Stormhoek, Kittens and Gay Live Aid Performers

Brian and I have drunk my bottle of Stormhoek Wine. We had a Sauvingnon Blanc. It was rather nice. The kind of wine you might decide to buy instead of a Pinot Grigio- lovely, upfront, but not complex. Citrus-y. Perfect with fish. The labels are v well designed, actually. It's the kind of wine I would buy instead of a Jacob's Creek, Oxford Landing or even a Wolf Blass Yellow Label. Completely on par with them. Honestly, it was a lot better than I was expecting.

We went out to Brian's garden to have it. We brought Rocky out with us (fuck it, I'm pissed, I can't be bothered with not writing about him! ;). He's obviously forgotten that he's a cat, so kept hissing at all the other cats that came up to say hello. I had to take him back inside in order to finish our wine in peace.

We drank the rest of our wine, came in, put on our Live Aid DVD (not copied or downloaded. Purchased.) Watched Elton and Kiki. Elton and George Michael. Bowie. And Queen.

It's 8.00pm. Our night has begun.

It's Official: TV Sucks... Drink Bloggers' Wine Instead

Having spent the past few weeks thinking about the "New" Media/TV/Is It All Going To Go Bad 'N' Stuff issue, I have to say that TV just might actually, genuinely suck...

But...

Let's take ITV. A commercial channel. They need to make money. If they don't make money then they don't make programmes (whether the programmes they *do* make should even be made is a whole other discussion)... Advertising revenue is slowly shrinking. Viewers are slowly either migrating elsewhere or (more likely) dying... What do they do...?

I suggest: offering downloads of their back catalogue for a small monthly subscription. £5 per month? Too much? ITV1 and GMTV cost each of us 48.5p per week in real terms... so £1.99 per month to download Bit Torrents of their past programmes? They'd be making double the money they already get from a certain percentage of the population... Would people pay it in order to watch last week's Coronation Street?

They are worried that their programmes are 'out there' and available for download and they aren't making any money from it. I've been saying that once you send your programme out- either on telly or on a DVD you simply *can't* control what anyone does with it. I sat there with the guy who is in charge of ITV Drama and ripped a Coronation Street DVD using DVDBackup. I don't think he realised just how easy it is to do...

Please, British Television, don't implode like the Music Industry and definitely, most definitely, don't start calling ME a 'pirate' in the way the Film Industry does because I copy films to my harddrive for my son to watch on the train... Last time I was in Blockbusters their TV channel-thingy started talking about how "Video Pirates" were "involved in drug and human trafficking"... ????... Really? Me? Almost everyone I know who regularly copies DVDs? We are all involved in drug or human trafficking?? Piss off! ... and the 'Oh, no, we're not talking about you we're talking about the bad guys who do it, you know, the... (hushed voice) Asians' argument just won't cut it. Unless there is a legal number of times one can copy a DVD for personal use, then I'm afraid that, legally, I am tarred with the same 'Supports Human Trafficking' brush. And, you know, that really pisses me off.

'Ooo! Ooo! Ooo! But the problem, see, is file sharing, that's the problem.'... Well, I share "files" with my friends and family which, along with "files" that contain photos of my child and *ahem*thecat*ahem* or "files" that contain text, are often "files" which contain music, or "files" which contain moving images that I haven't always created myself. How many "files" can I legally share? My husband and I don't live together, is it illegal for me to copy a DVD that we have purchased together so that we both have a copy in our respective homes? Does it matter if it's a physical copy? Is it illegal for me to copy a DVD that I bought and give it to a friend of mine who doesn't have any money and would never buy it anyway? Can I copy it 100 times to give to 100 friends, none of whom would ever buy it anyway? How well exactly do I have to know them? Do I have to know their real names or simply the names that they decide to tell me? Do I have to know whether or not they would *really* never buy the DVD or can I just accept what they tell me? Finally...

Why, exactly, do you work in the Television/Film/Music industry? To make money on "product" that is the result of other people's creativity? Are you trying to protect the rights of the 'creatives' in the industry? For a start, why not pay them better and treat them fairly then...? Just a thought.

