When I first heard about this service from the UK Digital Satellite Television provider Sky, I was very excited by the prospect. Downloading full length films through your PC on demand and then streaming them to my Xbox 360 using Windows Media Center Edition gave me goosebumps, however after having a go I am far from impressed.

Firstly logging in. Using the Xbox 360 requires the use of the Windows Media Center remote control, which is fiddly for entering the username and password. Entering the information in once is fine, but the system doesn’t remember on subsequent visits which makes life very tedious.

Using Windows Media Video Compression which I really like, although the resolution choice of 540×432 is far too low and the bit-rate of 860kbps is just silly for movie content. I would hope for at least 1.5mbps and then maybe it would be spot on.

I do have Sky+, which is a 40gb Digital TV recorder which is quite frankly superb, but Sky by Broadband really needs extra effort to convince anyone seriously to use it. I expected a lot better and instead I was left with a very lack lustre effort. On the bright side though, with some better bit-rates for the movie content and software improvements, it could still turn into a very useful way of viewing movies.

I only noticed this as I really loved the cheeky title Sky News gave this item. I like to cover bizarre news items and I think this one qualifies!

A hand grenade has been found in a batch of potatoes at a chip-making firm. The processing plant was evacuated when the Second World War grenade was discovered in a mud separating machine.

It was the second scare in two days – the tip of a shell was discovered in the same machine the day before. Bomb disposal experts from the Army Logistics Corps removed the grenade and carried out a controlled explosion in a sports field near the McCain factory in Scarborough, North Yorkshire.
Advertisement Advertisement On both occasions the potatoes involved were imported from Belgium and northern France, where some of the fiercest fighting of the two world wars took place.

So there you have it, not what you would normally expect in a batch of chips. Remember if you have found something quirky and more importantly ‘bizarre’ online, let me know.

Link: Grenade Scare At Chip Firm

I can remember when blue smarties were first introduced and believe me when I say that kids were not sharing them out with their friends. However the day of the blue Smartie is numbered it would seem:

Blue Smarties are to be stopped because the makers cannot find a way to colour them without artificial colouring. Nestle Rowntree says the blue Smarties will be replaced with white ones from next month. Nestle is making the changes as part of its move to remove artificial colourings from its sweets.

Artificial colourings and flavourings in sweets have been linked with child hyperactivity and behaviour problems. A Nestle spokeswoman said the company wanted to “improve the nutritional qualities” of its products.

Well I prefer Midget Gems anyway…

Link: Blue Day For Smartie Firm

When looking for relationships, one of the questions that always comes up is the age gap. There is always a concern that if the gap is too large, it will be socially unacceptable. Well how about a 71 year age gap?

A 33-year-old man has reportedly married a 104-year-old woman in northern Malaysia. It was the first time Muhamad Noor Che Musa has tied the knot – but he became his bride’s 21st husband.

The union was reported by The Star newspaper, which quoted a story in the Malay-language Harian Metro tabloid. Mr Muhamad, a former army serviceman, reportedly said he had initally felt pity for Wook Kundor because she was childless, old and alone. But over time, mutual respect and friendship apparently turned into love.

Suddenly age gaps seem very small by the majority of cases…

Link: I’m Not After Her Money

In the most… well bizarre… of news stories today, a ‘space boffin’ has claimed that we will be talking with aliens within the next 20 years…

Aliens will be talking to us within the next 20 years, according to space boffins. Dr Seth Shostak of the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence group said they may have even already landed.

His group, which is linked to the University of California, is building 350 telescopes to listen for aliens. Dr Shostak believes ETs could already be listening to Earth. And he thinks alien life may have landed in clumps of bacteria cells.

Link: Talking To The Alien