity was 500 years ago?
I saw this article last night, and posted a reply:
That's a good overview. I would add in the the US/UK are acting in the Middle East in a similar way the Holy Roman Empire did amongst the Italian states, or like England did amongst the pre-Norman Irish kingdoms. In the latter, Norman mercenaries fought on one side of a squabble between nascent kinglets in Ireland, which eventually drew the Norman kings into a quagmire in Ireland that they've never got out of (1000 years on).
The US/UK been drawn into a conflict between the various (short-lived) states on the basis of dodgy WMD evidence cooked up by Chalabi and his Shia chums. A UK Guardian article yesterday went through the evidence that Iran wants to see Shia supremacy in the region, so 'planted' intelligence so that it could pull in a big ally to destroy its neighbour. The same thing happens in schoolyards where one kid lies to his bigger brother about another kid he doesn't like ('he hit me!'), and then big brother comes along and kicks the other kid.
One thing that's missing from this analysis is that many of these extremists do equate religion with state, and see the struggle for one as the struggle for the other - there is no separation of the two in their minds. It's a bit like Catholicism, which 'officially' equates being a Catholic with being a Christian - if you're not a Catholic, you're not a Christian (I'm a Catholic, by the way!). The al-Saud family are of this persuasion, which is why they went into Riyadh about 100 years ago, killed the ruling group there and created Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is constructed as a state which exists to further Islam. This is where a lot of the present Islamic thinking that drives al-Qaeda and the rest. (we're not bombing them though, are we?)
Anyway, enough ramblings.
That's a good overview. I would add in the the US/UK are acting in the Middle East in a similar way the Holy Roman Empire did amongst the Italian states, or like England did amongst the pre-Norman Irish kingdoms. In the latter, Norman mercenaries fought on one side of a squabble between nascent kinglets in Ireland, which eventually drew the Norman kings into a quagmire in Ireland that they've never got out of (1000 years on).
The US/UK been drawn into a conflict between the various (short-lived) states on the basis of dodgy WMD evidence cooked up by Chalabi and his Shia chums. A UK Guardian article yesterday went through the evidence that Iran wants to see Shia supremacy in the region, so 'planted' intelligence so that it could pull in a big ally to destroy its neighbour. The same thing happens in schoolyards where one kid lies to his bigger brother about another kid he doesn't like ('he hit me!'), and then big brother comes along and kicks the other kid.
One thing that's missing from this analysis is that many of these extremists do equate religion with state, and see the struggle for one as the struggle for the other - there is no separation of the two in their minds. It's a bit like Catholicism, which 'officially' equates being a Catholic with being a Christian - if you're not a Catholic, you're not a Christian (I'm a Catholic, by the way!). The al-Saud family are of this persuasion, which is why they went into Riyadh about 100 years ago, killed the ruling group there and created Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is constructed as a state which exists to further Islam. This is where a lot of the present Islamic thinking that drives al-Qaeda and the rest. (we're not bombing them though, are we?)
Anyway, enough ramblings.
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
Monday, May 24, 2004
I've just read in Saturday's Guardian (May 22 2004) - yes, I know it's a crap paper, but it had a free CD - that cuddly Ken Livingstone is even better than I thought. He thinks that 4-wheel drive vehicles in London are all driven by wankers ('idiots' he calls them, but we know what he means). And he's right of course. He also calls them 'Chelsea tractors', which I hadn't heard before - they're probably called that as the kids in the back often look like pigs I guess. If you have a 4WD vehicle (also called SUVs in the US), please set fire to it now to save me the trouble. Well, I suppose it's handy when the mums have to negotiate the grass verge outside the school.
My mate Jon gave me a good game to play with 4WD/SUV names. Basically, you put the word 'Anal' in front of the name: it's funny more often than you think. e.g. 'Anal Dominator', 'Anal Explorer' etc. ad nauseam.
Incidentally, they did a survey in South Warrington of speeding vehicles (as reported in the Warrington Guardian some weeks ago). They found that 85% of drivers exceeding the speed limit were mums driving their kids to school in the morning. Of course, these are the same mums that don't let their kids walk to school because of the dangerous traffic. Go figure.
I was hit by a taxi the other day as I was turning out of my cul-de-sac. The whys and wherefores of who's at fault I won't go into (it was probably mine, in other words). But what annoyed me most about the incident is that the taxi was on its way to pick up some kid from his house to ferry him to school. This is a small town, and the school is about 1o minutes' walk away. But the kid is still picked up for both journeys, five days a week. I bet he's fat too.