I finally got my Stormhoek Wine. I was out picking up *ahem*mycat*ahem* from the middle of the biggest blunder in British policing history when DHL tried to deliver the wine. I came up to Manchester on the weekend, so had DHL redeliver it up here... Brian and I shall be trying our Stormhoek Wine tonight...

The Death Of Television, The Future Of Film

I'm up in Manchester this week doing some filming for my job. In case you don't already know, I'm working on the Royal Television Society Cambridge Convention. This year they are taking a look at the threat of New Media to traditional broadcast media. Have a look at the speakers they're booking... What do you think? Rubbish? Yea, me too... just executives blabbing to executives.

After OpenTech this last weekend, I'm even more convinced that TV people (non-BBC at least) have their heads firmly buried in the sand. There are some really amazing things going on- MythTV to name but one- and they are not going to hear about it at the RTS convention. I will feel like I've failed if not even Euan gets to speak there...

Anyway...

This morning I spoke with the producer of the film. It's sounding more definite that I am going to be hired to do the 'online stuff' for them... I'll tell you what the film is and if, for whatever (Hollywood) reason, the job doesn't happen, all of us can sigh and think 'Oh... if only...' I've had far more definite things fall through before so...

It's the new Alex Garland/Danny Boyle/Andrew MacDonald film called Sunshine. Big budget (mid-sized Hollywood budget, massive British film budget), British sci-fi film... I won't go into any of my ideas here at all, at any point, but will certainly be keeping everyone up-to-date with what I can.

Other than that... I shall be attempting to not write about *ahem*thecat*ahem* this week at all.

Open Tech

I had a great day today at Open Tech. I'm going to go to bed now, but...

I took my camera. Didn't take any photos. (the ones I refer to are all Bill Thompson's.)

I took my laptop. Didn't open it once.

I hacked my Gaping Void T-shirt to try and look mildly cool.

I spent most of my time hanging out with Violet and 'Dazza' from Media Lounge. He rules. So does she, obviously, but you all know that.

Jonathan Sanderson was filming along with Violet. Jonathan, I'm 99% sure it *was* in the studio in Scotland when I first met you.

Had a really nice chat with Lloyd Davis about the future of television, the rubbishness of most podcasts and... just stuff.

It was really lovely to meet Annie from Going Underground. 18,000 hits she had on July 7th! Crikey.

I think I remember telling Ben Moor to email me about or for something. Did I?

I bought Tom Reynolds the beer I said I'd buy him as a 'Thanks for fucking ruling on July 7th, emergency services people!'.

I met Suw properly - we met about a year ago very briefly and since then everyone keeps telling me, 'You should talk to Suw more'. I think that's now arranged.

I also met Alan Connor (I'm afraid I don't know if he has a site) whom my ex used to direct years ago. And a mutual friend directed in something else relatively recently... Small, small world.

Here is a photo of Suw, Bill, Alan... MacNerds one and all. :)

**edit 2407** Flickr opentech2005 photos
Paul Mutton's photos

Open Tech

Just reminding all you nerds about tomorrow's Open Tech in Hammersmith. I'm chairing the 'Blogging and Social Software' session in the afternoon... I'm hoping to get there early in order to see the Media Lounge stuff. I love them... There are going to be loads of interesting talks and sessions and just so many cool people kicking around, why not pop down for a bit...?!

Now, I'll just have to figure out how to get there.

Stockwell Station

The fucking terrorists have prevented my kitten from getting his balls chopped off today. His vet is 30 seconds away from Stockwell Station and it's all cordoned off now. The vet just phoned to say he's not being done in case they need to evacuate... I can't even go pick him up....

Dumbasses.

When I dropped him off just before 10 I remember an unmarked police car speeding by as I crossed the road from Stockwell Station back towards my house.

Total dumbasses.

Well, for anyone who was worried, Rocky's balls have been saved for at least 10 days.

**Edit**
Three eyewitnesses were taken to a nearby veterinary surgery by police before being taken away for interview.- Sky News.

