Archives for January 2002

Ah well - those of (January 31, 2002) Ah well - those of you who were looking forward to seeing a dumb picture of me in the Guardian tomorrow may have to be patient - or may even be permanently let down. I'm afraid the article looks like...

Our lady of techie queendom... (January 31, 2002) It just keeps getting weirder: Because the Catholic religion wasn't quite ready for you until just now, we've decided to canonise you [see attached]. As a small token of our appreciation for our new-found object of worship, $10.09 is currently...

This day is turning out (January 31, 2002) This day is turning out to be one of the weirdest of my life so far. It starts off with plasticbag.org getting the Best European Weblog Bloggie, which is faintly ridiculous but nice enough. It progresses into having my site...

As part of my duties (January 30, 2002) As part of my duties as Poof Ambassador to Blogdom (my stint as which runs until 10pm tonight [International Fairvue Time]), I have undertaken the mission of finding a same-sex date for a young male weblogger of American nationality, currently...

Strangest thing that I've said (January 30, 2002) Strangest thing that I've said to anyone in ages: "I'm stuck in your head like a video camera"....

So voting is now closed (January 30, 2002) So voting is now closed on the Bloggies and the results come out this evening at the impossibly late time of 3am UK time. In the meantime, some scamp has put up a rather lo-fi UK alternative at gbloggies.blogspot.com....

Looking for Tom Coates... (January 30, 2002) Do you know a Tom Coates who isn't - you know - me? If so, send me their e-mail address immediately....

I don't like this game (January 29, 2002) I don't like this game any more. I don't think I'm Arch, Illicit or Warped!...

I can't stop myself linking (January 29, 2002) I can't stop myself linking to it because it's so wonderful, but at the same time I'm dreading linking to it because I'm scared that the amount of traffic it might get when people realise exactly how cool it is...

Diesel Sweeties just doesn't seem (January 29, 2002) Diesel Sweeties just doesn't seem to understand the true existential pain of being an evil robot, relentlessly blunt and unable to fully relate with other human beings. That's the only explanation I can find for their latest offering. On a...

Using Blogdex to predict the Bloggies... (January 29, 2002) The most interesting contribution to the debate on the Bloggies so far has to be on Metafirda. She has produced a list of all the categories and ranked each of the nominees by their position on Blogdex. If the Bloggies...

It may be less high-tech (January 29, 2002) It may be less high-tech than the Segway, but there's a lot to be said for the reinvention of the tricycle....

What would it mean to (January 29, 2002) What would it mean to go professional as a weblogger. I've been thinking about this today - would it be possible to get £800 a month from people for weblogging? That's pretty much the least amount of money that I...

Not everyone appears to share (January 29, 2002) Not everyone appears to share my taste in men. This is of course fine... But rise to the challenge people... Or are you too embarrassed to reveal the lusts of your life in a public space?...

Pop Quiz - if the (January 29, 2002) Pop Quiz - if the 1000000000th second of my life will be around twenty past two in the morning of Saturday March 27th 2004 then when was I born? [Useless dates related to your birthday]...

And another day's mail comes (January 29, 2002) And another day's mail comes and goes without any money arriving....

Don't waste your time here (January 28, 2002) Don't waste your time here - go and read something funny....

Are the Bloggies a good idea or a really really bad idea? (January 28, 2002) There are a number of people out there who don't like the Bloggies. A fair number of people didn't like them last year either. Just as a matter of interest, I'd be really interested in hearing some of the reasons...

And the frustration continues... A (January 28, 2002) And the frustration continues... A good meal after the frustrations of this morning, everything was looking shiny and new - and more important manageable. But it only takes one e-mail to throw everything up in the air again and leave...

"Hello, my name is Shetland. (January 28, 2002) "Hello, my name is Shetland. I'd just like to say that I find Biomagnetic K9's last comment extremely offensive, and I think that his ignorant asseretion that sheep aren't able to make purchases as they please is both ill-informed and...

As Davo has said, if (January 28, 2002) As Davo has said, if there's one thing that's going to stop me winning "Best Poof" at the Bloggies it's this picture....

Frustration! (January 28, 2002) Frustration: Today's mood is frustration - frustration caused by still being owed money from Time Out for work I did in October (and spending hours on e-mail and on the phone trying to get it), frustration caused by mounting bills,...

