Why not pay through the nose for a device that effectively fits you with a James Bond style tracking beacon!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6179197.stm
Monday, December 18, 2006
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
The Prestige - Review
I went to see this last week and was duly impressed.
The film focuses on a pair of aspiring magicians (Played by Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale) who develop an intense rivalry. The pair become obsessed with stealing each others secrets which results in tricks aplenty and an escalating series of double crosses which spirals dangerously out of control and ends up consuming and ruining their lives.
The film is directed by Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins, Memento) who is fast becoming one of my favourite directors and displays his typical style and love of twists and turns as previously shown in Memento. You definitely need to keep your wits about you so the plot doesn't get away from you.
I thought the film was excellent and not really like anything I'd ever seen before. It also has a rather excellent cameo from David Bowie playing a partially fictionalised Nikola Tesla and if that doesn't recommend it to you surely nothing will!
Monday, November 20, 2006
Recommendation - Soothing Indie Pop From The Minutes
The Minutes are a lovely summery indie pop electronica project including a chap I used to be in a band with.
I can heartily recommend their blend of bleeps and melody.
http://www.myspace.com/theminutesmusic
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Gig Review - The Magic Numbers - London Hammersmith Apollo 18/11/06
The Hammersmith Apollo is the biggest gig the Magic Numbers have ever played and tonight they look like a bunch of excited puppies bounding around the stage clearly loving the jubilant reaction of the capacity crowd.
To celebrate this milestone they have invited along Robert Kirby (The genius arranger responsible for the strings on Nick Drakes first two albums) and a string octet, both of whom play on their recently released second album.
I've been lucky enough to see The Numbers three times with the first being a Camden pub gig in early 2005 while they were still just another band playing Camden toilet circuit gigs. Even then it was obvious that they were something special, by the quality of their songs and their infectious sunny harmonies, so what has changed in 18 months? (other than the size of the venue and the Mercury nomination)
As you might expect the songs are tighter and the band have gained confidence and stage presence, but the biggest revelation is Michelle. She has clearly grown into the role of rock bass player strutting around the stage like Gene Simmons and stomping to the music whilst throwing a series of rock shapes. It's surprising and heartening stuff coming from a 20 year old girl who is probably most famous to the general public for being part of the band that walked off Top Of The Pops after insensitive remarks were made about the bands weight by Richard Bacon.
The reason for the tour is the new album (I haven't heard it yet, but as soon as I have a review will be forthcoming) and the gig is a mixture of old and new with the old favorites unsurprisingly sounding tighter and ushering the strongest response from the audience. The highpoint of the gig is undoubtedly Angela and Romeo's duet on "I See You, You See Me" with every line from Angela provoking yells and whoops from the audience. One of the great strengths of the band is the quality of the three voices and wisely both girls get a turn on lead vocals with songs from the new album. Surprisingly it is Michelle rather than Angela whos vocal turn is most convincing taking centre stage and swapping bass for guitar with Romeo. Whilst Angela has arguably the finest voice in the group her turn is less engaging as she stands off to the side and seems too nervous to cope with being the main focus of the audience.
It remains to be seen if the new album will be as big a hit as its predecessor, but if the reactions of this crowd are anything to go by then they can count on a devoted live following for some time to come.
http://www.themagicnumbers.net/
To celebrate this milestone they have invited along Robert Kirby (The genius arranger responsible for the strings on Nick Drakes first two albums) and a string octet, both of whom play on their recently released second album.
I've been lucky enough to see The Numbers three times with the first being a Camden pub gig in early 2005 while they were still just another band playing Camden toilet circuit gigs. Even then it was obvious that they were something special, by the quality of their songs and their infectious sunny harmonies, so what has changed in 18 months? (other than the size of the venue and the Mercury nomination)
As you might expect the songs are tighter and the band have gained confidence and stage presence, but the biggest revelation is Michelle. She has clearly grown into the role of rock bass player strutting around the stage like Gene Simmons and stomping to the music whilst throwing a series of rock shapes. It's surprising and heartening stuff coming from a 20 year old girl who is probably most famous to the general public for being part of the band that walked off Top Of The Pops after insensitive remarks were made about the bands weight by Richard Bacon.
