wordpress.xml

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<!-- generator="WordPress.com" created="2014-10-03 12:02"-->
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<title>Infrequent Rambling</title>
<link>http://blog.dreamshake.net</link>
<description>Just me, (really) unedited</description>
<pubDate>Fri, 03 Oct 2014 12:02:03 +0000</pubDate>
<language>en</language>
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  <wp:category_description><![CDATA[Posts I've imported from previous blogs. Intermittently, they go back to 2003, and further if I can negotiate the Wayback Machine.]]></wp:category_description>
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  <wp:category_description><![CDATA[Blogging about blogging. How self-referentially dull can one person get?]]></wp:category_description>
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  <wp:category_description><![CDATA[Stuff I think about films.]]></wp:category_description>
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  <wp:category_description><![CDATA[Since a lot of my web usage seems to be this nowadays, I've given myself a category to blog with.]]></wp:category_description>
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  <wp:cat_name><![CDATA[The Wireless]]></wp:cat_name>
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<generator>http://wordpress.com/</generator>
<image>
		<url>https://s2.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.png</url>
		<title> &#187; Infrequent Rambling</title>
		<link>http://blog.dreamshake.net</link>
	</image>
	<item>
  <title>wordpress-2009-06-24-xml.txt</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/?attachment_id=3</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 24 Jun 2009 08:54:25 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://dreamshake.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/wordpress-2009-06-24-xml.txt</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[http://dreamshake.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/wordpress-2009-06-24-xml.txt]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>3</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-06-24 08:54:25</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2009-06-24 08:54:25</wp:post_date_gmt>
  <wp:comment_status>open</wp:comment_status>
  <wp:ping_status>open</wp:ping_status>
  <wp:post_name>wordpress-2009-06-24-xml-txt</wp:post_name>
  <wp:status>inherit</wp:status>
  <wp:post_parent>0</wp:post_parent>
  <wp:menu_order>0</wp:menu_order>
  <wp:post_type>attachment</wp:post_type>
  <wp:post_password/>
  <wp:is_sticky>0</wp:is_sticky>
  <wp:attachment_url>https://dreamshake.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/wordpress-2009-06-24-xml.txt</wp:attachment_url>
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    <wp:meta_value><![CDATA[{{unknown}}]]></wp:meta_value>
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</item>
<item>
  <title>Big Bore-ther</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2003/05/27/big-bore-ther/</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 27 May 2003 10:18:26 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=68</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Does anyone really care about the latest series of Big Brother?

Well, if you go by the viewing figures (7-8 million) for the first episode, then this is set to be the biggest ever. At the risk of sounding like an intellectual snob, this really is lowest common denominator TV. Following on the heels of "Pop Idol", "Fame Academy", "I'm A Celebrity, Resurrect My Career", the television industry is proving that it knows how to flog a dead horse (see cookery, gardening and home improvement shows for further details).

I am proud to say that I don't know any of the contestants' names, but that will doubtless change over the next two months, as saturation coverage continues. Channel 4 will be off-limits, except for the cricket!]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>68</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2003-05-27 11:18:26</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2003-05-27 10:18:26</wp:post_date_gmt>
  <wp:comment_status>open</wp:comment_status>
  <wp:ping_status>open</wp:ping_status>
  <wp:post_name>big-bore-ther</wp:post_name>
  <wp:status>publish</wp:status>
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  <category domain="category" nicename="ancient-stuff"><![CDATA[Ancient stuff]]></category>
</item>
<item>
  <title>Bye Bye Beckham!</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2003/06/18/bye-bye-beckham/</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 18 Jun 2003 14:23:37 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=70</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Thank God.  They're leaving the country.  The only worry is that they'll be back soon.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>70</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2003-06-18 15:23:37</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2003-06-18 14:23:37</wp:post_date_gmt>
  <wp:comment_status>open</wp:comment_status>
  <wp:ping_status>open</wp:ping_status>
  <wp:post_name>bye-bye-beckham</wp:post_name>
  <wp:status>publish</wp:status>
  <wp:post_parent>0</wp:post_parent>
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  <wp:is_sticky>0</wp:is_sticky>
  <category domain="category" nicename="ancient-stuff"><![CDATA[Ancient stuff]]></category>
</item>
<item>
  <title>I'm back!!!!</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2003/07/07/im-back/</link>
  <pubDate>Mon, 07 Jul 2003 10:56:45 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=81</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Well, I've been very lax recently, not posting to my blog, and generally feeling a bit sorry for myself. Aside from a bit of entertainment at work (more about that in a later post I think) I've actually found it difficult to adapt to being single again. Out of practice I suppose. Anyway, I had started to consider options that really wouldn't have been options a couple of years ago.

Suddenly though, I woke up on Sunday, and all was right with the world. I've remembered how to be single, and remembered that I did once have standards (hard though that may be to believe!) and I no longer need to derive comfort from those who are even worse off than me.

I have a horrible cold at the moment, but even that has failed to dampen my spirits. I'm changing my job a bit too, and that is definitely something to look forward to. Now if only my lottery numbers would come up, everything would be perfect...]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>81</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2003-07-07 11:56:45</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2003-07-07 10:56:45</wp:post_date_gmt>
  <wp:comment_status>open</wp:comment_status>
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  <category domain="category" nicename="ancient-stuff"><![CDATA[Ancient stuff]]></category>
</item>
<item>
  <title>Spooks rocks!</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2003/07/07/spooks-rocks/</link>
  <pubDate>Mon, 07 Jul 2003 22:33:51 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=79</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[After last week's disappointing episode, this evening's was excellent. It's rubbish really, because it seems very far-fetched (and the writers had very little access to any kind of facts), but it's very enjoyable.

And it's about time Tom gave that American bird one.  MI5 knocking the back right out of the CIA!]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>79</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2003-07-07 23:33:51</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2003-07-07 22:33:51</wp:post_date_gmt>
  <wp:comment_status>open</wp:comment_status>
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  <wp:post_name>spooks-rocks</wp:post_name>
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  <category domain="category" nicename="ancient-stuff"><![CDATA[Ancient stuff]]></category>
</item>
<item>
  <title>Oh, the weather outside is frightful...</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2003/07/16/oh-the-weather-outside-is-frightful/</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 16 Jul 2003 21:06:59 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=76</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Bugger me, it's hot! Even the latest thunder storm doesn't seem to have cleared the air. I definitely reckon I'd be better off in Sydney, with Abs and Neil.

New job came through today too.  I'm <strong>very</strong> pleased.  BBQ at the weekend will be the perfect opportunity to celebrate...]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>76</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2003-07-16 22:06:59</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2003-07-16 21:06:59</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <wp:post_name>oh-the-weather-outside-is-frightful</wp:post_name>
  <wp:status>publish</wp:status>
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  <category domain="category" nicename="ancient-stuff"><![CDATA[Ancient stuff]]></category>
</item>
<item>
  <title>Quote for the day</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2003/07/22/quote-for-the-day/</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 22 Jul 2003 11:01:32 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=74</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[<em>"To err is human -- and to blame it on a computer is even more so."</em>

<strong>Robert Orben</strong>]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>74</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2003-07-22 12:01:32</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2003-07-22 11:01:32</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <wp:ping_status>open</wp:ping_status>
  <wp:post_name>quote-for-the-day</wp:post_name>
  <wp:status>publish</wp:status>
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  <wp:is_sticky>0</wp:is_sticky>
  <category domain="category" nicename="ancient-stuff"><![CDATA[Ancient stuff]]></category>
</item>
<item>
  <title>Released today...</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2003/07/28/released-today/</link>
  <pubDate>Mon, 28 Jul 2003 09:49:52 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=72</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Breathe (remix) - Blu Cantrell featuring Sean Paul

Good song.  I'll be buying it at lunchtime.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>72</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2003-07-28 10:49:52</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2003-07-28 09:49:52</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <category domain="category" nicename="ancient-stuff"><![CDATA[Ancient stuff]]></category>
</item>
<item>
  <title>Go on Freddy!</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2003/08/04/go-on-freddy/</link>
  <pubDate>Mon, 04 Aug 2003 09:36:56 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=83</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Well, the second test against the Saffers was an almost complete waste of time.

Well, maybe not completely. We now know that Gough is finished in international terms, McGrath is about as good as me, Flintoff can be the most entertaining batsman England have, and I hate Graeme Smith! Roll on Trent Bridge...]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>83</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2003-08-04 10:36:56</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2003-08-04 09:36:56</wp:post_date_gmt>
  <wp:comment_status>open</wp:comment_status>
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  <wp:post_name>go-on-freddy</wp:post_name>
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  <category domain="category" nicename="ancient-stuff"><![CDATA[Ancient stuff]]></category>
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<item>
  <title>On National Identity Cards</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2003/08/05/on-national-identity-cards/</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 05 Aug 2003 14:11:50 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=85</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[I've been reading about a number of people's concerns about National Indentity cards. Up until now, I must admit, I hadn't given much thought to the matter, or been particularly concerned about my privacy and civil rights.

However, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20040209112145/http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/32148.html">having just read an article on The Register</a>, I am definitely worried where society will be in 10-15 years. It isn't inconceivable that our ID card, credit card, cell phone, and electronic money will all be integrated, giving some with the inclination the ability to track us, see what and when we spend money, and basically draw up an itinerary of our day-to-day lives.

I don't know about you, but I object to that.]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>85</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2003-08-05 15:11:50</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2003-08-05 14:11:50</wp:post_date_gmt>
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<item>
  <title>40 Years on, and resonant as ever</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2003/08/22/40-years-on-and-resonant-as-ever/</link>
  <pubDate>Fri, 22 Aug 2003 09:22:52 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=87</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[40 years ago this coming Thursday, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his world-famous speech at the Lincoln memorial. One of the defining moments of the Twentieth Century, sadly we still don't have the world that Dr. King dreamed of. Here are two parts that are both famous, and highly moving.

<em>"I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today."</em>

<em>When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"</em>

The full speech:
<blockquote>Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of captivity. But one hundred years later, we must face the tragic fact that the Negro is still not free.

One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land.

So we have come here today to dramatize an appalling condition. In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir.

This note was a promise that all men would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation.

So we have come to cash this check -- a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to open the doors of opportunity to all of God's children. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment and to underestimate the determination of the Negro. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights.

The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges. But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. we must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.

We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" we can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.

Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair. I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. This is our hope. This is the faith with which I return to the South. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring." And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania! Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado! Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California! But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia! Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee! Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"</blockquote>
<em>
</em>]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>87</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2003-08-22 10:22:52</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2003-08-22 09:22:52</wp:post_date_gmt>
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<item>
  <title>Life Sucks</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2003/08/26/life-sucks/</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 26 Aug 2003 12:12:31 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=89</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Mostly, I haven't discussed anything personal, or less trivial on my blog. In fact, on most occasions, I've actively avoided it. I'm not a person who is comfortable discussing personal or emotional matters at the best of times, let alone doing it on a website. The events of the last few days have left me feeling a bit empty and confused, so I feel the need to offload a little bit.

Some background first. Two weeks ago, I was set up with the friend of a friend. Normally, I wouldn't go near that kind of situation with a barge pole, but the person doing the introducing is someone who I trust, and I figured that I had very little to lose. Anyway, having met this person, I thought it had been a very good idea! She was really cool, we seemed to get on well, I thought she was attractive, so I was keen to meet her again.

Fast forward to this weekend, and we're both at a barbeque. Most of the people there are her friends, which made me feel a little bit nervous, but she was great, and I didn't feel uncomfortable at all. Then, out of the blue, an argument that I had had with our mutual friend came up in conversation, and things took a downward turn.

Now, I'm the first to admit that I wasn't keen to explain the circumstances of the falling out to her. It didn't make me look great, and obviously I didn't want to put her off. For the purposes of talking (writing?) through this an explanation is necessary. About a month ago, both me and the perosn that I fell out with were at a barbeque (maybe I should stay away from barbeques!), and she heard me describe one of her (other) friends as fat.

Now, I'm nobody's fool, and I should have realised that word is not an adjective to use in polite company, but I did use it. I had been drinking for 12 hours, so my recollection isn't perfect, but I'm sure that I didn't use it in the pejorative sense. In actual fact, I thought that the person I had used it to describe was quite attractive. I think we really argued because my friend had reacted by shouting at me, and I don't take to that sort of thing too kindly. I'm perfectly prepared to admit that I was insensitive and stupid to describe someone's friend in that way. I said as much by the end of the argument, and thought very little about it. If anything, I thought that the disagreement was quite amusing, in the way that it had descended into a shouting match! We were too similar really, and rational discussion went out of the window.

Anyway, back to last weekend. Eventually, the girl who I had been getting on so well with (let's call her Louise) kept asking my partner-in-arguing (let's call her Hannah) what the argument was about. Understandably, Hannah told Louise all about it. I wasn't aware that any of this had happened at the time. So, half an hour later, when I'm wondering where Louise has gone, I find her upstairs, and discover that Hannah has explained what happened. Louise was really upset about it all, to the point of crying, and, after not too long, I left, going home feeling pretty crushed if I'm honest. A couple of hours before things had been going so well, and now this.

The next day I woke up, still feeling pretty shit (it's not nice to know that you've made someone cry), and sent Louise a text message, attempting to apologise, and telling her that I'd really like to see her again. She said that she didn't want to, which is fair enough, and I went into full self-pity mode. It was only when I tried to explain to a friend of mine why I had such a bad weekend that I really started to think about events.

I like to try to put myself in the other person's shoes when I'm looking at things. How would I have reacted in her position? And that was when it struck me. I wouldn't have reacted like that. I would have been angry that someone had felt able to insult my friend (which is what I did, albeit unintentionally), and I'm as defensive of my friends as anyone. Would I have elected not to see them again, not to even ask them about what they had said? No. Would I have judged them by one drunken comment? No. And herein lies my dilemma.

In a way, now I feel angry and confused. I can understand why Louise is upset, but I can't understand her reaction (not entirely anyway). Normally I'd just be angry, but I like Louise a lot, more than anyone I have met in a long time. So I'm the real loser here, and I feel gutted.

To top it all off, it seems as though Hannah isn't speaking to me either, or at the very least, isn't over-keen to say anything. Which I really don't understand. Anyone who knows me should know I can be very harsh and tactless at times, but I'm not nasty or vindictive, and appearance means very little to me. But I feel like the bad guy. If I had gone to bed earlier a month ago, I'd probably have the chance to see Louise again. As it stands, that's not happening, and one of my friends isn't speaking to me either, and it feels as though there's nothing I can do.

So, to sum up, and to close this entry, see the title;  Life Sucks!]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>89</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2003-08-26 13:12:31</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2003-08-26 12:12:31</wp:post_date_gmt>
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<item>
  <title>Back Again</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2003/08/28/back-again/</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 28 Aug 2003 13:52:34 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=91</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[I'm going to make a concerted effort to try to make more, and better entries here. After my extended diatribe about last weekend (I'm still a bit confused about everything that happened?!), back to happier things. Hopefully Houston is coming together for a holiday in December, off to London for the weekend, and the Deeping basketball season is almost upon us again.

Cool!]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>91</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2003-08-28 14:52:34</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2003-08-28 13:52:34</wp:post_date_gmt>
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<item>
  <title>Quality Weekend</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2003/09/02/quality-weekend/</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 02 Sep 2003 16:15:04 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=94</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Watched Tomb Raider: Cradle of Life, went down to London, got drunk, met someone quite cool, enjoyed myself.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>94</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2003-09-02 17:15:04</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2003-09-02 16:15:04</wp:post_date_gmt>
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<item>
  <title>Skee Lo</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2003/09/03/skee-lo/</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 03 Sep 2003 22:11:31 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=97</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[<em>"I wish I was a little bit taller
I wish I was a baller
I wish I had a girl who looked good
I would call her
I wish I had a rabbit in a hat with a bat
and a six four Impala."</em>

That is all.]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>97</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2003-09-03 23:11:31</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2003-09-03 22:11:31</wp:post_date_gmt>
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<item>
  <title>Old Friends</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2003/09/11/old-friends/</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 11 Sep 2003 07:10:29 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=99</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Heard from an old friend from university yesterday. Really cool surprise. So, if you're reading this Nicky, good to hear from you again!

More soon.]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>99</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2003-09-11 08:10:29</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2003-09-11 07:10:29</wp:post_date_gmt>
  <wp:comment_status>open</wp:comment_status>
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  <wp:post_name>old-friends</wp:post_name>
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  <title>Shopping List</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2003/09/18/shopping-list/</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 18 Sep 2003 19:42:36 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=101</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Don't you just hate making shopping lists?]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>101</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2003-09-18 20:42:36</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2003-09-18 19:42:36</wp:post_date_gmt>
  <wp:comment_status>open</wp:comment_status>
  <wp:ping_status>open</wp:ping_status>
  <wp:post_name>shopping-list</wp:post_name>
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<item>
  <title>London Calling</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2003/10/07/london-calling/</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 07 Oct 2003 09:15:12 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=105</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[... with apologies to The Clash for this entry's title!

Now, I have always said that I didn't think I was a big city person. Nice to visit, but terrible to live in. Having been to London a lot over the past 6-7 years, maybe I'm wrong. In a strange way, I actually feel at home here. Not just because I have quite a few friends in and around the place, but actually travelling around the city, I feel comfortable. I'm sure the day-to-day grind is something that might get me down, but I think I'm going to have to give it a try. Another 12 months Oracle/PLSQL experience will stand me in good stead, I think.

Going to Vienna tomorrow. Looking forward to it now, and starting to get excited about flying on a proper plane. Think the pilot will let me look in the cockpit? :)]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>105</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2003-10-07 10:15:12</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2003-10-07 09:15:12</wp:post_date_gmt>
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<item>
  <title>Out and About</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2003/10/07/out-and-about/</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 07 Oct 2003 15:12:26 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=103</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[I'm out and about on my travels this week... heading down to London for a couple of days for a dull training course (and taking the opportunity to have some beers whilst I'm down there), then it's off to Vienna for a long weekend.

Really looking for to that, actually, it'll be good to leave this sceptred isle again, since it's been a while. Not to mention I'm visiting Nicky, who I have hardly seen since I left university. Should be a good laugh!]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>103</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2003-10-07 16:12:26</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2003-10-07 15:12:26</wp:post_date_gmt>
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<item>
  <title>This means nothing to me...</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2003/10/13/this-means-nothing-to-me/</link>
  <pubDate>Mon, 13 Oct 2003 09:34:16 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=107</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[I'm going to go for lyrical titles for my entries from now on. Makes thinking of a title easier. This one's pretty easy, particularly if you know where I've been this weekend.

Didn't see too much of the city, but that wasn't the real reason for the trip, so I can't say I'm too bothered. I'm writing this sitting in Nicky's flat in Vienna, but when I get the chance to post it, I don't know. Free WiFi hotspots don't seem to be very prevalent yet, so it might have to wait until I'm at home.

<strong>Update:</strong>
Vienna Airport has a Wireless LAN, and it's free, so I can post this in transit. Works quite well actually, was a bit flaky where I first sat down, but now it's fine.

I feel a bit odd now, the weekend being over. Chances are I'm unlikely to see Nicky again, since she's off to SA in the new year. Very strange saying goodbye to someone for what could be forever. I felt quite emotional, which is a bit out of the ordinary for me. Oh well, nice to have had the chance to meet up.

The weekend was pretty cool actually, went to a Mexican bar as soon as I got into Vienna, with a load of Nicky's mates. Got relatively drunk, although most of them were really hammered, ended on dancing on the bar, and mixing my drinks as much as possible.

Sushi the next day for breakfast/lunch, then back to the flat, and vegging out in front of the TV. Quick wander around Vienna, couple of beers, then back to the flat, and watched Cube (very strange film), and Withnail &amp; I (very funny film).

Sunday afternoon was spent in various drinking establishments, which was pretty enjoyable, and then a Thai meal in the evening. All in all, I probably spent as much time in Irish bars as Austrian one, but when it comes down to it, they all have one thing in common. Alcohol.

I actually had a pretty relaxed and chilled out weekend, which was just what I needed.]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>107</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2003-10-13 10:34:16</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2003-10-13 09:34:16</wp:post_date_gmt>
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<item>
  <title>In the time of Chimpanzees, I was a monkey...</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2003/11/15/in-the-time-of-chimpanzees-i-was-a-monkey/</link>
  <pubDate>Sat, 15 Nov 2003 19:43:10 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=109</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Saturday night in, alone and ill...  hence the particular lyrical title.

Had lunch with Helen today, which was great. Sometimes you look back, and wonder... but then sometimes I wonder how life has conspired to ensure that I'm not (currently) rich and famous!

Anyway, real reason for my post:  If you're obsessed with music, a bit like me, this site is <strong>very</strong> cool!  <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20040209112420/http://www.coversproject.com/">Coversproject.com</a> lists all songs that an artist or band has covered, and all of their songs that someone else has covered. Very entertaining, and is certainly whiling a few hours away this evening.]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>109</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2003-11-15 20:43:10</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2003-11-15 19:43:10</wp:post_date_gmt>
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<item>
  <title>Too many people take second best...</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2003/11/29/too-many-people-take-second-best/</link>
  <pubDate>Sat, 29 Nov 2003 10:58:47 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=111</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Right so I'm watching the Tomb Raider DVD, which I borrowed from Helen, and I realise that Angelina Jolie is actually perfect. Why? She's left-handed.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>111</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2003-11-29 11:58:47</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2003-11-29 10:58:47</wp:post_date_gmt>
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<item>
  <title>I'm leaving on a jet plane...</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2003/12/03/im-leaving-on-a-jet-plane/</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 03 Dec 2003 20:04:18 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=22</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Well, in a week's time I should be landing at Philadelphia International Airport, and then catching a flight on to West Palm Beach. It's been a while since I've been on holiday (over two years actually), so I'm getting quite excited now. Hopefully the weather will be good, the beer will flow, and I'll have an entertaining, relaxing time!]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>22</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2003-12-03 21:04:18</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2003-12-03 20:04:18</wp:post_date_gmt>
  <wp:comment_status>open</wp:comment_status>
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  <wp:post_name>im-leaving-on-a-jet-plane</wp:post_name>
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<item>
  <title>...bienvenido a Miami...</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2003/12/17/bienvenido-a-miami/</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 17 Dec 2003 16:56:16 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=25</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Well, this is the first opportunity I've really had to make an entry about my holiday so far. First off, I flew into Palm Beach on the 10th, met Mark and we drove approximately an hour up the coast to a small town called Vero Beach, where he's been staying whilst he's been doing his flight training. Vero is quiet, and not too much happens there, but we had a few nights out that were pretty good.

On Monday, we came down to Miami for a few days, and we're staying in Miami Beach, in a hotel on Collins Avenue. Ocean Drive is about a 10-15 minute walk away, and whilst the weather has been overcast some of the time, it's always been warm. So far, I've been eyed up by the best-looking transvestite I've ever seen (when we left the club, she was snogging a bloke that I'm 100% certain didn't know she was male). I've also been accused of being gay by an Australian (now that hurt!), and she just wouldn't accept that I was straight. Sadly, she wandered off before I got the chance to show her first-hand that I was indeed heterosexual.

We met a very fit barmaid for breakfast (who was lovely too. Unlike a lot of US women) and last night went to a bar that I swear was straight out of Coyote Ugly (if you haven't seen the film, insanely attractive barstaff, scantily clad, serving drinks and dancing on the bar). Again, me and Mark were asked if we were a couple, but at least this time I got the chance to demonstrate that I wasn't to the girl in question! Oh, one other thing, this bar wasn't letting men in, only women, because "there are already too many guys in here", so we talked a couple of local girls into accompanying us in, and bought them some drinks. I like a bar that stops letting men in (as long as I'm already inside!).

Almost forgot, went to a Heat game last night, and saw Miami beat Atlanta quite comfortably. Great arena, but disappointingly there were probably only about 6,000 people. Dwyane Wade will be a great player, if last night is anything to go by.

Unfortunately, because of bad weather on Mark's flight test, this is our last full day in Miami, as he has to go back to do his practical test in Vero on Friday. Still, it'll be a way to save money for a couple of days, before heading down to West Palm Beach on Saturday to hit the tiles, and catch our flight home :( on Sunday.

Well, that's about it for the time being, maybe I'll post again before I get home, but it's unlikely. Finding internet access isn't at the top of my list of things to do!]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>25</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2003-12-17 17:56:16</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2003-12-17 16:56:16</wp:post_date_gmt>
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<item>
  <title>So here it is...</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2003/12/29/so-here-it-is/</link>
  <pubDate>Mon, 29 Dec 2003 08:55:46 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=30</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[A belated Merry Christmas, and a prosperous new year to everyone who occasionally reads this blog (which, surprisingly, is up to double figures by all accounts). I'm back at work today, which is a bugger, but there's not a huge amount happening today.

