Mars Rover Telepresence Demo Game

Now, most of my posts are news items, I know, but I couldn't resist this. It is a Mars Rover simulator. You can drive a remote control buggy, physically located somewhere in Saskatchewan, from your computer! Fucking marvelous. I want one.

Guardian Unlimited Film | Interviews | Paul Schrader talks to Xan Brooks:

"the making of Exorcist: The Beginning has blossomed into a Hollywood sideshow that threatens to eclipse whatever version finally sees the light of day. The idea was to shoot a story set 30 years before William Friedkin's 1973 classic, pivoting around an exorcism in 1940s Kenya. The director [Schrader] envisaged it as a 'character-driven period drama' that steered clear of spinning heads and pea-soup vomit."

What; no pea soup vomit?!

[so Schreader gets sacked and now being made...what] "industry wags have dubbed "the sequel to the prequel of the Exorcist". Harlin (Die Harder) will be credited as director, while Schrader is airbrushed out of existence. Instead of a pungent, slow-burning religious thriller, the new version will feature oodles of gross-out horror."

Ah, OK, more pea soup vomit. I was beginning to get worried. Yippee Kayay etc etc

Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | New Hamas leader announced:

"Hamas today named its new leader in Gaza City and the West Bank as Abdel Aziz Rantisi, a veteran militant dedicated to the destruction of the Israeli state."

Killing Yassin worked then

This in Wired Magazine today

"No More Doh-nuts
Rutgers University has turned its attention to a new area of health concern: The Simpsons. A team of researchers analyzed 63 episodes of the hit cartoon show for health-related messages and was alarmed by the study's findings. 'Fats, sweets and alcohol, particularly beer, doughnuts and salty/fatty snacks, accounted for 52 percent of all foods eaten in this program,'' said their report. The study indicated that 40 percent of The Simpsons' health messages run counter to those promoted by health professionals. Fans argue the satirical show portrays the doughnut-devouring characters as balding, drunken losers, but lead researcher Carol Byrd-Bredbenner is not amused. 'We should be able to weave some good health messages into The Simpsons ... Perhaps we could have more pasta and less doughnuts.'"

Proof that America has finally gone mad

SocietyGuardian.co.uk | Health | Soup row halts surgery: "Operations were cancelled yesterday at one of Britain's leading centres for neurosurgery after it suspended a consultant in a row about croutons and a bowl of hospital canteen soup.
Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham said the consultant was suspended on Wednesday 'following allegations surrounding his personal conduct'. It postponed surgery scheduled for three of his patients yesterday as a result.
The British Medical Association said it was representing Terence Hope, a senior lecturer and consultant at the hospital. A spokeswoman said: 'The dispute is about soup and croutons ... He wants to resolve the matter and get back to work as soon as he can. So he does not want to talk about this.'"

I'm sure he doesn't. I'm glad stories like this make it to the headlines. It's important that the canteen behaviour of our nation's medical staff be the subject of debate