The reason for the tour is the new album (I haven't heard it yet, but as soon as I have a review will be forthcoming) and the gig is a mixture of old and new with the old favorites unsurprisingly sounding tighter and ushering the strongest response from the audience. The highpoint of the gig is undoubtedly Angela and Romeo's duet on "I See You, You See Me" with every line from Angela provoking yells and whoops from the audience. One of the great strengths of the band is the quality of the three voices and wisely both girls get a turn on lead vocals with songs from the new album. Surprisingly it is Michelle rather than Angela whos vocal turn is most convincing taking centre stage and swapping bass for guitar with Romeo. Whilst Angela has arguably the finest voice in the group her turn is less engaging as she stands off to the side and seems too nervous to cope with being the main focus of the audience.
It remains to be seen if the new album will be as big a hit as its predecessor, but if the reactions of this crowd are anything to go by then they can count on a devoted live following for some time to come.
http://www.themagicnumbers.net/
Friday, October 27, 2006
Here I go Wish Me Luck!
Just about to leave my current office for the final time before my big holiday!
When I return I may have to go and work in bloody Scotland, but for the time being Wooo holiday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When I return I may have to go and work in bloody Scotland, but for the time being Wooo holiday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Virgin Viral Backfires
http://www.theinquirer.net/default.aspx?article=35359
Ooops Virgins latest viral marketing campagn abruptly stopped after one day as the b3ta photoshopping masses lay into Richard Branson.
Who couldn't see that coming.
Ooops Virgins latest viral marketing campagn abruptly stopped after one day as the b3ta photoshopping masses lay into Richard Branson.
Who couldn't see that coming.
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Everyone Leaves Ferrari
From F1ITV
"Ross Brawn will leave Ferrari before the end of this year, the Italian squad confirmed on Thursday.
In a long anticipated move, Brawn will stand down from his post of technical director and will make way for Mario Almondo.
Engine guru Paolo Martinello will also leave the team, moving to Ferrari’s parent company Fiat.
Meanwhile Stefano Domenicali will take over Jean Todt’s role as sporting director."
Hmm looks very much like everyone important has buggered off.
I'm sure Kimi Raikkonen is overjoyed that the team who propelled Shui to 7 Drivers Championships has buggered off leaving him with the B Team.
"Ross Brawn will leave Ferrari before the end of this year, the Italian squad confirmed on Thursday.
In a long anticipated move, Brawn will stand down from his post of technical director and will make way for Mario Almondo.
Engine guru Paolo Martinello will also leave the team, moving to Ferrari’s parent company Fiat.
Meanwhile Stefano Domenicali will take over Jean Todt’s role as sporting director."
Hmm looks very much like everyone important has buggered off.
I'm sure Kimi Raikkonen is overjoyed that the team who propelled Shui to 7 Drivers Championships has buggered off leaving him with the B Team.
London Lites Lame Listings
I was reading the listings in the London Lite on the tube on the way home last night (A London Free Paper mostly concerned with celeb gossip) and noticed a great example of lazy music journalism.
"Ray Lamontagne whose single Trouble echoes Nick Drakes softly spoken style"
Say what?
Last time I listened to Trouble the guy sounded like a love weary Grizzly Adams bellowing Otis Reading songs with a gob full of gravel where as Drake on the other hand sounds like a painfully shy posh boy singing rather eloquently in a very English accent.
I think what they actually meant was:
"I don't really know anything about Ray Lamontagne other than the fact that he doesn't do interviews and he is very shy and the most famous singer/songwriter I can think of who was also quite shy is Nick Drake"
Tomorrow I'm expecting something along the lines of:
"If you enjoyed the Streets latest record why not listen to UB40 who are also from Birmingham"
Still what did I expect for free....
"Ray Lamontagne whose single Trouble echoes Nick Drakes softly spoken style"
Say what?
Last time I listened to Trouble the guy sounded like a love weary Grizzly Adams bellowing Otis Reading songs with a gob full of gravel where as Drake on the other hand sounds like a painfully shy posh boy singing rather eloquently in a very English accent.
