Zephyrist's sunday night briefs - week 17, 2007

Well this week saw the local elections in the UK, the first of the May three day freakin weekends and tornadoes in the mid US.

Just what was I looking at on the interweb this week:

Spacecraft returns Jupiter images (BBC)

I like stories that look to the stars. This article shows the latest pictures of Jupiter by the NASA New Horizons spacecraft (what is the difference between a spacecraft and a probe?). There are some really fantastic photographs. According to the NASA home page for New Horizons some of the pictures taken are for artistic rather than scientific value.


I quite like this one entitled Two moons over Jupiter (artistic photograph). You can find out more on the picture by clicking on it to go to the NASA page.





Bush honours Queen at White House (BBC)

Two notable parts to this story, one is the customary bit where Bush puts his size 12's straight in it. Apparently the Queen was not amused although from what was said not surprisingly.

The other bit of note is the Queen is now doing her bit for the environment. With each of these state visits the carbon emissions of the air miles will now be offset as a cash donation to an environmental charity.

That is it for this week, obviously all the news this week was rather mundane and not worth clipping because that is the end of the file for Zephyrist's Sunday night briefs.

Zephyrist's sunday night briefs - week 17, 2007

This week saw the start of the serious campaigning for the local elections. Not quite as exciting as the general election but it is everyone's democratic duty to vote or if there is no one you like, to spoil your ballot paper.

So what else has been occupying my mind in the last week?

Green electricity target in doubt (BBC)

Regen SW, a electricity industry pressure group is trying to put pressure on local councils in the South West to deal with planning applications for Wind Farms. As I have previously reported one of the major blocks to new wind farms is the long complicated planning approval process. Therefore the more pressure the industry can bring to bear the quicker schemes can get approved.

Of course are these companies really caring about the environment or merely about the profit that is being lost whilst the farms are stuck in the planning stage?

Gloom lifts for riding schools (BBC)

In today's blame culture there is no such thing as an accident, someone is to blame. Hence the minute anything happens people look round for someone to sue.

This story about the horse riding industry reports on recent cases where judges have ruled that some accidents are simply that, the instructors are not to blame and individuals must accept that horse riding has a risk attached.

A clear result in favour of common sense that will hopefully mean that people can still enjoy horse riding and other sports without having to worry about spiralling insurance costs.

Wave farm passes funding hurdle (BBC)

The wave power snakes have finally arrived in Cornwall. Funding has now been secured to build a wave farm complete with connection to the national grid off the coast of Cornwall. The wave farm will be able to supply power to 7,500 homes which is 3% of Cornwall's total power consumption.

Train leasing market investigated (BBC)

Another story that has been reported before on this blog. The Competition Commission is now going to investigate the train leasing industry. There is a belief that prices may be too high and train operating companies are not getting the service they deserve.

The Department of Transport suggests that the leasing companies may be making upwards of £175 million in excess profits every year.

Watch this space.

World rallies for Darfur action (BBC)

Today was a global day of action for Darfur demanding intervention to stop the fighting in Darfur.

I have said a lot about Darfur but I think this quote tells you what you need to know:

"In certain parts of Darfur, blood is running like water."

-Kristyan Benedict, Amnesty International

Celebrity photo shoot in support of the global action day - Excellent photography well worth a look.

Zephyrist's sunday night briefs - week 16, 2007

Well this week I have been google earth train-spotting. I cant remember much from the news except more bleak news from Iraq and concerns about rising UK inflation and interest rates.

Here are some of the things that have crossed my desk this week:

A hard rain's a-gonna fall (Guardian)

I was watching the film "The Day after tomorrow" where abrupt climate changes causes super cell ice storms and floods, freezing New York. It is an excellent disaster movie but it supposedly has science in it. So is the film based on accurate scientific theories or is it just Hollywood fiction. Find out in the Guardian article.

On a personal note I was hopping it would be more like the BBC drama 'Super Volcano' with science being central to the story. In "The Day after tomorrow" they didn't get the same balance and really should have skipped the bit where the dad was the scientist, it would be an easier plot if the dad was like a marine, fire or police officer. Then they could concentrate on the rescue as the main plot and the politics / science as a back drop.

