Everything Else: December 2003 Archives

Some of you may have seen this anyway, but BBC News Online (not that we're allowed to call it that,) has started to use blogging like technology on the BBCi site.

I've only found three occasions to date, but it's an interesting use of the technology...

The first was during the "Will He - Wont He" saga of IDS' vote of confidence, the second was during Bush's visit to the UK, with the third being the other week following the spectacular capture of Saddam - either way both worth looking at from both a technical and editorial perspective.

Will we see more of this type of information collation in 2004?

... was on Friday. Still recovering. Pics here.

The Media Guardian ran a very good caption competition the other day - asking for the best comments to be put against this picture.

Some quality answers here - including I'm delighted to say one of mine - small compensation for my not being short-listed in the blogging awards (not that I'm bitter or anything!)....

Well actually he already has...

The New Statesman has an interesting item in the current publication on the origins of Christmas traditions, one of which reveals that Father Christmas didn't wear red and white until the 1930s.

It was then that the marketing people at Coca Cola decided to use this character in their advertising, and so dressed him in their corporate colours of, yes you've guessed it, red and white.

Fascinating - can anybody think of any other good examples where traditions have been established from such overtly commercial origins...

I originally posted this up over at Mr Damian the other day, but it actually sits better here. The comments still remain prescient...

I was somewhat struck by the irony of Bush's flag-waving, gallery playing, comments on Monday - when he effectively called Saddam a coward for running away when the going got tough.

Is this the same President Bush who did much the same thing following 9/11?

Whilst the attack on the WTO was clearly horrific, it's not quite the same as an illegal insurgence into a foreign country with thousands of troops, tanks, Cruise missiles etc.

Yet the fact remains that when 9/11 happened Bush ran - not showing his face in NY for several days and being kept under cover by the Secret Service at undisclosed locations across the US. Despite the fact that this was just 4 planes (including the Pentagon one and the other that crashed nr Camp David,) not a whole army from two NATO countries...

So, was Bush's rhetoric the other day a little hypocritical then?

What do you think?

Went to the Tate Modern on Sunday morning to try and buy some Christmas presents, as well as check out the giant sunset they have created in the Turbine Hall. You can see some of the pics from the Tate Modern that I took here.

My favourite one is probably the one below.

It's very spectacular - but it made me feel ill too - just as it has some Tate staff... the BBC has the details...

It was also interesting to see what they've done to the front of St Paul's Cathedral. It's being cleaned and renovated right now, so instead they've attached a picture of what it should look like to the scaffolding. How very thoughtful!

I don’t know any of their songs and I’ve no idea which one is Belle, nor indeed which one is Sebastian (if either,) so it seemed like a good idea at the time to wanter down to the Astoria last night to see Belle & Sebastian in concert.

I love the Astoria – because it’s a decent size venue, but one that still remains fairly intimate.

B&S played well – very mellow with their 60s Californian influences worn very much on their sleeves – with a little Elvis Costello and late 70s / early 80s punk and electronica thrown in for good measure. It felt like ideal music for a balmy summer festival rather than a cold December night…

The band was huge – numerically at least. At one point 12 people on stage playing, including a string quartet.

Top prize for the most bizarre moment came when midway through the lead singer intorduced the drum technician who proceeded to tie balloons into the shape of different animals – accompanied throughout by the music from ‘The Gallery’ on one of those Tony Hart programmes we grew up with.

I still don’t know any of their songs, and I still don’t know which one is Bell and if there’s another called Sebastian, but I do no I quite liked them!

3/5.

Be sure to set aside 60 mins in order to listen to the first part of Radio 4's classic serial from last Sunday - a superb adaptation of John Wyndam's 'The Midwich Cuckoos'. You can find it by going to Radio 4 or Drama, on the BBC Radio Player.

It stars man of the moment Bill Nighy, and Sarah Parish as well as radio acting God; Clive Merrison.

The second part goes out on R4 next Sunday at 3pm - and will then be available for the next week on the Radio Player.

Be sure to listen - it's the best thing I have heard on the radio in a very long time!