Month: January 2008
-
Tin-Pan Dead End Alley
“Pandora’s ex-customers in the UK will be wondering why the service they want can’t be catered for by the recording industry. And they are not alone – for what are the millions of illicit peer-to-peer file-sharers, but a huge potential market? Internet users are showing the industry how they want their music in the digital…
-
Newsworthiness of Product Launches
Rory Cellan-Jones has a pretty spot-on analysis of a certain company’s new product announcement yesterday. The argument put to him is that a new model of Ford Focus probably affects more people. I’m not sure that in hard numbers it does, but the point is well made. Now if Bic launched a new version of…
-
Podcasting: The Future
Last night the Radio Academy held an event in London to talk about podcasting. It was interesting to a point, although whether or not we learnt a great deal, I’m not so sure. You can listen to a podcast of the event at the Radio Academy’s website (I’m pretty sure registration isn’t required). Some points…
-
Top Gear USA
Mediaguardian reports that NBC has ordered a pilot of Top Gear to be made in the US and hosted by Americans. Now aside from the fact that with the writers’ strike now in its 11th or 12th week, the networks need non-scripted programming to fill out the end of the season, could the choice of…
-
The Tens
I spent the ten o’clock hour flicking a bit to see the return of Sir Trevor and News at Ten, and to see what the BBC was doing. The opening title sequence was actually pretty good, although it felt like there were a few too many bongs. ITV had an exclusive interview with someone related…
-
When Urban Myths Are Reported As News
I was disappointed recently, when watching the Ewan McGregor/Charlie Boorman series Long Way Down, that they reinforced the nonsense about water going down the plug clockwise or anti-clockwise depending on whether you’re in the northern or southern hemisphere. Along the border, there’s a few quid to be made perpetuating this party trick to unwitting tourists.…
-
Word Magazine Podcast
Word magazine is by far the best music magazine around these days, coming with a fascinating cover CD and always having thoroughly interesting pieces inside. Accompanying the magazine is the podcast which I always find to be worth a listen. This week, the Radio Academy’s Trevor Dann turned up for it, and he some strongly…
-
Crashing Out
My favourite over-used phrase comes from tennis. Whenever a Brit is knocked out of a tennis tournament, they aren’t defeated – they crash out. Andy Murray lost earlier this morning and Google News tells me that there are already 171 articles about Murray that include the phrases “crashes out.” Glad to see that sub-editors remain…
-
Combatting Terrorism/Drugs/Guns/Knives (Delete As Appropriate)
My local train station – the one I use to get to work every day – doesn’t have any barriers. As a result, there’s no real ticket check on the way in and out. To avoid ticket evasion, they have ticket inspectors on the trains, and spot checks. If you travel on the train at…
-
Some Pictures
-
The Tin Roof Blowdown
I’d not previously read any James Lee Burke novels, despite him having written over 25 in the past. But I heard him in the book section of the Simon Mayo programme a few weeks ago, and the setting of his most recent novel in and around New Orleans against the backdrop of Katrina was an…
-
Voices
Voices is the third in the Inspector Erlendur series, following Silence of the Grave and Tainted Blood. Erneldur is a fairly dour Icelandic detective, and this novel is set in the run-up to Christmas at a large Reykjavik hotel. When Santa’s needed for a party at the hotel, a maid goes to look for quiet…