:(

**Edit**

Rocky's balls are being chopped off! Yay!... er...

Tomorrow Is The Big Day

For two reasons...

1. My kitten is getting the old snip-snip. Will his personality change? Will he hold it against me? I feel so horrible about it... but I've got to do it...

2. I'm meeting Creepy for the first time... Will my personality change? Will Jasmine hold it against me? I'm rather looking forward to it... can't wait to meet her....

**edit 2207** again, the fucking terrorists have stopped me from meeting Creepy, too. I'm stuck at home. Nobs.

Happy Moon Landing Day!

Today is the day that Jasmine leaves for her new job at Google. What a brilliant company. Really, seriously. They just rule. And I say that because today they've made a point of honouring the single greatest event in human history. Make sure you zoom in all the way... it's just amazing the kind of detail they've got...

Good luck, Jasmine!!!

Final Word On The London Bombings*

Rob from Conniptions sent me a link to The Daily Show's coverage of the London Bombings. Oh, how absolutely spot on...

I'm in Manc for the weekend seeing my husband. Last night, we watched 'Team America: World Police' as we hadn't seen it before. *That* is one funny movie. Today, we're having a picnic and perhaps watching '28 Days Later' this evening with friends. I saw it in the cinema when it came out and I'm *still* more worried about a zombie breakout in London than a bomb. Honestly.

I'm back in London this week (I have a little going away pressie for you, Jasmine...:) and then I'm attending and chairing a talk at Open Tech next Saturday. Come and say hello if you're around... Then back to Manc for work next week. Weeeee!

^{*probably not actually.}

Oh Boy

Tomorrow I'm going to meet with a producer about a job. A cool job. An even cooler job than the one I'm doing until September (which doesn't quite seem possible, but...).

I'm being considered for the job of running the production blog and the 'web stuff' for a new sci-fi film... I won't say any more than that, but...

Oh boy. It would be seriously cool...

Will I? Will I? Will I actually be paid to blog?!!

Mexican Food?

My son and I were just talking about our 'private parts', prompted by a discussion about how our kitten's testicles have to be snip-snipped soon. He asked if it would hurt and I said, 'a little', then he asked if it would hurt my 'willy' if I needed it done.

'I don't have a willy.'
'I mean your enchilada or whatever it's called.'

Enchilada. Heh.

Dumbgirl Amy Proctor is a Moron: Part 124

I couldn't resist. I've tried for days, but I had to take a peek at the crazy Catholic's site. Amy's take on Thursday's bombings in London.

Some quotes from her post and follow-up comments:

"The same extremist/terrorists who have been drawn to Iraq, who have been attacking the United States for decades and who collaborated with and are in support of the 9/11 attacks in the United States are behind this."

"Terrorists know nothing of dialogue, bargaining, peace talks or exit strategies. All they know is they will fight to the death. Let's make it theirs and not ours."

"... I really believe that Britain has the US to thank for the mildness of this attack."

"The Muslim terrorists WILL NOT STOP until they kill you and your family. They hate our way of life, our freedom and our religious freedom. To claim to be civilized toward these murderers shows that you don't understand the enemy. They ARE your enemy, unless you join them. Muslim militants have been trying to kill "infidels" (anyone not them) for, what, 1500 years now? "

"you go ahead and send them thank you notes for not doing any more harm then they have done, and send them to trial (the few who don't blow themselves up) while they plot to kidnap you and cut your head off. Or rape your wife (if you had one) in front of you. Or repeatedly sodomize your sons and daughters. Meanwhile, those of us in the US who have the terrorists on the run will continue to do your country a favor by sending OUR military to make sure they don't attack you again. "

I've got to stop. I could continue cutting and pasting loads more. She's going fucking insane. I wish she'd read this, it's called 'The label of Catholic terror was never used about the IRA'....

Another Londoner

"So I move on; seeing terrorism counts for nothing, it doesn’t affect us, and we carry on regardless and resolute. To all terrorists: I hope you feel frustrated and stupid because I’m sure as hell not going to let you win regardless of how barbaric and callous you choose to be. You waste life and don’t deserve acknowledgement for your acts and despite being in the thick of it yesterday you only deserve contempt."

