Last NaBloPoMo, I wrote up my review of a Mitch Benn gig I'd seen. I know I’m not going to leave it ten years before I next see him. Indeed, I didn't even leave it a full calendar year. Mitch is back and better than ever - he even has a new single out. Buy the single for 79p at Amazon It's rare for Brits to get passionate without being cynical. Watching Mitch Benn sing "Proud of the BBC" is a…
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Several years ago, I was wandering round the Louvre on a wet Parisian afternoon. I turned a corner from one gallery to another when I saw a painting which would change my life forever. Like a good many of you, I was completely unaware of Íñigo Melchor de Velasco, the 7th Duke of Frías. But then, how many of us know the person we are destined to become? Looking at the picture, staring into th…
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I've just come back from a delightful weekend in Paris. Delightful for me - not so for my wife. Rather than quietly admiring the artwork in the Louvre, I ran around gawping at the huge range of 2D codes on offer on the streets of Paris. There are some great examples of how to do 2D code marketing - and how not to do it. I'd like to run you through a few of examples I found. I've enhanced the …
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Census time is coming around - which brings with it the tricky question of religion. Regular readers will know that I self identify as an apathist - a peculiar sub-branch of atheism. Those with longer memories will have seen me self identify as a Jedi (Dark Side). So, when the 2011 census rolls around, how should I identify myself to the state? (more…) …
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NA! BLO! PO! MO! It sounds like a Judoon war cry - "Na Blo Po Mo!" But rather than legions from the Shadow Proclamation, it is an amassed horde of bloggers poised to do battle with the enemy. Gentlemen - the enemy is us. I noticed that I had averaged a blog post every few days in October - I wondered if I could beat that and still retain some vestige of quality. During BarCampLondon I heard…
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I first heard of Dans Le Noir? last year and have been itching to go ever since. Dans Le Noir? is a restaurant with a gimmick. You eat in the dark. I don't mean that the lights are dim; there are no lights. Mobile phones and watches with luminous dials are banned. There's not so much as the ethereal glow of LEDs from around the room. All is dark. You choose your meal in a dimly lit bar then,…
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Earlier this month, the lovely people at FreshCase sent me some boxes of wine. Alex Hilton wanted to know how easy it was to recycle. So, for your edification and delight, I present... Recycling The FreshCase Disclaimer These boxes of wine were sent to me for free. Enjoy alcohol responsibly. Do not attempt without adult supervision. …
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I feel a bit guilty about including NatWest's latest mobile advert in my Badvertising section - because it's mostly very good. But it shows exactly why you need to carefully examine every link within your site and see how useful it is for your customers. You may have noticed this animate banner as you wander around the mobile web. NatWest Advert Here it is in context NatWest Ad on Times Site …
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America and Canada both celebrate a holiday called "Thanksgiving". Although, for complex reasons, the celebrate it at different times of the year. Outside of North America the holiday simply doesn't exist. Much like the US doesn't celebrate Guy Fawkes night - the British don't celebrate Thanksgiving. So, I was a little surprised to see this advert for #tweetsgiving on my mobile. What is…
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I'm an Apathist. It's a funny sort of mix between the various flavours of Atheism and Agnostism. At its very root is the fact that I just don't care. Arguments about religions and their various gods are tedious; by their very nature there is no way of resolving them. So, lets take some points. See if you agree or disagree with my reasoning. There is no evidence of gods. Absence of e…
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For the last four years, I've been using a chipped XBOX as my media centre. Running XBMC, it has managed to play everything I've thrown at it. Recently, though, it has had a real problem playing standard DVDs. Aside from percussive maintenance, the only way that I know to fix something is to crack it open and have a fiddle! I've opened my Xboxes several times before - if you're new to it,…
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Ewan of Mobile Industry Review has published his weekly newsletter in which he is somewhat critical of Vodafone 360. The newsletter is not available on his website, so I'll quote excerpts of it here. This is a tricky blog post for me to write. I am involved in some aspects of Vodafone 360 (mostly My Web) but I certainly do not speak for my employers. I'm currently on holiday - and have been …
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