The hot men project... (January 27, 2002) Is this cheap content? Yes it's cheap content. Is it exploitative? Yes. Is it beneath me? Yes. Do I debase myself by presenting it on the internet? Yes. But how much does it reveal - the stars you've lusted after?...

Is 100k enough? Blogger Pro (January 27, 2002) Is 100k enough? Blogger Pro now has a 100k per month limit on the posts that you can make. After that stage it costs an additional $3 per 100k to run. initially I was very comfortable with this amount, but...

Interested in Blogger Pro, but (January 26, 2002) Interested in Blogger Pro, but want to see what you're getting for your money? Here are some screenshots for your delectation - as the interface appears on Mac OSX. Capture One Capture Two Capture Three Capture Four...

I've got a bit of (January 26, 2002) I've got a bit of a crush on Paul Baker. But Ultrasparky has told me that he's heavily attached. So unfair. It's relatively hard to meet nice guys when you're not prepared to leave your house, and I thought I'd...

A few months ago I (January 26, 2002) A few months ago I was watching an episode of Changing Rooms with one of my flatmates, when she suddenly turned purple and started pointing at the television. A guy was on the show that she'd known at University. She...

Translate your [English language] site (January 26, 2002) Translate your [English language] site into English? Well why would you want to do that? Because it's bloody funny [thanks to The Magic Morgan Translatatron]....

Help debug plasticbag.org: Let's face (January 26, 2002) Help debug plasticbag.org: Let's face it, I've always depended on the kindness of strangers. And now it's your turn. The site looks great and seems to work on IE 5+ on Macs and PCs, but there are problems with Mozilla...

Sharp-eyed observers may notice the (January 26, 2002) Sharp-eyed observers may notice the addition of one tiny syllable to this site overnight. Yes, I've gone professional on your ass. First impressions of the upgraded Blogger are essentially positive. The post-to-future option is extremely interesting - and could be...

Strange Collisions: Barbelith.com is a (January 26, 2002) Strange Collisions: Barbelith.com is a daily diversion at MSN.com: "Read Barbelith: Culture, subculture, the underground, and more."...

While the European webloggers nominated (January 25, 2002) While the European webloggers nominated for Bloggies slowly relax in the knowledge that their brilliance has been quietly recognised, the real action is over at the Big Gay camp. While Sparky begs for your vote (so sad...), Ernie howls "Bring...

Song for a melancholy moment (January 25, 2002) Song for a melancholy moment at home: "One day I'll fly away - leave all this to yesterday. Why live life from dream to dream and dread the day when dreaming ends? One day I'll fly away, fly fly away."...

And the charge went out (January 25, 2002) And the charge went out across the land - "One of our own is being oppressed" - and her people woke from their beds and took to the streets all wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the legend, Free Winona Ryder....

And in fashion news... Diesel (January 25, 2002) And in fashion news... Diesel is over. Miss Sixty is last year. The future is Dorcus. Dorcus is where I get all my modern-day loungewear. And I'm not alone. Dorcus is the clothier of choice for Bond assassins and early...

So you wanna see the (January 25, 2002) So you wanna see the first online screen-caps of Blogger Pro? Eh?...

On Mr Massow's shit-eating grin... (January 25, 2002) So my young Mr Massow has gone and done it again. Sometime he's so cool it hurts. He's tacked on a community aspect to his financial services site, and actually had the nerve to stick the main access point behind...

From the new about page's (January 25, 2002) From the new about page's gallery, I present The George Bush Funeral Home....

Easing into a new design (January 25, 2002) Easing into a new design is like breaking in a new pair of shoes - they may look really nice, but for a while at least, they feel alien and uncomfortable. No doubt as time passes I'll get more comfortable...

Presenting a brief history of (January 25, 2002) Presenting a brief history of Tom. Ten years condensed into a photo gallery for your horror....

I did it. I finally did it. I finished the goddam redesign... (January 25, 2002) I did it. I finally did it. I finally finished the goddam redesign. If you find any problems around the site, then let me know immediately - the e-mail address is the same as ever: tom%40plasticbag.org....

The nominations for the 2002 (January 24, 2002) The nominations for the 2002 Bloggies have been announced and plasticbag.org is up for two categories - Best European and Best Great Big Homo. If however you are not planning to vote for me then can I suggest voting for...

How to make hot naked boys out of ASCII text... (January 24, 2002) Stage one: Visit the image to html site. Stage Two: perfect HTML pictures of half-naked boys!. Stage Three: Profit!...

