Paul Hurst's blog

New online blog

2009-06-30T13:59:00.002Z

As you may know, I've been blogging for quite some time. Things on this blog may have wound down however its far from the end.

You may follow me on twitter. www.twitter.com/frompaul

Or visit my associated blog: http://morefrompaul.wordpress.com/

I do hope you will continue to nip in for a nosey from time to time and thanks, as always for visiting.

Paul

The Maple Leaf Rag for Beginners

2008-12-17T21:25:00.010Z

Just how hard can it be? Scott Joplin's iconic ditty is etched into the minds of classical music buffs the world over but what exactly does it take to be able to play it?

It's this basic question that prompted me (who cannot play the piano) to embark on a musical experiment extraviganza. Just how much time and effort would it take for a 'non-pianist' to polish this merry little tune. And so begins a journey which will end, hopefully in me being a whole £100 pounds richer as my wife seems fairly adamant that I can hardly scale the back door step let alone this musical masterpiece. Little does she know I have a very precise plan of attack: As follows.

1. Obtain the music. (already done thanks to pianopublicdomain.com)

2. Obtain some kind of suitable instrument (I'm working on this: Serious offers greatly appreciated on pthurst@gmail.com)

3. Find out what 'key' its in (its got four little 'b's on the music... pthurst@gmail.com once again for answers from all you 'muso's') Once I know the key, I will begin practicing the 'scale' unless I don't have a piano, in which case I'll practice in the apple store on their's...

4. Locate a patient, kind-hearted piano teacher who voluntarily will surrender their time teaching a complete beginner a piece of music that's on the 'Trinity Syllabus' at grade 8... Whatever that means.

5. Ply said individual with alcohol and anything else within reason until they agree to oversee this wonderful feat of human achievement.

6. Practice every day.

7. Weekly reassess my progress.

8. After I can play half, take a month out to ponder my achievement thus far (and prepare myself for the really difficult bit).

9. Attain note perfect recital abilities.

10. Perform in public. Become world famous and possibly audition for a TV talent competition where my unique abilities can be appropriately demonstrated.

And so, I begin the task. I've given myself six months to do all this which by my reckoning will allow me to learn 180 notes if I learn one a day. That means that even where you press more than one button at once, I should still be able to learn it... Eventually...

Updates to follow!

B of the Bin?

2008-11-18T11:14:00.003Z

It looks like the beleaguered B of the Bang sculpture which is the largest piece of artwork in the UK is set to be taken down.

Originally constructed to mark Manchester's holding of the Commonwealth Games in 2002, the artwork began to hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons when the integrity of some of the 180 spikes began to fail.

Currently cordoned off, the local council have settled out of court for around £1.7m which covers the original sculpture cost of £1.4m plus the extra costs incurred keeping the surrounding area safe.

Some local residents wont be sad to see it go although I think that when any work of public art is removed from built up cities, there is always a tinge of sadness. I'd love to see the council recommission something in its place.

Free GPS on Android...

2008-11-03T14:44:00.005Z

The 'amaze' GPS platform has been offering free (ad based) GPS solutions for mobiles since they began to incorporate the GPS chips in the handsets.

The software has proved to be very useful on more than one occasion, and as its free, new users aren't limited to a trial period or the usual 'crippleware' which removes key features until money changes hands.

This kind of free software should be the 'norm' for google's new opensource handset but time alone will tell. In fact on this occasion, lots of other users from handsets like Nokia's N96 can also share the love and download for free as well (no joy for iphone users though!).

Halloween 1992: BBC Ghostwatch

2008-10-31T23:14:00.010Z

Some of the older readers to this blog from the UK will have very vivid memories of a particular BBC television programme broadcast at 9.25pm on October 31st 1992.

Ghostwatch was billed as a live investigation into poltergeist activity in a suburban street in Southern England. In reality it was a prerecorded drama featuring TV presenters previously associated with factual programming. The plot was simple, the programme would start normal enough but would build to a terrifying conclusion. Of course by that time, everyone knew it was indeed drama but not before some people in true Orson Welles style, had run for the hills.

So many people complained to the BBC that the recording was banned, never to be repeated and the producers guidelines now advise against newsreaders, factual presenters taking direct, long roles in TV drama's. The content which started tame enough became edgy with mystery ghost sightings and some clever editing for its day. Personally speaking, it was the best evenings entertainment that I remember from childhood, it scared the whits out of me until the plot obviously gave itself away.

