What's going to happen?

At the risk of stating the bleeding obvious, and whilst completely agreeing with the spirit of the Disability Discrimination Act, this unfortunate parent is taking it to its extreme and managing to discriminate against the other children involved because they happen to be able to participated in able-bodied activities. ‘Disability’ row leads to cancellation of outdoor school trip I understand and completely empathise with the parent involved who must feel frustration at the activities her child - undoubtedly just as loved and worthy as any of the other kids involved - cannot participate in. But humans with limited arm and leg function cannot climb climbing walls or safely participate in kayaking in a freezing loch. At a time when there are many reports of overweight kids due to lack of activity, outdoor activities can have huge benefit to able-bodied kids. As far as possible kids with less major disability should be catered for. There is no reason partially-sighted kids should n...

Long may you keep defending us all from the snake oil merchants and fake scientists! Happy 2010! Vintage Year

Why is it I cannot download a documentary program on the Herschel space telescope I was unable to listen to at the time it was broadcast and listen to it on any device at a time of my choosing. Why would I care if a tiny fraction of my license fee allowed somebody in Timbuktu who will never pay a BBC license fee in their life listen to it for nothing? And why is it that an elderly blind person on a State Pension has to pay what is a significant amount of money for the privilege of not watching television while my family with two adult earners pays the same? Or that shopkeepers apparently now need licenses on the grounds that someone entering their premises may use a mobile device receiving radio or TV programs? I like the fact we have a strong public-service broadcaster with an overriding duty to be impartial. I think the way it is funded is one of the most irrational, inequitable taxation schemes ever devised. The license fee is an embarrassing farce and should be abolished.

But the Information Commissioner's Office is toothless. T-mobile data protection breach The Commissioner now wants criminal penalties. That's a good idea. But how long has it taken to come up with that recommendation? 11 years since the last Data Protection Act was passed. Recently the ICO Scotland decided that due to a breach of privacy by a community council in the Orkneys, all 1,200 community councils in Scotland should register and pay a £35 annual fee for the privilege. This serves the purpose of what exactly? Will it stop future accidental publication of personal information by these volunteer-run bodies with tiny budgets? Not likely. (Before anyone asks "Isn't £35 trivial?", it represents 8% of many community council's budgets!) But it does add £42,000 to the ICO's coffers. So that's another couple of admin staff, or more likely another "good chap, of the right sort". Frustrating. Absolutely we need strengthened Data Protection. But do...

But they should take notice of this former US Navy pilot, with 13 years at NASA who is to command the International Space Station next year - so probably knows a thing or two about aerospace logistics then... "London Heathrow has got to be one of the most confusing airports I've ever been to. Getting on connecting flight to Moscow soon." http://twitter.com/stationcdrkelly

For a short time we're babies, after a while we become children. As children many of us live in a secure nest prepared for us by our parents. Eventually we reach an age at which we no longer like the security of the nest so much and prefer to launch ourselves out into the wider world to seek whatever it is we've decided we want out of life. The family home is an island in a sea of human habitation. One of many spread across the whole planet. Compared to the universe our entire species is a small baby living on a spec of mostly blue sand. The spec could at any time be washed away, baked, overheated, frozen, irradiated by natural causes or by our own immature actions. This alone should be more than enough reason for human spaceflight to be not only worthwhile, but essential to the future survival of our species. Human spaceflight is expensive and risky. There are many hungry people who could be fed for the cost of one rocket launch. But you could equally argue we should pay for ...

Stayed in lodges very near to the town. Comfortable though not luxurious. Slightly Orwellian at times. Pets are most welcome the adverts say but notices inside the flat give dire warnings about leaving pets alone. Parking pet.in car is frowned upon but parking car in the only shaded location might inconvenience new arrivals. Parking seems limited for the number of accommodation units... The chippie's sign on the way into Aviemore appears to be a strange mix of Scottish and English slang. "Fish Tea only £..." My (Scottish) daughter thought it sounded horrible...