Wandered over to an interesting talk last night entitled Europe and America – Worlds Apart? that took took a statistical look at the differences between the two population blocks. A lot of people, myself included will presume that Americans are staggeringly different from us and that democracy and free-markets aside, there is little that unites us. The reality in statistical terms is quite surprising. In a tour-de-force of graphs and charts, Professor Peter Baldwin (Professor of History at University of California) charged though the issues at a breakneck speed to show that America is actually not that different in end outcome from Europe. America is considered to be a very unequal country with strong concentrations of wealth – although it is actually fairly similar to Sweden...

USA Today has a summary of the state of play of the space tourism industry by Bill McGee: Space Travel is Ready for Booking -- USA Today The MIT Technology Review blog Delta-V covers an interview with Burt Rutan: Burt Rutan Explains Why Space Tourism Matters This is just plain dumb:- "...propellants are responsible for about a third of the total cost of mature forms of travel, such as commercial airflight or automobile transportation, [Rutan] estimates that a sub-orbital ticket could one day cost as little as $475 per passenger, while a ticket to orbit could cost $12,000...While such orbital travel would be dramatically cheaper than the tens of millions charged today for private trips to the International Space Station, this would still dash romantic dreams of mass colonization of...

Some years ago I wrote a brief blog about my attempts to find a rolling tobacco, broadly similar to Camel cigarrettes. Well the search continues. It's been going on for 30 years so I don't expect it to compleet any time soon, but I do feel I'm getting closer. The USA web sites for roll your own afficionados speak very highly of Peter Stokkebye's Turkish Export. So I went on a quest to try and find a UK or European supplier. I drew a blank from the specialist UK online tobacconists. Even though some of them do carry other Stokkebye products, this was a typical response. I have asked the UK distributor of Peter Stokkebye to consider adding this to their stock list before but they say it isn't viable. It is on the website www.tobaccoonline.co.uk but beware this is not a UK based...

No. (via) Not military defeat. Cricket: Afghanistan went into bat in Dubai, scoring 135 - 4. This left their bowlers some work to do and they performed well including a first ball wicket from Hamid Hassan, Afghanistan's star bowler; America scored just 106-7, meaning the Afghans won by 29 runs. One day all nationalistic rivalries will be settled on the sports field, where they belong and as a result, even America will be forced to play the same sports as everyone else. As indeed they used to before the inexplicable rise in popularity of rounders baseball, and the ideas of American Exceptionalism. It is a shame the USA stopped playing cricket, despite them contesting the first ever international cricket match in 1844, against Canada which remains sport's longest-running continuously...

It is not widely known but, apparently, it has been routine practice since the 1960s to take DNA samples from newborn babes in the USA – without parental permission or knowledge !!! The rationale behind the practice is to test for genetic disorders. Different states retain these samples for different lengths of time but some states (e.g., Florida) retain them indefinitely. The samples are made available to medical researchers – again with no parental knowledge, but with no names attached to the samples. Excuse me, call me a cynical auld bastard if you want – but don’t expect me to believe that the Police and the Dept of Homeland Security don’t draw upon this database for their own purposes !!! If I had been born in the USA since this practice was introduced...

Q&A time for all you FIFA 2010 tourists planning on visit South Africa … (Oh allright, I know these are rugby players, but ssshhh!!!) These questions about South Africa were posted on a South African Tourism Website and were answered by the website owner (great sense of humour!). Q: Does it ever get windy in South Africa ? I have never seen it rain on TV, so how do the plants grow? ( UK ) A: We import all plants fully grown and then just sit around watching them die. Q: Will I be able to see elephants in the street? ( USA ) A: Depends how much you’ve been drinking.  Q: I want to walk from Durban to Cape Town – can I follow the railroad tracks? ( Sweden ) A: Sure, it’s only two thousand kilometres take lots of water…  Q: Is it safe to run around in the bushes in South...

Roger Pielke Jr. points out that the online version of The Stern Report has quietly been changed and an erroneous 1.3% of GDP costs that hurricanes may cost the USA changed to a more believable 0.13%. He says " now the Stern Review math does not add up". So it wasn't a mere typo that was corrected, but a figure that was relied on in calculations. Eli Rabbett predictably says it was just a typo and the correct figure was used everywhere else in the paper. Tim Worstall, no great friend of Lord Stern, channels Professor Tol, a knowledgeable critic of The Stern Report to agree it is just a typo. It would seem it should be easy to work out the truth, Stern puts up some numbers, and then summarises the total effect. I'm not familiar enough with the report to easily work my way through it...