As Halloween 2008 draws to a close, I thought I'd trawl the internet for a bit more info about Ghostwatch and struck gold. You can now watch the show again via youtube and in fact, contribute your own GW memories for a new documentary that is being made. Simply head over to the special GWbtc Youtube page or visit the official blog to find out more information.

As I mentioned, never could such a show be made again on the BBC, they even advertised a call centre number on screen as part of the drama. At one point, over 20,000 callers were trying to get through to speak with the programmes presenter Michael Parkinson.

For anyone out there who remembers the poltergeist/ghost called 'pipes', heres a clip with all the 8 sightings from the show, enjoy!

Google's new G1 handset is a real mixed bag

2008-10-31T12:27:00.006Z

Firstly, lets point out that this is Google's first mobile handset (in conjunction with HTC) but that didn't stop the iPhone being an instant hit. So what about its newest rival?

The Gphone has come a long way in a short time. It carries many features that are hard not to like such as a built in keyboard, touchscreen and navball and the screen display is bright and easy to use. However I have noticed one or two niggles which I will outline in a little more detail.

Good, but no cigar!

1. Battery life = pants!
If you make the mistake of trying to use all the features on this handset, the battery will be hard pushed to last a single day. I've resigned myself to no GPS, WiFi or 3G in order to stop the handset drying out on me whilst on the road.

2. HSDPA 3.5G Yes, Tethered modem mode for your laptop? No
Theoretically, this handset can support transfers up to 7.2megs per second but you are limited to using whatever you get on your handset. Just like Apple's iPhone, you cannot 'share' your 3G connection with your laptop on the road and in my opinion, that is simply inexcusable.

3. Video Recording (lack of)
Again, following suit from Apple, there's no video recorder on the handset and I can't help feeling that this is another opportunity that Google/HTC have missed out on.

4. No gmail/googlemail account? No point!
Not surprisingly, the handset has very tight integration with the Google apps like mail, calendar and contacts. The phone will even sync OTA (over the air) so that your data is backed up on your desktop via the Google website however it does feel slightly restrictive in that you must have a Google account in order to even use the phone!

5. What! No Google Earth?
This should have been one of the devices 'killer apps' especially given the fact that t was launched on iphone/touch last week however you won't find it on your shiny new Gphone handset. I admit, it's not a devastating blow and its likely to be rectified soon but it should have been on there, out of the box.

6. Addicted to Facebook? Poke Google for an app then!
If you're like millions of others and spending far too much time on Facebook then this may not be the phone for you. In short, Google and Facebook don't get on so there's no facebook app on your phone and there isn't likely to be one any time soon!

7. Handset 'creak'
A personal bugbear of mine, although the unit is fairly well constructed, there is the odd plastic 'creak' here and there, largely due to the sliding keyboard and thin(ish) plastic back. Don't get me wrong, this is far from poor but still irritating nonetheless.

So what have Google got right?

Lets flip the coin and look at the good points on offer with the Gphone.

1. It's opensource!
No red tape to navigate for the developers. There will soon be an abundance of apps to download to your handset. Google have even released the operating software itself meaning that features and functions can be easily tweaked by the community.

2. The core O/S can be updated OTA (over the air).
This is a biggie that has been missing from the mobile industry for years. If improvements are made to your device's software, you can simply update via your data connection so no need to plug it in to your computer at home.

3. Google is almost as good as Apple.
We all know no one like meany Micro$oft, but Google are the good guys! This may be down to marketing but the real-world consequence has created a very positive platform onto which this product has been launched. Its seen as a very much 'moddable' and open device.

hose are a few of my early observations. Overall, I'm very imressed with the device, even more impressed with its potential.

Cabinet Ministers

2008-06-25T22:00:00.003Z

Oh dear! looks like there's more trouble and strife in store for some UK Members of Parliament in the light of new claims that some have used public money to buy furniture for their homes.

I won't name names as I can't afford terribly good legal representation but these kinds of stories in the press, once again damage public confidence in the political system.

In light of ongoing war and a worsening economy here at home, this is bad news, no matter where your political allegiances may lie.

Standing up by sitting down

2008-06-12T15:09:00.006Z

How can British MP's express their utter disgust for government passed policies in the house of commons? Well it seems that one way may be to walk out, hopefully to walk back in again later on.

The Shadow Home Secretary, David Davis MP was unable to resign in the house of commons, the speaker deeming it to be inappropriate given the matter was voted on yesterday so he stepped outside to step down from arguably the next government here in the UK.

