Trailers are beginning to appear for the third X-Men movie - here's a link to a high definition one on the Apple movie trailers website (needs QuickTime 7). It looks good. Glad to see Halle Berry still in the cast, although having Famke Janssen in the cast list is a bit of a giveaway! Of course, given the spread of extreme political correctness, by the time the movie comes out it will probably be called X-Persons.

Apple - Trailers - X3 - HD

Copyright © 2005/2006 20th Century Fox

Ever wondered how Google manages to search through so many millions of pages, representing tens of terabytes of data, so quickly? According to an IEEE article, they use a network of over fifteen thousand "commodity-class" (that's off-the-shelf to you an me) machines, combined with clever software that distributes queries and includes fault-tolerance. The machines are geographically distributed, so that earthquakes, large-scale power failures and the like can't bring down the entire system. Several generations of CPU are in active service at any one time and they buy only the most cost-effective machines, rather than the fastest.

"Doctors issue warning on iPod finger, the latest hi-tech ailment
It could be time to discard the adage that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. With Apple Computer's iPod digital music player continuing to sell well, and the tiny iPod nano set to be one of the must-have gifts this Christmas, physicians are now warning that the first cases of a condition they are labelling 'iPod finger' have started to emerge.

'Handheld music machines are extremely popular and users are constantly using small, difficult buttons with the same finger in a repetitive motion,' said Carl Irwin from the British Chiropractic Association. 'The nature of modern technology means that these devices are only going to be getting smaller, and I would not be surprised if hand and finger related injuries become one of the most common repetitive strain injuries that chiropractors treat.'"


...writes Bobbie Johnson in The Guardian, Tuesday December 6, 2005. I would have thought you'd be just as likely to suffer RSI from texting with a mobile phone - and millions more people do that than listen to an iPod.

Guardian Unlimited Technology | Technology | Doctors issue warning on iPod finger, the latest hi-tech ailment

Technorati tags: ipod RSI repetitive strain injury

"Recyclers' rubbish dumped abroad
Councils are investigating what happens to their recycled rubbish after the BBC revealed 500 tonnes had been shipped unsorted to Indonesia. According to the Environment Agency, about half of the 8m tons of green bin material thrown out each year in the UK ends up overseas."

Extraordinary. Recycling material takes energy. Transporting it takes more energy. The government encourages us to recycle, specifically with its landfill tax (which has also led to flytipping) and now it turns out that we're exporting waste instead.

See Real Story, 19:30 GMT tonight on BBC1.

BBC NEWS | Programmes | Real Story | Recyclers' rubbish dumped abroad

Technorati tags: export recycling waste materials

"Sorry, prime minister, your legacy will be a disastrous foreign war
In his old age it will seem monstrously unfair to him, but Tony Blair will be remembered for one terrible misjudgment. We all enthuse about a will, if we stand to inherit something from it. It is hard to suggest, however, that the prospect of a legacy from Tony Blair is rousing the British people to excitement.

Blair will be recognised by history as a consummate politician, orator, vote-winner. It seems unlikely, however, that he will be judged to have used the power he gained to much lasting effect. To a remarkable degree, he has presided over Britain rather than ruled it.

Galling though it must be to him, Blair's legacy will be Iraq. It is plain that, whatever the outcome, it will not be a happy one. Whether or no the coalition forces swiftly depart, the saga will drag on for years, poisoning western relations with the Islamic world. It is unlikely that Iraq can be sustained as a unitary state. Much more bloodshed is to come."

...writes respected author and military historian Max Hastings in The Guardian.

Guardian Unlimited Politics | Comment | Sorry, prime minister, your legacy will be a disastrous foreign war

Technorati tags: Blair Iraq war legacy

Round Three of the FA cup as been drawn and, providing we can beat Stevenage in our replay a week Tuesday, Northampton will face Crystal Palace. But think of non-league sides Burton and Burscough (whose second round match was postponed because the pitch was unplayable), one of whom will meet Man United!

Stevenage vs Northampton, FA Cup

The Cobblers travelled to non-league Stevenage Borough for their FA Cup 2nd round game yesterday. A near capacity crowd, in front of BBC Match of the Day cameras, witnessed a to-and-fro performance, with Boro by no means outclassed by a typical lack-lustre effort from the Cobblers. Boro scored first and for a long time it didn't look like Town would manage to get a single goal after that. Things changed after a cracking shot from Town's Pedj Bjic and Boro conceeding a penalty, leaving the Cobblers fans very vocal. But Boro bounced back to force a tie just minutes later. Final score: Stevenage Borough 2 - Northampton Town 2. The replay is to be held at Sixfields, week after next.

I must apologise to the guy I splashed this morning as I drove out of Waitrose car park.

"Blair reignites nuclear arguments
A fierce debate over nuclear power is under way after Tony Blair launched an energy review which could pave the way for a new generation of nuclear plants. The energy review would be headed by the Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks and report by the middle of next year, he announced. It would measure the UK's progress against a review carried out two years ago."

A review. We're going to think about it. Again. That's all we ever do - think about things, have meetings, hold conferences. That's two years and now another six months wasted. Pathetic.

BBC NEWS | Politics | Blair reignites nuclear arguments
Technorati tags: energy review Blair nuclear power

" How coal is cleaning up its act
Coal is back on the agenda as a serious player in meeting the world's future energy demands.

After being pushed to one side in [Thatcher's] 'dash for gas' in the 1990s [subsequent to her selling off the nationalised power generation utilities], attention is returning to the role of coal in the global energy mix because of its widespread availability and stable price."