Much as I am interested (January 24, 2002) Much as I am interested in Rebecca's new books on weblogging, I have some anxieties about them, which I've spelled out in slightly excessive language in a comment over at jish.nu. Basically I think I'm missing the point a bit,...

Story of a Dental Appointment: (January 24, 2002) Story of a Dental Appointment: I arrived at the dentist fifteen minutes early. I was extremely nervous. On the way up the stairs I lost the little foam cover to one of the ear-buds for my iPod and spent the...

God was not an information (January 24, 2002) God was not an information architect, usability expert or user interface designer. This much can be gleaned from a cursory glance at vatican.va....

A highly entertaining comment by (January 23, 2002) A highly entertaining comment by a member of the Conservative party: "We want to be for people and things, not against people and things". Being for things. Now there's a clear message....

So the day has finally (January 23, 2002) So the day has finally come. I am about to head off to Notting Hill for my dental appointment. One wisdom tooth will be removed. Three fillings will be created. Three others replaced. The horror. The horror....

Details of Blogger Pro have (January 23, 2002) Details of Blogger Pro have been released....

Thanks to Davo for producing (January 22, 2002) Thanks to Davo for producing this startlingly accurate identikit portrait of the cute guy from the Rushkoff lecture. Is this you? If so... mail me!...

A new version of Blogger (January 22, 2002) A new version of Blogger is to be revealed tonight. Will all present please report back to the interhighweb immediately afterwards. I thank you....

A usability question relating to (January 22, 2002) A usability question relating to Opine Bovine - the links to various other parts of the site are by way of buttons that look like form elements. I did the same thing with Cal on Morning After TV. There's something...

This is me, by Georg (January 22, 2002) This is me, by Georg Bush, "This is my flag. My name is georg bush and I am presidant of america. This is a pitur of me. I get to wear a tie evry day. This is my favourit gun...."...

According to a card posted (January 22, 2002) According to a card posted in my local newsagent's window, Andrew McCarthy has now taken up a new career doing high pressure cleaning with jets of water. Good luck to you, old chap....

I'm not going to comment (January 22, 2002) I'm not going to comment on this piece except to say that I'm horrified. Here's a quote from the it: "The US came out of [World War Two] with a deep distrust of European wisdom and European advice. No matter...

It's very funny. I think. (January 22, 2002) It's very funny. I think. Or it's really mean. And gross. Or funny. Or gross. I can't decide....

Today I got the coolest (January 22, 2002) Today I got the coolest e-mail from Douglas Rushkoff. Douglas Rushkoff is cool. I like Douglas Rushkoff. Douglas Rushkoff smokes. I want to make Douglas Rushkoff a new website. I bet other people would help....

Every time I apply for (January 21, 2002) Every time I apply for a job at the BBC, I think it will take an hour to fill in the horrible online application form, and it always takes me nearly four. And then even though I get lots of...

On the Quantinuum... (January 21, 2002) From a typo made in an AIM message with Matt Jones that mispelled 'quantum' as 'quantuum' we came up with a concept called the 'quantinuum' - a contraction of quantum and continuum. I thought up a definition on the spot...

Is it the end of (January 21, 2002) Is it the end of the line for Black Holes? New Theories Dispute the Existence of Black Holes...

The last time I wrote (January 21, 2002) The last time I wrote something actually amusing was about two years ago - except of course it isn't funny any more because the world's changed so dramatically. If written today, the same post would read, "According to Evhead, Jason...

Looking for stories of dirty sex... (January 21, 2002) A couple of weeks ago I got an e-mail from an old friend at Time Out. She was looking desperately for stories of 'dirty sex'. Not sexy dirty, you understand, but dirty dirty. I responded rather half-heartedly with a fairly...

More misheard lyrics: Destiny's Child: (January 21, 2002) More misheard lyrics: Destiny's Child: Independent Woman, courtesy of that nut at rathergood.com. In person Joel is one of the nicest, most unassuming people you could ever meet. He's really polite and sweet. He looks like he's on some kind...

You know what's a funny (January 21, 2002) You know what's a funny URL? Webugger.com, that's what....

Let the debate continue: Fifty-two (January 21, 2002) Let the debate continue: Fifty-two things they do better in America vs. Fifty-two things they do better in England....

