The new Dell computer I recently ordered has been shipped. I predict a weekend of Linux installation. And remember my complaints about their customer service and how I didn’t get the free delivery I thought I was entitled to? Well that’s all been sorted out and they’re refunding the money.
Warming hits ‘tipping point’
This could get serious. A vast expanse of western Siberia is undergoing an unprecedented thaw that could dramatically increase the rate of global warming, climate scientists warn today. Researchers who have recently returned from the region found that an area of permafrost spanning a million square kilometres – the size of France and Germany combined… Continue reading Warming hits ‘tipping point’
Ruby on Rails
All the cool kids are talking about Ruby on Rails. It’s apparently the next big thing in web development. As Danny O’Brien said at OSCON, Ruby on Rails seems to have gone through the whole “first they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win” process in about three… Continue reading Ruby on Rails
Patriotism – The New Chauvinism
George Monbiot on form as ever in today’s Guardian. Out of the bombings a national consensus has emerged: what we need in Britain is a renewed sense of patriotism. The rightwing papers have been making their usual noises about old maids and warm beer, but in the past 10 days they’ve been joined by Jonathan… Continue reading Patriotism – The New Chauvinism
The Disinterested Media
An interesting anecdote about Alastair Campbell from John Humphrys’ book Lost for Words. In order to follow the story, you need to know two things about Campbell. Firstly that he was Downing Street’s Director of Communication (and could therefore be assumed to know a little about the English language) and secondly that he often accused… Continue reading The Disinterested Media
The Internet is 10
The internet is 10 this week. Well, no, of course it isn’t. It’s been around in some form or another since 1969. But a leader in today’s Guardian says that this week is being celebrated as the tenth anniversary of the internet as a mass phenomenon – and I can’t really argue with that. Interestingly,… Continue reading The Internet is 10
Enterprise Perl
I’ll be speaking at the LinuxExpo Conference in London on October 5th. The subject of my talk is “Enterprise Perl”. Here’s the blurb. Perl has always been used by some of the largest and most successful companies in the world. In this session we will take a look at what makes Perl so useful to… Continue reading Enterprise Perl
Comics and Films and Masks
I saw Fantastic Four yesterday. Not a bad film, but there were a few things that bothered me about it. The biggest of these was the portrayal of Doctor Doom. As every comics reader knows, Doom has worn a metal mask ever since we first met him over forty years ago. We’ve never seen his… Continue reading Comics and Films and Masks
The Scandal of Candles
The Mail can always be relied on to cover the really important issues of modern life. Today it investigates why modern candles don’t fit into older candlesticks. I know it’s a problem that had been keeping me awake at night and it seems I am not alone. According to retailers across the country, they are… Continue reading The Scandal of Candles
English As She Is Spoke
I understand that English is a changing language. I appreciate and approve of the fact that we no longer speak the same language as Chaucer, Shakespeare or even Dickens. But some of the “English” used in comments on this site depress me a lot. It seems there is a large and growing subsection of British… Continue reading English As She Is Spoke