Who would have thought owls could have such an effect on crime rates?
More than just parroting?
There’s a parrot called N’kisi that apparently has learnt 950 words. Impressive, huh? He probably knows more by now, actually. I’m not totally convinced by the claims made for him, though, with word fabrication being one of the simplest claims and telepathy being the most extraordinary. If I weren’t for the telepathy bit, I’d be more convinced…
Google launches an Arabic-English translation service
The first I’ve seen on the web. I hear it’s got a little way to go before becoming wholly reliable, but it’s a good first start.
Rickets and mumps making a comeback
All those diseases we thought we’d eradicated, like mumps, rickets and whooping cough, are making a comeback, thanks to parents getting a lax with vaccination regimes for their kids.
Notes for paranoid journalists
Also on Slate today, handy hints for journalists worried that the government is out to get them.
Why are the Americans so interested in our sewers?
Don’t get me wrong – the articles are actually pretty interesting. Who knew Peter Bazalgette, the man behind BIg Brother in the UK, was so into sewers or that there’s such outstanding architecture at sewage treatment works? But why is there a daily series on London’s sewers on Slate this week? Are US readers really fascinated by London’s sewage system? Sewage systems in general? All aspects of UK or London life?
Odd. Very odd.
Tom and Katie: whoops
What is it about celebrities? They pick some foreign-sounding name for their kid or get a tattoo in a foreign language, and every time they get it wrong. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes chose to call their baby Suri and guess what? It means nothing like what they thought it meant. Is it really so hard to call someone before making these life-ruining choices? It’s all thoroughly amusing, anyway…
The Umlaut is artistic
Möben, the Manchester-based kitchen appliance maker, should be able to keep its Umlaut according to the Advertising Standards Authority. Apparently, some people thought that they were trying to mislead consumers into thinking they were a German company.
Möben’s stout defence: the Umlaut doesn’t represent anything – it’s artistic.
Do you believe that for even a second? Me, neither. But fair do’s to them. If the most research you’re going to do before buying a product from a company is to check to see if there are accents on its name, you’ve only got yourself to blame if your purchase isn’t as good as you thought it was. Besides, if you’re going to go after Möben, you’re going to have to take down Häagen Dazs as well.
Playstation 3 cat fight breaks out
Hexus.gaming (ed: who they?) is “spitting blood” and wonders how the “so-called” journalists at Imagine’s Play and Future’s PSW can sleep at night after claiming to have played on the new PlayStation 3, even though they haven’t.
I’m guessing pretty well. But don’t you just love it when mags start questioning each other’s journalistic integrity?
UPDATE: Already, Hexus.gaming‘s forums have started to froth with amusing gamer indignation in response to the article.
Bugger
I’ve been summonsed for jury service. Wonder if I can defer it from the oh-so-busy June to the oh-so-quiet January?