Asides from the laborious Bloggie (January 21, 2002) Asides from the laborious Bloggie first-stage nomination process: There are a hell of a lot more good Australian and Noozlelandish weblogs around than there are European ones - or at least they are better represented. It looks like there's been...

I've never been more jealous (January 21, 2002) I've never been more jealous of another human being to the extent that I am now jealous of Prol and her new Buffy poster....

Missive to the masses: Suggestions (January 20, 2002) Missive to the masses: Suggestions for ways in which you can enhance your chance of getting past the first stage of the Bloggie nomination process (bearing in mind that none of you know you've even got to the first stage...

Oh god. I'm on the (January 20, 2002) Oh god. I'm on the panel for the Bloggies. Which means I'm one of the poor bastards who gets to reduce the vast number of options available for voting down to a reasonable number. I'm going to be here all...

My amazing senses have detected (January 20, 2002) My amazing senses have detected that someone on the interhighweb just called plasticbag.org "somewhat worthy". My big snarky bitch glands are swelling. You know who you are. Just don't expect a link, ok? Oh goddamit....

Finally, proof (if proof were (January 20, 2002) Finally, proof (if proof were needed) that the new iMac is modelled on the Pixar desklamp....

To launch, or not to launch... (January 20, 2002) Question: Is it better to launch something unfinished or to wait an indeterminable amount of time and launch it when it's complete (and when you're thoroughly sick of it)? Answers on a postcard....

Searches on Google that lead (January 20, 2002) Searches on Google that lead people to plasticbag.org: "Huw Edwards short arse", "tom strop", "my first is in chicken", "chaos magick minidisc", "cunt kicking clubs", "Melanie Hill I was in love with her Andy Big Brother", "comic rebecca adult housewives",...

Mentioned today in the Guardian's (January 19, 2002) Mentioned today in the Guardian's "The Editor" supplement, the Bloggies, Blogger, metafilter.com, Looby Lu, plasticbag.org and Disturbing Search Requests. The supplement also included a list of the top 25 words searched for on Cambridge Dictionaries Online over the last year....

Use Photoshop? Is there something (January 19, 2002) Use Photoshop? Is there something that you've always thought they should add? Then tell Photoshop Wishlist....

Brief words about the Rushkoff lecture... (January 19, 2002) Brief words about the Rushkoff lecture: 1) If you are the astonishingly beautiful young man wearing a dark blue jumper with a pale blue and white bullseye on the front, with a tendency to get flushed in the face, then...

When I was a teenager, (January 19, 2002) When I was a teenager, one of my closest friends was called Glyn. He got married last year and I was invited and it was one of the strangest and most wonderful experiences of my life. One of the things...

A long list of great (January 19, 2002) A long list of great weblogs compiled purely for my own benefit and with no ulterior motives whatsoever, and certainly nothing to do with stealing ideas for the plasticbag.org redesign or doing a kind of 'state of the weblog nation'...

I'll go into greater detail (January 19, 2002) I'll go into greater detail about the talk with Douglas Rushkoff later in the day. But in the meantime, one of the things he suggested was that Attention Deficit Disorder was a disease that gained vast prominence in the US...

If you're a London-based web-savvy (January 18, 2002) If you're a London-based web-savvy individual with an interest in contemporary cyberculture then be sure to be in Soho's Golden Square this evening to hear Douglas Rushkoff talk. It should be interesting....

Interestingly, as far as I (January 18, 2002) Interestingly, as far as I can tell, the article which revealed some of Ev's plans for Premium Blogger (which was supposed to appear in the Guardian's "Online" supplement) appears to have not been published after all. I wonder why....

You loved Billy Exorcist (1Mb), (January 18, 2002) You loved Billy Exorcist (1Mb), and you've watched me spin around on a mountain top, Sound of Music style (if you haven't, the button's over on the right). Now it's time for more flash spoofs and movies from Sean Nadeau...

Aw. According to the Onion, (January 18, 2002) Aw. According to the Onion, the new iMac wuvs me....

I'm working to deadlines. Which (January 17, 2002) I'm working to deadlines. Which is fun. As I'm sure you know. And as a result, I have a deal with myself not to do any work on the plasticbag.org redesign until after eight o'clock at night. Which is a...

Ivan Massow - cute but dim...? (January 17, 2002) So now Ivan Massow, an old friend of plasticbag.org has gone and done something else controversial. Presumably bored after converting from the Conservatives to Labour, unsatisfied by the controversy concerning the appointment of a financial advisor as Chairman of the...

