Land speed record footage

Restored footage of Donald Campbell's world record speed attempts on land and sea in Australia:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-28308872

UK Carriers

Lots of news in the last couple of weeks about the first of the new UK carriers.  Although it is a big achievement to build such vessels - so much has been compromised that their effective usefulness has been limited.  Here is a good article from back in January about some of those compromises:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/02/06/defence_committee_carrier_badness/

Christopher Booker has a good article in the Telegraph today about the history of some of the big design decisions for the carriers:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/10962798/Its-thanks-to-the-EU-weve-got-HMS-White-Elephant.html

The list is pretty big, a few that stand out:

1. Not nuclear powered, the carrier(s) will not have enough tanker support from the Navy.
2. Ski jump to avoid having to install catapults - now only one type of aircraft can be flown, the F35, which itself is in development trouble.  Ignoring of the electric catapult option.
3. Not enough escort ships to support a single carrier - where-ever it goes most of the Navy will have to follow.  There are only 6 Type 45's.

Vulcan Bomber

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-28276162

Film: Star Trek into Darkness Directed by J J Abrams

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1408101/?ref_=nv_sr_2

I honestly do not know where to start with this one.  The sequel to the relaunch of the franchise.  It amplifies all the bad points of the original but in such a way to make watchable film - every point leaving you waiting for the next completely absurd or improbably scene or setting.

The main problems all centre around Kirk, a bone headed captain that somehow the starfleet seniors see some potential in.   The start of the film sees him in a contrived situation violating the Prime Directive.  So I thought that would see him in prison for the rest of the film - but he seemed to escape that.  It looks like he is about to get sent back to the academy for some much needed qualifications - but then a major incident breaks out - that keeps him centre stage.

The film then goes into chasing a renegade terrorist type, who is well played by Benedict Cumberbatch - he adds some much needed acting skills and credibility to the cast.

He is later revealed as Khan from the original series - so this sees the new franchise seeking safety in the success of the past.  The Khan homage is completely overdone toward the end of the film - reversing the Spock/Kirk death scene when Kirk has to sort out the warp drive alignment.  In the original this involved Spock and some serious precision work - in this one Kirk has to kick a coil into "alignment" - like something out of a Doom game.  Of course this isn't the end of Kirk though - an opportunity missed by the script writer!

There is so much in the film that is laughable and contrived but it kept me watching to see where they would ransack next from the Star Trek history.

I can't wait for the next one!