Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[rex008]

It's basically that - Google offer an easy way for other sites to gain access to your data (with your permission) - in this case facebook could check your address book and let you know if your friends are on Facebook. Facebook don't offer a similar service in return and Google don't like - I'd reason because it makes it onerous for a user to switch social networks if they have to re add everyone etc and that will make it hard for Google to compete

....and google are keen - VERY keen - to rule the roost in the social networking circus. google have a policy of being leaders in the various fields in which they compete, so this could get interesting.

Google are leaders in web search, online video (with YouTube) and now probably with online maps - but that's all they're number one for.  Not sure if they're anywhere near close to being the leader in any other area they've ventured into?  In fact, there are plenty where they've failed miserably.  Android is doing well and taking larger and larger chunks of the mobile market, but the market share is well behind RIM (Blackberry) and the iPhone.

You've missed the slightly important matter of serving adverts. For which they are the only game in town, and it's a big town. Their dominance of that area is quite stunning. $6.5b net profit last year, cash reserves of $24b. Numbers that make them your kind of company, I would have assumed based on past comments? Not only that, but they have pretty much full control of their own income. Push the lever on their secret algorithms for search, and more paid results appear. Instant money.

Their business model resembles Microsoft's, in a way. They care about very little apart from selling the Operating System. Everything Google do is based on serving adverts. They can make small losses on all sorts of side businesses and it matters not a jot if it increases served adverts. I can't imagine how much Street View cost, and they give the data away for free. Why? More people on the site, directly or indirectly being served adverts. That's it. $6.5b made, job done.

[tikay]

It's basically that - Google offer an easy way for other sites to gain access to your data (with your permission) - in this case facebook could check your address book and let you know if your friends are on Facebook. Facebook don't offer a similar service in return and Google don't like - I'd reason because it makes it onerous for a user to switch social networks if they have to re add everyone etc and that will make it hard for Google to compete

....and google are keen - VERY keen - to rule the roost in the social networking circus. google have a policy of being leaders in the various fields in which they compete, so this could get interesting.

Google are leaders in web search, online video (with YouTube) and now probably with online maps - but that's all they're number one for.  Not sure if they're anywhere near close to being the leader in any other area they've ventured into?  In fact, there are plenty where they've failed miserably.  Android is doing well and taking larger and larger chunks of the mobile market, but the market share is well behind RIM (Blackberry) and the iPhone.

You've missed the slightly important matter of serving adverts. For which they are the only game in town, and it's a big town. Their dominance of that area is quite stunning. $6.5b net profit last year, cash reserves of $24b. Numbers that make them your kind of company, I would have assumed based on past comments? Not only that, but they have pretty much full control of their own income. Push the lever on their secret algorithms for search, and more paid results appear. Instant money.

Their business model resembles Microsoft's, in a way. They care about very little apart from selling the Operating System. Everything Google do is based on serving adverts. They can make small losses on all sorts of side businesses and it matters not a jot if it increases served adverts. I can't imagine how much Street View cost, and they give the data away for free. Why? More people on the site, directly or indirectly being served adverts. That's it. $6.5b made, job done.

Post of the day, for sure. Them's some (like the English?) pretty eye-watering numbers, & as you say, they can turn it on & off like a tap.

I wonder why all very successful companies, & people too, I suppose, attract such vehement criticism once they become super-successful?

[tikay]

Some amazing guff in this (American) report about Facebook, too. I simply don't buy some of this. Busiest time on FB is 3pm ET? No way!

http://mashable.com/2010/10/28/facebook-activity-study/

Recently I bumped into someone I hadn't seen for over 25 years.

It was good to catch up and hear what has happened to him in the intervening years.

But really, we have nothing in common and no reason to keep in touch, losing touch with him was natural.

But read Shaniacs blog http://shaniaconline.blogspot.com/2010_09_01_archive.html and he makes an excellent point. "The main thing that fascinates me about Facebook, though, is that young people will never get to experience the dynamic of NOT being in touch with people from one's childhood."

With fb and twitter and blah de blah you don't really have the option of losing touch.

3 things Keith, the first is easy - I have not forgotten your latest PM (Bet sizes....) & I'll reply later today. I'm compiling some evidence for you, which may in fact surprise you.