An e-mail exchange with my (January 17, 2002) An e-mail exchange with my darling little brother (16 years old), who is currently located at a boarding school near Peterborough: Peter: "I am bored and have to do lessons and stuff because I am at Evil Make do work...

Happy birthday to Cal, Happy (January 17, 2002) Happy birthday to Cal, Happy birthday to Cal, Happy birthday dear Calvin, Happy birthday to Cal. And many more.... (See you at lunchtime, old chap...)...

Greetings from Framley... What ho! (January 17, 2002) Greetings from Framley... What ho! It was last Sunday that I went exploring in my little motor car - I call her Gertie after Great Grandma Jemima's dog! Was travelling through the dang countryside with the top down and a...

Apple do, on occasion, evidence (January 17, 2002) Apple do, on occasion, evidence a sense of humour. The fact that they have an entire page on their site (apple.com/myths) about how they're really good actually and Windows isn't really is probably not the best example of it. But...

My thoughts on the Google (January 17, 2002) My thoughts on the Google effect have been picked up by Dan Gilmour's weblog on SiliconValley.com....

An interesting trick you can play with referrals... (January 17, 2002) First things first, let's link to Matt Jones who showed this to me. The reasons for the link will become clear shortly. There's an interesting trick you can play with referrers which Matt showed me (here). Through use of a...

Domain names & the "Google Effect" (January 16, 2002) Dan Gilmour has recently argued that the "Google effect" - ie. the fact that Google and other search engines are now so good that they can locate extremely accurately what someone is searching for - will reduce the demand for...

Here are five boring reasons (January 16, 2002) Here are five boring reasons why the Google effect will not dramatically affect the need for domain names (as is argued in this article). The article argues as follows: "The most interesting from a domain-name point of view is this:...

Last night at nine o'clock, (January 16, 2002) Last night at nine o'clock, our flat was struck with a terrible choice. Would it be Brian De Palma's Snake Eyes or Wes Anderson's The Royal Tenenbaums? Several nanoseconds later we had settled on the latter - citing only vastly...

In which money is sent to the wrong place... (January 16, 2002) Freelance work is sent to try us. It's just designed to drive you mad. Today I've discovered that the £350 that Time Out owe me for writing the gay section of this year's London Guide has been sent to a...

One of the hazards of (January 16, 2002) One of the hazards of working for a friend (and from home) is that they see nothing particularly wrong with text messaging you at seven in the morning, when you're still comfortably asleep and warm having been up until 2am...

How to get more traffic to your weblog... (January 16, 2002) I got an e-mail a couple of days ago from a guy who wanted to know how to increase traffic to his weblog - god only knows why he chose to ask me, but there you go. I'm not entirely...

An amusing moment this afternoon (January 15, 2002) An amusing moment this afternoon - I got an e-mail from my flatmate recommending that I check out the Buffy Swearing Keyboard, humourously suggesting that it was 'made for' our Buffy-obsessed flat. At which point I had to explain that...

Quote of the day: "Whoso (January 15, 2002) Quote of the day: "Whoso would be a man must be a non-conformist." [Ralph Waldo Emerson]...

One of the wonderful things (January 15, 2002) One of the wonderful things about having a little brother who's thirteen years younger than you was that just when you're really supposed to have put childish things behind you, you get the opportunity to do them all over again...

Films watched over weekend: A (January 15, 2002) Films watched over weekend: A Beautiful Mind, The Princess Diaries, Vanilla Sky and Phantoms. Films that I watched this weekend that I would be interested in seeing again: N/A. Worst film I saw this weekend: Vanilla Sky....

All the votes are in (January 14, 2002) All the votes are in for the first stage of the 2002 Bloggies, so I can only hope that the article, Psychology of Weblogs has been nominated, even if it doesn't receive an award. There's a lot of sense in...

And I quote from NTK: (January 14, 2002) And I quote from NTK: "Only a couple of days or so left to get your nominations into the "Bloggies" Second Annual Weblog Awards - and perhaps prevent Metafilter, PlasticBag.Org and - imaginatively enough - Blogger.com from scooping all those...

Another day, another reason to (January 14, 2002) Another day, another reason to laugh uncontrollably at how weird people are. There is a newsreader in the UK called Huw Edwards. He's a slightly podgy Welsh bloke. He's got a nice enough accent, but other than that he's fairly...

