Saturday, January 10, 2004
Ooooh, nous sommes digitise (howdya do them acute accents things?).
So now we can...watch digital radio. Um ok.
And what do you mean E4's only on [boo-hiss] Sky?
But we get assorted BBC stuff, that we've not had time to watch (BBC Parliament: it's a bit dull, no wonder most MPs try not to spend much time there, BBC News 24: Can't get CNN, but still have enough sense to not bother watching ITN or Sky [from the company that brought the world Fox News] news channels? BBC3/4: all the good stuff will be on BBC2 in a couple of weeks anyway, and there's usually something better on the original channels, CBBC/CBeebies: Sorry my blood sugar levels are too low to be interested in bright colour stuff moving in time with happy music).
And we can now get Channel 5. Have yet to find a reason for wanting to get it...
Did I mention the pure joy that is QVC and it's lower market [is that possible? that would be like sub-Argos] rivals bid-up TV and price-drop TV. Imagine Just a Minute, but done by dim people, about bits of crap that they are trying to flog ("Look at the logo. You don't see a logo like that everyday. Unless you buy this. You would see it everyday. It's a very special logo. Unlike other logos it means a brand. There's a lot of logo-ness about it, don't you agree? There's another logo on the back. It's the same logo, but it's good to know it's there. It's a reassuring logo. You're good people, you're going to leave the price like that are you? Think of the value of this. The logo is worth that much at least. It's a very strong logo...").
And then of course there's the same but with bits of sand and sun, instead of bits of shiny stuff and plastic. Jet off for £299 for 5 days plus 2 days free (terms and conditions apply. Subject to taxes and fees. Subject to limited availability. Subject to booking between 12:00pm 9/1/04 and 12:01pm 9/1/04. Outward travel must be after 20/1/04, and the return journey must be made before 21/1/04, travel beyond these dates may incur surcharges. There may be a surcharge for alternative airports. There may be a surcharge for accommodation change. The product may differ from the product
offered. The company reserves the right to change any details of the offered holiday, there may be a charge for such services).
It makes even the channels left blank look good.
And then we get to the music channels. All 2 of them. The Hits (think anagram) and TMF. Pure pop (not even any snap or crackle), although the TMF (how many bitchy acronyms can we think of?) is marginally less so.
It's enough to make people watch UK History.
Although I think the thing on Watergate was a series, and I've still no idea of what actually happened, other then some people lied about stuff, and then some people stopped, but others carried on.
Though strangely I haven't yet investigated UK BrightIdeas (turn off the television - that a good idea?).
Hmm, can I do a whole post on the topic of television. Hey, it's my blog I'll [some word that rhymes with cry: answers on the back of a postcard please] if I want to.
Anyone else see Prodi vs Paxman. I'm not sure how many times interviewees have called Jeremy Paxman "my dear". And of course the BBC's website has two whole lines on it.
Hmm, distinctly unimpressed - I was also going to discuss one story, but for some reason no news website seems to have it, even though it was all over BBC LDN's television news. Basically woman makes and sells fakes London travelcards. She does this by scanning real ones, and then editing the date, and printing them off - so when they are shown (rather than scanned) they appear normal. So fairly standard story. Except that the forger did this at the University of Westminster. But she wasn't a student there, and had faked her ID for there as well.
Continuing the news theme: CNN really shouldn't put stories about Beagle (2), next to one's about Beatle lawsuits (once again actually being able to post as it gets written would be helpful here).
And from idle curiosity (somehow I managed to write "ideal curiosity" - is there such a thing?): why are net based whois sites so bad and finding stuff? Most only do common 3-letter extensions, such as .com .net .org occasionally getting as far as .edu or .gov
Which is great until you want one that ends .co.uk or .de
Even betterwhois.com, which claims to (unlike others) search all the registrars records, um well, as long as they are .com .net or .org
Fortunately whois.sc gives great results for most of them (but it
has problems with .uk).
alldomains.com - wider range, but provides less information.
So which is it Prime Ministers' Office or Prime Minister's Office? Someone at number10.gov.uk doesn't know their apostrophes.
Actually if there were more than one it might make Brown cheer up a bit.
Which reminds me - watching PMQs on Wednesday - and managing to confuse one shot of the Labour benches with a shot of the Tory benches. Well I just don't expect Labour people to be exquisitely groomed, with big sweeping hair, dark tans, clothes that fit and being slightly overweight. They just all looked like rich lawyers.
But then most of the MPs looked like lawyers or doctors.
And what do we make of a certain Mr Bradshaw clutching his Express and Echo. Yes it maybe the local paper for his constituency (Exeter), but it puts the Daily Mail to shame with it's mix of vitriol and nostalgia[1] (and dubious interpretation of facts). And it's one of those papers that has a price, next to which reads "where sold".
