This scene from America Beauty has 35 parodys on youtube,
But none are quite like the large scale version in Pupping, Austria where whole fields of white plastic were being lifted in the air.
From Likecool: http://www.likecool.com/Tornado_in_Pupping–Video–Gear.html
The text competition on Richard Bacon’s radio show last night – the winner was “Lidle Miss Sumshine”
Yes, posts have been pretty scarce recently, and like 90% of bloggers this is not intended and I plan to get back on the blogging roll as soon as possible. Honest. Really.
But my writing hasn’t just faded for no worthwhile reason, I have just been working on a new site which launched this week: the RNID Impact Report – www.rnidimpact.org.uk. I’m very pleased with the site, it gives RNID a good voice to show the work it does with real people telling their own stories. Take a few minutes to look around the site and watch some of the videos.
A friend of mine who also works in web has launched a similarly themed site for The British Heart Foundation – www.bhf.org.uk/annualreview2008/. It’s a very different site but I like the way the content flows from one area to another, whilst showing clearly what you’ve already seen and what you can look at next. Very nice.
My writing should pick up speed again soon, there’s a great story about a Bulk Film Loader which I want to share as well as a great new do-it-yourself B&B site which I hope will catch on. Check back here soon…
I am undeniably a fan of Bond films, and particularly of the new direction they have taken with Daniel Craig. Although the next film isn’t due for release until November there is a teaser trailer online already. Enjoy. Even if it is called “Quantum of Solace”.
***UPDATE***
The trailer has made it to YouTube now:
Last night I was shopping for a present for a good friend of mine at work who’s leaving this week. As they commute long stretches of the tube each day I decided what they would most like to receive as a leaving present would be An Illustrated Guide to the Piccadilly Line (and a wodge of topshop vouchers and some other stuff, we’re not complete bastards).
It turns out the London Transport Museum has a very impressive library of books on everything tube and train related, and it doesn’t stop there, they have a decent sized display devoted to DVDs. What particularly caught my eye was the series of “Driver eye view” films for each of the tube lines, with a running commentary of dark tunnel followed by dark tunnel of tube track. Now that is a niche market, and they’re got it fully covered. Don’t tell Gorden Brown though or he’ll ban them for being a terrorist threat.
On my way to Covent Garden I also noticed a very nice looking whisky shop which I had a quick look in on. Whisky was stacked floor to ceiling and it reminded me of a cachaca shop in Paraty ‘d been to. In a complete coincidence the London Daily Photo site features the same whisky shop in today’s photo. Which is nice.
I like taking pictures and I’m not fussy about what I take pictures of. But I hear more and more about people who are very fussy and claim that it’s against the law. There’s been a few cases recently – The Register have just published a piece on the problems photographers face – having film removed from cameras, memory cards taken, threats to confiscate equipment – which paints a worrying picture. They also follow it up with some useful advice on what the law actually says about taking pictures (So, what can you photograph?).
This issue was raised earlier in the year by The Online Photographer who shows a great clip about restrictions on film and photography, including a film maker being stopped at Oxford Circus by two community support officers and questioned aggressively with no reason what so ever.
And it’s not just in the UK. DCist and The Online photographer both picked up a comical story of the Head of Cumminications of Union Station being stopped from conducting a TV interview. An interview where he was trying to report that there was nothing wrong with filming or taking pictures in the station.
I’m a big fan of free things, and living in an expensive city like London you have to make the most of them. Which can be quite tricky when there’s free stuff going on everywhere you look.
The closing weeks of June are a particularly good example of this, there’s the London Festival of Architecture for starters which is running for the next four weeks, then there’s The Greenwich and Docklands International Festival this weekend. The Scoop is showing free open air films (which it does every year) at the moment too, and there’s even a reason to visit Tottenham for the Lea Valley festival for a day of “Picnic and Performance”.
Thanks to Diamond Geezer (who has even more free events to check out) and the Londonist (who has lots more about the London Festival of Architecture) for the heads up on these goings on.
