Keys Corner

One of the “charms” of using Apple computers is that Apple reckons that you can discover the finer points of using their software by stumbling over the niffty features of programs when you first need them, rather than drawing your attention to them in the “help” screens.

For as long as I can remember, probably since I first switched to the Mac in fact, I have been irritated and puzzled about why sometimes when I print out an e-mail, the print is ridiculously small on the paper, although on the screen it looks fine, it prints like this:

On other occasions, a mail would print just fine:

I mentioned recently the book “When smoke ran like water”, which describes how industry has for decades paid to discredit research which they don’t like.

The latest example of such behaviour comes from Exxon, who has been offering scientists $10 000 each if they will discredit research on climate change. Exxon is the most profitable company in the USA (over $39 billion profit in the latest fiscal reporting year). Exxon sells under the brand names “Esso” and “Mobil” in many countries, if you want to boycott their products, which is probably the only effective way to protest about their behaviour.

Update (2007-02-02):
Here’s a link to the summary of the report Exxon are trying to discredit.