Author Archives: Jon

A New Beginning

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On Friday, I mentioned that The Guardian was getting its new look tomorrow. You can follow the paper’s editors as they plan prepare tomorrow’s paper at The Editors’ Weblog that has launched on the site.

In tomorrow’s sport section I hope they cover Formula One in some detail. It’s been announced that Red Bull Racing will take over the Minardi team from November. Minardi’s boss, Paul Stoddart, told BBC News,

Small privateer teams are probably phasing themselves out … it’s hard to imagine a truly privateer team can break into F1 again

I think that’s sad for the sport really but the who really has got that much money?

On this day…

2007: Green Before Her Time
2006: Red Bull part company with Klien
2004: Fish For Me
2002: Still The Same Bart
2002: A JavaScript Moment
2002: One Year On

On this day…

2007: Green Before Her Time
2006: Red Bull part company with Klien
2004: Fish For Me
2002: Still The Same Bart
2002: A JavaScript Moment
2002: One Year On

Staying For Breakfast

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BBC London might not be too happy that Jono Coleman can’t start the new breakfast show until mid-October (BBC in tug-of-war over breakfast DJ) but I have to admit I am over-the-moon. Mr Coleman is probably a fine music DJ but he’s not the one for me in a morning yet BBC London is my station! Nevertheless, even if I was a fan, JoAnne Good has been doing a fab job at breakfast and I don’t want her to go anywhere.

On this day…

2007: A Mastery Of Technology
2006: Schumacher to quit at end of year
2004: Where’s Matt’s Tongue?
2003: A Video Moment
2002: Around The World

On this day…

2007: A Mastery Of Technology
2006: Schumacher to quit at end of year
2004: Where’s Matt’s Tongue?
2003: A Video Moment
2002: Around The World

A Giddy Schoolgirl

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The new-look Guardian will have colour on every page of every section but one thing will remain the same – our reputation for supplying first class news, features and comment [Alan Rusbridger, The Guardian]

My favourite newspaper is changing. No, I don’t know what Berliner means either but that’s not a problem. No longer will I be hitting old ladies with a newspaper, or getting tangled in a iPod hub’s cable or stopping a City gent scrolling his Blackberry. Smaller, neater, lovely. Damn, it looks hot and it’s only a newspaper!

The Guardian: Berliner preview edition

On this day…

2004: Cuties At Lunch
2003: Gem
2002: Weather, Weather

On this day…

2004: Cuties At Lunch
2003: Gem
2002: Weather, Weather

Catherine Tate

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I am so sad right now. The Catherine Tate show (which follows Extras on BBC2 on Thursday nights) has just come to the end of it’s pitifully short run. It’s by far the best comedy sketch show there has been for a long, long time. I love all the characters but the ‘I d’know’ couple make me laugh before they open their mouths. Foul-mouth Gran, Lauren (Am I bothered? Am I bothered though?) and Derek (How Very Dare You) just make me smile the whole time. What a shame this is ending. Please, BBC bring it back soon.

UPDATE 30 August: Amazon have the Catherine Tate Show Series One DVD on sale now.

On this day…

2003: Naked Valley Money
2002: Not Hilarious or Surprising

On this day…

2003: Naked Valley Money
2002: Not Hilarious or Surprising

Let’s Google Talk

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Google Talk Download PageWell, they’ve finally done it and Google Talk is a nice, clean interface. I downloaded it this morning and was impressed by file size, speed of installation and general Google-cleanness of the the interface. This is what we have come to expect. However, apart from a couple of people who I know will try this – who am I going to talk to? I have a sinking feeling that they are too late to this party which is not a great thing to think about Google at all.

The world was waiting for a Google IM client but the world hoped it would speak to other clients and not just be a nice standards complaint tool. I already have friends on all of the major IM clients and I simply don’t talk to them all because I don’t install all the right clients. I do, occasionally, use Trillian to speak to everybody but that’s not very often. I sit with my Yahoo Messenger because that’s the client most of my colleagues are on and they are the people I need to talk to most. I’d love to migrate them to this nice Google interface but I don’t think they will.

So, come on Yahoo support the standards that Google is running with then we can all choose the client we prefer not limit who we talk to. I wonder how long it will be before that happens?

UPDATE 28 Aug: I should turn comments on for this one, shouldn’t I?

UPDATE 30 Aug: Still only three people I know are on Google Talk. C’mon guys – it’s a lovely clean interface and a breeze to download.

On this day…

2004: The Hottest State
2004: Get Yer Kit Off …
2003: Summer Music
2002: Around The World

On this day…

2004: The Hottest State
2004: Get Yer Kit Off …
2003: Summer Music
2002: Around The World

Gay Music Stars Still Stir Headline Writers

We all know there are plenty of gay folks in the music business but few of the stars feel able to come out. Stephen Gately did it a few years ago, Andrew Kinlochan did and so did Will Young. Yesterday, Mark Feehily (the quiet one in Westlife) told The Sun newspaper he was gay and that got reported all over the place. It stuns me that anybody bothers to write about this anymore (or uses the word ‘admit‘ in the headline) but I, along with plenty of other gay men in the UK, wish him well.

On this day…

2004: Technology Gets The Better Of Me
2004: Another Chart
2004: Celebrity Justice?
2002: A Haddock is A Wet Fish

On this day…

2004: Technology Gets The Better Of Me
2004: Another Chart
2004: Celebrity Justice?
2002: A Haddock is A Wet Fish

Missed Birthday

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On Monday I missed Ben Afleck’s birthday (as I have done before). It’s shocking really. I should buy a dairy! Anyway, why don’t you pop over the the Ben Affleck Man Of The Moment page and leave him a birthday wish? 

On this day…

2003: Monday Is Back To Work
2002: BBQ Frenzy

On this day…

2003: Monday Is Back To Work
2002: BBQ Frenzy

Boston Legal

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head shot picture of william shatner in boston legalOn Monday I mentioned that I’m already hooked on Channel Four’s Lost (via the E4 showings a week ahead). While Sunday night’s Lost marathon was gripping it has to be said that Monday night’s can also be enjoyable. I have been finding Living TV’s Boston Legal superb. William Shatner is a revelation to me in that show. I find the quirky humour very appealing indeed. If you haven’t seen it catch it Monday’s at 10pm (repeated Friday’s at the same time). [Living TV site]

On this day…

2004: Flash Floods
2004: Should I Mention The Olympics?
2003: Great Yarmouth
2003: Stag
2002: In Short, Things Are Grim

On this day…

2004: Flash Floods
2004: Should I Mention The Olympics?
2003: Great Yarmouth
2003: Stag
2002: In Short, Things Are Grim

Hits Out Of Hell

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I managed to charge the mp3 player I spoke about at the weekend. Yes, I know that it’s not that hard. Anyway, I was standing on the treadmill last night searching for something motivating music. I usually catch up on the news while running but I really couldn’t face it last night. I was looking for some way of escaping the world for 45 minutes. And lo, I came across Meatloaf’s Hits Out Of Hell on my player and discovered that power rock, big choruses and loud guitars really make the whole exercise of exercise so much easier. Strangely motivating really. Read more about Meatloaf at the BBC.

On this day…

2004: Email At Work
2002: Yesterday was Ben Affleck’s Birthday

On this day…

2004: Email At Work
2002: Yesterday was Ben Affleck’s Birthday