Saw a few people I haven't seen for ages at a school reunion on the 27th, which was cool. I'll do another entry this afternoon, detailing a bit more about the evening...]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>30</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2003-12-29 09:55:46</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2003-12-29 08:55:46</wp:post_date_gmt>
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<item>
  <title>...You've got to admit, it's getting better...</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2004/01/15/youve-got-to-admit-its-getting-better/</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 15 Jan 2004 15:48:30 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=27</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Well, 2004 is here, and guess what, it's not so different than last year so far. I went down to Clapham for NYE, and had quite a lot to drink (oh, OK, lots to drink) in a bar called B@1. It was good fun, although I might have felt better the next day if I hadn't decided to emulate Jeff Bridges in "The Big Lebowski", and drink lots of White Russians!

I've got this weekend off, and then I'm out and about all over the country the following three weekends, so I'm going to try to get the work finished on my new website. It's coming along fairly well, and hopefully there'll be more than this blog at dreamshake.net very soon. Not that it'll be hugely interesting, but at least there will be more to read than just my occasional ramblings.

Still waiting to hear from Mr. Collins about his New Year's experience.  Should be interesting!]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>27</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2004-01-15 16:48:30</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2004-01-15 15:48:30</wp:post_date_gmt>
  <wp:comment_status>open</wp:comment_status>
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<item>
  <title>Just a quick one</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2004/01/21/just-a-quick-one/</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 21 Jan 2004 16:26:57 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=32</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Check out <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20040208224339/http://www.wikipedia.com/">Wikipedia</a>. If you don't know, a wiki is a website that allows all visitors to it to edit it's content. In that regard, it's very much like Tim Berners-Lee's original vision for the worldwide web, a collaborative effort, rather than a content provider just pushing data to consumers.

Anyway, Wikipedia is an encyclopedia, and quite and extensive one at that, with the difference being that anyone can edit and add entries. I've just put in some more information about Werrington, for example.

I like the idea of sharing information like this, and it's pleasing to see that it isn't actively being defaced.]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>32</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2004-01-21 17:26:57</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2004-01-21 16:26:57</wp:post_date_gmt>
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<item>
  <title>...Another year older, and deeper in debt...</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2004/02/09/another-year-older-and-deeper-in-debt/</link>
  <pubDate>Mon, 09 Feb 2004 10:37:14 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=35</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Well, I haven't written an entry in a couple of weeks, I've been a bit slack because I've been extremely busy. My birthday was good fun, and Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday were very entertaining nights out. Cost me a few quid, but hey, it was worth it!

My usual round of trips to London on training courses are due to re-commence soon, so I'll doubtless have to find some more entertaining stuff to do! I've also found that my phone has a broken "1" key, so I'm having to get a bloody replacement for that. I can't say that I'm hugely pleased about that extra expense.

On the plus side, I've got my new mini PC set up, and it is working like a charm with my TV, and recording FreeView programmes. Point and click recording is very cool, and being able to burn it to DVD is fairly handy also.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>35</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2004-02-09 11:37:14</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2004-02-09 10:37:14</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <title>Oh NO!!!!!</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2004/02/21/oh-no/</link>
  <pubDate>Sat, 21 Feb 2004 10:36:20 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=37</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Busted have covered one of my favourite songs, "Teenage Kicks". I am officially gutted!]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>37</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2004-02-21 11:36:20</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2004-02-21 10:36:20</wp:post_date_gmt>
  <wp:comment_status>open</wp:comment_status>
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<item>
  <title>"Why has the rum gone?"</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2004/02/23/why-has-the-rum-gone/</link>
  <pubDate>Mon, 23 Feb 2004 10:15:06 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=39</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/3512373.stm">http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/3512373.stm</a>]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>39</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2004-02-23 11:15:06</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2004-02-23 10:15:06</wp:post_date_gmt>
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<item>
  <title>We're going to the playoffs!</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2004/03/17/were-going-to-the-playoffs/</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 17 Mar 2004 11:31:21 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=42</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Well, my up-and-down association with the Houston Rockets looks like it might last a little longer than has been normal for the past few years. Jeff Van Gundy, and his NY-style defense, looks set to take the Rockets into the playoffs for the first time in five years.

Of course, a 7' 6" Chinese national has something to do with that, but the team as a whole seems to be functioning more effectively around Yao Ming, and if Steve Francis continues living up to his potential, I've got considerably higher hopes for the team than most of their fans. Good luck guys!]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>42</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2004-03-17 12:31:21</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2004-03-17 11:31:21</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <title>RIP Sir Peter Ustinov</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2004/03/30/rip-sir-peter-ustinov/</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 30 Mar 2004 09:39:56 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=44</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[A genuinely funny man, and someone I regret not meeting...]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>44</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2004-03-30 10:39:56</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2004-03-30 09:39:56</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <wp:post_name>rip-sir-peter-ustinov</wp:post_name>
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  <title>MTV Cribs</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2004/04/10/mtv-cribs/</link>
  <pubDate>Sat, 10 Apr 2004 20:26:43 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=46</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[I just saw Babyface's house on this show. Holy shit, it is easily the nicest house I've ever seen!]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>46</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2004-04-10 21:26:43</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2004-04-10 20:26:43</wp:post_date_gmt>
  <wp:comment_status>open</wp:comment_status>
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  <wp:post_name>mtv-cribs</wp:post_name>
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  <category domain="category" nicename="ancient-stuff"><![CDATA[Ancient stuff]]></category>
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<item>
  <title>Why dreamshake?</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2004/08/24/why-dreamshake/</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 24 Aug 2004 08:36:56 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=60</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Well, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20050221183955/http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/columns/story?columnist=may_peter&amp;id=1444406">this link</a> describes the basketball player that inspired me to use the expression.  <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20050221183955/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/features/1998/weekly/980316/5bestmoves1.html">Phil Taylor's article on CNNSI.com</a> describes the move itself.  I'll just give you an extract:

<em>The beauty of Hakeem Olajuwon's move is its countless variations. Like snowflakes, no two Dream Shakes are exactly alike. "He steps in, gives you three or four fakes, goes up and under or goes to the fadeaway," says Heard. "You don't know what shot he's going to take because he has them all combined." </em>

<em>It seems odd that the most graceful, fluid move in the league would belong to a center. When Olajuwon was learning the game, he studied not just centers but also forwards and guards, and it's obvious he has incorporated into his game moves that typically belong to smaller players. He goes through a series of spins, fake spins, pump fakes and up-and-under moves until the defender finally bites. Then Olajuwon can finish off the move with a fadeaway jumper, a short jump hook or a dunk. </em>]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>60</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2004-08-24 09:36:56</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2004-08-24 08:36:56</wp:post_date_gmt>
  <wp:comment_status>open</wp:comment_status>
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  <wp:post_name>why-dreamshake</wp:post_name>
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<item>
  <title>27 million quid?</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2004/09/01/27-million-quid/</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 01 Sep 2004 10:33:09 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=58</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Last season for Everton, Wayne Rooney collected more yellow cards (10), than goals (9).

Food for thought...]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>58</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2004-09-01 11:33:09</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2004-09-01 10:33:09</wp:post_date_gmt>
  <wp:comment_status>open</wp:comment_status>
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  <wp:post_name>27-million-quid</wp:post_name>
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  <category domain="category" nicename="ancient-stuff"><![CDATA[Ancient stuff]]></category>
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<item>
  <title>Get well soon, Slick Willy...</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2004/09/07/get-well-soon-slick-willy/</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 07 Sep 2004 08:52:21 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=65</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20050207180113/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3633258.stm">Bill Clinton is recovering after his successful heart bypass operation</a>.

I'd like to express my best wishes to him, and his family, during his recovery period. Regardless of his philandering, and his occasional vanity, he was an excellent president, and a credit to his nation. An extremely intelligent and well-informed man, he understood the global nature of political problems in the 20th century, and contributed immeasurably to a development of closer relations between the US and other nations (there is often a larger gap than people in the USA sometimes imagine). He was easily the most popular president outside US borders for many years.

As the youngest ever ex-president, he is a charismatic and <em>articulate</em> public speaker, funny and relevant at the same time. Anyone who saw his speeches at both the Labour and Democratic party conference would see the effect he could have on a crowd.

All the best, Bill!]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>65</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2004-09-07 09:52:21</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2004-09-07 08:52:21</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <wp:post_name>get-well-soon-slick-willy</wp:post_name>
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<item>
  <title>Rest In Peace, Old Big 'Ead...</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2004/09/21/rest-in-peace-old-big-ead/</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 21 Sep 2004 10:08:45 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=56</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[What a loss. Funny, committed, successful, charismatic and popular.  Football in the UK will not see his like again.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>56</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2004-09-21 11:08:45</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2004-09-21 10:08:45</wp:post_date_gmt>
  <wp:comment_status>open</wp:comment_status>
  <wp:ping_status>open</wp:ping_status>
  <wp:post_name>rest-in-peace-old-big-ead</wp:post_name>
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<item>
  <title>More trivia, more entries</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2004/09/23/more-trivia-more-entries/</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 23 Sep 2004 11:54:33 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=62</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Seems as though my blog has descended into one-liners about current events, and funny quotes I've come across. That's all well and good, but actually, I'm not too happy. I'm going to endeavour to post more often, but about less important things too. Like what I've been up to recently.

My fervent viewing of Kevin Smith's work continues apace. I saw Dogma and Chasing Amy a couple of years ago, but re-watched them recently, and realised how much I liked that stuff. Dogma, in particular, is a real favourite of mine. Surprisingly, Ben Affleck is pretty good in these films, and I'm starting to wonder if I disliked him because of all the stinkers he's been in. Anyway, I just bought Mallrats (Smith's worst film IMHO), which was actually fairly watchable. As for "An Evening With Kevin Smith", I haven't laughed out loud that much for ages. I really like this guy, and his work. Can't wait for the next film. Hell, I even enjoyed Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, which works really well if you've seen all his other films. Can't imagine what it must be like if you haven't. There are a <strong>lot</strong> of in jokes.

On another note, I just got back from Munich, where we went for Ginge's stag weekend. I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed myself (although I can't go into detail, what goes on tour stays on tour), and the Germans were actually very friendly. I've still not quite got my voice back!

I'm going to sign off for now, but I'll post a bit more this evening, when I get home.]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>62</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2004-09-23 12:54:33</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2004-09-23 11:54:33</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <wp:post_name>more-trivia-more-entries</wp:post_name>
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<item>
  <title>Sniff...</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2004/09/29/sniff/</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 29 Sep 2004 09:52:01 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=54</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[I'm not feeling very well.  So that's why I haven't posted.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>54</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2004-09-29 10:52:01</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2004-09-29 09:52:01</wp:post_date_gmt>
  <wp:comment_status>open</wp:comment_status>
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  <wp:post_name>sniff</wp:post_name>
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<item>
  <title>Four more years... :(</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2004/11/03/four-more-years/</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 03 Nov 2004 14:25:41 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=49</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[What an incredibly sad day for the planet.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>49</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2004-11-03 15:25:41</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2004-11-03 14:25:41</wp:post_date_gmt>
  <wp:comment_status>open</wp:comment_status>
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  <wp:post_name>four-more-years</wp:post_name>
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  <title>Why I abhor adults reading Harry Potter books</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2004/11/18/why-i-abhor-adults-reading-harry-potter-books/</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 18 Nov 2004 09:08:30 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=51</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[<em> Here's an article about the small-minded simpletons that read Harry Potter books.</em>

<em>Original URL: <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20041204223342/http://www.countercurrents.org/arts-byatt110703.htm">http://www.countercurrents.org/arts-byatt110703.htm</a> </em>

<strong>Harry            Potter And The Childish Adult</strong>
<p align="left"><strong>By            A.S. Byatt</strong></p>

New York Times
11 July, 2003

What is the secret of the            explosive and worldwide success of the Harry Potter books? Why do they            satisfy children and — a much harder question — why do so            many adults read them? I think part of the answer to the first question            is that they are written from inside a child's-eye view, with a sure            instinct for childish psychology. But then how do we answer the second            question? Surely one precludes the other.

The easy question first.            Freud described what he called the "family romance," in which            a young child, dissatisfied with its ordinary home and parents, invents            a fairy tale in which it is secretly of noble origin, and may even be            marked out as a hero who is destined to save the world. In J. K. Rowling's            books, Harry is the orphaned child of wizards who were murdered trying            to save his life. He lives, for unconvincingly explained reasons, with            his aunt and uncle, the truly dreadful Dursleys, who represent, I believe,            his real "real" family, and are depicted with a relentless,            gleeful, overdone venom. The Dursleys are his true enemy. When he arrives            at wizarding school, he moves into a world where everyone, good and            evil, recognizes his importance, and tries either to protect or destroy            him.

The family romance is a latency-period            fantasy, belonging to the drowsy years between 7 and adolescence. In            "Order of the Phoenix," Harry, now 15, is meant to be adolescent.            He spends a lot of the book becoming excessively angry with his protectors            and tormentors alike. He discovers that his late (and "real")            father was not a perfect magical role model, but someone who went in            for fits of nasty playground bullying. He also discovers that his mind            is linked to the evil Lord Voldemort, thereby making him responsible            in some measure for acts of violence his nemesis commits.

In psychoanalytic terms,            having projected his childish rage onto the caricature Dursleys, and            retained his innocent goodness, Harry now experiences that rage as capable            of spilling outward, imperiling his friends. But does this mean Harry            is growing up? Not really. The perspective is still child's-eye. There            are no insights that reflect someone on the verge of adulthood. Harry's            first date with a female wizard is unbelievably limp, filled with an            8-year-old's conversational maneuvers.

Auden and Tolkien wrote about            the skills of inventing "secondary worlds." Ms. Rowling's            world is a secondary secondary world, made up of intelligently patchworked            derivative motifs from all sorts of children's literature — from            the jolly hockey-sticks school story to Roald Dahl, from "Star            Wars" to Diana Wynne Jones and Susan Cooper. Toni Morrison pointed            out that clichés endure because they represent truths. Derivative            narrative clichés work with children because they are comfortingly            recognizable and immediately available to the child's own power of fantasizing.

The important thing about            this particular secondary world is that it is symbiotic with the real            modern world. Magic, in myth and fairy tales, is about contacts with            the inhuman — trees and creatures, unseen forces. Most fairy story            writers hate and fear machines. Ms. Rowling's wizards shun them and            use magic instead, but their world is a caricature of the real world            and has trains, hospitals, newspapers and competitive sport. Much of            the real evil in the later books is caused by newspaper gossip columnists            who make Harry into a dubious celebrity, which is the modern word for            the chosen hero. Most of the rest of the evil (apart from Voldemort)            is caused by bureaucratic interference in educational affairs.

Ms. Rowling's magic world            has no place for the numinous. It is written for people whose imaginative            lives are confined to TV cartoons, and the exaggerated (more exciting,            not threatening) mirror-worlds of soaps, reality TV and celebrity gossip.            Its values, and everything in it, are, as Gatsby said of his own world            when the light had gone out of his dream, "only personal."            Nobody is trying to save or destroy anything beyond Harry Potter and            his friends and family.

So, yes, the attraction for            children can be explained by the powerful working of the fantasy of            escape and empowerment, combined with the fact that the stories are            comfortable, funny, just frightening enough.

They comfort against childhood            fears as Georgette Heyer once comforted us against the truths of the            relations between men and women, her detective stories domesticating            and blanket-wrapping death. These are good books of their kind. But            why would grown-up men and women become obsessed by jokey latency fantasies?

Comfort, I think, is part            of the reason. Childhood reading remains potent for most of us. In a            recent BBC survey of the top 100 "best reads," more than a            quarter were children's books. We like to regress. I know that part            of the reason I read Tolkien when I'm ill is that there is an almost            total absence of sexuality in his world, which is restful.

But in the case of the great            children's writers of the recent past, there was a compensating seriousness.            There was — and is — a real sense of mystery, powerful forces,            dangerous creatures in dark forests. Susan Cooper's teenage wizard discovers            his magic powers and discovers simultaneously that he is in a cosmic            battle between good and evil forces. Every bush and cloud glitters with            secret significance. Alan Garner peoples real landscapes with malign,            inhuman elvish beings that hunt humans.

Reading writers like these,            we feel we are being put back in touch with earlier parts of our culture,            when supernatural and inhuman creatures — from whom we thought            we learned our sense of good and evil — inhabited a world we did            not feel we controlled. If we regress, we regress to a lost sense of            significance we mourn for. Ursula K. Le Guin's wizards inhabit an anthropologically            coherent world where magic really does act as a force. Ms. Rowling's            magic wood has nothing in common with these lost worlds. It is small,            and on the school grounds, and dangerous only because she says it is.

In this regard, it is magic            for our time. Ms. Rowling, I think, speaks to an adult generation that            hasn't known, and doesn't care about, mystery. They are inhabitants            of urban jungles, not of the real wild. They don't have the skills to            tell ersatz magic from the real thing, for as children they daily invested            the ersatz with what imagination they had.

Similarly, some of Ms. Rowling's            adult readers are simply reverting to the child they were when they            read the Billy Bunter books, or invested Enid Blyton's pasteboard kids            with their own childish desires and hopes. A surprising number of people            — including many students of literature — will tell you they            haven't really lived in a book since they were children. Sadly, being            taught literature often destroys the life of the books. But in the days            before dumbing down and cultural studies no one reviewed Enid Blyton            or Georgette Heyer — as they do not now review the great Terry            Pratchett, whose wit is metaphysical, who creates an energetic and lively            secondary world, who has a multifarious genius for strong parody as            opposed to derivative manipulation of past motifs, who deals with death            with startling originality. Who writes amazing sentences.

It is the substitution of            celebrity for heroism that has fed this phenomenon. And it is the leveling            effect of cultural studies, which are as interested in hype and popularity            as they are in literary merit, which they don't really believe exists.            It's fine to compare the Brontës with bodice-rippers. It's become            respectable to read and discuss what Roland Barthes called "consumable"            books. There is nothing wrong with this, but it has little to do with            the shiver of awe we feel looking through Keats's "magic casements,            opening on the foam/Of perilous seas, in faery lands forlorn."

(A.S. Byatt is an author, most            recently, of the novel "A Whistling Woman.")]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>51</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2004-11-18 10:08:30</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2004-11-18 09:08:30</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <title>Secret Policeman’s Ball ‘08</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2008/10/05/secret-policeman%e2%80%99s-ball-%e2%80%9808/</link>
  <pubDate>Sat, 04 Oct 2008 23:23:19 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=138</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[[caption id="attachment_139" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Secret Policeman&#39;s Ball &#39;08"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-139" title="secret-policeman-2008" src="http://blog.dreamshake.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/1931-300x300.jpg" alt="Secret Policeman's Ball '08" width="300" height="300" />[/caption]

Just got back from seeing this, and I had an outstanding time.  The line-up was (and I quote unexpurgated from the programme):

Frank Skinner, Alan Carr, Graham Norton, Eddie Izzard, Sean Lock, Katy Brand, Tim Minchin, Kristen Schaal, Sarah Millican, Russell Peters, Fearne Cotton, Meera Syal, Matt Berry, Jon Culshaw, Keane, Razorlight, Matthew Horne, James Corden, Shappi Khorsandi, Russell Howard, Katherine Parkinson Mitchell and Webb, David Armand, Jason Manford, Dan Clark and many more…]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>138</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2008-10-05 00:23:19</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2008-10-04 23:23:19</wp:post_date_gmt>
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    <wp:meta_key>aktt_notify_twitter</wp:meta_key>
    <wp:meta_value><![CDATA[yes]]></wp:meta_value>
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<item>
  <title>Yay! Holiday, or vacation, or whatever you prefer to call it</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2008/10/08/yay-holiday-or-vacation-or-whatever-you-prefer-to-call-it/</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 08 Oct 2008 09:17:22 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=136</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Any recommendations for where we can go in Boston?  New York already has quite a long list of things to see and do in a few days…

I love last minute holidays.  Maybe this one isn’t quite last minute, but the details are coming together less than a month before I go.

(Before anyone tries to be funny, no not Boston, Lincolnshire!)
<div></div>]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>136</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2008-10-08 10:17:22</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2008-10-08 09:17:22</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <wp:post_name>yay-holiday-or-vacation-or-whatever-you-prefer-to-call-it</wp:post_name>
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<item>
  <title>Health, Wealth and Happiness</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2008/10/13/health-wealth-and-happiness/</link>
  <pubDate>Mon, 13 Oct 2008 22:01:10 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=134</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[I’m going to start working on the first one tomorrow.  Honest.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>134</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2008-10-13 23:01:10</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2008-10-13 22:01:10</wp:post_date_gmt>
  <wp:comment_status>open</wp:comment_status>
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  <wp:post_name>health-wealth-and-happiness</wp:post_name>
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<item>
  <title>The Wire: Spreading out</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2008/10/18/the-wire-spreading-out/</link>
  <pubDate>Sat, 18 Oct 2008 19:48:20 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=132</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Anyone that’s spent a few minutes talking to me about television knows what my favourite show is; <em>The Wire</em>. It’s the best US TV show I’ve ever seen, and amongst the more impressive from anywhere.  The Emmys however, have totally missed the show.  All that means to me is that I’m right about awards.

However, there is an indication that recognition is at least spreading a little.  In this current season, I’ve noticed more and more actors from <em>The Wire</em> appearing in other high-profile shows.  At the moment, we’ve seen Bubbles and Marlo in <em>Heroes</em>, as well as Herc and Spiros in <em>Entourage</em>.  I’m just wondering where Stringer and Avon will pop up…
<div></div>]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>132</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2008-10-18 20:48:20</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2008-10-18 19:48:20</wp:post_date_gmt>
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<item>
  <title>NFL Fever</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2008/10/26/nfl-fever/</link>
  <pubDate>Sun, 26 Oct 2008 13:25:49 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=129</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Flying back from Liverpool as I type (courtesy of Wordpress’s excellent free iPhone app). What a strange couple of nights out that was! I don’t think I’m cut out for the kind of evenings that we went on. More of that (maybe) later.

What I am now very excited about is seeing a live NFL game, and maybe even taking a couple of photos, if I can get back to the flat in time to pick up my camera! I’ll be pulling for the Chargers, since I’m a big fan of Ladanian Tomlinson. Shame he’s not 100% fit. I’d love to see him take a few snaps in the single wing offense, now football has come full-circle, courtesy of the ‘Fins.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>129</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2008-10-26 14:25:49</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2008-10-26 13:25:49</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <wp:post_name>nfl-fever</wp:post_name>
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<item>
  <title>The Media and the Moral Majority; a match made in heaven</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2008/10/30/the-media-and-the-moral-majority-a-match-made-in-heaven/</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:22:16 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=126</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[So, as things stand, the “head count” is at two and a half.  Both Russell Brand and Lesley Douglas, the controller of Radio 2, have resigned.  Jonathan Ross has been suspended for 12 weeks.  All for a mildly unfunny section of a very popular radio programme than actually precipitated two (yes, two, count them) complaints, both for bad language.  Never mind that this was a pre-recorded session, and the final responsibility for transmission lay elsewhere.  Never mind that the audience for the show, one of the more popular on Radio 2, both live and online, barely complained.

Another agenda was underpinning this episode.  The tabloids (that means you too, Mail on Sunday) whipped up a furore, and precipitated a volume of complaints that meant the BBC had to react.  In the process, opportunities were presented to bash the organisation, and its decline in standards.  The salary of Ross loomed large in most complainers’ comments, as well as their personal dislike of Brand’s style. I’ll wager that very few people upset by this, who are so willing to vent their spleens, have even heard that section of the programme in context.  Nor have they taken into account the very dignified and reasonable comments made by Andrew Sachs himself, both prior and subsequent to personal apologies being given.

It’s highly likely to me that Sachs would more likely be embarrassed by his granddaughter’s appearance on various websites, in a state of undress, covered in fake blood. Or possibly by her exclusive “stories” in the Sun, orchestrated, no doubt, by Max Clifford, her newly-appointed publicist. One might speculate, given that her concern for her grandfather is foremost in her mind, a dignified silence, or simple statement, would suffice? From where I’m sitting, money and self-promotion have become the priority.

This tabloid baying for blood is becoming all too common, and the nation (or at least a certain part of it) seems happy to go along.  Don’t think I haven’t noticed politicians from both sides of the House attempting to make political capital from the affair too. Very unedifying.

In conclusion, what makes me feel that this is all a huge overreaction, and a case of the media monster feeding itself?  Of all the “celebrity” talking heads who have opined, who is the most fervent in supporting their sacking?

Louis Walsh.