The second thing is Twitter, in which I see daily evidence of your Tweets, & clearly it's a platform you enjoy. Aside from your Tweets to & from Miss C, which are so insightful & intriguing to us outsiders - it's like listening in on a private convo where you just hear statches of the convo! - you seem to "think out loud" a lot in your tweets about all manner of stuff, though mostly football & betting.

As a stereotype, I cannot imagine anyone less likely to be a Tweeter. So what is it's attraction to you? And before you ask, mine is work-inspired, no more, no less. I'd switch off Facebook the very second I give up work, never to go near it again, but almost certainly I'd retain Twitter, which I find far more satisfying. Will it last, or do a "MySpace" & disappear up it's own hype-filled arse? Time will tell, & maybe not long, these fads rise & fall amazingly quickly these days.

And lastly - how has Jake taken to School? How did he handle being regularly parted from Mum & Dad for the first time? Bawl his eyes out, or could not wait to get the fairy wheels off?

I like the immediacy of twitter. The banter is good, often with people I've never met. And the opportunity to pick the brains of some fascinating people is too juicy an opportunity to miss. Last week I was asking to Roger Charlton how he picks jockeys when he has a horse running in France or the USA. Imagine the response if I collared him at the races and asked him the same questions. He would called security to drag me away!

No doubt I will tire of twitter. I don't like facebook and haven't updated that in months. but for now I'll carry on while it amuses me.

Jake absolutely loves school. We must pat ourselves on the backs a little because we had the choice of about 5 local village schools and we chose the one which is furthest away. It's a methodist school, would you believe? They don't yet know what I do for a living, and I doubt I'll be invited in to describe what I do to the kids! But the class sizes are tiny (11 in Jake's class) and it means the children get alot of personal attention. I don't know how teachers cope with 30+ in a class. It would be easy for a shy kid (and Jake certaining veers towards shy in a big group) to get lost amongst the masses.

And his teacher, Miss O'Hare, is just fantastic. She keeps a diary of each chids achievements and progress and updates it weekly. She gets parents to help with the class and is eager to know what the children are doing at home to coordinate it with learning at school. For example we took Jake to the Jorvik centre in York during half term and on learning that, she had a day talking about Vikings and Britain in past times.

And Jake is just thriving, he can't wait to go to school in the mornings and he's doing just great. He is doing maths with a class of kids 2 years older than him!

I look forward to the PM, but I won't hold my breath!

Good to hear the Jake news. Methodist school indeed.....Small class sizes must be a rarity these days. I was in a class of 49!

The PM reply? I'm assembling some facts, which I'm pretty sure will leave you gob-smacked, but I'm extracting it from multiple sources, so is taking some time. Prepare to be surprised. I think.

[RED-DOG]

Poetry sucks. It's right up there with Opera, Ballet, & Shakespeare in my mind. OK, it does not suck at all, but hard as I try, I just don't get any of those things. I feel inferior & inadequate that I don't get it, but I don't, & that's that.

Tom likes poetry, but even though I read every word Tom writes, I swerve the bits of poetry he frequently publishes. It's all above me, end of.

So it was a bit of a disappointment to find that yesterday's Desert Island Discs subject was a poet. A poet, sigh.

Oh yea, really? He was awesome.

Never have I so taken to a man so quickly. He was my sort of man. Humble, self-deprecating, with a good - wonderful - moral code.

His name was Ian McMillan, & I fell in man-love with him there & then. I excitedly phoned Tom, & implored him to catch it on i-Player or whatever. "yeah yeah" said Tom, used to my impatient & infantile outbursts, but I know he'll check it out, & I'll want to know what he thinks. Why do we do that? - want so badly to share stuff, & see if we are in agreement?

Please try & listen to it, for a heart-warming 30 minutes about a wonderfully successful but down-to-earth Yorkshireman.

Just google "Ian McMillan, Poet", he has acres of stuff, including a Wiki page, & his own website. He is, it would seem, & you get a flavour of him poking fun at himself even in this....

"Ian is poet-in-residence for English National Opera, The Academy of Urbanism and Barnsley FC. He’s UK Trade & Investment’s Poet, Yorkshire TV’s Investigative Poet and Humberside Police’s Beat Poet.

Ian is Visiting Professor at Bolton University . He’s an honorary doctor of Sheffield Hallam University, North Staffs Polytechnic and most recently University Centre Barnsley  -   Huddersfield University." ‘

Isn't it wonderful when you discover a new hero? I do it all the time, it's so inspiring.

