Archives for January 2001
"Englands not that big to begin with... Why waste the time?" (January 31, 2001) A really cheeky comment from the people behind Salon: New Site Hopes to Stay Unspiked"O'Donnell said Salon can afford to ignore the British market for now. "We just didn't see the revenue or user base," he said. "There's no business...
Scroll to the bottom... (January 31, 2001) Oh now, that's just really nice. (Scroll to the bottom)....
On E-commerce, bacteria, viruses and memes... (January 30, 2001) Imagine, if you will, a healthy body. Now introduce two types of foreign elements - lets say bacteria and viruses. I'm now going to bastardise their life-cycles horribly. Bear with me. Viruses need to spread to other bodies before either...
A selection of firm and attractive links... (January 30, 2001) This is a weblog: Sometimes I forget completely that this is a weblog. In order compensate for this, here are some 'links'. Interesting meme possibilities: Weblog playlists? Napster to charge for membership as of June. Yet another reason to be...
A conspiratorial approach to SXSW... (January 29, 2001) So my epic scheme for getting to SXSW originally went as follows: 1) Buy something off Jeff Bezos's wishlist, 2) mention my craving to go to SXSW and 3) let nature takes its course. Except of course that I immediately...
On the mind-set of Russian media companies... (January 29, 2001) This morning's job involved updating timeout.com's page of Moscow links. All in all a pretty thankless task, as the state of the art in Russian media-websites seems to be somewhere pre-school. This is surely not a reflection of the country,...
Where are the Movie Heroines? (January 29, 2001) I can't be the only one uncomfortable seeing that in a poll of the Top Ten Film Heroes there is only room for one woman - and in a fairly masculine role at that. Apparently, only overtly penis-based heroism counts...
On fiendish Blogger trickery! (January 29, 2001) So I've been working on what hopefully will be the only redesign of plasticbag.org for this half of the year, and I'm going for a more expandable design, and one that hopefully will give me scope to inject more personality...
Two Sundays of frustration... (January 28, 2001) That makes two Sundays in a row that I have been stood up for a movie by the same friend, last week she felt 'ill', this week she 'didn't think we had an arrangement' and had already organised to go...
SXSW all over again... (January 28, 2001) It begins. The full on green with jealous-rage fest has started to consume me as webloggers start to talk about SXSW: "Speaking of SXSW, they put up a listing of this year's panels for the Interactive Festival. Among the more...
Warning! May not have happened! (January 27, 2001) At the last UK weblogging meet, Meg suggested that I stopped calling 'iamcal' 'iamcal', and start calling him by his name, which she suggested might be Cal. Foolish woman. I reminded her at that point that her number was...
Oh mirage of SXSW... (January 27, 2001) As February approaches, and I have just over a month to find myself a new, satisfying and well-paid job to occupy my time, my mind is increasingly turning to SXSW. I'm desperately pining to attend - I don't know that...
Tom Coates Explains Everything... (January 27, 2001) • (to David Gentle): I don't think you come across as a dork in e-mail at all, although you sure do send a lot of it! And the reason that Waterstones don't have a proper comics selection seems clear to...
Load Urge Rectum Girl... (January 26, 2001) I received a referral today from Google via Yahoo!. Someone had typed in "load urge rectum girl". I was, of course, the first result. Which fills me with worry. Am I fulfilling the needs of the Load Urge Rectum Girl...
Etoy vs. eToys... (January 26, 2001) Art Collective Sues Dot-Com For Trademark Infringement In what might possibly be the most superbly postmodern twist to a wonderfully subversive story, etoy is suing the arse off etoys. "Etoy, which may be the world's only artists' collective with a...
Tom Coates Explains Everything (Part Five)... (January 26, 2001) • (to Nick Cornwell): No, dear chap, I was not 'pulling your pisser', and should you wish to know what the conversation was about, then merely scroll further down the page. • (to Whalen Toni): Yes I have indeed read...
Spread the word. I want (January 25, 2001) Spread the word. I want it on all of your sites by the end of the day: "Backslapping Wank for the 21st Century: Vote plasticbag.org for Anti-Bloggies 'Most Banal Content'!" Campaign Supporters: Not Enough Of Me...
Tom Coates Explains Everything • (January 25, 2001) Tom Coates Explains Everything • (to PJ Gallagher): Your impulse to eat corn dogs and grape juice is more likely (in my humble opinion) the cause of your shit days than a result of them. • (to Kylie): The official...