QED

<em>[Full disclosure: I subscribed to the defunct Russell Brand podcast, and found it quite amusing. Jonathan Ross, the less said the better. Although he is funnier on the radio than the TV. Not hard.]</em>]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>126</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2008-10-30 14:22:16</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2008-10-30 13:22:16</wp:post_date_gmt>
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<item>
  <title>T-4 days and counting</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2008/10/31/t-4-days-and-counting/</link>
  <pubDate>Fri, 31 Oct 2008 08:49:24 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=124</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[The US Election is on Tuesday.  Regardless of what the candidates have said up to now, I’d expect the poo to start flying.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>124</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2008-10-31 09:49:24</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2008-10-31 08:49:24</wp:post_date_gmt>
  <wp:comment_status>open</wp:comment_status>
  <wp:ping_status>open</wp:ping_status>
  <wp:post_name>t-4-days-and-counting</wp:post_name>
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<item>
  <title>Guilty Pleasures</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2008/11/02/guilty-pleasures/</link>
  <pubDate>Sun, 02 Nov 2008 20:08:11 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=122</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Music, food, films even TV programmes; everyone has at least one guilty pleasure.

One of mine is on TV now, <em>Smokey and the Bandit</em>, with Burt Reynolds.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>122</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2008-11-02 21:08:11</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2008-11-02 20:08:11</wp:post_date_gmt>
  <wp:comment_status>open</wp:comment_status>
  <wp:ping_status>open</wp:ping_status>
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    <wp:meta_value><![CDATA[yes]]></wp:meta_value>
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<item>
  <title>Looking at people, looking back at you</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2008/11/03/looking-at-people-looking-back-at-you/</link>
  <pubDate>Mon, 03 Nov 2008 13:35:58 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=120</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[I love reading <a href="http://marramark.blogspot.com/2008/11/in-these-final-hours-world-hopes-for.html">these sort of articles</a>, I find it fascinating to see how we’re perceived overseas.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>120</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2008-11-03 14:35:58</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2008-11-03 13:35:58</wp:post_date_gmt>
  <wp:comment_status>open</wp:comment_status>
  <wp:ping_status>open</wp:ping_status>
  <wp:post_name>looking-at-people-looking-back-at-you</wp:post_name>
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<item>
  <title>In a break from our regular programming…</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2008/11/11/in-a-break-from-our-regular-programming%e2%80%a6/</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 11 Nov 2008 14:11:57 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=118</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[… a film review-ette.  I went to see <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1186201/">Bulletproof Salesman</a> last night, at the <a href="http://frontlineclub.com/club_videoevents.php?event=3337">Frontline Club</a>.  It was excellent, funny, and thought-provoking.  The Q&amp;A with the co-director, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0875953/">Michael Tucker</a>, was very interesting too.  I’d thoroughly recommend seeing it.  In fact, it’s due to be shown in a shortened form (an hour) on BBC Four, as part of their Storyville season, in January.  Well worth a watch.

Here’s someone else’s <a href="http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=festivals&amp;jump=review&amp;id=2850&amp;reviewid=VE1117936532">longer review</a>.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>118</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2008-11-11 15:11:57</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2008-11-11 14:11:57</wp:post_date_gmt>
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<item>
  <title>Garry Richardson</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2008/11/23/garry-richardson/</link>
  <pubDate>Sun, 23 Nov 2008 13:21:19 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=141</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[I’ve just done the internet equivalent of changing channel (deleting a podcast) because of this man. He obviously rates himself very highly, and never fails to question his interviewees as per his own opinion.  Some of his “journalism” around Dwayne Chambers and the Olympics was nothing short of embarrassing.

Doubtless he thinks he’s asking the “tough questions”, but actually all did was make his own opinion on the subject abundantly clear.  Some of his sarcastic comments, like “thank you for finally answering that question”, which he said to Lalit Modi this morning, really come across as nothing short of professional.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>141</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2008-11-23 14:21:19</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2008-11-23 13:21:19</wp:post_date_gmt>
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<item>
  <title>Bailey’s Dream Shake</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2008/12/07/bailey%e2%80%99s-dream-shake/</link>
  <pubDate>Sun, 07 Dec 2008 21:19:37 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/2008/12/bailey%e2%80%99s-dream-shake/</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[[This cocktail’s name](http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink1012.html) made me laugh.  Sounds like the sort of thing that I definitely wouldn’t drink though!]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>145</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2008-12-07 22:19:37</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2008-12-07 21:19:37</wp:post_date_gmt>
  <wp:comment_status>open</wp:comment_status>
  <wp:ping_status>open</wp:ping_status>
  <wp:post_name>bailey%e2%80%99s-dream-shake</wp:post_name>
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    <wp:meta_value><![CDATA[yes]]></wp:meta_value>
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<item>
  <title>Stop Press: David Simon is good (and so is Carlson)</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2008/12/13/stop-press-david-simon-is-good-and-so-is-carlson/</link>
  <pubDate>Sat, 13 Dec 2008 18:34:00 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/12/stop-press-david-simon-is-good-and-so-is-carlson/</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[I find it sadly gratifying when someone I admire agrees with my opinion.  I’ve just seen [Mike Carlson’s review of Homicide](http://irresistibletargets.blogspot.com/2008/11/wire-to-wire-david-simons-homicide.html), and (unsurprisingly) he is a great fan of the book. On one of his multiple blogs (that I’ve also just seen) Mike says that he was glad of the opportunity to praise the book, which he read years ago. Who would have thought that the pundit on US sports, on a not terribly popular terrestrial channel, would be so amusing, engaging, and erudite, across a broad range of topics. We jump to conclusions at our peril.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>146</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2008-12-13 19:34:00</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2008-12-13 18:34:00</wp:post_date_gmt>
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<item>
  <title>So I changed my webhost...</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/03/10/so-i-changed-my-webhost/</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 10 Mar 2009 14:57:56 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=3</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[...and the database "backup" that I took included precisely none of my old posts. Which sucks. I don't have any of the carefully crafted entries I made in the run up to Christmas. And I'm starting a blog for the 8th time since 2003. Seriously, I think 8 is about the count. In fact, that could be a underestimation.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>5</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-03-10 07:57:56</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2009-03-10 14:57:56</wp:post_date_gmt>
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    <wp:meta_key>podPressPostSpecific</wp:meta_key>
    <wp:meta_value><![CDATA[s:264:"s:255:"a:6:{s:15:"itunes:subtitle";s:15:"##PostExcerpt##";s:14:"itunes:summary";s:15:"##PostExcerpt##";s:15:"itunes:keywords";s:17:"##WordPressCats##";s:13:"itunes:author";s:10:"##Global##";s:15:"itunes:explicit";s:7:"Default";s:12:"itunes:block";s:7:"Default";}";";]]></wp:meta_value>
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<item>
  <title>My Digital History</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/my-digital-history/</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 06 May 2009 20:54:33 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://slice.dreamshake.net/blog/?page_id=6</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[At the tender age of 33, I've been using a computer for 25 years. From the eight year old sitting in front of a Commodore 64, to the present day, with various Macs and PCs in different states of repair, I've spent the majority of my life with access to a computer.

---

## The Commodore 64

Now, I'll be the first to admit that I wasn't one of the precocious computer urchins, writing my own relational database system before I was out of short trousers, I did tinker around on my C64. It certainly wasn't just a games machine to me, and I even had the odd go at writing my own entertainment. Sadly, my TIE fighter shooting game was both not very good and copyright-infringing. After graduating to Simons' Basic, I still laboured under the misapprehension that I had some software in me somewhere, but came up with nothing worth showing to anyone apart from my bemused, but slightly proud parents.

At this point, I was definitely losing a little interest in computers. Playing rugby was now an option, as well as my burgeoning interest in cricket (inspired by Imran Khan on TV, but that's another story). Rugby was more fun than football, since you could through yourself about a bit more, and even though I was pretty small at the time, I loved it. As a boy on the verge of his teenage years, I also noticed that girls were slightly more interesting than I though when I was first playing around on a computer.

My fundamental laziness is what drew me back into the world of computing. As my GCSEs approached, I realised that I had coursework to do, and handwriting anything over 150 words didn't really appeal. History exams were torture, and I've no doubt that the teachers attempting to decipher my scrawl were similarily pained. So, with a disc drive acquired for the C64 (which handily facilitated more sophisticated games), and a Citizen printer as a Christmas present, I entered the world of GEOS. This was a WIMP environment, as I remember them being called then, and enabled me to layout some fairly fancy looking documents. When I say fancy looking, I mean no mono-spaced fonts to be seen anywhere. Obviously by today's standards they still looked like crap. Still, the teachers seemed impressed (this was 1991 after all) and my parents clearly decided that I needed encouragement. This led to...

## The PC(s)

In a fit of ungratefulness, I don't exactly remember when I got the PC. It was certainly before 1994, as I can remember doing schoolwork on it for our Young Enterprise company. In fact, I remember some idiot at the regional final accusing us of getting our annual report done professionally, and not detailing how much it cost. I protested that I had done it myself, but to no avail. With hindsight, I suppose this the first time that I realised how much artifice poeple attached to working with computers. It really isn't rocket science people. Unless, of course, you're doing rocket science with the computers.

Undeterred, I eventually acquired a couple of laptops, the first a black and white Acer (I think), the next a second-hand Dell (which was at least 24-bit colour). The Acer got me through a year at Durham University (I think I even turned it on once) and that ran Windows 3.11. Even now, I shudder thinking about that. At least its monochrome aspect gives me the impression it was a long time ago. The Dell arrived a couple of year laters, after 12 months working in gainful (paid at least) employment. It had this spiffy new thing on it called Windows 95. This was a definite improvement, and for the first time, the computer became usable for work without endless tinkering. Or maybe I grew tired of the tinkering, it's hard to say.

Actually, it's not hard to say, because in my second year at Newcastle University, I distinctly remember downloading Linux (who knows what distro) onto a number of floppy discs, and installing it on the Dell. The tinkering hadn't stopped, although at this point I was no sort of coder, so after the initial "Wow, it looks like a *real* computer" when I booted into it, Windows soon went back on. However a change was coming...

## My Tangerine iMac

I had first looked at Macs several years before, when I coveted their sexy little laptops, which were way out of my price range, and I was stuck with my Dell. I wasn't enthused by them though, and aside from the aesthetic, I wasn't at all interested. After all, they were for creative people, and that wasn't me. Now though, computer use had gone through the roof at university, and waiting around for a PC terminal (they had more software than my laptop, not to mention a super speedy internet connection) was getting old. And there they were, at the end of the room, unused; a cluster of PowerMacs that were perpetually available. I suppose people are a little nervous of what they don't know, but my impatience got the better of me, so I sat down and tried to log in. Surprisingly, I was on straight away, all the same Microsoft software, my university e-mail, my stats package (SPSS), Netscape... What everyone else hadn't realised left me with a bank of computers to use whenever I wanted. These machines could be just as productive as the PCs I'd been used to. After an afternoon, I was used to the operating system, and work could commence. Sadly, in my case, work seemed to mean arsing around on the internet, such as it was in those days, but still, there I was. And that summer, fate intervened...

...in the shape of a couple of idiots who decided to beat me up after their night out. Peterborough city centre never held much interest for me at the best of times, but now I was sure. It was rubbish. Some stitches, and a little surgery to relocate my cheekbone, and I was right as rain. And clutching a £2,000 cheque from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority. Now half of it was wasted, doubtless on wine, women and song (but mostly wine) but the other half came to Bainbridges with me, and I lugged my beautiful new computer home with me.

![My First Mac](http://dreamshake.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/tangerine.jpg)

It's hard to believe now, but in the dreary beige world of computing, this was about as sexy as a computer got. Which is admittedly not that sexy, but a step in the right direction. From this point on, all my personal computing was done on an Apple Macintosh.

---

To be continued...]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>6</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-05-06 21:54:33</wp:post_date>
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<item>
  <title>Photos</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/photos/</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 07 May 2009 13:22:53 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?page_id=12</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Here's my Flickr photostream. I need to get a little more prolific:

[flickr-gallery]]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>12</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-05-07 14:22:53</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2009-05-07 13:22:53</wp:post_date_gmt>
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<item>
  <title>The Wayback Machine</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/05/07/the-wayback-machine/</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 07 May 2009 13:30:13 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=17</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[I've found a few blog entries I made years ago, courtesy of <a href="http://www.archive.org/index.php">The Wayback Machine</a>. Think I'm going to have a crack at importing them. Just for a laugh really.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>17</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-05-07 14:30:13</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2009-05-07 13:30:13</wp:post_date_gmt>
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</item>
<item>
  <title>I can't go any further back</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/05/07/i-cant-go-any-further-back/</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 07 May 2009 14:49:30 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=115</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Sadly, the Wayback archive, which has chunks of my site back to July 2002, is picking up the robots.txt of the new owner. This means that, although they have my old content archived, I can't see it. Bearing in mind how cringe-making reading my old entries has been, maybe that's no bad thing!]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>115</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-05-07 15:49:30</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2009-05-07 14:49:30</wp:post_date_gmt>
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<item>
  <title>TextMate is awesome!</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/05/07/textmate-is-awesome/</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 07 May 2009 20:29:44 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/05/textmate-is-awesome/</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Gosh, I really do love [TextMate](http://macromates.com/). It's brilliant for every language I've coded in, and now making blog entries from it is an absolute piece of cake too. Honestly, what's not to like?]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>147</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-05-07 21:29:44</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2009-05-07 20:29:44</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <wp:post_name>textmate-is-awesome</wp:post_name>
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  <category domain="category" nicename="geek"><![CDATA[Geek]]></category>
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<item>
  <title>Looking back on #amazonfail, from a different perspective</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/05/09/looking-back-on-amazonfail-from-a-different-perspective/</link>
  <pubDate>Sat, 09 May 2009 21:10:36 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/05/looking-back-on-amazonfail-from-a-different-perspective/</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[So, via the medium to end all media (Twitter, in case you didn't know) I read [this blog entry](http://johnaugust.com/archives/2009/looking-back-on-amazonfail) today, via [@Glinner](http://twitter.com/Glinner). As a slightly implicated person (I mostly questioned how the situation had happened, and made jokes about being subverted by [@stephenfry](http://twitter.com/stephenfry) and his books) I don't feel embarrassed about my participation in the hashtag storm.

Whilst some people questioned and waited, and others jumped in with both feet, the facts remain thus. A large number of books from a particular genre were effectively removed from plain sight on Amazon's website.

Firstly, as cited in [@johnaugust](http://twitter.com/johnaugust)'s blog entry, even placing a large number of the affected titles in one genre is dubious. That's not the road I want to go down though. If Amazon does a poor job of grouping its titles, less potential buyers will view the appropriate books, and sales will fall. Their problem, and their choice whether to address it or not.

In my mind,two groups are to blame for what happened that fateful #amazonfail weekend. Them and us.

### Them
Regardless of what products were affected, the fact that Amazon's systems allowed a single employee, operating in a single country capacity, to influence global listings is poor. Imagine that a less motivated, engaged, and internet-literate group of authors were detrimentally affected. How long might the error have taken to come to light? Doubtless sales would have fallen, and that's a measurable impact, to both authors and vendor. A single person's mistake far too easily affected "the bottom line". Amazon is a huge source of online sales, particular to "niche" authors, and I use the word with no disrespect. Which brings me to us...

### Us
We're as much to blame as Amazon. Sure, their systems are flawed, and large changes can (apparently) happen to their multiple websites by accident, but on one level, that's their problem. The reason that their cock-up has such an impact on us is because we've chosen to put them in their dominant market position. Of course, there are online alternatives for buying books (or garden furniture, or shoes, or... the list goes on) but because Amazon are always competitive on price, we've flocked to them, and ceded a good deal of control of the market to the seller, not the buyer. Now, I could bemoan the demise of the net book agreement, or the fact that we don't support local independent bookshops, but I won't. Yes, in the UK, both of those things have made the situation worse, but there's something called a "credit crunch" going on, so perhaps all of us should be taking advantage of the economies of scale that massive online stores provide.

And that's the point really. All of us (and I'm chief among the culprits) who buy books from Amazon have put them in the position they're in today. I have easy access to lots of books that I might not have ever come across, thanks to Jeff Bezos' company and vision. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't police the way they present products to us. As a de-facto monopoly, if we don't, no one will.

There was no anti-gay, anti-whatever conspiracy, just human error, and a crappy computer system. This still meant books went missing, and we couldn't see all the products we should have been able to.

Even if it was for the wrong reasons, #amazonfail highlighted a glitch with the largest bookseller in the world, and caused them (I'm speculating here) to investigate and resolve the issue far quicker than might otherwise have happened. Can that be anything other than a good thing?]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>158</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-05-09 22:10:36</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2009-05-09 21:10:36</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <wp:post_name>looking-back-on-amazonfail-from-a-different-perspective</wp:post_name>
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<item>
  <title>The despair of sporting failure</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/05/12/the-despair-of-sporting-failure/</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 12 May 2009 09:12:22 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/05/the-despair-of-sporting-failure/</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="float:right;margin-left:10px;margin-bottom:10px;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/observationsandmachinations/3521758222/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3403/3521758222_5e93f72925_m.jpg" alt="" style="border:solid 2px #000000;" /></a>
<span style="font-size:.9em;margin-top:0;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/observationsandmachinations/3521758222/"></a>
<br />
Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/observationsandmachinations/">David Bailey's Son</a>
</span>
</div>
I played cricket at the weekend, and I took my camera along to the match. Although we won (and it was a friendly game), I thought I'd highlight this photo.<br />
<br />
It doesn't matter what level, or how unimportant the match is, failing hurts. Simon look as though "he's just been dismissed for 98 at Lord's", to quote one person who saw the photo.<br />
<br />
I think it sums up how everyone who's played any sport has felt at one time or another.
<br />]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>159</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-05-12 10:12:22</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2009-05-12 09:12:22</wp:post_date_gmt>
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<item>
  <title>Hashtags, fertile breeding ground for "twitmobs"</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/05/13/hashtags-fertile-breeding-ground-for-twitmobs/</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2009 10:46:38 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/05/hashtags-fertile-breeding-ground-for-twitmobs/</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[So, after my last Twitter-based entry, I've been thinking a bit more about the whole #amazonfail thing. My point was about how we should have held Amazon to account for it anyway, regardless of the whether it was deliberate or not.

Something [@Glinner](http://twitter.com/Glinner) [said](http://twitter.com/Glinner/status/1749366672) made me think though; Twitter is the perfect medium for a mob. I think someone once said "a person is smart, but people are stupid". Actually, Google tells me that's from Men In Black, but I still like it. There's something about the conformity and self-validation of a large group of people that can fan the flames of what might be a reasonable point into something altogether more sinister.

Mobs are bad enough, but with hashtags and trending topics on Twitter, finding groups of like-minded people is easy. Perhaps the easiest it's ever been, and that's definitely something we all need to be careful of. The #fixreplies hashtag is one of them. Maybe I'm being stupid, but are that many people really bothered about these not appearing on their timeline? It bugged me when I did have it on, and I follow less than 100 people. As it is, plenty of funny and interesting tweets pass me by, without the extra noise involved.

Actually though, I think that there a lot of people tweeting with the hashtag because someone they follow did, and they want to "help that person out". And so the fans are flamed. If Twitter is used more and more, then these twitmobs will crop up more and more often. Of course, there are also some great charities and causes that gain much needed attention from their use too, so it's not all bad. I'm just going to try to avoid being part of a mob from now on.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>164</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-05-13 11:46:38</wp:post_date>
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    <wp:comment_id>3</wp:comment_id>
    <wp:comment_author><![CDATA[The mob mentality; alive and well in 2009 | Infrequent Rambling]]></wp:comment_author>
    <wp:comment_author_email/>
    <wp:comment_author_url>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/10/the-mob-mentality-alive-and-well-in-2009/</wp:comment_author_url>
    <wp:comment_author_IP>97.107.142.180</wp:comment_author_IP>
    <wp:comment_date>2009-10-19 12:40:57</wp:comment_date>
    <wp:comment_date_gmt>2009-10-19 11:40:57</wp:comment_date_gmt>
    <wp:comment_content><![CDATA[[...] blogged about this before, but it has happened again this week, in a couple of different ways. Enough has been written about [...]]]></wp:comment_content>
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<item>
  <title>The BNP and nationalism, viewed through the lens of 1970s sitcom</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/05/21/the-bnp-and-nationalism-viewed-through-the-lens-of-1970s-sitcom/</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 21 May 2009 20:25:01 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/05/the-bnp-and-nationalism-viewed-through-the-lens-of-1970s-sitcom/</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>
    And no, not one of the obviously racist choices, like <em>Love Thy Neighbour</em>, but <em>Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads</em>.
</p>
<p>This scene is from the classic episode <em><a href="http://uk.imdb.com/title/tt0747126/">No Hiding Place</a></em>, first transmitted on 20th February 1973, and written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais.</p>
<table border="0">
    <tr>
        <td>
            Bob:
        </td>
        <td>
            Out there, where they've had all that terrible flooding, tragic. Thousands homeless.
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Terry:
        </td>
        <td>
            That's to our advantage isn't it, heavy pitch?
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Bob:
        </td>
        <td>
            What a terrible thing to say! What an inhuman attitude!
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Terry:
        </td>
        <td>
            Well, they know how to cope with floods and such like out there, they're used to that sort of thing. Catastrophe's a way of life for them.
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Bob:
        </td>
        <td>
            And what does that ridiculous remark mean?
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Terry:
        </td>
        <td>
            Well, all them countries over there, all them places like [inaudible] and Bulgaria and the Middle East. They're all unstable. If they're not having floods, it's earthquakes, if it's not earthquakes, it's typhoons. That's what makes the people so unstable. That's why they're always so hysterical. Always leaping up and down, and wanting a war, or change of government or something.
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Bob:
        </td>
        <td>
            Are you seriously putting that forward as a theory of national character?
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Terry:
        </td>
        <td>
            Certainly! It's true! Now you take Britain; we don't get earthquakes or tidal waves or anything, do we? I mean you get to these bitter northeasterlies in February, but we don't have to pack our possessions and flee south. That's why the British character is so stable. That's why we're so dogged, and relaxed, and calm under crises.
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Bob:
        </td>
        <td>
            But according to you we don't get any crises!
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Terry:
        </td>
        <td>
            We don't. But if we did, we would be calm under them.
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Bob:
        </td>
        <td>
            I'm learning a lot about you today. I bet we could go right round the world and you'd have a pat response ready.
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Terry:
        </td>
        <td>
            I've travelled man. I've seen a bit of the world now you know.
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Bob:
        </td>
        <td>
            Well, what do you think of... Koreans for instance?
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Terry:
        </td>
        <td>
            Not to be trusted. Cruel people. Much the same as all Orientals.
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Bob:
        </td>
        <td>
            Well, that's a third of the world's population dismissed in a phrase. Russians?
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Terry:
        </td>
        <td>
            Sinister.
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Bob:
        </td>
        <td>
            Egyptians?
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Terry:
        </td>
        <td>
            Cowardly.
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Bob:
        </td>
        <td>
            Oh, I thought you might have saved that for Italians.
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Terry:
        </td>
        <td>
            No no no, they're greasy aren't they? Not as greasy as the French, mind.
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Bob:
        </td>
        <td>
            Germans?
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Terry:
        </td>
        <td>
            Arrogant.
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Bob:
        </td>
        <td>
            Spaniards?
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Terry:
        </td>
        <td>
            Lazy.
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Bob:
        </td>
        <td>
            Danes?
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Terry:
        </td>
        <td>
            Pornographic.
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Bob:
        </td>
        <td>
            Well, that's just about everyone. Oh, Americans?
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Terry:
        </td>
        <td>
            They're flash aren't they?
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Bob:
        </td>
        <td>
            So it's just down to the British is it?
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Terry:
        </td>
        <td>
            Well, I haven't got much time for the Irish or the Welsh. And the Scots are worse than the Koreans.
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Bob:
        </td>
        <td>
            And you never could stand Southerners.
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Terry:
        </td>
        <td>
            To tell you the truth, I don't much like anyone outside this town. There's a lot of families in our street I can't stand either. Come to think of it, I don't even like the people next door.
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Bob:
        </td>
        <td>
            I see, so from the distant blue Pacific, through the barren wastes of Manchuria, to 127 Inkerman Terrace, you can't abide anyone. How you came to marry a German girl I'll never know.
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Terry:
        </td>
        <td>
            The failure of my marriage only goes to prove my point. Them and us don't mix. England should take heed of the failure of my entry into Europe. God didn't make this country a island by accident you know.
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Bob:
        </td>
        <td>
            I see. So to sum up, the British are calm under a crisis, the rest of the world is unstable, and all hairdressers are fairies?
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Terry:
        </td>
        <td>
            Except Tommy Mossop.
        </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
        <td>
            Bob:
        </td>
        <td>
            Oh, except Tommy Mossop.
        </td>
    </tr>
</table>
<p>Not only is it very funny, but it lampoons all of the silly, pointless things about racism, the sweeping generalisations, and the stupidity of drawing an arbitrary line in the sand, and saying "inside this is fine, outside is not". Why put the line where you do? For that matter, what's the point of the line?</p>
<p><br /><em>Updated the post to reflect the episode and writing details.</em></p>]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>167</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-05-21 21:25:01</wp:post_date>
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<item>
  <title>1000 things to do in London</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/1000-things-to-do-in-london/</link>
  <pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2009 14:56:16 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?page_id=172</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[So I have a new book, [1000 things to do in London](http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1846700124). I’m going to post on this page when I do one of the activities.

