The British government is putting £20,000 into a competition to encourage people to create data mash ups, especially within education, criminal justice and health areas. The fact that ministers have taken on board advice and agreed to something relatively new as the process of mash ups is encouraging. I’m no New Labour zombie, as previous posts probably show, but this time around I’m happy to tip my hat their way. Check here for the BBC article. I already had a look round the FixMyStreet site, and although in some areas there haven’t been any updates on outstanding cases for a while, it was interesting to see what sort of things annoyed people in the different areas of Britain I’ve lived in. For example, near Ira’s old work, it would appear they still have problems with kids riding motorbikes on footpaths, and over in Gloucester, a naughty resident did not put out his rubbish on the right days. Apparently house prices weren’t too adversely affected 😉
Jul 02 2008
Over The Top In Sweden
According to this report, a school in Lund, Sweden, has informed a boy that if he hands out his birthday party invites on their property, he must invite all pupils, rather than those he is actually friends with. I would have not raised an eyebrow had they simply been telling him not to bully others, or make fun of someone due to their weight/skin or hair colour, but to tell a child that his birthday party attendees will be controlled by the authorities really does seem totally OTT. Whether general opinion backs the teacher who confiscated all the invitations, or this was a politically correct little authoritarian, I was unable to discover, but the story caught my eye, so I thought I’d pass the link along…
Comments Off on Over The Top In Sweden
Jul 02 2008
Making Joints With Any Sort Of Tobacco Will Be Outlawed
MAKING? LMAO
See this BBC article for a rather large typo, or very misinformed journalist. Although the BBC World television report did not contain this inaccuracy, the fact that the online version wasn’t checked properly is quite astounding. The idea that the Dutch are banning people from rolling their spliffs with tobacco is laughable. In case you haven’t yet heard, the Netherlands are following most of Europe by banning smoking cigarettes (and in their case alone, joints with tobacco in) in enclosed public places. I still want to know whether they expect all smokers who prefer hash to weed to use pipes, but I guess I’ll have to wait a while before returning to Amsterdam to further my research. It is a tough job writing this blog 😉
Jul 02 2008
Good And Bad News For Wales
I read a report that back over in Swansea, they recently held a film premiere for “The Edge Of Love”. The movie was partially funded by the Welsh Assembly (via their Wales Creative IP Fund), who invested £700,000 in the Dylan Thomas biographical film. You can find a video interview with two of the stars (Sienna Miller and Keira Knightley) here.
Sadly, Wales is also in the headlines for topping the list of underage drinkers in the Western world, at least according to the WHO. Check the BBC article here. The sample size was 250,000 (I’m assuming that is in total, not just in Wales) 11,12 and 15 year olds. 15 year old girls in Wales were the most likely to have experimented with weed. As long term readers will know, I have no issue with schmoking personally, but the fact that so many young girls have tried it is a little surprising.
Comments Off on Good And Bad News For Wales
Jun 26 2008
Feline Freddy Fortunately Not Fried
(You try finding a synonym for ‘not’ beginning with F 🙂 )
Yes, that is a cat perched next to live power lines . Luckily, he was rescued successfully without being shocked, and returned home under his own steam. If he had straddled two live power lines, unless the voltage was identical at the time, he would have been unlikely to survive, even ignoring the fall that would have resulted. No word as to whether Freddy went up the pole to chase birds, escape a dog, or just fancied sunning himself somewhere a little higher than normal. Another addition to my list of reasons why our cats are definitely house bound. (Which is quite normal over here, especially with the roads in this area. Ira’s parent’s cats live in a house with a garden and a very quiet road, so spring and summer see them having more freedom.) Check out the article here.
Comments Off on Feline Freddy Fortunately Not Fried
Jun 25 2008
.WhateverYouLike ?
According to a BBC report, ICANN is considering relaxing current restrictions on top level domain names (.com, .kz, .org etc.). Right now, apart from country’s own domains (.ru, .uk, .it et al), there are very few alternatives that companies can use. Some small countries have effectively rented out the right to use their extension (for example, I used to run a site using a .TK domain), and recently we had .info added (tip for new website owners, unless you REALLY can’t find the domain name you want without resorting to a .info, avoid them – they really don’t inspire confidence sadly), however the possible rule changes will allow for more TLDs to be created. Whether or not the much fabled .xxx will actually come into existence remains to be seen, however the path has now been cleared if the companies and organizations involved can come to an agreement.
Comments Off on .WhateverYouLike ?
Jun 19 2008
Charlie Chav
The above is NOT the official 2012 London Olympics mascot. It is just suggestion #7 from BBC News site readers. The Burberry cap, graffiti can and untied shoe laces certainly invoke a stereotypical of young Britons, especially the type with a £250 Vauxhall Nova pumping out bass from their £1500 ICE (In Car Entertainment) system. (Any friends that draw parallels between this cartoon character, its implied anti-socialness and my own lack of knots in my trainers will be swiftly dealt with 😉 ).
I originally thought that Charlie spelt that way was a girl’s name, but apparently it is unisex. So, has anyone thought that they would actually like as a mascot? I’m just hoping it isn’t too clichéd, or obscure (lions and bulldogs spring to mind) …
Comments Off on Charlie Chav
Jun 19 2008
Tweet Twoit? Twert Twit?
If you too find difficulty in remembering how to sing bird songs authentically, you are not alone! According to a BBC article, the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals over in Britain) has been playing bird songs to young birds that don’t have their parents around to learn from. Apparently this is most important for males – if they can’t sing properly, their territory may not be respected, and female birds won’t choose them for a partner. Does make me wonder how the chicks know which song they are supposed to learn, and whether any male birds get confused and answer the call of another male?
Comments Off on Tweet Twoit? Twert Twit?
Jun 11 2008
California Dreaming
With a refreshing change from the normal bias UK media displays, the BBC published an article (based on a Radio 4 transmission of a From Our Own Correspondent program), where an unnamed journalist did some research into the Medicinal Marijuana scene in California (specifically Los Angeles).
Although there were a few ignorant stray remarks (420 being a local slang term for weed itself, the irrelevant nationality of the doctor he saw, as a couple of examples), overall it was quite informative, and interesting to read about from the point of a view of an outsider, rather than the sort of info I’ve read in the past from more deeply interested people on forums. In the end, I hope a at least a few people who were previously on the fence will read the article, and realise that whilst California’s approach is open to some abuse, it certainly seems better all round that the alternative of draconian laws and wasting police time prosecuting people participating in a victimless ‘crime’.
For a bit of further reading, check out this piece, describing an amateur home grower in Britain, and how some police forces are using thermal imaging devices to try and spot where the plant is being cultivated indoors.
Comments Off on California Dreaming
Jun 10 2008
Benefits From 2012
IF the plans come to fruition, the Olympics could have a positive effect on those of you out there who enjoy taking a dip. The plans only apply to England, with different setups in Scotland and Wales, but if you are an OAP, you get first dibs. Those under sixteen get the next bite of the cherry, and then ‘by’ 2012, all people will be allowed free entry to swimming pools. Whether this will only apply to local government run pools, or if private companies will receive subsidies as well, I don’t know, but if this does come through, it is no bad thing.
Comments Off on Benefits From 2012
« Previous Page — Next Page »