And he was on one of the trains at Edgeware Road.

My Afternoon

I had a package that needed to be delivered today. I was supposed to drop it off just off Leicester Square yesterday, but obviously that wasn't possible. So at 4.30 today I put a harness on Rocky, my cat, and put him in the pet sling I use to carry him around with me and off I went.

I walked about 5 minutes to Stockwell station and got on the Victoria Line. It was running fine. I was going to Leicester Square which is actually on the Northern Line, but there were delays today and, to be honest, at the best of times I hate travelling on the Northern Line because it smells, so I decided to get out at Oxford Circus and walk...

The train wasn't massively busy, but then it was 4.30, the tube is never really that busy at that time, but it did seem slightly more empty than usual. But, of course, Rocky soon became the centre of attention. Whenever he travels with me everyone starts talking to one another - about him, to me, to each other.

I got out at Oxford Circus station and walked through Soho. I wandered down Carnaby Street. People were shopping in the trendy clothing shops and there were loads of people sitting at pavement cafes, families with young kids, friends laughing together, just a normal day.

I headed to Berwick Street market which is the one place you need to visit, if you ever come to London and only have 10 minutes, but want to see "all of London"- East End barrow boys selling 'Strawberries! Two punnets a paaahrnd!', Chinese women shopping for vegetables, young hipsters eating Japanese food, North African Muslim women wearing Hajib walking along together laughing uproariously, punks drinking beer, old people buying fish, strippers on their way to or from work, Meeja Types going to buy some coffee, club kids going to listen to the latest white labels at the record store, Gay boyz on their way to Old Comptom Street, mums pushing their toddlers in pushchairs, black people, white people, Asian people, gay, straight, young, old, rich, poor... all on one block.

I took a little jaunt down Old Compton Street - the gay village- then through Chinatown... again it all seemed completely normal. People in shops, restaurants and cafes, sitting with others laughing and smiling... I never overheard one conversation about yesterday at all...

I dropped off my package and then decided to let Rocky chase the pigeons in Leicester Square. I stayed there for about 20 minutes, again because of Rocky, talking to loads of different people, all tourists, everyone was smiling, happy, friendly.

I then walked down through Trafalgar Square. People were getting their pictures taken in front of the fountains, sitting on the Lions... not, thankfully, feeding the pigeons...

I wandered down Whitehall towards Parliament. I *did* notice a few more police than usual, but maybe that's because they were wearing florescent yellow jackets and just stood out more than usual. I walked past Big Ben (which always makes me smile when I see it) and then got on a bus home... crossed the Thames, saw the London Eye, MI5 and Battersea Power Station...

I got back to Stockwell, walked down the road, saw several Muslim men standing outside the Mosque talking and went to the Chinese take-away (you know the one, onionbagblogger :) for fish and chips. As I waited for my order to be made, I watched as an Indian family walked up and went into the Portguese restaurant next door for dinner. A young black mum and her two daughters came in to the chippy and ordered some chips. A few young boys, black, white and Asian came in and ordered chips and Cokes. A pasty white and fat couple from the housing estate came in for cod, chips, mushy peas twice. The black delivery guy came back from a delivery to pick up his next one... I knew my order was ready when the woman shouted at me in her thick Chinese accent 'Saut vineguh chip?'

I love this city. And I say that not in reaction to yesterday, but because it is the only place I have ever been on this planet were in one day you can come into direct contact with every kind of person on the planet, every colour, every religion, every sexual persuasion, every 'alternative lifestyle'. The whole entire world is represented here.

Living in London makes me feel alive.

Message from The Queen :

"'I want to express my admiration for the people of our capital city who in the aftermath of yesterday's bombings are calmly determined to resume their normal lives.

'This is the answer to this outrage. Sadly we in Britain have been all too familiar with acts of terror and members of my generation, especially at this end of London, know that we have been here before.

