scallywagga - bbc3's new 'comedy' show

sent to the BBC this morning at 0140-

'good lord, this is unfunny to the point where it makes 'two pints' look like Monty Python at the very height of their powers. I've had cases of diaorreah that raised more smiles. please, please, please just pay off the writer and tell him never to come near the BBC again. or any other television channel for that matter.'

the pros and cons of hitch-hiking

if, like me, you're a fan of the late Douglas Adams' work, then this http://waxy.org/2008/04/milliways_infocoms_unreleased_sequel_to_hitchhikers_guide_to_the_galax/ is an interesting insight into a sideline of the whole HHGTTG thing, and paints a somewhat unflattering picture of the late mr. adams himself.

tough on crime

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/global/main.jhtml?xml=/global/2008/04/11/noindex/wafrica111.xml

SA's deputy security minister doesnt mince her words.

come on down - the price is right?

someone on a messageboard I frequent is trying to go a whole year without doing any of their shopping in a supermarket - http://supermarkupsweep.wordpress.com/ - it will be interesting to see how they get on. personally, I'm not happy with the stranglehold Tesco's reportedly have on the high street - isnt it supposed to be something like one out of every seven pounds spent in the UK spent there? but, like a lot of things in my life, I'm too busy (LAZY) to do anything about it and investigate the alternatives.
but I will be taking an interest in how this works out.

ARTHUR C. CLARKE 1917 - 2008

the man who has been described as 'the colossus of science fiction' has passed away at his home in Sri Lanka. personally, I've been a fan since reading his books at the local public library when I was still at primary school. some of my most treasured books are by him - from an ancient 50s paperback copy of 'The Sands Of Mars' I picked up in a secondhand shop over twenty years ago, to the pair of signed hardbacks of '2001' I bought from Waterstones on the anniversary of his vision at the start of the new millennium. always a voice for rationality and good in his writings, he will be sorely missed in the years ahead.

the BBC obituary - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2358011.stm

F1 2008

interesting article on the new season found here

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns20118.html

and we're getting the new N96 from august, apparently

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/03/11/nokia_n96_august_uk_release/

campfire story

came across this the other day - if it's true, how creepy can you get?
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2008/02/27/notes022708.DTL

Geekery

Not that I'm really surprised, but it would appear that the US version of Spaced is on the cards to be a right bag of cunt - http://www.denofgeek.com/television/13192/simon_pegg_on_the_us_spaced_remake.html
now, I'm only an SF geek (and not a major one at that - I dont like B5, and the only Star Trek I'll sit and watch is The Next Generation) - but surely, like the sad sacks who keep turning up for X-factor auditions, US tv execs should know by now by US adaptations of UK comedies dont have the *best* track record of success. As Pegg says though, it's particularly shitty that no credit at all is given to Jessica Stevenson for her work on it.

And on the SF subject, this - http://www.halproject.com/hal/ - has a superb screensaver to download based on the computer displays seen aboard the Discovery during 2001.

trouble in paradise

you wont know this, but my parents live in Jersey. which is all over the news at the moment for the very worst of reasons, and my heartfelt sympathies go to the people affected.
this feller here - http://stuartsyvret.blogspot.com/ - is the member of the Jersey parliament who was evidently drummed out for last year for having the temeritry to blow the whistle on the whole sorry and sordid affair. for the evil bastards behind both the initial abuses and then the cover ups - aint payback a bitch?

common sense breaking out? surely not!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7266555.stm

been reading a few police blogs the last few days - they're usually well written and more ofthen than not, laugh out loud funny. but when a serving copper says things like this - http://pcfrankyfact.blogspot.com/2007/01/time-for-change-not-again.html - 'How far back can we go before before the balance tips and it becomes impossible to come back from the abyss that is anarchy? It already has tipped in certain areas up and down the country and is spreading.We'll end up living in walled estates with a state of martial law in effect.' - you have to wonder where we're headed as a society.

Back, in full effect

well, after an eventful nine months or so (my contract finished, I paid for and qualified to be a Prince2 Practitioner, went to london for a few months to work at BT) I've been back in manchester since the end of december. the flat I live in is being done up by the council (massive upheaval domestically, but ti will be nice when its fully completed - new kitchen, toilet and bathroom, and full central heating) and I have an interview out stockport way tomorrow morning. fun and games eh?