ping

07:30 drove to the hotel to meet for breakfast. Then into the day, although I spent quite a lot of time sitting in varied locations as diverse as a ballroom, lounge, bar and stairwell whilst on my mobile phone.

Into my car, during which I was supposed to have another call with someone from India, but they didn;t show up. By the time I got home it was getting dark, I had three or four minutes to plug in my failing phone and restart my laptop. Then as I sat down there was a ping and the light bulb in the room broke. I took the call sitting in the dark, illuminated by the PC screen.

blurb

As I mentioned in my post yesterday, I'm going to get going on the NaNo novel I started a few months ago. It needs a big edit and will then be ready for me to figure out how to get it bookified.

I've just spotted blurb, which is a way to get a blog turned into a book. Not sure that I want to do this, but the idea is quite interesting. As they say,"Join the blurberati".

Thursday Thirteen (V11.0)

1. Didn't get home this evening until around 10pm;
2. Probably spent at least 5 hours on the phone today; last few calls were New York, Stockholm, Paris and Sydney.
3. Considered today to be one of the sunniest days I've experienced in the UK so far this year;
4. Talked to a Swedish (not Danish) friend today who said she'dwalked past the Danish embassy a couple of days ago but been very self conscious that she is quite tall and blonde;
5. Discovered this afternoon that I have a breakfast meeting tomorrow in a hotel, which I didn't know about;
6. Need to start the major edit of my Nanowrimo book; Enough time has passed now to give me a perspective on what I wrote;
7. Starting to wonder what happens to my itunes downloads if I change another couple of computers, iTunes sets a limit on the number of computers its tunes can be played upon;
8. Using the new Windows IE7 on my thinkpad; it looks a bit schizophrenic;
9. Windows announced my email archive was full today; I had to spend half an hour archiving from the full archive to another one; another time sink;
10. Julie just told me she is getting lots of fan mail from her writing;
11. Started Christina Notts web site; it needs a lot of work; abandoned the first one in iWeb and now using Blogger;
12. Tuesday was another day to don a radio mic; probably the fifth time within the last month;
13. I'm hungry.
Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
1. Leanne's Thirteen!
2. Ivory Frog's Thirteen!
3. Running 2k's Thirteen!
4. Uisce's Thirteen
5. Chickadee's Thirteen!
6. Judy's Thirteen!
7. Raehan's Thirteen!
8. Lunchtruck's Thirteen!
9. Janne's Thirteen!
X. (leave your link in comments, I'll add you here!)

Get Leanne's Thursday Thirteen code here!
Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! Leave your link as a comment and I will link to you and you can continue the chain!

Tag: Thursday Thirteen

dawn

The last few days, I've been getting up early and driving around in the dark. This morning, I was on the last part of the journey when I suddenly realised it was getting light. One snap later through the window of the car and I got this. My phone has distorted the colours somewhat, but the end result is a good reminder of the early signs of the changing season.

iWeb Comments

Trying to use the new Apple iWeb software to create the already mentioned Christina Nott site, I ran into a few basic problems. One - no ability to add comments ; Two- no obvious sidebar capability.

So the rather clean lines of the current prototype site are nice enough but not really very functional. I ran into a facility to add comments called (not surprisingly) iComment.

iComment is an application written by Chad Brantly. It works with the commenting service I already use, Haloscan.

Basically, When you set up your blog in iWeb, you insert some control text into the page. Then, run the iWeb blog through iComment, and it converts the special text into links and trackbacks compatible with Haloscan.

No simple solution for the sidebar, though. I have a feeling that Christina will be moving to Blogger.

Christina Nott

Christina Nott's music site is making its debut - see my blogroll. I suspect this will be a slow project in the background, with the need to provide reasonable versions of Christina's music as well.

I shall look into the best way to place mp3s of the work in progress somewhere easy to find.

mystique clarity

Several months ago I wrote a post with an aside about Amanda Palmer from the Dresden Dolls, who also writes a blog which I dip into from time to time. Here is an artist from a well-known, if cultish, band providing some streamed views of their band's life experiences.

