I was searching for some information about the Cray Y-MP computer. The article I found was a PDF scan of an old paper. The OCR seems to have got slightly confused. I didn't realise there was a Crap 2 computer or a Gay Y-MP.

We were watching the BBC Breakfast News this morning and there was a story about Tesco opening a supermarket in the USA. We had the subtitles on because it wasn't easy to hear the reporter over the crunch of cereal.

The story was about Tesco trying to break into the American market by offering a range of affordable and healthy foods. We saw a customer carrying a punnet of fruit. The subtitles referred to the Man with the neck tureens. I suppose they'd be handy for carrying soup around...

We were watching An Inconvenient Truth on DVD. Today's Dilbert cartoon seemed remarkable appropriate:

www.dilbert.com

According to NewsBiscuit, Tony Blair decided that Parliament should move to Aberystwyth.

Quoth the article:

Tony Blair's final act as Prime Minister was billed as a huge boost for the regions today, when he announced that the government of the United Kingdom, would henceforth be re-located in the Welsh coastal town of Aberystwyth.

The current Christmas stamps have created a bit of controversy because they don't have any religious content at all. A slightly greater concern to children throughout the land is depicted on the 1st class stamp (pictured left). Santa knows if you've been naughty or nice, and if you've been naughty he'll poo down your chimney.

Today be Talk like a Pirate day. To avoid looking like the scurvy-filled landlubber you obviously are, ye must watch this video.

We had an email sent round the office in work, describing the disk structure and file archiving procedure. It included instructions for archiving files and also told us who was responsible for 'restoring files from anchovies'. I hope that was a typing error and they haven't invented some fish based storage system.

When I was publicity officer for one of the university societies in Aberystwyth, everything had to be bilingual and we had to get all emails and publicity materials translated into welsh. I was warned not to use any machine translators on the Internet. This is a good reason why you shouldn't:

Cyclists have been baffled by a new road sign which warns: "Your bladder disease has returned."
The sign - in Welsh - was meant to tell them to dismount at roadworks. But council chiefs made an error using an online translator and confused the words 'cyclists' and 'cystitis'. Amended signs are now being put up as soon as possible in Penarth, near Cardiff.
Welsh speaking cyclist Matt Lloyd, 27, said: "I thought someone was having a laugh. I've never even had a bladder disease."

I read this in the Metro newspaper on the train this morning but the story was also covered on the BBC News website, where they have a picture of the sign as well.

Tim Burton has to be one of the more original filmmakers working today. I can't think of anyone else who has produced such a varied output of both live action and animated films. The Corpse Bride is a very good film, although I was surprised to see John Prescott have a role as the prospective Father-in-Law.

John Prescott	Finis Everglot

Today is also Garfield's birthday. He's a bit younger than me (he was 'born' in 1978).

Seen in Asda, their version of Love Hearts but for the modern generation:
See more ...

We saw this when we were in Ellesmere Port visiting my parents. We didn't have a camera handy so had to wait until my Dad could take a photo and send it to me:

Found while searching for info about computer memory. I clicked on the 'translate this' link next to a japanese language page which google found for me.

There is no excuse, but the file which corresponds to the URL which is
appointed existence was not present in this server.
You can think the cause below.

    * Type mistake of URL
    * Link of the page has not stretched normally
    * It is deleted by code violation and the like

On last nights Mark Radcliffe Show on Radio 2, he had Badly Drawn Boy as studio guest and coversation got onto the subject of tribute acts. It started off with the possibility of a Showaddywaddy tribute act called 'ShoddyWaddy' and soon got more surreal as listener suggestions started arriving. Somehow, it ended up with joke racist or fascist bands. Mark admitted that it was in poor taste and he probably shouldn't be doing it but went ahead anyway. Some of the funnier ones (or at least, the ones I can remember) were: Ku Klux Klannad, BNP J Harvey, Far Right Said Fred, Barry White Supremacist.

At least, that's what my car insurance company called me. Somehow when they renewed my policy, they managed to change my name. I think I should phone them and let them know, otherwise I'm probably not covered to drive my own car (unless I legally change my name to A5thael of course).