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BBC redesigns its homepage
2007-12-15 08:38:00
As pointed out by Cookd and Bombd and The Register, the BBC has redesigned its homepage.It's only in beta at the moment.Richard Titus says.From a conceptual point of view, the widgetization adopted by Facebook, iGoogle and netvibes weighed strongly on our initial thinking. We wanted to build the foundation and DNA of the new site in line with the ongoing trend and evolution of the Internet towards dynamically generated and syndicable content through technologies like RSS, atom and xml. This trend essentially abstracts the content from its presentation and distribution, atomizing content into a feed-based universe. Browsers, devices, etc therefore become lenses through which this content can be collected, tailored and consumed by the audience.
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Viewfinder Magazine
2007-12-15 07:50:00
I picked up Viewfinder Magazine last week from the Harrow Learning Resources Centre.Viewfinder is the magazine of the British Universities Film and Video Council.Notable news in Viewfinder:* The BBC Motion Gallery (in association with JISC) is launching a website offering access to BBC clips for use in education.* The Open University have launched a new DVD service. For £35, you can create a DVD online and have it posted within seven days.The DVD creation interface resembles a older version of Windows Media Player.Feature articles in the magazine include Dr Chris Wilmott on bioethics, Roger Geenhalgh on time-lapse video and a review of "Shut Up and Shoot", a guide to making documentaries.AthenaWeb:The feature that caught my eye was by Kathleen Van Damme of AthenaWeb, who discusses how she gave the site a Web 2.0 overhaul.This was done by placing scientific films on the net under copyleft agreement.Although Kathleen Van Damme does not mention it in the article, the site also has an ...

Carnival of Journalism
2007-12-13 18:48:00
A new blog carnival has been created that is dedicated to journalism.Bloggers such as Yoni Greenbaum and Ryan Sholin are now gathered together on one web page.If you are a journalist, you can submit your blog at the ScribbleSheet page. Simply click on the orange "join now" link.A complete list of submissions.
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The Online Journalism Atlas
2007-12-13 13:41:00
The Online Journalism Blog has created a Online Journalism AtlasEven though my head still aches from last night's drinking session, I'm still kicking myself for not noticing the atlas before.It's a wiki.This means users can add content and edit articles, it works just like Wikipedia.I will link to the post on Germany's media as a teaser.The post discusses Der Spiegel's (which I highly recommend as a Google Reader subscription) pioneering methods and the online magazine Telepolis, among other media.It's very well written and detailed.The Online Journalism Blog is written by Paul Bradshaw and "virtual interns". So far only Germany, Brazil and Switzerland have been featured.Why not add your own country today?

Artboo needs bands for a TV show
2007-12-13 13:08:00
Artboo is looking for twelve bands for a show in January.The channel redtv is offering the website, which exhibits artists and musicians, a half-hour weekly show.redtv will launch next Monday on Sky Channel 186.How to take part:1. Register your band on artboo.com2. Upload music to the site3. Get your fans to vote.You could create a Facebook group, a mailing list, a blog or even put some posters up.Loose Change had a lot of success with their Brighton marketing-which was simply to write "Google Loose Change" in chalk around the city. To be honest I wouldn't obey an instruction like that if I wasn't given more information, but many did.I think it's still written on the wall near the corner of Viaduct Road and London Road.Don't go down there based on this post though- I may be wrong.(Richard Brennan accepts no responsibility for people not being able to find chalked words on the London Road corner).Your change to be live on Sky's redtv:If you are the headlining band, you'll be ab...
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The Guardian linked to my blog!
2007-12-12 17:57:00
In an article by John Keenan, the second link down links to my blog post on Have I Got News For You.As Alan Partridge would say, back of the net!John Keenan is the editor of Meetings and Incentive TravelI've had a stressful week-so it's nice to be linked on Guardian Online.If John Keenan or anyine else are interested in a job offer or work experience, my e-mail is richard-brennan (@) hotmail.co.uk Remove the brackets round the ampersand.