'But those who perpetrate these brutal acts against innocent people should know that they will not change our way of life.

'Atrocities such as these simply reinforce our sense of community, our humanity and our trust in the rule of law. That is the clear message from us all.'"

That's the way to do it.

Onionbagblog's post today is brilliant.

Some History For Mike From Texas

For anyone who, like Mike, thinks I'm somehow misguided in my defiance, I want to teach you some history. We, Americans, never really learned about this stuff in school... but the following happened in London in living memory.

When Britain declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939, Londoners braced themselves for the worst. To prepare for the anticipated air raids, the authorities raised barrage balloons across the city and installed anti-aircraft guns in public parks. There was a blackout at night and practice air-raid sirens. Londoners were issued with gas masks, and over half a million women and children were evacuated from the city.

Churchill predicted that the first week of bombing alone would result in up to 40,000 casualties. He described London as the greatest target in the world – 'a tremendous, fat, valuable cow'.
......

1939 turned out to be an anti-climax – it was the year of the 'phoney war'. British civilians were untouched by the carnage on mainland Europe. But, finally, on 4 September 1940, Hitler, incensed by British air raids on Berlin, announced a new strategy: the mass bombardment of British cities. He promised to erase them – and London was his main target. Three days later German planes flew up the Thames towards the commercial and industrial districts in the east of the city. The Blitz had begun.

The first three days of bombing left 1,200 people dead and London's docks in flames. This terrifying inferno was more intense than anything seen in London since 1666. 'The most overwhelming impact of the Blitz on London was fire,' says Guy de la Bédoyère. 'Yet again in London's history, the place was ravaged by blazes that destroyed churches, public buildings, houses and whole streets. An enormous level of destruction.'
....

Given that everyone was expecting bombs, the arrangements to protect civilians were totally inadequate. What's more, the authorities had decided that Londoners shouldn't be allowed to use the tube as a shelter. They feared that London would become a city of troglodytes who would never surface to get on with their work.

However, within days of the Blitz beginning, Londoners took matters into their own hands. According to Guy de la Bédoyère, 'people started to buy penny and halfpenny tickets to take an underground train, which meant they could just go down on to the station and there they stayed. The government simply gave in and recognised that there was nothing they could do about this. They would have to let people use the underground stations as shelters.'

Images of people sleeping in the tube have entered the mythology of the war. But, in fact, even at the height of the Blitz, only 4% of Londoners spent the night in the underground. 'You get two versions of what it was like sheltering in an underground station,' says Guy de la Bédoyère. 'You get the Cockney, cor-blimey, love-a-duck, jolly-good version – drinking cups of tea, singing songs. But other people who came through on the trains in the morning would describe the stench of urine, dirty blankets, grubby children – they found it revolting.'
.....

On 29 December 1940, another great fire raid devastated the commercial heart of the capital, but, miraculously, this time St Paul's cathedral escaped. 'If there was one building in London that symbolised the determination of a Londoner to stand fast, I think it was St Paul's,' says Philip Ziegler. 'The most dramatic of all the Blitz images is that wonderful picture of the dome of St Paul's silhouetted against a wall of flames.'



St Paul's may have survived, but the House of Commons, Westminster Abbey, the Law Courts, the Royal Mint, the medieval Guild Hall and the Tower of London were damaged, as well as 14 of Wren's priceless churches. But despite the immense damage to the city, Hitler failed in destroying Londoners' morale. After one last huge raid on 10 May 1941, he turned his attention away from Britain to opening a second front against Russia. The worst was over.

'Vast tracts of London had been almost wiped out,' says Philip Ziegler. 'The East End and Docklands had been shattered. The great fire bombs, in particular, had swept away whole streets, whole areas. All over London there were huge holes where formerly fine houses had stood.'

By the time the war ended in May 1945, London had taken the biggest hit. In all, 3.5 million homes had been damaged or destroyed. Nearly 1.5 million people had been made homeless. Of the 61,000 civilians killed in Britain, half had died in London.
....