Thanks to Matt for posting (January 25, 2001) Thanks to Matt for posting the Geographical Tube Map - I've been wanting to see one of these for years. Now if they'd make it a multi-layered operation with an overlay of London streets on it, then it would be...
A brief history of Tom... (January 25, 2001) 1990: Travelling around America aged 18, Tom has bought himself an ironic Mickey-Mouse cap. 1993: Travelling around Europe by rail aged 21, Tom has grown his hair ironically long. 1994: At his graduation aged 22, Tom ironically makes a pass...
Could the people who come (January 24, 2001) Could the people who come to plasticbag.org from such companies as CharlotteStreet, BBC and bomb.co.uk please look around and see if there are any interesting jobs going on in their vicinity? Thank you!...
If someone doesn't think of (January 24, 2001) If someone doesn't think of a way to get me to the SXSW Interactive festival soon (ideally with Katy), I swear to god I might snap like a twig in a blender....
Tom Coates Explains Everything • (January 24, 2001) Tom Coates Explains Everything • (to David Gentle): No, I am afraid I have not considered strapping myself to a rocket as a plausible option in getting to SXSW, but thanks for asking. And the answer to your second question...
I went to a press (January 24, 2001) I went to a press screening of The Gift last night. I was masquerading as 'Matthew Ford', a co-worker of mine at timeout.com, who wasn't able to make it. So I'm at reception at 20th Century Fox and the nice...
Presidential keyboards lose their 'W'... (January 24, 2001) "President George W. Bush has lost his middle initial from many computer keyboards at the Old Executive Office Building in the White House complex. In an apparent prank carried out by departing Clinton administration staffers, Bush aides discovered that dozens...
Breaking News: BlogVoices may be (January 23, 2001) Breaking News: BlogVoices may be collapsing under the strain of finding a suitable web-host. If anyone out there can help, please do so. Sharpish!...
Tom Coates Explains Everything (to (January 23, 2001) Tom Coates Explains Everything (to Tom Cosgrave): Standing up, against the wall. (to Grant Balfour): Marriage is a powerful meme that intersects with the biological imperative of the Selfish Gene, but does not overlap it precisely. I would suggest that...
In science fiction films, the (January 23, 2001) In science fiction films, the aliens always have much more powerful technology and make all the humans feel inadequate. I feel that way about people who have expert command over more than one language. Which makes me very embarassed to...
Tom Coates Explains Everything (to (January 23, 2001) Tom Coates Explains Everything (to Martin Stevens): In answer to your questions, I am 5'10", I have never had therapy but I took anti-depressants for six months many years ago, I have never had sex with a woman and my...
The most important line in (January 23, 2001) The most important line in the best joke I have heard (and/or repeated) in years: "What shall I do with my long bony fingers and my big rubbery lips?"...
Tom Coates Explains Everything: OK (January 23, 2001) Tom Coates Explains Everything: OK - I'm going to assume that a few people are going to find this place who haven't been here before. In order to make things easier for said people, if you need any questions answered...
It's voting time on the 2001 Bloggies... (January 23, 2001) So voting is now open for the 2001 Bloggies, and alongside it has come the standard amount of concern about popularity contests and competition between webloggers. plasticbag.org is (I think) in good company in the 'best european weblog' category (co-nominees...
Over the last four or (January 22, 2001) Over the last four or five months I have received the same piece of junk mail (in a variety of different formats) at least eight to ten times. Apparently coming from the e-mail address 'hahaha@sexyfun.net', it contains an attachment and...
Daze of our lives: "The (January 22, 2001) Daze of our lives: "The Welsh National Ballooning Team of 1874. Every man on the team was scared of heights, so their record altitude was four feet two and a half inches."...
Words that appear too much (January 21, 2001) Words that appear too much in articles about the near-future of the internet and a list of weblogs in which they appear: Broadband: Dr. Dobb's TechNetCast, A Man and His Blog, amadeus, AppleSurf, yaw, caught In between, 120degrees, WirelessDevNet, Robot...
I am consumed with unimaginable (January 21, 2001) I am consumed with unimaginable fury and wonder (and went a bit 'I'm really pointless and should kill myself' for about ten minutes) when I stumbled upon interconnected.org's new design. It's incredibly peacefully and elegantly put together, that manages (somehow)...
Bush: 'Our Long National Nightmare (January 21, 2001) Bush: 'Our Long National Nightmare of Peace and Prosperity is Finally Over': "My fellow Americans," Bush said, "at long last, we have reached the end of the dark period in American history that will come to be known as the...
