• used to be somebody
  Gaby Hinsliff's blog on leaving the fast lane and become a mum-at-home - well, a bit more than that. Recommended reading, not just for mums at home. Rather close to home, too.
  (tags: blog journalism work employment Gaby_Hinsliff)

• SCRI pledges commitment to plant breeding and criticises UK's lack of plant breeding training facilities | Horticulture Week
  This is absolutely right. The Dutch have excellent training courses at Wageningen, but there is no equivalent here. At least one of the good colleges here must start some serious courses on breeding - otherwise, we will not compete with our overseas competitors (particularly the Chinese).
  (tags: news plants breeding horticulture agriculture)

From last week.

Inevitably, they have sent me the wrong component. Well, kinda. They have sent me the component that corresponds with the part number that I used when ordering. However, the part number on the key to the exploded parts diagram is incorrect. I have emailed them and said that I consider them to be at fault and have requested that they send the correct item FOC. We’ll see what happens.

(Aside: I’ve always loved the notion of exploded diagrams. KABLOOIEEE!)

• BBC News - EU moves towards common patent system
  About bloomin' time! Mind you, it will take the member states another age to agree the details. This is a more complex issue than PVR, but the Community PVR system has now been active and in place for nearly 15 years, so patent has a long way to catch up.
  (tags: IP patent Europe law news)
• Home@Trüffel-Da-Diego
  One of the best restaurants in Essen.
  (tags: Essen Germany food restaurant Italian)

• OpenGeoscience | Free data | British Geological Survey (BGS)
  Free online geological maps of the UK.
  (tags: UK maps science free geology)
• BBC News - Railway signal box gets new home
  I visited this signalbox on a school trip about 30 years ago. More latterly, I sheltered behind it on windy days. Sad to see it go, but it was in a pretty bad way in any case.
  (tags: Barnham Sussex rail history architecture heritage)

• EUROPA - Press Releases - Patents: EU achieves political breakthrough on an enhanced patent system
  "A number of issues remain to be resolved". Oh dear.
  (tags: news EU patent law IP)

• Thomas the Tank Engine attacked for 'conservative political ideology' - Telegraph
  Okaaaaay. I'm surprised that the report doesn't highlight the lack of engines from the minorities. I don't recall seeing Winston, the emancipated slave engine who escaped the Jamaican sugar plantations. Nor Chu Chu, the Chinese engine forced to work in the very dangerous coal mines.
  (tags: social_science Thomas children television)

• VideoLAN, Free streaming and multimedia solutions for all OS!
  Seriously full featured, open source and free player for audio and video. I particularly like the ability to speed up and slow down playback of MP3s, which only has me laughing like a loon (I’m easily pleased). Memories of Peel playing thirty three and a thirds at forty five come flooding back. I might get used to this and seriously stick up two fingers at iTunes and WinAmp.
  (tags: audio video player software free opensource windows tools music media streaming freeware)

• LG 26LU5000 Televisions TV/Audio/Video
  Slightly more expensive than most, but well-equipped and high specification. Energy saving features too. A post-Christmas, pre-VAT increase present to ourselves.
  (tags: television technology LG)

• YouTube - The Now Show - Dr Seuss at Copenhagen
  Marcus Brigstocke on the Copenhagen farce in a Dr Seuss style. Utterly brilliant, one of the funniest radio sketches I've heard for years and superbly observed.
  (tags: Marcus_Brigstocke BBC Now_Show comedy radio commentary)

• Welkom bij Bed and Breakfast Saint Pierre Maastricht - Zuid Limburg
  Perfectly good B&B that we stayed in a couple of years ago. We keep thinking of having a long weekend in Maastricht, but finances rather preclude that at the moment and for the foreseeable.
  (tags: Saint_Pierre Maastricht Netherlands accommodation travel)

• How To Cut MP3 As Mobile Phone Ringtone
  … or for that matter, how to cut MP3s generally in Windows Movie Maker. How handy.
  (tags: mp3 music windows advice software)