One of my most recent was Paul Newman. He, like most of us, had flaws in his character, but he lived life to the full, had incredible drive and passion, and was a great philanthropist.  

PS- I'm listening to the Ian McMilan episode of DID on iPlayer as I type.

PPS- Isn't iPlayer great?

[tikay]

Poetry sucks. It's right up there with Opera, Ballet, & Shakespeare in my mind. OK, it does not suck at all, but hard as I try, I just don't get any of those things. I feel inferior & inadequate that I don't get it, but I don't, & that's that.

Tom likes poetry, but even though I read every word Tom writes, I swerve the bits of poetry he frequently publishes. It's all above me, end of.

So it was a bit of a disappointment to find that yesterday's Desert Island Discs subject was a poet. A poet, sigh.

Oh yea, really? He was awesome.

Never have I so taken to a man so quickly. He was my sort of man. Humble, self-deprecating, with a good - wonderful - moral code.

His name was Ian McMillan, & I fell in man-love with him there & then. I excitedly phoned Tom, & implored him to catch it on i-Player or whatever. "yeah yeah" said Tom, used to my impatient & infantile outbursts, but I know he'll check it out, & I'll want to know what he thinks. Why do we do that? - want so badly to share stuff, & see if we are in agreement?

Please try & listen to it, for a heart-warming 30 minutes about a wonderfully successful but down-to-earth Yorkshireman.

Just google "Ian McMillan, Poet", he has acres of stuff, including a Wiki page, & his own website. He is, it would seem, & you get a flavour of him poking fun at himself even in this....

"Ian is poet-in-residence for English National Opera, The Academy of Urbanism and Barnsley FC. He’s UK Trade & Investment’s Poet, Yorkshire TV’s Investigative Poet and Humberside Police’s Beat Poet.

Ian is Visiting Professor at Bolton University . He’s an honorary doctor of Sheffield Hallam University, North Staffs Polytechnic and most recently University Centre Barnsley  -   Huddersfield University." ‘

Isn't it wonderful when you discover a new hero? I do it all the time, it's so inspiring.

One of my most recent was Paul Newman. He, like most of us, had flaws in his character, but he lived life to the full, had incredible drive and passion, and was a great philanthropist.  

PS- I'm listening to the Ian McMilan episode of DID on iPlayer as I type.

PPS- Isn't iPlayer great?

This!

i-Player? It's my i-Player debut, & I was a bit cross to find it "picked up" the end of The Archers, but yes, very good. Does it do telly, too?

[The Camel]

Poetry sucks. It's right up there with Opera, Ballet, & Shakespeare in my mind. OK, it does not suck at all, but hard as I try, I just don't get any of those things. I feel inferior & inadequate that I don't get it, but I don't, & that's that.

Tom likes poetry, but even though I read every word Tom writes, I swerve the bits of poetry he frequently publishes. It's all above me, end of.

So it was a bit of a disappointment to find that yesterday's Desert Island Discs subject was a poet. A poet, sigh.

Oh yea, really? He was awesome.

Never have I so taken to a man so quickly. He was my sort of man. Humble, self-deprecating, with a good - wonderful - moral code.

His name was Ian McMillan, & I fell in man-love with him there & then. I excitedly phoned Tom, & implored him to catch it on i-Player or whatever. "yeah yeah" said Tom, used to my impatient & infantile outbursts, but I know he'll check it out, & I'll want to know what he thinks. Why do we do that? - want so badly to share stuff, & see if we are in agreement?

Please try & listen to it, for a heart-warming 30 minutes about a wonderfully successful but down-to-earth Yorkshireman.

Just google "Ian McMillan, Poet", he has acres of stuff, including a Wiki page, & his own website. He is, it would seem, & you get a flavour of him poking fun at himself even in this....

"Ian is poet-in-residence for English National Opera, The Academy of Urbanism and Barnsley FC. He’s UK Trade & Investment’s Poet, Yorkshire TV’s Investigative Poet and Humberside Police’s Beat Poet.

Ian is Visiting Professor at Bolton University . He’s an honorary doctor of Sheffield Hallam University, North Staffs Polytechnic and most recently University Centre Barnsley  -   Huddersfield University." ‘

Isn't it wonderful when you discover a new hero? I do it all the time, it's so inspiring.

One of my most recent was Paul Newman. He, like most of us, had flaws in his character, but he lived life to the full, had incredible drive and passion, and was a great philanthropist.  

