Family Ties

I just scanned the news items on Yahoo news and the only one I clicked on was the article about Family Guy where Brian gets killed off.  Big news.
It's not as if I'm not interested in the other items. it's just that the Family Guy news wasn't featured  on the BBC or Guardian website.  I wonder how long before it does - I can't believe the Guardian would miss such an opportunity to f ill some space with that one.

Lights out

Astronomers have recorded a star exploding - the biggest yet they say - but it's over 3 billion light years away!!  That means it happened 3 billion years ago which is, according to my detailed calculations, a very long time ago.  I find that quite amazing.

Training Plan

I remember some time ago hearing Boris Johnson being quizzed about closing ticket offices on the underground.  He was cagey then and now we know why - the plan is to shut them all by 2015, but I don't really know what the fuss is about except the potential loss of jobs. 
Surely in this day and age cash buyers are rare, and as long as there is someone to assist the tourists with which platform to get on then it should be OK.  I can see the unions getting shirty, but don't they always?  If the tube network was being built now, I can't see there being many staff involved at all - automated drivers, tickets etc. would be the norm.

Cold Comforts

There's been an awful lot of calls for the 'Greenpeace 30' to be released from prison in Russia.  The thing is, there's a fine line between 'protest' and illegal activity regardless of what you think of the local laws.  Russia is only doing what it would do with anyone who breaks the law, so if you take that as a matter of fact, then although many of us might be sympathetic to their plight, it is self inflicted and surely no surprise that they have to go through the legal process.
It's a bit like the 'no snogging in public' (or whatever it is ) in some Middle Eastern countries.  I guess if you genuinely didn't know the law existed I could have some sympathy, but more likely, as the Greenpeace folk were doing, were chancing their arm. 
Could be that this has earned them more good publicity for what looks like a 'good cause', but my guess is they will tone down their protests in future as the natural human instinct to remain free i.e. not locked up.

Flat Pack Olympics

Some report or other has stated that the Olympic stadium is not being used to it's 'true worth'.  That's not much of a surprise though is it?  I mean, it was built for the Olympics, an international event attended by hundreds of countries for 3 weeks of top athletics.  To assume it was going to sustain that when the Olympics were over is a bit ambitious. 
The idea or removing the top tier of seating was a good idea, making it a more practical size for footy matches etc.  Maybe they should be the model for all new Olympic venues, and in fact that would eventually lead to a flat-pack based games that could be assembled anywhere.

Life cycles.

There's been 5 cyclists killed in London in the last 9 days.  That's terrible news, and as more rural cyclist, I can't even imagine how it happens.  I bike to and from work at least once a day, 40 miles each way and almost never have anything like a 'close shave'.  I've cycled over 4400 miles this year so far, and none of that has seemed to be unsafe.  In fact, I don't think I've had a close shave for years, so the only causal factor I can think of is the sheer volume of traffic.  Pity the politicians who have to do something about it, but I can't see any other way except separation of car and cycle as much as possible, and given the amount of available land, that could only be achieved by divvying up the existing tarmac space - not something that will go down well with Londoners.

Power to the people

We're told to expect £2000 electricity bills in the next 6 years.  That would be a 33% reduction for me, so I look forward to that.  Yes, I should investigate where it is being used, but would I be able to do anything about it?  I have a (middle class) hot tub - that will surely be the main culprit, and if I switch it off, what's the point in having it?  I have got rid of all my old tungsten lights, have minimal 'standby' devices and yet I have a huge electric bill.
To make a dent in mine I would have find quite a few video recorders left on at night.

Viral marketing

Some IT people in Russia claim to have found an incurable computer virus, so virulent that it spreads by sound - i.e. without connections over the internet.  They have been battling this for over 3 years and more details will be released next week.  What a load of tosh.  More likely they have a new product to sell next week and this is to get all the media interested.
Surely Yahoo employ some sort of technology reporter to filter these sort of things out?

Smile please.

Tesco is planning to install face scanners at petrol stations that can them present you with personalised adverts.  The technology is interesting, and I guess will have amusing results.  It it's anything like the ads that I happen to have been investigating that appear within webpages, they will be wasting their time.  ..and do they really think advertising works?  I like to think it doesn't wash with me, but they probably do and I don't even realise it.  I tend to dig my heels in if something is over-advertised or hyped up.  The 'must have' item is a 'must reject' to me.  Facebook used to appeal to me, but now everyone is on it I don't use it.  Not that a supermarket sells Facebook of course.
Evidently the scanners guess sex and age, then show something relevant - so it's not really personalised down to a personal level at all, now that would be interesting.

Actually, I'd like to see some ads based on the person's mood and appearance - like aspirin if they have a pained, frowning look, or knee support if they're limping.