By forcing a by-election, he will keep the matter very much in the media spotlight but who exactly will he fight in his re-election campaign?

The Lib-Dems have decided not to field a candidate given the fact that they agree with his stated reason for resignation and the Labour Party may lose whatever they choose to do.

Meanwhile, the Conservative leader, David Cameron who's riding on the back of a massive 20-point opinion poll lead may find that this single act of 'heroism' could cost his party especially if the public do support a 42 day detention law.

Watch this space, anything could happen!

This blog ranked 215 for UK politics...

2008-05-13T13:40:00.004Z

I had a surprise email yesterday, apparently this blog ranks quite high as far as UK politics goes.

At 215, I have been told that my blog is worthy of a badge that has been duly added. In the meantime, let's not forget some of the big political UK based blogs out there such as Guido Fawkes and my facebook buddy, Iain Dale.

Politics makes an ideal focus topic for bloggers an politicians alike. Still leading the way is webcameron which leads the way as far as political blogging and citizen (style) journalism goes.

A mobile revolution!

2008-02-27T18:14:00.005Z

There's some amazing technology coming out across the handheld platforms and one such example is QIK.

This software basically hijacks your mobile phones camera and streams the sound and pictures straight to 'youtube' style website. What makes it special is that it does this in near real-time.

That means that as you are streaming the content, its being displayed and it's this 'live' element which makes QIK so impressive.

Visitors to the website can also interact with the content creator via built in 'live chat' which gives instant feedback which is once again, in near-realtime.

At the moment, QIK is invitation only and in alpha testing so we can expect to see even more features added to the impressive list I've already mentioned. One feature which is already here though is blog integration, which allows your live or recorded clips to feature directly into a html webpage or blog.

You can check this out for yourself here.

One feature I found really impressive was how this 'live content' is much more impressive to the casual surfer. Knowing that its possible to view live videos being shot away from a webcam is impressive in itself but then to be able to interact with that person takes it to a whole new level altogether.

I checked out the mobilediner via QIK and then was also able to visit the website too. Who would have thought that I could interact with political bloggers in the USA, sat in Starbucks by the Whitehouse in realtime via the QIK website and their N95 handset...

Clinton Vs Obama: As seen on flickr

2008-02-20T23:41:00.005Z

What do you do when you want to become president of the USA? There's quite a few things to think about but you wouldn't think that keeping your flickr account up to date would be one of them. You'd be wrong though.

Yes, both Clinton and Obama can boast a high turnout as far as uploaded photographs go. It seems that every moment has been recorded for the candidates and despite trawling through a good 20 pages per politician, I haven't seen them holding the babies up just yet.

Now I have my doubts that they really are spending so much time online but I'm no sceptic when it comes to the question of communicating with as wider audience as possible. Gone are the days of radio, tv and newspaper battles, replaced instead with online blogs, video sharing websites and even, it would appear, photo sharing ones too?

What next? Bebo?

You can browse Hillary's photostream here. Obama's is here.

My Photos help to recreate RMS Titanic

2008-01-14T18:36:00.000Z

Here on the socdoc blog, I have written an article about how some of my photographs are helping maritime historians keep the interior designs of the RMS Titanic as fresh as they were on the first day of sailing. You'd be amazed at what artifacts you can find in hotels, offices and even private homes which make this possible.

Life in HD

2008-01-04T17:35:00.000Z

My video work should start to look a little sharper now thanks the the JVC Everio HD3 camcorder. Although I'm only shooting at 720p rather than the 1440p that the camera is capable of, I am quite impressed with the images from such a small camera.

If you'd like to take a look at my first vid, fresh from the camera's disk drive then click here.

HD camcorders are becoming quite affordable now and although It can be a bit tricky to set up your computer to edit and export on widescreen HD,the results can be really impressive and I'm looking forward to applying some of my photography skills to film making even if they take ages to export and compress!

My MacBook can't cope with 1440p HD so at the moment, here's the stats for anyone who cares.

Camera: JVC 3CCD Evero HD3
CPU: Macbook 2.0ghz Dual Core with 2GB ram
Size: Uncompressed, full quality 2.9gb / H.264 Compressed normal to 227mb
Software used: Final Cut Express 4

On the brink...

2007-12-31T19:05:00.000Z

As we hurtle towards the new year which seems to arrive sooner each time (although I am reliably informed its a 'good twelve months since the last one'). My mind is split between looking back to what has gone and forward to the new year.

