The history of C July 8, 2008
Posted by Al in : educational, programming , add a commentI like C as a programming language: it’s neat, simple and works surprisingly well. It compiles into efficient code, since people have been perfecting C compilers for the last 30 years, and has grown into C++ which just makes things better again. All in all, a good language to know and use.
This is an interesting article about how C was born and how it was developed into the primary language of Unix. Dennis Ritchie tells the story first-hand, and tells is succinctly. I rate his writing as Kernighan and Ritchie’s original book - The C Programming Language - is still one of the best ways of learning C, and a good reference as well. If you’ve ever seen or used C, or want to know how a programming language comes into being, then have a read of this article.
Cockpuncher the movie July 6, 2008
Posted by Al in : bizarre, film, funny, video , add a commentTee! Hee!
Having kids makes you feel worse, not better July 5, 2008
Posted by Al in : people, weird , add a commentThis appears to be counter-intuitive, but I can understand where it’s coming from. Research has shown that having kids actually makes the parents feel worse rather than better. Speaking as someone in a childless relationship I think I can agree with this finding, as I sometimes have small arguments with Winnie, but rarely do we have any major fallings-out, or any long term time when we have to give up our free time for any reason at all. Overall I think we’re happy as we are.
Recycling is bullshit
Posted by Al in : educational, interesting, video , add a commentI like Penn & Teller, they’re like Mythbusters but with more interesting material and more swearing. In this case they attack one of the biggest myths in the world today - that recycling is actually good for the environment and not just something that makes you feel good for having done it. If you are offended by swearing then please don’t watch, but if you have any kind of open mind then pay attention, because recycling is bullshit.
Christians in Egypt live on rubbish
Posted by Al in : scary, video , add a commentThere’s a darker side than you might imagine to Egypt, and Cairo in particular. An entire undercaste of Christians live by sorting and picking through the rubbish that the rest of the citizens throw away. What’s more, being a Christian may even be punishable by death if some Muslim extremists get their way. As I’m sure you are aware, if you’ve read any of this blog before, I am definitely not pro-Christian, however I also do not agree with any form of persecution, and so I can only condemn such beliefs as extreme and undesirable in any form of modern society.
Love In This Club - by Rocka Fire Explosion
Posted by Al in : cool, funny, music, video, weird , add a commentI want!!!
Biofuels to blame for food crisis after all
Posted by Al in : educational , add a commentI’ve been assuring by colleagues in work that biofuels are one of the main culprits behind the dramatic increase in food prices over the last year, although things have not been helped by the ongoing changes in living standards, locations and habits in both China and India. But people have denied that biofuels are the main culprit, probably after reading the bumf that America and the EU have been spewing whilst trying to defend their pro-biofuel stance. However, the World Bank has just published its findings and is certain that the main cause of food prices skyrocketing is this stupid drive for biofuels. Now, both the US and the EU are facing spiralling inflation, and are having to take drastic measure to prevent it from getting out of control, and the main cause is their policy encouraging and insisting on the growth of biofuels. Ironic, really.
An honest creationist
Posted by Al in : interesting, nature, science , add a commentI have to agree with the author of this piece: whilst it is good that Kurt Wise is honest enough to discard false evidence that would support his world view, to have spent time examining both sides of the situation and attempting to impartially weigh up the evidence for both, and to honestly state that his take on creationism is influenced entirely by faith and not by any scientific evidence. I also have to agree that in such a case he probably should not be teaching science at a college if he is willing to discard scientific evidence in favour of plain belief. There is a hypocrisy there that is hidden under the honesty with which it is revealed, and such honesty does not allow the hypocrisy to be forgiven - although Mr Wise might think that it does.
The Turtle Man
Posted by Al in : people, video, weird , add a commentReasons for living in America - you get the chance to meet people like this every so often:
16 injured by wrong ammunition in France
Posted by Al in : bizarre , add a commentThis is weird, and I’m not sure how this could happen by accident. The French Army were demonstrating a hostage rescue scenario to the public in Carcassonne, but on the 6th demonstration real bullets were fired instead of blanks and 16 people in the audience were mown down. Now I’ve a few friends who are in, or have been in, the forces and they assure me that blanks and real bullets are quite distinct. So how the soldier could have loaded the wrong bullets by accident is debatable - but I’ll leave that up to a court to decide. Instead I can only imagine how surprising it must have been to suddenly be shot whilst watching a family demonstration - highly shocking and not very pleasant at all.