(Dark) Cloud (Computing) On The Horizon

In the last few weeks I’ve been trying to get a handle on The Cloud (not the company, but the computing services approach) and the ramifications of the almost inevitable rise of this way of doing … well, everything. When you get past the mists of the new acronyms (SaaS, PaaS, IaaS for example) what looms is a “disruptive” technology, and it’s going to be a huge game-changer as far as I can see…  [See Updates at bottom]

A Step In The Right Direction

One thing has been clear to me for a long time: obesity and super-obesity have many different causes, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution that will “fix” those who suffer from these conditions (and I do mean suffer – except for Sumo wrestlers and the occasional actor preparing for a role, no-one genuinely chooses to be super-obese).

One of those causes has, for me, been self-evident. It’s an abnormally low normal body temperature. Finally, it looks as though research is beginning to provide evidence-based support for that idea.

Cruel And Unusual Punishment: Part 1 of 3

The story I recount here is very unusual, not least because of the weird behavior of some of the participants. It’s also long and a little tortuous, covering as it does some 16 years or more, but the majority of the relevant action takes place right at the beginning of my involvement (1994) and right at the end (i.e. 2011).

I have broken it into three parts, to make it easier to consume. Even so, it’s complicated.

What makes it so dreadful is the dysfunctional family dynamic that is revealed, one largely controlled by what is almost certainly undiagnosed – and untreated – mental illness coupled with wealth, along with sheer criminal greed. And I do mean criminal – there are aspects of the story that warrant investigation by the FBI.

It would remain just that – a story – if it were not for two facts.

One, it’s all true. Two, I have documentary evidence for much of what I describe here, and I include fragments of those documents as proof of what I say. The originals are well-preserved.

When Lies Really, Really Hurt

There’s an old children’s saying that goes “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.”

Most of the time this is true, but there are occasions when words – outright, manipulative lies, say – can inflict incredible pain. Here’s a case in point.

Random Thoughts On The Universe And Time Travel

Part 1: Wherever We Look, The Universe Is Expanding Away From Us

The Gravity of Biological Evolution: Episode 2

Read Episode 1 first before you read this episode. It makes better sense.

Q: When Is Internet Explorer Not Internet Explorer?

A: When Microsoft says it isn’t…