Posts in category "UK"

TechCrunch (with a focus on the UK) launches.

[Via BlogHerald]

Norton Canes Services - M6 (Toll). Three clocks behind the till:-

Clackett Lane - 13:59\ Norton Canes - 13:57\ Watford Gap - 13:58

You genuinely could not make it up.

I was enjoying a stroll along The Embankment yesterday morning, dressed in my Pearly King outfit, listening to ChasnDave tunes on my iPod, munching on cockles and mussels, when I noticed banners hanging from each lamppost proudly proclaiming We are Londoners'.

The letter 'D' was shrunk to accommodate the rest of the letters. Just like a kid writing a Thank You letter to Auntie Joan and suddenly realising he's going to run out of space.

Inevitably, this brilliant campaign is the brainchild of Ken Livingstone and sponsored by British Gas so if you pay the congestion charge or are struggling to meet the recent increases in your gas bill, rest assured your money is being spent very wisely.

Or, as Doug once memorably commented: 'And your point is ?'

All together now - 'Knees up Maather Braawn'.

The scheduling goddess has granted me a second successive week in Birmingham; West Bromwich to be precise. I was shocked to discover that, following my unfavourable review last December, the Days Inn Hotel has subsequently been taken over by the budget chain, Premier Travel Inn.

My greeting at reception wasn't too promising: 'Ah - Good evening Mr. Brightside. A double smoking room, I believe'. 'Err no. I booked a single, non-smoking room if you have one please.'

I entered my room which was very hot, in fact, it was 'smoking'. The 'Info' button on the thermostat revealed the temperature was a stifling 29.5'C.

I went to open the windows but they were sealed. I went to turn down the thermostat - to a more reasonable 18'C. Ah - that's better. Just unpack and wait for the room to cool down.

Then, unusually for me, I read the small print in the fine manual.

'Set room temperature with 'Up' and 'Down' buttons. This controls the heater operation but cannot cool the room.'

I think it's time to see what price, and temperature, the Boddingtons is served at.

Take my advice. Never buy flowers for your wife. Ever.

I am working at home, trying to finish a report. I dont have a home office so I work on the kitchen table.

For the last couple of days, two things have been slowly nagging away at me like a dripping tap.

My wireless mouse sometimes loses the will to carry on working at such a frantic pace. It squeakily demands a cup of coffee or just half an hour of 'Richard and Judy'. I stoutly refuse so the mouse pointer slowly descends vertically down the screen which is fairly irritating and virus-like.

So I took the poorly rodent for a 'Well-Mouse Executive Health Check' and the vet insisted that the mouse is in perfect health and the battery level is 'High'. I changed the battery anyway to no avail so now we have to adjourn for 'Richard and Judy' with a coffee every morning. After that, the mouse works fine.

Secondly, there was a horrible, persistent odour disturbing my concentration. I opened the windows. I opened the doors. I even had a shower and used deodorant. Eventually, I capitulated and cleaned the downstairs toilet. But the lingering smell stubbornly persisted.

Finally, I gave in, summoned my daughter and cleaned the gerbil out. The full works. Clean water, new sawdust, change of food, full steam valet and high pressure jet wash on the windows.

Phew - that's better. Sit down to check my email...

God - what is that damned smell ?

And then it struck me. Right under my nose (literally) for the past few days. A vase of (dead) flowers sitting in smelly, stagnant water.

So, next time, beautiful, colourful, fragrant flowers appear on the kitchen table and it turns out Julia brought them when she came round for coffee, don't say 'Oh - how lovely, darling' but 'Just make sure you chuck them out when they're dead.'

Last nights Money Program was about the increasing consumer demand for broadband services and the various options available from the suppliers.

Broadband services from the major players (Carphone Warehouse, BT, NTL and newcomer Sky) were all reviewed for various households with different requirements.

British Telecom has an incredibly strong brand with the older generation. One grandmother on the show simply opted for a BT Video Phone because she implicitly trusts that the service will work because 'it is from BT'.

Another family opted for 'Free Broadband For Life' from Carphone Warehouse. The kids were excited - lightning downloads, more MSN'ing, online gaming. Mum was excited - she could actually use the phone again for hours on end. Even Dad was excited - he was going to save 36GBP every single month. Quite why he was still paying 15GBP per month for dial-up wasn't clear.

In fact, they all thought it was too good to be true. And so it proved. They are still waiting for the engineer to arrive despite Charles Dunstone moving them to the top of the massive waiting list.

I have had broadband (Telewest) for so long I had to go and look it up - April 2002.

I just watched this but I am starting to wish I hadnt.

Arrived at a clients offices in Birmingham this morning just as Radio Five news reported a major power cut affecting businesses and homes in the area.

Apparently, vandals had set fire to two tyres and rolled them into the electricity sub-station last night.

Whatever happened to the good old days of getting drunk, singing songs and placing red cones on top of traffic lights.

Still, the outage freed up two hours for an interesting discussion about disaster recovery.

As predicted, another fantastic weekend.

Quelle horreur !

A female UK blogger is sacked by a French company, supposedly for 'gross misconduct'.

I went to look at the actual blog to discover what juicy office gossip she had revealed, but the blog is such an incoherent, rambling mess of disjointed thoughts using pseudonyms to conceal her true identity, I simply gave up.

Inevitably, Robert Scoble thinks this is very, very important. I don't.