Beatles Mash-Up

If you, like me, are a Beatles fan foremost, and also a fan of Danger Mouse's Grey Album (shown left), which is a mix of Jay Z's Black Album mixed with the Beatles classic White Album, then you will love this.

Mixed by Hank Handy, a track has been created which is a mix of some 40 Beatles tracks in one song, with up to 5 tracks playing at times. It's brilliant. I read the story on the excellent Boing Boing blog, and you can download the MP3 file here.

Ricky Gervais to write Simpsons episode

Fantastic news from this BBC news item, saying that the Golden Globe winning writer Ricky Gervais is to script a Simpson's episode. Apparently he has already started writing the script, but is keeping the subject matter a close secret.

He says that he has got "the rough idea but this is the most intimidating project of my career. The Simpsons is the greatest TV show of all time". Matt Groening, the creator of the Simpsons is also said to be a great fan of the Office, citing it as one of "the best shows on TV in the last decade".

Of course, he also appears in the episode, thus immortalising him along with a host of other stars who have appeared in the cartoon series, such as Aerosmith, Sting, Joe Frazier, Bob Hope and Tom Jones. A complete list of guest stars can be found here (listed by season).

Tsunami Aid

These last few days have been dominated by the terrible news about the Tsunami off the coast of Sri Lanka, Thailand and Indonesia, and the rising tally of those that died (as I write, it's estimated at 25,000 people). The BBC reports that one of the world's largest relief efforts is now underway to help out the affected countries.

It's so hard not to react to this disaster without the deepest sympathy for the local inhabitants who have lost family members, and for those who are injured, or who have lost their homes and so on. It also feels frustrating that we can't directly help. But you can donate money to aid agencies - if you wish to, you can do so via the Oxfam web site.

Of course, governments also have an obligation. This BBC article talks about how the world typically reacts to such disaster: "International response tends to be the same - immediate interest, immediate help but long term neglect". So a year after the earthquake in Iran, which claimed the lives of around 30,000 people, there are still survivors living in temporary shelters. Already the UN's emergency co-coordinator Jan Egeland has said the Asian tsunami might be the worst natural disaster ever. That implies the need for unsually large contributions.

He is also complaining that rich countries are not giving enough to the poor anyway. Take the US for example. This Reuters story says that the World's richest and most powerful country will "provide an initial $15 million in aid for victims of the devastating tsunami in Asia and has already released $400,000".

The excellent JWalk blog did some initial sums.

"Let's assume that the U.S. will spend $200 billion for the war in Iraq (a conservative estimate). Further assume that this money will be spread out over a 2-year period. This works out to about $11.4 million per hour. So when it's put in these terms, the U.S. has pledged (so far) the equivalent of about 79 minutes of war costs."

Surely we can all do more?

Top 10 Films of the Year

I decided to post my Top 10 films of the year. It's always difficult comparing films that are often from completely different genres (e.g. Cold Mountain vs Shrek 2), but in general the films picked themselves. There are of course some fine movies outside the top 10 (Man on Fire, Spider-man 2, The Village etc), but they can't all make the final list.

It was an interesting year for films, with 3 very good documentaries featuring highly (Super Size Me, Fahrenheit 9/11 and Touching the Void). It was also a good year in that the majority of the top 25 weren't dominated by CGI effects (I, Robot and Spider-man 2 being the obvious exceptions). All of the top 10 feature films had good characterisation, and good pace, and most importantly a good script. So here it is:

1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2. 21 Grams
3. The Incredibles
4. Finding Neverland
5. Lost in Translation
6. Collateral
7. Shaun of the Dead
8. Touching the Void
9. Super Size Me
10. The Last Samurai

Indian Curry Rhapsody

I received this today, sung to to the tune of Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen:

Mama, just killed a naan poppadom against his head Had lime pickles now he's dead. Mama, dinner's just begun But now I'm gonna throw it all away. Mama, ooh, ooh Didn't mean to make you cry I think I'll pebble-dash the loo tomorrow Curry on, curry on Cause nothing really Madras. Too late, my dinner's gone Sends shivers down my spine Rectum aching all the time Goodbye onion bhaji, I've got to go Gotta leave you all behind and use the loo. Naan, ooh, ooh This dupiazza is so mild I sometimes wish we'd never come here at all. guitar solo I see a little chicken tikka on the side Rogan Josh, Rogan Josh, pass the chutney made of mango Vindaloo does nicely Very very spicy Meat! Byriani (Byriani) Byriani (Byriani) Byriani and a naan (A vindaloo loo loo loo) I've eaten balti, somebody help me He's eaten balti, get him to the lavatory Stand you well back Case the loo is quarantined.. Here it comes There it goes Technicolor yawn I chunder No! It's coming up again (There he goes) I chunder, it's coming back again (There he goes) Coming back again (up again) Here it comes again. (No no no no no no NO) On my knees, I'm on my knees On his knees, Oh, there he goes This vindaloo Is about to wreck my guts Poor meee.. poor meeee...poor MEEEEEE! guitar solo So you think you can chunder and then feel alright? So you try to eat curry and drink beer all night? Oh maybe, but you'll puke like a baby Just had to come out It just had to come right out in here. guitar solo slow bit Korma or jalfrezi bhaji, naan or saag Nothing makes a difference Nothing makes a difference To meee.... (Always with a loo flush.... shshshsh)

Festive Festering Fun

I got sent this sound file in the week, and have not been able to play it without laughing out loud. I'm going to leave it at that, but listen for yourself. I'm not sure where it came from originally, but I'd love to know how it was compiled.

