Monthly Archives: May 2006

Beautiful buildings, glowing in the sunset.

Just had a call from a gentleman who needed to telk me that “je suis” is an anagram of “I Jesus”. Must check visibility of my phone number.

Ten years ago today I stood in my last election. (My last election to date, that is – who knows what the future will bring.) The election was in the middle of the Northern Ireland peace process, for 110 members … Continue reading →

One of my colleagues has sent around this news item, with the heading “Ethnic Group of the Month”: ADYGEYA PRESIDENT MEETS WITH SHAPSUGS: Khazret Sovmen met on May 25 in Maikop with representatives of the Shapsug community from neighboring Krasnodar … Continue reading →

11) Daughter of the Drow, by Elaine Cunningham Sorry, got a hundred pages into it and just can’t be bothered. Unattractive characters and derivative world. If I was still roleplaying it would probably grab me a bit more effectively. But … Continue reading →

Haven’t seen this BBC interview linked from anyone else on my f-list…

Over the last few weeks, an episode here and an episode there, I’ve been watching the first ever appearance of the Doctor’s ultimate foes, first broadcast in 1963-1964 in seven episodes. Great fun. I had of course read David Whitaker’s … Continue reading →

Walt Willis on Bob Shaw: They reached a position of great wealth and influence during the famines of the 1840’s, attaining a prestige in Ireland comparable with that of the Campbells in Glencoe, and ranking second only to Cromwell in … Continue reading →

That was a bit disappointing. I thought they got the 1950s atmosphere well, but didn’t think much of the rest. Apart from anything else, we already know that in 1953 the entire population of London did not turn into faceless … Continue reading →

Just caught myself on TV. Didn’t look too bad.

Just cheered myself up by watching The Curse of Fatal Death. As well as several fun elements of continuity (“All these corridors look the same!”) (the music at the end is surely the incidental music from the end of Logopolis) … Continue reading →

I exaggerate a little. But not much. Had been hoping for a nice long weekend – this being a Catlick country, yesterday was a day off for Ascension Thursday (apparently the Merrykins get Monday off for some secular holiday). But … Continue reading →

A tale of graduate school burnout. Should be mandatory reading for anyone planning a master’s or PhD.

Emails received and sent this morning: From: XX To: nicholas.whyte@gmail.com Date: May 26, 2006 8:51 AM Subject: NORTH ANTRIM ELECTION RESULTS THE INFORMATIOM ON YOUR WEBSITE IS WRONG From: Nicholas Whyte To: XX Date: May 26, 2006 9:47 AM Subject: … Continue reading →

It’s a crazy debate. This was a longlist, not a shortlist, let alone an actual award. All it means is that one person thought the piece worthy of note. Maybe it is, maybe it isn’t; I haven’t read it, and … Continue reading →

Did a piece for BBC TV on Montenegro this morning. I understand likely times of broadcast are (in Europe only): 1430 Ireland/UK / 1530 Belgium, Saturday 27th, BBC World 1630 Ireland/UK / 1730 Belgium, Saturday 27th, BBC News 24 0930 … Continue reading →

Don’t really have time to follow up on these interesting threads: Fistful of Euros Guardian (Ian Traynor) Guardian (Neil Clark’s response to Traynor) Harry’s response to Clark

I don’t actually read many sf magazines. I am a subscriber to Interzone (which arrived yesterday) and occasionally pick up F&SF or Asimov’s or Analog if I see them in the bookshop (rare) and have the impulse. Finding time to … Continue reading →

I’ve syndicated the SF Book Club’s blog as .

…on 4 March 1801, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson completed their terms as, respectively, the second President and the second Vice-President of the United States of America. It was a good day for Jefferson, who (like only Adams before him … Continue reading →

Rumours are that Montenegro has voted in favour of independence, with 56.3% in favour on a turnout of around 90% – comfortably over the thresholds. Interesting times… (the only comment I have found on-line so far is in Basque!)

Well, I’m delighted with it so far – a Dell Dimension 8150, and I’ve been putting lots of CDs on it, and installing old and new software. Thanks for all your advice. But I’ve been hit by an unexpected snag: … Continue reading →

links to this cool illusion, and ponders whether it would be perceived differently by people with dyslexia and/or autism. I dunno but it was fun to look at. HOwever now I have pink dots dancing in front of my eyes.

10) Moondust, by Andrew Smith After reading James Hansen’s biography of Neil Armstrong, I mused that “If I want to read about the wider meaning of his mission and of space exploration, I will have to look somewhere else. And … Continue reading →

You Livejournal users better be nice to me: According to the Irish News, I run the place!

Slovenia votes for Bosnia and Croatia Andorra votes for Spain Romania votes for Moldova and Russia Denmark votes for Finland and Sweden Latvia votes for Russia and Lithuania Portugal votes, to their eternal credit, for Ukraine. Sweden votes for Finland … Continue reading →

Started watching this just over halfway in, so here are my thoughts, updated as it went on: 14 – Lithuania – full marks for cheek! But apart from the joke, not a great song. 15 – UK – Dreadful. Out … Continue reading →

…I hope they get that carpet nailed down before taking off for Paris.

Late that night the shutters on the balcony of the town hall were flung open and Don Calogero appeared…To the invisible crowd in the shadows below he announced that the plebiscite at Donnafugata had had the following results: Voters: 515; … Continue reading →

Nice new computer, thanks to everyone for their good advice. Works beautifully (and yes, , it even runs GAIM). Right, bedtime now.