***

### BFI IMAX visit (May 26th 2009)
I went to see Star Trek ([see what I thought about the film here](/2009/05/now-about-this-new-star-trek-movie/)) at the 11:30pm showing last Friday. Impressed with the screen, although the cinema could have been cleaner. Getting back to Putney from Waterloo at 1:45am was a shade more problematic…

***

### Things I'd done before getting the book
*  16 Get your hands on the latest Apple gadget
* 23 Chomp a steak at Gaucho
* 54 (Nicholas Royle) Walk from Centrepoint to Marble Arch avoiding Oxford Street
* 56 (Nicholas Royle) Walk to my destination instead of using public transport
* 80 Chill, big-style (Big Chill Bar)
* 81 Chill, big-style (Big Chill House)
* 110 Ride the DLR in the front carriage
* 126 Reacquaint yourself with the Roundhouse
* 151 Tick off London’s essential clubs (The Barfly)
* 153 Tick off London’s essential clubs (The End)
* 154 Tick off London’s essential clubs (Fabric)
* 193 Listen to an oration at Speakers’ Corner
* 209 …or admire the city from another of London’s stunning summits (Tower Hill)
* 212 Get a table at the Ivy
* 273 Treat yourself to a posh cinema ticket (Everyman Cinema Club)
* 279 Actually use river transport
* 287 Do the Camden Crawl
* 288 Grab a 3am bagel at the Brick Lane Beigel Bake
* 320 Do Fruitstock
* 408 Take to the mic in a karaoke bar (Lucky Voice)
* 414 Ride the London Eye at night
* 484 Cable Street mural
* 503 …and assess the pick of London’s other city squares (Cabot Square)
* 512 …and assess the pick of London’s other city squares (Hoxton Square)
* 517 Get a decent meal in a museum café… honestly
* 601 (Suggs) The Toucan
* 631 (Roxy Beaujolais) The Royal Courts of Justice
* 814 Birdwatch
* 834 Blog London :)
* 888 Hide away with a bottle in Gordon’s
* 897 Watch a sentence being handed down at the Old Bailey
* 947 Get back into Ronnie Scott’s
* 950 Cross Waterloo Bridge at night]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>172</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-05-22 15:56:16</wp:post_date>
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<item>
  <title>Now, about this new Star Trek movie...</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/05/23/now-about-this-new-star-trek-movie/</link>
  <pubDate>Sat, 23 May 2009 13:58:06 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=180</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[So I need to come clean. I never really liked Star Trek. Not the original Shatner one (TOS apparently), not Next Generation (TNG), not the dreadful Voyager (V. No wait, I liked V). I've seen quite a lot of them, as a result of being 33 and growing up in Britain. I've got a decent memory too, and that didn't help.

Don't misunderstand me, this isn't a bad film. It's a perfectly passable sci-fi blockbusting Hollywood movie. Lots of bangs and crashes, and swooping camera shots, all populated with some decent visual effects. Nothing that made me gasp, mind you, but perfectly serviceable. The acting isn't horrible, and there are some horribly cheesy script moments. None of this makes it a bad movie though. There's plenty for the non-Star Trek fan to enjoy.

There's plenty for the Star Trek fan to enjoy too. That's where the film lost me. There are so many knowing winks, so many knowing moments that try to flatter the audience, from the first anonymous "red shirt" casualty, through Karl Urban's bizarre Dr. McCoy impression, to Kirk in bed with a green woman. The Trekkies, or Trekkers, or whatever their preferred name is, were always going to be front and centre for the filmmakers but the constant references bugged me. It's a Star Trek film, I get it, now enough with the nudges and nods!

In summary, a perfectly serviceable scifi/action summer blockbuster. <strong>6/10</strong>, and I preferred Independence Day, although that might be because of Jeff Goldblum. Of course, I'm sure I'm wrong, since I'm swimming against the tide with this one. Watch it on DVD, I can't say it was worth my trip to the cinema.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>180</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-05-23 14:58:06</wp:post_date>
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    <wp:comment_author><![CDATA[BFI IMAX visit | Infrequent Rambling]]></wp:comment_author>
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    <wp:comment_author_url>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/05/bfi-imax-visit/</wp:comment_author_url>
    <wp:comment_author_IP>67.23.32.105</wp:comment_author_IP>
    <wp:comment_date>2009-05-26 15:52:21</wp:comment_date>
    <wp:comment_date_gmt>2009-05-26 14:52:21</wp:comment_date_gmt>
    <wp:comment_content><![CDATA[<p>[...] 1000 things to do in London                   &laquo; Now, about this new Star Trek movie&#8230; [...]</p>]]></wp:comment_content>
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<item>
  <title>Lily Allen: I don't get it.</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/06/02/lily-allen-i-dont-get-it/</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 2009 13:51:08 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/06/lily-allen-i-dont-get-it/</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>..and not the way you think.</p>  <p>I’m not what you’d call up to date with pop music. I don’t listen to Radio 1 regularly, and my musical tastes have tended towards going back in time, rather than forwards. Still, I haven’t been living in solitary confinement for the past five years, so I know who Lily Allen is.</p>  <p>Now I’ll be the first to admit I’m not the biggest fan of her music. It’s not at the top of my playlist, but I have listened to it, and I thought it was perfectly fine pop music. Lily seems to be credited as a co-writer on all the tracks, so she’s involved creatively from the beginning in her songs. Whilst she might not have an amazing voice, it definitely has charm and character. That alone sets her apart from the X Factor style of singing that grates with me so. She’s a successful, young, forthright, honest British woman, just the sort of person you’d think might be very popular with the press.</p>  <p>Yet she still seems to invoke vitriol in a lot of people in the public and in the media. That’s what I don’t get. Every time I’ve seen her on TV, she seems quite down-to-earth, and her <a href="http://twitter.com/lilyroseallen" target="_blank">Twitter account</a> (which is thankfully not a PR-run thing) shows a decent sense of humour, and an endearing amount of vulnerability, particularly to some of the nastier criticism.</p>  <p>Yes, she has a famous dad. Yes, she goes out in the evening, and has a drink. Is that the reason why people don’t like her? Maybe. There’s an accusation that she pretends to be street, when she went to a private school. Firstly, I’m not sure that’s something she’s ever pretended to be, and secondly, what does her schooling have to do with anything?</p>  <p>I’m not writing this piece as defence of Ms Allen, that’s hardly necessary. it’s much more of a question. What’s so annoying about her?</p>]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>189</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-06-02 14:51:08</wp:post_date>
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<item>
  <title>Please vote</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/06/04/please-vote/</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:21:11 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=191</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Here's a little story: At the time of last year's London mayoral election, I was living in a shared house. Whether accidentally or deliberately, someone living in the flat removed me (illegally I might add) from the electoral register. I didn't discover this until it was too late to get re-registered in time to put a cross in a box.

Wanting to vote, but not being able to, was one of the worst feelings I can remember. Particularly as the candidate I didn't support won. It was this that made me realise how lucky I am to be able to influence the government of my country through the ballot box. We really are very privileged to have the freedom to express ourselves in this manner, regardless of colour, creed, education, sex and all other discriminatory factors.

Feel good about yourself today. Express your opinion. Vote.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>191</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-06-04 10:21:11</wp:post_date>
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<item>
  <title>It's just me, myself and I</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/06/05/its-just-me-myself-and-i/</link>
  <pubDate>Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:31:11 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=193</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[In the past three weeks, I have been to:
<ul>
	<li><a href="http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/theatre/show-23594825-details/Rob+Brydon:+Live+2009/showReview.do" target="_blank">Rob Brydon live in the West End</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://jackofkent.blogspot.com/2009/05/simon-singh-support-meeting.html" target="_blank">A public support meeting for Simon Singh</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://www.skeptic.org.uk/events/details/46-trick-or-treatment--alternative-medicine-on-trial" target="_blank">Skeptics in the Pub, with Professor Edzard Ernst as the speaker</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://www.thebloomsbury.com/event/run/1294" target="_blank">Tony Benn doing a talk/Q&amp;A</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://www.wherediditallgoright.com/BLOG/2009/05/smile.html" target="_blank">Collings and Herrin's live podcast in Brighton</a></li>
	<li>Henry Blofeld and friends celebrating his 70th birthday at the Royal Albert Hall</li>
	<li><a href="http://www.barbican.org.uk/film/event-detail.asp?ID=9238" target="_blank">The Dodge Brothers Go West - White Oak, a silent western at the Barbican with live musical accompaniment</a></li>
	<li>A screening of an episode of The Corner, followed by a Q&amp;A with David Simon</li>
</ul>
With the exception of Rob Brydon and podcast in Brighton, I've been along to all these events on my own. When I look at the list, I suppose it is fairly random. I'm not sure I could have found someone who'd go with me to quite a few of them anyway. I've come to the conclusion that I should be taking advantage of as much as possible whilst I'm living in a big city. Since I'm single, it's easier not to have to find someone to go with. The downside is that I'm quite a shy and nervous chap (yes, honestly!) so going to stuff on my own was more nervewracking, and in an odd way embarrassing, than you might expect.

Honestly though, it's been great fun. Apart from discussing a shared experience with someone afterwards, it's not really a disadvantage to be on your own. For a show, when the lights go down, we're all essentially on our own watching anyway. Either that, or we feel part of the audience as a whole, which is a large part of the attraction of going to a live event. Plus there's no guilt about dragging someone along to something they don't want to see.

So get out there and see stuff in the flesh!]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>193</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-06-05 12:31:11</wp:post_date>
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  <title>Digital Britain - unfunding the BBC?</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/06/16/digital-britain-unfunding-the-bbc/</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 16 Jun 2009 07:43:24 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/06/digital-britain-unfunding-the-bbc/</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Just a short one. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport release their 'Digital Britain' report this afternoon. There is some talk of the licence fee being shared with commercial broadcasters, and a number of politicians from the right are constantly sniping at the BBC. I presume that this is at least something to do with BBC funding being almost the exact opposite of a free market.

Let me just say that the dross churned out by ITV, and the shows it is cancelling through lack of funding, demonstrate how the free market doesn't provide good television. The licence fee is one of the purchases I'm happiest to make every year. Please don't take money away from one of the things this country does very, very well.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>200</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-06-16 08:43:24</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2009-06-16 07:43:24</wp:post_date_gmt>
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<item>
  <title>About</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/about/</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 26 Feb 2013 12:15:43 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?page_id=213</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Hi. My name's Paul. I'm currently living in London/<del>Paris</del>/<del>New York</del>/<del>Milan</del>. I'm <del>married</del>/<del>engaged</del>/<del>separated</del>/<del>divorced</del>/<del>widowed</del>/single.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>213</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2013-02-26 12:15:43</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2013-02-26 12:15:43</wp:post_date_gmt>
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<item>
  <title>Once again, I'm out of step</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/06/25/once-again-im-out-of-step/</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:25:27 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=203</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[When Diana Spencer died, I was bemused. I wouldn't wish anyone dead, but I couldn't understand all of the kerfuffle that went along with the event.

It appears that Michael Jackson might be dead. Again, I don't really get it. I was never his biggest fan, but the word "genius" is being bandied around again. That word is over-used, and it's not appropriate here (in my opinion).

Still, it's quite interesting watching the news unfold on social media, the online press, and TV and radio. There's probably some more to be said about the coverage, after this evening.

Your very isolated-feeling and zeitgeist-missing correspondent signing off . . .]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>203</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-06-25 23:25:27</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2009-06-25 22:25:27</wp:post_date_gmt>
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<item>
  <title>. . . but maybe not as far as I thought</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/06/26/but-maybe-not-as-far-as-i-thought/</link>
  <pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2009 14:51:39 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=205</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[To follow on from my <a href="http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/06/once-again-im-out-of-step/">previous post</a>, I'm a lot cheerier today. I stayed up quite late last night, watching various social media sites, listening to the radio, and watching rolling news.

Seeing things unfold, particularly on Twitter, was very interesting. TV news really struggled to cover the event, since it was not strictly a "serious" happening. These rolling channels are usually able to fill time between the (usually sparse) nuggets of actually news by consulting various talking heads, who they normally characterise as "experts".

The problem was, "experts" on this particular topic comprised some <del datetime="2009-06-26T14:07:39+00:00">sycophantic</del> dedicated <del datetime="2009-06-26T14:07:39+00:00">nutters</del> hardcore fans, and the relentlessly self-publicising Uri Geller. Eventually we all agreed the man was dead, and then began to eulogise about his "musical genius". This seemed to be a point not even up for discussion. Now we were cutting to shots of crowds gathering, being talked at by the likes of Al Sharpton.

Meanwhile, over on Twitter, most people were scrabbling around for jokes. Of course, it may have looked this way because of the people I choose to follow. There was the odd post about how sad it was, but even that was more than I expected to see. My worst fears were becoming realised. Public mourning was about to begin.

At this point, I felt a bit weird. I didn't care about him dying. I wouldn't wish anyone dead, and obviously he left children behind (I mean his children, don't try to make a joke there!) but I wasn't bothered either way. People die every day. It's just something we have to come to terms with. The traditional media coverage was leaving me out. Again.

Then I went to bed, woke up, went to work. Started to talking to people I work with. Interacting with some of my real-life friends via Facebook. Turns out, an awful lot of people feel like me. His death isn't a big deal. This isn't about his odd lifestyle choices, his multi-million dollar settlement of a child abuse case, and his plastic surgery, this is about a stranger dying. Millions of them do that every day. Just because he was famous shouldn't mean you're any more sad.

Look, if his death has upset you, I'm sorry. This isn't about attacking you or your feelings. This is about the media not representing the views of what I feel is probably the majority. It's not "good copy" (whatever that means) but it's the truth. Stop wallowing, report his death as a news story rather than a soap opera, and move on.

Right, I now promise not to say any more on the subject. Unless I do.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>205</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-06-26 15:51:39</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2009-06-26 14:51:39</wp:post_date_gmt>
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<item>
  <title>tangerine-imac</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/my-digital-history/tangerine/#main</link>
  <pubDate>Sat, 09 May 2009 10:37:11 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://dreamshake.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/tangerine.jpg</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Doesn't it just look, well, cool?]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[My First Mac]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>154</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-05-09 11:37:11</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2009-05-09 10:37:11</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <wp:post_name>tangerine</wp:post_name>
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<item>
  <title>Waa-hoo!</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/07/02/waa-hoo/</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 02 Jul 2009 10:07:02 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=209</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[...when I feel heavy metal...

Going to see Blur tomorrow in Hyde Park. I'm really quite excited, and I'm going with a friend I've know since we were 11. That means we've know each other for over 20 years, and it'll be cool to go with someone who I remember experiencing Blur when they were first about.

Roll on tomorrow evening!]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>209</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-07-02 11:07:02</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2009-07-02 10:07:02</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <title>secret-policeman-2008</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2008/10/05/secret-policeman%e2%80%99s-ball-%e2%80%9808/attachment/1931/#main</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 07 May 2009 19:29:19 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://dreamshake.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/1931.jpg</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[Secret Policeman's Ball '08]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>139</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-05-07 20:29:19</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2009-05-07 19:29:19</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <wp:post_name>1931</wp:post_name>
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<item>
  <title>La dolce vita</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/07/04/la-dolce-vita/</link>
  <pubDate>Sat, 04 Jul 2009 18:15:19 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/07/la-dolce-vita/</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[What a splendid day. Woke up feeling distinctly ordinary. Mostly as a result of being too hot in bed, and hungover from a great night out, which involved catching up with an old friend and seeing Blur in Hyde Park.

Brewed some coffee, grilled some bacon, and already everything was feeling right with the world. Toodled off to the South Bank to take some pictures, then duck into BFI/NFT for some Scarface double bill action. Took a couple of action photos of skateboardy types, then wandered higher to try to get some "arty" shots. This sadly involved me dropping the camera, and breaking my precious zoom lens. Oddly, I wasn't as upset as I might have imagined. Annoyed, but calm. No one was commenting on my [t-shirt](http://www.blueapplemusic.co.uk/busdetails/busREF01.html) either, which I was sadly quite conscious of wearing, particularly given the high tourist concentration in that bit of central London.

The original Scarface movie was great, and I came out to see I had a text from a friend of mine, who fancied meeting up for a beer. Delighted with the sunshine, and the film, and happy how un-upset I was about the camera, I headed off to meet her. As I strolled along, I heard someone exclaim "No no no", right before striding up to me. I was slightly perturbed, until I realised it was a very charming French gentleman who was just very keen to know where he could get a shirt like mine! Atheists/humanists of the world unite! :)

I've just got home after a very enjoyable drink/chinwag, and I'm about to order some sushi. Could life be any better?

All the best,

your enjoying-his-life-and-not-worrying correspondent.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>211</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-07-04 19:15:19</wp:post_date>
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  <title>Karaoke Circus is da bomb</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/07/09/karaoke-circus-is-da-bomb/</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 09 Jul 2009 22:48:23 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=226</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Just a swift note about last night's entertainment. I was at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/100_Club">legendary</a> <a href="http://www.the100club.co.uk/">100 Club</a>, to see <a href="http://www.karaokecircus.com/">Karaoke Circus</a>. It was absolutely bloody marvellous. I'd do a review, but I have a memory like a sieve, and plenty of people have posted about it already. Like:
<ul>
	<li><a href="http://www.wherediditallgoright.com/BLOG/2009/07/utterly-brilliaaant.html" target="_blank">One of the performers</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://offensive-mango.livejournal.com/571865.html" target="_blank">The winner of the open mic spot</a></li>
	<li><a href="http://martylog.livejournal.com/295356.html" target="_blank">One of the hard-working musical geniuses behind the evening</a></li>
</ul>
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/observationsandmachinations/sets/72157621151970854/show/" target="_blank">I took some photos.</a> They're playing <a href="http://www.latitudefestival.co.uk/lineup/artist.aspx?AID=e308ce66-d855-42fc-9bae-4819e95820ae&amp;artist=Ward%20&amp;%20White's%20Karaoke%20Circus" target="_blank">Latitude festival</a>, and at Edinburgh too. Get there. Seriously.

[flickr]http://www.flickr.com/photos/observationsandmachinations/3703042874/[/flickr]]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>226</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-07-09 23:48:23</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2009-07-09 22:48:23</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <title>Class? I'm not sure I get it.</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/07/10/class-im-not-sure-i-get-it/</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:04:06 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=217</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[So, I was exchanging some bantersome online messages with a friend of mine, and she (indirectly) called me middle class. Obviously, this is the first thing I thought of:



I have to admit to being a bit upset to be described that way. Maybe "upset" is the wrong word. I was interested that I paused for thought when that phrase was used. Let's be honest, I work in IT, live in a nice part of London, I have a <em>blog</em> for heaven's sake! Of course I'm middle class. Am I?

Now, there have been earnest TV documentaries on this subject (and that one with John Prescott, which just seemed to be intentionally (from a production perspective)/unintentionally (from Two Jags perspective) hilarious. It would be a bit disingenuous of me to proclaim that we live in a classless society. Surely class is about pre-judging someone, and that still continues today, as I'm sure it always will.

Maybe the answer really lies elsewhere. I'd suggest that the usual indicators of class would be family background, education, and employment. Whilst family background remains the same, further/higher education has higher percentage participation than ever, and the economic/industrial realignment of the country means that a lot more of us work in an office than in an industrial/physical/practical job. Maybe class is still there, we just don't quite know what the deciding factors are any more? Or maybe we do, but we don't feel able to articulate them. I'm thoroughly confused on the whole issue.

<em>PS You might think that this post only exists as an excuse to post that video clip. I couldn't possibly comment.</em>]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>217</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-07-10 00:04:06</wp:post_date>
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  <title>Richard Herring's Hitler Moustache, or Involuntary Audience Participation</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/07/21/richard-herrings-hitler-moustache-or-involuntary-audience-participation/</link>
  <pubDate>Mon, 20 Jul 2009 23:43:08 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/07/richard-herrings-hitler-moustache-or-involuntary-audience-participation/</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Just a quick entry today. I toodled off to see a couple of Edinburgh previews this evening. I'd seen Hitler Moustache about a month ago at my local, and was interested to see how it might have changed over a month. Danielle Ward also did her show, Lies, to open the evening and despite being cold-ridden, was very funny. In fact, funny than I think she realised. A couple of times I felt as though there was some highly amusing material that she didn't give quite enough space/time (no, not a continuum) for. There was obviously a bit of work to do on the structure still, but I laughed the whole way through, and imagine it will be even better in 2-3 weeks.

Mr. Herring had changed his show quite a bit. There were some bits he removed (I think he already blogged about doing that) that didn't relate to the overall theme, and there was a lot more new stuff in there. I can say I thought that it was both interesting and funny four weeks ago, but it was even better this time around, and certainly felt more of a single piece, rather than standalone bits. I expect it will be well reviewed when it debuts in the Fringe.

I met a few similarly deranged people afterwards sporting Virgilio Anderson t-shirts, and I think we all felt a bit reassured that we didn't look like lunatics when there was more than one person wearing the bloody things. Of course, we looked like a cult instead, but that's a bit of a step up I think. Richard did his best to not look horrified to see us, and chatted for a bit at the bar before heading home.

Heading home was almost the most interesting part of the evening for me. I'd acquired a copy of the programme for the show, which features a quite frankly creepy picture of Mr. H on the front in full-on Mein Kampf mode. Well, I had already been to work, and thus in and around Hammersmith, in a t-shirt emblazoned with "Who Is Virgilio Anderson?". This being the case, I'd already thought that I knew what being a woman with large breasts must be like, as everyone, and I mean *everyone*, stared at my chest.

This did not prepare for the strange looks I got on the tube, clutching a programme which ostensibly had a picture of Hitler on the front. The woman sat next to me must have looked at it about 10 times, each time looking up at my face, and then back down at the photo again. She clearly objected, but hadn't realised I was watching her disgust in the reflection opposite. Initially I didn't mind, as I objected quite strongly to her overly tight powder blue pedal pushers, which I really felt weren't a good look for a woman in her 60s. Still, my bitter self-righteousness didn't last for long. I started looking around the carriage, and paranoia kicked in. Almost everyone was looking at me, and my apparently fascistic document. Of course, they may have been staring to try to see what the lettering said, but I was already sure I was causing some degree of offence. In an act of social awareness that would usually be anathema to me, I turned the programme over, revealing an advert for Scope. Hopefully that would confuse them, although realistically they couldn't make it out from more than two feet away.

I scuttled home from the station, and sat down with a new-found admiration for Richard Herring. If I'd been that bothered by carrying that on a 40 minute tube journey, what must have that moustache have been like for weeks and weeks? Honestly people, go and see the show, otherwise a middle-aged man's social awkwardness will have been for nothing!]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>235</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-07-21 00:43:08</wp:post_date>
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  <title>Code</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/code/</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:43:07 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?page_id=237</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[I occasionally write some software/bits of code that other people might find useful. This is where to find it all.
<h3>Mac OS X</h3>
<ul>
	<li><a href="/code/weeder/">Weeder</a> - My application for tidying up your friends/followers on Twitter <em>Coming soon</em></li>
</ul>
<h3>Wordpress Plugins</h3>
<ul>
	<li><a href="/code/pdb-prowl/">PDB Prowl</a> - a plugin that sends a Prowl notification when comments needed approving/deleting on your blog <em>Coming soon</em></li>
</ul>]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>237</wp:post_id>
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  <title>blogdesk-button-20090715124708.gif</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/?attachment_id=234</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:47:11 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
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  <wp:post_id>234</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-07-15 12:47:11</wp:post_date>
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  <title>PDB Prowl Plugin</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/code/pdb-prowl/</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:45:07 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?page_id=239</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Placeholder page for my forthcoming Wordpress plugin.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>239</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-07-22 20:45:07</wp:post_date>
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  <title>Weeder</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/code/weeder/</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 22 Jul 2009 21:13:29 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?page_id=244</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[My OS X application to weed your friends/followers on Twitter in one easy place will be available from here.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>244</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-07-22 22:13:29</wp:post_date>
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  <title>Why The Wire is not good television</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/07/23/why-the-wire-is-not-good-television/</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 22 Jul 2009 23:42:55 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=246</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Ah-ha. Got you. Anyone that's had the misfortune of having me hold forth on this HBO programme will know I'm quite a fan. You might even have described me as evangelical. I'm not kidding though, it isn't good television.

