WANTED: Old computer kit, any condition

An interesting project working in the West Midlands: http://www.crash-it.org/

Crash-IT is lottery-funded to donate IT equipment to community groups and individuals in need. Recent recipients include the Francophone African Community in Birmingham, and the Scottish Council for Minorities in Edinburgh. The project beneficiaries are disabled people, and people with long-term health conditions - the Crash-IT computer recycling unit is used for IT work experience, with beneficiaries working in all aspects (admin to computer maintainance). Crash IT also gives mentoring, support and employment advice.

I'm not associated with this group, but I've just given them some old (working and broken) computer kit. They apparently have a contract with a computer recycling company for any kit which is beyond repair.

Woo-hoo!

Mater just cycled her bike around the block! Although she's a very experienced cyclist, this is her first time back on the bike since she hurt her back and hip in January. She was terrified ... right up until she got her hands on the bike. Then ... suddenly ... *whoosh*, and she was off! OK, so she felt and looked a little wobbly, but it was a very quiet road, and she managed about 5 mins of coasting and pedalling before she felt whacked out.

She called it 'scary, but another hurdle jumped' :-)))

In other news, we just watched "Buffy vs. Dracula", the series 5 opener, and it seems slightly less silly having seen to the end of S7 (not sure why, it just does). From the S4 finale, "Restless", Buffy's Dream Tara: "Make sure you're ready for Dawn."

G & I have worked out a plan so that I at least get the weekend in Bangor (leaving 08:15 Sat, returning 20:00 Sun). But news from C still awaited - the original full week plan, or some shortened varient, might still be possible... Also, possible progress with the dojo.

Mater's friend B is going to bring a few more of the last bits and pieces which we forgot to collect from Mater's place last week.

I'm back into studying!

So, some good things are happening!

The pros and cons of sleep, and night flying

Noise from night flying around airports disrupts the sleep of thousands of people. Research suggests that few people get enough sleep to be at their best, and that eight uninterrupted hours is the average sustainable minimum.

The Government are currently consulting on restrictions on night flights at Gatwick, Stansted and Heathrow. Friends of the Earth think that the Government should:
o Cut all noise levels to WHO guidelines by 2011.
o Extend the period when night flight restrictions apply to at least eight hours.
o Apply night flying regulations to all airports.
o Work towards a European ban on night flights.

Go to http://www.foe.co.uk/campaigns/transport/press_for_change/night_flights_2/index.html
and tell them what you think!

Bush and Cheney indicted?

Can anyone provide further information on this story:

Chicago -- August 2, 2005 -- TomFlocco.com -- U.S. federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's Chicago grand jury has issued perjury and obstruction of justice indictments to the following members of the Bush Administration: President George W. Bush, Vice-President Richard Cheney, Bush Chief of Staff Andrew Card, Cheney Chief of Staff I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez, former Attorney General John Ashcroft, imprisoned New York Times reporter Judith Miller and former Senior Cheney advisor Mary Matalin.

And my second thought on reading this? His initials are RLC, not DLC - unless his full first name really is Dick?!