There is also a rather lucid and thoughtful back-channel in the comments, which can individually be the same length as the original posts. Dresden Dolls get described by Wikipedia as Brechtian Punk Cabaret and have a mix of performance art and good songs. So this evening, we've been playing a festival's worth of their music, accompanied with a pleasant glass of wine. Here's a rare version of Amsterdam. If you look around where it came from you may also find Kaledrina.

ice cream

OK. Its not really the ice cream season, but after the 99, I thought I'd peek in the freezer, and there, near the back, was a lonely tub of Phish food.

It can wait until later.

All bound for Mu Mu Land
All bound for Mu Mu Land
(hey)
(hey hey)
All bound for Mu Mu Land (justified)
(hey hey)
All bound for Mu Mu Land
(Bring the beat back!)
They're Justified, and they're Ancient,
And they like to roam the land.
(just roll it from the top)
They're Justified, and they're Ancient,
I hope you understand.
(to the bridge, to the bridge, to the bridge now)
They called me up in Tennessee
They said "Tammy, stand by The Jams"
But if you don't like what they're going to do,
You better not stop them 'cause they're coming through
(bring the beat back)
(Hey hey)
All bound for Mu Mu Land (justified)
(Hey hey)
All bound for Mu Mu Land (justified)
(Ancients of Mu Mu)
Mu Mu Land
Mu Mu Land
All bound for Mu Mu Land
They're Justified, and they're Ancient,
And they drive an ice cream van.
(just roll it from the top)
They're Justified and they're Ancient,
With still no master plan.
(to the bridge, to the bridge, to the bridge now)
The last train left an hour ago,
They were singing "All aboard"
All bound for Mu Mu Land,
Then someone starting screaming "Turn up the Strobe"
(bring the beat back)
(Hey hey)
All bound for Mu Mu Land (justified)
(Hey hey)
All bound for Mu Mu Land (Ancients of Mu Mu)
(Bring the beat back)
Justified and Ancient, Ancient and a-justified,
Rocking to the rhythm in their ice cream van
with the plan and the key to
enter into Mu Mu
Vibes from the tribes of the Jams
I know where the beat is at,
'cos I know what time it is
Bring home a dime,
Make mine a "99"
New style, meanwhile, always on a mission while
Fishing in the rivers of life
Fishing in the rivers of life (hoi)
Fishing in the rivers of life (hoi)
Fishing in the rivers
Fishing in the rivers
Fishing in the rivers of life (hoi)
Voo-va-voolie
Za-shi-va-zom
Voo-va-voolie
(Bring the beat back)
(Hey hey)
All bound for Mu Mu Land (justified)
(Hey hey)
All bound for Mu Mu Land (Ancients of Mu Mu)
They have travelled the world
With the ice cream van
Their voyage, the bottom of time
They have entered the place
with the Mu Mu mate
And their children so pride
Mine as a "99"
(Bring the beat back)
Mu Mu Land (Ancients of Mu Mu)
Mu Mu Land (Ancients of Mu Mu)
All bound for Mu Mu Land
Mu Mu Land (Ancients of Mu Mu)
Mu Mu Land (Ancients of Mu Mu)
All bound for Mu Mu Land
Mu Mu Land
Mu Mu Land
All bound for Mu Mu Land

make mine a 99

I seemed to get quite a few hits on the television commercials I posted a couple of days ago, particularly the Cadbury's Flake advert - which I actually pointed to an old Harmony hair spray ad.

We must not forget Flake's little brother or sister known as the 99. This smaller version was introduced to enhance the humble ice cream cornet.

Legend has it that it was called the 99 because the majority of Whippy ice cream merchants at the time were Italian, and as the King of Italy had an elite bodyguard of 99 soldiers, the number 99 meant high quality to the Italians.

Here's a few other top commercials - flake is at number 26.


