Babel fish

http://www.xibalba.demon.co.uk/jbr/lingo.html - A Primer In SF Xenolinguistics

A fascinating article about alien languages and whether it would be possible to communicate with aliens. The possibilities for mutual misunderstanding would be endless. (The article will be incomprehensible to anyone not well-versed in SF, I suspect - requires knowledge of Babylon 5, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, Hitch-Hiker's Guide, etc etc.)

esta fin de semana

El sabado, he conducido a Marshfield y he comprado una estufa de leña. He comprado tambien las baldosas para el hogar. Por la tarde, he conducido con mi marido a Bristol, a una fiesta con música para budistas. Hemos ido con nuestra amiga, Gina. Nos hemos sentado en el sitio de tranquilizarse durante una hora, y pues hemos bailado. La musica era rítmica y agradable.

El domingo, he conducido muy temprano - a las nueve - a Bristol para una fiesta para los paganos. He ayudado a establecer el pub. La fiesta ha comenzado a las doce. He dado una charla sobre "Paganismo y Comida". Mi amigo Ronald ha dado una charla sobre "Misterios Antiguos", y ha descrito las tradíciones antiguas griegas y romanas. Me he divertido mucho, pero déspues estabo muy cansada. Me he dormido muy rápido.

La mañana del lunes, he olvidado mis libros de español, estaba tan cansada.

Normalmente vamos al campo y nos paseamos en los bosques o por el río. Nos gusta tambien visitar las mesas megalíticas. De vez en cuando compramos en Bath o vamos al cine.

Farhat Khan

In a time when a conference is raising the issue of "honour killings" and forced marriages and the police are re-opening thousands of suicide and missing persons cases as they may be related to forced marriage or 'honour' killings, it is ironic and tragic that a woman who has been honoured by the Queen for her work is going to be deported. Especially tragic as she would probably be killed if she returned to Pakistan.

See also www.ncadc.org.uk/archives/filed%20newszines/newszine45/farhat.html

Details of the Farhat Must Stay Petition

cool gizmos

Flash
Zoomquilt collaborative art project
The singing CV (English version)
Le CV qui chante (version français)
JibJab.com - This Land (I want to vote for the Native American...)
Interactive Bubble Wrap - great for stress relief (I particularly like the manic mode)

Java
Powers of Ten (Somebody really should do a continuous zoom version of this)

Jakob Nielsen rocks

The Most Hated Advertising Techniques - Jakob Nielsen giving the reasons why pop-up advertising is really really horrible and ultimately pointless. Go Jakob go! The only thing he has missed out is those horrible jiggly adverts that look like a box full of ants.

smoke and mirrors

I'm convinced that the whole row over David Blunkett is an attempt to distract us from the far more serious issue about ID cards. Civil liberties in the UK are being eroded faster than Venice is settling into the Laguna Véneta.

I wonder how many people realise that getting an ID card will cost them £85...?