sarky heart bruni and president blair

I see Europe-1 is carrying a story about French President Nikolas Sarkozy and pop star model Carla Bruni getting married - another story amongst the last 2 months of guesses. "Nicolas Sarkozy et Carla Bruni se sont mariés ce samedi matin au premier étage de l'Elysée. Ils ont été mariés par le maire du VIIIe arrondissement de Paris, François Leben". It doesn't seem to be in the google news yet, though, so remember, if finally its true, you heard it here first. And the bruni sarkozy tv blog-fest is here.

But just as interesting was another Europe-1 story, a Jean-Pierre Elkabbach French language interview with Tony Blair. In addition to continuing the 'peace in our time' initiatives to the Middle East, it appears that Tony Blair has been taking lessons in the French language reaching a credible fluency enough to sustain a 20 minute political interview. Not content with appearances on Al Ayyam about middle eastern partitions, he's been interviewed about the European Presidency, which will need a new leader next January.

So I'm assuming that Tone's new found lingua-franca is all about the job. A tide-me-over couple of half million quid advisorships until the new year and then a new way to boss Gordon, or whoever it may be, around.

Technorati Tags: rashbre, bruni, sarkozy, blair, married, l'Elysee, Paris, France, Europe, President, Brown, sarky, sarki, carla

Soft, Ya?

The Microsoft Yahoo story has been around for many months, so when I saw it pop up again today, I wondered if it was a re-hash of the last loop and therefore not really news. Then I heard Steve Ballmer on the radio talking about it, so I assume its a real bid again. I recollect the going rate was about $50 billion when the last speculation occurred, so now the 10% reduction is interesting but not exactly a snip.

Although, I suppose if Google is worth around $150 billion (I haven't checked these numbers) and Microsoft itself is probably worth $300 billion, then Yahoo for $44bn may be quite a quick way for Microsoft to catch up on the advertising and search engine revenue model.

Its interesting that Microsoft has generally stayed in the technology space up until now and let others drive the other business models. This situation would give Microsoft a different revenue stream derived from advertising and search manipulation, as well as the more conventional technological aspect to be able to support a cloud based application interface.

Maybe some of the revenue models from Google and Apple start to offer another re-invention strategy for Microsoft?

location location

I'll be honest. Sometimes when I'm working from home I don't actually wear my work clothes. Sometimes at the weekends I get up late. Sometimes in the week I'm out until late in the evening and arrive back after staring in wonder at the stars. I don't always think this is predictable, but the scientists have derived profiles for just about every living area and the way that people carry on.

So I decided to have a tinker with one of these UK systems for doing demographic profiling, to see what it said about a couple of neighbourhoods. I typed in a postcode and it produced a complete vignette of a particular lifestyle.

These people enjoy a good lifestyle. Employment is largely in professional occupations, and many of the households in this type have both adults working. Car ownership is high, with two or more cars common. Models are likely to be large, new, company owned and relatively expensive. The home computer is a key item. They use it for careers and job planning, education and reference (for example, researching cars and holidays), home finance, buying gifts and making leisure bookings online. They lead an active lifestyle, enjoying walking, playing golf and going to the gym. These consumers enjoying drinking wine which they often buy by the case through mail order. They also enjoy eating out in restaurants on a regular basis.

So then I thought I'd try another one...And this is what I got.

These people live in urban areas, where large attractive houses have often been converted into flats. Whilst many do own their home, the proportion of rented accommodation is relatively high.

People in this type are very highly qualified; one in four have postgraduate and professional qualifications. They work in professional and senior managerial occupations, with many spending very long hours at work. As one of the highest earning types, they have relatively high disposable incomes.

In the winter, this type is the most likely to go skiing. They will then take at least one other holiday which is usually foreign and often far flung. When at home they take advantage of the range of theatre and arts available to them from living in the city. They also enjoy good food and wine, both at home and in restaurants.

They are interested in current affairs and are very likely to buy a daily paper, which they probably read as they commute to work. They usually choose from The Guardian, Independent, The Times and Financial Times. At the weekend they like The Sunday Times and Observer.

Wanna Play for your area?

pint

Three of us drifted into the Masque Haunt for a wrap up conversation. We'd been busy all day and it was good to sip a drink and take stock for a few minutes. It was still early enough for the place to be fairly empty, but we still stood by the bar, each aware we'd other calls on our time in the rest of the evening.

Earlier in the day I'd been in the spicily aromatic Nin Com Soup, also in the same area around Old Street, for a latte whilst I waited for our early morning prep meeting. So, I'd really only seen a single street, except when we were lost at the confusing roundabout for a couple of minutes and had to retrace steps.

As we left, I found a passing bus heading my way and left the others walking to Barbican to catch trains to outer London and to the airport.

arti

An interesting evening at the Camel and Artichoke yesterday, for the London Bloggers Meetup, arranged by Andy Bargery and with the support of Qype.

Close to Waterloo, near to The Cut, in Lower Marsh was an upstairs room in the pub, set aside for the meeting. Qype had kindly supplied drinks although there was no need to prime the conversations which started and ran freely throughout the event.

I'd guess there were around 35-40 people in the room and I'm hopeful that Peter's photos will show up somewhere as a record. I took one early snapshot in the evening as people were settling into the very animated and diverse conversations.

Inevitable questions about blog names and who does one read, but then discussions whizzing in all manner of directions, based upon a group whose common interest is simply blogging. I found it an entertaining event and am now wondering how on earth I capture the names and blog addresses of the great group of people I met during the evening?