[1] It has been suggested that it uses this style as a method of distracting the editorial staff from the reality of reporting Devon news. There's only so many ways you can say that there is yet another WI cake sale this Sunday, and a marine was involved in a fight last Saturday (with another marine).
But local media down there always makes me think of Smuggler FM in Blue Juice (good film). I swear BBC radio Devon has discussed the movements of cows when giving the weather forecast (well probably, but if it hasn't then it damn well ought to).
What else?
Yet another technorati or any of the others (see what other people think) - but it had me at one point so I'll stick it in regardless - Blogpulse.
Music
Apparently the band I mentioned a while ago (search for Keen), are actually called Keen, not Kinetic as I assumed they must be called (don't ask, although it's somewhere on here), and just to make matters easier it's spelt Keane. And all and sundry are plugging them as the next new Whicheverband, when they're not doing the same for Snow Patrol.
And going round their site (needs updating), I discover why my searches for their lyrics (from somewhere only we know) didn't work - my version of the line: "oh sympathy, where have you gone, I'm getting old and need something to rely on" The band's version: "Oh simple thing where have you gone...".
Which is actually quite good compared to how badly I normally mishear things.
Continuing the Xfm theme:
Am I alone in thinking that the new Ryan Adams thing sounds like it should be by JJ72 (whatever happened to?). But then that Scissor Sisters thing sounds like the Bee-gees, so maybe it's just me. And I still can't figure out who Maroon 5 sound like. But it's someone. It's definitely someone.
Moving on to Evanescence - My Immortal (can't get the videos working). A nice solitary voice over piano, singing a pretty nice tune (well it's a bit Celine Dion), and then about three quarters of the way through you can tell someone thought "Oh bugger. We've forgotten the rest of the band. Bung them in quick". Cue: big loud cheesy rock ending.
Anyhoo, I think that's it, as this post has been so bitty, I've forgotten most of what was meant to be in here.
PS. And isn't not having a boiler great? Especially when the man who came to fix it took one look, said it was older than him and it's dangerous, so he cut off the supply for the gas fire as well. I have a hunch ovens aren't designed to try and heat entire houses (well we've got assorted old fan heaters as well, but they make a lot of noise and make the cold air move faster). And then you go outside and find that somehow it's warmer than indoors. Oh well.
So now we can...watch digital radio. Um ok.
And what do you mean E4's only on [boo-hiss] Sky?
But we get assorted BBC stuff, that we've not had time to watch (BBC Parliament: it's a bit dull, no wonder most MPs try not to spend much time there, BBC News 24: Can't get CNN, but still have enough sense to not bother watching ITN or Sky [from the company that brought the world Fox News] news channels? BBC3/4: all the good stuff will be on BBC2 in a couple of weeks anyway, and there's usually something better on the original channels, CBBC/CBeebies: Sorry my blood sugar levels are too low to be interested in bright colour stuff moving in time with happy music).
And we can now get Channel 5. Have yet to find a reason for wanting to get it...
Did I mention the pure joy that is QVC and it's lower market [is that possible? that would be like sub-Argos] rivals bid-up TV and price-drop TV. Imagine Just a Minute, but done by dim people, about bits of crap that they are trying to flog ("Look at the logo. You don't see a logo like that everyday. Unless you buy this. You would see it everyday. It's a very special logo. Unlike other logos it means a brand. There's a lot of logo-ness about it, don't you agree? There's another logo on the back. It's the same logo, but it's good to know it's there. It's a reassuring logo. You're good people, you're going to leave the price like that are you? Think of the value of this. The logo is worth that much at least. It's a very strong logo...").
And then of course there's the same but with bits of sand and sun, instead of bits of shiny stuff and plastic. Jet off for £299 for 5 days plus 2 days free (terms and conditions apply. Subject to taxes and fees. Subject to limited availability. Subject to booking between 12:00pm 9/1/04 and 12:01pm 9/1/04. Outward travel must be after 20/1/04, and the return journey must be made before 21/1/04, travel beyond these dates may incur surcharges. There may be a surcharge for alternative airports. There may be a surcharge for accommodation change. The product may differ from the product
offered. The company reserves the right to change any details of the offered holiday, there may be a charge for such services).
It makes even the channels left blank look good.
And then we get to the music channels. All 2 of them. The Hits (think anagram) and TMF. Pure pop (not even any snap or crackle), although the TMF (how many bitchy acronyms can we think of?) is marginally less so.
It's enough to make people watch UK History.
Although I think the thing on Watergate was a series, and I've still no idea of what actually happened, other then some people lied about stuff, and then some people stopped, but others carried on.
