News Briefs

OK, a quick round-up of what's been going on in the world of late.

Firstly, and most importantly, the EU is redefining the definition of an island !!! According to the new proposals, an island is no longer an island

1) When there are less than 50 permanent residents
2) If it is less than a kilometre from the mainland
3) If it is attached the mainland by a bridge
4) If it contains the capital of an EU state

So, following these new regulations, hundreds of Scottish islands would cease to exist, Lundy (where I went on holiday in September) would become an inhabited rock and the United Kingdom would also lose it's island status !!!
I would just add that this reaffirms my opinion of Europe...

A interesting twist on the old Nigerian email scam, if you receive an email from George Bush asking if you can help him out financially with an oil venture, have a good laugh at the information it contains, as you (if you live in the USA) are already paying the sums requested.

Another IT related newsbite is that a new strain of an SQL-worm has been slowing down the internet over the weekend (so that's why the connection in Hechtsheim is so bad...). The way around it? - update your SQL Server software.

Ever wanted a US Department of Defence military website? Well, now you can, in addition to being able to create any account or domain name you like, you can also alter those of other people as well. Visit The Register for the full story.

On Saturday a tube train came off it's rails in London, injuring 30 people (there were 800 people on board at the time). Reading the accounts, it sounds quite scary.

Okay, now that you're aware of what's happening in the outside world, you can return to your cosy bed...

Bye

Time flies when you're having fun

I can't believe the date of my last posting. Is it really that long ago??? Well, I suppose I have the excuse that in my previous update I put up a huge number of photos...

So what has happened since then? Let's see what I can remember. Jordi is now in his experimental week, but his bosses still ignore him. I am slowly getting some way with my project, despite my boss never being around. Friday night saw the bar taken over by the spanish again, with a great selection of music, most of us managed to drink a bit as well. Finishing at about two thirty in the morning, those of us still awake (Pepe and Lourdes) went back to my place and watched "Fallen" on my DVD with surround sound. Mmmmm. You wouldn't have guessed that Lourdes doesn't like horror films, except if you lived within three blocks, because when she screams...she screams !!

The other night I managed to cook up a little dinner for a few of us, based on a dish from the southern states of America. I presume it went down quite well...

Having brought over some typical English Christmas food, I managed to serve up an amazing burning Christmas Pudding with Custard, followed another day by Mince Pies. All those that like sultanas enjoyed it (not pointing the finger at Jordi at all :)

Saturday night saw the Mojito Party in the flat of Ramsy and Jorge. Amongst the five-litre barrel of beer I brought along, we drank some nice red wine, and of course the amazing Mojitos. Another cocktail to put on my list of favourites. Of course, there wasn't any Kalimocho, but we enjoyed it none the less :)

Tonight (Sunday) a few of us went down to the TV room of Hechtsheim and watched "Y tu mama tambien". I don't know if it was because the radiator was on so high, or because of the content of the film, but myself and the people around me were definitely feeling quite hot...

Apart from that, nothing else I can remember has happened over the last week (I reserve the right to add anything I forgot later on once someone has reminded me :)

Off to get some shut-eye, goodnight

Snow, Photos and News

No sooner than I mention the snow falling in England, and it begins to snow here in Mainz. Yes, this morning saw a cover of white of this city, but not yet deep enough to stay for long. At least it will be a novelty for the spanish looking out of their plane windows.

Finally, and with many apologies for their lateness, new photos are up. Clicking through the links on the left you will find new ones of Nurenberg, more of the Roadtrip, Fernando's Birthday, the Pizzeria, Eisgrub, Halloween, Tortillas de Jorge, Italian Haircut and Random Hechtsheim 2. Phew !

Now that's over with, onto the news. England won the final Ashes test (cricket) against Australia, ending a running streak of victories by the side down-under.
Be careful where you next click, as there are plans to redesign the function of the 'back' button in browsers. If it now goes to the windows site, you know who's been financing this research.
The chief-in-waiting to the European Central Bank (a frenchman) is standing trial for account fraud, in that he allegedly (phew, saved that libel trial) published inexact accounts and released false information. This is the guy that will take over the job of adjusting interest rates in all euro-currency states. Where's your money now? Are you sure?

Well, got my work to get on with, and I expect you want to see all those photos now.

Tara

News Updates

There was I thinking I could get off early to bed the night before term starts, and I find a load of news that interests me, so in no particular order, here they are:

Good job I didn't arrive on Sunday in Germany, as some maniac hijacked a light aircraft and flew it for two hours around the city of Frankfurt, threatening to crash it into the European Central Bank.

In a BBC documentary, Paul Kenyon investigates how easy it is to steal somebody's identity in Britain by doing it for the Home Secretary (yes, the one in charge of MI5, the secret service) and the author Frederick Forsyth (Day of the Jackel, anyone?). Feel safe now, don't you.

And for those of you yearning for some clips of yesteryear, thanks to the website www.britishpathe.com, you can now view a huge selection of video footage that otherwise would have gone unseen in the vaults of the TV companies.

That's it, ciao for now

New Year's Wishes

Well, having not heard from anyone about how their New Year went, I will just wish all the best for 2003, and hope that we will all be able to meet again soon.

Leaving England at eight this morning, and seeing all the fields covered with frost, I realised that we were coming into the coldest time of the year there. Arriving in Germany however, I had to amend that slightly, as over here it's still far far colder. I can't say that I'm not pleased to have a lovely warm radiator next to my bed :)

So I am now stuck here in Mainz, bored moreso than I was in my village, as no-one is back yet (well, okay, some locals are, but none of my friends) and so I am occupying myself with the new DVDs that I bought over Christmas, and with sorting out all the work that I brought back with me and didn't have time to do.

Please somebody rescue me from this fate (I am on my German mobile now if you feel like phoning...)