I think what they actually meant was:
"I don't really know anything about Ray Lamontagne other than the fact that he doesn't do interviews and he is very shy and the most famous singer/songwriter I can think of who was also quite shy is Nick Drake"
Tomorrow I'm expecting something along the lines of:
"If you enjoyed the Streets latest record why not listen to UB40 who are also from Birmingham"
Still what did I expect for free....
I literally laughed my head off when reading this
A weblog dedicated to misuse of the word literally.
in talking about the Giants comeback victory over the Eagles, mentioned that the Giants had “literally put a bullet in the heads of the Eagles“. Well, no wonder they won!
It's petty, but it made me laugh.
p.s. Did you see what I did there
in talking about the Giants comeback victory over the Eagles, mentioned that the Giants had “literally put a bullet in the heads of the Eagles“. Well, no wonder they won!
It's petty, but it made me laugh.
p.s. Did you see what I did there
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Fax Machines
Every so often Michael Buerk wanders into my office and asks if he can borrow my Fax machine (I've no idea why he does this).
The only problem is that dispite the fact that I sit next to the huge beige monstrosity and I am employed as a technology expert I have no idea how it actually works.
The ubiquity of e-mail means that I've only had to use a fax machine about 3 times in my life (and always at the behest of a bloody estate agent) and though most are fairly self explanatory ours is a monster (It even has a bloody Mercury button). It has a help button that when you press it displays a message in its tiny screen "Press any button for help on that feature" and then when you press the button for example "Confirm" it prints out a sheet of paper with "Help Index #88934 CONFIRM BUTTON -: PRESS TO CONFIRM ACTIONS" written in tiny letters at one corner.
The net result is fiddling arround trying to help him with an array of buttons that all go bleep and do nothing whilst the 999 music plays in my head and I think "Little did they know that playing with the fax machine would prove deadly!"
I can't work photocopiers either....
The only problem is that dispite the fact that I sit next to the huge beige monstrosity and I am employed as a technology expert I have no idea how it actually works.
The ubiquity of e-mail means that I've only had to use a fax machine about 3 times in my life (and always at the behest of a bloody estate agent) and though most are fairly self explanatory ours is a monster (It even has a bloody Mercury button). It has a help button that when you press it displays a message in its tiny screen "Press any button for help on that feature" and then when you press the button for example "Confirm" it prints out a sheet of paper with "Help Index #88934 CONFIRM BUTTON -: PRESS TO CONFIRM ACTIONS" written in tiny letters at one corner.
The net result is fiddling arround trying to help him with an array of buttons that all go bleep and do nothing whilst the 999 music plays in my head and I think "Little did they know that playing with the fax machine would prove deadly!"
I can't work photocopiers either....
How to tackle Londons pigeon problems
I may forward this video on to Red Ken it looks like an ideal way to shed the flying rats from our nations capital.
I think this is filmed in Green Park
I think this is filmed in Green Park
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Holiday!
I'm off on my hols on Monday.
I'll be spending 2 sweet weeks in the Dominican Republic at a 4* all inclusive resort.
It's the most extravagant holiday I've ever booked (Which to be honest isn't saying much as I'd never even been on a plane up until a few years ago).
I've had a fairly insane time at work recently and my holiday last year got canceled at the last minute when my girlfriends mum died so I really feel like we deserve it and it's going to be such a great oportunity to just relax and get my head straight, not to mention drinking my own body weight in rum based cocktails!
Linky for the 5 day forcast.
I'll be spending 2 sweet weeks in the Dominican Republic at a 4* all inclusive resort.
It's the most extravagant holiday I've ever booked (Which to be honest isn't saying much as I'd never even been on a plane up until a few years ago).
I've had a fairly insane time at work recently and my holiday last year got canceled at the last minute when my girlfriends mum died so I really feel like we deserve it and it's going to be such a great oportunity to just relax and get my head straight, not to mention drinking my own body weight in rum based cocktails!
Linky for the 5 day forcast.
First Post
Better get my first post out of the way.
I thought I would like to take a long time to write a really great post, but managed to delete it by mistake about an hour into my sublime prose.
Ah well, I'll come up with something clever another time.
I thought I would like to take a long time to write a really great post, but managed to delete it by mistake about an hour into my sublime prose.
Ah well, I'll come up with something clever another time.
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