All entries for Wednesday 31 January 2007

Guardian's website has a taste bypass

Terrorists were, apparently, planning to kidnap, then behead a British Muslim soldier.

Given that, isn’t the cartoon on The Guardian’s Comment is Free website a little distasteful? It’s caption is Tied Down. Oops.

: 31 Jan 2007 16:25 |  Tags: Cartoon Journalism Kidnap Plot News The Guardian |  Comments (3) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Race for 2008: getting a bit crowded

It’s turning into a two-year Olympic event. The race for 2008 now has at least 21 serious contenders, 9 for the Democrats and 12 for the Republicans¹.

They’re going to need heats and semi-finals long before it gets to the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries next January.

So here’s Round 1:

Who do you find more convincing?

¹ There’s also three Libertarian candidates. They don’t stand a chance. The only other possibility is Michael Bloomberg, the New York Mayor, who might run as an independent. He also has little chance. Unbelievably the Prohibition Party still exists: its main policy still being the banning of alcohol.

: 31 Jan 2007 13:54 |  Tags: Politics Race For 2008 United States Video |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

BBC iPlayer a step closer

The BBC iPlayer might revolutionise television. It’s potentially bigger than Digital TV. And it’s coming. Because today the BBC’s Trust approved the software.

You’ll be able to watch all of the BBC’s programmes online, live. And then you’ll be able to download them to your computer for 30 days. You can set series links and keep hold of series like Doctor Who and watch them all at once.

They’ve made a few changes, some good and some bad. You won’t be able to download some classical music, or keep hold of certain radio plays. But it will have to be content neutral (initially it was Microsoft-only). This is great, but might delay the product launch. It’s already looking like late-2007, early-2008.

It’s what broadband was made for, and I can’t wait.

: 31 Jan 2007 13:31 |  Tags: BBC Broadcasting Internet Iplayer Radio Technology Television |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem