James Evans // It's just somewhere to post stuff that I find interesting - if you don't like it, feel free not to read it. Hang around here and you may learn the secrets of life, the universe and everything (but I wouldn't bet on it).
The UK's chief drugs adviser has been sacked by Home Secretary Alan Johnson, after criticising government policies.
What's the point of hiring an expert on drugs only to fire him when he disagrees with you? That seems rather childish and pretty stupid; if the Government wanted someone to parrot back to them their own believes, why appoint an independent expert? This is another bad move from a Government determined to ignore evidence and reasoned argument in the hunt for positive tabloid headlines.
The Monoprice Backup battery pack is the simplest of devices. When your iPhone or iPod is running low on juice, just plug this battery pack into the 30 pin connector.
Nice, neat, cheap. What more could you want?
Customers will not be disappointed. Windows 7 is all its unlamented predecessor, Windows Vista, should have been. It does not hog resources anything like as much as Vista did, making it a far sprightlier performer. It will even run on diminutive netbooks that currently have to use leaner Linux or Windows XP operating systems because of Vista’s girth and weight.
Windows 7 might be worth a look. Updates to follow.
The problem (from the Catholic point of view) was that the speakers arguing for the Church as a force for good were hopelessly outclassed by two hugely popular, professional performers.
I was at this debate on Monday evening. It was entertaining; Hitchens and Fry made strong, well-presented arguments and essentially destroyed their opponents, roared on by a partisan audience that scented ecclesiastical blood.
The Telegraph's quote isn't accurate, however. The problem wasn't that the debaters were mismatched (although there was clearly an intellectual gulf between the two sides) but that the Catholics had no answer to the attacks of Hitchens and Fry, and presented no compelling counter arguments.
I think it was the child abuse scandals that finally swung the audience. The debate is due to be broadcast on 7th November; watch out for Ann Widdecombe's astonishing explanation for the Church's failure over child abuse.
An ambitious new website that will open up government data to the public will launch in beta, or pilot, form in December.
Free information? It'll be interesting to see what we get. Bring it on!