Innovation being legislated out

I read today on the BBC website that new European legislation could bring in patents for software. This means that any company who comes up with a good idea can patent it, and charge others to use it. Sounds reasonable on the face of it, doesn't it?

Well, it could be a disaster. Right now, the consumer gets ultimate choice. If we want a web browser, we can always use the out-the-box Internet Explorer, the alternative Netscape Navigator, or even Open Source browsers like Mozilla's excellent Firefox. What it means is, that if someone could legally prove that they had come up with the idea of a web browser, then all of the above would have to pay a license. But the consumer loses. Because Microsoft's and Netscape's browsers have differences. Even though there are world-wide standards about how HTML (browser language) is coded, each supports their own flavours. The only one of the above list that sticks to those standards is Firefox. Which is Open Source. Which means that nobody benefits commercially from it, and the worldwide community contribute to jointly developing a better product. The same is true of MP3 encoders, sound and video editing, graphics and clever web utilities, that have hundreds of variants, all developed to move the innovations on technically.

I know, I know, patents are largely there to protect the commercial benefits of innovation. But software patents are different. For example, in the US you cannot build a system that stores customer credit card details so that they can pay without having to re-enter them unless Amazon lets you, because they hold the patent on "one-click" online purchase.

But this 'innovation' is hardly a clever bit of software, it's a means of providing better customer service. So now, people at home can't develop their own web sites with their own customer experience, if it can be argued that they have reduced the end-to-end process to a few clicks in the same way.

The article goes on to say that the EU members currently discussing this issue have no real understanding of the issues involved. Let's hope they get some informed input, and this legislation is quashed.

You can read the full text of the Directive here.

Book Review - David Nicholls: "Starter for 10"

This is aimed at all those people who went to University in the 80s, who remember the music, the clothing, and the whole student experience: freshers week, house shares, course work, student grants, love angst - this book has it all.

In a very funny debut novel from the former Cold Feet writer David Nicholls, the hero is a lad called Brian Jackson, who has little clue about anything, but was always admired by his family and friends because he could answer a few questions from University Challenge. when he leaves his seaside town to go to Uni, he thus sets himself two goals: to get on the University Challenge team, and to woo his fantasy girl Alice Harbinson. To Brian, success on one can only lead to success with the other, since Alice is on the team too.

He sets about pursuing Alice with a new haircut, and a disastrous first date. As things progress, he spends a weekend with her at her parents' home, and the whole episode is too laughingly horrific to bear. Along with his unfaltering belief that Alice is right for him, he has to cope with studying, (during which he comes under criticism from his lecturer), his housemates, who are a bit weird (but so recognisable), and Rebecca, who apart from being the exact opposite of Alice, plays friend and protagonist. The two girls neatly bring the whole issue of class into the story, and comparisons of how what you want and what you need are very different things.

This book is great fun to read: some of the observations are very well identified, and there's loads of humour throughout that made me catch myself smiling quite a few times. The characters are easliy identifiable because they are strongly defined, the dialogue is touching and funny, and Brian's endeavours to cope with all around him are all too familiar. All this is set to a backdrop of Britain in the 80s (Kate Bush, the Jam, the Smiths, grandad shirts etc), and is a charming reminder of how even the 'best days of your life' could feel unmanageable. 7/10

Read an interview with David Nicholls at the Ottakar site.

Buy the book here.

Then they came for me

There is an excellent passage in The Daily Morgue blog (written by an insider at the BBC), about the recent announcements that the BBC are laying off 6000 jobs, and moving a further 1700 people from Manchester to London.

He describes how when walking past BBC House, the day before the announcements, there was a Union Rep handing out leaflets about the impending bad news. The leaflet describes how increased levels of self-interest, coupled with the failure of the Unions to protect its workforce, has made the job losses inevitable.

(The title: First they came for the Jews and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.)

Film Review - The Incredibles

Pixar's new movie again raises the bar for animated films. This time it turns its attention to superheroes - this genre is perfect for animation; in fact apart from the backgrounds, and the real actors, the recent Spider-man movies were all but animated, such is the level of CGI in them (as was X-Men, Hulk etc). Eye-candy aside, Pixar introduces some real characters with real depth, superheroes who are really quite normal, which helps to engage the viewer from the start. The family are thus introduced: Bob (the father) has immense strength, Elastigirl (the mother) can stretch herself to any proportions, Violet (the daughter) can make herself invisible and project force fields and Dash (the son) can move at great speeds.