Computer-assisted life-avoidance... (January 21, 2001) This weekend has passed like so many recently - in a complete blaze of do-nothing apathy and computer-assisted life-avoidance. The proposed redesign of plasticbag.org has come to nothing (so far), nor has the rebuilding of the Barbelith Underground, the bloggerising...
Yet another article on weblogging, (January 21, 2001) Yet another article on weblogging, this time from zdnet.com. This one, at least, doesn't miss the point quite as much as some others: "But, regardless of whether they manifest themselves in the corporate world, blogs in their purest forms will...
Nanotechnology from the top-down? "Careful (January 20, 2001) Nanotechnology from the top-down? "Careful on that couch! It could be a resting robot. Scientists are starting to make robots out of smart building blocks that make them morph into different forms to suit the job they are doing. Eventually,...
This may be the best (January 20, 2001) This may be the best description that I have written of the Barbelith Underground: "This forum was originally created by a group of people who found a part of themselves inspired by what is commonly considered the lowest form of...
Where are the Blogger clones? (January 20, 2001) Where are the Blogger clones? This text has been edited:"If anyone out there is prepared to 'lease' the rights to develop Organizine or something similar then I beg of you - transform the web again. Give the common man access...
I am one of Nikolai's (January 19, 2001) I am one of Nikolai's randomly chosen collective of first round judges for the Bloggies project, which is both tremendously interesting (there are so many sites that I haven't come across before) and incredibly tiring. I must have ploughed through...
A List Apart on the dot com crash... (January 19, 2001) A List Apart confronts the current 'crisis' in the web creative industry in the US. The effects of the recent down-turn in dot-com fortunes has yet to hit the UK with quite as much force as it has in the...
The History of Yahoo! (January 18, 2001) Inspired by a footnote in Information Architecture for the World Wide Web which reveals the secret name of Yahoo, I have undertaken a search on the site in question for information on its history. Here are a few facts that...
On an elegant design... (January 17, 2001) Walking West provides possibly the clearest and most elegantly designed weblog links and (brief) review page I've seen to date....
On a Viral Marketing Strategy... (January 17, 2001) Viral Marketing Strategy: my editor was sent a hand-written postcard with a URL (http://www.ramitin.co.uk). Lurking on the site is a 70s-style macho-car-porn-parody Quicktime video which you have to see to believe. Assumption: timeout.com editor will send it to influential media...
On Meg's Broken Mirror Project... (January 17, 2001) I'm completely astonished by Meg's ability to take hundreds of unflattering photos of everyone she meets, and yet never put the ones of herself on the web. Last night was possibly the largest meeting of UK webloggers to date. There...
I'm really tempted to apply (January 17, 2001) I'm really tempted to apply for this job as Information Architect. It looks terrifying and challenging. It is possibly just out of my league though....
Altavista.com has a substantial list (January 16, 2001) Altavista.com has a substantial list of articles about weblogging, which should be read by anyone who is interested in starting one. There's a whole range of material, from definitions (also: 1), instruction manuals and columns (also: 1, 2, 3) to...
I'm contemplating installing Seti@home on (January 16, 2001) I'm contemplating installing Seti@home on my Mac at work and leaving it on over weekends and evenings, having read computer.org's piece "SETI@home: Massively Distributed Computing for SETI". I used to have it installed on my old PC, but my fascination...
Pictures of my father... (January 15, 2001) A while ago I recounted the story of the day before Christmas Eve, when my mother suddenly presented me with a picture of my father. I hadn't seen him, or (to my knowledge) a picture of him since I was...
An old site constructed by (January 14, 2001) An old site constructed by me that still has the power to amuse me, particularly as it reflects my interests of the time: Noah Wyle, Sean Lennon, Lard and lots of half naked men. Flashback to: Fragmentary Life....
Consider yourselves warned - the (January 14, 2001) Consider yourselves warned - the UK weblogging contingent are taking to the streets this coming Tuesday in what is being affectionately referred to at the moment as The Return of Vodka Jelly. All are welcome to attend....
Found unopened in Inbox (sent (January 14, 2001) Found unopened in Inbox (sent August 2000):...
On 72 dpi... (January 14, 2001) So I've been reading this book called 72 dpi which contains some of the most startling pieces of web design work that I've ever seen plus a considerable amount of commentary which is slamming the conventions of user interface design...