London survived fires, revolution, disease and war and emerged from them battered but unbowed. In the words of Winston Churchill: 'London is like some huge prehistoric animal, capable of enduring terrible injuries, mangled and bleeding from many wounds and yet preserving its life and movement.'

More here...

London as a city has been to hell and back, suffering a 'September 11th' every bloody night for almost two months... this is something people's *parents* and *grand-parents* lived through not something from a movie. You can walk down the streets here and still see shrapnel scarred buildings, occasionally you still see ruins from the Blitz left as a monument. You can visit the Imperial War Museum and go through the Blitz Experience (which scared my son). Whenever you see an ugly 60s building in London you think about the bombs that destroyed the original buildings. The ghosts of WWII are all around us here...

Oh. And here is a year by year break down of all the deaths related to the Northern Ireland 'Troubles' between 1969 and 1998....

A few bombs, a few deaths? London has survived much, much worse.

Terror Alert Level: More Beer!

Thanks to everyone who has linked to me today. I don't think my post was particularly extraordinary - pretty much everyone I know in London feels exactly the same way... Including this person. We're Londoners for God's sake. That's what it's like being a Londoner. Try it some time. It's ruddy marvellous.

I got sent this today from some well meaning, but completely misguided person.


What the fuck?!

Has today been commandeered by.... foreigners.... and made into a franchise now??? Oh please. As Jasmine just Skyped to me, 'if anyone tries to sell me a flag I'm going to fucking punch them'....

Yes. People died today. That's a terrible thing for their families, most certainly. But didn't you kids learn anything last weekend? I mean at least we don't have 50,000 people dying every day here, you know? Jesus, the NHS certainly wouldn't be able to cope with that. And, gosh, I wonder if Iraqis will think what happened in London today is worth even noticing? Get some perspective.

Oh, but Gia, you seem so uncaring, so heartless, people died today blahblahblah...

For a relatively small number of people today was an awful day. I understand that. But every day is the last day of someone's life. Does that mean that the rest of us have to stop living? Of course it doesn't. That is what being a Londoner is all about- just getting on with what you want to do and not letting anyone or anything get in your way.

I remember the moment I became a proper Londoner. I had been living here for about 5 years and going through a love/hate thing with the UK. One day, I was walking back to my flat from the Tube and happened upon a man helping an old woman up from the pavement. She had fallen and was a bit shaken. I stopped and offered to help her get back home. She was old, late 70s, but a British late-70s in the early 1990s... so oldold... frail and tiny.

As we walked very, very slowly to her house she started talking about WWII (don't they always?). She told me she had moved to London from Ireland on her own in her early 20s and when the war started she decided to stay in London. For a while she had gone to work in an ammunitions factory outside of the city, but she said about one of her co-workers a week was killed in an accident there, she felt less safe in the factory than she did in London... so she came back into town and got another job.

During the Blitz she stayed in her house most of the time and every morning she'd get up, get dressed, go out, step over dead bodies on the street and go to work. 'That's what won us the war!' she said.

I realised that I, too, had taken on a bit of that attitude. When I was caught up in an IRA bomb scare I'd never run and hide, but instead I'd get annoyed, ignore the cordons and go to where I was heading anyway. I can't remember the number of times I've walked around Central London during a bomb scare- no cars, me and a few thousand other people just doing what they were doing before those uncivilised types tried to bugger up their plans. I've gone for dinner in "completely sealed off Soho" after having to walk for ages before finding a bit of police tape that wasn't watched and sneaking in, all the time on my mobile phone to a friend inside the restaurant who was telling me, 'No, I think there's more police near Covent Garden, go up towards Tottenham Ct Rd, you should be able to get in there. The wine is lovely, get here soon!' The restaurant was packed.

We got to the old woman's house, I went in for a cup of tea (of course) and she continued telling me the story of London. The Bombs. The Air Raid Sirens. The Parties! I loved her dry wit. I loved how the whole death-thing "put a bit of a damper on things", but "Oh, we had a good time during the war, we did"... From that moment on I wanted to be a Londoner.