I read recently that since Thatcher destroyed our own coal industry, and made certain that our own mines could never be used again by allowing them to flood, we now import and burn dirtier coal from abroad. However, coal is still less efficient than gas - and China is set to build hundreds more coal-fired power stations as its economy grows.

BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | How coal is cleaning up its act

Technorati tags: climate summit montreal kyoto

Grey Heron

Grey Heron
Photo uploaded to flickr 27 Nov '05, 8.10pm PST by hockeyshooter

This grey heron visited next door's roof again today, presumably wondering if there are any fish in their pond.

An injury time goal from Josh Low gave Northampton Town a point against Lincoln City in their League 2 game today. Lincoln, who appearently hadn't won in 10 games, were very dominant in the first half, and the Cobblers were extremely lucky to have not been beated. Quite why Manager Colin Calderwood chose not to go with the same starting lineup as the previous week, when we beat Bristol Rovers 4-0 last week, I have no idea.

This is an interesting organisation who arrange help for charities and the like to get on the web.

"InterConnection works to make Internet technology accessible to non-profit organizations in developing countries. Founded in February 1999, the organization has grown to include a pool of over 100 Virtual Volunteers; it has supported over 70 organizations in 23 countries, and it has partnered with several international development organizations."

InterConnection - website support for non profits and NGOs in developing countries

"Brown urges worker wage restraint
Pay increases for millions of public sector workers should be held down to close to 2% to limit the risk of inflation, Gordon Brown has said. The chancellor has asked the bodies which review pay deals for doctors, teachers and some civil servants to remember the need for wage discipline."

What was your pay increase this year, chancellor? With gas and electricity going up at least 12% and house prices (and hence mortgage payments) going through the roof, why is it that public sector workers should be the ones to feel the pinch just to keep your obviously plucked-out-of-the-air figure for inflation down? I see strikes on the horizon.

BBC NEWS | Politics | Brown urges worker wage restraint

Fire in security lodge

Fire in security lodge
Photo uploaded to flickr 23 Nov '05, 9.14am PST by hockeyshooter

I guess the safest place to have a fire, if you're going to have one, is in your own security lodge.

Mazda UK does a 404

Mazda UK does a 404
Photo uploaded to flickr 21 Nov '05, 8.22pm PST by hockeyshooter

Just as Fifth Gear are reviewing the new Mazda MX5, I check the UK website - and find this. Good timing, Mazda.

Northampton 4 Bristol Rovers 0

At long last, a decisive home vistory for The Cobblers. Bristol actually dominated for the first 20 minutes and it looked like the game had the makings of another draw. Manager Colin Calderwood had changed the lineup for this game, benching forward Scott McGleish in favour of Andy Kirk and Junior Mendes on the front row. Kirk scored two, one from Smith and a nail in the coffin just before the end from Pedj Bojic - his first home goal with the club. The win lifts the Cobblers one place in the League 2 table.

"Man challenges fine with 1689 law
A man has invoked the 1689 Bill of Rights to fight a £60 parking fine from Worcester City Council at a tribunal. Robin de Crittenden, 67, of Willenhall, near Wolverhampton, argues the bill protects people from having to pay fines until convicted by a court. He said the challenge aimed 'to put the politicians back in their kennels'."

Good on yer, mate. Most companies that clamp use it as a way to print money. Existing government legislation is useless.

BBC NEWS | England | Hereford/Worcs | Man challenges fine with 1689 law

"Ex-MI5 chief sparks ID card row
The case for identity cards has been branded 'bogus' after an ex-MI5 chief said they might not help fight terror. Dame Stella Rimington has said most documents could be forged and this would render ID cards 'useless'.

The Conservatives said her comments showed the cards could be counter-productive. The Lib Dems said plans should be abandoned. Downing Street has so far only said Dame Stella is a private individual who was entitled to her views."

I can't help thinking that she would have been described somewhat differently if she'd have had the opposite opinion of them.

"She said: 'ID cards have possibly some purpose. But I don't think that anybody in the intelligence services, particularly in my former service, would be pressing for ID cards. My angle on ID cards is that they may be of some use but only if they can be made unforgeable - and all our other documentation is quite easy to forge. If we have ID cards at vast expense and people can go into a back room and forge them they are going to be absolutely useless.'"

Well, that's pretty unequivocal.

"Former government crime advisor Lord Mackenzie disagreed with Dame Stella's assessment, saying there were plenty of examples of occasions when ID cards would have prevented crime. He told BBC News: 'Let's look at the Soham murders. If Ian Huntley had had an identity card, would he have got the job at Soham school which allowed him to commit the murders? I think not.'"

And why not? Did he apply for the job under a different name? Did he try to hide his identity?

BBC NEWS | Politics | Ex-MI5 chief sparks ID card row
Technorati tags: security id.cards MI5 civil liberties

"UK 'benefits from Afghan peace'
Establishing peace in Afghanistan is in Britain's best interests, the Defence Secretary John Reid has said. The supply of drugs from the country (as well as the presence of terrorists there) threatened the region and also the wider world, he said."

Under the Taleban, the export of drugs from Afghanistan had tumbled dramatically. As soon as they were kicked out by us and the USA, exports reached new record levels. So I don't know what he gets these ideas from. See these earlier reports:

BBC News | UN warns on opium fears

"Under the Taleban authorities, poppy cultivation was prohibited. The ban had been decreed by the Taleban's spiritual leader Mullah Mohammad Omar in July 2000 and led to a massive fall in production in the last growing season, according to the United Nations Drug Control Programme (UNDCP)."

BBC News | US concern at Afghan opium surge