Revolution, flashmobs, and brain chips. A grim vision of the future (Guardian)

Everyone looks to the future including governments and companies. The Ministry of Defence has looked 30 years into the future and this article reports what they see.

Here are some quick bullet points:

• electromagnetic weapons will be operational
• Neutron weapons will be in use
• Unmanned delivery / weapons platforms will be used
• Electronic brain implants hard wired to the brain
  
• flash mobs - rent a mob by internet
• Middle classes become revolutionaries against the super rich
• The terrorism threat will grow
• The threat from climate change will grow with potentially the start of a temperature drop in Northern Europe.

Russia threatening new cold war over missile defence (Guardian)

The cold war may have ended but no one seems to have told the Americans and Russians. The US continues to build super weapon technology in order to protect itself from countries such as Iran or North Korea. This method of building super defence technology just antagonises everyone and helps create the uncertain world we live in and suggests the Americans would prefer war to diplomacy.

Now they are planning to place a new missile defence system in Eastern Europe which could potentially start a new nuclear arms race.

'Smart dust' to explore planets (BBC)

This is just like one of those science fiction stories. Intelligent computer chips as small as dust particles get blown on the wind exploring an alien planet (earth in the science fiction plot version).

They are able to act over a local network with each other to distribute computing power.

I can see a horror movie script in this story.

Another week done, tune in next week for more of the same.

Zephyrist's sunday night briefs - week 15, 2007

Well the week of the grand national with plenty of sunny weather. Here are some of the articles I have been reading this week.

Google Earth turns spotlight on Darfur (BBC)

Now if you zoom in on Darfur in google earth you will see high tech satellite imagery combined with photo's and eyewitness accounts.

You can see the satellite images of the desstroyed villages, scorched earth and vast refugee camps. These images will also be updated as things change.

"We need President Bashir and other perpetrators to know they are being watched..."

-Daowd Salih, a former red cross and red crescent worker
who was forced to leave his home in Wetern Darfur.

Hopefully, the stark imagery and eye witness accounts will reach a much wider audience and in turn put pressure on world governments to finally take action.

Browne may need to quit - Cameron (BBC)

The row over the captured RN personnel in Iran selling their stories rumbles on. The media have gone into resignation mode, if they shout loud enough maybe someone will resign.

The real lesson is that tabloid journalism is socially unacceptable and society should stop buying the trash rather than moan about everyone selling their stories and then secretly popping down the news agents to buy the latest instalments of tabloid trash. The only people that should resign are the people that buy the red top newspapers.

It is good to see that the media writing the stories have not done any soul searching over the matter, as long as they sell papers ironically they cannot afford to worry about morals.

Why should we have eight hours' sleep? (BBC)

This is a story that strikes a cord with me, I am a night owl but my job requires me to get up just after 6 am, hence I am always short on sleep.

This survey reports that only a small minority get the recommended 8 hours a night, but not to worry the real test is whether you are tired during the day.

The 19th Century labour movement's classic demand was

"Eight hours labour, Eight hours recreation, Eight hours rest"

Obviously they didn't have to worry about long commutes in the 19th century.

And that as they say is the week that was. Good night and don't have nightmares about fridges.

Zephyrist's sunday night briefs - week 13, 2007

Well this week the UK / Iran incident was all over the news. I personally believe that the UK navy were within Iraq waters and the Iranians are trying it on and provoking the west. This week has all been about propaganda but I think one thing that everyone can agree on is that Iran is wrong to parade the navy personnel on television.

Legal issues over captured crew (BBC)

Apparently the legal status of the navy personnel is not as clear cut as one might think. After all we are not officially at war with Iran so they are not officially prisoners of war which means there are questions over whether the Geneva conventions apply. The article tries to make sense of the legal status and what international rules apply.

Mystery of Great Pyramid Solved (BBC)

Jean-Pierre Houdin, a French architect has solved the mystery of how the Great Pyramid was built. It was built using an inner ramp to lift the massive stones into place. Mr Houdin has studied the problem for eight long years and even built 3D computer models. Even now there will be a long project of follow up work on site to try and prove his theory.

A man's life work proving how a pyramid that is 4,500 years old was built. All that work deserves some recognition which is why it is on my Sunday night briefs.