Everyone is going to be (January 14, 2001) Everyone is going to be linking to this in a couple of hours, so I might as well get in early. Meg finally presents her mini StorTrooperDance page....
I can't tell from the (January 14, 2001) I can't tell from the picture whether or not this is real, but it is very amusing. Now if they did a Mac version, with some of that Apple design genius - well I might just have to buy one:...
Since I am going to (January 13, 2001) Since I am going to have to be drearily positive for the next seven weeks as I scrabble around for a new job, I thought I may as well take this opportunity to moan about how appalling my life is...
Why Blogger Empowers Mindless Nits:"Ah, (January 13, 2001) Why Blogger Empowers Mindless Nits:"Ah, but see, that's the rub - it's not about creating good content, its about creating ENOUGH content so that people will look at it, thinking you have something important to say. And with blog wars,...
I saw my first picture (January 13, 2001) I saw my first picture that may or may not be from the Tobey Maguire-starring Spiderman film today. I can't actually tell whether or not it is a photograph, which probably bodes ill for the production, but if this is...
I added my StorTrooper to (January 13, 2001) I added my StorTrooper to Threadnaught's ever growing page of StorTrooper webloggers, which I would heartily recommend that everyone participates in. Perhaps we could have badges made for any upcoming London web-meets so that people can recognise us more easily....
After-dinner discussion (• • •) (January 12, 2001) After-dinner discussion (• • •) last night has led me to believe that an Andersen Consulting-style rebranding exercise might be in order for the weblogging community. Merely take two words that you feel 'represent' your site in some way, and...
We love pete@norriscomputing.demon.co.uk. We love (January 12, 2001) We love pete@norriscomputing.demon.co.uk. We love him because he owns bigbollocks.com, which may or may not be the UK's favourite website......
Buzz emerges about Dean Kamen's IT... (January 11, 2001) For the delectation and fulfilment of the basic geek instinct that is primal to our natures (huzzah), I hereby present to my compatriots in arms an article about 'IT', an astonishing and revolutionary new concept and product for the 21st...
UK Readers: Take note, for (January 11, 2001) UK Readers: Take note, for this evening Disinfo Nation returns to Channel Four. Featuring Richard Metzger, chatting uber-web god of disinfo.com infamy, this TV show not only has included an interview with Robert Anton Wilson, not only included a glowing...
Spotted, Cool T-shirt Slogan: "And (January 11, 2001) Spotted, Cool T-shirt Slogan: "And Jesus spake unto Burt Bacharach: 'I am the way to San Jose'."...
Bizarre facts about stair-cases? rebuke.org (January 11, 2001) Bizarre facts about stair-cases? rebuke.org reveals all. [Courtesy of notsosoft.com] "An architect guy I met said that when designing stairs, you should always have an odd number, because people tend to take the first stair with their leading foot (in...
A gallup poll discussed on Metafilter... (January 11, 2001) Gallup poll: [via Metafilter] As far as you know, does the earth revolve around the sun, or does the sun revolve around the earth? "Probing a more universal measure of knowledge, Gallup also asked the following basic science question, which...
Due to a particularly interesting (January 10, 2001) Due to a particularly interesting and apparently "old-fashioned" and "biologically determinist" section in Susan Blackmore's The Meme Machine (Chapter 10: 'An orgasm saved my life'), I've been scouring the web for information on evolutionary psychology's positions on homosexuality. As yet,...
So it's nearly 11pm and (January 9, 2001) So it's nearly 11pm and I get a text message from my flatmates which demands to know what film Nick Nolte and Treat Williams have been in with a room full of monsters (or something like that). So I do...
Awesome new stuff from Apple (January 9, 2001) Awesome new stuff from Apple includes: itunes (free MP3 encoder / ripper / player), omnipotently powerful powermacs and sickeningly gorgeous new powerbooks [design in detail]. Note to self: it is very important that my new job (whatsoever that may be)...
As Organizine shuts its doors, (January 9, 2001) As Organizine shuts its doors, and everyone asks why, one sole piece of comment comes from its creator: "Mistakes were made"....
I just stumbled upon what (January 9, 2001) I just stumbled upon what I assume to be an old interview with Jason Kottke, in which he is asked Seven Questions - mostly about Weblogging. It must get very frustrating for him to be known for a site that...
A new article about weblogs, (January 9, 2001) A new article about weblogs, in which I am name-checked (along with blogger, megnut.com, kottke.org, web queeries and medianews.org) illustrates the gulf that lies between journalists and the finished product. While the feature itself says: [Big Issue Jan 8-14 2001]...
