See if you can qualify for being British (I got 10/14).

“The government is launching the citizenship test for foreigners who want to become British. If you want the passport, then you'll have to read Life in the UK, a special book, and sit a 45-minute test on society, history and culture. But do you know what it is to be British? The following very unofficial questions are based on information in the official book - let's see how well you do...”

BBC NEWS | Magazine | Can you pass a citizenship test?

...and obviously took offence at the Hallowe'en crack. I now have a cold on the day I'm supposed to be going to a bar made entirely out of ice.

Someone says this is what the PS3 can do. That's some fairly hefty work... (via)

“At least some of the MRE's advertised on the Web site are being sold from Gulf states in packages labeled "US Government property - Commercial resale is unlawful."”

WIStv.com Columbia, SC: Hurricane relief MRE's on eBay?

...would you people stop messing with mine?

“When Becky Demmitt tells her students that she doesn't celebrate Halloween, many assume she must be a Jehovah's Witness.

"I don't celebrate a holiday that celebrates everything evil and bad," said Demmitt, a teacher at Ellis Arts Academy and member of Faith Center of Rockford, a Christian church. "I keep my light off at my door on Halloween so kids don't come, only to have to explain I don't do Halloween."”

Rockford Register Star - Rockford's Newspaper and Website - Local & State News

(More after the jump)

Read more »

I was in the local Gamestation, trading in a few console games for F.E.A.R. and Black & White 2 when the impending arrival of Christmas forced two non-gamers in. One, an elderly lady, was attempting to buy the Sims 2 on PC, slowly eliminating the many Sims expansions on the shelves by bringing them, one-by-one, to the counter and asking the clerk if it matched the title written on a small scrap of paper.

The other lady, looking more a well off middle-aged mother, was attempting to pre-order an Xbox 360. Well, eventually - after she'd tried to order a Nintendo 360 and a Sony 360. The clerk told even if she ordered it now, it wouldn't be in until February.

Some think this is a ploy by Microsoft to get publicity. From the lady above, it would seem they need it...

“But let's step back. Could it be a trade-off Microsoft is willing to make? Officially they would have us believe that the little elves Mr Gates keeps in his dungeon are working overtime to make as many boxes of magic as they can. But maybe, come December 2nd, when the mainstream media report that 360s are sold out across the globe, it won't be all that bad. Maybe the kudos has been planned all along. Maybe it's a deliberate ploy.”

Pro-G - Prodigious Gaming: Sunday Supplement - 30th October

The mail changeover went rather smoothly. In an unconnected move, I've also had to switch from Mailblocks because AOL shut them down.

“Per the email sent to all current Mailblocks customers, the Mailblocks email service will be discontinued on November 16, 2005.

We hope you've enjoyed your spam-free Mailblocks account and thank you for your continued support. We apologize for any inconvenience this transition may cause and we hope you continue enjoying our free spam-free and virus-free email service from AIM Mail.”

Say goodbye to spam with Mailblocks high performance email service

The AIM mail is nowhere near anything like that which Mailblocks supplied, so I'm trying to find a replacement challenge/response service. Spam Arrest is first in the testing line.

I've finally got around to arranging to have the old auzsoft.net domain moved over to the same people who host totalbiscuit.com. This will probably mulch up my email for a bit.

You Passed 8th Grade Math

Congratulations, you got 10/10 correct!

“MOVIE legend John Travolta turned down playing 007 - fearing he would be typecast, it was revealed last night.”

The Sun Online - News: Travolta rejected Bond

October 15, 2005 “HOLLYWOOD - John Travolta's cousin Rikki Lee Travolta has revealed he was producers' first choice to play superspy James Bond - but he turned the role down.”

John Travolta: 'I Turned Down Bond' :: Hollywood.com

October 13, 2005 “Licking their wounds from snubs by A-List, Hollywood elite, setting their sites lower the producers extended an olive branch to lesser known but highly heralded up and comer Rikki Lee Travolta.”

AxcessNews.com - Producers Rush to Appoint Daniel Craig as Consolation James Bond

I have a friend who likes to forward on all the chain letters or fake virus alerts they get. This the most recent - see if you can spot why it was pointless once it got past the first ten people:

OK, OK, OK, I know no one likes these things, but this is supposedly for a kid's science fair project, and I've been instructed not to mess this up under penalty of well, something dreadful. Here's the deal: Copy and paste this letter into a new email (Do not just hit “Forward” , then read the list of names below. If your name is on the list, put a star * next to it. If not, then add your name (in alphabetical order, put no star.) Send it to ten people and send it back to the person who sent it to you. Put your name in the subject box! You'll see what happens - it's kind of cool! Please keep this going. Don't MESS it up, please.

[list of fools names redacted]

flooble :: fun(?) stuff :: The New Amazon

“Scientist: Perhaps it only appears that I broke your kneecap. Certainly, all the evidence points to the hypothesis I broke your kneecap. For example, your kneecap is broken; it appears to be a fresh wound; and I am holding a baseball bat, which is spattered with your blood. However, a mere preponderance of evidence doesn't mean anything. Perhaps your kneecap was designed that way.”

The Abstract Factory: The only debate on Intelligent Design that is worthy of its subject

(no extra points for posting it on your blog though...)

Number 24: getting to the checkout to discover you've brought the old wallet from which you've removed all your credit cards >_<

Nevertheless, I'm quite pleased to be given this for my upcoming 35^th *shudder* birthday by Grandma. It's a Galileo thermometer, you dirty-minded lot.

Before I go away then, the answer to the question What is it?

“Scotland (Gaelic: Alba) is a kintra in nor-wast Europe, takkin up the northren thrid o the Breetish island. The laund haes til its sooth the laund o Ingland, an is bund bi sea an ocean on aw ither sides.”

Scotland - Wikipedia

I think I'll drop a note to my buds at Reuters:

“He was under pressure to sell before leaving Texas to study in England, where he will not have the same unfettered access to MMORPGs, where thousands of people play simultaneously.”

Online games spawn own economy, society - Yahoo! News

I'm officially on the first proper two-week holiday in several years. I head up to see Granny in Inverness for a few days on Monday, with a stop-off in Yorkshire to see some Uncles and Aunts there. The rest of the time I plan to visit places in the UK I really should have visited before - Stonehenge is something I'd like to see and maybe in Scotland I'll see if I can make it to John o' Groats. I bought a book called Bollocks to Alton Towers which lists interesting places off the beaten track, albeit in badly organised form.

Work is being very dilligent about not bothering me... they waited until 11am today before asking for help...