Geelong Ring Road Live in Google Maps. (Almost!)

     I just noticed this morning that the final section of the Geelong ring road has finally made it into Google maps.  Well, kind of.  It knows about the ring road when it's working out directions but the road itself still isn't shown.  I'd imagine it cant be far off if the topography data is already uploaded though.  Hooray!

Hidden Ring Road Section On Google Maps

Live link to google maps:

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2010 Pike's Peak Hillclimb Video

     Hit this link for 10 minutes of motoring bliss, watching Nobuhiro Tajima throw his 670kW Suzuki up Pike's Peak.  Amazing stuff, I wish I could do that.  Unfortunately I've neither got the opportunity or the skill!
     The fact that it's not a perfect run - there's at least a couple of traffic cones and a haybale that don't survive the run - shows how hard he's pushing the car.  He takes some pretty scary lines around some of those corners as well, with more than a little of his wheels hanging out in fresh air at times.
     Great camera angles, great driving and a great sounding engine.  I could watch this over and over.

Source: Youtube via Wired

Oracle suing Google over Java usage.

     So apparently Oracle are suing Google with patent and copyright infringement charges, relating to the usage of Java as an underpinning for Android.
     Heh!  Good luck with that one Oracle.  If you're planning on snapping up a company and using it for patent trolling (R.I.P. Sun!) you might want to get in before they open source a lot of their most interesting developments!
     I hope this case gets stomped on really quickly.  I wonder if the EFF is going to offer to support Google?  The thought of that makes me smile a little.

Source: Marketwatch

Yeah, I'm never climbing while hungover....

     You really just need to go and watch this video.  His friend (the blogger I believe) is remarkably calm about it.  That's the kind of guy you want to go climbing with. :)

Pyramid of Conservation

     This is a neat little graphic for anybody that ever wondered about the various payoffs from "Greening" their home, cutting energy usage and so forth.  There's so many possible projects that it can sometimes be hard to find a starting point.  Start at the bottom for the biggest bang for buck and work your way to the top.

     I'm very impressed that this was put together by an energy supplier, the more people take this advice to heart the less they stand to make.  Kudos to them.

Source: Minnesota Power via Treehugger