Clearly there's a lot of fun to be had here, and some of it is at the expense of the genre, since superhero movies are parodied throughout with camp abandon, and James Bond movies don't get ignored either (the villain's lair, the soundtrack and the gadgety super-suits presented by their own private designer). In addition, the standard problems of super-beings in a mortal world are a recurring theme. Society has all but banned costumed superheroes, and so Bob struggles to hold down a mundane insurance job and remain in hiding. In addition, their kids struggle with both their powers and their teenage angst. Ironically, the villainous Syndrome is a mortal struggling with a lack of super powers, and unlike some other animated films has a darkness that adds welcome depth following the cuteness of Pixar's Finding Nemo.

The fact that some of the subtexts are a little stereotypical does not detract from the fun of this movie. Bob is a man who is trying to save the world (and of course, his family), Elastigirl is a mumsy lady wanting order in their lives, Violet struggles with her adolescent shyness, until she learns to enjoy her powers and gain confidence, and Dash is a typical wayward child monster. That aside, I would thoroughly recommend this movie, which has genuine appeal across the age groups. 8/10

Boris Johnson, Blogger

The Conservative MP Boris Johnson has started to maintain his own blog. This will no doubt please his legion of fans, who describe him as the "last stronghold of political sincerity left in our once-great nation". Interest in the politician extends to blogs set up specifically to discuss his movements.

If you're unclear why he (with a few other policiticans) has decided to do this, read Tim Ireland's piece on why politicians need weblogs.

Protect the Lazy!!

This fantastic Ananova story reports that a businesswoman has been banned for asking for "hard working" staff in a job advert because it discriminates against the lazy.

Beryl King, who owns a warehousing business, went on to say "How long before someone says you can't pay people for working because it discriminates against those on benefit who are paid for not working?". Good point.

Isn't this Political Correctness gone wrong? There are plenty more examples of misplaced PC intentions. Often, the people who are 'protected' by such PC language end up feeling more victimised by the initiatives. For example this article by the National Federation of the Blind shows how Politically Correct language has just confused the whole subject of disability. The Urban Dictionary has a typically .. ahem .. direct take on it all, and we would expect no less.

What is certainly true is that when being interviewed for a new job, I want the prospective employer to know that I am a hard worker. Is this something we should also discourage? Imagine if two people are interviewed, and one person states he is industrious, yet the other is proud of his indifference in the workplace. Does this mean the employer should disregard this information, and make a decision based on other traits? Grr.

iTunes, iExpensive!

Apparently, despite the growth of downloadable tunes from the internet, Apple has been criticised for overcharging in the UK on its iTunes web site. According to the BBC Report, the Office of Fair Trading has criticised Apple's charging model. Charges for downloadable songs are more expensive in the UK than other countries in Europe, and the US.

Apple defend their pricing, suggesting that the economic model in each country affects their charges. However, as this TechSpot post points out, we are entitled within the EU to have the same pricing model as for every other country.

How long are we going to have to pay so much more in this country for everything? whether it's perfumes, CDs, DVDs, clothing, cars, houses or whatever, vendors are taking the mick. This has caused a proliferation of consumers using sites such as CDWow and Play, who in the past at least have got round the UK's prohibitive trade duties by importing from Jersey and Hong Kong. This blog post suggests that the government aren't helping matters in this respect, although these sites are still among the cheapest.Or you can always use Price conparison sites, such as OnlinePriceGuide, or Price Runner to help you source the cheapest goods.

Self-imposed beer drought

Well, I am now two weeks into my self-imposed beer fast. Actually I should be more specific and state that it's alcohol I've givin up. I should hasten to add that on December 17th, when our team at work go out, I will be back on it with some abandon.

Why am I doing it? Well, it really happened as a result of a particularly active fortnight around my birthday, when I was out almost every night. During that time, I forgot key phone conversations, and social appointments coming out of them. It seemed prudent to attempt a holiday from drink, for the time being.

I think it's also the first time that I've gone this long without a drink since I was .. er .. 18. You know, based on all we know about alcohol (from scholars etc), maybe it will be a good thing. Maybe I will sleep better, feel healthier, lose the small amount of fat I have. (Incidentally, none of these, in the first two weeks is true so far, but I'll stick with it.

The futures so bright, it flowers!

I read today that in the Sci-Tech web-site that scientists have developed a new mobile phone case which is now bio-degradable. It could well encourage people to dispose of the phone parts (obviously, the battery and the innards still need careful disposal).
The case is made of a specific polymer that breaks down within two weeks of burial, and it contains a seed which then germinates when the case degrades.
This comes on the eve of new Government legislation which will force manufacturers to take back discarded phone parts after the phone has been disposed of. This new research could save everybody time and money, and will make the phone popular with environmentally conscious people.