The Why Do You Blog Survey

Darren Barefoot is conducting a survey on us blogging types.

If you own a blog, go fill in the 16 piece questionnaire and possibly win yourself an iPod Shuffle.

When Thinking of New Careers

Becoming a comedian sounds appealing. What are the odds of them having their job being outsourced to China? Or being replaced because a new application can do that job instead?

TOTP2 - Good For Something

There was bound to be some unsuspecting influence for the abomination that is that bloody Frosties advert. Turns out it's Ian Dury's I want to be straight.

Incidentally, the kid in the ad isn't dead as some would like us to believe. But he is forced to live in the relative safety of South Africa.

A Presentation First

Huddled into training room for today's presentation of the 2006 figures.

First time I'm heard the words "managing the grey" in a business setting. It's one of those unlikely phrases connected to new media where you just don't expect to hear it in your own cut off, traditional field of work. It provided a moment where I had to restrain myself from punching the air just for hearing it.

Advice for 18th Jan 2007

To Jade Goody:
I wouldn’t go for a curry when you get out if I were you.

To ITV:
It’s a good week to bury bad news as the BBC and C4 take a hit.

To Tony Blair:
If you really want to stick the knife in to Gordon make independence for Scotland your parting act.

To the BNP:
Looks like the door is opened.

Short Movie That Links Life Together

Le Grand Content

1. Click the link
2. scroll down
3. open the movie

Hat tip: Info Aesthetics

Hanging Around and Logical Abandonment

I don't know what the hell is going on in the world the past month or so but I must be missing something when it comes to the rumpus over the recent hanging of Iraq's former leaders.

Should I ever get justly convicted for the murders of dozens or hundreds of people and get sentenced to hang by a rope, if anyone gets even the slightest bit upset at the manner in which I swing or the abuse hurled at me, then I severely question their sanity.

Further words fail me...

Visualisation Methods - Styled in a Periodic Table

Geeky as hell, but damned cool.

Periodic table found at Visual-Literacy.org.

Hat tip: Raph.

Andover: Small town, Big Cat

Looking through the referral links to this blog it turns out I come up second in the Google search: blogging Andover Hampshire. The top link directs to a photo of this town's most famous cat, the one that lives in the taxi office by the rail station.

Poker: Skill or Chance?

An intriguing trial is taken place on the nature of poker aiming to determine whether it is a game of skill, chance or a mixture of the two.

The prosecution is aiming to convict a London club owner for running games and taking a cut which require a license under the Gaming Act 1968. Quiz machines are deemed to be a game of skill and therefore do not require a license.

The prosecution's idea is that proving there is a element of chance caused by shuffling the deck will lead to a definition of poker as a game of "mixed skill and chance" which will be enough for conviction.

Interesting...

So, a scenario:
Quiz machine pops out a question that you don't know the answer to but offers you three possible choices.

Providing the correct answer; is that skill or chance? That's right, "a significant element of chance" as Graham Trembath QC would put it, according to the BBC report.

I'm hoping the definition isn't really this soft.

The post is dedicated to Uncle Monkey.

Happiness and the Keys to Retention

Bottom line loving fat cats are rubbing their hands together as another happiness report comes in stating that salary isn't the most important things to employees.

Friendly supportive colleagues are reported as the highest ranking source of happiness at work. Can't be far wrong; it's kept me rooted for the past three years.

Side note:
I have no idea why the term happinomics hasn't taken off as the measure of happiness in relation to money.

Ruth Kelly - Good Parent or Hypocrite?

This was the question posed by Channel 4 news. What an unfair question. Clearly the highest probability is that she is both. If you can't easily confine yourself to the system you create and advertise as something great then the system isn't good enough.

Much worse to lie than it is to try and fail.

Half a Glass of Foster's Then Nick a Urinal

Today's weird story. Local too, down at the Royal Oak in Southampton.

A Robot In Every Home...

... with Windows on the inside.

That's what Bill Gates is getting at (brought to my attention by Nicholas Carr).

You can go change your pants now.

Personal Finances 2006 Exposẻ

This is so great. My first calendar year worth of expenditures to analyse.

Scratching the surface:

Expense Segment	% of Total Expenses
Food	6.83
Bills	67.45
Luxuries	9.83
Transport	0.32
Health	2.37
Household	0.65
Gift	9.79
Education	2.75

My savings rate for 2006 was 17.2% of my earnings.

Not bad on the surface. The good news (or this might be the bad news) is that this can be improved. The percentage I intend to spend on bills each month has always been closer to 80%. Falling 13% short means I'm evidently spending more than I'd wish to elsewhere. I think that would be something I can fix.

Saving 25% doesn't seem out of the question as an aim for this year.