More despair and loathing tomorrow. At least Ken's ok.
My mate Jon gave me a good game to play with 4WD/SUV names. Basically, you put the word 'Anal' in front of the name: it's funny more often than you think. e.g. 'Anal Dominator', 'Anal Explorer' etc. ad nauseam.
Incidentally, they did a survey in South Warrington of speeding vehicles (as reported in the Warrington Guardian some weeks ago). They found that 85% of drivers exceeding the speed limit were mums driving their kids to school in the morning. Of course, these are the same mums that don't let their kids walk to school because of the dangerous traffic. Go figure.
I was hit by a taxi the other day as I was turning out of my cul-de-sac. The whys and wherefores of who's at fault I won't go into (it was probably mine, in other words). But what annoyed me most about the incident is that the taxi was on its way to pick up some kid from his house to ferry him to school. This is a small town, and the school is about 1o minutes' walk away. But the kid is still picked up for both journeys, five days a week. I bet he's fat too.
More despair and loathing tomorrow. At least Ken's ok.
From the L.A.Times:
In 1922, just after his second term as president, Woodrow Wilson was asked for his thoughts on Darwinian theory.
"Of course, like every other man of intelligence and education, I do believe in organic evolution," he replied. "It surprises me that at this late date such questions should be raised."
Now imagine Wilson's downright astonishment had he been informed that in 2004, more than eight decades later, the state schools superintendent in Georgia would propose excising the word "evolution" from the biology curriculum.
There are few backers these days for the argument that we have reached "the end of history." However, a glance at some of the dominant ideas of the last couple of decades raises an even more startling possibility: that history, far from halting, has gone into reverse gear.
This may explain why so many of the case studies in Charles Mackay's classic 1841 history of human folly, "Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds," are reflected in the more recent episodes I've been studying.
The dot-com lunacy of the late 1990s, for instance, when companies with no discernible income achieved higher market valuations than big and well-established industrial corporations, was eerily reminiscent of previous investment manias such as the South Sea Bubble and the Dutch tulip craze, both of which were recounted at length by Mackay.
Mackay also mocked Nostradamus, observing with amused incredulity that this 16th century astrologer still had some followers in "the Walloon country of Belgium," among "old farmer-wives." Yet the self-same Nostradamus raced up the bestseller lists in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, and few if any of those 21st century readers could be classified as "old farmer-wives."
Charles Mackay's book is largely a history of the pre-Enlightenment - an age of witch hunts and holy relics, alchemy and geomancy. But we've grown out of that now, haven't we? Apparently not.
Over the last 25 years or so, after two centuries of gradual ascendancy, Enlightenment values of reason, secularism and scientific empiricism have come under fierce assault from a grotesquely incongruous coalition of radical deconstructionists and medieval flat-earthers, New Age mystics and Old Testament fundamentalists.
The space vacated by notions of history and progress has been colonized by cults, quackery, gurus, irrational panics, moral confusion and an epidemic of gibberish. A Gallup poll in 1993, for example, found that only 11% of Americans accepted the standard scientific account of evolution, whereas 47% maintained that "God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years or so." Another poll revealed that 49% of Americans believed in demonic possession, 36% in telepathy and 25% in astrology. It is as if the Enlightenment never happened.
There have been astonishing scientific advances in the last quarter-century, exemplified by the creation of the Internet and the mapping of the human genome. In spite of this - or, more likely, because of it - millions of Westerners now seek consolation from mumbo-jumbo merchants and snake-oil vendors.
Even British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who styles himself a modernizer and recites the mantra "education, education, education," has praised creationist teachers at a state-funded school in the north of England who seek to establish the Book of Genesis as the main biology textbook. Blair and his wife underwent a "rebirthing experience" while holidaying on the Mexican Riviera three years ago. "The Blairs were offered watermelon and papaya, then told to smear what they did not eat over each other's bodies along with mud from the Mayan jungle outside," the London Times reported. "Before leaving, the Blairs were told to scream out loud to signify the pain of rebirth."
