Mar
5
Favela No More
March 5, 2013 | Leave a Comment
It is with a sense of weary resignation that I learn why the ‘Favela’ level has been removed from the online game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. It happened to Salman Rushdie and countless thousands of others so I suppose it was only a matter of time before religious grievance-mongering impacted on me (note […]
Feb
17
A Few Months With Windows 8
February 17, 2013 | Leave a Comment
Computerworld have an interesting feature today in which some prominent tech authors voice their opinions on Windows 8. A majority of the 14 quoted say they spend all their time on the desktop and never touch the Metro interface which is what greets you on the standard Win 8 start screen. While reading I suddenly […]
Jan
26
Cameron in Europe: en route to not much changing at all . . .
January 26, 2013 | Leave a Comment
Former Newshour presenter extraordinaire Robin Lustig’s blog has a new lease of life now he is unchained from the BBC objectivity police . . . lustigletter.blogspot.co.uk. I recommend you bookmark it.
Dec
6
The New Myspace — first glance
December 6, 2012 | Leave a Comment
The Myspace relaunch is coming soon . . sometime next year for the Gen Pop (I cannot believe I just mimicked Arthur Kade). I received an invite to the BETA site tonight so this is my instant reaction . . a more considered analysis will come later. If the involvement of Justin Timberlake in the […]
Dec
6
Steve Vai, Hammersmith Apollo, Dec 1st 2012
December 6, 2012 | Leave a Comment
“I just hope Steve doesn’t sing” was the worry I confided to the others on our way to the Hammersmith Apollo on a chilly London winter night. Like many long-time Vai fans I’ve always tended to gloss over the time when Steve was “learning to use his new instrument” and I never really thought of […]
Nov
10
The Real War on Women
November 10, 2012 | Leave a Comment
Today is Malala Day as designated by Gordon Brown and the UN. There’s also a petition doing the rounds to get this inspirational woman nominated for the Nobel peace prize. Coming just days after a bitterly fought US election and just weeks after Malala Yusufzai was shot in the head (and two classmates injured) for […]
Nov
7
Skyfall — worthy of an Oscar?
November 7, 2012 | Leave a Comment
So John Logan wants a screenplay oscar for Skyfall . . . well it’s a good film to be sure although I thought Casino Royale pipped it for overall entertainment value. But is any Bond screenplay really worthy of academy attention? From a dialogue point of view the early scenes in Skyfall are good. The […]
Sep
16
Will the Paralympic after-glow go global?
September 16, 2012 | Leave a Comment
“They always loved you John, I just gave them permission“. Thus spoke film director Quentin Tarantino who, according to legend, felt the need to explain to his star and sometime muse John Travolta just why the latter’s career was hitting the stratosphere a in 1994 after languishing in Hollywood doldrums for what seemed like aeons […]