The EU

There seems to be lots of bitching in/about the EU. Turkey wants to join, but isnt agreeing to all the EU policies. So what? Dont let them in.
Also, people within the EU are worried about hte EU being a 'christian based state' - as the predominant religion within the member countries is mainly christian. I think this is mainly due to chance rather than anything else.

Also, if Turkey joins the EU, it will give the EU a border with Syria and Iraq. One of the EU's policies is for people of member countries to be able to easilly move between them. So could this mean that the EU will become more suscuptible to inusurgents and terrorists from Iraq and Syria? Almost certainly.

All of the recent countries to join the EU are poor countries, after a slice of the EU development fund. This is going to fuel controversy over EU allocation of funds, as people in the rich countries are not going to wont to spend funding on people on the other side of Europe.

The EU at the moment, along with potential members:

Something to think about.....

There seems to be alot of worry at the moment about pensions.

The state pension sucks. Why? There is not enough in taxes. Why? It all goes on benefits - DSS is one of the biggest public sectors. If people stopped claiming benefits they shouldnt, or dont need, or got off their lazy buts and got a job, then more money could go into pensions...

...and into a lot of other things....

Space Race

I read an interesting article on the bbc website today (thanks to Lizzie for sending me this)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4307538.stm

Aperantly, a man called Peter Diamandis has set up a new competition in order to accelerate space rocket technology by setting up a new race, the Rocket Racing League, RRL.

It will have Grand Prix style races acrossthe US and Mexico. There will be a virtual tack that the pilot can see with a computer. The crowd can see the rockets via GPS and smoke plumes.

The aim is for many companies to enter in order to accelerate space rocket technology, eg airframes and efficient engines.

Looks like a laugh, and something interesting for all the physicists to do!!!

The first rocket is set to go off next year.

Nightwish!!

Last sunday I saw Nightwish and they were amasing!!
Started off with Dark chest off wonders and ended with Wish I had an angel. The tour was to promote their new album 'once' , so they had a lot of songs off that (Ghost Love Score was my favourite)!.

Slowly getting to grips with Linux, Ive satarted editing and programming bash shells now :), and ive mastered most of the basic commands.

Currently downloading tunes off Metal.it, they got some great underground music, but a lot of the links are broken :( Just goto the MP3 section.