The UK is about to hold a referendum on the use of the alternative vote (AV) which will let voters place the candidates in a rank order. Should no first-choice candidate receive more than 50% of the votes, then the candidate with the fewest first-choice votes is eliminated and their 2nd choice votes are reallocated. This process is repeated until a candidate has passed the 50% mark. This will be the first UK-wide referendum since 1975. Lawmakers have decided that the best way of asking voters a question about the issue of how voters will be asked a question, is as follows:
At present, the UK uses the “first past the post” system to elect MPs to the House of Commons but is considering using the “alternative vote” system instead. Please place the following statements in rank order according to how well you think they reflect your views on the question "Should AV be introduced?". Mark 1 against your first choice, 2 for your second choice and so on.
- Yes
- No
- Maybe
- Unsure
- Don't know
- This isn't anything to do with audio visual equipment is it?
If the number of 'Yes' or 'No' votes is less than 50% of the total then the option with the fewest votes will be excluded and the second-choice preference from those voters will be reallocated to the remaining five options. This process will be repeated until their is an option with a majority of support. However, the following caveats apply:
- 'Maybe' votes count as three-quarters of a vote
- 'Unsure' votes count as half a vote
- People who vote 'Yes' or 'No' as their first choice but then place 'No' or 'Yes' as their respective second choice will have both of these votes discarded and only their third choice option will count
- Anyone who places 'Don't know' as their first choice will have all other lower-ranked choices discarded
- Anyone who votes for the last option will be forcibly sterilised so as to reduce further contamination of the gene pool
The Sanger Institute
This is one of the most highly regarded centers for genomics and bioinformatics-based research in the world. The location? East of England (Hinxton, just outside Cambridge). The predominant website colour? Blue.
Their website front page is also undertaking a groundbreaking pilot program that aims to investigate the hypothesis that 'bending your neck to read text causes neck pain'. That can be the only reason for putting most of the main navigation links as text that has been rotated 90º. Presumably this is all part of their human interface guidelines which might also stipulate that as a user moves physically closer to their computer screen, that any images should decrease in size and resolution in order to prohibit easy recognition.
The Eastern Sequence and Informatics Hub
This is a relatively new player in the world of genomics/bioinformatics resource centers. They strangely have opted for an unwieldly, and non-sensical, abbreviation for their name: EASIH (shouldn't that be ESAIH?). On the location front, they play it safe by sticking to Cambridge proper (and not some outlying village). And on that vital issue of website colour, they take no risks with a solid colour scheme of teal blue with teal blue highlights that are accented by a lovely shade of teal blue.
If you want to contact the ESAIH, er...I mean the EASIH, then it is simple matter of writing to this short address:
EASIH
University of Cambridge
Academic Department of Medical Genetics
Level 6, Addenbrooke's Treatment Centre
Box 238
Addenbrooke's Hospital
Cambridge
CB2 0QQ
UK
I like the implication that inside Addenbrooke's Hospital, there are a number of boxes (at least 238 of them). One of those boxes contains a Treatment Center that has at least six levels, and inside one of those levels is a Department of Medical Genetics that contains the University of Cambridge, which in turn contains the EASIH! Wow, I guess Cambridge scientists have achieved a way of building TARDIS-like structures.
The Genome Analysis Centre
This is the new kid on the block and is not even an year old, they have made their name by locating somewhere in the East of England that is best described as 'not Cambridge'. But controversy aside, they have done solid work in basing their name on an abbreviation that uses each letter of the four DNA bases. The resulting abbreviation 'TGAC' features prominently on the home page of the website, but not quite as prominently as the name 'BBSRC Genome Analysis Center' that appears immediately above it. So it remains unclear whether one should address this place as the TGAC or as the BBSRCGAC. I guess the latter name helps avoid any confusion with this organization.
As is presumably stipulated by the laws governing bioinformatics research centres in the East of England, they have stuck to blue for their website colour. Possibly aiming to pick up any passing trade from web surfers who were trying to find the EASIH website, they have ensured that their shade of blue is almost identical to that of the EASIH's website.
For completeness, I'll also point out that the website makes it clear that this institute was established in parternship with the East of England Development Agency. So I'm not sure if this institute is therefore the EEDABBSRCGAC?
Color is futile. All OS X apps will be assimilated!
Two weeks ago Apple took their first steps in damage limitation over the growing backlash over the now infamous Death Grip problem. Initially they acknowledged a software problem that was responsible for the iPhone 4 not showing the correct signal strength, but claimed that all phones suffer a loss in signal when held. However, this was not been enough to quell the storm, and after Consumer Reports decided that they could not recommend the new iPhone, Apple has decided to announce an iPhone 4 press conference that will take place tomorrow. Such an event is without precedent in Apple's history and many speculators have been wondering what Apple will say or do to address the problem. I can now exclusively reveal that after weeks of brainstorming, Apple's top engineers have come up with the following solution which they are calling a 'High contrast, adhesive-based, instructional messaging system'. You and I might know them as 'warning stickers':
These adhesive labels will be supplied, at no cost, to all customers who have already purchased an iPhone 4 and will be offered as an additional extra to future customers for a modest charge of $0.99. Apple's CEO, Steve Jobs, is expected to tell the gathered media tomorrow that these stickers...ahem, I mean the high contrast, adhesive-based, instructional messaging system will deliver an unparalleled visual feedback mechanism which if used properly will deliver increased signal strength whilst leaving the iPhone's sleek form factor unchanged. It is also expected that senior vice president of industrial design, Jonathan Ive, will appear in a video wearing a grey T-shirt and gesticulating wildly with his hands, while very possibly using the word 'magical'.