Though strangely I haven't yet investigated UK BrightIdeas (turn off the television - that a good idea?).
Hmm, can I do a whole post on the topic of television. Hey, it's my blog I'll [some word that rhymes with cry: answers on the back of a postcard please] if I want to.
Anyone else see Prodi vs Paxman. I'm not sure how many times interviewees have called Jeremy Paxman "my dear". And of course the BBC's website has two whole lines on it.
Hmm, distinctly unimpressed - I was also going to discuss one story, but for some reason no news website seems to have it, even though it was all over BBC LDN's television news. Basically woman makes and sells fakes London travelcards. She does this by scanning real ones, and then editing the date, and printing them off - so when they are shown (rather than scanned) they appear normal. So fairly standard story. Except that the forger did this at the University of Westminster. But she wasn't a student there, and had faked her ID for there as well.
Continuing the news theme: CNN really shouldn't put stories about Beagle (2), next to one's about Beatle lawsuits (once again actually being able to post as it gets written would be helpful here).
And from idle curiosity (somehow I managed to write "ideal curiosity" - is there such a thing?): why are net based whois sites so bad and finding stuff? Most only do common 3-letter extensions, such as .com .net .org occasionally getting as far as .edu or .gov
Which is great until you want one that ends .co.uk or .de
Even betterwhois.com, which claims to (unlike others) search all the registrars records, um well, as long as they are .com .net or .org
Fortunately whois.sc gives great results for most of them (but it
has problems with .uk).
alldomains.com - wider range, but provides less information.
So which is it Prime Ministers' Office or Prime Minister's Office? Someone at number10.gov.uk doesn't know their apostrophes.
Actually if there were more than one it might make Brown cheer up a bit.
Which reminds me - watching PMQs on Wednesday - and managing to confuse one shot of the Labour benches with a shot of the Tory benches. Well I just don't expect Labour people to be exquisitely groomed, with big sweeping hair, dark tans, clothes that fit and being slightly overweight. They just all looked like rich lawyers.
But then most of the MPs looked like lawyers or doctors.
And what do we make of a certain Mr Bradshaw clutching his Express and Echo. Yes it maybe the local paper for his constituency (Exeter), but it puts the Daily Mail to shame with it's mix of vitriol and nostalgia[1] (and dubious interpretation of facts). And it's one of those papers that has a price, next to which reads "where sold".
[1] It has been suggested that it uses this style as a method of distracting the editorial staff from the reality of reporting Devon news. There's only so many ways you can say that there is yet another WI cake sale this Sunday, and a marine was involved in a fight last Saturday (with another marine).
But local media down there always makes me think of Smuggler FM in Blue Juice (good film). I swear BBC radio Devon has discussed the movements of cows when giving the weather forecast (well probably, but if it hasn't then it damn well ought to).
What else?
Yet another technorati or any of the others (see what other people think) - but it had me at one point so I'll stick it in regardless - Blogpulse.
Music
Apparently the band I mentioned a while ago (search for Keen), are actually called Keen, not Kinetic as I assumed they must be called (don't ask, although it's somewhere on here), and just to make matters easier it's spelt Keane. And all and sundry are plugging them as the next new Whicheverband, when they're not doing the same for Snow Patrol.
And going round their site (needs updating), I discover why my searches for their lyrics (from somewhere only we know) didn't work - my version of the line: "oh sympathy, where have you gone, I'm getting old and need something to rely on" The band's version: "Oh simple thing where have you gone...".
Which is actually quite good compared to how badly I normally mishear things.
Continuing the Xfm theme:
Am I alone in thinking that the new Ryan Adams thing sounds like it should be by JJ72 (whatever happened to?). But then that Scissor Sisters thing sounds like the Bee-gees, so maybe it's just me. And I still can't figure out who Maroon 5 sound like. But it's someone. It's definitely someone.
Moving on to Evanescence - My Immortal (can't get the videos working). A nice solitary voice over piano, singing a pretty nice tune (well it's a bit Celine Dion), and then about three quarters of the way through you can tell someone thought "Oh bugger. We've forgotten the rest of the band. Bung them in quick". Cue: big loud cheesy rock ending.
Anyhoo, I think that's it, as this post has been so bitty, I've forgotten most of what was meant to be in here.
PS. And isn't not having a boiler great? Especially when the man who came to fix it took one look, said it was older than him and it's dangerous, so he cut off the supply for the gas fire as well. I have a hunch ovens aren't designed to try and heat entire houses (well we've got assorted old fan heaters as well, but they make a lot of noise and make the cold air move faster). And then you go outside and find that somehow it's warmer than indoors. Oh well.
