Posts about Daily Links

Daily Links for 19 April 2010

Published on 19 April 2010 in , , , , , , , ,

Haven’t done one of these for a while, so some of this is a tad old… In the 6music news… If you've ever wondered what a Lego version of David Bowie would look like (and lets be honest here, who hasn't?) then this is the video to watch. Oh and it protests about the closure of 6music too. Meanwhile in the Guardian, they’re interviewing Andy Parfit and leading it with the headline, ‘I wish it hadn’t happened’. Sadly he's not talking about the proposed closure of 6music in that headline but an expenses scandal. However conspiracy theorists who have been wondering why 6music gets the chop but not the more expensive, less listened to 1xtra will have a field day with this interview which reveals that Radio 1 and 1xtra head Andy Parfaitt was one of those who wrote the review and proposed the closure. What I make of that… well I couldn't possibly comment. But one thing is sure – the constant trotting out of the argument that 6music is competing with commercial radio really is tiring when even commercial radio chiefs have proclaimed they wouldn't run a station like 6music…. Such things are why the music industry has... View Article

Links for 9 April 2010

Published on 9 April 2010 in , , , , , , ,

Election already over in nearly 400 seats – Electoral Reform Society The Electoral Reform Society believe that there's 382 safe seats – that's over half the seats in parliament – that just won't change hands in this forthcoming election. One of them is Mitcham and Morden where the current Labour MP's 60,000 odd majority seems unlikely to be toppled. (Siobhain McDonagh seems to be noted mainly for spending more on stationary than every other MP and the fact she tried and failed to topple Gordon Brown.) The Tories were out campaigning at the tube station the other night but, bless their little cotton socks, they don't stand a chance. Personally I will be voting as I do in almost all elections – for the candidate I believe in most. It's unlikely it will make a difference either way, but no vote is a wasted vote. Nick Ferrari earns record five Sony nods as 6 Music makes strong showing – guardian.co.uk Someone notices quality when they see it then… (I'm talking 6music, not Nick Ferrari…) Campaign to save 6 Music takes the Biscuit – The Guardian Get your Joy Division Oven Gloves! 6 Music: Adam Buxton and Liz Kershaw join protest... View Article

Links for 24 March 2010

Published on 24 March 2010 in , , , ,

Oven Bottom Muffins And if you don't actually know what oven bottoms are… they are the bread products of the gods. Muffin maker goes into administration – Tameside Advertiser Sad news that the world's largest producer of oven bottom muffins has gone into administration. Brief Overview series Ep. 8: Bohnanza – TimothyP on Vimeo Bohnanza is one of the most brilliant and addictive card games I've ever come across – it's sheer brilliance in a can. I'm not sure this video really gives the true impact of the game as well as playing it but it will certainly give you an idea of why we play this game in the pub a LOT. (Plus I love the fact he's clearly using a chopstick as a pointer) BBC News – Channel M cuts sharpen focus on future of local TV news Channel M was hailed by the Conservatives as an example of a bold new future of local TV news. And now it's cutting back… Mark Thompson prepares for his Paxman interview – Westonenunker on YouTUbe With the help of a certain war film… I think someone had an agenda with this one 😉 [Caution – very STRONG language in subtitle... View Article

Links for 19 March 2010

Published on 19 March 2010 in , , , , , , ,

Saboteurs? Us? BBC 6 Music denies hijack claim as Archers take a punk hit – guardian.co.uk "Twitter was abuzz with suggestions it was a hijack by disgruntled BBC 6 Music employees who have so far seen their appeals for the station to be saved rebuffed by BBC director general Mark Thompson." Can't deny it. I said the same. Not on Twitter, but I said it. Mind you, I said it as a joke… Red Button and widescreen – BBC Press Red Blog My latest post on the Press Red blog BBC Internet Blog: BBC iPlayer stats for February 2010 For the first time, includes stats for Virgin Media which accounts for over 20% of all iPlayer viewing. No stats for Freesat yet – we've only just built the reporting system! The rise of lazy foods – BBC News Magazine "It's not like chopping an onion requires any great skill, but people tell themselves they are too busy." Always wonder what people think they could be doing with the time they're not spending grating cheese or cutting veg themselves. It must result in a whopping three minutes spare every day!

Links for 17 March 2010

Published on 17 March 2010 in , , , , , , , ,

GMG to drop original programming and cut staff at Channel M – guardian.co.uk Says something about local TV in the UK if Guardian Media Group can't even make it work in a city the size of Manchester. Sam Smiths Pubs Locations Sam Smiths are a strange company. They don't do music. They don't advertise. Food is usually very basic. It's hard to buy their beers anywhere other than their pubs. They only sell their own products, with the odd exception of McCoy's crisps. They don't even have a website. Their pubs don't even have their logo on it. They don't particularly innovate. At all. And they haven't put their prices up (bar duty) for about 18 years, so you can get a pint for less than £2. Oh and they have some of the finest, best looking and well looked after pubs you'll find in the UK. But you'd never know where they are. Unless someone created a website to tell you… Top marks to James Gretton then! A brief view of the power of Samuel Smiths Old Brewey – Tadcaster From BBC's Inside Out Yorks and Lincs, a different insight into the strange world of Sam Smiths, and their... View Article

