The Night Ahead

I am off to a leaving party tonight in some swanky bar. I know that I shall drink too much and shall spoil the entire weekend for myself now. Unfortunately, I also know that there is nothing that I am going to do about it and so I will have to live with that. I think it’s an age thing. They always said you would increasingly become aware of your own limits as you get old and I know mine. I also know that I am worse-than-awful at stopping when I have hit my limits – weather that’s drinking, staying awake etc. A weekend in a haze is predicted. On the upside, today has been a lovely, normal working day without too much stress and, for once, it looks like I am about to leave on time. Maybe that’s a good sign.

On this day…

2005: How Interesting
2004: Ericsson 260 Cordless Phone

Water, Water Everywhere

Last night was an underwater adventure for many Londoners. Apparently, 3cm of rain fell in 30 minutes – which is a reasonable amount of water. The strain on the drainage system was too great and we had cars underwater, closed tube stations and some very, very wet people walking around. Many people have a perception that London is grey and always raining but it doesn’t handle rain well at all. I guess it’s all the Victorian sewers (or whatever they are).

The pictures of cars almost submerged are strangely reminiscent of my home town of Shrewsbury – which is prone to flooding. The town is mainly contained within a loop of the River Severn and, as such, seems to get drowned from all sides in the winter storms and spring thaws.

I guess Shrewsbury is my home town. I was not born there, did not live there for the first fourteen years of my life, and have not lived there for ten years. My parents still live there and I go to see them occasionally and I think of it as my home town, but really, it’s just another place I have lived. Of course, I do have very fond memories of the place which, I assume, helps.

On this day…

2006: Changes At Red Bull Racing
2005: Swiss Re Tower, London
2004: Back Ache
2003: More Gay Marriage

Where Are You Now, Miss Boo?

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I submitted another review to Amazon.co.uk today and I was quite pleased with it. Having just finished Boo Hoo (the story of online “active streetwear” retailer boo.com) I thought I would add another review to my small list. I was particularly fond of the last line: “Live hard, die young and leave a beautiful corpse” could almost have been written of Miss Boo.

I wait to see if it published as I wrote it.

My full review submitted to Amazon.co.uk earlier today:

What a fascinating book. Take two Swedes, a desire to be “cool” and throw $135 million at them! Ernst MalmstenÂ’s story of boo.com is a warning to all new enterprises everywhere: get some strong financial controls and make sure you stay in charge of your costs. Most of all, it tells us that there is no substitute for some experience when running a shop.

I was sceptical that Ernst et al. would hide behind others and not shoulder the blame. However, what comes through clearly is the founderÂ’s vision, belief and desire to build a world class product as well as the managementÂ’s failings when developing that business. It is possible to read much by what is not said, as well as what story is directly told and in that, an incredible tale unfolds before you.

The book is well written and highly addictive. As the inevitable end approaches it becomes one of those books you pick up all the time, even just to read the next two paragraphs. As a story it is thoroughly thought-out, well-paced and fascinating. As an insight into online business history it may be one-sided and sometimes lacking but it remains compulsive reading and a captivating look a never-to-be-repeated economic boom (and bust) time.

Boo.com became synonymous with the “live the high live, party hard” culture that many cash fuelled Internet start-ups went (and spent) through. “Live hard, die young and leave a beautiful corpse” could almost have been written of Miss Boo.

On this day…

2006: Button Is A Winner!
2005: London’s Living Room
2004: Saturday News
2003: RSS Feeds
2003: No More Clause 28
2003: July 2003 And All That

To Some People Enola Gay is Just a Pop Song

While we appear to be on the verge of more war in the world, the good folks at today’s Daypop news point us to The Guardian:

Today is Hiroshima Day, the anniversary of the first use of a bomb so powerful that it would come to threaten the existence of the human race. Only two such devices have ever been used, but now, a decade after the end of the cold war, the world faces new dangers of nuclear attack – from India, Pakistan, Iraq, al-Qaida, and even the US. Launching a special investigation into nuclear weapons, Paul Tibbets, the man who piloted the Enola Gay on its mission to Japan, tells Studs Terkel why he has no regrets – and why he wouldn’t hesitate to use it again

[Guardian]

Did you know that today is Hiroshima Day? It seems to have missed me. I think this is something we should all be thinking about at this time.