For years, The Wire was the best television show you hadn't seen. When it did hit the airwaves in the UK it was on little-watched satellite channel F/X. This meant that the few people who did see it here had <del datetime="2009-07-22T23:04:54+00:00">downloaded it</del> bought the DVD box sets. Of course, like any small group of fans, there was a certain cachet to being in the know.

Still, there was certainly a lot of word-of-mouth publicity, and the DVDs started to sell well. By the time the fifth and final season was airing in the US, publicity had gone into overdrive, with visits from David Simon (the show's co-creator) and rave writeups in broadsheet newspapers. The Wire had definitely arrived. Of course the more people that saw it, the more people there were that *didn't* like it. Stands to reason, and their opinion was absolutely valid. It didn't coincide with mine though.

Then the BBC decided to buy it. And that's when I started to have problems with it. The first season is notoriously slow-starting, in fact it took two or three false starts before I got hooked. That's a bad foot to get off on, since we have literally hundreds of channels to choose from these days. 3-4 hours is a lot of TV watching time to invest in a programme before it gets interesting for you. Word-of-mouth is the best form of advertising though, so perhaps we can forgive it this flaw.

The "fatal" flaw lies in scheduling the show. The BBC, with very little choice given that they had 50 one hour episodes to screen, opted to show them on consecutive weekday evenings. Not a problem you might think. Well, it is, when it takes ten weeks to show the lot, since an hour is a terribly long time to schedule every day. So it has to be on at an unsociable time. Like finishing after midnight. Add in a social life, or a bad memory, or (shock horror!) no Sky Plus, and you're guaranteed to miss some episodes.

It's not a forgiving series for that sin. There are lots of threads, and characters that are introduced several seasons before they become significant. You really need to see everything, and remember what's going on. That's one of the reasons, along with its slow pacing, that a weekly slot isn't ideal for it.

Oh, did I mention that the BBC didn't obtain rights to put it on iPlayer? Well, they didn't. Our friends in the scheduling department tried their hardest, putting on a weekly, very late, super long omnibus. Frankly, if you forgot to record the episode you missed, you'd have to be very patient to avoid the following ones and wait for the weekend to record them all the ones you'd missed. Oh, then you'd frantically have to watch them on Sunday before the whole shebang started up again on Monday.

Let's be honest, The Wire could contain the secret of eternal life, and 99% of us aren't going to go through that rigmarole to watch what is, in the end, JUST A TELEVISION PROGRAMME.

So there you have it. I genuinely think HBO's finest is just about untransmittable and unwatchable via the aerial on your roof. That's why it never got great ratings in the USA, despite critical acclaim. If HBO wasn't a subscription model cable channel, I doubt it even gets a second season. The only way to watch it is on DVD (or obtained illegally via your computer). You need to have all the episodes available, for you to watch at your own pace. I know this applies to quite a few shows, like 24 for example, but that still sort of works on a weekly basis, with its hourly twist to make you tune in next week.

So how many programmes will get made, straight to DVD, with 50 one hour episodes? Exactly. It needs to be on TV first. And you can't show it effectively on that platform. So it's not good television.

I do love it though.]]></content:encoded>
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  <title>blogdesk-button-20090715124708.gif</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/?attachment_id=233</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:47:09 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
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  <wp:post_id>233</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-07-15 12:47:09</wp:post_date>
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  <title>"Be excellent to each other"</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/07/23/be-excellent-to-each-other/</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:07:29 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=250</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Yes, I am the sort of fool who would extract my life's philosophy from a <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096928/">trashy, frothy Hollywood comedy</a>. That doesn't make me wrong though.

I was given a moment's pause today by some <a href="http://www.richardherring.com/warmingup/warmingup.php?id=2455">bad news</a> (<a href="http://www.wherediditallgoright.com/BLOG/2009/07/tina-wiseman.html">another tribute here</a>). Someone I didn't know, and had met once, for the first time on Monday, had died suddenly.

Now death is something I'm not unaccustomed too, like most of us, and I've sadly had to deal with the tragic news of friends dying before their time. I'm not a maudlin person though, and certainly not one given to grieving at the drop of a hat (see Michael Jackson, Jade Goody, and Diana Spencer). I did feel sad today though. You know why? Because Tina was just one of those people that was (and I hate to use this word) nice. I could tell that just from the few words we exchanged on Monday.

Now my "religious" beliefs are atheist, so I don't believe in heaven, or an after-life. What I do believe is that it's pretty cool that a person's demeanour was such that when they're gone, a stranger that met them briefly is a bit upset. I think that's about as fitting a tribute as anyone could have. Both Andrew and Richard's posts were lovely, and also speak to the positive effect she had on people she came across, whether virtually or in "real life".

I'm inspired to be a better, nicer, friendlier person to the people I meet in daily life. I'd love to think that I could leave such an uplifting impression with people as Tina so clearly did. What a great legacy for her to leave behind. Rest in peace Tina.

Oh, and be excellent to each other.]]></content:encoded>
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  <title>Right, planned my Edinburgh Fringe trip . . .</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/07/28/right-planned-my-edinburgh-fringe-trip/</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:41:53 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=263</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[. . . that was harder work than I expected. I'm going to stay for four nights, and see (in no particular order):
<ul>
	<li>Stewart Lee</li>
	<li>Dan Antopolski</li>
	<li>Clive James</li>
	<li>Pete Firman</li>
	<li>Richard Herring (if I can stomach his racism)</li>
	<li>Reginald D Hunter</li>
	<li>Collings and Herrin podcast malarkey</li>
	<li>Rich Hall (twice)</li>
	<li>Tiernan Douieb</li>
	<li>Sarah Millican</li>
	<li>Rhod Gilbert</li>
	<li>Ward and White's Karaoke Circus</li>
	<li>Aforementioned Martin White</li>
	<li>Chris Cox</li>
	<li>Tim Key</li>
	<li>Daniel Gibson</li>
	<li>Robin Ince</li>
	<li>and I've a few gaps (somehow) to see other stuff . . .</li>
</ul>
There is a good chance that I will never laugh again after that lot.

Now, to pay for it all. Bugger.]]></content:encoded>
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  <title>I'm a proud parent</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/08/06/im-a-proud-parent/</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 06 Aug 2009 10:40:59 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=269</guid>
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  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Of course it's only of a word.

<a href="http://dreamshake.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/adoptioncertificate.pdf">adoptaword.com Adoption Certificate</a>

What a <a href="http://www.adoptaword.com/" target="_blank">clever idea for raising money</a>. Good work <a href="http://www.ican.org.uk/" target="_blank">I CAN</a>, it's funny, smart, and relevant to their charity.]]></content:encoded>
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  <title>American Idol: Cynicism, or realism?</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/08/06/american-idol-cynicism-or-realism/</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 06 Aug 2009 21:00:43 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/08/american-idol-cynicism-or-realism/</guid>
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  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Much as I hate to give any thought to it, I couldn't help but notice the American Idol "resignation" of Paula Abdul (ostensibly over her wages). The only reason I know anything at all about this is because of the coverage afforded by her use of Twitter. More on that in a minute.

The reason it irks me is because the general public are being taken for fools. Already it's being reported that she may be back on the show after all, but that she'll miss a number of the audition recordings. Isn't this exactly what they did with Louis Walsh a couple of years ago on X Factor? "Sacked", and then asked back?

Am I being cynical? Or is that just the kind of clichéd formula these shows are always bound to follow?

I can't end on four rhetorical questions, so I'd better answer them. Yes, yes, yes, yes.]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>274</wp:post_id>
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  <title>"Too many twits makes a twat"</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/08/10/too-many-twits-makes-a-twat/</link>
  <pubDate>Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:23:57 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=275</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Well, you can't move these days without reading, hearing or watching something about Twitter. There have been some vitriolic responses to the latest "craze", both in the press, and from individuals I've spoken to, or read comments from.

Here's the thing; Twitter is a communication medium. It is as good or bad as the people using it. One might as well bemoan the telephone, or email, because they undermine letter writing.

I remember joining Twitter, just like I remember joining Facebook. I'm almost always an "early adopter", which basically means I try stuff out quite readily. Particularly when it's free. Facebook was useless when I joined. I was too old, so none of my friends were on there. However, as those friends joined, the utility of the site grew exponentially.

Suddenly, I got back in touch with people who I hadn't see for years. My slightly nomadic years in the late 1990s meant that I lost touch with people I wished I hadn't. A little bit like Friendsreunited, except I didn't have to pay for this to be able to contact people, and it broadened the range of people I could find.

Sure, there are people who have Facebook "friends" that they don't know in real life, and it's perfectly possible to use the site in the same manner as Myspace (a site I never got into using because it looked so godawful I couldn't bear to look at it for more than 90 seconds). I choose not to though. All my friends are real, and I use the "would I go for a beer with them" rule to decide whether to accept a friend request.

Of course, Facebook can be described as a timewasting activity, and in the first few months, reconnecting with old acquaintances, I did spend a lot of time catching up with what they'd been doing in the time since I'd seen them, looking at photos and generally marvelling at how little most of them had aged. Now though, I find my Facebook use is around 10-15 minutes a day probably, certainly less time than I spend on emails. It's no more of a waste of time than the people I keep in contact with using it, and I don't consider my friends a timewasting distraction.

Twitter was a different experience. Again, I joined the site relatively early in its life, and spent very little time using it. Interaction between users was somewhat limited, and if memory serves the @reply shorthand which eventually became formalised wasn't in common usage. I had a poke around, but who to follow? Most of the people I could see were very techie (no bad thing, but not something I needed more of) and US-based (which put them in an inconvenient time zone to interact with).

As with Facebook though, more people started using Twitter, and its utility went up drastically. Following someone on Twitter is a rather "loose" connection, as (a) you don't really have much information about them, in contrast to Facebook, and (b) it's intrinsically one way, again unlike Facebook.

Now etiquette (Tweetiquette?) apparently suggests that if someone follows you, then you should follow them back. I think this is nonsense. My Twitter experience is defined by my timeline of tweets, and I like to choose who writes them. If I follow everyone who follows me, they are essentially deciding it for me. Also, and more importantly, this "follow back" mentality encourages the spamming/advertising profiles, who can automate following thousands of people, and have their banal tweets read by everyone polite enough to follow them back.

Now, whilst a lot of my real life friends are on Facebook, not so many of them are on Twitter. And of those few, not too many are that active. That's actually one of Twitter's biggest problems, and one I'll return to later. Still enough of them are that I've arrange nights out via the service, and caught up with various details about social gatherings. So I do follow a lot of people I haven't met in person. I suspect a lot of new Twitterers just follow the standard few famous people (@Wossy, @stephenfry and so on), and some of them even get annoyed when their "Hello Stephen!" tweets don't elicit an immediate response. This isn't email people!

However, there are plenty of interesting people out there, famous or otherwise. Whatever field you happen to be interested in, there are numerous twitterers you can follow to stay up to speed. Personally, I follow a combination of funny people, atheist/humanist/scientist types, and sports-related bods. So what I get out of Twitter is laughs, staying up to date with news/events, and the odd sporting scoop. There are lots of tweeps willing to converse with you, even "celebrities", if that's your bag. I don't think I follow a single person who just posts mundane details about their day. Which leads me on to my final point.

Twitter as a concept doesn't seem to be easy to explain or understand. The "I don't care whether someone is doing their shopping" is one oft-advanced criticism of Twitter. The mainstream press seem very suspicious of it in particular. Probably in the same way newspapers were suspicious of the wireless, there's a feeling of being undermined. The very celebrities that are misquoted and portrayed in a less than flattering light now no longer are in thrall to the regular media. They can readily communicate their point of view on something directly to their fans, without the (possible) manipulation of an interviewer or sub-editor. The same newpapers that happily mock the site as a pointless waste of time also seem to be directly sourcing quotes from people's Twitter accounts for their articles. Yes, it's such a childish diversion, you're using it to provide scoops and comments.

Twitter, as with all social networking sites, is only as good as the people on it, and how you interact with them. Find it boring? That's either because you haven't found the best of using it for you yet, or maybe you're a bit boring yourself. Email is dull if all you do is read and write boring emails.

Why don't you give it a go? You might find some interesting things to do, engaging people to interact with, and a whole new aspect to online communication.]]></content:encoded>
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  <title>Off to the Fringe</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/08/23/off-to-the-fringe/</link>
  <pubDate>Sun, 23 Aug 2009 07:41:16 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/08/off-to-the-fringe/</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[So, it's 8:45, and I'm in the air over Birmingham (according to the reassuring voice of the captain). I've been up for 3 1/2 hours now, and despite drinking until midnight, and going to bed at 1am, I feel surprisingly good.

I've just realised in my haste that I booked a ticket for Chris Cox's show on Friday, rather than today. Hope it isn't sold out, as I'm really keen to see it.

Annoyingly, the cricket is poised to be interesting today, so I may be distracted during the afternoon, we'll have to see. As the last thing I'm booked to see today is due to finish at 2:30am, I'll have been awake for roughly 22 hours on 4 hours of drunken sleep. I'm actually interested to see how grumpy I am tomorrow!

On a more whimsical note, and this may be an indication of my tiredness already, I'm attending the Edinburgh fringe with possibly the longest fringe I've had in a decade. God, that is awful. I'm definitely tired. May need to find a park bench to sleep on this morning before I can check into my hotel!]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>282</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-08-23 08:41:16</wp:post_date>
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  <title>adoptaword.com Adoption Certificate</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/08/06/im-a-proud-parent/adoptioncertificate/</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 06 Aug 2009 10:32:19 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://dreamshake.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/adoptioncertificate.pdf</guid>
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  <wp:post_id>268</wp:post_id>
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  <title>Seating Plan</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/?attachment_id=281</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 11 Aug 2009 11:23:17 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
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  <title>The Atheist's Guide to Christmas</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/09/16/the-atheists-guide-to-christmas/banner-468x601/#main</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:44:34 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
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  <wp:post_id>309</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-09-16 15:44:34</wp:post_date>
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  <title>Bad Hair Year</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/?attachment_id=339</link>
  <pubDate>Sat, 17 Oct 2009 22:24:29 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
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  <wp:post_id>339</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-10-17 23:24:29</wp:post_date>
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  <title>Margaret Cabourn-Smith</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/?attachment_id=350</link>
  <pubDate>Sat, 24 Oct 2009 16:24:21 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
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  <wp:post_id>350</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-10-24 17:24:21</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2009-10-24 16:24:21</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <title>Time to re-think batting orders?</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=646</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=646</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[I've been meaning to write up my thoughts about this for a while, and <a title="Cricinfo: Saving the best for the last" href="http://www.espncricinfo.com/indian-premier-league-2013/content/current/story/635610.html">this article on Cricinfo</a> reminded me to quickly note down my thoughts.

Simply put; batting orders are an anachronistic carry-over from "unlimited over" cricket, and don't make sense in modern 20/40/50 over cricket. The advantage a batsman gets psychologically from knowing when they will be going out to bat is lost when they might be batting at 4-1 or 104-1. It takes a very special player to be able to bat equally effectively in both situations.

Currently teams tinker with their batting lineup, and sometimes send lower-order players out when big hitting is required, but this (it appears to me) is done in a very ad hoc fashion. My proposal is that a batsman's position be defined by overs remaining.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>646</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2013-05-13 10:06:10</wp:post_date>
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  <title>media_httpfarm4static_fdezw-scaled500</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/?attachment_id=441</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 26 Feb 2013 11:54:19 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
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  <title>p50-scaled1000</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2011/08/16/vegas-baby/p50-scaled1000/#main</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 26 Feb 2013 11:54:20 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
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  <title>I love coincidences</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/08/26/i-love-coincidences/</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:39:28 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=283</guid>
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  <content:encoded><![CDATA[When they're funny, it's even better.

It started with a bit of Facebook banter. My friend had set his status as:

'Dan has just bought a Dire Straits album. Does that make me a bad person?'

Me: 'It's a cheaper early mid-life crisis than a motorbike.'<br />
Dan: 'Alright, alright! It was only for research purposes anyway...'<br />
Me: 'Ah, the Pete Townshend defence.'<br />
Me: '(is that joke in bad taste? Can't tell these days)'<br />
Dan: 'Thanks for using my status page as a space to experiment with your sick brand of humour Paul ;)'<br />

What really made me laugh was Spotify throwing up <em>The Kids Are Alright</em> by <strong>The Who</strong> literally 10 seconds after this exchange.

Simple things...]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_date>2009-08-26 17:39:28</wp:post_date>
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  <title>Edinburgh Flashtrip</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/08/27/edinburgh-flashtrip/</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 27 Aug 2009 17:00:41 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=289</guid>
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  <content:encoded><![CDATA[So, I finally got to go The Fringe Sunday just gone, after an inital aborted attempt to plan this stuff. After <a href="http://www.wherediditallgoright.com/BLOG/2009/08/fringe-legs.html">Andrew Collins' extensive post on his trip</a>, I'm ashamed to admit I can't go into anything like as much detail, and I was only there for about 10 minutes.

I was flying up to Edinburgh on the 8am Gatwick flight, which meant I needed to get a bus from my flat at roughly 5:45. Being the consumate traveller, I prepared for this early rise by going out on the piss in Hampstead of all places, then consuming two bottles of wine in the cinema (Inglourious Basterds, less said the better) with my friend. Through in some more beers afterwards and dinner, and I got home at about 1am.

I deferred "packing" such as it was until the morning, and enjoyed 4 hours of alcohol-induced unconsciousness. Almost in a daze, I floated my way to Gatwick, and suddenly found myself in the middle of Edinburgh. Getting wet. A brief stroll around, a bite to eat, then it was time for the final <strong>Collings &amp; Herrin</strong> live podcast. I'd seen the guys do a turn live in Brighton, so I knew what to expect. Apart from how insufferably hot and humid it would be in there. Still, I throughly enjoyed myself, and after saying hello to a street trader (who looked remarkably like Andrew Collins), it was hotel check in time.

At this point, I have to confess that my plans of seeing a couple of shows in the afternoon were destroyed by the climactic Ashes moments, and the need for a power nap. Still, I deserved it. Sort of.

Fed and watered, and off to see <strong>Chris Cox</strong>'s <em>Mind Over Patter</em>. I really enjoyed it, as did the rest of the audience. So often mentalism is presented with a sort of gravitas that is meant to increase how impressed we are. To be honest, that always makes it worse for me. Cox's light touch with his presentation works really well with this type of act. Even if he does look 12.

After that, it was a rapidish stroll across to the Pleasance Courtyard to grab a swift alcoholic beverage, and get in the queue for <strong>Tim Key</strong>, and his show <em>The Slutcracker</em>. I had planned to see him anyway, but a friend recommended him very highly, and also insisted that I should sit front and centre in the audience, hence the queuing bit.

Well, what a treat. Setting a slightly edgy atmosphere with his entrance and quick change, the full show was captivated from start to finish. Whilst I didn't get the dubious pleasure of being Key's beer coaster, I did enjoy interacting with him a couple of times during the hour (at his behest I hasten to add), and the delivery was masterful. Thoroughly deserving of his nomination in the Eddies (and what a shit name that is).

Just next door then (after picking up another one of those refreshing beverages) to see the <strong>Penny Dreadfuls</strong> perform their new show <em>The Never Man</em>. A deliciously silly comedy thriller set in the newly built theme park on Beef Island, the threesome performed with a real gusto that was just right for a late night show. Some of the fight scenes certainly seemed to go beyond what was scripted, and a few  (what appeared to be) off-book lines and corpsing just added to a entertaining show. The best way I can describe it is that I wanted to be performing in it, it seemed to be such fun to do. Top work.

Apart from surprising a flyering Danielle Ward outside the show ("Karaoke Circus? No thanks, I'm already going"), I dashed off to my hotel to grab my camera equipment. Next on the agenda was the aforementioned KC, which was, as usual, bloody entertaining and hilarious. I really enjoyed trying to take photos in between laughing, singing along, cheering, and booing Dan Maier (in his Simon Cowell role). Great lineup, great band, great evening.

[flickr]3855064429[/flickr]

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/observationsandmachinations/sets/72157622139044604/show/">More photos here</a>, if you're interested. I was pretty happy with them, given my accelerated lager consumption by this point in the evening.

I staggered home, tired and happy, and had another alcohol-induced period of unconsciousness for the second night running. Sadly, after waking, computer issues (trying to put a couple of photos online) and checking out (just really slow), I missed the midday show I wanted to see. Still the sun was shining, so I went to take a few quick touristy shots of Edinburgh, and grab some lunch.

As if by magic, I found myself in the Pleasance Courtyard again, in the sun this time, taking in the atmosphere, and a number of flyers (of course). One chap, <a href="http://www.sandersonjones.com/">Sanderson Jones</a>, did a good enough job to convince me to see his show in the afternoon, and my random quota was therefore fulfilled. I just had time to squeeze it in to my itinerary. Except I didn't really, and I ended up missing Pippa Evans. I actually surprised myself by only mis-scheduling once. Go me.

First it was <em>Book Club</em>, hosted, as ever, by <strong>Robin Ince</strong>. Cracking entertainment on the Free Fringe, and a most enjoyable hour. I wish I could remember everyone who performed, because they were all funny, but alas I have a poor short-term memory, and wasn't taking notes. I do however remember Foz Foster and The Baron from Karaoke Circus turning up, in full make up, to join in with the performance of the Crabs Musical at the end. Absolutely bbrrrriiiiillllliiiiaaaannnnttttt!

Dashed off to see the aforementioned <strong>Sanderson Jones</strong>, whose show is called <em>Another Heart Breaking But Ultimately Life-Affirming Show About Death</em> (I love the dark humour, what can I say?). It was actually pretty good, and worth seeing. Some of the material was a bit patchy, but his delivery and interaction with the audience suggest that he's only going to get better. Nice to see some personal stuff in there too, even if it looked like it might genuinely be a little upsetting for him to deliver.

So back to stalking <strong>Robin Ince</strong>, as I went to see his new show, <em>Robin Ince Vs The Moral Majority</em>. Ended up sitting right at the front, and heckling by mistake (rather like Withnail and his holiday) although it was all very good natured. It was a great show too, well observed and delivered, with lots of laughs. I genuinely left thinking 'How is he not on TV making millions, and someone with the same initials  as Marilyn Manson is?'. As ever, highly recommended.

Then an uphill sprint (literally) to get to <strong>Danielle Ward</strong>'s <em>Lies</em>. Despite my lightening pace, I didn't arrive quite in time, and had the ignominy of a late entrance. Still worse, there was a small audience, so I couldn't sneak in. As it transpired, it didn't matter too much, as Ward soon moved the audience around a bit in the shipping container we appeared to be sat in, so she could face in one direction as she went through the show. The audience which contained Martin White, Foz Foster and The Baron from KC. Again! I swear that these guys were following me around.

The show itself wasn't too dissimilar to the preview I'd seen, and enjoyed, in London the previous month, when Danielle was on a double bill with Richard Herring and Hitler Moustache. The difference being the smaller audience and 3 weeks of performing in Edinburgh to lukeward reviews. As I said earlier, I like my dark humour, and some awkward and tense moments are not necessarily a bad thing (see Tim Key). The jokes were quite wide-ranging, and on refreshingly different topics, and more hit and missed, with me at least. Oh, and anyone show that plays out to the Top Gun theme is alright by me! Nice shades too.

And so ended my flashtrip, with a slightly sad walk to the station to catch the sleeper train back to London (very good incidentally). I'd had a great time, hectic and amusing, and I didn't see anything that I didn't like. I'd call that a successful trip.

Blimey 1364 words?! That's more than I thought.]]></content:encoded>
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  <title>I'm off to the best festival, Bestival</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/09/11/im-off-to-the-best-festival-bestival/</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:06:20 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
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  <content:encoded><![CDATA[I'm off to see a lot of cool live stuff on the Isle of Wight, at Bestival. It's not huge like Glasto, but it has an [amazing lineup](http://www.bestival.net/html/artists/2009lineup), and the weather's set fair too.

I've had a pretty average last couple of weeks, and this is just the tonic I need. Now, if only I knew someone with a helicopter, so I didn't have to get up in five hours...

See you all on the flipside!]]></content:encoded>
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  <title>Why I'm (finally) upset about Terry Wogan retiring</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/09/16/why-im-finally-upset-about-terry-wogan-retiring/</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:21:39 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/09/why-im-finally-upset-about-terry-wogan-retiring/</guid>
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  <content:encoded><![CDATA[I can't say I was too upset, or indeed surprised at the announcement that Terry Wogan was retiring from the Radio 2 Breakfast Show. I can remember being annoyed by being made to listen to him in the car on the way to school as a child, and his slow, lilting delivery never did much for me. It's fair to say that I was positively delighted when I heard that Chris Evans would be replacing him. Before his ego ran away with him in the late 90s, I thought he was an excellent DJ, and seemed to effortlessly be the sort of performer that Chris Moyles goes to sleep dreaming of being.