Links for 11 March 2010

Published on 11 March 2010 in , , , , , , , , ,

Harry Hill signs two-year deal with ITV – guardian.co.uk Phew! Breaking News: Some Bullshit Happening Somewhere – The Onion They've done it again. You say tom-AY-to, I say tom-AH-to, Jupitus says #tomsontoast – Phill and Phil’s Musings on The Perfect Ten Phil Jupitus on why tomatoes on toast matters! Bulletproof Mobile Device Detection and Style Sheets without User Agent Detection or Server-Side Scripting – Bushido Designs Web Development Blog I was randomly wondering whether to do a "narrow screen/mobile" version of Planet Bods. I don't bother with mobile internet myself, however I thought it would be an interesting thing to play with. This interesting code gives a relatively simple way to provide a mobile/handheld stylesheet without using any JavaScript. ADAM BUXTON’S BIG MIX TAPE – Adam and Joe’s 6music blog Adam and Joe are (alas) on sabbatical from 6music, however news comes of an interesting sounding pilot Adam's recording. Adam Buxton's Big Mix Tape is "is supposed to be kind of like a compilation tape that I've made for the listeners with a different theme or mood each week.The pilot Mix Tape is called Øddens and features some of my favourite weird but accessible music by both well known and... View Article

Links for 10 March 2010

Published on 10 March 2010 in , , , , , , , , , , ,

In the BBC Radio 6music news…. Spare 6 Music for us indie dads – The Guardian "The BBC says it has to show that the era of expansion is over. But closing 6 Music is hardly going to stop Sky and ITV from complaining." James Purnell MP, former Culture Secretary and (soon to be former) MP for Stalybridge and Hyde (up the Tameside Massive!) wades in to the debate. An open letter to BBC Director General Mark Thompson from MW editor Paul Williams – Music Week "Although we would agree the commercial sector is not in the fortunate position to finance a station like 6 in the way the BBC can do presently, it is also true the musical make-up of 6, in championing a range of acts that at least initially do not have mass-market appeal, does not make such a station commercially attractive to launch. But that is why we have public service broadcasting and why only the BBC can make a station like 6 properly work." Music Week wades in. Some Thoughts On The Demise Of BBC 6 Music – Carnival Saloon "The BBC are unwilling to try to increase 6 Music's reach because they believe commercial... View Article

Links for 5 March 2010

Published on 5 March 2010 in , , , , ,

Radio boss: Commercial sector will gain nothing from 6 Music closure – The Drum "Commercial radio can never replicate 6 Music’s cultural value – it’s not viable for us to do so. The commercial landscape has featured many fine rock music stations that have never made any real money – over time we water them down and gently shepherd them back towards the traditional commercial heartland. We will gain nothing from this closure yet the music industry will lose much." Lily Allen: Why we must save BBC 6 Music – The Guardian "If they close 6 Music, instead of acts like Seasick Steve and presenters like Lauren Laverne, it will be the Pussycat Dolls and Fearne Cotton on Radio 1." The BBC Strategy Review & BBC Radio – About the BBC Blog Tim Davie does a rather half-hearted defence of the closure of 6music by describing it as "distinctive, much loved and I too am passionate about it's output". The comments aren't exactly positive, raising a number of points – points the posters believe to be valid and want a response to. As one commenter is nor impressed…. "Will no one from the BBC engage with us in this discussion... View Article

Links for 1 March 2010

Published on 1 March 2010 in , , , , ,

Inevitably there would be a strong focus to these links… Tory culture spokesman joins 6 Music fanclub with U-turn over closure – guardian.co.uk As a 6music listener, the rumours of the demise of 6music are something I'm not keen on. However if such rumours can convert the shadow culture minister to the delights of the station, perhaps this could work to the station's advantage. Well I can dream… Nicholas Lezard: If you could see the BBC now, John … – The Independent "Dear John Peel, Forgive the impertinence of my writing to you care of the afterlife, but I thought you'd better know about what's been going on down here lately." Nicholas Lezard writes to John Peel about BBC Radio 6music Killing BBC 6 Music would be a slap in the face to licence-payers – guardian.co.uk "As I listen to 6 Music today, I keep hearing tracks and thinking, where else would I hear this kind of radio during the day? The tragic answer to that question is nowhere. The end of 6 Music at this moment in the BBC's history is not only an act of cultural vandalism, it's also an affront to the memory of John Peel and... View Article

Links for 22 February 2010

Published on 22 February 2010 in , , , , , ,

London’s lighthouse and the story of Trinity Quay Wharf – BBC London London has a lighthouse. I never knew. Residents want answers over “hated” Colliers Wood tower – Wimbledon Guardian "At a public meeting last week more than 100 residents voiced their anger at the condition of the 17-storey structure – which they claim is crumbling dangerously and has become home to rough sleepers." Whether London's ugliest eyesore has or not become home to rough sleepers, I don't know. I do know that someone asked me for some spare change a couple of nights ago – and that's never happened in the six years I've lived in the area. UK Newspapers Want BBC Mobile Apps Blocked For ‘Undermining’ Them, BBC Disagrees – paidContent:UK "I wondered how long it would be before print media pointed at the BBC’s new smartphone apps plan as another example of expansion in to their commercial territory. The answer: just 24 hours…" How Time Lord Doctor Who took on Mrs Thatcher – BBC Newsnight "Doctor Who actor Sylvester McCoy has claimed that scriptwriters of the cult TV show wrote material in the 1980s which was designed to undermine Margaret Thatcher's government." BBC R&D Heritage Microphones On... View Article