Spinneyhead’s newest project launched today. It’s a spin off from Scale and all the little cars I’ve been making. Small Scale Customs is, effectively, the new Scale shop. The first product are number plate transfers for OO gauge vehicles. Pre 1963 for now. Later licence plates will follow and there will also be lots of other detailing transfers for cars and light commercial vehicles soon.

Technorati tag: Scale Models

Spinneyhead’s newest project launched today. It’s a spin off from Scale and all the little cars I’ve been making. Small Scale Customs is, effectively, the new Scale shop. The first product are number plate transfers for OO gauge vehicles. Pre 1963 for now. Later licence plates will follow and there will also be lots of other detailing transfers for cars and light commercial vehicles soon.

Technorati tag: Model, Scale

It’s a guilty secret for an eco-warrior, but I enjoyed the two cheese fests so far in the Fast and the Furious series. Which makes me embarassedly happy that there’s a new F & F film- The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.

Technorati tag: Fast and Furious, Drifting, Tokyo

Following up the geniud that was Shaun of the Dead, Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright are filming Hot Fuzz, a Brit action flick. What’s more, there are production videoblogs on the Working Title site.

Technorati tag: Hot Fuzz, Simon Pegg, vlog

Researchers are working on a system to identify shoe prints left at crime scenes.

This classification should be straightforward, said Professor Allinson, because criminals favour shoes that have many distinct features on their soles.

“Luckily criminals wear trainers,” he said. “If they all wore Oxford brogues we would be in a very difficult position.”

The identification system works by subjecting shoeprints to several different image processing techniques to reveal the features on the sole.

Technorati tag: Crime

The Scottish Executive has set itself a target of cutting 2.7million tons of CO2 emissions by 2010. It’s a laudable aim, but recent admissions by the Government show that you have to back those promises up with actual actions or you’re going to be making embarassing apologies a few years down the line.

Technorati tag: Scotland, CO2

Prime numbers, such as 17 and 23, are those that can only be divided by themselves and one. They are the most important objects in mathematics because, as the ancient Greeks discovered, they are the building blocks of all numbers—any of which can be broken down into a product of primes. (For example, 105 = 3 x 5 x 7.) They are the hydrogen and oxygen of the world of mathematics, the atoms of arithmetic. They also represent one of the greatest challenges in mathematics.

Technorati tag: Prime Numbers, 42, Riemann Hypothesis

This week’s Photo Friday is Metallic.

Technorati tag: Photo Friday, Metallic

Blair demands green ‘revolution’

PM backs US-Pacific climate deal

And makes PR friendly gestures-

Green investment from PM’s flight

But the figures say he hasn’t walked the walk yet-

UK to miss CO2 emissions target

Technorati tag: Tony Blair, Tony Blair is a liar

My main reason for opposing new nuclear plants is an economic one. The CO2 savings per pound invested in energy saving measures, micro-generation and renewables will be far greater than that on more reactors. To drive the fact home comes the news that the clean up costs for the last generation of nuclear reactors is going to be far higher than estimated. This was announced as plans go ahead to privatise the division of BNFL that does the decommissioning. I’m with Amicus on that move-

“Our union is opposed to the sale of the British Nuclear Group in principle,” said Amicus national officer Dougie Rooney.

“But we are also concerned that it could compromise the government’s stated objectives of decommissioning civil nuclear sites in the UK at a reduced cost to the taxpayer and a reduced timescale while maintaining safety standards.”

So let’s not throw any more cash into the nuclear money pit, and invest in sensible solutions instead.

Technorati tag: Nuclear Power, Wasting Money

England is to get its first ‘sustainable’ new town with 10,000 homes that meet the Government’s eco-standards and use micro-renewable energy. Northstowe is to built on the site of the abandoned Oakington barracks, five miles outside Cambridge.

via Sustainablog

Technorati tag: EcoHouse, Brownfield site, Community

More housing developments, particularly in city centres and on waterfrons, are finding it easier to get planning permission if their travel plan doesn’t involve parking for their tenants. Consequently, more tenants are discovering they don’t need a car after all.

via Velorution

Technorati tag: Urban Planning, Car

There are at least two weddings for me to go to this year (unless I get really drunk and embarass myself), maybe the happy couples would like to look into some of the stuff on Hippyshopper’s green weddings list.

Technorati tag: Wedding, Confetti

US Green websites mention LEED a lot, it’s an energy efficiciency standard to measure new builds against. I hadn’t thought to find out if there was a British equivalent, until spotting a post on Enviropundit.

For over a decade, BRE’s Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) has been used to assess the environmental performance of both new and existing buildings. It is regarded by the UK’s construction and property sectors as the measure of best practice in environmental design and management.

BREEAM’s success stems from its unique ability to cover a wide range of environmental issues within one assessment, and to present the results in a way that is widely understood by those involved in property procurement and management.

Technorati tag: EcoHouse, BREEAM, Standards