The Gaza Freedom March has come to an end, but before the protesters dispersed they agreed on the following statement: End Israeli Apartheid Cairo Declaration January 1, 2010 We, international delegates meeting in Cairo during the Gaza Freedom March 2009 in collective response to an initiative from the South African delegation, state: In view of: o Israel’s ongoing collective punishment of Palestinians through the illegal occupation and siege of Gaza; o the illegal occupation of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the continued construction of the illegal Apartheid Wall and settlements; o the new Wall under construction by Egypt and the US which will tighten even further the siege of Gaza; o the contempt for Palestinian democracy shown by Israel, the US, Canada, the EU and...

I’ve always liked the Pacific Northwest of the USA. The images of tall trees and wide, yet winding, roads gleaned from 1980s cult movies and second rate sitcoms like Harry and the Hendersons. So when I found myself on a Wikipedia page that happened to contain a picture of a Texaco forecourt in WA, USA - indeed the entry for Texaco itself -I just had to delve further, and thanks to the magic of the interweb I am pleased to report my findings. via Wikipedia It is the Paradise Market Texaco, 6476 Mt Baker Hwy, Maple Falls, WA 98266, USA View Larger Map via Google Maps Streetview The Bing Maps view, the embed option isin’t available so you have to click the link and open a new window and finally picture from a local website, which advises you to “Fuel up on your way to...

British banks such as Lloyds TSB, Barclays and the Royal Bank of Scotland are lending or providing investment banking services to cluster bomb producers, according to a report released last month by IKV Pax Christi and Netwerk Vlaanderen, viewable at Stop Explosive Investments.Cluster bombs release hundreds of smaller submunitions, which do not always denotate on impact and can remain in the ground as de facto antipersonnel mines, killing and maiming people after the conflict has ended, according to Cluster Munition Coalition.At the Dublin Diplomatic Conference on Cluster Munitions in May 2008, one hundred countries signed a treaty promising never to use or develop cluster munitions. So far, twenty three countries have ratified the treaty. Today, Amnesty International is reminding us to...

A few weeks ago XDA Developers folk managed to get Google Maps Navigation working on the T-Mobile G1. Of course, the navigation side of the software only worked in the USA and if using in Canada, Europe and anywhere else in the world you simply didn’t have the option to use navigation. Yet again the XDA forums people have managed to solve this problem and Google Maps Navigation can now work on your G1 along with the navigation features out of the USA. Details of how to get navigation working can be found over on this thread. To get the application working with Navigation on your G1 then follow the instructions below, but I highly recommend you read over all the details on XDA Forums to make sure you get the install right. Also note that you do this sort of stuff at your own...

The draw for next year's World Cup has been released by the IRB:Pool A: New Zealand, Wales, Australia, South AfricaPool B: England, USA, Ireland, KazakhstanPool C: France, Canada, Scotland, SwedenSo - England will take on the USA, Ireland and Kazakhstan for a place in the final stages?Well, no. Possibly not. Crucially the actual format for the tournament has not yet been published, but whatever the IRB come up with it can safely be assumed that it will be nothing like as simple as that. Despite one or two media organisations leaping to this conclusion (such as the BBC - though it is nice to see them acknowledge that the game exists after all!), no IRB-organised world cup has ever been that simple. In fact, if the same format as 2006 world cup is used then it would mean that the teams that...

About one million folding pushchairs manufactured by the British company Maclaren are being recalled in the USA because of 12 reports of fingertip amputations after children caught their hands in the hinge mechanism.The product recall affects nine models of "umbrella" strollers which fold up for easier storage. Maclaren USA received 15 reports of children placing their finger in the hinge, resulting in 12 reports of amputations. Many of the same models are available in the UK but a spokeswoman for Maclaren said last night that talks with British trading standards authorities have not resulted in a recall in this country.The affected models are manufactured in China and are distributed worldwide. They include the Volo, Triumph, Quest Sport, Quest Mod, Techno XT, TechnoXLR, Twin Triumph,...

From the post over at Political Betting by Peter the Punter we learn that the following are people to watch out for as candidates who could give Obama a run for his money at the next Presidential election in the USA. The list is as followed:Tim PawlentyMitt RomneyMike PenceHaley BarbourJeb BushHillary ClintonMitch DanielsA list of some interesting people, although I don't know any of the above except Hillary but you never know anything is possible. Would I put money on all of the above? No, I wouldn't as I am not a betting man but if I was then definitely.Political Betting as Peter the Punter points out isn't for the light hearted, maybe its this that is getting me motivated to doing something with money and gambling.I will definitely watch the above with great interest and you never...

Readers: Take part for your chance to win free tickets to London Freeze 2009! New Apple products leaked as store gets updated A list has been going around and leaked onto the internet, AppleInsider claims that they have got word of all the product announcements coming today from Apple. This also includes specs for a new iMac, new Mac Mini, and some other new updated goodies including Time Capsules with some sort of sim dualband? Here’s the list of new Apple products which have been leaked, probably soon to be confirmed as the Apple store is currently being updated as this post is being typed out. MC207LL/A - K84 BEST BTR- USA MC238LL/A - MAC MINI 2.26/2×1GB/160/SD/AP/BT-USA MC239LL/A- MAC MINI 2.53/2×2GB/320GB/SD/AP/BT-USA MC340LL/A - AIRPORT EXTREME (SIM DUALBAND) - USA...