Rational argument is increasingly obscured by a swirling fog of emotionalism and superstition - and, as Blair has proved, even the highest and mightiest are not immune. Remember Nancy Reagan's astrologer? Or President Clinton's brainstorming weekend with Hollywood mystic Marianne Williamson, self-styled "sacred psychologist" Jean Houston and management gurus Anthony Robbins and Stephen R. Covey?
The sleep of reason brings forth monsters. Some are manifestly sinister, others perhaps merely comical - harmless pastimes, as Nancy Reagan said of her reliance on horoscopes. Cumulatively, however, the proliferation of obscurant bunkum is a menace to the Enlightenment legacy bequeathed to America by Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin. Where is H.L. Mencken when we need him?
Francis Wheen is the author of "Idiot Proof: Deluded Celebrities, Irrational Power-Brokers, Media Morons and the Erosion of Common Sense" (Public Affairs, 2004).
In 1922, just after his second term as president, Woodrow Wilson was asked for his thoughts on Darwinian theory.
"Of course, like every other man of intelligence and education, I do believe in organic evolution," he replied. "It surprises me that at this late date such questions should be raised."
Now imagine Wilson's downright astonishment had he been informed that in 2004, more than eight decades later, the state schools superintendent in Georgia would propose excising the word "evolution" from the biology curriculum.
There are few backers these days for the argument that we have reached "the end of history." However, a glance at some of the dominant ideas of the last couple of decades raises an even more startling possibility: that history, far from halting, has gone into reverse gear.
This may explain why so many of the case studies in Charles Mackay's classic 1841 history of human folly, "Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds," are reflected in the more recent episodes I've been studying.
The dot-com lunacy of the late 1990s, for instance, when companies with no discernible income achieved higher market valuations than big and well-established industrial corporations, was eerily reminiscent of previous investment manias such as the South Sea Bubble and the Dutch tulip craze, both of which were recounted at length by Mackay.
Mackay also mocked Nostradamus, observing with amused incredulity that this 16th century astrologer still had some followers in "the Walloon country of Belgium," among "old farmer-wives." Yet the self-same Nostradamus raced up the bestseller lists in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, and few if any of those 21st century readers could be classified as "old farmer-wives."
Charles Mackay's book is largely a history of the pre-Enlightenment - an age of witch hunts and holy relics, alchemy and geomancy. But we've grown out of that now, haven't we? Apparently not.
Over the last 25 years or so, after two centuries of gradual ascendancy, Enlightenment values of reason, secularism and scientific empiricism have come under fierce assault from a grotesquely incongruous coalition of radical deconstructionists and medieval flat-earthers, New Age mystics and Old Testament fundamentalists.
The space vacated by notions of history and progress has been colonized by cults, quackery, gurus, irrational panics, moral confusion and an epidemic of gibberish. A Gallup poll in 1993, for example, found that only 11% of Americans accepted the standard scientific account of evolution, whereas 47% maintained that "God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years or so." Another poll revealed that 49% of Americans believed in demonic possession, 36% in telepathy and 25% in astrology. It is as if the Enlightenment never happened.
There have been astonishing scientific advances in the last quarter-century, exemplified by the creation of the Internet and the mapping of the human genome. In spite of this - or, more likely, because of it - millions of Westerners now seek consolation from mumbo-jumbo merchants and snake-oil vendors.
Even British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who styles himself a modernizer and recites the mantra "education, education, education," has praised creationist teachers at a state-funded school in the north of England who seek to establish the Book of Genesis as the main biology textbook. Blair and his wife underwent a "rebirthing experience" while holidaying on the Mexican Riviera three years ago. "The Blairs were offered watermelon and papaya, then told to smear what they did not eat over each other's bodies along with mud from the Mayan jungle outside," the London Times reported. "Before leaving, the Blairs were told to scream out loud to signify the pain of rebirth."
Rational argument is increasingly obscured by a swirling fog of emotionalism and superstition - and, as Blair has proved, even the highest and mightiest are not immune. Remember Nancy Reagan's astrologer? Or President Clinton's brainstorming weekend with Hollywood mystic Marianne Williamson, self-styled "sacred psychologist" Jean Houston and management gurus Anthony Robbins and Stephen R. Covey?
The sleep of reason brings forth monsters. Some are manifestly sinister, others perhaps merely comical - harmless pastimes, as Nancy Reagan said of her reliance on horoscopes. Cumulatively, however, the proliferation of obscurant bunkum is a menace to the Enlightenment legacy bequeathed to America by Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin. Where is H.L. Mencken when we need him?
