Nick Jordan

New Scientist reports that TDK have invented a tough, transparent coating for displays and optical discs that resists scratching and marking incredibly well.

In one of the most convincing technology demonstrations this reporter has witnessed, I was handed a CD, a wire-wool pan scourer and some permanent marker pens, and invited to scratch or mark the discs. Hard as I tried, I could not make a single mark on the disc with the scourer. And the ink simply wiped off.

If this is as good as it sounds, it may signal the end of scratched mobile phone screens and buggered CDs. I suspect, though, the the music and film industries will resist using this on existing media, probably claiming that it’s too expensive. After all, they’d like us to have to replace expensive, damaged discs, wouldn’t they?

The ride to work this morning was one of those rare occasions when everything was just perfect. The sun was still below the horizon but the eastern sky was glowing pink, red and pale blue. The roads were relatively clear, my head likewise and the bike seemed particularly responsive. By modern standards my bike is slow and boring but today, with a handful of throttle and a bit of enthusiastic cornering, it felt great. If only every morning started so well.

Last night I watched part two of the BBC’s excellent documentary, The Power of Nightmares. It makes it all too clear that political and religious idealism can lead well-meaning (if, possibly, misguided) people onto a course that results in the most appalling violence. I’m not knowledgeable enough about the areas the film covers to be able to judge its accuracy but I’d like to research the issue more thoroughly if I had the time. If this programme is released on DVD I shall most definitely be buying it so that I can watch it again more carefully and lend it to my family and friends.

John Peel has died. I’m speechless and rather shocked. Sixty-five is no age these days. He’ll be very sorely missed.

At 5.44 PM BST today the Cassini probe will pass very close to Titan and have a really good look at it. Then, on Christmas day the Huygens craft will be released and will descend in early January, taking photographs and measurements as it does so. This is a very exciting time in the exploration of our Solar System and I can’t wait to see the results, assuming all goes to plan. I’d give a huge amount to be involved in a project like this.

Update: More on this from BBC News.

Today is the anniversary of the Battle of Agincourt. On this day in the year 1415 a heavily outnumbered English army whupped some serious French ass. I’m sure they didn’t put it exactly like that at the time but the sentiments expressed were, no doubt, the same.

What causes objects to have mass? It appears that the answer may be quantum entanglement. Not so long ago it seemed that quantum entanglement was a subtle phenomenon that caused no noticeable effects in the macroscopic world. Then it became apparent that it was involved in superconductivity. Now this. I wonder what’s next?

The Register has the lowdown on Windows v Linux security, in an article that anyone who’s read and believed Microsoft’s FUD ought to have shoved under their nose. Quite frankly, if you’re using Windows and you don’t have to, you’re mad. Get Linux, get a Mac. Hell, get OS/2 if you really must, but don’t run Windows unless you really have no choice. And if that’s the case, do yourself a favour and use Firefox instead of Internet Explorer.

Comments are now enabled once again, but if you do post something please be aware that all comments are submitted to me for approval before they are published, so please don’t panic or resubmit your remarks when they don’t appear immediately. I’m hoping that this will be sufficient to deter the annoying idiots who have plagued this site in the past. Intelligent and/or witty observations will be gratefully received.

It’s all change around here again. This time, I’ve moved away from Blogger once more and over to the rather wonderful WordPress. I may or may not bother to bring over the previous posts into the new system. My current inclination is not to, since I really don’t think there’s much there that’s worth preserving. When I get the chance I shall spend some time fiddling with the templates and style sheets, but for the moment I’m sticking with a very lightly modified version of the standard ones.