So my first day back (January 8, 2001) So my first day back at work after handing in my notice went by fairly smoothly. It kind of feels like everyone is looking at me like I might snap at any moment and douse them in petrol, which couldn't...
Big Issue #419: Read my diary (January 8, 2001) Matthew Ford talks about weblogs and weblogging for the UK's 'Big Issue' magazine - and discusses plasticbag.org in the process...
A quick happy birthday to (January 8, 2001) A quick happy birthday to David Bowie, a tremendously creative individual and an influence to every person in the world who ever wanted to "gazelle on stage and look pleased with [themselves]"....
The short interview I gave (January 8, 2001) The short interview I gave to the Bookseller magazine about repurposing print content for the web is currently in print (5th Jan 2001): "Chat Room". I'd appreciate input from anyone in the industry who would like to comment upon it....
Thanks to Meg and (January 8, 2001) Thanks to Meg and David for coming up with an in-joke so obscure that we will surely be hounded to death by clique-busters for the rest of our lives. I will confess to it being very amusing - at...
Using IMDB to predict the 2001 Oscars... (January 7, 2001) Hypothesis: 1) The Oscars are essentially a populist enterprise that reflect the basic passions of the audience rather more than (perhaps) they should. 2) The IMDB is a similarly populist enterprise. 3) It might be plausible to compare the top...
A bad preview for Snatch... (January 7, 2001) For those Americans amongst us, here's a very bad preview to the movie Snatch, which my flat mate worked on and which really is pretty damn good in places. Go see it....
Dozing through Crouching Tiger... (January 7, 2001) Yesterday afternoon was spent dozing through my second visit to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and having weird conversations with Meg and David. Is this what the future holds for me? [Pics: Tom, David]...
I handed in my notice... (January 6, 2001) So the biggest news of the day is that yesterday morning I handed in two months notice at my job as Production Editor at timeout.com citing as a reason that there was no longer space for me to take my...
Memefloods in the Etherica... (January 6, 2001) A few quick links: musekick.BLOG uses stylesheets in a fashion that somehow looks harmonious and elegant despite using a substantial variety of different line-spacings, font sizes and the like. It reminds me of some of David Carson's typographic work in...
In which I am a web trump and more equal than others... (January 6, 2001) Pixelflo launches Web Trumps - a new Top Trumps style game where you can play with your favourite web celebs, down-at-heel webloggers, and gods like Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos. Based upon Dan Hon's Blogtrumps, I am delighted to add...
Do you know how to use Jabbernaut? (January 4, 2001) Appeal for help: Does anyone have any idea how to use Jabbernaut? I installed it on my G4 today and it doesn't seem to actually do anything it is supposed to. Can you help me? [Addendum: I have had very...
"I am building an army of judges" (January 4, 2001) The thing I love about Mark is that he's not afraid to express his opinion. Which in my opinion, you know, is probably a good thing. "this whole "server fund" is really about raising money to bail jack saturn out...
The rude alternative tube map... (January 3, 2001) So I went to this birthday party last night at an Indian restaurant near Buttock, having left Twattenham Court Road at about 6.45pm. On the way back I had to decide how I was going to get home. Should I...
On the International Blog IRC... (January 3, 2001) So tonight it's the international blog IRC (Internet Relay Chat), which is held at such a time as to be nigh on impossible for anyone in the UK to attend (assuming they work of course). I'm going to try to...
Blogger appeals for donations... (January 3, 2001) Do your duty: Blogger appeals for donations. You can get some stickers out of it, and it's just possible that with speed might come a re-energised search facility... [Addendum: Is there any way that Blogger could treat donations as an...
Separated at birth? (January 3, 2001) Separated at birth? The stunning director of Magnolia, P T Anderson and Bryan - some bloke wearing a Weblog Wannabe t-shirt. [More on some bloke called Bryan]...
On the first annual weblog awards... (January 2, 2001) Nikolai presents the first annual weblog awards, otherwise known as "The Bloggies". Much as awards are a fairly dubious enterprise, this one seems to be very much in the spirit of the weblog, including categories such as "Best Meme" and...
May I be the very first UK weblogger to welcome you to the New Year... (January 1, 2001) 12:01am: May I be the very first UK weblogger to welcome you to the New Year. For good or ill, we are now living in science fiction - it's the 21st Century by anyone's reckoning. A strange computer called Hal...
