I’m currently building a web site that will involve plotting the positions of buildings onto maps. I’m going to be using Google maps for that. Unfortunately, the data that I need to plot is a list of postcodes and as far as I can see, the best way to plot stuff on a Google map… Continue reading Geo-Coding the UK
Shooting the Messenger
I was going to write something about Matthew Taylor’s little tantrum about blogs. But I see that Rachel has already said everything I would say – and far more eloquently that I would say it.
Web Petitions
The new petitions site that MySociety have set up is a really good idea, but I hope that it doesn’t get so overwhelmed with petitions that it’s hard to find what you’re looking for. It seems that every time I look at the list, there are more petitions that I want to sign. Here are… Continue reading Web Petitions
Bye-Bye Backing Blair
The Backing Blair campaign is closing down. The closing statement that is now on the front page of their web site says this: Right now, at every level of politics, people can be split into two groups: Those who feel distanced from politics and/or helpless to change matters because of a growing culture of obfuscation… Continue reading Bye-Bye Backing Blair
Thin End of the Wedge
I’ve been mostly happy with my bank, First Direct since I started banking with them about seventeen years ago. So it’s a bit disappointing to see that they are the first bank to break ranks and start charging certain customers for banking with them. Under these new rules, it looks like I won’t be charged… Continue reading Thin End of the Wedge
Windows Refund
I thought that the Windows refund campaign had died in 1999. But the BBC are reporting that a Sheffield man has got a refund of £55.23 from Dell by refusing to accept the standard Windows licence that came with his new PC and installing Linux on it instead. PC manufacturers like Dell have a deal… Continue reading Windows Refund
Creationist Museum
Oh, and whilst we’re talking about creationist loonies, the Guardian has a report from the Creation Museum which will open next year in Kentucky. The Creation Museum – motto: “Prepare to Believe!” – will be the first institution in the world whose contents, with the exception of a few turtles swimming in an artificial pond,… Continue reading Creationist Museum
Planet Earth
Writing in yesterday’s Times, A A Gill put his finger on a problem that has been bothering me about the BBC’s latest wildlife extravaganza – Planet Earth. For a science programme, it has very little science in it. The factual content is now virtually nil, just scene-setting and needless telling you what you’re seeing. There… Continue reading Planet Earth
Teaching Creationism
I always thought the Canadians were eminently sensible people. From the Ottawa Citizen: The Quebec ministry of education has told unlicensed Christian evangelical schools that they must teach Darwin’s theory of evolution and sex education or close their doors after an Outaouais school board complained the provincial curriculum wasn’t being followed. Not going far enough… Continue reading Teaching Creationism
Why Spam Is Out Of Control
Very worrying article in today’s Guardian technology section. We all know that spam levels are constantly increasing but this article says that 91% of email is now spam. It then goes on to put at least some of the blame on the people who connect completely unprotected PCs to the internet. These PCs then get… Continue reading Why Spam Is Out Of Control