Heathrow Concorde model removed (BBC)

The real final end of Concorde at Heathrow airport as the model that has graced the roundabout for the last 16 years is retired as British Airways gives up its lease of the roundabout. If you want to know it costs £1.5 million to rent the roundabout which must make it one of the most expensive roundabouts in the world. Pretty secure as well, you cant really load the roundabout in the back of a lorry and make off with it.

Call for blogging code of conduct (BBC)

This is about bringing some kind of common law to blogging or maybe some etiquette rules. Some bloggers get death threats and as a close knit community fellow bloggers have had enough. In this article the BBC talks about the community lead response to recent prominent incidents.

Evanomics - Figuring out real life (BBC Blog Evan Davis)

This is a blog that I will be keeping a close eye on. It takes current issues and applies economic theories to work things out.

Schoolgirls rumble Ribena (NewScientist)

Schoolgirls in New Zealand tested different drinks for vitamin C content. It transpired that some versions of Ribena did not contained the amount of vitamin C stated on the label. The NZ Government were made aware of the results, did a bit of digging and then fined GlaxoSmithKline NZ$217,000.

School girls 1 - GlaxoSmithKline 0

France Releases UFO Files (New Scientist)

Every country has the UFO files locked away in a really secure filing cabinet. Well the French have now published all their reports on-line. They also openly admit they can only explain 75% of accounts but suggest that just because they cant explain the rest doesn't automatically prove the existence of aliens.

Zephyrist's sunday night briefs - week 12, 2007

Well this week saw the budget where Gordon Brown made finance look like magic. No one is quite sure whether they are better or worse off. Even the media have got themselves all confused.

Whilst everyone else was busy with trying to decipher the budget these are some of the articles I have been reading this week.

Journalists - lazy, lying scandalmongers, all of them. So yes, I'd love to be one for a day (Guardian Comment)

Stephen Merchant, half of the creative team behind "The Office" writes an article deploring the lack of professionalism in modern journalism. He suggests that a large amount of so called journalism involves journalists looking up rumours on the internet.

In a way I think that is only half the story, these days it is published or be damned, any media organisation can always retract at leisure. All media outlets in 24 hour news tend to change stories as they progress, so any rumour can be published and changed later, after all if they don't publish it someone else will.

Time change marks end of an era (BBC)

The time signal on the BBC, the beloved 'pips' of the British psyche are changing location. They will now be sent from Anthorn, Cumbria rather than Rugby, Warwickshire.

Fascinating, no really, well maybe.

Highway shut for butterfly travel (BBC)

In Taiwan a butterfly migration route crosses a major highway. So this year to protect as many of the butterflies as possible the Taiwanese government have put in several measures including closing down one lane.

What is truly stunning and must be an amazing sight is that they cross the highway at a rate of 11,500 per hour. Such an exact figure also makes you wonder how they counted them.

My National Security Letter Gag Order

Something from across the pond. The Americans in their hunt for terrorists are playing a bit fast and loose with due process. This article is more about the secrecy that surrounds such demands rather than the ethics of obtaining information. It also exposes the attempt to gag anyone that would seek to question the legality of such requests.

Well that's it another week of my briefs, enjoy.

Zephyrist's sunday night briefs - week 11, 2007

Well another a busy week of things, although really some parts of the media seem obsessed about how David Cameron parts his hair and whether it is an indication of his politics Cameron hair - the barber did it (BBC Article).

Yawn, bored already, its all a bit like prime minister's question time at the moment where all everyone does is try to make jokes about when the prime minister will finally leave and his special relationship with Gordon Brown. Sometimes you have to wonder about sections of the media and politicians whether they have better things to be doing with their time.

Anyway onto my briefs which I think will now be a regular Sunday night feature:

Zimbabwe's Tsvangirai 'beaten up' (BBC Article)

Robert Mugabe does not believe in freedom of speech, to be an opposition party activist in Zimbabwe means you get persecuted. Following a recent rally where the opposition criticised Robert Mugabe and his government for continuing economic problems including inflation running at 1700% Morgan Tsvangirai the leader of the opposition was arrested and pretty much beaten to a pulp.

All they were doing was exercising their democratic rights, something we in the western world take for granted.

Biggest RNLI rescue is remembered (BBC Article)

I have the greatest respect for the men and women of the RNLI. There are are not many people who would head off into a force 9 gale to save lives. Even fewer would do it on a purely voluntary basis, but these crews continue to put the safety of people around our coast first.