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My thoughts on Hunter S.Thompson
2007-12-12 15:48:00
Some of my thoughts on Hunter S.Thompson Kentucky Derby Analysis:Hunter S. Thompson’s feature focuses not on the story, but on Thompson’s ability (or inability) to get his story. Though there is some reporting on the Derby, this consists of a single paragraph. Thompson emphasises the short nature of the race and gains all his information on the Derby from a rerun on television. He even admits that his assignment does not interest him as much as the chance to observe, and does not mention the Derby until the middle of the second sentence.As Thompson says however, nobody cares. His features are intensely descriptive and feature his encounters with others. Thompson always paints himself as never in the wrong. Even when describing an unfortunate dinner party, Thompson tries to make his illustrator Steadman the villain. However, Thompson does give Steadman’s side of the argument. Thompson isn’t afraid of revealing the deception he uses to find a story, nor is he ashamed about carr...
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Curb Your Enthusiasm Review
2007-12-12 13:17:00
Whitefish in a sandwich is guaranteed to bring pampered and uptight Larry David out in his usual mixture of confusion and anger “Give me tounge”. Throughout the show Larry is a repeat offender; he repeats his actions, he offends again, while wondering “What’s the big deal”.The fifth series of Curb Your Enthusiasm is far more polished than the first series, which for me only had two funny episodes. Here, Larry alternates between being the whiny victim and the whiny villain. I felt for him when a small boy with that oh-so-misleading pageboy haircut barged into him, yet I felt like reaching into Larry’s world and shaking him when he complained about his sandwich.For £25, you can have over five hours of Larry’s unique desire to ignore the feelings of others “O sacred intercourse cannot be interrupted”. Neither can your viewing of this boxset-it’s that funny.
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Cairo Free to Speak Debate
2007-12-12 11:27:00
The World Service will air a debate on blogging in the Arab World on the 18th December.It's at 1:06pm GMT and 6:06pm GMT.Robin Lustig, who wrote the article that I've linked to, was the chair. Much food for thought on how blogs help report news in intolerant countries.As Robin Lustig's column says:"In Egypt, bloggers can claim some successes: after they posted video images of police torturing detainees in custody, police officers were put on trial and jailed.But one blogger has himself been jailed for insulting Islam, defaming President Hosni Mubarak, and "spreading information disruptive of the public order". Others face harassment and live in fear of arrest."One wonders how Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale would read if Offred had blogged rather than taped her life.Or if Winston Smith had posted about Ingsoc and his trysts with Julia. An example of the dangers bloggers around the world face.Amnesty International also has a report: Human Rights In The blogosphere. If you know of a...
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Those are the headlines, happy now?
2007-12-12 10:45:00
Bottomley refreshed after three days on Cross, Branson's clockwork dog crosses Atlantic floor and sacked chimney sweep pumps boss full of mayonnaise.Last night I rewatched The Day Today, Chris Morris' wonderful satire on the sillier side of television news.First broadcast in 1994, the show describes itself as "The ground breaking news show that won an award."The Day Today parodies the obsession with showing graphics just to impress viewers "fact times importance equalls news" as well as the agressive manner used by some interviewers (when Morris makes a woman collecting the jam of celebrities to raise money cry).Homicidenews:Chris Morris' wonderful character even causes a war through his interviewing technique, which causes the studio to turn into a command centre for war reporting. The network even release a music video called "This is our war", with songs chosen to intersperse tastelessly with footage from the Falklands and 1991 Gulf war. "Burn, baby, burn" as soliders lie in t...
