Steve_Barker

I hope the design can cope with non-standard bikes, not everyone rides mountain bikes or hybrids. We have a couple of folders, an AirFrame which I think is wonderful ( http://www.airframebike.com ) and a Brompton + a recumbent ( same as the top picture but in purple and with shimano pedal system http://www.hembrow.eu/personal/speedross.html ) - Unfortunately many bike racks do not cope with these bikes, useually the wheels are too small to slot in.

I had not thought of the homophobia angle, but a nice thought. Did not expect you to remember Sandie Shaw winning Eurovision - I only remember because of the float.

When I was 5 I was the Puppet on a String on the local carnival float. We won - just like Sandie Shaw.

Left the not out: Don't watch TV - so I'll NOT change the habit of many years on Saturday.

Don't watch TV - so I'll change the habit of many years on Saturday.

I am aware that within the open source community there are many who would view the world as two camps, Microsoft/(Apple?) v Linux. I tend to believe that anything that is not M/soft is good (although I'm hesitant about Apple because where they have market domminance (iTunes) they behave as badly as M/soft). Any alternative, or historical system with a continuing userbase is a line of risistance against the m/soft machine. I rejoice that there are still people who who keep older systems going, e.g.: http://www.wakefieldshow.org.uk/index.html because one of these seeds may come to the fore, as the system that captures the needs of future desktop / divice users. M/soft is bothered by any slight sucess of other operating systems: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7395687.stm Therfore, using other os's has an effect. Yesterday I spent a few hours browsing with A:Browse on the Syllable os (ids as Ohter os, Netscape 4, on green blog counter) - Very enjoyable. Whilst Linux is the main OS in our house, I also like to use others, because they all have potential. I do not believe its good to put all the eggs in one basket.

OS/2 is a highly developed windows like opperating system developed by Microsoft and IBM, as a delux version of windows for IBM computers. Unfortunately IBM discontinued support a few years ago. Being a fan of open source software I would like to bring to everyones attention a petition to encourage IBM to release OS/2 to open source developers: http://www.os2world.com/petition www.os2world.com also gives a lot more information about OS/2. The French ATM system is the largest OS/2 system at present. Open Source OS/2 would allow development to continue, and allow there to be a wider choice of opperating systems should you wish to avoid M/soft.

Opera tends to lead, and others bring to a mass market. With 9.5 (currently a beta), you can also syncronise your settings and bookmarks to all your machines/phone. Have yet to try this because I only have 9.5 alpha on the Mac. Intrestingly, the article misses FireFoxs main source of income, payment from Google for searching (add placements). A way of earning money first developed between Google and Opera.

I seldom buy a computer thats less than three years old :excl: I do find it upsetting how short the average life of consumer electronics is. I think a kettle lasts on average 2 years (with a bit of looking after, I bought our kettle in 1999, alas, I do not think I will be able to buy another UK made machine - even the EcoKettle is made in China). I think a lot of the problem is that things are too cheap, and therefore disposable. As for Chrysler, it hopes America will invade another oil country, prices will drop, and in three years, happy customers. What I find strange is CHEVROLET in the UK rebranding Daewoo cars as Chevrolet - is this so that average CO2 figurs for the comany will be low enough to meet EEC company avaerage rules?

Interesting FireFox article from the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/technology/2008..._make_buck.html

I'm not fond of rating people, if I rate one person I'd feel I'd have to rate everyone. So I've added a mushroom avatar, borrowed of http://www.victorbos.nl No reason why a mushroom, just a nice pic.

Never got into FireFox, used Opera for many years, and as its developed over time its always just managed to feel that bit better. Of the Mozilla browsers I like Epiphany best, and use it every now and again. I think it is good to have an alternative to FireFox, just incase something happened to Mozilla and Microsoft were left without competition. I do not know about Gmail, I have never had an account.

As a company who tried to promote desktop Unix in the past, you would expect a NIX version. I do tend to collect browsers (think I have about 20, excluding versions - all nix/mac). However, if it does not work in Opera it does not work - the net should be open to all technologies, and not just cherry pick the popular ones. I will not leave my fave browser because developers can not be botherd, my non-patronage is their loss. Personally I do not own a printer, If I want to record something I have a pen, but should I have to print I would go with only_greens idea, but with Open Office, save as a word doc, and e-mail work.

and sometimes when there is not a crisis its economically good to make one....

My pet fish has a greater economic muscel than many third world people. If running cars on bio-fuels becomes the norm, without any adjustment of consumption patterns / growth rates. Then cars will have more economic muscel than many poorer people as real food for real people is replaced with cash crops to feed cars.

Its not bad news for everyone: http://www.grain.org/nfg/?id=565 "The world food crisis is hurting a lot of people, but global agribusiness firms, traders and speculators are raking in huge profits."

I tend to think that bio-fuels are a bit of a diversion, if we were to run our cars / vans etc. on bio-fuels without changing consumption patterns we would need hundreds of years of crop production just to fuel a year of transportation! At work we produce about 200l of waste cooking oil a month, and I did consider buying and converting a Ligier Ambra ( http://www.rumcars.org/c-ligier.html ) to veg oil to use this, but never got arround to it.

I think the excuses have already been made. I believe that under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) such levies would be seen as protectionism, and have adverse effects upon Free Trade ...and what could be worse than that

We have been away for a few days, and visited the birthplace of the industrial age, now a very attractive location: http://www.ironbridge.org.uk Industry is a lot cleaner and safer than it used to be, and here in the UK our government is pleased to let us know that on many environmental counts the UK is getting healthier. Alas, this because we do not make anything much, and the pollution and unacceptible labour conditions have been exported. My view is that where products are made using polluting technologies / poor labour conditions, import taxes should be levied to even the playing field, and thus not peanalise companies who investing to clean up their act.

With food prices rising, are the questions on: http://www.freerice.com getting harder, or am I just having a bad day :(

In the UK we have only had one female PM, alas, Margaret Thatcher exibited less "feminine qualities" than most males.

You'd have to be an idiot to mix up the two logos!!! :whistle: :whistle: :whistle:

But have we a scientist (geology) using science to back up dogma, or a dogmatist using dogma to power science?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7359258.stm One geologist argued that unlike other longitudes, Mecca's was in perfect alignment to magnetic north.

There is a saying that the view depends upon which mountain you are stood upon. As someone who has worked in a scientific research establishment, doing research sponsored by an EEC quango, I find it difficult to accept that science is objective, partly its who pays the piper, partly its how can I make a name for myself (don't let results that do not fit the theory get in the way of a good paper), and partly its what your peer group is expecting - hence, DL Henshaw was a maverick, but is no longer, and Rupert Sheldrake is still a maverick. I know many people who reason, and weigh all the evidence as objectively as they can, but still come out with silly answers. Because someone is a scientist, does not mean they never come out with silly answers.