I've been hating computers today as I woke up to find a corrupted partition table on my linux hard drive. I couldn't recover it so had to balst away the partition table and all data on the drive. Luckily, all my data is redudantly backed up on other drives and PCs so I didn't lose anything of real consequence. The major things that come to mind are some code updated I'd done to this blog and a web stats project I'd been working on sporadically.

On the bright side of things, I now have recovery down to a 3 hour proces to a usable machine. I've also got GNOME running with anti-aliasing, something I couldn't get for some reason through the usual apt-get dist-upgrade methods.

Two quick recommendations of TV shows that are worth checking out. First, the Sci-Fi channels reincarnation of Battlestar Galactica is shockingly good. I knew they'd respect the source material since they did an admirable job with the Dune mini-serieses but I didn't expect it to be as good as it is. There are throwbacks to the old series but the setting they've reimagined and character changes they chose to make actually make the whole story better. Plus, its good to see Edward James Olmos in charge of the Fleet!

The second recommendation is the Venture Brothers, on Cartoon Network's adult swim. To enjoy it,you'll have to get past the fact that its lighter on plot and heavier on jokes that poke fun at adventure cartoons, heroes, villains and what it'd really be like for them to live in the real world. Lots of references to comic book and popular culture to watch out for as well.

While the free movement of labor in the EU has been a great boon for teams like Real Madrid, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United who can now field the best of the best players. Critics have voiced concerns that the domestic game, and by extension the national team, in each country would suffer as there are less spots available for home-grown talent. Never mind that the best English players can also now easilty go play in Span - Beckham & Owens in Real Madrid, but the concern isn't for super stars that can play in any league.

Well, it looks like UEFA, the governing body for soccer in Europe, is proposing requiring that 8 players in a 25 man team be from the home country for European competitions. This only affects continental competions such as the Champions League and UEFA cup, so in domestic league games teams could still field all-foreigner teams.

The first-order effect of the rule is to increase demand for marginal home-grown players (those on the second team) in countries like England where they are scarce relative to the talent that can be imported. There will be some effect on the best home-grown players, but mostly on allocation and not price.

From Uefa adopts quota rule