ME and Ophelia

KOREA, CHINA AND CANADA TOP 3 BROADBAND SUBSCRIBERS
USA thirteenth - as at 1 January 2004

America is the world leader in technology, but thirteenth in broadband adoption. No surprise to see the U.K. not listed. Britain is full of beautiful villages and towns, each surrounded by miles of protected countryside. National Trust land, woodlands and green fields, ancient forts, castles and sites, wildlife and conservation areas, farms, streams and lakes. Getting permission to dig through it all for underground pipes and cables must be a nightmare for planners.

Digital cable started to be rolled out in central London during the early 1980's. My guess is the "glass carpet" in Britain has taken almost 20 years to install because of all the Grade I and II listed buildings protected by the Crown and Church of England. At least Britain is still beautiful, even if it appears we seem a little slow. People around the world love Britain's picturesque landscape and historic buildings. It's been said the Chinese in particular adore our country, and its education system which they think its the best in the world. Yes, Britain is pretty special. There is nowhere quite like it in the world. Broadband is now becoming widely available throughout the UK. Thankfully, innovative alternative solutions are being introduced for areas where, because of low take up in sparsely populated areas, it is not feasible to install a broadband hub.


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FACT OF THE DAY 29 OCTOBER
Courtesy Scotsman.com

Biographer James Boswell is born today in 1740 in Edinburgh. Boswell is a man of many talents as a lawyer, diarist and writer and is best known today as the biographer of the great literary figure Samuel Johnson. As a Scot Boswell had to put up with many of Johnson's jibes at his nation, most notably his dictionary entry: "Oats. A grain, which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people."
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Seaweed will be the new fish supper by 2034

Curry and spaghetti bolognese have changed the Scottish diet forever and the fare of the future will be even more exotic.
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FACT OF THE DAY 27 OCTOBER
Courtesy New York Times

The much-travelled James Cook is born today in 1728. Cook's fame rests on his journeys to remote parts of the world such as Australia, the Pacific islands and the South Atlantic. His death in 1779 was long thought to have occurred as he sought to make peace between irate Hawaiian islanders and his own men. However, a painting uncovered in 2004 seems to suggest that he was killed whist violently resisting an Hawaiian attack.