Only when you become a Londoner can you truly defy Death.

So, relax, all you non-Brits, let us deal with this. Sit down, have a nice cuppa tea, everything will be fine.

And what about the Olympics, eh? Brilliant. Bloody brilliant.

Bourbon creme?

Londoners Rule

We are not terrorised.

We are just annoyed.

The Germans tried to terrorise Londoners for 57 nights. Londoners just camped out in the Tube singing songs.

The IRA tried to terrorise the British for decades. The British just used the destruction of buildings as unplanned town planning and revamped their bombed cities.

Now these amateurs think they can scare us by messing up the transport system? Bah. We're just pissed off that we can't meet our friend for coffee in the West End.

Piss off, terrorists. Go pick on someone who gives a shit.... You'll get the reaction you want from Americans. Try them again.*

^{* not really, obviously}


**edit** I've just had time to check my facts. The Blitz on London lasted 57 nights, not 40 as I had written. I've changed it.

Dream Job Part II

And today I'm spending the morning with Euan Semple for work...

Seriously, I'm dreaming...

**edit**

Obviously, I've not met with Euan. Fucking terrorists.

As I Sit Encoding And Importing At 11:30PM

I decided to have a look at the logs of my site (not this blog) and Brian's site to have a look at the crazy activity over the past couple days while I'm waiting for things to happen here... First Brian's... He's got *tons* of links in from astronomy messageboards and loads of Live Journal 'friends' of someone or other... Fine. Then mine... I've got *tons* of links in from an MSN search for 'sexy'. How in the bloody hell did my webpage (which doesn't get linked to by anything really) become number 44 out of 324,427,217 results for people searching for 'sexy'???! What??!

Who's been messing with MSN? Hmmmmm?!... You are not going anywhere until I get an answer!

(serious question... could it be from inside a password protected area? I mean, if within a password protected environment someone links to your site, will that link come up in a Google link: search?)

I'm at work

To my right- on the 20th floor- I can see the Thames, St. Paul's, the Erotic Pickle, the sun is shining. Beautiful...

I'm editing together a little 'taster' tape: Star Wars Kid, Ingredient X, Medlo.net, The Viral Factory, Bushwhacked2, Golden Shower Atari Video (feel free to Google these)...

I am getting paid to do what I normally do for fun...

Am I dreaming?

This Isn't A Cat Blog

Honest.

But click the pic for a video I made about my fish.

...

Music by my son's uncle...

I No Longer Own My Fish

Why

Why, when I want a rubber band I can't find one, but over the past two days my cat has found, eaten and regurgitated two of them...?

Where is the secret rubber band stash in my house???!

OK Everyone Again

Brian is on telly on Monday BBC One 11.45 AM and then at 8PM on BBC Two. He's doing 'Stardate' from Los Angeles about Deep Impact.



Can you watch them, please? And tell others to watch them, too? Thanks. :)

Come And Say Hello

If you're around in the afternoon...

I Almost Failed Economics In High School

In fact, I think I technically did fail, but my teacher just let me pass with a 'D' because I was moving to London a week after the term finished... I don't *get* Economics. None of it sticks at all. I even have a hard time remembering what net and gross means when talking about my income...

So can someone please explain what all this means???! I just don't get it. Do I *need* to claim it? If so what will that mean? What am I supposed to do?

I don't understand. I don't understand.

DJ Daft Fader
I'm sure many of you will have seen this, but in case you haven't, watch... I can't wait for the full version!

My son said, 'Keltik strickes back is silly but mum thinks its cool.'

Watching Live 8

I almost started crying when Live 8 started. I was sitting there with my son remembering Live Aid... it was two days after my 16th birthday, I was in France... I can't even remember where I was actually. I had gone with some friends to one of their friend's houses. We spent the day drinking wine and making and eating crepes... and now 20 years later I'm watching the show which will be the Greatest Show on Earth for my son...

When it started I turned up my amp almost as high as it would go, opened the garden doors and blasted out Sgt. Pepper's to the 'hood... Coldplay's on now, so I've put the sound down.