PS- I'm listening to the Ian McMilan episode of DID on iPlayer as I type.

PPS- Isn't iPlayer great?

Is Ian McMillan the Barnsley supporter?

If so, I saw him reading his some of his poetry (I don't make a habit of going to poetry events but Katharine was reading her poetry at the same event)

He was awesome.

[Dingdell]

Lol - as Wiki has to log any changes it will be interesting to see who wrote the 'Orford exclusive' - I really hope it was someone other than yourself!!

Poetry - as a teenager I spent a lot of time writing about teenage angst and the world and it was helpful at the time but complete tosh in reality. I did an english A level and poetry was a large part of that - and I loved real poetry - the war poets were my favourite but I have grown to appreciate modern poets as time goes on.

What interests me about it is that with the use of just a few words a chain reaction of thoughts and images can transport you away. Mostly I still read the war poets or love poets, they give you stories within stories within stories, in just a few lines they can capture a whole gamut of emotions, marvellous stuff. It's really only Sunday afternoon in the winter stuff though imo - what do hardened poker players want with all that guff?!

[tikay]

Poetry sucks. It's right up there with Opera, Ballet, & Shakespeare in my mind. OK, it does not suck at all, but hard as I try, I just don't get any of those things. I feel inferior & inadequate that I don't get it, but I don't, & that's that.

Tom likes poetry, but even though I read every word Tom writes, I swerve the bits of poetry he frequently publishes. It's all above me, end of.

So it was a bit of a disappointment to find that yesterday's Desert Island Discs subject was a poet. A poet, sigh.

Oh yea, really? He was awesome.

Never have I so taken to a man so quickly. He was my sort of man. Humble, self-deprecating, with a good - wonderful - moral code.

His name was Ian McMillan, & I fell in man-love with him there & then. I excitedly phoned Tom, & implored him to catch it on i-Player or whatever. "yeah yeah" said Tom, used to my impatient & infantile outbursts, but I know he'll check it out, & I'll want to know what he thinks. Why do we do that? - want so badly to share stuff, & see if we are in agreement?

Please try & listen to it, for a heart-warming 30 minutes about a wonderfully successful but down-to-earth Yorkshireman.

Just google "Ian McMillan, Poet", he has acres of stuff, including a Wiki page, & his own website. He is, it would seem, & you get a flavour of him poking fun at himself even in this....

"Ian is poet-in-residence for English National Opera, The Academy of Urbanism and Barnsley FC. He’s UK Trade & Investment’s Poet, Yorkshire TV’s Investigative Poet and Humberside Police’s Beat Poet.

Ian is Visiting Professor at Bolton University . He’s an honorary doctor of Sheffield Hallam University, North Staffs Polytechnic and most recently University Centre Barnsley  -   Huddersfield University." ‘

Isn't it wonderful when you discover a new hero? I do it all the time, it's so inspiring.

One of my most recent was Paul Newman. He, like most of us, had flaws in his character, but he lived life to the full, had incredible drive and passion, and was a great philanthropist.  

PS- I'm listening to the Ian McMilan episode of DID on iPlayer as I type.

PPS- Isn't iPlayer great?

Is Ian McMillan the Barnsley supporter?

If so, I saw him reading his some of his poetry (I don't make a habit of going to poetry events but Katharine was reading her poetry at the same event)

He was awesome.

That's him, Keith.

See....

http://www.uktouring.org.uk/ian-mcmillan/

Here's a Barnsley FC Sample. Now that's TWO poems on my diary. No more, please.

TWO NIL

Oh the day’s not nice and the day’s not pretty
It’s the day after Barnsley lost to Bristol City!
You might feel indifference, you might feel pity
Cos Barnsley let in two at Bristol City
But I feel a pain right in me nitty-gritty
And me heart’s in a tangle like a bowl of spaghetti
You might dismiss it but I just can’t forgetti
That Barnsley lost to Bristol City
I’ve got dreams: I’m a kind of Walter Mitty
And I dreamed that we might beat Bristol City
And I’d celebrate by playing my new Scritti Politti
Album while I ate a plate of cannelloni
But we lost two nil to Bristol City
And I have to admit I’m feeling pretty....unhappy.

[tikay]

Lol - as Wiki has to log any changes it will be interesting to see who wrote the 'Orford exclusive' - I really hope it was someone other than yourself!!