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Amnesty International: "Not A Day Longer"
2007-12-11 17:33:00
Amnesty international's new campaign is opposing the extension of detention without trial to ninety days.Called Not A Day Longer, it uses the power of Web 2.0 to drum up support.(I never thought I'd mention Amnesty International and Web 2.0 in the same post.)There is a Facebook group that you can join, which already has 1953 members (including me!)there has been a critique of the Facebook group's data. The Independent has information.Ten good reasons: Amnesty International press release:I'm going to quote them in full as opposed to a link:Not A Day Longer reasons:"UK: Ten GOOD reasons why extending pre-charge detention is a BAD idea:1. UNDERMINES one of our most basic rights, enshrined in UK law as far back as Magna Carta and now at the heart of the European Convention on Human Rights, to which UK is a signatory: the right for anyone who is detained by the state to be told promptly why they are being held and what they are charged with.2. COMMUNITY relations will suffer if the M...
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Television Review: Have I Got A Little Bit More News For You
2007-12-11 17:29:00
I thought I'd lost this when my Compaq PC crashed.Here is a review of last Friday's Have i Got News For You:A playful glance by Ian Hislop at Russell Brand’s nipple opened this week’s uncut show, which once again proved to be a disappointment.If, like me, you set the video recorder for HIGNFY every Friday night before going out, you’ll remember how the show sparkled during the nineties. A grumpy Paul Merton verbally jousted with Angus Deayton (remember him?) while Ian Hislop tongue-lashed Tories who were foolish enough to appear on the show.Now the guest presenter is the focus of the audience, although tonight Jack Dee was low-key, not very funny but not a show-stealer, unlike Boris Johnson or the bizarre Joan Collins.However, the revolting Russell Brand managed to deflect any idea that wit was a requirement to appear. Clamouring for attention like a child, he treated a toilet visit during the show as if he had a message from the ghost of Princess Diana. Not only does Brand ...
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Last minute Christmas ideas
2007-12-11 16:49:00
Stuck for ideas for your offspring or honey? Don’t want to give the same instant book involving a yummy mummy committing murder in a Tesco car park before having sex with a beekeeper?Fiction: If you’re looking for reading matter for booklovers to munch on, Will Self is the man to seek out. Every book is a new thread inside Self’s massive brain. If Self’s mind is the British Library, Russell Brand’s is the Learning Resources Centre at the University of Westminster. My Idea Of Fun sees Self’s tormented protagonist journey from the green hills and appalling accommodation of the University of Sussex as he commits unspeakable acts on behalf of the mysterious Fat Controller, who can “never abide a booby”. Great Apes, meanwhile, sees artist Simon Dykes wake up in a world full of chimpanzees, the only one aware of his altered state. From the opening line, where alcohol is served in “rented glasses”, you’ll be hooked by Self’s arousing use of language and ability to c...
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Hewlett-Packard problems
2007-12-11 13:04:00
So I spent the last two hours on the phone to Hewlett-Packard .This is because the link for ordering recovery CD's on the website did not work.On the second call, after being kept on hold, I was told I needed a credit card to order recovery CD's, as a cost of £25.Goodness knows how they would take to arrive.I have no idea what to do.I have no credit card, for one thing.
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Western Digital blocks file sharing
2007-12-11 12:28:00
Western Digital has prevented its customers from sharing media files from networked drives.This also applies to home-produced content.It is claimed that this is done to reduce piracy.Although companies have trumpted Digital Rights Management, there are ways round this, prompting some companies to install further safeguards.Groups such as Defective By Design and Electronic Frontier Foundation are opposed to Digital Rights Management.Best way of stopping piracy:Does a Cd really need to be so expensive?Here is a breakdown of costs for a £11.61 CD£4.26 of this is a retail markup.The label make 40p profit per CD.Most CD's cost £14.99, not £11.61, so does that mean an extra £3 or so markup?In the words of Private Eye's "Ed.", "I think we should be told".Lowering the price of a Cd by £2 or £3 will induce more people to buy them.
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What a wonderful world?