On this day…

2006: Dropped at 0815
2006: A Glass Pyramid
2004: Doesn’t Time Fly?
2003: Things To Say
2003: Five Live and Weblogs

Baby News

The christening was yesterday. It was great – apart from the rain that soaked us as we walked to the church. Even though I did not understand a word of the ceremony (and there were two babies being christened and a confirmation) it’s still quite a thing to see all these people stand in front of a congregation and wet the babies head. Of course the party afterwards was good, meeting people that I had not seen since Cheryl & Thomas’ wedding some eleven years ago. It’s always great food. For some reason, I love Norwegian food (although some would say I just love food). The evening part was spent sitting on the patio as the sun set talking about old times and house-buying. Shame to be back really – although I would really love my bed right now.

On this day…

2006: Thinking About Time
2003: Ciao Is The New Hi

The Taxi Cometh

I head off to the airport shortly. I spent a good proportion of last night packing and, therefore, seem to have only had three hours sleep. I really need to organise my life more to prevent this kind of thing from happening. I do not like the lack of sleep and yet, every time I travel, I seem to end up in this kind of situation.

Somehow, I seem to ignore the five golden rules of travelling without stress

  1. Buy gifts a week in advance
  2. Iron two days in advance
  3. Pack a day in advance
  4. Get to bed early before travelling
  5. Have bottle of water to take to airport

On this day…

2006: What’s The 20th Most Complained About Show On UK TV?

A Weekend Airborne

Weekend plans. I am going to a christening, which in itself does not seem an odd thing to do at the weekend. I am, however, flying at 0630 tomorrow morning to Amsterdam, then to Stavanger and then on to Kristiansand, Norway. I arrive mid-afternoon. The christening is on Sunday. Come Monday morning, I board the 0700 for Copenhagen and then on to London to get me back to make it into my office mid-morning. There are several people who think I am, somehow, unbalanced in attempting to do this and stay awake.

On this day…

2006: Update
2004: Bang Bang For Gately

Welcome To August 2002

So I did it. I had set myself the challenge to write this blog everyday for one whole calendar month and, I think, I have completed it. I did it for several reasons, one of which was to see if I had anything to say. Here’s what I think I have learnt:

  1. It’s hard to find the time to blog
  2. My blog is mainly a collection of my thoughts of the moment and, may not, be properly considered opinion
  3. I should re-edit many of my thoughts after some time
  4. I don’t write about friends (that could change)
  5. I don’t write about work (that could change)
  6. I edit my thoughts for the web. Why?
  7. My opinions need to be refined
  8. I want to know more about UK politics
  9. I lack a proper understand of world politics

Anyway, I shall continue and re-assess in another month.

On this day…

2006: Where Are My Palm Treo 650 SMS Messages

Seven Wonders

I want to visit all seven wonders of Britain. I’ve done four leaving only these to visit:

  1. Hadrian’s Wall, Northumberland
  2. Eden Project, Cornwall
  3. Windsor Castle, Berkshire

The Guardian also lists The Angel of the North as the eighth wonder. I haven’t seen that either!

If you’re interested, the others (that I have seen) are:

  1. Big Ben, London
  2. London Eye
  3. Stonehenge, Wiltshire
  4. York Minster, Yorkshire

On this day…

2006: Another Airport Again
2002: What’s A Boy To Think?

What’s A Boy To Think?

What does the world think of homosexuality then? It’s a crazy mixed-up place. Earlier this week, we had a sitting Conservative MP tell the world that he is gay. This, on top of the fact that the Tories also seem to be supporting the bill on gay marriage [previous comments on this subject]. It’s about time the Conservatives accepted that there are gay men and women in their rank and file. It’s just a shame it’s taken so long for one of them to publicly stand up and say so (mind you, it’s also a shame they have to say so). Still Hugo Young makes the most sense on the subject. Then we have a TV programme playing the camp-card for comedy – I know this is going to be unpleasant (Corrie’s Les Battersby to claim he’s gay). Lots of gay visability then. So why does the church continue live in another place on the subject? Catholics should boycott gay commitment ceremonies, is the new message. What is a boy to think these days?

Hugo Young in The Guardian:
Almost everything you need to know about the Tory party is encapsulated in the revelation that Alan Duncan is gay. A banal detail is elevated into first place in the news. A dreary social commonplace is treated by both the party and the media on a par with the discovery that the Pope has a secret wife. How much further behind the curve can an organisation get than feeling obliged to declare its 21st-century relevance by means of this amazing item? How devoid of content does a party have to be if the best way it can think of proving its openness, its revolutionary departure from type, is by showing its tolerance for Alan Duncan being gay?

On this day…

2006: Another Airport Again
2002: Seven Wonders