A quick note for people running Snow Leopard (Apple OS X 10.6): if your Address Book application is starting up and running very slowly then there is a fix. It’s almost certainly linked to having a ’smart group’ defined. See this OS X Hint for a couple of different versions of the problem and solution.

This also appears to solve Mail.app being very slow as well.

Of all the commentary I’ve seen on Google’s new wave technology, the best has been from Daniel Tenner. In a longish piece he argues why it isn’t a replacement for social media or networking apps such as IM or Facebook. But rather it could solve some of the real problems with email, such as:

• Adding new people to the conversation (and them seeing the full view as all others)
• Keeping added people added
• Multiple conversation branches

He concludes:

It was never designed to appeal to the crowds of geeks who are currently trying it out. Wave is built for the corporate environment. It’s a tool for getting work done. And as far as those go, it’s an excellent tool, even at this very early stage.

If only I could try out in a work context with enough other ‘wavers’ to make it feasible to try his conclusions out …

I’m still not quite sure how it found it’s way onto my computer, but I’m glad it did. Whilst I was doing lots of odd jobs around the house and garden, I was listening to new music. The music gave way to a lecture, and I was quickly hooked.

It was Benjamin Zander describing why he thinks Mahler’s Third Symphony is one of the most amazing pieces of music ever composed. With plenty of examples, presumably from one of his recordings, we got to hear the full range of Nature that he depicted, and man’s influence too. I am a fan of some of Mahler’s symphonies anyway, but it would probably be compelling to anyone who enjoys music.

So not only was I feeling satisfied about the jobs done, but entertained, educated, and inspired to discover and enjoy a new Mahlerian masterpiece.

First up, enjoy this very clever comment on the BNP, by errr Nick Griffin himself at Question Time:

And then if you fancy doing something similar yourself try Speechbreaker, using material from the party conferences.

This is amazing: in one picture the world’s multi-billion-$ income, gifts and spending. Puts wars, education, and bailouts into uncomfortable perspective … and reminds me to pray more for Godly Wisdom for our leaders …

Go see the Billion Dollar Gram:

This morning I ran in the Cheltenham 10k race. I was much less apprehensive, as I’d done one 10k before. But it was colder, and much windier than the Evesham Vale one back in July.

We forgot to take a camera to the racecourse, but here’s a picture of my race number and my medal. Don’t worry – I didn’t get close to winning anything! – they kindly gave a medal to every finisher. But I did manage to beat my previous time, and come in under the hour: 58min 15secs. I was dead chuffed, and quite a bit puffed too.

Well done to Bob, JJ, Rupert, Ian, Tommy and Hazel who also were running in it, most of whom finished rather more comfortably under the hour.