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The experimental petition system that Downing Street is running has generated it’s first 1,000,000 signature petition: it asks the PM to “scrap the planned vehicle tracking and road pricing policy” and it’s a great example of how public opinion is not necessarily good for the public. More…

If you’re going to do something where you have just one shot, then you have to get it right first time, there can be no deviation. This is a very different requirement to just getting it right every time after a short teething period . Space exploration is full of one-shot right first time problems. For special problems you need special people. More…

Picture this: it’s a sunny day at the seaside and you’re enjoying an icecream. The human predilection to follow scripted conversation formats is such that you cannot fail to overhear somebody appreciatively inhale before joyously proclaiming “mmmmm, smell that sea air!”, to which a companion will invariably offer a helpfully informative “ah yes, that’s ozone“. More…

Mr. Deity shows what can be achieved with a static camera, a simple script, minimalist set design and great acting. Episode 5 was released yesterday. By releasing an episode every 2 weeks the producers hope to garner enough interest to turn it into a full TV series. More…

There’s an interesting pledge underway at pledgebank which aims to find 646 people (one for every UK constituency) who are willing to purchase and send their local Member of Parliament a copy of The God Delusion, the latest book by Oxford University Professor for the Public Understanding of Science, Richard Dawkins. More…

The Empire has backed the Jedi Council in its bid to be exempt from laws on adoption by families of fewer than three genders.

Jedi leaders from Coruscant to Endor say its teachings prevent its masters placing children with lifeform collectives that only comprise one or two genders and have threatened to close their adoption centres if bound by the Imperial Senate’s rules. More…

I was adding Raz to the list of people we know today when I had a quick skim over everyones website and noticed that Orange alumnus Gavin Spittlehouse has started a blog covering his just-commenced cycling tour of West Africa. Jealous? Well, apart from all that peddling, of course; and very much looking forward seeing how it all goes.

Since we’ve been upgraded to the new-style of coin trap on our Dyson CR-01 washing machine we’ve noticed that it clogs more than the previous design. This is good (ish): it’s supposed to clog, that’s the idea, by clogging at a point that is accessible it reduces the likelihood that larger particles of gunk and hair can get through and compromise the pump or the exit tubes, but regardless of this, it’s still a bit of a pain when it happens. You walk past the machine expecting your washing to be ready but instead there’s a message saying “Not emptying: Check coin trap …” More…

Christmas cards are lovely. A small personalised message from someone you know, providing assurance that they appreciate you and think enough of you to select, purchase and deliver a card all the way to your home.

So everybody near and dear to us will be wondering where the hell our card has got to. Well, ok, we admit it, things have been too hectic and we’ve run out of time. More…

Sometimes nice things come back and surprise you. Last year, just after I’d upgraded to Google Earth Plus, I was looking for some good Santa-stuff in Google Earth (so I could show my younger relatives something interesting on what is otherwise a very dull computer), and I spotted a shape: looking around Northern Europe I realised the nice crinkly edges formed a good pair of antlers. More…