These crews have realised that someone has to go out into the eye of the storm to protect life and it might as well be them. There is no question of them not going out, they are on call all year round. If someone needs their help they put to sea to make the difference and help those in peril on the sea.

The largest rescue in the RNLI's history was remembered on the 17th March 2007. This day marks the centenary of the rescue of 456 passengers from the stricken SS Suevic by the Lizard, Cadgwith, Coverack and Porthleven life boat crews. The rescue took 16 hours in thick fog and a strong gale.

"It must have been terrifying and yet they went back to the Suevic time and time again. I, and the present day RNLI volunteers at the Lizard have nothing but admiration for what they all achieved."

-Historian Peter Greenslade, RNLI Honorary Secretary

Wave energy set to turn the tide (BBC Article)

In last sunday's briefs I posted about wave power off Spain. This is an article about a similar wave farm being set up off the coast of Scotland.

'Cave entrances' spotted on Mars (BBC Article)

This sounds a bit like the start of a sci-fi horror movie, beware something dark this way comes.

NASA have spotted what looks like seven caves on the side of a volcano. Scientists have suggested that these natural structures may be capable of protecting primitive life from the harsh Mars environment. The caves have been named the seven sisters and been given names of Dena, Chloe, Wendy, Annie, Abbey, Nicki and Jeanne.

10 legit ways to get cheaper rail fares (BBC Article)

UK rail tickets are often really strange and it is always difficult to get the cheapest price unless your are in the know. So the BBC have kindly written an article on 10 ways to get cheaper fares.
It did not particularly help me with any of my usual train journeys but you never know, it is bound to be useful to someone.

The fight to copyright Mother's Day (BBC Article)

As it is mother's day you can find out about the history of the day and how the original creator became horrified at the gross over commercialisation of it all. It might make you think.

Zephyrist's Sunday night briefs

Well what with it being a busy week for me and one thing or another there are a few articles I have just not had the time to write. As they relate to current events I thoughts I would write some quick briefs and thoughts on some headline news and some lesser news items you may not have caught.

Wave farms show energy potential (BBC)

A BBC article telling us about a plan by Scottish engineers to deploy an offshore wave farm off Portugal.

This has plenty of implications for the UK as we have lots of suitable ocean waves off the West coast of Scotland and indeed there are plans to build an offshore farm soon. Unfortunately, unlike wind power this technology is very much in the development stages but with our own home grown engineering talent and a bit of investment from the government wave power could soon be a viable, renewable form of energy.

The political power of the network (BBC)

This article is an interesting piece about the power of the internet and how it relates to democracy and politics.

In the article there is a note of caution that although the internet stimulates debate, it doesn't always translate to involvement in the democratic process.

Is e-democracy now a reality (BBC)

This is on the same lines as the previous article and explores how much the internet is moving into mainstream politics. You can now read politicians blogs, watch youtube videos and sign electronic petitions, how far will e-democracy go?

US time switch set to save energy (BBC)
Y2K again? Daylight time may baffle computers (CNN)

The US have changed their summer time schedule. They now go to daylight saving three weeks earlier in the spring and end it one week later in the autumn. The idea behind it is to save energy, cut costs and as a side effect cut emissions.

I always like to visit CNN for the American prospective on stories. Two things of note from the CNN article, first I love the little summary at the top because Americans obviously cant even manage to read a short internet article and second note the cynical tone of the article regarding the energy saving idea.

"This is nice for after-dinner strolls and might even save some energy (which was Congress' motive)..."

My final thought on the story is that if America can do it why cant we, that would help towards our 20:20 target (20% by 2020).

Don't mention the polar bears, Bush tells US scientists (Independent)

This a long running saga where the bush administration censors the scientific community and forbids them to mention anything that might be at odds with bush policy. It tends to be around things such as the environment, global warming and carbon dioxide emissions.

This story relates to a leaked memo from the US department of the interior which suggested that matters not up for discussion in Arctic region countries included climate change, polar bears and sea ice. So whatever you do don't mention the polar bears.

The US department of the interior is currently in consultation to decide whether the polar bear should be listed as an endangered species.

That concludes my briefs on Sunday.