2007-12-10 22:46:00
Sometimes I despair of this planet.In Australia a judge has decided that a 10 year old can consent to sex with nine menThe offenders were either placed on probation or given suspended sentences for the 2005 rape in the Aurukun settlement, in northern Queensland.In her ruling, Judge Sarah Bradley told them that the victim "probably agreed to have sex with all of you". Kevin Rudd and Aborigonal activist Boni Robertson have both spoken out against the sentence.The offenders came from some of the most powerful and prominent Aboriginal families in Cape York, while the victim's family had a lower status, The Australian reported.What a surprise.Even if the girl had consented, can a ten year old really decide such things?And the domestic animal abuse stories roll on:In Britain, a boy of fifteen murdered a hamster after half an hour of torture.In four years' time, he'll be able to buy animals again.And his punishment? Jail? A fine?No. A supervision order.No doubt he'll commit the same of...
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Unembedded in Iraq
2007-12-10 22:20:00
From the Media Workers Against the War site, a book review I wrote for them.Book review: Unembedded in Iraq Beyond the Green Zone: Dispatches From an Unembedded Journalist in Occupied Iraq, by Dahr Jamail, Haymarket Books, 2007This book brilliantly captures the horrors of being caught up in conflict. Scorning the compromising position of an embedded journalist, Dahr Jamail travelled Iraq to report on a subject often neglected by the mainstream media: daily life in Iraq.Discovering a country occupied by unwanted foreign powers, Beyond The Green Zone depicts Iraqis such as Khali Ahmed, who lost three of his family after American soldiers raided the wrong house and were forced to cover up, and Hassan Mehdi Mohammed, who told Jamail that eight out of 10 people in his village were unemployed.The inclusion of photos at the beginning of each chapter provides a visual reminder of the dangers. For me the most poignant photo was of an ambulance with its door open and bullet holes in the windsc...

My computer has gone up the Swannny...
2007-12-10 16:49:00
because stupidly I shut it down while leaving my USB stick in.If anyone from Westminster University can help, could you let me know?It just restarts and restarts and restarts.I need to find a Hewlett Packard recovery disc.I feel like crying, i'm so stressed already and have been working flat out since mid-Webdesign.
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Madeleine McCann: Gordon Brown "ignores" plea.
2007-12-09 18:00:00
I should be writing my profile of David Abrahams, but I wanted to blog this because it annoyed me.Health spa owner Stephen Winyard has criticized the Government as Gordon Brown and David Milliband would not mean with the McCann's.Gordon Brown is the Prime Minister, not an agony aunt.It's not as if he hasn't helped the McCann's out before, either, whether talking to Jose Socrates about the police investigation or asking for the Home Office and Foreign Office to put pressure on the authorities in Portugal.Who does Stephen Winyard think he is? Gordon Brown was elected by the voters of this country to serve the country as a whole, not Kate and Gerry McCann.Maybe Winyard would like a Minister for Madeleine McCann to go round Portugal annoying people.The McCann's are getting a lot more support than most parents, with Richard Branson and a "double-glazing tycoon" called Brian Kennedy helping to fund the relentless drive of wristbands (which backfired when the Daily Star accused a nan...
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Confessions Of An Economic Hit Man
2007-12-09 17:50:00
Although I’m getting through McNae’s Essential Law for journalists at the moment, I do have the time to read other books.On a recent visit to a charity bookshop, I was lucky enough to find Peter Hennessy’s Never Had It So Good and John Perkins’ Confession Of An Economic Hit Man.I’m halfway through the former, and I completed the latter on the train back from Temple station a week ago.Inspired to write an account of his life after the events of September 11th, Perkins describes economic hit men as “highly paid professions who cheat countries around the world out of billions of dollars”.Having joined America’s National Security Agency to avoid the Vietnam War, John Perkins was approached by Einar Greve in 1968.Greve was the vice president of Chas T. Main (Inc), also known as MAIN, which offered Perkins a job in 1971.MAIN was concerned with convincing countries to accept loans for various developments.In Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, Perkins documents his adventur...