Overall then, I was pleased that someone I'd want to listen to in the morning was going to be on non-commercial radio again. All was right in the small, radio-oriented part of my mind.

Sadly this state of affairs didn't last. This week it was announced that Simon Mayo was moving to Radio 2 to fill the drivetime slot that Evans is leaving. I've always had a soft spot for Mr. Mayo, as he was the Radio 1 breakfast DJ of my teenage years. When he moved to the afternoon slot on Five Live (or whatever it was called then) in 2001, my respect for him went up several notches. He is now undoubtedly one of the country's finest speech broadcasters. Always formidably well researched (how he read so many of the books of authors he interviews, I'll never know) with a light touch, friendly but never obsequious, and not afraid to broach difficult subjects whilst simultaneously being non-confrontational, his shows, both live and podcast, have been a joy to listen to. The on-air partnership with Mark Kermode, resumed from 1 FM days, is a delight, with the niggling banter clearly unpinned by a great friendship.

He will, of course, be great in the drivetime slot, but won't be doing anywhere enough talking or interviewing for my tastes. Still, the saving grace is that we will still be getting two hours of wittertainment on a Friday afternoon. Maybe if Five Live weren't relocating to the Manchester area, things would have been different. Regardless, Radio 2 has gained a new listener, and Five have (just) retained one.]]></content:encoded>
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  <title>Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Blur, Lily Allen and the record companies; they're all wrong</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/09/16/pink-floyd-radiohead-blur-lily-allen-and-the-record-companies-theyre-all-wrong/</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:23:07 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/09/pink-floyd-radiohead-blur-lily-allen-and-the-record-companies-theyre-all-wrong/</guid>
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  <content:encoded><![CDATA[It's a murky pool to dive into, this P2P media sharing discussion. I remember Napster coming into being whilst I was at university, and being voraciously used by a lot of my friends (for some reason I was less keen, and I'm sure it wasn't a sense of propriety) including one who has gone on to carve out a successful career in the music industry. That's roughly a decade ago, and the issue is still not resolved. Sure, we can now legally and easily buy music online, and boy that took long enough, but the vast majority of music downloading online is unpaid for, and illegal. There are plenty of statistics flying about, most of which are (I believe) nonsense, or at least very exaggerated, although the really important ones (sales) are incontrovertibly heading in the wrong direction.

The record companies have acted as one might expect a shop to react upon discovering the concept of shoplifting. They're horrified, they want to do whatever they can to stop it, and are prepared to use heavy tactics to get their way. As large corporate entities, they have behaved exactly as we would have expected. And as aforementioned entities, they haven't got it right first time.

Enter the FAC, comprising a number of established, successful music acts, making a range of points about file sharing. Their point seems to roughly be "all publicity is good publicity", and cite increased concert ticket sales, merchandise and even album sales as side effects of having music downloaded. Equally they believe that cutting off a person's internet connection as a "punishment" is a draconian overreaction.

Some days after this, another well-known, successful artist has entered the fray. Famous (some might say infamous) for her forthright nature, Ms. Allen makes the point that it's all very well to take the FAC perspective if you're in Radiohead, since you're alright Jack. She also, quite rightly, asserts that the digital copying taking place today is not analogous to the home-taping of yesteryear. It was reading her blog on the subject that made me think.

They're all wrong. And they're all right. Allow me to explain; the record companies are right that if record sales/revenue decline, then there is not only less profit for them (their concern), there is also less budget for A&amp;R to discover new talent (our concern). The FAC are right that P2P file sharing provides the oxygen of publicity, and also undoubtedly drives secondary sales. Lily Allen is right, perfect digital copies are far, far removed from the radio taping and tape copies of other tapes/CDs. The quality is excellent. She's also right that new artists won't reap the benefits of P2P that established ones do. All very valid points.

Thing is, they're all short-sighted. Technology has consistently driven the recorded music industry, and it will continue to do so. Let's take a walk through history. Easy home taping was probably the first great threat to the music industry. They were worried that people making copies wouldn't spend money. Well, taping off the radio certainly wasn't a huge threat, since the DJs talking over intros and outros was always going to be annoying. Taping other tapes was more of a threat. Sure, there was a quality drop-off, but it wasn't massive. Indeed, although the copying process was not as easy as today's digital environment, it wasn't too much of a chore at the time. The music industry was dying. Oh, wait. Here are cheap(ish) CD players, with instant access to specific tracks, and better quality than tapes. They don't wear out (well, maybe) like tapes either. Music industry rejoice, we now prefer to buy CDs than copy with tape if we can. It's not all going to die after all.

Here's the CD burner now though. It's relatively easy to get an exact copy of a CD now. Still, the burners started out quite expensive, as did the discs, and there was always the chance that the odd disc wouldn't burn properly. Add in the requirement for a capable computer, still not ubiquitous at this point, and we'd still prefer to just buy the CD. Getting closer though.

Next, increased bandwidth and computing power. We can convert CDs into smaller, digital files that can be played on a computer, and that are just small enough to share online. They can still take a while to download though, and finding them isn't that easy. Between friends is probably the most common sharing mechanism. At this point, the music industry should have stepped in, and started selling cheap digital copies of music. The nascent P2P software would have had less take up with the man on the street, as the convenience factor of buying the 'original' would have won out. Missed opportunity.

Particularly as the iPod is now here. Yes there were other MP3 players before it, but with an easy to use interface and software, and great marketing, the mobile digital audio market took off. Getting music onto them required a (slowish) conversion of a CD though. Or an illegal download. Which was also free. Guess which one won out?

Bandwidth is still increasing, so the downloading option is now faster, and the P2P software is much more sophisticated. It's easier to find an illegal copy of something obscure than to actually buy it in the shop. Also, we can get a quality of digital download which (for most people) renders the additional quality of the CD an unnecessary expense.

We're coming up towards the present day now. Digital downloads are available, but they are DRM-laden, meaning that they're not easy to share, but equally not that easy to use on your multiple computers/mobile music players/cars/home sound systems. They also **still** don't have the breadth of music that CDs (and therefore illegal downloads) have. Some honest/lazy people use these download services, but most don't bother. Illegality has become the norm for acquiring music now. Because it was allowed to proliferate, most users don't even feel that they're doing anything wrong.

Streaming services exist, but they're not compatible across all computing platforms, require a monthly subscription, and aren't effective with mobile players (i.e. they're not iPod compatible, the *de facto* standard). Much breast beating in the music industry. Sales are now collapsing, and they realise that they've missed the boat. Unfortunately, their response is to try to sink the boat, rather than charter another one to catch up.

And we're at the present at last. CDs are regularly leaked online, in high quality versions, before the CDs are commercially available. The illegal channel has won, on speed, convenience and time to market. Spotify arrives, working on all (with some provisos) platforms, and offers free streaming with advertising inserted, essentially mirroring the commercial radio model. Doubts are expressed that this can generate enough revenue to sustain their business model, and therefore the music industry.

Now I'm going to stop talking about what has happened, and get onto what I think will happen. The key is Spotify's mobile service. They've released a streaming version, that requires a subscription, not advertising. It has good (but not yet good enough) coverage of music and works well. This is where I think technology, as it has (and could have) in the past, will help. People will take the path of least resistance in most matters, and music consumption is one such area. Once streaming on a phone/computer is easier than downloading, and quicker, they'll start to be interested. If the subscription rate is equitable, they'd rather pay it to avoid the hassle of illegal downloading. Technology has to catch up, and by this I mean both the phone/player device and sufficient mobile bandwidth for there to be no irritating drop-outs. We're not there yet, but it won't be long. Look at the pace of progress.

All the industry needs to do is stop being defensive, and put itself at the cutting edge of the new developments. They dropped the ball 10 years ago, when they were woefully late with legal downloads. We can only hope, for the sake of us hearing good music, that they get with the programme this time.

###ADDENDUM

I'm aware that some people feel that the "democratising nature of the web" will just cut the record companies out of the loop, and put music fans directly in contact with the artists. I've got news for you; the web doesn't democratise shit. Bandwidth costs, servers cost, musical equipment/instruments cost, rent costs, food costs. We have to pay for our music. It's all about how. The independent model will introduce too many hassles for the consumer for it to ever take off.

Of course, I could be wrong. I've been wrong before.]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>302</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-09-16 14:23:07</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2009-09-16 13:23:07</wp:post_date_gmt>
  <wp:comment_status>open</wp:comment_status>
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  <wp:post_name>pink-floyd-radiohead-blur-lily-allen-and-the-record-companies-theyre-all-wrong</wp:post_name>
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<item>
  <title>A shameless plug...</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/09/16/the-atheists-guide-to-christmas/</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 16 Sep 2009 14:51:38 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=308</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[...for <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Atheists-Guide-Christmas-Ariane-Sherine/dp/0007322615/">The Atheist's Guide to Christmas</a> book!

Now, I've not blogged about religion much. This is primarily because I find listening to other people's religious beliefs quite tedious, and from this I've inferred that other people would find my views similarly uninteresting.

I am (and this is no surprise to people who know me) an atheist. If you push me, I'd probably describe myself as a secular humanist. I've got a confession to make though: I've always enjoyed Christmas. The religious aspect always seemed rather silly to me, but a festival in the middle(ish) of winter is a great idea. Of course, this idea predates Christmas anyway. Everyone being that little bit nicer to each other, eating, drinking and making merry is something that will always get my support.

This book is in that same spirit with a set of contributions from godless people like Derren Brown, Charlie Brooker, David Baddiel, Richard Herring and other writers, comedians and scientists (42 in total), all revolving around Christmas.

Oh, and did I mention the advance and royalties from the book are going to the Terence Higgins Trust? What more reason do you need to go out and buy it? I did. Perhaps you'd even like to <a href="http://www.atheistcampaign.org/support/">get involved</a>...

<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Atheists-Guide-Christmas-Ariane-Sherine/dp/0007322615/"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-309" title="The Atheist's Guide to Christmas" src="http://dreamshake.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/banner-468x601.jpg" alt="The Atheist's Guide to Christmas" width="468" height="60" /></a>]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>308</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-09-16 15:51:38</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2009-09-16 14:51:38</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <title>Lord Justice Laws to Mr Justice Eady: "Bogus, dude!"*</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/10/14/lord-justice-laws-to-mr-justice-eady-bogus-dude/</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:47:55 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=327</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[*Not verbatim.

Let's all be very happy today. In the libel case brought by the BCA against Simon Singh, there has been a dearth of good news. First the was the <a href="http://jackofkent.blogspot.com/2009/05/bca-v-singh-astonishingly-illiberal.html" target="_blank">"astonishingly illiberal" ruling on the question of meaning at the preliminary hearing</a>, followed by a <a href="http://jackofkent.blogspot.com/2009/07/simon-singh-loses-first-attempt-at.html" target="_blank">refusal of Simon's application for permission to appeal</a>. Today was his second attempt, by means of an oral hearing, to secure leave to appeal the initial judgement on meaning. It was successful.

Courtesy of <a href="http://www.indexoncensorship.org/2009/10/simon-singh-wins-leave-to-appeal-in-bca-libel-case/" target="_blank">Index on Censorship's summary of the hearing</a>, it appears that Lord Justice Laws has robustly rejected Mr Justice Eady's judgement, with phrases like "legally erroneous", adding that there was "no question" of Simon's "good faith" in writing an article that was "clearly in the public interest".

Let's not forget though, that although this is, to paraphrase, an astonishingly robust and sensible ruling, it is still within the crazy and embarrassing framework of English libel law. Whilst this is good news for science in general, and Simon in particular, the wider battle to reform libel law continues.

I urge you to add your name to the campaign.

<a href="http://www.senseaboutscience.org.uk/freedebate"><img src="http://www.senseaboutscience.org.uk/images/Banner-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>327</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-10-14 16:47:55</wp:post_date>
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<item>
  <title>The mob mentality; alive and well in 2009</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/10/19/the-mob-mentality-alive-and-well-in-2009/</link>
  <pubDate>Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:40:51 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=340</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[I've <a href="http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/05/hashtags-fertile-breeding-ground-for-twitmobs/">blogged about this before</a>, but it has happened again this week, in a couple of different ways. Enough has been written about Jan Moir's insidious piece in the Daily Mail, and hopefully we all know about the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/oct/17/trafigura-minton-report-revealed" target="_blank">Trafigura super-injunction pertaining to the Minton Report</a>. The mainstream media have also noticed the Twitter effect around these two issues.

The mainstream media aren't sure quite how to report about this, or so it seems to me. How much of an effect did Twitter have on the legal proceedings around Trafigura? Is it fair to describe the tweeting around Jan Moir's bile an "orchestrated campaign"? Organisations that are struggling to find a profitable place in the digital world also seem to be struggling to deal with reporting Twitter.

Let's be honest, a lot of original reporting about the site was quite sneering, talking about banal updates from "nobodies", and preening celebrities tweeting minutiae about their lives to adoring masses of fans. Of course, these same newspapers were printing "scoops", sometimes on the same page as the sneering, sourced directly from a particular person's tweet. Confusion reigns in the newsroom.

Here's the problem. I'm a regular Twitter user (5,600 updates and rising) and I have difficulty explaining exactly what the appeal is to friends who aren't users. It's not a straightforward concept, and it's common to see people open an account, tweet a couple of times, and then let the account gather dust. I did that myself some 18 months ago. This lack of an easy definition is what causes these deep misunderstandings from non-users.

The fact of the matter is, whether we call it 'tweeting', 'micro-blogging', 'broadcast-texting', or whichever not-very-descriptive term you choose, it's an internet communication tool. Less personal than e-mail, less intrusive than Facebook, less downright ugly than Myspace, but just a tool. Its defining characteristic is the 140 character limit, which by turns encourages both brevity and triviality. Various URL-shortening services (and that's a worrying topic for another post) enable us to easily share links to sites of interest.

Given the nature of a single tweet, often little thought goes in to what one says. Retweeting (the process of simply repeating someone else's remark) means that memes, offensive news articles, and all manner of items of interest spread like wildfire. Hashtags (the process of putting a hash-prefaced word into a tweet) give tweeters a simple way of finding all comments on a particular topic. For example, #trafigura shot to the top of Twitter's trending topics (a list, visible to all users, of the most mentioned phrases of the moment). Twitter is almost always the way I find out about breaking news these days. It's incredibly effective at spreading information very quickly.

And there's the problem. On Friday morning, I saw a flood of tweets about Jan Moir's now infamous article. There was outrage, and quite rightly so, about what she had written. There was no "highly orchestrated campaign", as Moir later claimed in a press release. Merely saying that demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of Twitter. What there was, however, was the perfect conditions for the formation of a mob. Lots of people, looking around, seeing lots of other angry people who agree with them. In the perfect demonstration of positive feedback, some people got more and more angry, and then angrier still.

As there are millions of people on Twitter, even if most people remain calm, there are going to be enough outraged people to fan the flames of each other's anger. Sadly, a lot of this ire was directed at Ms Moir herself. True, she did write the article, but let's not forget, she doesn't pop into the presses with a USB key containing her article, and commit it directly to print. There was surely an editorial decision to publish, possibly even to commission an article on the topic (that's purely speculation on my part). Still, I'm led to believe that people were sharing her address online (way, way over the line), and I personally saw some really hateful, nasty language directed at her in people's tweets. It was the reaction of the playground, and an embarrassment to those that were saying it.

Sadly, Twitter, and the internet as a whole in fact, lays bare some of the more unpleasant aspects of human nature. Given anonymity, and a disconnection from the object of their words, people often write spiteful, nasty, malicious words about other people. Amazingly, sometimes it's just a book or a film that causes this ire. The immediacy of Twitter has the unpleasant side effect of facilitating these virtual torch and pitchfork groups. It's unpleasant, but I don't know what can be done about it. Maybe a popup box prior to posting; "Are you sure you want to say that? Take a deep breath, count to ten, then press 'Post' again"? Maybe not.

Regardless of some of the uglier aspects of this particular social network, I'm a big fan. I've met (virtually and in reality) some lovely people, read interesting articles, been amused, amazed, fascinated and educated. People can be twats, but lots of them aren't. I just wish people would think before they tweet. But then I also wish lots of people would think before they speak.

<em>Plus ça change</em>.]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>340</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-10-19 12:40:51</wp:post_date>
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  <wp:comment>
    <wp:comment_id>4</wp:comment_id>
    <wp:comment_author><![CDATA[Andy Luke]]></wp:comment_author>
    <wp:comment_author_email>drew.luke@gmail.com</wp:comment_author_email>
    <wp:comment_author_url>http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/PaulClarke/</wp:comment_author_url>
    <wp:comment_author_IP>94.197.84.70</wp:comment_author_IP>
    <wp:comment_date>2009-11-14 20:51:33</wp:comment_date>
    <wp:comment_date_gmt>2009-11-14 19:51:33</wp:comment_date_gmt>
    <wp:comment_content><![CDATA[“Are you sure you want to say that?' good idea. As a replacement for 'What are you doing?' perhaps.
Seeing the #PaulClarke floodgates open today and the content of those tweets on running the hashtag stream, I am given cause to wonder. I suspect theres been a post-Moir reaction of inaction. On guard, not wanting to be accused of twitchunts, an orchestration of nothingness through retweeting. Outside of the petition I set up a few hours ago I've found only one request for one and a comment from (the brilliant) Glinner about putting away pitchforks/petitions until more facts come along - of course pitchforks and petitions are very easily distinguished.  I suspect other tweeters have spent the day thinking about it as instant petitions have been nowhere coming. Or the ones who RT celebrities ad verbatim en masse are used to having the brightly glowing box do their speaking.]]></wp:comment_content>
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      <wp:meta_value>2009-11-14 19:51:33</wp:meta_value>
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<item>
  <title>Man-crush confession time!</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/10/21/man-crush-confession-time/</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:41:30 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=343</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[I think Peter Serafinowicz is very funny. I don't know why the BBC didn't commission another series of his sketch show. Fools. They'll regret that come Judgement Day. Which for the BBC is likely to be the day after the next election. Little bit of politics there.

Amongst other things, he's a great impressionist. I'm a huge Beatles fan, and he does all four of them brilliantly. This is his Fab Four parody on the <a href="http://www.funnyordie.co.uk/" target="_blank">excellent Funny or Die UK website</a>:


<div style="text-align:left;font-size:x-small;margin-top:0;width:512px;"><a title="from FoD Team UK, Al_Campbell, and Peter Serafinowicz" href="http://www.funnyordie.co.uk/videos/01d863325a/paul-mccartney-i-ll-kill">Paul McCartney 'I'll Kill'</a> - watch more <a title="on Funny or Die UK" href="http://www.funnyordie.co.uk/">funny videos</a></div>
If you're a Twit (or a "twat" as David Cameron likes to call us) get following him, he's <a href="http://twitter.com/serafinowicz" target="_blank">@serafinowicz</a>. His brother (who produced The Peter Serafinowicz Show) is apparently "Head of Content" at Funny or Die UK. He's <a href="http://twitter.com/flidby" target="_blank">@flidby</a> on Twitter.]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>343</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-10-21 22:41:30</wp:post_date>
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<item>
  <title>Found: still life subject matter</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/10/27/found-still-life-subject-matter/</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:04:36 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=352</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Since I took up photography as a hobby last year, my biggest problem has been what to photograph. Strange as it may seem, this isn't as easy as you'd think. I've taken photos on overseas trips, but I'm always worried about spending too much time taking photos, and not enough time actually enjoying my holiday. I've taken a few shots of sporting events, the inestimably brilliant <a href="http://www.karaokecircus.com" target="_blank">Karaoke Circus</a>, but mostly I seem to have ended up taking sunrises/sunsets. They've come out pretty well, but I'd like to try other subjects.

I think I've found some I can have some fun with:

[flickr]http://www.flickr.com/photos/observationsandmachinations/4049415019/[/flickr]

More to come, I think ...]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>352</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-10-27 20:04:36</wp:post_date>
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    <wp:comment_id>5</wp:comment_id>
    <wp:comment_author><![CDATA[Natalya]]></wp:comment_author>
    <wp:comment_author_email>Natalya.Pemberton@gmail.com</wp:comment_author_email>
    <wp:comment_author_url>http://www.talof2cities.wordpress.com</wp:comment_author_url>
    <wp:comment_author_IP>93.96.232.197</wp:comment_author_IP>
    <wp:comment_date>2009-10-27 23:56:56</wp:comment_date>
    <wp:comment_date_gmt>2009-10-27 22:56:56</wp:comment_date_gmt>
    <wp:comment_content><![CDATA[Hurrah for the Higgs! What a fabulous subject.

As part of an assignment for my course we had to take a household object, hold it, look at it, think about it carefully, previsualise the photograph we wanted to take, and then make that photograph. Perhaps that's something to try with the Higgs and its particl-y friends?

I look forward to seeing what's to come.]]></wp:comment_content>
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  <wp:comment>
    <wp:comment_id>6</wp:comment_id>
    <wp:comment_author><![CDATA[Paul Bailey]]></wp:comment_author>
    <wp:comment_author_email>bailey@dreamshake.net</wp:comment_author_email>
    <wp:comment_author_url>http://www.google.com/profiles/paulbailey76</wp:comment_author_url>
    <wp:comment_author_IP>94.194.131.194</wp:comment_author_IP>
    <wp:comment_date>2009-10-28 00:39:37</wp:comment_date>
    <wp:comment_date_gmt>2009-10-27 23:39:37</wp:comment_date_gmt>
    <wp:comment_content><![CDATA[That sounds like a very useful exercise from your course. I will, naturally, be using a selection of particles to try to do just that.]]></wp:comment_content>
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<item>
  <title>A tribute to Mr Edyvane</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/10/27/a-tribute-to-mr-edyvane/</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:36:01 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=358</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[He was quite an odd bloke as I remember it. We certainly had a strange relationship. He was my first year science teacher (I believe it would be called Year 7 now), and he wasn't shy when it came to giving me low marks. Usually when I hadn't done my homework. "0/10 x 3" wasn't my finest hour. It probably wasn't my worst, but that's another story. I was never sure if he liked me. I felt at times that he definitely didn't. He took me again, at least 50% of the time, for my GCSE years. He was a biology graduate, which certainly wasn't my favoured branch of science, but he never showed a lack of enthusiasm for the other areas of the curriculum he taught.

What I remember most, and what I am eternally grateful to him for, is the way he taught us about <strong>science</strong>. The very nature of the subject. Even though it is over 20 years ago, I can clearly remember him taking us from the Latin origins of the word, to what he thought it meant. For Mr Edyvane, science was a quest, it was a search for knowledge. It certainly wasn't just a body of knowledge to be learnt. He took us through several examples of how science had refined its understanding of a subject, in some cases completely throwing away previous hypotheses. He taught us it was about asking questions.

He taught us the nature of conducting experiments. I suppose he may have described it as the "scientific method", but I don't remember him calling it that. I remember him explaining about measuring things carefully, and understanding how we might make errors in taking these measurements. He taught us that a good experiment only has one variable, and everything else should be kept the same. He taught us to understand that sometimes things changed that we hadn't thought of, or that we couldn't control, and that all we could do was minimise these as much as possible.

He taught us that science was about developing a hypothesis, and then testing it. He taught us that a failed hypothesis wasn't a failure, just more data.

He taught us well.

I can remember almost nothing from large chunks of my secondary science education (particularly the biology part). Those first few lessons that he taught us though, are as clear in my mind now as when I first heard them. They are amongst the most valuable things I have ever learnt, and I refer back to those few basic principles almost daily. They have (I believe) given me a great clarity in the way I think about the world around me, what I see on television, read in the newspapers, and browse to on the internet.

Mr Edyvane was a great teacher.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>358</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-10-27 21:36:01</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2009-10-27 20:36:01</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <wp:post_name>a-tribute-to-mr-edyvane</wp:post_name>
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  <category domain="category" nicename="geek"><![CDATA[Geek]]></category>
  <category domain="category" nicename="lab-coat-stuff"><![CDATA[Lab coat stuff]]></category>
  <wp:postmeta>
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    <wp:comment_id>7</wp:comment_id>
    <wp:comment_author><![CDATA[John Edyvane]]></wp:comment_author>
    <wp:comment_author_email>john.edyvane@ntlworld.com</wp:comment_author_email>
    <wp:comment_author_url/>
    <wp:comment_author_IP>81.98.1.126</wp:comment_author_IP>
    <wp:comment_date>2009-11-08 19:38:20</wp:comment_date>
    <wp:comment_date_gmt>2009-11-08 18:38:20</wp:comment_date_gmt>
    <wp:comment_content><![CDATA[Well, Paul, I am humbled. Certainly an odd bloke, but I guess that applied to many teachers - it sort of goes with the territory.

I am now retired, somewhat early, thanks to some management shenanigans and some good luck on my part!