Now that the United States team has qualified for the 2010 World Cup, the agonizing wait begins until the final draw is held on December 4, 2009. The draw will be beamed around the world, and we’ll finally be able to learn which countries will be grouped against each other next summer in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Of course, when the draw is finished, football supporters and journalists will be making quick decisions on which group is the group of death, and which world powers have the easier groups. We’ve been there, done that. But for me, the most interesting prospect is whether the United States will be grouped with England. We’ll have a better idea of whether this may happen after Wednesday. If the United States wins the CONCACAF group ahead of Mexico, the...

An announcement from Virgin Mobile USA has revealed that the LG Rumor 2 is going to their network. The Rumor 2 has a full QWERTY keyboard that slides out that makes it ideal for messaging and email. The phone also has Bluetooth as well as 3G connectivity. Also, GPS can be found in the phone making it quite a handy device should you want to use navigation. The great news is that the phone will cost just $129.99 without a contract. Other features include a 1.3 megapixel camera as well as email, IM and picture messaging. An MP3 player is built in as can be expected and the device has a fairly small 2 inch colour screen. Social networking is also integrated in to the phone so that you are able to use Facebook and MySpace to name a few services. Storage wise, it can be expanded by way of...

Not done one of these in a while (since shed week), you can find a random shed here, it’s fun and you see a shed you may not have seen before!!! Joe Arnold, Chipley, FL, USA Joe Arnold, Chipley, FL, USA Three work benches; woodwork, computer building & repair, general. Air conditioned & heated, hot & cold water. Surround-sound system. Full audio & video security. Completely self-built over a four year period. Attached 8500 Watt generator for emergency backup of shed and house Shame he only added one image… Related Posts September 25, 2009 — Crafty Sheddie proves she loves sheds too September 17, 2009 — Just Sheds: One grand design September 14, 2009 — Could you Live In A Shed for 2 weeks with 5 strangers September 11, 2009 — What...

This comes from John Rentoul's blog, No sh** Sherlock! Many people including former Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto have been claiming this for years...The war on terror is a war on Muslims, and the best way for them to gain leadership of the world. The USA has appointed a pro USA government in Iraq and the Afghan government is pro USA, and in my view that's the USA's plan of taking over the world.My theory is that the USA is going to invade countries, appoint leaders that are in their favour and then eventually rule the world.Bin Laden was just an invasion...

With one round of games still to go, England have retained the Nations Cup. The bonus point in their 25-0 win over South Africa, and Canada's dramatic last minute 15-10 loss to the USA, mean that they cannot be caught.England match report (RFUW)England match report (Rugby Canada)Canada v USA report (Rugby Canada)Canada v USA report (USA rugby)PositionNationGamesPointsBonus points[2]TablepointsplayedwondrawnlostforagainstTriesLosing1England33001041530152United States320161461093Canada310252441274France311137670065South Africa401334116002Next games: France vs USA, Canada v EnglandAccounts from the games suggest that fatigue is getting at all the players - but they had better get used to it as next year they'll be playing five games in roughly the same amount of time. This suggests that...

Tonight's games in the Nations Cup promise a few contrasts. England will start things off (9.30pm) with their game against South Africa who they have met twice before and, well not exactly been troubled by. Scores of 101-0 and 74-8 would - with all their opponents improvements - tend to point to and English win. Indeed if South Africa get within 50 points they would probably could it a triumph. However, England may well hold back a little with Canada and a possible battle for the title. Meanwhile Canada desparately need to bounce back from their shock defeat in Sunday (and, aside from the opening 20 minutes, unconvincing win last Thursday as well). Trouble is that the team they need to bounce back against are their deadliest rivals in what must be women's rugby's greatest internatonal...

A recent poll by Gallup Pakistan asked respondents what they consider to be the biggest threat to the nation of Pakistan. The results make interesting reading - 11% answered – Taliban 18% answered – India 59% answered – USA The negative attitude towards the USA in part reflects the growing anger over the death and injury of civilians from ‘Drone’ rocket attacks launched by american forces. Only 9% of those polled supported the drone attacks. 67% opposed USA military operations on Pakistan’s soil. ‘. . . . the hatred against the US is growing very quickly, mainly because of these drone attacks,” Makhdoom Babar, the editor-in-chief of Pakistan’s The Daily Mail newspaper, said. “Maybe the intelligence channels, the military...

