h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Ooooh! The world's largest QR code! http://www.cbc.ca/news/offbeat/story/2012/09/09/calgary-guinness-world-record.html

Teachers don't get enough holidays

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-19556730

Poor dears.

"I found university rankings interesting. "

There is an aspect to this that is like ranking different fruit. I suppose it's all part of the commercialisation and globalisation of education from lower to higher.

>>There is an aspect to this that is like ranking different fruit. I suppose it's all part of the commercialisation and globalisation of education from lower to higher.<<

I'd agree with this and I've got a professional interest in the field. There is no such thing as a 'best' university: only a 'best for me' one. The exception to this rule is Oxbridge and the University of London colleges: they seem to attract an extra cachet.

Extra 'cachet' doesn't make something best though does it, so the same 'best for me' rule still applies.

A Ralph Lauren polo shirt isn't necessarily 'the best' is it. At least it isn't for me.

PP

At Humboldt State, Football Worth the Price:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/12/sports/ncaafootball/at-humboldt-state-football-worth-the-price.html?google_editors_picks=true

The article eventually segues into a discussion of football, but leads with:

ARCATA, Calif. — The Marching Lumberjacks, surely one of the country’s more irreverent college bands, had launched into “Misirlou.”

A30465957

Human bones found under a council car park in Leicester, England.

They could be the bones of the villainous Richard III who made the princes in the Tower disappear (later found). Richard III was slain in the battle of Boswell in 1485, and the tudor Henry VII became King. Of course some claim that Henry VII was a usurping bustard and that Richard III was a noble saint rather than a hunchbacked evil-doer ...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-19561018

Leader of Respect Party Salma Yaqoob quits blaming breakdown in "Respect"

... following Respect MP's George Galloways comment that it wasn't necessary for men to get consent from the women they wanted to have sex with, to have sex with them (he later clarified the remark)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19565100

I can't remember him saying that; looks like he might get richer still from the beeb.

Couldn't have anything to do with Assange could it; he's just plain greedy and expected two helpings for the price of one.

What I don't understand is the amount of fuss; if a lorry driver or even an airline pilot got so greedy you wouldn't get this fuss.

The beeb couldn't be a pile of lies and propoganda could it

I actually saw this on the beeb.

http://libyasos.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/bbc-deleted-story-syrian-rebels.html

Now for something different and useful;

advances in treatment of that horrible disease which was incurable have been discovered; looks like it would make a good 'A' level case study in Applied Maths.

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-mathematical-safer-chemotherapy.html

Last time I had an x-ray they found that I had swapped cancer for the incurable RCA disease how lucky can I get.

http://m.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/science/2012/09/12/001-jupiter-objet-collision.shtml

New born baby's legs found on Tooting Common... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-19580860

This time I have spotted that this is old news.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/dec/22/privatising-thatchers-funeral-fitting-tribute-legacy

However in view of the upset over the firm selling Thatcher Death Party Packs (surely no Thatcherite could object to this bit of opportunistic business?), it seems to me that there are a number of opportunities as illustrated by the Guardian article.

Naming rights anybody?

The Do-It-All Margaret Thatcher Official Funeral?

PP

I wouldn't dare sign it cos she might send the SAS in. But I think she should pay for her own.

interesting..shows the complete lack of clarity...should the Dr or whomever ordered the order be charged for attempted murder/manslaughter
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/action-not-resuscitate-order-074928139.html

Good find - a very interesting story and partly relevant to the "suicide" / "assisted-suicide" debate.

Of course it is different because there is no "assistance" - the doctors "wait" for the patient's body to go into an arrest and then allow things to take their "natural" course.

I would be interested in learning of the legal aspects of the case. On the face of it, it seems that medical doctors have legal powers for a "do not resuscitate" order. I wonder if there are any legal limits in the justification arguments that can be used when imposing a "DNR"?

ps Both the above two post's have been reposted to the "right to life" thread.

A blood test for Mad Cow disease/KJD may be on the horizon: http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/201209/s3588391.htm

I thought a cartoon might cheer you all up.
(Steve Bell on Hillsborough)
http://tinyurl.com/8eyqsok