I guess that some of my later students would be mystified by your comments - I fear that they and I grew apart rather in the later years of my career. I guess they saw me, perhaps with some justification, as rather 'out of touch'.

If you google for my surname today, you will find my son, Derek, who is now a lecturer at Leeds university in Political Theory of all things. The teaching tradition continues through him. I hope he enjoys his career as much as I did.

I hope you are having a good career. It is a valued possession in the changing fortunes of time. (Apparently).

Take care,

John]]></wp:comment_content>
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</item>
<item>
  <title>What a week!</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/11/06/what-a-week/</link>
  <pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:58:28 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=363</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[I've been busy.
<h3>Monday</h3>
Went to see As It Occurs To Me. It was the fourth episode and a lot of fun. I've been to every one so far, and I'm planning to go to the lot of them. I think it's a good idea (a scripted topical radio-style show, but released via podcast rather than broadcast) and if people don't support it financially by going along to the recordings, it'll stop happening. <a href="http://www.leicestersquaretheatre.com/lqt/show/S1251303475/Richard+Herring%3A+As+It+Occurs+To+Me" target="_blank">Get your tickets here</a>, it's on every Monday at the Leicester Square Theatre in that London. And I say that despite the (hopefully tongue-in-cheek) mocking Richard Herring reserves for the people who go every week!
<h3>Tuesday</h3>
It was a benefit gig tonight, for Bletchley Park, called <a href="http://www.boffoonery.com/index.html" target="_blank">Boffoonery</a>. Great line up, with some stand up, some sketches, a demonstration of an actual Enigma machine by Simon Singh, and a brilliant panel quiz show, featuring Robin Ince, Johnny Ball, and the aforementioned Herring. Oh, and the question master was Robert Llewellyn (Kryten from Red Dwarf). Cracking entertainment in a good cause.
<h3>Wednesday</h3>
This was a later one, going to see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonzales_%28musician%29" target="_blank">Gonzales</a> perform his Piano Talk Show at the Pigalle Club. It was an eclectic evening, bit of virtuoso piano playing, some random banter, some rapping, a guitar getting smashed up and audience participation. Oh, and Jarvis Cocker got up for a bit of a chat, and a couple of songs. Good stuff.
<h3>Thursday</h3>
This was my night off, until I heard that <a href="http://www.helenarney.com/" target="_blank">Helen Arney</a> was performing her Edinburgh show, 8 + ½ songs about love (and other myths),  in Camden. I'd seen her do a turn at the Book Club I went to at the Fringe this year, and was gutted I couldn't get to see her show at the time. I was really pleased I went as it was very funny, and very sweet at the same time. If you get the chance, go to see her. It's ace.
<h3>Friday (tonight)</h3>
Off to Kings Place to see Charlie Brooker in conversation with Marina Hyde to promote the launch of his book. Hopefully it's good, and I'm not out too late. And then I get the weekend to recover. Or do I?]]></content:encoded>
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  <wp:post_id>363</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-11-06 16:58:28</wp:post_date>
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<item>
  <title>If you can't beat 'em, join 'em - apparently</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/11/19/if-you-cant-beat-em-join-em-apparently/</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:10:57 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=367</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[Just heard this story breaking where I usually hear new stuff (don't make me use the T word). Edgar Wright, director of Spaced, Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz amongst other things, wrote a lovely blog post about working with the late Edward Woodward several days ago. I read it at the time, and thought it was a moving piece. <a href="http://www.edgarwrighthere.com/2009/11/edward-woodward-1930-2009/">Edgar's thoughts on the departed Mr Woodward</a>.

<a href="http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/entertainment_news/article6919166.ece">It seems that The Times thought so too</a>. Which was nice. Except they didn't ask Edgar if they could use his piece, and to add insult to injury, have sub-edited it in a <a href="http://twitter.com/edgarwright/status/5860982798">manner that he feels misrepresents him</a>. Oh dear.

And all this from an organisation that <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/digital-media/6533512/Rupert-Murdoch-could-sue-BBC-and-block-Google.html">plans to sue Google and the BBC for stealing their content</a>.

Well, it's a new online business model at least. Nick the content, then charge for it.

<em>EDIT - I've just seen <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/mediamonkeyblog/2009/nov/19/edgar-wright-the-times">via The Guardian website</a> that it was in the print version of the newspaper. Even worse.</em>]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>367</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-11-19 17:10:57</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2009-11-19 16:10:57</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <wp:comment>
    <wp:comment_id>8</wp:comment_id>
    <wp:comment_author><![CDATA[Natalya]]></wp:comment_author>
    <wp:comment_author_email>natalya.pemberton@gmail.com</wp:comment_author_email>
    <wp:comment_author_url>http://talof2cities.wordpress.com/</wp:comment_author_url>
    <wp:comment_author_IP>208.95.100.4</wp:comment_author_IP>
    <wp:comment_date>2009-11-19 17:55:26</wp:comment_date>
    <wp:comment_date_gmt>2009-11-19 16:55:26</wp:comment_date_gmt>
    <wp:comment_content><![CDATA[LOL, that's a business model dodgy bike sellers down Brick Lane have been using for years! I can't imagine why The Times didn't think of it sooner...]]></wp:comment_content>
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<item>
  <title>Christmas Decorations or: How I Learned to Not Be Merry and Festive</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2009/12/01/christmas-decorations-or-how-i-learned-to-not-be-merry-and-festive/</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:38:31 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://blog.dreamshake.net/?p=373</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[In my inbox today at work:
<blockquote>Dear All<br />
<br />
As the season of goodwill is now here, many of you may wish to enter the spirit of the season and decorate your desks and working areas. If so, for your own safety, please follow the following guidelines when installing Christmas lights, or any form of illuminated decorations.
<ul>
	<li>All illuminated decorations or Christmas lights plugged      into the floor boxes and mains must be 240 volts. Low Volt transformers      may be used</li>
	<li>All of the above must carry a British Standard Kite      mark</li>
	<li>All of the above must be fitted with a fused 3 pin plug</li>
	<li>A maximum current rating of 5 amps must apply to the      above</li>
	<li>Only one of the above may be plugged into any single      floor box, no matter how many sockets are available. This includes when      plugged into a multi way extension lead</li>
	<li>All of the above will require PAT testing prior to use,      we can arrange that at the Facilities Service Point.  Test equipment      will be held by the maintenance department who will undertake testing on      request at a mutually acceptable time</li>
	<li>All of the lights/decorations are to be switched off      when leaving the office in the evening</li>
	<li>We have step ladders available at facilities. Please      ask for them rather than using your swivel chair</li>
	<li>Do not hang decorations from or adjacent to lights or      points of heat</li>
	<li>Take a look at the following link for HSE Guidelines. <a href="http://www.hse.gov.uk/myth/nov07.htm">http://www.hse.gov.uk/myth/nov07.htm</a></li>
</ul>
If in doubt please call the Facilities Service Point on ext 1444.<br />
<br />
Merry Christmas!</blockquote>
<p>Have fun during the festive period, everyone!</p>]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>373</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2009-12-01 12:38:31</wp:post_date>
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  <wp:comment>
    <wp:comment_id>9</wp:comment_id>
    <wp:comment_author><![CDATA[iamjamesward]]></wp:comment_author>
    <wp:comment_author_email>jamesmichaelward@gmail.com</wp:comment_author_email>
    <wp:comment_author_url>http://iamjamesward.wordpress.com/</wp:comment_author_url>
    <wp:comment_author_IP>193.128.105.37</wp:comment_author_IP>
    <wp:comment_date>2009-12-01 12:41:07</wp:comment_date>
    <wp:comment_date_gmt>2009-12-01 11:41:07</wp:comment_date_gmt>
    <wp:comment_content><![CDATA[Party time!]]></wp:comment_content>
    <wp:comment_approved>1</wp:comment_approved>
    <wp:comment_type/>
    <wp:comment_parent>0</wp:comment_parent>
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      <wp:meta_value>2009-12-01 11:41:07</wp:meta_value>
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<item>
  <title>The Metropolitan Police and your phone</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2012/05/18/the-metropolitan-police-and-your-phone/</link>
  <pubDate>Fri, 18 May 2012 10:08:00 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://posterous.dreamshake.net/the-metropolitan-police-and-your-phone</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><p class="p1">BBC News has published a story (actually posted last night) with the headline <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18102793">Met Police to extract suspects' mobile phone data</a>.</p><p class="p1">The story is seeing some traction on Twitter this morning, so I thought I'd dig in a little, and see what I could find.</p><p class="p1">It appears that the system that the Met have bought is produced by <a href="http://www.radio-tactics.com">Radio Tactics</a>. From having a look at their site, my guess is that they've bought <a href="http://www.radio-tactics.com/products/law/aceso-kiosk">ACEOS Kiosk</a>. Looking at the <a href="http://www.radio-tactics.com/datasheets/rt-ds-ukv7-aceso-1332426274-1334334584.pdf">"full datasheet"</a>, the selling point of the system is pulling data from various electronic devices, and storing that data securely, with a full audit trail.</p><p class="p1">Thumbs up to that. If the police want to acquire this data, I want it to be secure. But what else is it doing? Actually, it's difficult to tell for sure, without a more comprehensive description. what does seem clear is that it understands the layout of data internally on lots of devices, in order to be able to extract (for example) text messages, IM conversations, and so on. The operator doesn't need to know anything about the internal implementation of the device to be able to extract and archive data on the phone.</p><p class="p1">What is less clear is whether it can bypass hardware encryption on these devices. My understanding is that all BlackBerry devices, all iOS devices from iPhone 3GS onwards, and recent Android devices (because of the fragmentation of this OS, it wasn't quite so clear which ones) encrypt, in hardware, all their data stored internally.</p><p class="p1">This means, that without a passcode, data can't be read directly from the internal storage. That read access would be how the product extracts information. Nowhere in the description of ACEOS does it detail cracking encryption like this. If it did, I imagine that would be a big selling point. Indeed, if this hardware encryption was easily cracked, that would be a big technology story too.</p><p class="p1">It seems far more likely to me that this product is about rapidly and efficiently extracting data that would have previously required a forensic specialist. I don't think that's a bad thing, and my guess is that it can't be done without your passcode anyway (you do have one set, don't you?).</p><p class="p1">If the police suspect that your phone has been used for criminal activity, then you'll be obliged to give them the passcode anyway (I think that not doing so is an offence). Encryption or not, they'll get onto your phone, if they have reasonable suspicion of criminal activity.</p><p class="p1">So, onto retention of the data, and that's where the real problem is. From the original article:</p><p class="p2">A Met Police spokesman told the BBC that when a suspect was released, "data received from the handsets is retained and handled in accordance with other data held by the MPS [Metropolitan Police Service]" - regardless of whether charges had been brought.</p><p class="p1">So actually, this isn't a technology story at all. If you refuse to give the police your passcode, or wilfully delete data from the phone, you've broken the law anyway. The latest devices have sufficient means to protect your data from casual extraction. The issue here is about data, and retention thereof, and we've been down this road with DNA, fingerprints, any information that the police might want to retain to make their job easier.</p><p class="p1">The solution to this particular problem is a change of policy, not a 79p app that enables you to destroy evidence.</p></p>]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[BBC News has published a story (actually posted last night) with the headline Met Police to extract suspects' mobile phone data. The story is seeing some traction on Twitter this morning, so I thought I'd dig in a little, and see what I could find...]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>379</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2012-05-18 10:08:00</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2012-05-18 10:08:00</wp:post_date_gmt>
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    <wp:meta_value><![CDATA[Paul Bailey]]></wp:meta_value>
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<item>
  <title>What do IP addresses tell us anyway?</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2012/05/09/what-do-ip-addresses-tell-us-anyway/</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 09 May 2012 09:18:00 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://posterous.dreamshake.net/what-do-ip-addresses-tell-us-anyway</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Yesterday I saw some misinformation being distributed about IP addresses. It was in the context of a rather petty disgreement about someone's identity on Twitter, but it did make me think that this is an area that plenty of people don't really understand.</p><p>With that in mind, here's a brief run-down of what an IP address is, what it says about you, and what it doesn't. I'm by no means a networking expert, but I am an IT professional and hope that I have a decent enough grasp of the topic to explain things correctly. Please feel free to correct me if I make any mistakes.</p><p>One of these addresses (IPv4 specifically, which is the type of address that is still commonly used across the internet) is formed of four numbers, from 0 to 255, separated by dots. Every device connected to a network will have at least one of these addresses.</p><p>The more observant amongst you will have spotted a flaw in the system. If the addresses take the format 192.168.0.34, then we only have 4,228,250,625 possible addresses. That might seem like a lot, but when you think of every phone, tablet, laptop, and computer in the world, not to mention TVs, DVD players and others, it's not very many at all.</p><p>That's wny we have the concept of <strong>private</strong> and <strong>public</strong> IP addresses. There are ranges of addresses that are designated as "private", which can be reused on internal networks (like your wi-fi network at home). The most common range used is 192.168.X.X</p><p>If you just had a private IP address though, you would never be able to connect to anything on the internet, just to other devices on your home network. This is where your broadband router comes in. It does the clever trick of translating your private IP address into a public one.</p><p>Your ISP (that's BT, or Virgin Media for example) assigns a public IP address to your router, which then shares it with all the devices connected to your network. This is why an IP address isn't quite enough to identify someone online. The public address could be shared between several people. To someone outside your own home network, they would never know who in the house is connected.</p><p>The situation becomes even more confused because of the way ISPs tend to distribute these public IP addresses to their customers' routers. These addresses tend to be 'dynamic', which means that a particular public IP address isn't tied to a particular account, let alone a particular internet user. What's my IP address today might be yours tomorrow.&nbsp;</p><p>Don't be fooled though. My IP address is assigned 'dynamically' by my ISP, but it has only changed once in the last three months, when I upgraded my connection speed. In that time, the router was rebooted several times, and it always ended up with the same address.</p><p>Even if your ISP does change IP addresses more frequently, it isn't happening second by second. If you think about it, the IP address is where a web server sends its pages to, where an mail server sends its e-mails to. If that address is constantly changing, then things would fail to arrive, and need to be re-sent, all the time.</p><p>Even this dynamic changing doesn't hide you from law enforcement, obviously. ISPs keep records of which IP address is assigned to which customer at what time. It's this record-keeping that probably means public IP addresses change less than they might. Some ISPs also offer static public IP addresses, which are useful for users that want to be able to connect to their home network remotely.</p><p>Still, you do have a degree of anonymity from people hosting servers, who don't have a warrant to get your account information. All they can really derive from your IP address is your (rough) geographic location (the accuracy of this varies wildly), and probably who your ISP is. If you're connecting through a work computer, they probably have a decent idea of the company you work for, but this depends on how large the company is, and whether they have their own public IP addresses.</p><p>It's also worth noting that public IP addresses aren't shared across ISP customers. If they were, a web server wouldn't know whether to send the BBC Sport homepage to you, or your neighbour. A public IP address is unique to the router in your home, at a given point in time.</p><p>In summary, your IP address isn't some Prisoner-esque number that identifies you to all and sundry, but neither is it an unidentifable detail that gives nothing away about you.</p><p>It could, for example, be used to corrolate two online identities as the same person (or at least on the same private network). That would be a fair assumption if the IP addresses logged were the same, and there wasn't a lot of time between the requests logged.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[Yesterday I saw some misinformation being distributed about IP addresses. It was in the context of a rather petty disgreement about someone's identity on Twitter, but it did make me think that this is an area that plenty of people don't really und...]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>394</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2012-05-09 09:18:00</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2012-05-09 09:18:00</wp:post_date_gmt>
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    <wp:meta_value><![CDATA[Paul Bailey]]></wp:meta_value>
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  <title>Amazon calls the music industry's bluff</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2011/03/30/amazon-calls-the-music-industrys-bluff/</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 30 Mar 2011 15:48:00 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://posterous.dreamshake.net/amazon-calls-the-music-industrys-bluff</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>They&rsquo;re launching a cloud-based streaming service for users, and <a href="http://arstechnica.com/media/news/2011/03/amazon-on-cloud-play%0Aer-we-dont-need-no-stinkin-licenses.ars">theydon&rsquo;t have anylicences</a>.</p><blockquote class="posterous_medium_quote"><p>&ldquo;[W]e do not need a license to store music in Cloud Drive,&rdquo; Griffinadded in an e-mail to Ars. &ldquo;The functionality of saving MP3s to CloudDrive is the same as if a customer were to save their music to anexternal hard drive or even iTunes.&rdquo;</p></blockquote><p>I actually think they have a point, at least logically speaking. Whetherthe lawyers will see it that way is another thing. It&rsquo;s a bold andinteresting move though, and the music industry&rsquo;s next move will befascinating.</p>]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[They???re launching a cloud-based streaming service for users, and they don???t have any licences. ???[W]e do not need a license to store music in Cloud Drive,??? Griffin added in an e-mail to Ars. ???The functionality of saving MP3s to Cloud Drive is the s...]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>395</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2011-03-30 15:48:00</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2011-03-30 15:48:00</wp:post_date_gmt>
  <wp:comment_status>open</wp:comment_status>
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  <wp:post_name>amazon-calls-the-music-industrys-bluff</wp:post_name>
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  <title>Want to know who's selling on your Gmail address?</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2012/04/02/want-to-know-whos-selling-on-your-gmail-addre/</link>
  <pubDate>Mon, 02 Apr 2012 18:20:00 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://posterous.dreamshake.net/want-to-know-whos-selling-on-your-gmail-addre</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Given the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-17586605">latest in a long line of erosion of civil liberties in the UK</a>, I thought I'd quickly post this tip so you can monitor who's being with the data entrusted to them, and who's passing it on, presumably for cash.</p><p>If you're a Gmail user, there's a little known trick you can use to personalise your email address. Google ignores everything in the first part of your address after a '+' sign, that is to say, as far as their mail servers&nbsp;are concerned, the following addresses will all be delivered to Britain's latest Eurovision entry:</p><ul><li><div><a href="mailto:englebert.humperdink@gmail.com">englebert.humperdink@gmail.com</a></div></li><li><div><a href="mailto:englebert.humperdink+onlineshop@gmail.com">englebert.humperdink+onlineshop@gmail.com</a></div></li><li><div><a href="mailto:englebert.humperdink+mybank@gmail.com">englebert.humperdink+mybank@gmail.com</a></div></li><li><div><a href="mailto:englebert.humperdink+myregistrationatadodgysiteishouldnthavegivenmyaddressto@gmail.com">englebert.humperdink+myregistrationatadodgysiteishouldnthavegivenmyaddressto@gmail.com</a></div></li></ul><p>All you need to do is add an appropriate suffix when you give your address to someone, and you'll know if they've shared it with someone else simply by checking the 'To:' field on your emails. If you really want to get clever, you can set up filters based around the different addresses.</p>]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[Given the latest in a long line of erosion of civil liberties in the UK, I thought I'd quickly post this tip so you can monitor who's being with the data entrusted to them, and who's passing it on, presumably for cash. If you're a Gmail user, ther...]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>398</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2012-04-02 18:20:00</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2012-04-02 18:20:00</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <wp:post_name>want-to-know-whos-selling-on-your-gmail-addre</wp:post_name>
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<item>
  <title>Press release re CTB v. Twitter Inc. and Persons Unknown</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2011/05/20/press-release-re-ctb-v-twitter-inc-and-person/</link>
  <pubDate>Fri, 20 May 2011 15:55:00 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://posterous.dreamshake.net/press-release-re-ctb-v-twitter-inc-and-person</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This release seems to be from a law firm touting themselves as availablefor comment, but it appears to confirm the details of the new case being brought.</p><blockquote><p>Footballer CTB is suing Twitter</p><p>Nick Armstrong, Partner, Sports &amp; Media Group at Charles Russell LLPcomments:</p><p>&ldquo;Twitter Inc. and some of its users are being sued in the High Courtin London by the individual who obtained an injunction against The Sunand Imogen Thomas concerning allegations about his private life.  In theinjunction action (see below), and in the new Twitter action, he isreferred to as "CTB&rdquo;.  The full case title of the new action is CTB v.Twitter Inc. and Persons Unknown.  It is case no. HQ11X01814.</p><p>The action was commenced on 18 May. The &ldquo;persons unknown&rdquo; aredescribed as those &ldquo;responsible for the publication of information onthe Twitter accounts&rdquo; but the latter are listed in confidentialappendices.  It relates to the widely-reported posting on May 8 of aseries of &ldquo;tweets&rdquo; purporting to name a number of celebrities who hadobtained so-called super-injunctions, and describe the activitiescovered by the injunctions.</p><p>It marks the first concerted attempt to deal legally with way in whichsocial media have of late been used an a vehicle for gossip and supposed&lsquo;information&rsquo; in an apparent attempt to undermine or evade the authorityof the High Court.</p><p>The news comes in the week that sees judicial attempts to inject someclarity into a public debate which in the media at least has featuredwild and inaccurate comment about the perceived threat posed by &ldquo;superinjunctions&rdquo;. For one thing, the injunctions that have caused the debatearen&rsquo;t super injunctions at all &ndash; the term was hijacked in the media torefer misleadingly to the injunctions obtained by celebrities whoseidentities were anonymised to enable the injunction to be effective. TheNeuberger Report (of the Committee on Super-Injunctions) was publishedon 20 May.  It points out that in fact the Super-Injunction is an orderwhich prohibits (i) publishing confidential or private information AND(ii) publicising or informing others of the existence of the order andthe proceedings. Super-injunctions are reserved for exceptional casesand are only granted for very short periods, and only where this levelof secrecy is necessary to ensure that the whole point of the order isnot destroyed. Since January 2010, only two such super-injunctions havebeen granted, one which was set aside on appeal and the second which wasin force for seven days.</p><p>That is not the case with the celebrity injunctions, which are termed&ldquo;Anonymised Injunctions&rdquo; i.e. the names of either or both of the partiesto the proceedings are not stated.</p><p>In fact the principles of open justice are respected by AnonymisedInjunctions because, since the relevant parties are anonymised, a fulljudgment can be issued in which the judge sets out his reasons forapplying the balancing factors imposed by the Human Rights Act (right tofreedom of expression v right to respect for pricate and family life) inmaking the order.  This strikes the balance between open justice, andappropriate protection of privacy where the judge has found that to berequired on the basis of the evidence put before him.</p><p>This happened this week when Eady J published his judgment in the CTB&lsquo;Anonymised Injunction&rsquo; case itself.  It should be read<a href="http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/media/judgments/2011/ctb-v-ng%0An-limited-judgment-16052011">http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/media/judgments/2011/ctb-v-ngn-limited-judgment-16052011</a> by anyone thinking of commenting about theissue of Anonymised Injunctions, as it puts in context much ill-informedcomment which has obscured many of the real issues involved in thedeveloping (and still very young) law of privacy enacted by Parliamentin 1998 and applied by the judiciary."</p><p>I would like to offer a spokesperson from Charles Russell LLP for anycoverage you may be scheduling in regard to this announcement.</p></blockquote>]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[This release seems to be from a law firm touting themselves as available for comment, but it appears to confirm the details of the new case being brought. Footballer CTB is suing Twitter Nick Armstrong, Partner, Sports &amp; Media Group at Charles Rus...]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>406</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2011-05-20 15:55:00</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2011-05-20 15:55:00</wp:post_date_gmt>
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    <wp:meta_value><![CDATA[Paul Bailey]]></wp:meta_value>
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    <wp:meta_key>_oembed_c5008e2a99277e160f92019a82856f2c</wp:meta_key>
    <wp:meta_value><![CDATA[{{unknown}}]]></wp:meta_value>
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  <wp:comment>
    <wp:comment_id>10</wp:comment_id>
    <wp:comment_author><![CDATA[]]></wp:comment_author>
    <wp:comment_author_email/>
    <wp:comment_author_url/>
    <wp:comment_author_IP/>
    <wp:comment_date>2011-05-20 16:31:26</wp:comment_date>
    <wp:comment_date_gmt>2011-05-20 16:31:26</wp:comment_date_gmt>
    <wp:comment_content><![CDATA[NBI'll be deleting any comments that purport to identify CTB.]]></wp:comment_content>
    <wp:comment_approved>1</wp:comment_approved>
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      <wp:meta_value>2011-05-20 16:31:26</wp:meta_value>
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  <wp:comment>
    <wp:comment_id>11</wp:comment_id>
    <wp:comment_author><![CDATA[Bill Ellson]]></wp:comment_author>
    <wp:comment_author_email>bill.ellson@gmail.com</wp:comment_author_email>
    <wp:comment_author_url/>
    <wp:comment_author_IP/>
    <wp:comment_date>2011-05-20 17:58:23</wp:comment_date>
    <wp:comment_date_gmt>2011-05-20 17:58:23</wp:comment_date_gmt>
    <wp:comment_content><![CDATA[I do not think I will be instructing 'Nick Armstrong, Partner, Sports &amp; Media Group at Charles Russell LLP' if he seriously believes that &quot;In fact the principles of open justice are respected by Anonymised Injunctions because, since the relevant parties are anonymised, a full judgment can be issued in which the judge sets out his reasons...&quot;Firstly such utter tosh goes against the whole principle of open justice - Justice not only needs to be done, it has to be seen to be done.Secondly  the judgment he cites, but fails to produce a working link to, is clearly labelled on the judiciary websitehttp://www.judiciary.gov.uk/media/judgments/2011/ctb-v-ngn-limited-judgment-16052011 as a &quot;limited  judgment&quot;.Still, it is Friday afternoon!]]></wp:comment_content>
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      <wp:meta_value>2011-05-20 17:58:23</wp:meta_value>
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  <wp:comment>
    <wp:comment_id>12</wp:comment_id>
    <wp:comment_author><![CDATA[Michael]]></wp:comment_author>
    <wp:comment_author_email>apodo@aperantos.com</wp:comment_author_email>
    <wp:comment_author_url/>
    <wp:comment_author_IP/>
    <wp:comment_date>2011-05-22 00:02:37</wp:comment_date>
    <wp:comment_date_gmt>2011-05-22 00:02:37</wp:comment_date_gmt>
    <wp:comment_content><![CDATA[Can I just point out to Bill Ellson that nowhere is it labelled as a 'limited judgement', it is a &quot;judgement&quot; in the case of &quot;CTB vs NGN Limited&quot;.]]></wp:comment_content>
    <wp:comment_approved>1</wp:comment_approved>
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      <wp:meta_value>2011-05-22 00:02:37</wp:meta_value>
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  <wp:comment>
    <wp:comment_id>13</wp:comment_id>
    <wp:comment_author><![CDATA[Bill Ellson]]></wp:comment_author>
    <wp:comment_author_email>bill.ellson@gmail.com</wp:comment_author_email>
    <wp:comment_author_url/>
    <wp:comment_author_IP/>
    <wp:comment_date>2011-05-22 00:28:00</wp:comment_date>
    <wp:comment_date_gmt>2011-05-22 00:28:00</wp:comment_date_gmt>
    <wp:comment_content><![CDATA[Michael, are you blind?]]></wp:comment_content>
    <wp:comment_approved>1</wp:comment_approved>
    <wp:comment_type/>
    <wp:comment_parent>0</wp:comment_parent>
    <wp:comment_user_id>0</wp:comment_user_id>
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      <wp:meta_value>2011-05-22 00:28:00</wp:meta_value>
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  </wp:comment>
  <wp:comment>
    <wp:comment_id>14</wp:comment_id>
    <wp:comment_author><![CDATA[Michael]]></wp:comment_author>
    <wp:comment_author_email>apodo@aperantos.com</wp:comment_author_email>
    <wp:comment_author_url/>
    <wp:comment_author_IP/>
    <wp:comment_date>2011-05-22 17:17:36</wp:comment_date>
    <wp:comment_date_gmt>2011-05-22 17:17:36</wp:comment_date_gmt>
    <wp:comment_content><![CDATA[No, Bill.The only occurrences of the word &quot;limited&quot; on the linked page appear following either &quot;NGN&quot; or &quot;News Group Newspapers,&quot; because it is part of the name of the defendant.Nowhere in the actual judgement itself does &quot;limited&quot; precede &quot;judgement&quot;.]]></wp:comment_content>
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      <wp:meta_value>2011-05-22 17:17:36</wp:meta_value>
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  <title>A thought on voting systems</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2011/03/24/a-thought-on-voting-systems/</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 24 Mar 2011 16:49:39 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://posterous.dreamshake.net/a-thought-on-voting-systems</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If political parties want us to use a voting system where we express anordered preference with multiple votes (whether for parties orcandidates), perhaps we should ask them to put their policies in theorder that they&rsquo;ll jettison them when they choose to become part of acoalition.</p><p>Or I am being entirely unfair?</p>]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[If political parties want us to use a voting system where we express an ordered preference with multiple votes (whether for parties or candidates), perhaps we should ask them to put their policies in the order that they???ll jettison them when they ...]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>407</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2011-03-24 16:49:39</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2011-03-24 16:49:39</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <wp:post_name>a-thought-on-voting-systems</wp:post_name>
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  <title>Tax and morality</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2012/06/24/tax-and-morality/</link>
  <pubDate>Sun, 24 Jun 2012 16:47:00 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://posterous.dreamshake.net/tax-and-morality</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>This probably won't be a popular post, but the tax affairs of celebrities (and non-celebrities) don't seem to be leaving the news agenda any time soon, so I wanted to put my thoughts down in writing.</p><p>There's a chance that this will be seen as a defence of Jimmy Carr, or Gary Barlow, or even, heaven forbid, Sir Phillip Green. It certainly isn't intended as such, and personally I feel that a Keynesian approach to the recession is by far the most sensible. Given that, I do feel that a higher tax burden needs be borne by the more well off.</p><p>What I don't think, however, is that morality should form part of how tax is calculated. Here's why.</p><p>If you cast your mind back, you might remember a fair-sized kerfuffle about certain individuals remuneration in the public sector. Without going into too much detail, certain people with fixed-term contracts, often in senior positions, were being paid through a limited company, rather than as employees. By being paid in this manner, they could take a large proportion of their income as a dividend, attracting a lower rate of tax, rather than as salary. <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16854187">Ed Lester, the head of the Student Loans Company</a>, was one such individual.</p><p>This was roundly condemned in the media, and condemned as tax avoidance. There was one point not mentioned in the coverage though. <a href="http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/ir35/">IR35</a>, introduced in 2000, seeks to define "disguised employment", and means that someone working through a limited company for the purpose of reducing their tax burden, is liable to be taxed as if an employee.</p><p>Simply put, if an individual is working in this manner, they're liable to pay the greater amount of tax. It might be argued that this regulation is not well enforced, but then we should look at better funding for HMRC.</p><p>Following on from the Jimmy Carr revelations, newspapers have reported that JK Rowling "pays all her taxes". I'm sure she does, and she has</p><p>&nbsp;</p>]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[This probably won't be a popular post, but the tax affairs of celebrities (and non-celebrities) don't seem to be leaving the news agenda any time soon, so I wanted to put my thoughts down in writing. There's a chance that this will be seen as a de...]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>418</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2012-06-24 16:47:00</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2012-06-24 16:47:00</wp:post_date_gmt>
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    <wp:meta_value><![CDATA[Paul Bailey]]></wp:meta_value>
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  <title>Tabloid photographs</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2011/10/30/tabloid-photographs/</link>
  <pubDate>Sun, 30 Oct 2011 15:13:00 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://posterous.dreamshake.net/tabloid-photographs</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Is there anyone in the world that doesn't know the following?</p><ul><li>When you shoot 8 frames per second, it is easy to get any facial/expression appearance you want; from lecherous to sad, from drunk to happy, from tired to wired.</li><li>A powerful flash can render apparently opaque clothing translucent.</li></ul><p>&nbsp;</p>]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[Is there anyone in the world that doesn't know the following? When you shoot 8 frames per second, it is easy to get any facial/expression appearance you want; from lecherous to sad, from drunk to happy, from tired to wired. A powerful flash can re...]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>423</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2011-10-30 15:13:00</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2011-10-30 15:13:00</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <title>Erol Alkan on Lady Gaga</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2011/08/14/erol-alkan-on-lady-gaga/</link>
  <pubDate>Sun, 14 Aug 2011 12:21:00 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://posterous.dreamshake.net/erol-alkan-on-lady-gaga</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[<blockquote class="posterous_short_quote"><p>"That's something designed to come across as eccentric, but musically it's quite basic and square."</p></blockquote><p><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/may/19/moldova-eurovision">Original article</a></p>]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA["That's something designed to come across as eccentric, but musically it's quite basic and square." Original article]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>424</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2011-08-14 12:21:00</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2011-08-14 12:21:00</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <title>Vegas Baby!</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2011/08/16/vegas-baby/</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 16 Aug 2011 07:17:55 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://posterous.dreamshake.net/vegas-baby</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'><a href="http://dreamshake.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/p50-scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="P50" height="373" src="http://dreamshake.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/p50-scaled1000.jpg?w=300" width="500" /></a></div></p>]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>430</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2011-08-16 07:17:55</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2011-08-16 07:17:55</wp:post_date_gmt>
  <wp:comment_status>open</wp:comment_status>
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  <wp:post_name>vegas-baby</wp:post_name>
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  <title>The writing has been on the wall for years</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2013/01/15/the-writing-has-been-on-the-wall-for-years/</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 15 Jan 2013 12:30:51 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://posterous.dreamshake.net/the-writing-has-been-on-the-wall-for-years</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[About four years ago, I had time to kill in Newcastle.

