Following on from yesterday’s fine example of woo from a journalist (I use the term somewhat loosely) called Julia Stephenson, someone has discovered that Julia appears to have a web page. If indeed this is Ms. Stephenson, then reading it explains a lot. As someone mentioned over at Bad Science, “The real problem is that genetic mutations that normally would have died out are now being allowed their own newspaper columns.” Somewhat cruel, but it has a smattering of truth.
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Clearing The Airwaves
Well, that may be what Julia Stephenson thinks she’s doing, according to this article in The Independent. But to Ben Goldacre, over at Bad Science, it looks more like muddying the waters. I have to say that I agree with him. Her article is a wonderful example of woo and complete lack of understanding of natural science.Leave a comment
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Photo Metadata
I’ve mentioned the metadata that is embedded inside digital photos before – in particular, some of the ways in which trying to use it to manage a library of photos can be frustrated by incompatibilities in tools used to manipulate it. If you’re interested in this sort of thing, then the IPTC has just published a very useful white paper on photo metadata.
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The Global Peace Index
How high does the country where you live score on the Global Peace Index?Leave a comment
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Diabolical
I don’t know which is more reprehensible – the fact that Richard Perle believes this shit, or the fact that he wants us to believe it. If there were a Hell, he would be surely destined for it. The fact that there isn’t any such place makes me almost wish that there were.Leave a comment
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Beyond Windows
So, Microsoft Surface has finally arrived. It may well punt the Windows model into the sidelines, but I’m betting that you’ll have to wait until version 3.0 before it will live up to the hype.Leave a comment
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Jurassic Park
I’m coming very late to this particular party, but I’ve just stumbled across Weird Al Yankovic’s parody of MacArthur Park: Jurassic Park. As usual, the video is full of visual jokes and style references. I love the homage to the style of Yellow Submarine, and (Andy, this is for you) the Pitch Black joke. Mind you, since this video came out in 1993, and Pitch Black in 2000, perhaps the homage is the other way around…Leave a comment
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The Fight Goes On
Today’s news from Moscow is depressing.2 responses to “The Fight Goes On”
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What is this all about? You’d think there were more things to worry about. I despair.
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Homo sapiens version 1.0 showing the usual limitations of its operating system. However, some specimens rise above it. Good to see that a Guardian leader praises Peter Tatchell today. Quite right, too.
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Everything Is Miscellaneous
That’s the title of both a book and a talk given by David Weinberger. The talk (given at Google) is interesting and worth watching. I’m now intrigued about the book.(hat tip to Tim at the Thingology Blog for the link)Leave a comment
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Human Nature
Ooh, this looks as though it’s going to be one of the great episodes. Part two next week…But why, oh why, did the Doctor exclaim on seeing a meteor, that it was a meteorite? You did not see it fall to earth, you fool. Oh, bad writer, do not make such ridiculous errors…But, but, but, the scarecrows, the reference to Sidney and Verity as the Doctor’s parents, the slanted smile of Baines. All of this is such joyfulness, my droogs. Enjoy!Leave a comment
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Stargazing in London
I cursed the bastards at Madame Tussauds when they pulled the plug on the London Planetarium in favour of celebrity pursuit. However, Diamond Geezer warms the cockles of my heart by telling us that Greenwich has stepped up and filled the gap in London’s heart with the Peter Harrison Planetarium.Leave a comment
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Wi-Fi Scaremongering
The BBC has a current affairs programme that’s been running for decades: Panorama. Most of the time, the stories presented under the Panorama banner are worthy, interesting, and well researched. Just occasionally, however, one slips through that is so completely the opposite that one wonders what on earth the programme editors were thinking.We’ve just had a perfect example: Panorama’s programme on the "dangers" of Wi-Fi. A programme so full of bad science and selective use of data that it’s given Dr. Ben Goldacre, over at Bad Science, something to really get his teeth into.Leave a comment
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Happy Belated Birthday, Carolus!
I’ve been so busy, I forgot that on May 23rd, it was the 300th birthday of Carolus Linnaeus. Sorry about that. He deserves a tip of the hat for his achievements. I see that that the Linnean Society of London has published a major book – Order Out Of Chaos – on the day by way of celebration. I am salivating over this book, but at £80 a copy, that’s about all that I can afford to do…Leave a comment
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The Hay Festival
Just a reminder to say that the Hay Festival is once again in full swing. Thankfully, I shall be able to make a vicarious attendance by going to the audio/video library web page.Leave a comment
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Ballard On Dalí
Today’s Guardian Review carries an article by JG Ballard celebrating the life and work of Salvador Dalí. Worth reading. I see that the sub-editors also had a little fun with the title as well.Leave a comment
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International Wine Challenge
I see that the results of the International Wine Challenge for 2007 have been announced. I must see if I can find some of the wines locally. Depressingly enough, the search facility on the IWC web site assures me that just three of the nearly 3,000 wines that won a commendation are available here in The Netherlands. I suspect (and hope) that that is an error on the web site…2 responses to “International Wine Challenge”
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Remarkably, there appear to be 28 medals going to wines from England; all this warmer weather has at least some compensation.
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The poor old Netherlands didn’t even get a single commendation this year. There are a growing number of vineyards springing up in our area. Hopefully they’ll get on the map in the years to come.
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Taking Liberties
This documentary, which opens next month, looks as though it could be thought-provoking…More from Rachel here.Leave a comment
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Er, Hello?
So there is an article in yesterday’s FT which is about the ambitions of the folks in Google; where they want to take it. And I read this:Asked how Google might look in five years’ time, Mr Schmidt said: “We are very early in the total information we have within Google. The algorithms will get better and we will get better at personalisation.“The goal is to enable Google users to be able to ask the question such as ‘What shall I do tomorrow?’ and ‘What job shall I take?’ ”I’m sorry, but if the day ever dawns when I shall ask a fucking computer service "what shall I do tomorrow?" and "what job shall I take", then that is the time for me to depart this life. I swear, I sometimes think that the pod people are already amongst us. Doubtless, because it’s someone from Google saying this tripe, then others will think it is marvellous. Equally doubtless, had it been someone from Microsoft saying it, then the very same people would be first in line to denounce it for the crap that it is.2 responses to “Er, Hello?”
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Absolutely. And they pay this guy how much?!?
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Cool! Like having a magic 8-ball! Imagine never having to ask "so whaddya want for dinner?" ever again! just google it!
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One Less Tourist Destination
I admit that Pakistan was never very high on my list of places to visit before I die, but news that the Minister for Tourism has offered her resignation because she hugged her elderly instructor after completing a parachute jump for charity is reason enough to strike it off.There’s a serious message behind this, as Ophelia quite rightly opines:So petty tyrannical spiteful controlling interfering clerics get their way and yet another woman is prevented from working, living her life, having ordinary grown-up interactions, having fun, expressing joy and exuberance. The world is made just a little safer for narrowness and deprivation and general nothingness.Leave a comment
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