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Home computer
Photo uploaded to flickr by hockeyshooter

Here's another image from the phone, uploaded via MMS to flickr, then using the flickr website to post an entry into Blogger. Clever stuff! This time I've edited the template that flickr used to create the posting - with some knowledge of HTML its pretty easy to do. I guess it won't be long before Blogger starts up their own image hosting service - or buys out someone elses...

At last!

At last - MMS!

Back garden
Originally uploaded by hockeyshooter.

I've finally managed to configure my second-hand Nokia 6230 to be able to send images aa attachments to messages (MMS) via GPRS. I found that by dialling *#335738# I could delete settings from the phone - it had gotten full and wouldn't accept the ones Vodafone were sending me. With a visit to the Vodafone website, I was able then to download settings for web browsing (WAP) via GPRS (which worked straight away) and then MMS (which in the end for some reason I had to enter manually).

This is an image of our back garden, shrunk by the camera from its default resolution of 640x480 before transmission. Obviously if you were sending images to, say, the BBC News website (as people were doing in London yesterday) you'd need to send it larger than that. Its not a bad picture though, considering how dark it was when I took it (21:35).

Shame on the London hotelliers who doubled their rates last night in order to cash in on the terrorist attacks yesterday morning. People who did things like that during the war were called spivs.

Bought, via eBay, the DVD of a film I'd never even heard of before, having seen it listed as one of the movies of the delectable Lucy Lui. Billed as "Matrix-like", whilst it can't match it for pure style, it is nonetheless a very good movie and I'd recommend it to fans of the genre. 9/10.

Software patent bill thrown out
"European politicians have thrown out a controversial bill that could have led to software being patented.

The European Parliament voted 648 to 14 to reject the Computer Implemented Inventions Directive."

Well, it wasn't thrown out for the reasons we all wanted, but at least its been binned. One in the eye for the big software companies that rip us all off with their bloatware.

BBC NEWS | Technology | Software patent bill thrown out

Binning Flourescent Tubes Becomes Illegal
"In July 2005, when a European directive becomes law, it will be illegal to deposit used fluorescent tubes in landfill sites, crushed or otherwise!

The reason for this is because there is enough mercury in one 6ft flourescent tube to pollute 30,000 litres of drinking water."

Did you know that? News to me too!

Fluorescent Recycling From Commercial Lamp Supplies

Happy 70th Birthday to the Dalai Lama.

BBC NEWS | World | Asia-Pacific | Dalai Lama marks 70th birthday

London Wins 2012 Olympics Bid
"London won a two-way fight with Paris by 54 votes to 50 at the IOC meeting in Singapore, after bids from Moscow, New York and Madrid were eliminated."

Wel,, I'm quite surprised by this. I don't really think London is up to coping with this, neither in terms of its transport infrastructure (which as any regular commuter will tell you is pretty lacking) but also going by how long (and how much) its taking to rebuild Wembly Stadium.

BBC SPORT | London beats Paris to 2012 Games

Went to see Batman Begins last night with some friends from Northampton. Was a little skeptical about it given how poor the Batman franchise had become after the first movie, from 1989, that cast Michael Keaton in the title role (that I notice Amazon are listing at an absurd £20, with Play.com at a far more sensible £9.99). Instead, Batman Returns turned out to be brilliant: well cast, well acted, lots of action, and a detailed examination of how Bruce Wayne's alter-ego came about. I felt its plot was a little over-complicated (Liam Neeson's character) but I'd still rate it as 9/10.

"Bloggers Fight for 'Shield' Law
If enacted, the measure could protect journalists from jail terms for refusing to give prosecutors the names of anonymous sources. But, depending on the wording of the final bill, it may not apply to online reporters, including legions of unaccredited bloggers."

Well, I guess you've got to draw the line somewhere? Of course you do have to wonder why they need laws like this in the first place in a country that is so proud of its freedom of speech.

Wired News: Bloggers Fight for 'Shield' Law

"Revealed: how drugs war failed
The report [only half of which the government has deemed to publish] says the annual cost of crimes committed by an estimated 280,000 high harm drug users to support their cocaine and heroin habits has reached £16bn a year..."

Good grief. That's a lot of crime - and a lot of victims. Of course, the removal of the Taleban in Afganistan (oppressive regime that they were), lead directly to a big in increase in drug production by that country.

Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Revealed: how drugs war failed

"DVD shortfall sparks slump fears
A shortfall in global sales of DVD releases such as The Incredibles and Shrek 2 has sparked fears of a downturn in the DVD market.

One million too many DVD copies of The Incredibles were shipped out by makers, while Shrek 2 producers DreamWorks overestimated sales by 10 million."

OK, I admit it, I'm partially to blame: I bought The Incredibles - but I drew the line at Shrek 2 in protest to the change of voices.

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | DVD shortfall sparks slump fears

Just what we all needed - a wooden iPod:

"...the mercurial magician of modding, ZapWizard aka Joshua Driggs, has created a modern masterpiece, dubbed the Wood iPod. In his words, he'll talk you through its construction."

He says "the wood I am using is African Padauk. It is a high quality hardwood that is very easy to work with, and naturally red in color." - now does that come from a sustainable source, I wonder...?

bit-tech.net | Real Wood iPod by ZapWizard

"Can a man own a word?
And can he sue to keep other people from using it?"

I could barely believe this story. What dipstick allowed the guy to actually trademark a word of the English language?

"Eric Goldhagen, a member of the InterActivist Network, said that members of his group planned to talk to lawyers and others who have received letters from Mr. Stoller to discuss ways to deal with his 'stealth' claims. 'The fact that somebody, just by claiming to own a word, can intimidate large companies and powerful law firms shows the damage, to an extent, is already done," he said. "If people like Stoller are allowed to get away with this unchallenged, there could be ripple effects to every form of public mass media.'"

He Says He Owns the Word 'Stealth' (Actually, He Claims 'Chutzpah,' Too) - New York Times

An advance in technology, certainly - but it looks a bit frightening. Kids will love it, but few will be able to afford it!

"US space agency (Nasa) scientists are celebrating after seeing a probe crash into the heart of a comet."

Anyone want to start a sweepstake as to when the comet takes revenge by crashing into Florida...?

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Nasa probe strikes Comet Tempel 1

"President George W Bush has ruled out US backing for any Kyoto-style deal on climate change at the G8 summit."

Can't say I'm at all surprised by this. Since he's heavily involved with the oil industries, its hardly likely he would commit his country to doing anything that might affect their income.

BBC NEWS | World | Americas | Bush rejects Kyoto-style G8 deal

A brand new D-Link USB Bluetooth dongle worked out cheaper from Amazon than from eBay too. Instructions included consisted of about six pages for Windows - and 3 lines for OS-X!

Managed to get a new 512Mb MMC card for my Nokia 6230 for less than on eBay, and that included postage and, of course, a warranty. Works fine in the phone - now stuffing it full of MP3 files.

Arrived at work this morning to find that we'd been burgled. A number of LCD monitors, plus one G5 Mac, had been stolen. No sign of forced entry...