Robert J Turner

UK gives US $108 million (£60 million) to polio eradication for next 3 years - Calls for other donors to commit as well

6 July 2005 – The UK government announced yesterday a multi-year commitment to polio eradication. Single-handedly plugging the funding gap of $36 million (£20 million) to ensure that activities planned for the second half of 2005 can go ahead, the UK also pledged multi-year contributions of $72 million (£40 million) for 2006 and 2007. International development secretary Hilary Benn called on ‘others to do the same.’

‘The UK’s pledge could not come at a better moment,’ said WHO Director-General Dr Lee Jong-Wook. ‘Flexible, multi-year funding commitments are now more crucial than ever, as outbreaks in previously polio-free countries severely strain the budget.’ Each time there is an unexpected outbreak, more funds are needed to respond with vaccination campaigns and other measures.

Calling polio eradication ‘one of the real success stories in the global campaign to combat poverty’, Benn asked others to commit to funding for the final steps remaining. These include vaccination campaigns that continue beyond the end of transmission to ensure the virus does not return, constant surveillance of the disease and the process of certifying the world polio-free.

The 2005 funds will enable the Global Polio Eradication Initiative to carry out planned vaccination campaigns (PDF) and disease surveillance essential to stopping transmission of poliovirus. Advance pledges for 2006-2008 are needed to cover costs of supplementary immunization and surveillance activities to eradicate polio and then certify eradication. US$ 75 million is needed by November of this year for polio eradication activities in the first quarter (PDF) of 2006. “

Random Web Search - Wasting your time more efficiently.

Blogs are like personal telephone calls crossed with newspapers. They’re the perfect tool for sharing your favorite chocolate mousse recipe with friends–or for upholding the basic tenets of democracy by letting the public know that a corrupt government official has been paying off your boss.

If you blog, there are no guarantees you’ll attract a readership of thousands. But at least a few readers will find your blog, and they may be the people you’d least want or expect. These include potential or current employers, coworkers, and professional colleagues; your neighbors; your spouse or partner; your family; and anyone else curious enough to type your name, email address or screen name into Google or Feedster and click a few links.

The point is that anyone can eventually find your blog if your real identity is tied to it in some way. And there may be consequences. Family members may be shocked or upset when they read your uncensored thoughts. A potential boss may think twice about hiring you. But these concerns shouldn’t stop you from writing. Instead, they should inspire you to keep your blog private, or accessible only to certain trusted people.

Here we offer a few simple precautions to help you maintain control of your personal privacy so that you can express yourself without facing unjust retaliation. If followed correctly, these protections can save you from embarrassment or just plain weirdness in front of your friends and coworkers.”

Machinima.com: Shooting Film in a Virtual Reality

Watch shows of your favourite computer games ?!??? Actually well worth a look, I used to love Red Vs Blue.

“How insects are inspiring a new wave of robotics

Insects are rarely held in high regard. Mosquitoes bite, flies annoy, locusts destroy crops, and cockroaches just give us the creeps. Perhaps that’s why scientific research has most often focused on how to destroy them rather than on learning about the exquisite ways in which they function. How does a fly manouevre with such precision, a bee find its way from flower to hive, or a cockroach move so quickly?

Scientists have only recently started answering such questions. And increasingly they realise that insects are the superheroes of the planet, with unique attributes that could guide the next wave of advances in biomimetic robotics.

What is biomimetics?

Biomimetics is a term used for those engineering systems that make use of traits observed in biology. It may be a relatively new term, but the practice of borrowing from nature is old. Even the earliest stone-age implements mimicked attributes of other animals, such as claws used for digging or teeth used for ripping meat.”

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SimplyMEPIS Linux 3.3.1-1
Publisher’s Description:

ProMEPIS Linux is a Linux OS based on Debian that can be run from your CD drive without installation. Where it shines is its easy, 100% ‘point and click’ installation, and automatic detection of not only ‘normal’ computer hardware but also popular webcams, the latest wireless network cards, ‘Winmodems’ that usually work only with Windows, digital cameras, scanners, and other devices.

The difference between SimplyMEPIS and ProMEPIS is that SimplyMEPIS will continue to be a freely available desktop MEPIS bootable CD and ProMEPIS will designate an upcoming multi-CD packaged version of MEPIS.
Latest Changes:

* Added the Traveller Disc feature when running from CD or performing a fresh install
* Autoconfiguration support has been added for new Intel and Nforce4 motherboards

Opera Adds BitTorrent to Web Browser

Opera Software has released a test version of its flagship Web browser that adds an embedded BitTorrent client for downloading content using the file sharing protocol. An official announcement on the beta is expected tomorrow.”