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Walk around the town
2007-11-08 23:54:00
Today I went story hunting.We've been set our first assignment, to come up with a news story by next Monday.I've got the weekend and early Monday morning to get a scoop.My beat is the environment, and while I only found one possible lead on this topic, I found some good material for more general reportage.As no one else is doing Central Harrow, I might try and change my beat to a geographical one, as I feel it will help me build better contacts.I found:A guide to events at the Barbican."Meditation Mondays" which promises "bickies" and herbal tea.Information on the Harrow Arts Centre.Information on the West London YMCAWhat's On at the Natural History Museum.A winter concert at Holy Trinity Church.Events at St George's ChurchAnd finally, a rather interesting leaflet emblazoned "Meet The Harrows", from the police.On the reverse is a list of Safer Neighbourhood Teams with phone numbers and e-mail addresses, as well as the main website.Ladbrokes is sponsoring the leaflet.Ironic, that...
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Laws A Mercy
2007-11-08 21:03:00
UK Gold have polled almost 4,000 on the laws they found most ludicrous, according to the BBC.I assume UK Gold carried out this poll to promote the channel.I have not heard of any programs on UK Gold that deal with archaic laws, unless they have some Rumpole repeats.The BBC claim they are unable to verify some of these laws.The ones they cannot verifiy will be italicised.1. It is illegal to die in the Houses of ParliamentBut not, it seems, to die on your feet while making a speech. I thought MP's who died in the House of Commons were elevated to the House of Lords.2. It is an act of treason to place a postage stamp bearing the British king or queen's image upside-downThe death penalty for treason was abolished in 1998. Thankfully, no one was charged under this law before then, otherwise we'd have to shoot people outside post offices.3. It is illegal for a woman to be topless in Liverpool except as a clerk in a tropical fish storeThe use of "Liverpool" gives this away. How can you ...
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"The ultimate Maddie Magazine"
2007-11-07 22:43:00
The Daily Mail recently reported on the satirical magazine Titanic.It has been criticized by Clarence Mitchell. Mitchell is the McCann's spokesperson.The magazine published a double-page spoof advert.You can see it reproduced in the Mail's link.Now the main page of the website has "The ultimate Maddie Magazine Must read for the McCann family" at the top of the page.Which is slightly more offensive than the orginial piece.Clarence Mitchell does not seem to understand the nature of satire.Was no one offended by the etchings of Hogarth?Didn't Brass Eye offend some people?And Private Eye recieves letters almost every fortnight about bad taste.No one expected Kate and Gerry McCann not to be offended.Yet the Mail do not criticize Private Eye for their spoofs.Examples from my archive include:"Do you think Diana is dead? Or have you seen her in Morocco? Call now""Are The McCanns Guilty? We Have No Idea"."Maddy was abducted by aliens: New Police Theory""What are the Portguese police doing?...
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Hastilow's blog.
2007-11-07 18:52:00
I subscribe to the Guardian's Backbencher e-mail newsletter.I strongly recommend it.This week's "insider guide" links to the blog of Nigel Hastilow.He was the Tory prospective parlimentary candidate for for Halesowen and Rowley Regis, in the West Midlands.His blog describes itself as "a view from north of Watford", attacking a pericieved Londoncentricity among Westminster.Last Friday he claimed that "most people would say Enoch Powell was right".In 1968, during the last few years of Harold Wilson's first government, Enoch Powell made this speech at the Annual General Meeting of the West Midlands Area Conservative Political Centre.A few posts down, Hastilow discusses sorting through his record collection.It's nice to have a balance between political dogma and general comment, and it's an interesting blog.Would most people say Enoch Powell was right?:I doubt it.Powell specifically linked immigration to skin colour.Most of the riots in this country have been caused by unemployme...