Francis Wheen is the author of "Idiot Proof: Deluded Celebrities, Irrational Power-Brokers, Media Morons and the Erosion of Common Sense" (Public Affairs, 2004).
Friday, May 21, 2004
On the subject of statistics, Eric Meyer has an interesting article on this: We Need Some References, STATS!.
Tuesday, May 18, 2004
Understanding 'Mean Time Between Failure': Coupling, Complexity and Normal Accidents
In 1984, Charles Perrow wrote an amazing book titled Normal Accidents: Living with High Risk Technologies. In it he observed that system accidents can be the result of one big failure, but most often are caused by the unexpected interactions between failures of multiple components.
In other words, complex systems whose components are tightly integrated typically fail through the culmination of multiple components failing and interacting in unexpected ways. For example, it's very rare that a plane has a wing fall off mid-flight. It's far more likely that several component failures interact in unpredictable ways that, when combined, cause a catastrophe.
In 1984, Charles Perrow wrote an amazing book titled Normal Accidents: Living with High Risk Technologies. In it he observed that system accidents can be the result of one big failure, but most often are caused by the unexpected interactions between failures of multiple components.
In other words, complex systems whose components are tightly integrated typically fail through the culmination of multiple components failing and interacting in unexpected ways. For example, it's very rare that a plane has a wing fall off mid-flight. It's far more likely that several component failures interact in unpredictable ways that, when combined, cause a catastrophe.
Monday, May 17, 2004
Friday, May 14, 2004
Thursday, May 13, 2004
Tuesday, May 11, 2004
Monday, May 10, 2004
Some cheap airlines in the UK:
Air Southwest: Flights from Plymouth & Newquay to Manchester.
Jet 2: Flights from Leeds/Bradford.
Fly Globespan: routes from Scotland.
BMI Baby.
Air Southwest: Flights from Plymouth & Newquay to Manchester.
Jet 2: Flights from Leeds/Bradford.
Fly Globespan: routes from Scotland.
BMI Baby.
'Poor paying for war on terror' - another unfortunate side-effect of our country's policy toward Iraq.
Sunday, May 09, 2004
Michel Thomas - a different way to learn a foreign language. Allegedly, he's taught many celebrities a foreign language within a weekend. A weekend - wow!
The 50 places people would 'die' to see (compiled for BBC Holiday Magazine):
1. Grand Canyon
2. Great Barrier Reef
3. Walt Disney World, Florida
4. South Island, New Zealand
5. Cape Town
6. Golden Temple, Amritsar, India
7. Las Vegas, USA
8. Sydney, Australia
9. New York, USA
10. Taj Mahal, India
11. Lake Louise, Canadian Rockies
12. Ayers Rock (Uluru), Australia
13. Chichen Itza, Mexico
14. Machu Picchu, Peru
15. Niagara Falls
16. Petra, Jordan
17. The Pyramids
18. Venice
19. The Maldives
20. Great Wall of China
21. Victoria Falls
22. Hong Kong
23. Yosemite National Park
24. Hawaii
25. North Island, New Zealand
26. The Iguacu Falls, Argentina/Brazil border
27. Paris
28. Alaska
29. Angkor Wat, Cambodia
30. Mount Everest
31. Rio de Janeiro
32. Masai Mara, Kenya
33. Galapagos Islands, off Ecuador
34. Luxor
35. Rome
36. San Francisco
37. Barcelona
38. Dubai
39. Singapore
40. La Digue, Seychelles
41. Sri Lanka
42. Bangkok
43. Barbados
44. Iceland
45. The Terracotta Army, China
46. The Matterhorn, Switzerland
47. The Angel Falls, Venezuela
48. Abu Simbel, Egypt
49. Bali
50. Bora Bora, French Polynesia
Not too many then!
