El Reg reports on an attack by a Dyson vacuum cleaner.

Norman Grant told Aberdeen Sheriff Court how on 3 March 2002, as he was trying to tackle “high cobwebs” at his home, the hose extension “suddenly knocked him down his stairs”. Grant suffered wrist and head injuries in the incident, exact details of which are not forthcoming.

Grant came face-to-face with the homicidal machine for a second time when he went to court to plead for damages. In the event, he settled for a unnamed sum understood to be in excess of £10,000.

I know two people with one of these. To both of you: watch your backs!

Even if you’re only dreaming of a white Christmas, you can make your own snowflakes in this clever Flash game.

The Chronicle’s Henry Schulman and John Shea report that Moises Alou is coming to the Giants: The Giants are planning to give their manager a Christmas present: his son, wrapped in a San Francisco uniform.

The club has reached an agreement with free-agent outfielder Moises Alou on a two-year contract that will not be finalized until he passes a physical on Monday, two sources told The Chronicle on Wednesday. Alou would shift from left field to right and join Barry Bonds and Marquis Grissom in one of oldest outfields in major-league history. This should be just what the Giants need, specifically in the fifth slot after Bonds. The younger Alou last played for his father in Montreal from 1992-96.

Because my free iPod was waiting at the door when I got home very late. It’s charging now.

It’s kind of funny; I’d never actually held one or even seen one very close up. Seen ‘em on TV, sure. Seen the humongous signs at the Apple store in Palo Alto, yep. I didn’t realize how tiny it really is–and this is the full-size model! Ah, 20GB of pocket-size goodness.

Watch this Flash movie (select a mirror from the list) and then sit back and think about it. I don’t know that I agree with some of the predictions, but the ideas are intriguing.