Religion! Hmph!

http://en.wikinews.org/wiki/Nebraska_Senator_sues_God
How ridiculous is this? This should not be allowed to happen. In both religious and non-religious arguments, it's completely foolish for courts to even advocate this sort of stupidity. If the man is religious, he should not argue against it (because that's the sort of brainwashing tactics they use) and if he's atheist or deist then it's obviously just an attention seeker. The fact that people like this are in positions of authority is all the more worrying, and that judges give this case airing that it doesn't deserve is perhaps even more of a crime than the sueing of an (if not artificial) supernatural God. Richard Dawkins for President, I say!

I want one of these!!! Badly!!!

How cool is this?
The i.Tech Virtual Keyboard makes clever use of Infra-red and Laser technology to project a full size QWERTY keyboard onto any flat surface. To use the keyboard, simply tap the virtual keys, and it will recognise your key strokes just as if you were typing onto a real keyboard. All key presses are confirmed by a "Key Click" so you get audible feedback of keystrokes.

Compatible with all HP iPAQ and palmOne devices with a universal connector, this keyboard also works with your PC or laptop via a serial port. The Virtual Keyboard is one of the most innovative and futuristic products of 2004, and takes the pain out of entering data using your handheld's on screen keyboard or hand writing recognition system. It's small size and light weight make it highly portable, so whether you need it every day or once in a while, the i.Tech Virtual Keyboard is a great addition to any PDA.

US draws up space tourism rules

The draft report's suggestions aim to prevent a terrorist from
destroying a spacecraft or using it as a weapon. However, the report has no strict proposals on the health of
any would-be space tourists.

The suggestions will affect Sir Richard Branson's enterprise
which aims to launch people into space this decade.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is attempting to
regulate the commercial space industry in a bid to ensure minimum safety
standards. It has recommended security checks similar to those for
airline passengers. The FAA also suggests space tourism companies check the global
"no-fly" list, from the US's Homeland Security Department, to exclude potential
terrorists. "New technologies carry new risks. Nonetheless, Congress
recognises that private industry has begun to develop commercial launch vehicles
capable of carrying human beings into space, and greater private investment in
these efforts will stimulate the nation's commercial space transportation
industry as a whole," said the report. "The public interest is served by creating a clear legal,
regulatory, and safety regime for commercial human space flight." Companies should give passengers safety advice including the
number of flights the spacecraft has been on and any problems they have
experienced with the craft, according to further recommendations in the report. Space tourists should also be given pre-flight training to
handle emergency situations such as a loss of cabin pressure or fire. However, the FAA has so far left any medical requirements in
the hands of the tourist, who should decide themselves if they are fit to fly. The draft regulations could come into force soon, as the first
space tourists have already made it into low orbit around the Earth. In 2004, Burt Rutan witnessed the successful launch of
SpaceShipOne, as he won the $10m prize for having the first private ship to fly
100km above Earth's surface. By the end of this decade Virgin enterprise aims to take
people into space from a spaceport in New Mexico. After consulting the public the FAA should publish their final
report before June 2006.

 

"As Slow As Possible"

The slowest and longest piece of music gets moving
(see picture for a screenshot of my guestbook post...)
Since September 5, 2001, which is the 89. birthday of the avant-garde composer and artist John Cage, the slowest and longest concert the world have ever heard has been playing: Organ²/ASLSP. As Slow As Possible that means this piece of music for organ will be performed for 639 years in the church of Burchardi in Halberstadt. It started slow and quiet with an interval on September 5, 2001. Since February 5, 2003 the first cord can be heard: one G #`, one G #`` and one B`. On January 5, 2006 the A`, the C`` and the F#`` will be added. We want to invite you to experience the change of sound on January 5, 2006 at 5.00 pm.