1. Grand Canyon
2. Great Barrier Reef
3. Walt Disney World, Florida
4. South Island, New Zealand
5. Cape Town
6. Golden Temple, Amritsar, India
7. Las Vegas, USA
8. Sydney, Australia
9. New York, USA
10. Taj Mahal, India
11. Lake Louise, Canadian Rockies
12. Ayers Rock (Uluru), Australia
13. Chichen Itza, Mexico
14. Machu Picchu, Peru
15. Niagara Falls
16. Petra, Jordan
17. The Pyramids
18. Venice
19. The Maldives
20. Great Wall of China
21. Victoria Falls
22. Hong Kong
23. Yosemite National Park
24. Hawaii
25. North Island, New Zealand
26. The Iguacu Falls, Argentina/Brazil border
27. Paris
28. Alaska
29. Angkor Wat, Cambodia
30. Mount Everest
31. Rio de Janeiro
32. Masai Mara, Kenya
33. Galapagos Islands, off Ecuador
34. Luxor
35. Rome
36. San Francisco
37. Barcelona
38. Dubai
39. Singapore
40. La Digue, Seychelles
41. Sri Lanka
42. Bangkok
43. Barbados
44. Iceland
45. The Terracotta Army, China
46. The Matterhorn, Switzerland
47. The Angel Falls, Venezuela
48. Abu Simbel, Egypt
49. Bali
50. Bora Bora, French Polynesia
Not too many then!
Friday, May 07, 2004
Some London facts from Peter Ackroyd's series on London:
The London Stone is one that Brutus traditionally brought from Troy to be the foundation stone of London. You can find out more about it here.
Leadenhall Market has been a market since Roman times.
The London Stone is one that Brutus traditionally brought from Troy to be the foundation stone of London. You can find out more about it here.
Leadenhall Market has been a market since Roman times.
Wednesday, May 05, 2004
Tuesday, May 04, 2004
Monday, May 03, 2004
Friday, April 30, 2004
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
Monday, April 26, 2004
10 years jail for false ID - Blunkett PR deploys rattle of shackles. More 'Bonkers Blunkett' and his waste-of-time ID cards.
Friday, April 23, 2004
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
Tuesday, April 20, 2004
April 20th: Feast Day of St. Peter Martyr.
Called the Prince if the Inquisition because of his persausiveness, especially regarding the confessions of heretics, Peter (1205-1252) was once ejected from a monastery for 'entertaining' women in his cell. However, he used his gift of eloquence to argue successfully that the voices eavesdroppers had overheard were those of Saints Agnes, Catherine, and Cecilia - visiting from heaven.
I expect he was only half-lying - they almost certainly would have had heavenly bodies....
Called the Prince if the Inquisition because of his persausiveness, especially regarding the confessions of heretics, Peter (1205-1252) was once ejected from a monastery for 'entertaining' women in his cell. However, he used his gift of eloquence to argue successfully that the voices eavesdroppers had overheard were those of Saints Agnes, Catherine, and Cecilia - visiting from heaven.
I expect he was only half-lying - they almost certainly would have had heavenly bodies....
Monday, April 19, 2004
Friday, April 16, 2004
Thursday, April 15, 2004
Wednesday, April 14, 2004
Wednesday, April 07, 2004
Tuesday, April 06, 2004
Monday, April 05, 2004
Wednesday, March 31, 2004
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
Monday, March 29, 2004
Friday, March 26, 2004
Thursday, March 25, 2004
Ukranian Nukes go AWOL. A bite like the story of the Russian being caught with 400kg of Uranium in his van....
Wednesday, March 24, 2004
Tuesday, March 23, 2004
Friday, March 19, 2004
Coca-Cola recalls Dasani. So, the company has taken pure tap water, contaminated it with bromate, and then put it into half a million bottles and sold it as purer than tap water. Wonderful. That's capitalism for you....
Thursday, March 18, 2004
Hospital boss resigns over gaffe. Barrie Blower, head of Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust, made his comments while talking to the daughter of a woman who died while at Manor Hospital. He was taped saying: "They kill more people than they bloody save." Mr Blower later issued an apology and retracted his comments before quitting his post.
Tuesday, March 16, 2004
Monday, March 15, 2004
Sunday, March 14, 2004
Friday, March 12, 2004
Wednesday, March 10, 2004
Tuesday, March 09, 2004
Monday, March 08, 2004
Sunday, March 07, 2004
Friday, March 05, 2004
Thursday, March 04, 2004
Tuesday, March 02, 2004
Thursday, February 26, 2004
Monday, February 23, 2004
Monday, February 16, 2004
Friday, February 13, 2004
Thursday, February 05, 2004
Wednesday, February 04, 2004
Monday, February 02, 2004
Thursday, January 22, 2004
Monday, January 19, 2004
Thursday, January 08, 2004
Tuesday, January 06, 2004
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