Poetry - as a teenager I spent a lot of time writing about teenage angst and the world and it was helpful at the time but complete tosh in reality. I did an english A level and poetry was a large part of that - and I loved real poetry - the war poets were my favourite but I have grown to appreciate modern poets as time goes on.

What interests me about it is that with the use of just a few words a chain reaction of thoughts and images can transport you away. Mostly I still read the war poets or love poets, they give you stories within stories within stories, in just a few lines they can capture a whole gamut of emotions, marvellous stuff. It's really only Sunday afternoon in the winter stuff though imo - what do hardened poker players want with all that guff?!

I'd be quite interested to see who created the Page, & who added the Orford edit. Someone at SP, I'd guess.

I'm afraid I can't relate to poetry in the way you can, I just can't. AK in early position is arguably, & slightly, more interesting. Even Davina & Wooly Jumper are more interesting than poetry. Guff indeed. Peeps will be knitting cupcake shaped cushions next.

[tikay]

The Airbus A380 "uncontained engine failure" is a great, great story, right up there with the Chilean Miners, & Volcanic Ash tales. Nobody hurt is a real bonus, because we can glorify it without being disrespectful.

I've read, listened, & watched every word, utterly spellbound.

The A380 is SO big.

It actually blew a hole right through the wing, which I'd assumed would be full of aviation fuel, & likely to blow up big time.

The best place to follow these stories is always PPRuNe, which is where all the news agencies will pluck their stuff from. Except BBC R5, who described the incident as involving a "Boeing A380", sigh.

Here's the PPRuNe thread, which follows the story from cradle ("reports are coming in"....) to grave, though thankfully, there were no graves this time. Flushy posts over there, so be careful what you say.

http://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/432704-qantas-a380-uncontained-2-engine-failure.html

[RED-DOG]

PS- I'm listening to the Ian McMilan episode of DID on iPlayer as I type.

Wonderful!

I particularly liked presenter Kirsty Young trying not to laugh all the way through and failing miserably.

[tikay]

So, reading the A380 thing, & I went on a google journey everywhere.

Imagine this - Emirates Airlines have ninety (90!) of these things on order!

So that took me to the Emirates AirlinesWiki Page, & what a stonker that is. Emirates Air was only created in the mid 80's, is one of the few Airlines in the world to operate exclusively wide-bodied aircraft.

It is - or was - nominally run by Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum. Is he the Godolphin Stables Horse Racing bloke?

Their Wiki-page - one of the best I've ever seen, but seriously for geeks only - is here.....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emirates_(airline)

Tonight, I'll take that page, & the PPRuNe thread to bed with me, & get all excited.

I've not read the PPRuNe thread yet, so don't spoil the ending for me, please. Strictly X-Factor & Anne Widdecombe will just have to manage without me.

[tikay]

PS- I'm listening to the Ian McMilan episode of DID on iPlayer as I type.

Wonderful!

I particularly liked presenter Kirsty Young trying not to laugh all the way through and failing miserably.

If you listen to Kirsty carefully - & I have become a belated admirer of her - she has the most beautiful & rounded diction. I wonder if she looks as nice as she sounds? Plumley seemed irreplaceable at D-I-D, then Parky & Sue Lawley both stepped up to the plate wonderfully, but Kirsty tops the lot.

[tikay]

I just google-imaged Kirsty - she looks exactly as I imagined.

[the sicilian]

The Airbus A380 "uncontained engine failure" is a great, great story, right up there with the Chilean Miners, & Volcanic Ash tales. Nobody hurt is a real bonus, because we can glorify it without being disrespectful.

I've read, listened, & watched every word, utterly spellbound.

The A380 is SO big.

It actually blew a hole right through the wing, which I'd assumed would be full of aviation fuel, & likely to blow up big time.

The best place to follow these stories is always PPRuNe, which is where all the news agencies will pluck their stuff from. Except BBC R5, who described the incident as involving a "Boeing A380", sigh.

Here's the PPRuNe thread, which follows the story from cradle ("reports are coming in"....) to grave, though thankfully, there were no graves this time. Flushy posts over there, so be careful what you say.

http://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/432704-qantas-a380-uncontained-2-engine-failure.html

Apparently the pilot of the A380 who brought the beast back home a' la hero was then a passenger on the Qantas jumbo that blew an engine and had to go back...FHEL... if i was him i wouldnt step on another thing with wings for the rest of my life...

Is it still true that Qantas is the only airline still not to lose a plane in a crash... ?