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Grand Central
2007-11-07 10:45:00
Britain's ridiculous rail system has a new operating company.Grand Central Rail will be running trains between London Kings Cross and Sunderland.Tom Clift is Grand Central Rail's managing director.They hope to run trains between Bradford and London in the near future.A BBC feature describes the alleged underdog status of Grand Central. It glosses over the downsides a bit to much for my tastes, but it's a puff piece for the program OneLife.Therefore it'll try to make Grand Central seem as unique as possible.So that more people watch it.The Times Online comments on the company's promise to refund half their fare (in cash) if they cannot find a seat.Guards will police this offer.It would be nice to have a train company which didn't treat its passengers like dodgy cattle.I remember travelling from London Road Station to Falmer Station in Brighton.Despite the erratic ticket machines, the inspectors were waiting every day to pounce on any student unable to buy a ticket.It seems that...

Czechoslovakian ClustrMap
2007-11-06 14:57:00
Does anyone else using ClustrMap Pro get this image when they click on Czechoslovakia ?It's rather bizarre.The only other European country I can zoom into is the United Kingdom.I have no idea why the ClustrMap Pro displays the map as a satellite rather than its usual display.It's clearly not a picture of the whole of Czechoslovakia.

McCann's: The Witch Hunt or ITV sinks into the mire
2007-11-06 12:36:00
Last night, as part of my course, I had to watch a half-hour of self-serving celebrites gorge themselves on the McCann case.I felt like Charlie Brooker as I sat through this mostly newsless primetime pap.The gorging managed to cover the whole of Tonight, and was introduced by a laid-back Sir Trev.Vanessa Feltz was one of the interviewees, and as she chattted away I felt like I was watching Brass Eye.Those who have had the nous to watch Chris Morris' excellent series of spoofs will remember her interview on Crime.She pretends to be speaking as the voice of all those murdered.Hello, you think you don't know me, don't you? Yes, but you do because I'm the shopkeeper you shot in a mindless hold-up; you blew out my guts, remember? I'm the old lady whose head you stove in with a loose wardrobe in the middle of the night, remember? I'm the little boy whose face you stabbed off in panic when I found you robbing my house, remember? I'm Marvin Gaye, shot by my own father – oh, yes, yo...
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Two e-mails,both alike in purpose, in the Liberal Democrat Party...
2007-11-05 18:49:00
where we lay our scene...As a Liberal Democrat party member, I am on their mailing list.I have recieved e-mails just now from both Chris Huhne and Nick Clegg.Both want my vote in the leadership election.Huhne starts by calling me his "friend". I have shaken his hand during the 2006 Conference, so I suppose we have "pressed the flesh".He links to his website (though without proper tagging) and promises:We need a democratic revolution, introducing a people's veto that has successfully restored faith for voters in other countries. I give you my word that I would not enter into any coalition without the promise of proportional representation.We need a society that returns power to individuals and gives them control over their own lives. I make plain my commitment to equality and a liberal state; I have clearly dismissed the use of competition in public services. We do not need American-style health insurance and school vouchers. Real improvements in health and education will come from...
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Tony Parsons Update
2007-11-05 10:20:00
He's at it again.Tony Parsons ' column today alleges the Polica Judiciaria "fed all manner of trash and lies to their tame press".He also describes the Polica Judiciaria as blundering.So not content with making racist remarks towards an ambassador and making snide remarks about those who live in Praia De Luz, he's now making allegations about the police and media.Elsewhere in this column he takes Johnathan Ross to task for the jokes he tells about Heather Mills.He says "You can do better than that"I dare say you could show him, Tony...
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Tony Parsons and the PCC: Tony Parsehole?
2007-11-04 17:41:00
According to the PCC, 50 complaints have been made so far against Tony Parsons .They claim most of them are from Portuguese.How tocomplain to the PCC.if you are British, click on the link above and show your solidarity with the Portuguese.Prove to the world we're not all xenophobic. António Santana Carlos is considering judicial action against Tony Parsons, according to Correio da Manhã, a Portuguee newspaper.The article was partly translated by various people on the Daily Mirror forums.I only speak English myself.Viz magazine runs a feature called Tony Parsehole, which parodies Tony Parsons' Daily Mirror column.He's also in the Mirror again tommorow, and I'll try and pick up a copy.