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- Smith ID comments ‘beggar belief’ – I did wonder myself when Smith said that people couldn’t wait to get their own ID card. What do they think they’re going to do with them? Also regarding the cost: “It is already accepted there are associated costs when people apply for identity documents including driving licenses and passports such as the Post Office’s check and send service or costs for photographs.” Yes, but those documents give the holder some kind of benefit.
- Blears attacks political bloggers – Is it any wonder that “people [have] disdain for the political system and politicians” when, as Blears says herself, most MPs are ‘career’ politicians with little experience of the world that their constituents inhabit. Also (sorry, it’s only a short rant) does it not point to a failure in the system when so many people can be aganist ID cards, 42+ day detention, etc, yet the governing party repeatedly tries to push through laws for the same?
- Brits accolade for Pet Shop Boys – This kind of award normally indicates the end of a career. Hope that’s not the case this time!
- E-mail error ends up on road sign – Never use a translation that you don’t understand!
- A third dimension: Ars reviews Photoshop CS4 Extended – “With the tabbed interface, Adobe has clearly reached for the lowest hanging fruit, and it’s rotten in every way.” The new version of Photoshop is faster and with some neat new features but takes a step back on the Mac UI-wise. But I’ll be sticking with PS Elements until I win the lottery…
- Oct. 29, 1675: Leibniz Sums It All Up – Much of this was discussed in the BBC’s recent “Story of Maths” series (well worth seeing). It’s fascinating how critical getting the right notation is. Having said that, even the ‘right’ notation was too hard for me when it came to multiple integration!
- Sarah Palin; ‘I’m voting Obama’ – “Sarah Palin represents the latest in a series of high profile Republicans who have come out for the Democratic candidate. John McCain refused to accept that having his running mate vote for his opponent represented any sort of a set-back and claimed that many people would be switching their allegiance back and forth over the next week or so.”
- Peter’s Evil Overlord List – “If an advisor says to me ‘My liege, he is but one man. What can one man possibly do?’, I will reply “This.” and kill the advisor.” Bond films would be much shorter and less fun if the bad guys had read this list…
- UK confirms e-voting death – Voting machines are a great way to steal an election. Looks like British politicians will need to find a new angle.
- WordPress 2.6.3 – I’ve upgraded ZX81.org.uk to the latest version of WordPress, the underlying blogging software. Usual drill: if you see anything broken please let me know.
- Some soothing words from Sir Bonar about the latest MoD data loss episode – “We have well-rehearsed procedures for playing down the importance of such incidents, and launching the requisite internal enquiries to establish the precise chain events leading up to the loss. This has been refined over the course of 658 laptop losses and the reported losses of 26 portable memory sticks so far this year.”
- Tattoo clue led police to thief – I love these “dumb criminal” stories.
- 17-85 Exposed – A fascinating look at how the Canon EF-S 17-85 lens is put together. The number of components kind of explains why it is so expensive! I think I’d hesitate before doing that with mine even if it had broken!
- Yummy Version 1.0.2 – New version of my Delicious client for iPhone now available. Mail bookmarks and some bug fixes.
- The Fear – “Here is a complete list of what Apple must do to increase developers’ trust in the App Store system: 1. State the rules.
2. Follow the rules.” - Say “No” to 42 days! – Sign the petition against the bill that will give the British Police the ability to lock people up for 42 days without charge.
- Protect The Human – My favourite charity launches a new website.
- Artist Builds Temple of Science – “For people who are not practicing scientists, science is a place where certainties are promised and delivered — even if five years later another contradictory certainty is presented.”
- The Cringely Plan – You can argue with the details but Cringely is spot on with regard to what Governments are best at influencing. Directly bailing out Wall Street or The City of London is not it.
- waffle → Goodwill – The new MS ads don’t really work: “most of the Apple ads bring up either real problems that Vista users experience, or real improvements that Macs deliver. Microsoft doesn’t attempt well enough to fix those Vista problems … and they’re not pushing the things Windows can do that Macs can’t. Pointing and saying ‘he’s lying; just read this promotional copy and see for yourself’ doesn’t seem like a good response.”