I went into HMV for a browse.

They were playing a song I hadn't heard before, but that I liked.

I used Shazam to find out what it was, and bought it on iTunes. That was easier than finding a shop assistant, then finding the CD, then queuing up to pay for it.

Hard for them to make a profit when they can't even guarantee the sale on an impulse purchase in their own store.]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[About four years ago, I had time to kill in Newcastle.I went into HMV for a browse.They were playing a song I hadn't heard before, but that I liked.I used Shazam to find out what it was, and bought it on iTunes. That was easier than finding a shop...]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>431</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2013-01-15 12:30:51</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2013-01-15 12:30:51</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <title>Even free costs</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2012/12/18/even-free-costs/</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 18 Dec 2012 13:29:00 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://posterous.dreamshake.net/even-free-costs</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Instagram, eh? It's an outrage, etc.</p><p>I'm somewhat surprised by reaction people have had to this forthcoming change in the T&amp;Cs of a "free" service.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[Instagram, eh? It's an outrage, etc. I'm somewhat surprised by reaction people have had to this forthcoming change in the T&amp;Cs of a "free" service.]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>439</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2012-12-18 13:29:00</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2012-12-18 13:29:00</wp:post_date_gmt>
  <wp:comment_status>open</wp:comment_status>
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  <title>My Best Shot 2011</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2011/12/01/my-best-shot-2011/</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:29:00 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://posterous.dreamshake.net/my-best-shot-2011</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Here's my entry for Flickr's <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/yourbestshot2011/">Your Best Shot 2011</a>. Not sure I've made the right choice, but seeing these two getting along famously at San Diego Zoo was a lovely moment.</p><p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/observationsandmachinations/6014603550/" title="Best of friends by Paul Bailey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6020/6014603550_9dcba294a4.jpg" height="332" alt="Best of friends" width="500" /></a></p>]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[Here's my entry for Flickr's Your Best Shot 2011. Not sure I've made the right choice, but seeing these two getting along famously at San Diego Zoo was a lovely moment.]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>451</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2011-12-01 12:29:00</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2011-12-01 12:29:00</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <title>"The science is settled" - Paul Staines misses the point</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2011/09/23/the-science-is-settled-paul-staines-misses-th/</link>
  <pubDate>Fri, 23 Sep 2011 16:18:02 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://posterous.dreamshake.net/the-science-is-settled-paul-staines-misses-th</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In <a href="http://order-order.com/2011/09/23/science-is-never-settled/">this blog entry</a>, Paul Staines tries to use the unexpected experimental data from CERN to support the climate change deniers' views, and discredit those that argue against them. I think he is flat out wrong.</p><p>A phrase such as &ldquo;the science is settled&rdquo; does not mean, and has never meant, that science has some sort of final answer. What it actually means is that there is broadly accepted theory which best explains the available experimental data.</p><p>If and when results arrive that contradict such a theory, it is reassessed, others try to reproduce the differing results, and science moves forward.</p><p>Without that additional evidence, any new or differing theory is just a guess. Nothing more, nothing less. There&rsquo;s nothing wrong with guesses. They&rsquo;re at the heart of scientific progress. It&rsquo;s just that without experimental data to validate them, they&rsquo;re not science.</p><p>In actual fact, if evidence arrived to contradict the prevailing scientific opinion on global warming, there&rsquo;d be plenty of scientific interest, and press coverage too. The press seem to enjoy showing that &ldquo;the scientists were wrong&rdquo;, missing the point that this is how science advances ALL THE TIME.</p><p>Of course, you may believe that we already have that evidence. In your opinion, large numbers of scientists in the field are deliberately choosing to ignore it. That&rsquo;s your right, but it sounds awfully like a conspiracy theory to me, and my life is too short to spend too much time thinking about them.</p>]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[In this blog entry, Paul Staines tries to use the unexpected experimental data from CERN to support the climate change deniers' views, and discredit those that argue against them. I think he is flat out wrong. A phrase such as ???the science is sett...]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>452</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2011-09-23 16:18:02</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2011-09-23 16:18:02</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <title>Dominic Mohan really irritates me</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2012/02/02/dominic-mohan-really-irritates-me/</link>
  <pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:59:16 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://posterous.dreamshake.net/dominic-mohan-really-irritates-me</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>From <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/feb/02/sun-editor-judges-privacy">today&rsquo;s Guardian</a>:</p><blockquote class="posterous_short_quote"><p>&hellip;[the law should be] rewritten with a clause that emphasises how sacred freedom of expression is.</p></blockquote><p>Which can of course be expressed:</p><blockquote class="posterous_short_quote"><p>the law should be rewritten with a clause that emphasises how sacred <strong>my right to decide how intrusive I want to be</strong> is.</p></blockquote><p>His readership doesn&rsquo;t like the Human Rights Act apparently:</p><blockquote class="posterous_short_quote"><p>Quite a few of our readers would be in favour of abolishing the Human Rights Act, that&rsquo;s for sure.</p></blockquote><p>Of course, that&rsquo;s nothing to do with the way he presents said law in his paper. He&rsquo;s always fair and balanced when it comes to discussing legal matters that impinge on his newspaper&rsquo;s business model.</p>]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[From today???s Guardian: ???[the law should be] rewritten with a clause that emphasises how sacred freedom of expression is. Which can of course be expressed: the law should be rewritten with a clause that emphasises how sacred my right to decide how ...]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>460</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2012-02-02 15:59:16</wp:post_date>
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  <title>Wise words, I think</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2011/10/07/wise-words-i-think/</link>
  <pubDate>Fri, 07 Oct 2011 14:16:00 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://posterous.dreamshake.net/wise-words-i-think</guid>
  <description/>
  <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Just saw this quote:&nbsp;</p><blockquote class="posterous_medium_quote">"It is a way of life that we all enjoy. We are still locked into the mindset that rising house prices are a good thing. It will be a good sign that we are moving to a more constructive way of thinking when we don't cheer every time house prices go up."</blockquote><p>Alistair Milne, reader in banking and finance at Cass Business School, author of <em>The Fall of the House of Credit</em></p><p>[<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/aug/08/credit-crunch-analysis?intcmp=239">source</a>]</p>]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[Just saw this quote: "It is a way of life that we all enjoy. We are still locked into the mindset that rising house prices are a good thing. It will be a good sign that we are moving to a more constructive way of thinking when we don't cheer every...]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>464</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2011-10-07 14:16:00</wp:post_date>
  <wp:post_date_gmt>2011-10-07 14:16:00</wp:post_date_gmt>
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  <title>"The Times paywall is down". Oh yeah?</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2011/04/13/the-times-paywall-is-down-oh-yeah/</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 13 Apr 2011 11:01:34 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://posterous.dreamshake.net/the-times-paywall-is-down-oh-yeah</guid>
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  <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A brief thought: It&rsquo;s a long time since I worked professionally on awebsite, but I do have some more recent amateur experience. I can&rsquo;tconceive of a problem which would cause a site to remain functional, butcompletely disable user authentication, let alone allow this to happenmultiple times.</p><p>Clever marketing, surely? It works on one level, because everyone rushesin to read Caitlin Moran&rsquo;s columns, but I&rsquo;d be interested to know if itactually increases subscriptions.</p><p>I&rsquo;d also love to hear from anyone with more technical expertise whothinks this could be a genuine glitch, rather than just a publicitytactic. Of course, it could just be my cynical side showing itself. Yetagain.</p>]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[A brief thought: It???s a long time since I worked professionally on a website, but I do have some more recent amateur experience. I can???t conceive of a problem which would cause a site to remain functional, but completely disable user authenticatio...]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>479</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2011-04-13 11:01:34</wp:post_date>
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  <title>Coulson and Brooks; a classic tabloid distraction tactic, and perhaps we're falling for it</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2011/07/09/coulson-and-brooks-a-classic-tabloid-distract/</link>
  <pubDate>Sat, 09 Jul 2011 11:17:00 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
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  <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>"I'm guilty."</p><p>Those could be the words that you're hoping to hear from Rebekah Brooks, or perhaps Andy Coulson. If you're optimistic, perhaps even James Murdoch, or Heaven forbid, his father Rupert. Sorry (and that might be another one you're waiting for) but it's me that is saying them.</p><p>Like most liberal-minded people in the UK, I can't stand Rupert Murdoch and his principles. His tabloid papers are unpleasant, morally bankrupt publications, and his influence on the politics of this country for his own financial benefit disgusts me. The Mulcaire story, after being swept under the carpet quite effectively, exploded this week, and I was delighted and fascinated.</p><p>Then the games began. News International handed e-mails to the police which resulted in the arrest of an ex-editor of theirs, and two others. Rebekah Brooks, editor at the time of the Dowler phone-hacking, is a focus of huge attention. &nbsp;Many people (rightly in my opinion) want to use this as an opportunity to limit Murdoch's control of the media in this country.</p><p>And then they closed News of the World.</p><p>This didn't concern me particularly. It wasn't a paper I chose to read, and I feel that the world is probably a better place without it. And then the complaining/defending started from the ex-employees.</p><p>Now, I don't blame them one bit. People losing their job should never be a cause for celebration, and I'm not prepared to tar them all with the same brush (a practice that their newspaper wasn't concerned about using). Their line of defence is roughly as follows:</p><blockquote class="posterous_short_quote"><p>We're being punished for the crimes of our precedessors. We don't do those sorts of things. We weren't involved. This is a great newspaper.</p></blockquote><p>Now, they may have stopped using the "Dark Arts". I really don't know. What I do know, is that the Daily Mail has piled into the debate, with an awfully superior tone to its editorial. I'm sure they can't speak from a position of authority on this. These two things reminded me that the debate should be a lot broader than it is.</p><p>Last year, I read Nick Davies's excellent book <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Flat-Earth-News-Award-winning-Distortion/dp/0099512688/ref=tag_dpp_lp_edpp_ttl_ex" title="amazon link">Flat Earth News</a>, which I heartily recommend. In particular, the chapter "Dark Arts" is quite clear. Based on his own investigations (and he is the Guardian's reporter on the Mulcaire revelations) and the details in the <a href="http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/library/corporate/research_and_reports/what_price_privacy.pdf" title="PDF of original report">Information Commissioner's report</a>, all manner of illegal activities are widely used at both tabloids and broadsheets.</p><p>News International would like to concentrate the blame on one newspaper, and if necessary one or two individuals. The rest of the press would like to concentrate on News International.</p><p>So whilst we are right to be disgusted at the relevations of the past week, there are things we should remember:</p><ul><li>Just as it wasn't a rogue reporter, the News of the World wasn't a rogue newspaper.</li><li>This type of activity isn't ancient history</li><li>Other newspapers have a vested interest in the reduction of Murdoch's power</li></ul><p>Let's not make this story just about News International, Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson; to do that would be to miss a massive opportunity to clean up a problem that's existed for years, unnoticed by almost all of the public.</p>]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA["I'm guilty." Those could be the words that you're hoping to hear from Rebekah Brooks, or perhaps Andy Coulson. If you're optimistic, perhaps even James Murdoch, or Heaven forbid, his father Rupert. Sorry (and that might be another one you're wait...]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>483</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2011-07-09 11:17:00</wp:post_date>
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    <wp:comment_id>23</wp:comment_id>
    <wp:comment_author><![CDATA[Neuroskeptic]]></wp:comment_author>
    <wp:comment_author_email>neuroskeptic@googlemail.com</wp:comment_author_email>
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    <wp:comment_date>2011-07-11 13:53:36</wp:comment_date>
    <wp:comment_date_gmt>2011-07-11 13:53:36</wp:comment_date_gmt>
    <wp:comment_content><![CDATA[As I see it, hacking MIlly Dowler's phone was the worst thing the NoTW did (so far) - but only very slightly - and the NoTW was probably the worst paper - but only very slightly.It's a bit like a tree that grows and grows until it's tall enough for the top branches to start knocking on your window in the wind.That's when you noticed it, but it's been growing for a long time.The solution is to attack the problem at its root, which is the culture of modern British journalism, as Nick Davies describes it in his book.The wrong approach would be to just cut off the very worst bits and leave the rest standing. Because it's only a matter of time before it gets bad again, in that case.]]></wp:comment_content>
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  <title>Jobs for the boys?</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2011/04/06/jobs-for-the-boys/</link>
  <pubDate>Wed, 06 Apr 2011 19:34:00 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
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  <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Just reading Nick Clegg's article in the Standard. Earlier in the day, somewhat unfairly, I might have called him a hypocrite, because he had benefited from an internship organised by his father's friend.</p><p>Then I noticed something about his article. He claims:</p><blockquote class="posterous_short_quote"><p>"who you know is becoming increasingly more important than what you know"</p></blockquote><p>I am not a banker (whatever that means exactly), but I do work in the City, and I have done on and off for the last 6 years. I would say it is generally accepted that, if anything, the old boy's network is <em>less</em> influential these days.</p><p>The globalisation of the finance industry means working practices have changed noticeably over the last few decades. Incidentally, the Americans are usually blamed for this shift, but that's probably unfair too.</p><p>Clegg very probably has a point, but to suggest the Square Mile is less of a meritocracy now than in, say, the 1960s? I find that very hard to believe.</p>]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[Just reading Nick Clegg's article in the Standard. Earlier in the day, somewhat unfairly, I might have called him a hypocrite, because he had benefited from an internship organised by his father's friend. Then I noticed something about his article...]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>487</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2011-04-06 19:34:00</wp:post_date>
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  <title>Facebook - why "frictionless" is a dirty word</title>
  <link>http://blog.dreamshake.net/2011/09/27/facebook-why-frictionless-is-a-dirty-word/</link>
  <pubDate>Tue, 27 Sep 2011 08:26:00 +0000</pubDate>
  <dc:creator>pdbailey34</dc:creator>
  <guid isPermaLink="false">http://posterous.dreamshake.net/facebook-why-frictionless-is-a-dirty-word</guid>
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  <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Another day, another change to the Facebook website, another round of whinging about it; just the way of thing in the 21st Century. Except that this time it's different.</p><p>Up to now, I haven't cared about any of Facebook's redesigns. I don't use the site that much, and in general the changes haven't affected the way I interact with it. This time around though it's different. We are receiving the gift of "frictionless sharing", and I think that's a bad thing. Here's why.</p><p>Firstly, there's <span style="font-size:medium;"><strong>privacy</strong></span>. The social media giant is keener than ever to accumulate information about you. It's well established now as a principle - if you aren't paying for a product that you use on the web, you're the product.&shy;</p><p>This new frictionless mechanism means that sites you visit and services you use are allowed, nay encouraged, to push data about what you're doing back to FB. Your friendly neighbourhood social network is soon going to have a LOT more information about you and your habits, and they already have plenty. Frictionless sharing is about making you as a product more valuable to sell. Of course, it has the added side effect of being pretty creepy as it happens.</p><p>Secondly, there's the <span style="font-size:medium;"><strong>noise</strong></span>. Right now, on Facebook, on Google+, and on Twitter, all the information I see is <em>curated</em>. That's to say, people have actively chosen to share it online. Provided I follow people who are smart, or interesting, or share interests with me, I will see plenty of interesting/informative/amusing content.</p><p>"Frictionless" in this context means "effortless". It means that the content that is coming through to Facebook didn't even require the click of a button. Sadly, that means that it didn't require any thinking either, and the person "sharing" it hasn't really thought about whether other people would like to see it. It's u<em>ncurated</em>. There is a strong chance that if this API takes off, the interesting things will be floating in a stream of Spotify plays and notifications that people have (in masochistic fashion) read the latest Melanie Phillips article.</p><p>Even if our friends from Palo Alto solve this problem, it'll still be a machine trying to decide what's interesting, not humans. I don't really care for that option.</p><p>In summary, I'm looking for a way to get all my contact information out of Facebook, delete everything from my profile, and leave. Guess what? They don't make that very easy either. They don't want their product leaving the store.</p>]]></content:encoded>
  <excerpt:encoded><![CDATA[Another day, another change to the Facebook website, another round of whinging about it; just the way of thing in the 21st Century. Except that this time it's different. Up to now, I haven't cared about any of Facebook's redesigns. I don't use the...]]></excerpt:encoded>
  <wp:post_id>497</wp:post_id>
  <wp:post_date>2011-09-27 08:26:00</wp:post_date>
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