Most regular Blogger users have (January 13, 2002) Most regular Blogger users have probably seen this before, but here is a clever way to reformat the way that you see your Blogger archives dates. And I have to send out a special thanks to the man who runs...

Matt's built a new skin (January 13, 2002) Matt's built a new skin for Interconnected - designed to be viewable on all kinds of platforms, browsers and screen resolutions....

Lining up permalinks with paragraphs in CSS... (January 13, 2002) Geek CSS question: When I'm writing all my blog entries I put in all the paragraph and line break tags by hand. I feel (for some reason) that this makes things much more adaptable. Except of course that I'm evidently...

This won't mean anything to (January 12, 2002) This won't mean anything to anyone outside the United Kingdom, but if on a Saturday evening you get frustrated by Ant and Dec and their band of merry troubadours, then you be aware that popidiot.com is still available......

It may be everywhere, but (January 12, 2002) It may be everywhere, but it's kind of cool......

The quizzes that do the (January 12, 2002) The quizzes that do the rounds of weblogs - I must confess I'm not immune to their charms. But I don't normally link to them - I kind of think that they're cheap content. There's no opinion expressed, everyone has...

I wish I could take (January 11, 2002) I wish I could take sole credit for this, but I can't. As part of my last job at emap - where I was running TCN, I also designed (and co-designed) a couple of sites. The first one, Morning After...

I'm a weblogging Dame... (January 11, 2002) I'm a weblogging Dame. Who'd have thought it. In more important news, my source at Time Out has given me seven episodes of the new series of Buffy and Angel, so you must expect slightly sporadic updates for the next...

Via Ev (who's pumping out (January 11, 2002) Via Ev (who's pumping out a resolute 'no comment' on the whole Premium Blogger thing) comes this neat and well assembled Flash-based clock. I'm always extremely impressed when people manage to incorporate a non-computery aesthetic into sites - it's not...

It's a shame, but it (January 11, 2002) It's a shame, but it seems that there will be no Anti-Bloggies this year....

Of course the best thing (January 11, 2002) Of course the best thing about working from home is that you don't have to go outside. And correspondingly the worst thing about it is that most of your stories involve particularly sticky patches on the kitchen floor, the number...

Now that someone has actually (January 10, 2002) Now that someone has actually broken the news on a site (rather than just on a mailing list), I think it's time I gave my opinion on the proposed "Premium Blogger" that is rumoured to cost $30 a year. Bear...

Want to know what was (January 10, 2002) Want to know what was really going on in the Lord of the Rings? Then read the many secret diaries of the various participants......

Have I been in the papers or something? (January 10, 2002) I've suddenly started getting lots of traffic and I don't quite know why. If you've seen plasticbag.org in a magazine or a newspaper or anywhere unusual in an article or something, could you let me know. Thanks....

My flatmate is buying an (January 9, 2002) My flatmate is buying an iBook. Just to tease me, you understand. I went into town with her today to decide what she needs. Sigh....

There's going to be an (January 9, 2002) There's going to be an announcement tomorrow regarding Blogger. Could it be that we're finally going to have to pay for the damn thing? Could it be that there'll be some kind of increased functionality? Could it be that Ev...

Looks to me like Wil's (January 9, 2002) Looks to me like Wil's onto a winner. He's selling personally autographed Next Generation stuff at the moment - and seems to be making a fair amount of money on it. Poor old Wil. Forever labelled by a character he...

Me? I don't love anyone. (January 9, 2002) Me? I don't love anyone....

On the cover of a (January 9, 2002) On the cover of a book I'm reading there is this statement: "Triumphs of imagination such as the person you love is 72.8% water". Which made me think - is it a triumph of imagination to visualise the person you...

The one of my heroes (January 9, 2002) The one of my heroes that isn't Steve Jobs has been interviewed and is his normal dazzling brilliant self. When asked what the world needs now, he replies, "More soldiers"....

A time before plasticbag.org... (January 8, 2002) Are you ready to go back in time? Want to read lots of old plasticbag.org crap from before it was even plasticbag.org? Do you miss this?Think every design I've done in the last year and a half has been crap!?...

Blogger is down again. But (January 8, 2002) Blogger is down again. But wireless.blogger.com seems to be working just fine!...

If I'm honest, I'm grumpy (January 8, 2002) If I'm honest, I'm grumpy because I've got toothache again. And everything that follows (although all relevant complaints) is probably borne of dental pain. It's toothache like this that started most of the world's major shitstorms, if you ask me....