Sixteen years ago women's international rugby was in its infancy as the England women's team boarded a plane for Toronto in Canada and their first games outside Europe - in fact, apart from one brief hop over the Channel to Utrecht three years before, the first fixtures of any sort outside the UK. It was a big step into the unknown - but a triumphant one as England beat the USA, Canada and Wales to take the first Canada Cup and their first international tournament win.Now - for the first time in 16 years - England return to the scene of that first overseas triumph to defend their Nations Cup title, won last year in Esher against USA and Canada, and this time with two more opponents - France and South Africa.Its difficult to see beyond an England win - but the minor placings could be...

Every political party has a youth wing with the Lib Dems and Liberal Youth, the Tories and Conservative Future and Labour and Young Labour but I believe they are failing to achieve what the youth wings of USA politics achieved and especially the Democrat toddlers.Many people, especially young people went to the USA to campaign for Barack Obama and this was a success of youth politics in the States. The Democrat Youth are a force in the USA and they are leading the way with campaigning door to door, blogging, telephone canvassing etc... but we don't have that in the UK.The youth of the UK in my experience are more interested in their own little campaigns that go nowhere or are not active and well connected with the main stream party and for this reason they don't succeed where in the USA...

Sunday was a brilliant day of double success for England. This morning dawned in Hanover with the England sevens team looking back in satisfaction at their group stage performance yesterday where they had demolished all that had been put in front of them. Five wins from five, 87 points scored (15 tries) and a single try conceded put them into the at the European Sevens semi-final against the host team, Germany. Meanwhile in west London England U20s awoke knowing that, after Thursday's comprehensive win over Canada (Rugby Canada report now available) - which a recount seems to have raised to 47-0 - a similar performance today against the USA should seem into next week's final.The sevens team were first on the field. While the U20s were having breakfast, England's Sevens team were having...

I know its just turned July, but news of a bumper August of international rugby has come my way and - as some of it might even count as another world "exclusive" for the blog - so I thought I'd post the details now.To begin with that "exclusive", as mentioned last week they England off to Canada to defend the Nations Cup that they won in the tournament in Esher last year. Full fixtures have not been published yet, but partial details have appeared on US and Canadian websites from which the full details can be worked out.The tournament will include five teams this year - England, Canada, France, USA, and South Africa - so that is the teams finished 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th at the last World Cup so its not a bad lineup. It will also feature South Africa in 15-a-side action for the first time...

International women's rugby still lacks any sort of official ranking system. The men's game has a system run by the IRB of bizzarre and Byzantine complexity but for some reason it seems that their statisticians - while willing to spend hours comparing the relative performances of the men's teams from major rugby nations like Vanuatu and Monaco - never seem to be able to find the time to look at women's results.Admittedly identifying the top two in the world is pretty easy - New Zealand and England. Over the years the Black Ferns have won an amazing 49 out of their 51 internationals, and haven't lost to anyone since 2001. Since then they have had 23 straight victories - which I believe is a world record. Running just behind them is England with a record of 129 wins (and one draw) which...

RFUW have announced today the squad for the U20 Nations Cup. As Lizell mentioned at the National 7s selection was not automatic - fitness tests were required - but it seems that both she and Sasha have both passed these and can now look forward to roughly two weeks of intensive training and rugby as part of England's bid to retain the U20 Nations Cup (see 2008 results here).England will be up against the USA, Canada and Wales in what will be close to a U20 World Cup (especially as New Zealand have never played age group rugby) - it will certainly be a look ahead to many of the players who will be at the 2014 World Cup.None of England's games will be easy, though it is difficult to see past their retaining the title (especially with the help of home advantage). The Welsh in particular have...

Gary McKinnon faces extradition to USAGary McKinnon is fighting the British Governements decision to extradite him to the USA. His crime? A self-confessed UFO ‘nut’, he waltzed his way through several Pentagon, CIA, White House computer systems – bypassing with ease every security block set up to prevent unauthorised access to sensitive files in search of information about UFOs. If convicted, he faces the prospect of spending the rest of his life in jail. Today, it was announced that the UK is seeking to recruit former ‘hackers’ to work alongside staff at GCHQ to combat ‘cyber terrorism’ Source . . . Do I have to spell it out? Instead of sending Gary McKinnon to the USA to rot in jail for the rest of his life – give the bugger a job. Who...

Everyone reading this more or less knows my position when it comes to the middle east conflict and the fact that I support the rights of the Palestinian people over the "so called infringed" rights of the Israeli's all you need to do to find out more about what I think of Israel is to search the word "Israel" on this blog.Putting that aside yesterday I was watching Hardtalk(for the first time ever) and noticed that the BBC presenter quoted a Israeli who called Barack Obama a "political terrorist" and said that he emphasised "Hussein" more over "Barack".First of all I am disgusted by the first comment how is Barack Obama a "political terrorist", the only thing the man is trying to do is create better relationships between Palestine and Israel and because the Israeli's don't like it they...