1 Guinness – Surfers music Leftfield & Afrika Bambaataa (1999)
2 Martians advise, "For mash get Smash" (1973)
3 You've been Tango'd/Orange Man (1991)
4 Heat Electric – Aardman Animations' animals (1991)
5 Melanie Sykes drinks Boddingtons (1997)
6 Nick Kamen takes off Levi's in the launderette - Grapevine (1985)
7 R Whites I'm a secret lemonade drinker (1973)
8 Happiness is a cigar called Hamlet/Bach's Air On A G String (from 1964)
9 Gary Lineker eats Walkers crisps (from 1993)
10 Impulse – woman fancies man, who turns out gay. (1998)
11 Leonard Rossiter spills Cinzano Bianco over Joan Collins (1978)
12 Renault Clio – Papa and Nicole (1991)
13 JR Hartley (Norman Lumsden) fly fishing book via Yellow Pages (1983)
14 British Telecom – Maureen Lipman impressed with ology (1988)
15 Nike Featuring Wright, Cantona, Seaman and Blur's Park Life (1997)
16 Coca Cola – I'd Like To Teach the World To Sing(1971)
17 I bet he drinks Carling Black Label/Dambusters (1989)
18 The dancing Shake 'N' Vac woman puts freshness back (1979)
19 The Andrex puppy (1972 onwards)
20 Real Fires – dog, cat & mouse. Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? (1988)
21 Ferrero Rocher served up at the ambassador's reception (1995)
22 The Oxo family. Lynda Bellingham played mum. (from 1958)
23 Just One Cornetto to the tune of O Sole Mio (1980)
24 The PG Tips Chimps (from 1956)
25 Australians wouldn't give a Castlemaine XXXX (1986)
26 Girls eat Cadbury's Flake seductively (from 1959)
27 The Milky Bar Kid (from 1961)
28 The Hovis boy. Directed by Ridley Scott. Music by Dvorak. (1974)
29 Heineken – Elocution lessons/The water in Majorca (1985)
30 A panda takes a break with a Kit Kat (1989)
31 The Gold Blend couple Sharon Maughan and Anthony Head (1987)
32 The long-lasting Duracell bunny (1981)
33 The dog does tricks for John Smith's Bitter (1981)
34 Pepsi – Lipsmackinthirstquenchin... etc (1974)
35 Martini – Any Time, Any Place, Anywhere (1971)
36 Everyone's a Fruit & Nut Case, sung by Frank Muir (1977)
37 Turkish Delight – full of Eastern promise (from 1957)
38 Apple Computers – Ridley Scott's George Orwell-inspired 1984 ad (1984)
39 Paul Hogan enjoys the amber nectar that is Fosters Lager (1984)
40 The Tetley Tea Folk. Voiced by Brian Glover (from 1973)
41 Campari – Lorraine Chase/Luton Airport (1977)
42 Paula Hamilton drives a VW Golf to music by Alan Price (1988)
43 Old Spice – Surfer (1977)
44 The Esso tiger (1964 onwards)
45 Celebs have One 2 One phone conversations (1997)
46 Milk – Watch out, there's a Humphrey about (1974)
47 A boy goes into a chemists to buy Mates Condoms (1987)
48 The mystery man avoids avalanche delivering Milk Tray(1974)
49 Beanz Meanz Heinz (1964)
50 Stella Artois – Flowers, inspired by French film Jean De Florette (1991)
51 The Dulux Dog (from 1964)
52 The Homepride flour men. Voiced by John Le Mesurier (1967)
53 The Sugar Puffs Honey Monster and Henry McGee (1976)
54 Holsten Pils Griff Rhys Jones interacts with Hollywood legends (1983)
55 Nine out of 10 cats prefer Whiskas (1975)
56 Fiat – Handbill by Robots (1979)
57 After Eights served at a dinner party (from 1963)
58 Hoffmeister – Follow the Bear, who was called George (1983)
59 Audi – Vorsprung Durch Technik. Voiced by Geoffrey Palmer (1984)
60 Rice Krispies – Snap, Crackle & Pop (1955)
61 Maxell Tapes – Me Ears Are Alight/The Israelites (1989)
62 British Airways – Face, Hugh Hudson Utah 6,000 children (1989)
63 The Yorkie Man (Martin Fisk) goes trucking (1976)
64 Schweppes – Shh... You Know Who, says William Franklyn (1963)
65 Captain Birds Eye, played by John Hewer (1968)
66 Hello Tosh, Gotta Toshiba (1984)
67 Sony – The armchair fantasy sequence. (1995)
68 British Gas shares – If You See Sid, Tell Him (1986)
69 Dunlop – Venus In Furs by the Velvet Underground (1993)
70 Cresta – The singing polar bear. "It's frothy man!" (1972)
71 The Guardian – Points of View, skinhead and falling bricks (1986)
72 Fairy Liquid – Hands That Do Dishes. Starred Nanette Newman (1964)
73 Murray Mints, the Too Good To Hurray Mints (1955)
74 The Lego mouse changes into other creatures (1980)
75 A Mars a day helps you work, rest and play (1978)
76 Relaxing British Rail (1988)
77 Tony Hancock says Go to Work on an Egg (1966)
78 Olympus Cameras – David Bailey as wedding photographer (1977)
79 Victor Kiam buys Remington (1979)
80 Ben prefers Birds Eye Beefburgers to admirer Mary (1974)
81 Don't forget the Fruit Gums, mum (1956)
82 Bing Crosby croons We're Going Shell (1963)
83 Christian and Katherine flirt over the Cointreau (from 1974)
84 Henry Cooper splashes Brut 33 all over (1976)
85 Courage Best – Chas & Dave perform Gertcha (1979)
86 The Nimble balloon (1973)
87 You're never alone with a Strand cigarette (1959)
88 Double Diamond Works Wonders (1968)
89 Clement Freud feeds Henry Chunky (1967)
90 Alan Whicker recommends Barclaycard (1984)
91 George Cole as a spy in the Benson & Hedges ads (1974)
92 Tingling Fresh Gibbs SR – the first ad on ITV (1955)
93 Tick-a-tick Timex (1964)
94 Penelope Keith Parker Pens for finishing school pupils (1975)
95 Shelley Hack as the Charlie Girl (1975)
96 The Sainbury's celebrity recipes (1992)
97 The Clarks Shoes foot drawings (1976)
98 Meccano turns a boy's world into a man's world (1967)
99 Top breeders recommend Pedigree Chum (1974)
100 Can people taste the difference between Stork and butter (1978)

