Thursday, June 29, 2006

My Cousin Noah

Although I do think it's a great idea to have video covering your entire life, I wouldn't be that happy with the idea that people had videos of me running around playing firemen while naked.

Ah well, making your children cringe seems one of the main advantages of being a parent.

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Flowerbox

Went to see an awesome little dance \ play thing tonight with Laura.

Losing street cred by the fact that it was recommended by the Metro, it did redeem itself by being really good. If I had read the description, I would have been sceptical.

The plot loosely followed Romeo and Juliet, although it lacked any dialogue whatsoever, instead relying on dance and expressions to convey the relevant messages.

It was, however, enjoyable and managed to engage for the whole of the performance. Might even go along to another of these cultural things. That's two in a fortnight!! Posted by Picasa

Sunday, June 25, 2006

Old Landrover

Tried to take a shortcut on my way to Angel, and found this old Landrover on the way. Looks like it's been there for a good long time! Posted by Picasa

Friday, June 23, 2006

Mobile phones and iPods can kill, doctors warn

Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Mobile phones and iPods can kill, doctors warn

There should be some kind of law that makes people show risk assesments for this type of story.

Anything which doctors warn should kill should compare the likelihood of being killed by the new warning story with the likelihood of being killed crossing the road in London.

I strongly suspect that the chances of being killed by an unlucky combination of mobile phone combined with lightning would be slightly less almost anything. You're far more likely to die of hypochondria than you are of this.

Bloody doctors.

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

I love my job

Yahoo took me to watch the football last night. They'd found an old cinema, ripped out all the seats and made them into terraces. Then used some pretty damn powerful projectors (three all overlapping in order to make the screen bright enough) in order to broadcast the match live for us all.

Really good atmosphere, which was then boosted by the copious amounts of free alcohol and free food flowing around the venue. Sickeningnly, none of my usual sales reps were there, they were all in Germany watching the real thing.

Admittedly, the party last year was much better - they put far more effort in and gave someone (Lyndell) a trip to Miami. However, this one had more visceral fun - grimy venue and not too many of the traditional shiny people.

 Posted by Picasa

Monday, June 19, 2006

Croquet

May be slightly old fashioned, but Croquet is still really fun.

Went to my parent's for Father's day and managed to squeeze in a quick game. Perfect sunny afternoon activity - not too strenous but still lots of exposure to the sun while engaging in particularly competitive activity. Posted by Picasa

Thursday, June 15, 2006

Google's Web TV plans

MediaGuardian.co.uk Advertising Google 'listens' in to web TV habits

Still a white paper rather than a developed system, but this sounds like a strong system. Being able to identify what people are watching and then give them more content along the same veins sounds like a good idea (see Last.fm, Launch and others for music).

However, it does involve more loss of privacy. The way it's going for Google is that they will know what you're watching, what files you use on your computer, what pages you look at on your computer and how you use your money.

Slightly worrying? At the moment, the data is completely secure and none is shared with anyone. However, if Google is ever bought or becomes strapped for cash, there's a host of applications for data as granular as the data Google owns. Then what happens?

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

Hmmm

Admittedly cheating, I think this is an undercoat before they make the pub properly red. However, I thought it would make a good photo!

It's a student pub just round the corner from my house, that seems to make the majority of its business from the students that live in the cramped looking halls of residence above it.

Not sure how well I could have coped with a student life that was fulfilled by living in cramped cubes and mixing in an utterly filthy pub at the bottom of my stairs. Posted by Picasa

Ice Bar

Went to the ice bar for a quick cocktail after lunch. Really fun little place, though slightly excessive. You have to wear these hooded parka things in order to go into the bar.

The gloves are necessary in order to hold your cocktails which are in ice glasses. They're very kind. After paying £10 to get in, they give you a free cocktail. Isn't that nice!

Luckily the nice guys at a certain financial publication were more than happy to foot the hefty bill. Posted by Picasa

Sunday, June 11, 2006

Sting Enjoying the Day

I've very rarely seen anyone love Cars as much as Sting Posted by Picasa

Red Arrows

Saw the red arrows for the first time for ages. It was really good as we were right at centre stage while the demonstration was going on.

The show was pretty spectacular, including many rolling games of aerial 'chicken.' However, the commentator was simply awful. His job is to make the Red Arrows, and hence the RAF sound like somewhere you'd like to join. His patter was dull, filling us in on which university each pilot had been to and which types of Jet they'd begun training in.

This is information that could easily be omitted and we could have instead been entertained with tricks and tales of how the tricks were invented, together with stories about how dangerous the ridiculously risky maneuvers were... Posted by Picasa

Enjoying the Sights and Sounds of the Grand Prix

(and the hospitality tent!) Posted by Picasa

Friday, June 09, 2006

The Birthday Boy

Romit's a doctor and has a girlfriend!

Everyone's growing up and becoming more mature. As you can see by the happy and mature expression on Romit's face! Posted by Picasa

Enjoying Romit's little birthday bash

Me, Lydz and Pavey Posted by Picasa

Sunday, June 04, 2006

Overly offensive Legal Tactics

Boing Boing: Hideous company sends Boing Boing a pre-emptive nastygram

Seems a bit overly harsh. Wonder how much Baker and Mackenzie charged the client for writing this letter. Looks like another 'me too' internet strategy.
Oh dear lots of people seem to be using this internet thing for naughty stuff. We'll protect you by writing a letter to every website likely to violate your copyright. How do they identify the targets?
Wouldn't it be cheaper to have someone in the internet department using Technorati and Google to investigate actual violations and then report them to the lawyers? Surely marketing assistant salary will be less than a qualified lawyer salary?

Idiot company, clever lawyers.

Gav Visiting

Went down to a comedy show in the LSE bar. Really good fun and nice to see the guys Posted by Picasa

Friday, June 02, 2006

NMA Awards

Went to the NMA awards in the Grosvenor last night. Really good fun. Presented by Dara O Brian, who I'd not heard of before. He was OK, but I wasn't paying much attention.

First awards ceremony where I've gone with a rep I like - with the Telegraph (boo hiss), but the guys were good fun. Posted by Picasa