Technorati Tags: rashbre, london, bloggers, meetup, camel, artichoke, lower, marsh, waterloo

Camel and Artichoke

Well, I've had the banner up about this for a couple of weeks now, the least I can do is to show up at the pub in the evening. I'm not sure why they changed its name from the Reluctant Camel to the Camel and Artichoke, but I guess I'll find out tomorrow.

It reminds me of that rude joke about bricking the camel, but I'd better stop now before I dig myself an oasis.

Technorati Tags: rashbre, london, blogger, meetup, waterloo, camel+and+artichoke

sorted for Es and Whizz

How delightful to get an award from bobkat. Most unexpected and just after I'd written a post about reverting to ten minutes a day for my posts. No pressure then.

Er, I don't have a proper speech.

I will find some nominations over the next few days though and I'll make a rule to myself not to award anyone that I've previously thanked in some similar way in an attempt to spread the goodness.

Its always great to get passing commenteers and readers, even the stealthy RSS readers and silent lurkers are welcome. Even the considerable number of Polish folk who are using rashbre central to get London traffic news from my traffic cams page. Witajcie. And even the still considerable number of fans of pulp powertools fantasy bunnies and the readers who wish to dismantle iPods and iMacs. Good luck.

Thank to bobkat and for the moment I'm sorted with a whizzy E.

sorted for Es and whizz

soma

Prior to digital cameras, I've had my share of 35mm SLRs. Spot metering, exposure calculations, depth of field, bracketing, ISOs, grain were all part of my SLR vocabulary.

Nothing prepared me for Debra's Hasselblad.

Out it came from an unassuming cotton bag. Debra's camera with a 12 back. Instantly iconic, a work of craftsman's precision displaying careful numbers and calibrations on every rotating surface. Special rails and rings heightened the control of the interaction.

Debra's camera is like the centre of a photographic vortex. A very cellular point so that as one knows something of optics, exposure, focus, field, composition then the 'Blad provides the raw synapses to control every aspect. Not a spectator sport, not point and shoot.

This fuses the photographer with the means to make the picture. The act is as one. A smooth ritual to collect the inputs for a frame and caress their impulses to the dendrites of the camera. As the operator's nerves fire their signal, the shutter and mirror's clunk provide a satisfying completion of this wholly addictive act of photography.
hasselblad shutter recording attempt

Technorati Tags: rashbre, hasselblad, shutter, sound, mp3, sample, logicpro, bass, amp

cloned operations

Someone has come up with a way to build new operating systems for cells. Apparently, you can drop a cassette of DNA pre-coded with a set of instructions into another cell, 're-boot' and take over the way the host cell operates. The first one is called Mycoplasma.

Okay, the second part of the name is genitalium, but no tittering in the back of class, please.

The PR spin on this is to make new carbon dioxide gobbling cells which poot out hydrogen or something equally energy worthy.

El snaggaletto that I see is what if the new cell decides to do what every cell in Hollywood blockbusters always does and (a) escape (b) go on the rampage (c) take over humans in some terrifying and ultimately destructive manner?

I'm sure the scientists have thought of this, and if we don't find the earth's atmosphere turned to explosive hydrogen, then the same scientists will find a way to engineer a counter cell, with a different operating system which can go around duffing the first set. A bit like the film I watched the other night, where the humans stand around and watch alien life forms fighting.

Or perhaps the scientists are approach by a strangely squinting person with a penchant for leather uniforms, who then captures their minds and makes them build a destructo-cell as a weapon so that an ultimate world ruler can be created.

Technorati Tags: rashbre, darth, venter, DNA, RNA, cytoplasm, genomics, genome, mycoplasma, genitalium, genetics, matrix, agent, smith, cassette, mad, scientist, codon, glycine, lysine, tryptophan, histidine, alanine, serine, valine, isoleucine, stop, clone, matrix, ice, crash, ink+wars

something to write home about

Mellow Yellow's interior had dark clouds of heavy, sweet smelling cannabis smoke drifting towards the window. A girl sat on the bench outside preoccupied with a roll-up cigarette. I watched the passers by. We'd suggested this bright, if dubious, spot to meet. Soon I would be saying hello to Debra.

Then suddenly, with a swirl, Debra arrived and we greeted the Dutch way with three kisses (left, right, left). We sparked into conversation, surprisingly familiar for this first meeting outside of blog-world. Debra had half expected an American. But I'd phoned yesterday and we'd made those final arrangements voice to voice. We both agreed there's something about voices. Not that there aren't voices in blogs, but there's an extra sparkle in a real life meeting.

We found a cafe, two smechliche koffie or some such that Debra ordered fluently. I nodded agreement with the choice and then we talked...and talked...and talked.

Blogs, real world, photography, writing, stuff.

And now I can say I've 'touched' the shiny Hasselblad that Debra coaxes for some of her vast array of pictures. Debra's cameras span plastic Holga to the sculpted, meticulous genius of the Hasselblad, which is worth, and will get, a post of its own.

An hour and a half of chatter cartwheeled past us until normal lives started to tug our sleeves. We left together, a farewell left, right, left and I started making plans for my journey back to evening meetings in London.

Amsterdam has always been a place I enjoy, and now, for me is all the richer for Debra's presence.

triple

Sometimes things slide out of control. I just had a delayed plane. Then the motorway was blocked from an accident. Then we had a power outage for an as yet undisclosed reason. Sitting in candlelight, luckily the laptop battery hasn't run dow

not eggsactly wordless wednesday

just knock - seriously, its worth a click

Technorati Tags: rashbre, wordless, wednesday, open+trackback, OTA