Checkout Chaos

Front page of The Times Monday Feb 13, 2006 : “Checkout Chaos. Millions of Shoppers could be turned away from the tills this week because they do not know the PIN for their debit and credit cards.”  It’s an apalling thought that shoppers will be rushing to the supermarkets tonight to complete their weekly shop before the new Chip & Pin system is made compulsory February 14. Queues will obviously stretch around the block as desperate people seek to complete last minute purchases. O me miserum!

Not really. Just like Y2K, this was a non-event. Nothing happened. Yes, a few people will be upset, maybe be even frustrated but this is not news.

Crowded House

Crowded House
Originally uploaded by steve.wannabe.

A supporter from the other team in Bristol commented on Flickr that this was truly hideous sight. Not for me. 70,000 fans with a common aim. To cheer the house down. And we have so little to cheer for this year (see other posts on Bristol City FC)

eBay.co.uk: Renault 21 Diesel Estate. Disaster waiting to happen. (item 4603798888 end time 20-Jan-06 19:30:00 GMT)

eBay.co.uk: Renault 21 Diesel Estate. Disaster waiting to happen. (item 4603798888 end time 20-Jan-06 19:30:00 GMT)
This is the most beautiful ad I have ever seen. Love the buyers questions.

Bridge logic

Thinks that make you go hmmmm!

Great story. The authority that operate Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol wanted to increase toll prices. Local pressure groups kicked up a fuss so a public inquiry is needed. Net result, the prices have been increased because of the delay to the oprice increase caused by the public inquiry.
BBC NEWS | England | Bristol | Red tape raises bridge card price

Future of Financial Services

DrKW Revolution
Is this the future of Fin Serv? I dont know - but it is a beautifully put together advertisement for DRKW and really has some resonance. Could it happen ? - Yes. Will it happen? Possibly/probably in some form. The interesting point is the resonance that this story has with a comment picked up by Tom Peters from Advertising Age "those who fear disintermediation should in fact be afraid of irrelevance—disintermediation is just another way of saying that you've become irrelevant to your customers."/John Battelle/Point/Advertising Age/07.05"

Mother

Mother
Originally uploaded by steve.wannabe.

I did this for me. I tried to capture my mum with all her dignity, kindness and elegance. Not a snap, not a studio portrait but something that shows the way she is now.

x-town traffic

x-town traffic
Originally uploaded by steve.wannabe.

NYC has gone through a much publicized public transit strike this week. This was taken on the coldest & best weekend away, we have ever enjoyed when New York was 10 degree below zero (F). What a wonderful place.

How's My Driving

Seen on a very dirty green truck journey from Reading to Bristol Wednesday Dec 21st

How's My Driving?
Only, my Mum worries...

BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Bristol City | Johnson is confident of recovery

I love Bristol City FC. There I said it. It's not the love I feel for my family or friends; it's deep affection coupled with frustration and disbelief. After a disastrous start to the season- BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Bristol City | Johnson is confident of recovery- slowly we're on our way back. Think of us before you sleep tonight.

Pride

Pride

Today, I am really proud of this scepter’d isle; this jewel set in an evanescent sea.

Today, Civil Partnerships between same sex couples became legal in England & Wales. Northern ireland and Scotland having led the way on Monday and Tuesday.

I’m proud that we recognize that there really are different strokes for different folks and that everyone is entitled to the same treatment under the law; regardless of race, creed, age, gender, belief, ability or sexual orientation.

Tags

Tagging. Using Flickr, I realise that the future is about tagging. Metadata if you will. Even metatagging: tags about tags.
Flickr uses tags to capture charactistics; to categorize images from users to make the images easier to find for other users.
Enterprise data, if it is structured, does not need tagging (maybe) because it comes complete with metadata but what about unstructured data attached to enterprise data: tagging that would make it easy to find, easy to categorize/classify and easy to measure.

Context

It’s all about context. Personal opinion, of course. What I do for a living is put things/ideas/thoughts/software applications in context. I think that I answer the question: “That’s all very well, but how does it help me/my business?”

Pound (Dollar) Shops = Treasure Trove

Love Pound shops. Especially our local one: What a Choice!. Also known in our household as s**tshops. Every visit a hunt for hidden valueables. Like the time I bought 6 DVDs each containing lovely B&W Hollywood movies from film noir to classics to comedy. Happyness is: a pound shop and an hour to waste.

McSweeney's Internet Tendency: The iPod Zepto: Inconceivably Small.

I want one of these McSweeney's Internet Tendency: The iPod Zepto: Inconceivably Small. for Christmas!

Wired News: Monsters of Photorealism

Hmmm. Even though I make analog, I shoot digital. And one of the analog (film) fans gripes about digital is that it doesn't measure up quality-wise to film. This article:Wired News: Monsters of Photorealism suggests that the best simulacra are low-res so why chase high res?

Tenuity

Tenuity

Links between human beings, friends, families, and whole communities are now more tenuous than ever - despite the information superduper highway.

You might wave a blackberry to prove me wrong or show me the number of personal mails in your mailbox or quote me the number of times you receive instant messages from your kids or tell me how long you’ve been on the ‘phone to your mother just today. But – I argue that all these are (sometimes) contacts of little depth. Shallow. Tenuous. Ephemeral. Nice but not enough.

When was the last time you really communicated something of value with someone who counts. Does the ILY at the end of the mail count? How about the ‘love you’ at the end of a call? Sure, I know you meant it. Sincerely. Really. But could you honestly say you were mentally looking that person in the eye at the time?

I don’t mean that the quantity of words makes a difference. But the way you use them does and the context, the richness of language.

Closing Swimming Pools & Democracy

Read this article on the closure of two swimming pools in Bristol.

So... we have an aging population, more unfit than ever and someone somewhere thinks it makes sense to close two badly needed pools. Why: because it saves money.

Here's what you can do to stop it:

• get passionate - stay passionate about the issue!
  
• find out the email address of your local MP, local councillor or parish councillor (start at at writetothem.com or the council website and work backwards)
  
• send her/him a mail asking for their stance on the issue
  
• if she/he supports closure; tell them that you will vote for whoever opposes closure and, if you can't find a suitable candidate; you will stand for office.

Many MPs and councillors hold very slim majorities. Standing against them as a single issue candidate may not change the world but it might start a big ball rolling.

And this argument doesn't only apply to the people in Bristol. If you can see something is stupid and, despite your complaints, nothing is done then - do something.

first signs of civilization

first signs of civilization
Originally uploaded by steve.wannabe.

I just got back from a long weekend in Spain. I have completely revised my opinion of the area we stayed in and now love it. Benalmedina. A very British-Spanish part of Spain. This image got to me. Walking along the promenade Saturday morning, we came across this. Just how many visual instructions can we digest in one go?

Google Local for mobile

O wow, what a lovely application! Google Local for mobile. There can't be many times where that phrase has been used.

salesblood.org

I got a link to the Salesblood website salesblood.org from both Tom Peters' and Seth Godin's blogs. Even if you are not in Sales, have a serious think about signing up and committing to give blood.