When Animals Fight

It's amazing what lunchtime discussions at work lead to. Bob's Animal Fights will answer that perennial question of whether a giant panda could beat a mako shark in a fight, or how killer bees would fare against a hippopotamus.

Correction

Okay, I don't know what I'm talking about. SpaceShipOne's flight on Monday was not an X Prize attempt -- it didn't have the extra two-bods-worth of ballast. Apparently there was also a systems problem that needs fixing before the X Prize runs can happen. Still, even with a systems failure, the 100km target was reached, followed by a safe landing.

The Penultimate Frontier

Today was the day that SpaceShipOne, piloted by Mike Melvill completed its first flight outside the earth's atmosphere to become the first privately funded manned spacecraft. If the feat can be repeated within a fortnight, the X Prize can be claimed. This is one of the coolest (in a geeky sort of way) things I can remember happening -- and the spacecraft and launch vehicle look amazingly cool too.

It's interesting that this project was funded largely by Paul Allen, who seems to have devoted his life to using his money in a way that so many geeks would want to -- I understand he also footed the bill for a reproduction Babbage difference engine. Kudos, Paul.

Part of Europe

Today is "Super Thursday", when we have the European elections and a number of UK regional elections (though not near us). Four areas of the UK are trialling compulsory postal voting and putting the our democratic process in the hands of a company who failed to meet any of its targets over the last year. Ho hum.

I'm torn over my vote. I sympathise primarily with the LibDems (am generally pro-Europe, electoral reform, funding of public services, etc) but am strongly considering the Green party, largely due to their position against software patents, a massive blow against innovation getting ready to be struck.

Cookie Translation

<3 returned from a trip to a conference in Madrid yesterday, avoiding the delays due to the failure of a NATS computer, and bearing some delicious Spanish biscuits withe the brand Gamito. In the box came a slip of paper written in both Spanish and English, and here I am proud to reproduce, as accurately as I am able, the delightful English text...

INFORMATION TO CONSUMER You have adquired the traditional chritsmast's sweets, from Estepa (Seville), one of the typical spanish sweet. Their taste is exceptional. They are made of select natural ingredients: wheat's flour, sugar, Clyan's cinnamon, nuts, ...,. TASTING: Opress it with your hand.
Take off paper and eat it. Thank you for your election and bon appétit.