Dr Laura James's writings

Collector's Edition Smart Roadster pics ; a nice video showing what would happen if Microsoft designed ipod packaging . (Both make a positive change from the gender pay gap news today!)

Radio 4 has a new programme about, well, the website says Big Business, but the trailers suggested more small business and entrepreneurship. You can read about it or listen again (later) here .

Found these teabags in Waitrose last night. I had to buy them because of the packaging; the shape is just lovely. And it's green/honeybush tea, I would buy it anyway, honestly ;-) It took me 5 minutes when I got the tea home to figure out that the way I was planning on opening the box wouldn't be destructive. It opens at the base . The teabags are made of some kind of shimmery, silky material, not paper. I looked at one and then drank normal tea - it was all a bit much for me by then. I did, however, read the ingredients - cornflowers and heather - sounds sublime. When I am feeling suitably awake and refined, I'll try again...

Americans with designer, gourmet kitchens and a plethora of household gadgetry may love their material possessions, but still spend huge amounts of time on housework . Meanwhile, computers which don't run may work better than those which do (warning - quantum physics - don't read if your brain has already turned off ready for the weekend). (Thanks to Mahon for the link!) .

Paul seems thrilled by Google Page Creator ; Dave Winer is uninspired ; I haven't had time to look at it. However, I have found out why I, unlike all my friends, still don't have googletalk integrated into GMail! This is quite convenient in fact, as when I was briefly using one of my other gmail accounts the chat features were quite intrusive, and as I use gmail exclusively for email at present, I was quite glad not to have the feature yet. However, being able to chat anywhere, on PCs where one cannot install software, say, is useful. Anyway, I now know how to toggle between the 2 states of chat and no chat - they correspond exactly to having gmail's language set to English-US and English-UK, respectively. Gmail chat in other languages is, of course, on the way. Hmm. And I leave the following as an exercise to the reader. Is getting to a state where one is waiting for one's startup to be bought by Google a good goal to have in life?

Unfortunately, even some maths educators make horrific mistakes, says the Telegraph (Thanks to Mum for the link!) . The Independent has a piece on why it shouldn't be cool to be a whore . In more positive news, work continues well, it's Science Week soon, and my MacBook has shipped!

New York Times article (free reg required) about some ongoing gender issues in science and maths, from the point of view of the first female science editor at the NYT. Sexism in these fields ain't dead yet; even young women entering technology and engineering fields in the last few years often have tales (of varying unpleasantness) to tell. It's slightly frustrating to hear that a number of young men working at senior levels with the IEE (my main professional institution) see absolutely no need for the Women's Engineering Society , and other similar organisations.

The Acute came up on my most random iPod playlist today. I forget who pointed me at them some months ago, but thanks, whoever it was. I particularly like Live on Hope (horrible site, though, if that link works it will be a miracle). I also listened to No Commitments on Radio 4; I've always enjoyed Simon Brett's work, and I think I relate to NC more than ever these days.

It turns out that if you just go with your gut instinct on big decisions, you will probably be right . Helpful stuff. (Thanks, Kathryn!)

I was chuffed with the only Valentine's-related greeting I received today, which suited my mood very nicely. (Thanks, Ko!) On a related note, this condensed Hardy is quite appropriate to the time of year. (Thanks, Mustardland!)

It turns out the Wirral is now one of the "North-West's boom towns" , full of conspicuous wealth. Can't say I'd noticed any five-carat diamonds on trips back home! I've never thought of the Wirral as a town at all anyway, mainly because it isn't. It does have some nice coastal webcams , though.

and has brought a colleague along too.

Channel 4 are getting closer to a show which could sell engineering to the public with this - a fairly mainstream show about people who work with computers. It may be somewhat stereotyped, but it has its moments of hilarity and shows a fairly fun work environment (better than that shown in most Dilbert). If nothing else, the set is festooned with EFF stickers (I spotted this before realising it was the result of actual consultation with real techies). The first two episodes (of which I think the second is superior) can be downloaded from a variety of sources , although the official site originally only supported Windows (doh!). Still, it's better than the disaster which was/is Happy Valley . Getting more engineers shown as real people can only be good for recruitment into the field, but the decision to try a soap opera rather than, say, a drama (a format which has worked for a number of shows about forensic science) was probably a poor one. If only I'd been able to make it t

Betty Friedan , who did an incredible amount for women today, died. I started drinking white tea , which will undoubtedly reduce the amount of coffee I consume (I drink it very rarely outside cafes already). Either is probably better for me than whisky . I spring-cleaned. The superbowl ads will be appearing online (previews already are ). Now it's time for me to write up my (paper) diary; I'm currently a bit bored of the hardback notebook which is its current incarnation, but can't stop before I reach the end :) It's difficult to find good diaries, takes a lot of shopping time to track down options, as sadly Moleskine notebooks simply don't go big enough.

There's been a minimum of 3 fire engines outside for a while now. I'm not one of those girls who go all gooey over firemen, but the shiny ladder mechanisms, which I've got a good view of from up here on the first floor, are pretty cool.

I recently found Death to the Extremist and am working my way through the archives during teabreaks. The nihilism is appealing. This strip is rather more normal than some of the others.