And while I'm at it, (January 8, 2002) And while I'm at it, I think it's about time I griped about Blogger. It's a wonderful democratic piece of software that I've used without paying a penny since the day it launched (apart from a tiny donation once). I...

I can't be the only (January 8, 2002) I can't be the only person in the world who finds bits of Movable Type endlessly frustrating. You try and import two and a half years of Blogger entries, and it chokes almost immediately. Or to be more precise, Pair...

Tasteless comment of the day: (January 8, 2002) Tasteless comment of the day: Davo: In other news, I now smell like Georgio Armani. Tom: What? Dead?...

Read all about it! The (January 8, 2002) Read all about it! The new iMac reaches Wired.com....

So my first impressions of (January 7, 2002) So my first impressions of the leaked iMac were fairly negative, but as I've seen the specs for the machines and seen them in context, I'm beginning to realise how cool it could be. Be warned, this may actually be...

Another Barbelith offshoot: Which 'Lither (January 7, 2002) Another Barbelith offshoot: Which 'Lither Are You?. "I don't believe it, you're Tom Coates. The founder. Doesn't post much anymore. I worry about his bandwidth. Your answers suggest a correspondence of 64% to Tom Coates."...

Is this what we've all been waiting for? (January 7, 2002) Is this what we've all been waiting for? If so, I'm not entirely convinced at this stage, however happy my hero looks....

I want Davo back... (January 6, 2002) I hate it when Davo goes away for holidays. I feel cheated enough by his sporadic posting. But weeks without it? It's just not fair....

Songs for never-were and used-to-be lovers... (January 6, 2002) Songs for never-were and used-to-be lovers: Something So Right, Everloving, Calling it Quits. There are others, but they're too cheesy....

I am actually doing stuff, you know... (January 6, 2002) You know, just because I'm not posting very much at the moment doesn't mean that I'm not working on exciting plasticbag.org related projects. I just wanted to make sure you understood that....

The Barbelith Fictionsuit Generator... (January 6, 2002) You know a forum's really successful when someone spends time developing a little gadget to help you get the ideal username. Presenting the Barbelith Fictionsuit Generator. This is Count ForbiddenLove signing off......

I. Can't. Get. It. Out. Of. My. Head... (January 6, 2002) Weird fact: While there's no one in the UK who hasn't heard Kylie belt out "Can't Get You Out Of My Head" or seen her writhe around in a rather poorly assembled sheet, it's almost unheard of in America, where...

Templates on Metatalk... (January 6, 2002) Only the very best web celebrities get their very own templates on MetaTalk....

What's up with Kottke? (January 5, 2002) What's up with Kottke?...

Fun fantasy Apple stuff... (January 4, 2002) More fun fantasy Apple gadgets: the iPad....

On the Second Annual Bloggies... (January 4, 2002) They're back, and this time it's the Second Annual Bloggies. They're currently taking nominations. Last year, plasticbag.org won a couple, making me "Best European Poof". Which was nice! But I wrote less dull crap then, so with any luck this...

Apple's next big thing? (January 3, 2002) Could the iWalk be the next Apple big thing? PS. Don't believe the hype [Noticeable weirdnesses include discrepancies between colour and black and white screens, the fact that you never see the pen touching the screen, the fact that the...

Office starts working again... (January 3, 2002) Finally I have Office working again, which means that I can actually do some work. Hurrah....

Pay this man more! (January 2, 2002) The Weakest Link with drag queens. Whoever thought that up isn't getting paid enough!...

Flashbacks and Comic Books... (January 1, 2002) Flashback madness. I'm ten - I'm living in a little village in Norfolk called Belaugh. On Sunday mornings my dad drives to the nearest village (Wroxham) for the Sunday papers. Sunday is the only day of the week that the...

Tom Coates Explains Everything (Part Four) (January 1, 2002) Brief answers only this morning - my throbbing head can answer all, but my fingers are incapable of typing... 1) To TomH I say, It takes seventy-three licks to get to the centre of a Tootsie Pop. And for the...

On the Fray New Year Special... (January 1, 2002) The yearly Fray New Year Special is upon us once more. Twelve stories for twelve months. And you can post your own stories as well. You can see mine here....

Another New Year's Eve survived. (January 1, 2002) Another New Year's Eve survived....