The BBC is getting its Royal Charter renewed in 2006. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport are now conducting a public consultation on the new charter. If you care about the BBC and its independence and unique qualities, then I urge you to go look and send in your opinions on how you think the BBC is run - this is especially important post-Hutton - if you haven’t time to plough through the (lengthy) consultation document then at least try to answer the short questions page, or just email bbccharterreview@culture.gsi.gov.uk (they request that emails be in an ‘electronic format’, which forced me to change my plans, as I was going to write it on papyrus and email that as an attachment…)

(Found via terreus.org)

Been trying to demolish the vast pile of pamphlets, magazines and newspapers that have been sitting on my desk for weeks that I haven’t yet got round to reading, so haven’t been looking at the internet much. One thing that did grab my attention (mainly because of the URL) during an earlier random Google search was enemyproperty.gov.uk, a little-known Government site, set up in 1999 to help victims of Nazi persecution (and their descendants) track down confiscated items. It looks impressive and has some 30,000 records online, but I have no idea of its success - is it a good example of e-government or another white elephant?

Gordon Brown gave a pretty rousing speech at a globalisation conference yesterday, promoting the Treasury’s proposals for an International Finance Facility, a long-term lending programme for development. It’s well-written stuff and worth reading, but only makes me hanker more for the day when he gets to move office to next door (if it ever comes).

More info can be found in the Independent’s report on the speech, which has a rather disheartening list of the UN’s Millennium development targets drawn up in 2000, and how spectacularly they have been missed.

While idly flicking through Bifurcated Rivets I discovered GeoURL, a service that works out what other websites are physically near you. After adding in some geographic metadata I’ve added this site to their database, so you can now find out who is near me - another marvellously useless service.

Good to know the Lib Dems are really tackling the big cultural issues of the day.

The Observer this week named Heston Blumenthal’s Fat Duck restaurant as their reader’s favourite in their Food Monthly magazine. Blumenthal (who recently won his third Michelin star) is a bit of a weird one - he takes a scientific approach to food, seeking new and fresh angles of looking at it, and experiments with combining completely different flavours and textures to create bizarre dishes - egg and bacon ice cream, snail porridge and salmon with liquorice, anyone?

Appalling as they may sound to most, I actually find them - and Blumenthal - quite fascinating - he is open-minded, tearing up the rules of what is a profession often rooted in tradition with a bold and analytical approach. After reading about the scientific book, On Food And Cooking, which inspired him, I’m quite keen to buy it and learn what he has. I’ve not quite got the courage to try some of Blumenthal’s own recipes yet though - the crab ice cream is just a bit too daunting, and even his cheese on toast is needlessly complicated. But I might do soon…

Been idly flicking through YBA Julian Opie’s official site (he of Blur album cover fame) and admiring the amusing but usability-unfriendly Mac OS-style interface, as well as his art - all lines and computer-generated vector shapes, including his famous featureless portraits and soothing landscapes.

The Guardian will not be following its competitors and will remain only a broadsheet newspaper. This is a mistake I think, the tabloid versions of the Times and Independent are not just convenient for commuters but actually pretty good for most people - I even started buying the Independent occasionally to help do my bit towards convincing the Guardian to do the same.

Although the Guardian say it’s for “economic and editorial versions” you can’t help but think there might be some sour grapes about it - the Indie was mocked by the Guardian when it started producing its tabloid version, but its sales have since gone up 12% and it seems pretty vindicated.