I thought I would have something to say today. I am spending the weekend in Shrewsbury with family and believed that something worthy of comment would happen – but it doesn’t seem to have. Maybe I should comment about Yahoo’s introduction of a Firefox toolbar or the fact that Ask Jeeves just bought Bloglines but I can’t seem to find the right words.
2005: M6 Toll Speeds My Day
2004: Dawn Traders
2004: Good News Reaches Us
Tom has an interesting little post about Digital Media players over at plasticbag right now (plasticbag.org on the iPod and shortsightedness on the Microsoft estate…).
He is right and the quoted correspondence from internal Microsoft people makes me see red, it really does. In fact, Microsoft’s digital music policy, makes me see red whether the quotes are true or not.
If I’d bought an iPod and used it on Windows none of this would be an issue. It’s one piece of hardware with a software upgrade path that is supported. I understand my hardware doesn’t come from Microsoft but if they don’t persuade their partners to upgrade existing products I (and I suspect many others) will switch to a product that right now is stable, upgradable and allows me to enjoy the music I buy.
And all this frustrates me because I’m happy with wma and don’t want an iPod just because everybody has. I just want to embrace digital music but I need some confidence that I’m not throwing my money down the toilet.
It’s no wonder Microsoft employees buy iPods – they don’t all have Bill’s money to be buying another piece of hardware to do the same job over and over and buy to music they already bought.
… and all this before we talk functionality!
If I am wrong in any of this and you know of a way around it, then please let me know.
2004: Janet’s Malfunction
2004: Colourful Pages
2004: Alcohol Free
2003: Online Advertising Technology Issues
2003: An Email From Space
Jase doesn’t post as much as he used to but he has some gems in his random links section. My favourite right now is the Google Usenet Timelime which is fascinating on two fronts: firstly because it’s a piece of history and secondly for the selections they have made – the announcement of the web; Britney Spears and the first piece of spam. [via Jase Wells]
I signed up to back the London’s bid for the 2012 Olympics because, when all’s done, I think it would be fantastic for London and the UK as a whole. So, right now, I selected The Gherkin is my computer’s desktop image. I thought it was appropriate after having wandered The City earlier in the month to see the fantastic Swiss Re tower.
I put my name to the bid earlier – particularly after watching some of these fantastic videos they’ve put together. I really think these should be given a wider audience they’re superb and they are a little hidden on the site too. Why don’t you sign up?
2004: Transport Museum
2003: 23 Mile Traffic Snake
2003: Starbucks
The Da Vinci Code is one of the more enjoyable books I have read in recent times. I guess there is added interest in trying to follow the decoding of the clues along the way. I see that Ron Howard is shooting the film and that they’re actually going to be allowed to shoot it in The Louvre, Paris.
While I was looking at the movie news, I also see that Stephen Fry will be the voice of The Guide in the upcoming adaptation of another book: The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy. I think that’s a pretty good choice but I really wonder if the film will provide the same joy as the BBC Radio series (and the subsequent television adaption).
2004: Naked Across Britain
2004: Shop ‘Til You Drop
2003: Lost In La Macha
2003: The Digital Music Debate
I really should start a category on London’s South Bank because I mention it a great deal and it really is one of the most wonderful areas of London. If you’re a visitor to this great city you really must spend an afternoon walking the South Bank: start at Waterloo and the London Eye and head towards Tower Bridge (and beyond). when I first arrived here it was an area that had little to offer; it was dead and quiet but now it’s vibrant and alive.
Over the past few weeks PY and I have explored a little more of London on foot and I really do enjoy the place. On the Monday after New Year we wandered around High Holborn and Farringdon areas, near The Guardian’s central London base. It was a quiet Bank Holiday and yet it was – strangely – alive. We also crossed the bridge to the Tate Gallery which is probably the only gallery space I can truly say I enjoy. The Turbine Hall, which housed The Weather Project, is currently home to Bruce Nauman’s Raw Materials – which is a soundscape of 22 spoken texts. Some are clearly audible and some not so clear but as you walk through the hall you get this most amazing sense of sound. It works better if you keep moving (rather than stopping to listen) but you’d be wise to adjust to the sound first. It wasn’t as much of a communal event as The Weather Project but it was totally unexpected, thrilling and energizing. You can get a taste online at the Tate’s site.
Last weekend we went to City Hall but this time we were able to get inside and head to the top. It’s a building of unexpected contrasts: the building looks wonderful and they have revitalised the whole area but the office space inside looks cramped and uncomfortable. Given the climbing spirals of the building I would have expected the view from the top to be better. Unfortunately, the main viewing area looks the wrong way: great views over the south but you want to see London’s landmarks. It was late in the day when we arrived which meant there were no crowds and we were able to find our house on the satellite pictures on the floor of the basement. Sadly, however, I don’t think the lighting scheme is brilliant at all – they could do so much more with it.
While we were there I rode the snow slide at The Tate (basically a silly slide that you descend almost buried in an inflatable tyre-like object). Silly but cheap and amusing. Then we crossed Tower Bridge (always a stunning experience) to go and have a look at the stunning Swiss Re tower and walk around The City – which is, of course, almost dead on a Saturday afternoon. It’s a rather unnerving contrast to London’s West End which is full of people on a Saturday.
Yesterday, we went to Marble Arch and had a go on the ice rink that has been placed there for the winter. I haven’t been on skates for years and I really liked it – although there’s no chance I could go round the rink without holding onto the side at some point. PY was not quite so in love with the experience which is a great shame and I am going to have to find ways to convince him to come again. I’ll work on it.
Once again I can honestly say I love London.
2005: Daily Links
2003: Hooked on LBC
2003: In News
2003: Low Low Cost
I do like the some of the (few) comments that come to this site. It seems that I am not the only one who wonders what ex-Neighbours star Ashley Paske is doing these days … maybe Lizzy will get her way and Matt Robinson will return from Adelaide.
2006: Coffee To Get Me Going
2005: Links Of The Day
2003: Chicago
2003: The Grand Old Duke
Amusing coincidences. In January 2004 I say Love Actually and one of the things that struck me about that film was the way that the included TV and radio presenters to reinforce the whole Britishness of the thing. Almost exactly a year later I was implying the same thing about television news readers in Shaun Of The Dead. Maybe I just like films that come out of the UK and – perhaps – that’s a lesson for me.
2006: High Expectations
2003: Complex Personal Publishing