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October 28, 2005
Demonstration at Nørreport
I left work late today (21:00), the knock-on consequence of programming until 07:00 this morning and thereby getting in to work at 15:00. Old habits die hard.
Anyway, the traffic lights at the Øster Voldgade/Gothersgade junction were blocked all the way round by police vans, blue lights flashing. The number 42 bus I was on sat there for about 5 minutes until the driver opened the doors to get out to talk to the police, so then most of the passengers got out. It looks like it was the rump of the 500-strong demonstration which had been celebrating Ungdomhusets 23rd birthday earlier on outside Christiansborg. It moved down Frederickborgsgade, presumably heading over the lake towards Nørrebro, and by the time I'd walked to the station, it was all over. A brief moment of excitement in Copenhagen's otherwise tranquil Autumn environs. No photos, unfortunately.
Posted by daen at 01:22 AM
October 25, 2005
Ideal car for driving around Competa
Researchers at Rice University have built a car from a single molecule. The wheelbase is around 5nm, ideal for driving around those narrow Competa streets. Only problem is you need temperatures of above 170C to move it, which not even Competa gets up to in the summertime.
Posted by daen at 12:52 PM
October 24, 2005
Back from Andalucia
A quick week in the Campo ...
Roosters in the Campo have a genetic quirk which gives them special supersensitive night vision compared to normal roosters. This allows them to start crowing about 2 hours before the first glint of sunrise. Unfortunately, the same genetic quirk also makes them crow in an unusual fashion, something like "cock-a-doodle-AAAaaaargh".
The Renault Modus is a funny looking little car which I believe was designed by someone who lives in Competa on Calle Dr Fleming or Calle Jose Antonio. Why do I think this? Well, the Modus fits exactly into these streets. I mean, exactly. There is less than 1/8" to spare on either side of the car. I propose it should be rechristened the Renault Competa to commemorate this. Or the Renault Femto.
Also, don't try to find parking off of the main streets in Competa on a Saturday night, especially not around Ermita San Sebastian. There's no easy way out, and even if you are driving a Renault FemtoCompeta, you will not have an easy journey down to Plaza Almijara. Park on the top (Avenida Torrox) road if you're going to eat at La Rustico.
Your mother will still be shocked when you have driven your hire car down some too-narrow streets and you start swearing, even though a) she's got a more-than-casual acquaintance with the words herself and b) you are 37 years old.
The Campo in October can still be warm (up to 30 C in the shade) but swimming pools below 18 C are not comfortable to swim in for more than half a minute, however inviting they look.
More soon (plus photos).
Posted by daen at 01:41 AM
October 14, 2005
His Noodly Appendage
The Kansas School Board recently decided to teach so-called intelligent design alongside evolution. Bobby Henderson argued, convincingly, that if intelligent design was to be taught, then time for other creation theories should be allocated. Specifically, the theory that the Universe was created by the Floating Spaghetti Monster.
Henderson also expressed concern at the correlation between the decreasing number of pirates and the increase in global average temperature.
Interestingly, he got two supportive replies from some of the sane members of the KSB - and unwittingly started a cult the likes of which has never been seen before. The First Church of the FSM has spread like wildfire among right thinking citizens of planet Earth. Cups, bumper stickers and T-shirts can be purchased, the better to further His word. There's even a game to show how He touches us with His Noodly Appendage ...
RAmen.
Posted by daen at 12:48 AM
October 13, 2005
C.L.A.S.P.
C.L.A.S.P. was a peripatetic City of London institution, active from the late 80s through to the mid 90s. Although nominally meeting in the Wellington Pub just off the Strand, next to the Lyceum, sub-branches were known to meet at El Vino, or Wynkyn de Worde, or Danielle's. C.L.A.S.P. was the brainchild of Hugh Stewart and membership was open to those working in IT in the City, with new members acquired through friend-of-a-friend-style osmosis. The idea was to provide a forum for discussion of financial information systems. As Hugh himself was sales director for BACmac at the time, the possibility of some business coming his way had not escaped him, but I think primarily Hugh is just one of those people who gets enormous pleasure from building social/business networks. An average C.L.A.S.P. evening would be chat about programming languages, LANs, databases, operating systems, financial instruments, trading systems and other nerdish things, mixed in with a liberal helping of off-colour jokes, and fine wines or ales. C.L.A.S.P. could be seen as a forerunner of First Tuesday and other similar networks (without the possibility of attracting investment, and generally without the entrepreneurs). Oh, and the initials? Computer Literate After Seven Pints.
Posted by daen at 11:22 PM
M-Audio ProKeys 88
The ProKeys 88 from M-Audio is a digital piano with midi controller built in. I like it.
Posted by daen at 05:36 PM
Vintage (UK) TV magazine covers
Vintage Times archives old TV Times and Radio Times covers, all the way back to 1923 (the cover of the 28 September 1923 Radio Times blares "The Official Organ of the BBC"!).
Why is this important? Is it because by charting the development of the leading UK TV listings magazines we can assess the formation and evolution of attitudes towards television and celebrity over the last century, or is it merely an opportunity to gaze slack-jawed at some misguided pictures and programmes that have vanished into the ether? You decide.
Quite. They appreciate assistance in tracking down covers, and you can upload your scans here.
Posted by daen at 05:25 PM
October 10, 2005
Thought for the day ...
There are only two things to worry about, either you are healthy or you are sick. If you are healthy, then there is nothing to worry about. But if you are sick there are only two things to worry about, either you will get well or you will die. If you get well, then there is nothing to worry about. But if you die there are only two things to worry about, either you will go to heaven or to hell. If you go to heaven, then there is nothing to worry about. And if you to go hell, you'll be so darn busy shaking hands with your friends you won't have time to worry.
Posted by daen at 11:35 PM
October 04, 2005
Beep ... beep ... beep ...
On this day in 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, circling the Earth every 90 minutes in an orbit 560 miles high.
Posted by daen at 09:05 PM