shake

Friday, and I've caught up with most of the things I needed to do, so time to celebrate with a bit of a party.

For anyone with random and sometimes questionable musical taste and for people who are weird or maybe bored, here are a few musical suggestions.

Tag: music

Thursday Thirteen (V10.0)

1. I'm watching the debate about how the UK government don't know how many people they need to win a parliamentary vote;
2. I've added the new version of iLife to my Powerbook, but it will take me weeks to try out all of the facilities;
3. Tomorrow I'm working from home;
4. It was minus three degrees tonight when I returned home;
5. Need to make time for six nations at the weekend;
6. John G stopped by today, prior to starting his new adventure, partly in France;
7. My thinkpad ran out of disk space today and lost about 150 emails;
8. I spent about half an hour today sifting through my blackberry, to resend the missing emails back to my laptop;
9. I can't work out how I have played certain songs so many times, according to last.fm;
10. Like the last time I did T13, its only minutes from Friday!
11. i still like number 11;
12. Two unrelated people called me today to ask me for contact details about the same friend;
13. Although my car heater is fixed, the driver door lock is now going crazy and so the car needs to be booked in again for more work;

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

1. Leanne's Thirteen!
2. Ivory Frog's Thirteen!
3. Running 2k's Thirteen!
4. Uisce's Thirteen
5. Chickadee's Thirteen!
6. Judy's Thirteen!
7. Raehan's Thirteen!
8. Lunchtruck's Thirteen!
9. Janne's Thirteen!

X. (leave your link in comments, I'll add you here!)

Get Leanne's Thursday Thirteen code here!
Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! Leave me your Thirteener link as a comment and I will link to you, and then you can continue the chain!

Tag: Thursday Thirteen

W I D E T I M E

So yesterday was about dense time. Today its wide time. We all know what a long time is, well wide time is when a lot of different things are all happening simultaneously bringing about changes in ways initially imperceptible, but obvious upon reflection.

We all live in wide time; witness a few years of change. Flat screen televisions, laptop computers, wireless access, the demise of the broadsheet, free DVDs, steamed ready-meals, reality television, wider cars with fatter tyres...you get the picture - now click to see some British adverts from not so long ago.


Austin Ambassador

British Rail

Cadbury's Flake

Want more?

Tag: time, adverts, commercials