“We see things as we are, not as they are…” Isaac Asmiov
BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | Weather delays Rosetta launch
The launch of Europe’s Rosetta space mission, which aims to chase and then land on a comet, has been delayed until 0736 GMT on Friday due to bad weather.
I just read this BBC article on the Rosetta mission. Amazing stuff. Let’s hope the weather clears up for Friday.
Postcards from the Bleeding Edge
Mike just emailed me:
I know you are too far away, but maybe you can attend virtually.
He also posts:
I’m having a party I hold once every four years. It starts at 11:59 AM, Saturday, Febuary 28th, and extends until 11:59AM, Monday, March 1st.
I call it Asteroid Appreciation Day.
My place down in Lompico Valley, near Santa Cruz, Ca - has room for about 250 at a time, if the weather clears up, and 80, if it doesn’t. That’s not big enough for all the people I’d like to invite physically, but the Blogosphere is big enough for all the people I’d like to have attend.
It is shaping up to be a wacking good party! Members of five known bands, hosted by CamEngine (with additional instrumentalists welcomed) will be jamming in the basement all day and all night.
Whatever coherent emerges from the jam will be performed upstairs (or outside, given weather conditions) - and broadcast to the Internet.
The lovely Rebecca June Parks and her talented hubby will be performing some songs from their next record. Martin Krieg, author of “Awake Again” will be talking about the upcoming National Bicycle Greenway Mayors Ride, and Gnome Girl and her jacket will be here if someone can give her a lift from Alameda…
and I might spend a few minutes ranting about space policy. Apologies in advance for that.
I am now sorry for living too far away. Mike have a good party, and if I can I’ll join virtually!
BBC NEWS | Programmes | wtwtgod | UK among most secular nations
A survey of people’s religious beliefs in 10 countries suggests the UK is among the most secular nations in the world.
Ten thousand people were questioned in the poll by research company ICM for the BBC programme What The World Thinks Of God.
More than a quarter of Britons thought the world would be more peaceful with nobody believing in God, but very few people in other countries agreed.
The survey found the highest levels of belief in some of the world’s poorer countries, but also in the world’s richest, America.
The countries polled were the US, UK, Israel, India, South Korea, Indonesia, Nigeria, Russia, Mexico and Lebanon. The interviews were carried out in January 2004.
Very interesting survey. It raises a number of questions in me although as always difficult to articulate properly.
Why is Britain considerably less religious than other countries? Is it history? Is it the religious landscape? Is it the fact that our culture perdisposes us towards not believing in a higher power?
I think it would certainly be worth some more serious research to understand more about culture in the UK and what factor contribute to this…
Postcards from the Bleeding Edge
Mike wrote and asked that I pass on the meme, so here goes…
Make February 29th Asteroid Appreciation Day! If we sent spacecraft to look at these really useful hunks of rock rather than planets perhaps our knowledge of the universe would increase more…
In fact Mike’s further posting on Neox Vs Commanche offers a much better analysis than me:
That kind of money would pay for roughly 5000 NEOX missions, each visiting 4 asteroids, or more, in a quest for raw material, and information, laying the groundwork for a network of telescopes, radar and observing stations well beyond earth’s orbit - and potentially opening the solar system to human colonization. Each impact probe would give us so much more detail on what conditions were like…
So appreciate asteroids 
BBC NEWS | Science/Nature | English lowland decline ‘goes on’
English Nature, which advises the government on wildlife, says tackling the problems of individual vulnerable areas will not retrieve the situation.
It says the only way of reversing the decline will be to manage the lowlands as whole landscapes, not separate bits.
The benefits, it says, will be not only to wildlife and the economy but also to people’s health and sense of wellbeing
Its intriguing that it is taking people so long to realise that piecemeal isolated approached to any ’system’ will ultimately fail. It is a wider, systemic (or landscape) level approach that will gain more success. The difficulty for any environmental agency being that it will require disparate groups, with differing interests to co-operate to ensure sustainability.
It certainly seems to me that a mutual approach to mangement of the environment is necessary which seeks to address all stakeholders long term needs. A market or regulatory approach is bound to fail to achieve the kinds of dramatic changes needed.
BBC NEWS | Technology | Net call revolution
I like this magazine article on the BBC news website as it gives a good overview of Voice over IP (VOIP) and outlines the current ‘big’ players in the world. Interestingly ntl’s modem suppliers also supply Yahoo in Japan with their VOIP equipment, so it is very exciting to see what can be offered. While basic voice calls generally will be of a similar or lesser quality at the moment, it is as the article suggests, the flexibility of the technology and additional features that will gain ground and overtake traditional fixed lines.
The exciting feature I have seen is video and voice by IP and wireless (wifi) handsets…
Will it happen here, yep. BT obviously will be pushing this and I expect other comapnies will be getting in on the act. I know I want the technology.
BBC NEWS | Technology | Broadband prices to hold steady
This article outlines the fact that over Europe Broadband prices have decreased over 2003 but that within 2004 there will be consolidation of the prices. I expect this to be so. In fact given the intense competition I wouldn’t be surprised if some providers didn’t find life very difficult charging the rates they are, as they cannot be making much if any profit, especially on the higher bandwidth products i.e. 1MB and above.
While providers have been adopting penertration strategies (and rightly so) it cannot continue much beyond the Summer of this year. It also doesn’t really address the UK Government’s desire to have Broadband everywhere for those consumers and businesses that want it. The problems with a market based approach, one that mutualism has attempted to plug (successfully) in many areas (see previous posts)
BBC NEWS | Scotland | Broadband comes up from the sewer
Well, I have heard said that ntl’s Broadband is excrement (I paraphrase), although personally I am 99% satisfied with my service.
Anyway scottish water’s initiative to follow european practice and make use of existing sewerage pipes to run cable along seems a splendid idea. The fact that they will also rent this out (well their partner Fibrelink will) to all comers, allows choice for the customer and competition to improve broadband facilities in Scotland.
BBC NEWS | Business | Cafedirect floats ethical issue
Although Public Offerings aren’t always signs of success, it is good to see Cafe Direct taking this approach. They are a supplier wh seeks to make fair payment to coffee, tea and cocoa bean growers. I often use their products and I hope this is well patronised, because while they are not perfect they certainly focus on ethical treatment of suppliers and promting the cause of farmers and ‘unfair’ international commodity markets. Interestinly their offer is through Triodos Bank, an ethical banking concern, of which I had not heard of before, certanly worth a look if you are considering ethical investments or savings.
BBC NEWS | Magazine | ‘Just text P-A-U-L to this five-digit number…’
I wonder whether this will catch on? The ability to allow the general public to make use of the technology to auto-reply to txt messages sounds interesting but outside of a business context I’m struggling to think of a use for it. Maybe I’m too old to be part of the txt generation? Thoughts anyone?
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