I can't believe that in the middle of two-dimensonal flamewar (platform x editor) that no one has mentioned TextMate. I must say that it's made my hand-coding life much better, since any given document may be a mash of php, html, css, and js in varying proportions. TM's automagically sniffs out the varioius suspects, gets syntax colors right for them, and give you context-specific autocompletion etc. I much prefer it to monster-sized IDEs like Eclipse or Komodo.

Odd there's no mention of the OLPC XO. While plenty of adult users (and possibly some of the intended juvenile audience) aren't fond of the Sugar interface, pretty much everyone agrees that the hardware rocks. It's tough, has a long battery life, can tolerate a wide range of voltages, and has great wi-fi reception. The keyboard is a little awkward if you have adult-sized hands, but there are always USB keyboards when you're not on the go. The ability to swivel the display to a tablet and switch it to reflective mode makes it a good ebook reader, too.

That would be an incorrect impression. Not to mention all of the other deliciously toxic micro-organisms that are slathered all over meat, like salmonella or campylobacter. And that's without mentioning vCJD and other prion diseases. So yes, it is a good time to be a vegetarian.

Handrails do seem like a must, though they'd narrow the space unless they were recessed into the walls on either side. I wonder about the overall space saving versus a small spiral staircase (which do meet code under some circumstances in the US, I believe).

I'm having a hard time believing that E.O. Wilson, who's generally quite a sensible sort, actually meant that all life would vanish from the Earth if insects were wiped out. I might be willing to accept "most multicellular life", but since more than half of the Earth's biomass is microscopic, I can't see the whole thing going under, quite.

That's right. I can't imagine anyone thinking they could sell such a thing today.

A better comparison would be to a photocopy of your passport - which is not likely to get you onto a plane, but does carry some weight, still (especially, say, if the original has been lost or stolen).

The four disc version is on netflix.

And here I thought it was all a ruse by those pranksters at the other British NTK... Funny coincidence, that.

Of course, I suspect it's just that us yanks can't manage to do better branding for our mercenaries. For cheerful euphemisms, my personal favorite has always been Executive Outcomes.