• US X-37B space plane prepares to come back to Earth
  "The space plane has been circling the Earth for the past nine months and will land some time this week at the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Officially known as the Orbital Test Vehicle, it has been flying as a technology testbed for the next generation of space vehicles."
  (tags:space )
• Asus Eee reader: The world’s first 9-inch touch-screen ebook reader
  "With a 9-inch screen that offers 2.25 times the reading area compared to 6-inch ebook readers, this sleek device is ideal for reading material ranging from novels to comic books ? and everything else in between."
  (tags:tech )
• Cassini finds warm cracks on Enceladus
  "New images and data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft give scientists a unique Saturn-lit view of active fissures through the south polar region of Saturn's moon Enceladus. They reveal a more complicated web of warm fractures than previously thought."
  (tags:space )

In Dagestan they just kind of leave combat hovercraft laying around. COMBAT HOVERCRAFT.

And also giant things that the photo essay writer thinks are probably ground effect craft but which I would refer to as HELLO CHRISTMAS I HAVE SEEN MY NEW RIDE THANK YOU.

On the top of cultural resource site UbuWeb right now are my ten favourite items on the site.

Hi.  Bit busy today.  But listen: I’ve mentioned Martin’s Jerked Meats here before, right?  UK purveyors of fine, tasty and often experimental jerky and fruit leathers and other good things.  Just got email from them (sent to all their customers), and the snow’s killed their most profitable market show of the year — after they drove twelve hours through the bloody snow to get there.  For a tiny specialty food company to miss out on a huge Xmas market… that’s going to hurt.  So they’re throwing freebies like their excellent Jack Daniels Jerky into orders over fifteen quid.  Frankly, meat (or fruit, or their vegetable options) makes a better gift than socks.