As the following articles suggest, Britain's Daily Mail newspaper clearly wants to be a positive voice to young females who are worried about their body image.
These headlines show a side of the Daily Mail which wants to inform and educate us about the dangers of becoming obsessed by seeking an unattainable body. Surely the Daily Mail won't lessen this important argument by showing endless pictures of sexy, skinny celebrities...would they? Oh, but what about these articles:
This is clearly a case of double standards, but what I find most shocking is that whereas the first set of articles have appeared in the Daily Mail over the last few years (the last story is in today's edition), the second set of articles are all from today (with the exception of the last story which is two days old).
It's the latest technological wonder that literally no-one has been talking about, it's the new noPad from Apple. Don't confuse this with the somewhat inferior iPad, though they do share many similarities. Like the iPad, the noPad is simply gorgeous to look at. Its crystal clear display which has a 360˚ viewing angle, is jaw-droppingly stunning in it's clarity. Picking up the noPad is also a delight. What really impressed me was just how light it felt in the hands, almost weightless in fact.
You can orient the noPad in any way that you want, and it doesn't share the iPad's limitation where you have to have the screen actually pointing at you in order to be able to use it. As demonstrated below, it is easy to hold with just one hand, freeing your other hand to interact with the extensively complex, yet innocently simplistic, user interface.
Another advantage of the noPad over the iPad lies with the fact that the noPad is locked in an 'always on' mode which incredibly draws very little power, actually none at all. Unlike many new pieces of technology, there is absolutely no learning curve associated with the noPad. Just pick it up and... BOOM, you're ready to go. Everything works so well and so intuitively that after just a few seconds of use, it feels almost as if it wasn't there at all.
Unlike the iPad, this is a device that is very pocketable which makes it a must have accessory for taking with you everywhere you go. I was impressed with just how quiet it was, even when I was multitasking to the max (yes, it does feature unlimited multitasking). Equally impressive was how I was able to take it outside and use it even whilst it was raining. No expensive waterproof cases are needed for this baby. The iPad (like the iPhone before it) may have made waves with its innovative 'pinch to zoom' gestures. But when you get to play with the noPad's 'pinch to do anything you can think of' gesture, you will be blown away.
In my extensive testing, the only gripe I had with the noPad is that it can be very easy to misplace. However, given the low, low price of this device, I'm fully prepared to buy a new one any time I lose it. In summary I would say that the noPad is the perfect device for everybody as its uses are limited only by your imagination. In a word, it's magical.
There are only a few weeks left before American consumers can finally get their hands on Apple's much touted iPad. For many people, including millions of Apple's so-called 'fan boys', the iPad will be a sure fire winner. For these naive optimists, the iPad will solve many of the world's problems including, but not limited to, a cure for cancer and a cost-effective solution to tackle global warming.
This skeptical reporter is not so sure. Whereas Apple has not specifically targeted the use of it's allegedly 'groundbreaking' new product as a suitable replacement for clay roof tiles, the subtext in their advertising is clear. Their recent TV advert doesn't feature any words as such, but it's clear that the implication is that if you put the iPad on your roof, it will keep you warm and dry. If you read between the lines, then it is clear that Steve Jobs practically said as much as the launch event.
So how will Apple's device hold up in competition against the traditional clay roofing tile? Well call me old-fashioned, but I somehow don't think that Apple is about to displace the classic roofing tile anytime soon. Here's 5 reasons why I think the iPad will fail in it's role as a roofing tile.
1) Lack of adequate waterproofing
Apple have clearly scored an own goal here. Packing in all that fancy electronic circuitry may make it a digital delight for nerdy teenager boys who have erotic dreams over the size of their iPod's hard disk capacity, but it won't cut the mustard when it comes to protecting against rain showers. Fail!
2) Price
What were they thinking in pricing this thing at $499??? And that's just for the basic version of course. Who has the kind of money to spend that much on a single roofing tile? It will be the most expensive roofing tile in the history of overlapping, segmented roof protection. Fail!
3) Non-interlocking nature
It's typical thinking for Apple to take something that works, and then turn it into a useless mess. Their iPad has no obvious way to interlock or overlap multiple units together to provide a stable, and watertight covering for your roof. I suppose that this will become available as an expensive 'optional download'. Fail!
4) Excessive packaging
We have yet to see any signs of what the iPad packaging looks like, but we can imagine that it will be another case of the usual Apple 'style-over-substance'. Most disappointingly, we believe that iPads will only be available in packs of one. If you want to cover your entire roof in these things, then not only will it be costly, you'll probably need to hire a truck to take away all of the extra packing that you will be left with. Fail!
5) Lack of choice
At launch time, the iPad will only be available in just six different versions. Apple have clearly listened to their customers but have then decided to spit a fat globule of iMac-flavored sputum in their eye. A meager selection of just six varieties is lame. Contrast this to Microsoft's recent entry into the roofing protection market with their 'Slate 2009' product. This came in a consumer-friendly range of 142 different configurations, including the popular 'Slate 2009, Small Home and Underdeveloped Business Edition - Pro Premium XL'. Microsoft clearly have their finger on the pulse of e-Roofing whereas Apple have just wasted a glorious opportunity to do something right for once. Fail!
Apple may as well have named the iPad the 'iLame' as it is the lamest thing that the lame Cupertino company has brought out since their last lame offering. However, as a technology journalist, it goes without saying that I reserve the right to completely retract these words and write another article in a year's time called 'Why I was right about how the iPad has forever changed the world of e-Roofing'.
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