http://www.commafruit.co.uk coffee, web, programming, games, cooking, welcome Thu, 10 Apr 2008 08:28:25 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en You'd hardy believe that a book about punctuation could be entertaining, but Lynne Truss has achieved that here. I'd heard of the book a few times in the past, but only decided to pick it up after our introductory notes to the third-year report recommended it. I'm glad I did ... http://www.commafruit.co.uk/2008/04/10/lynne-truss-eats-shoots-leaves/ Mmmmm... worked out nicely. http://www.commafruit.co.uk/2008/04/03/lasagne/ This one slipped under my radar somehow: Microsoft have changed the default rendering behaviour of Internet Explorer 8. Previously, the plan was that IE8 would behave as IE7, unless the developer added a special <meta> tag. Now, the default is to use the (slightly more standards compliant) IE8 renderer by ... http://www.commafruit.co.uk/2008/03/28/microsoft-ie8-reversal/ A wealth of information about, and insight into, modern France. The book is split into three sections, this arrangement being how the authors have chosen to delineate the aspects they see as forces influencing French culture, disposition etc. The first section, Spirit, gives a brief scan of French history, and attempts ... http://www.commafruit.co.uk/2008/03/26/jean-benoit-nadeau-julie-barlow-sixty-million-frenchmen-cant-be-wrong/ I attended a protest march in London yesterday in opposition to the wars currently being engaged by the UK. These photos are available in a Flickr set. Crowds at Trafalgar Square Manchester University Student Union sent two coach-loads of people. A temporary stage was set up. George Galloway speaking on said stage. Emotive slogans. Tens of ... http://www.commafruit.co.uk/2008/03/16/anti-war-protest-in-london-march-2008/ Schmapw have seen fit to include a photo I took in the summer of St. Charles station in their latest online travel guide. Neat! No compensation, but credit is given, and a link back to the original on Flickr. Check out the guide, or see the original. http://www.commafruit.co.uk/2008/02/25/schmap-marseille-photo-inclusion/ Gig last Sunday at Manchester Academy. Sonic Boom Six opened promptly with an energetic set. I wasn't familiar with their music before, but being a local band they received plenty of good feedback from the crowd. Taking elements from punk/ska, but also in places rapping like House of Pain or a ... http://www.commafruit.co.uk/2008/02/22/reel-big-fish-manchester-academy-17th-feb-2008/ Audio from George Galloway's speech this afternoon at Luther King House in Manchester. Some elements are taken from from his confrontation with the US senate in 2005 (video is well worth watching, despite it's length - Galloway is unshaken and resolute throughout). MP3 audio (40kbps, 11.1MB download) / Ogg Vorbis (32kbps, 5.5MB ... http://www.commafruit.co.uk/2008/02/20/george-galloway-speaking-in-manchester-200208/ Just got back from this - not a bad turn-out, maybe 100 people. Police were actually pretty pleasant from what I could tell, got a little aggressive about use being on public property at the start but nothing remarkable. We basically stood and chanted for about an hour, then left, nothing ... http://www.commafruit.co.uk/2008/02/13/liverpool-picket-of-ann-widdecombe%e2%80%99s-anti-abortion-roadshow/ The Yahoo board have rejected last month's unsolicited purchase bid by Microsoft. Phew! http://www.commafruit.co.uk/2008/02/09/yahoo-rejects-microsoft-bid/