I'm obviously not alone. For every civilisation, there is a day which marks the last and another which marks the first, the numbers may be different but the sentiment is the same.

So I look back on a year which included too many things to list here but more importantly I look forward to a year of opportunity and promise. It's this optimism which I want to end on for 2007. I want to encourage all my readers to begin 2008 with renewed hope and vigour. New beginnings offer us all a fresh start and if we take a leaf from the book of the Roman god Janus, we can look both into the past to learn from our mistakes but also into the future to make 2008 the best year of our lives! Its easy to remember too as we name the first month of the year after this two headed god.

So, may I offer everyone my warmest wishes for a healthy and prosperous new year! Have a good 'un!

Paul

My journalism project for '08

2007-12-27T17:15:00.000Z

I've been using my holiday time to think about work (hmmmm) and I've decided how I can combine my main hobby with my job.

You won't be surprised to hear it means the launch of yet another web based platform but I'm pretty sure that as the content gets added, it will be worth a visit on more than one occasion.

I have decided to dedicate some time to recording and presenting a series of photographs based around the concept of social documentaries. This means that I will be recording photosets centred around people, places and events.

The website is already online and I'd be very grateful if you would consider adding it to your bookmarks and checking it out every now and again.

Thanks a lot and enjoy the rest of the holidays!

From Flickr to Japan

2007-12-10T11:04:00.000Z

The wonderful thing about flickr is that it shows your work to a much wider audience than those who may flick through your photo album on your coffee table. I had first hand experience of this after one of my photographs was published by a Japanese fashion/art magazine.

Ing Magazine featured my photograph of Antony Gormley's 'Angel of the North' across a double page spread and they also sent me a copy so I could see the results for myself.

This new web 2.0 age in which we live opens up a much wider marketplace for people such as myself, however if you'd of told me as I set up my camera in Tyneside that my photograph would feature in Japan, I still would of had a hard time believing you.

Photographing in Shropshire

2007-12-09T22:42:00.001Z

A week ago I was able to spend some time in Shropshire.

I was visiting Emma's Auntie and Uncle who live half way up a hill in some of the most beautiful countryside I have seen in the UK.

I have posted one of my photos which I took and even as I look at it again now, I am remembering what a fantastic time I had and what a wonderful place it is to visit.

I'd just like to thank Sue and Richard for their hospitality and hopefully I'll see you both again sometime. To anyone else reading this, if you get the chance to spend some time in this wonderful county, don't pass the chance up!

My new photography website

2007-11-25T17:24:00.000Z

I've been busy searching through some of my favourite photographs from the past three and a half years and here's the result.

www.paulhurstphotography.com features some of my most popular work along with some of my personal favourites. Let me know what you think, and if you have your own photoblog or photowebsite then why not post a link here for other visitors to check out too.

Coffee with a Councillor

2007-11-09T00:22:00.000Z

Today I have launched my latest political initiative which combines my interest in politics with my work in journalism.

Over the next few months, I will be interviewing various politicians and MP's to find out more about them and their policies too.

You can watch the first one below and the videos will feature both here on my blog and also on the 18 Doughty St website too.

Coffee with a Councillor from pthurst on Vimeo.

Tony L. Smith's Firework Extravaganza

2007-11-06T02:42:00.000Z

Ever wondered what happens when you put Tony Smith in charge of highly explosive fireworks? Well, have a look!

Tony L Smith's Firework Extravaganza from pthurst on Vimeo.

Now obviously, I would never condone irresponsible behavior as far as fireworks are concerned so I don't want anyone doing anything silly! And Tony, you may want to be EXTRA careful if you end up doing this job again!

Free WiFi signal gets a big boost in the UK

2007-10-11T20:35:00.000Z

According to a press release pre-dated for this Saturday (presumably not under embargo though?), McDonalds burger joints in conjunction with 'the cloud' will soon offer free Wifi hotspots for fast food junkies all over the UK.

This comes on the back of an announcement that Wifi enabled devices such as apple's new iPod 'Touch' are becoming very popular indeed.

Many people have now bought, by accident or design, devices that can access WiFi networks to access online information and emails and the rise in popularity is starting to force more providers to offer a free service. Announcements like this will start to break the subscription or pre-pay mould, something which is long overdue in this country and might actually see users switch the Wifi capabilities of their mobiles or PDA's on!

Talking of mobiles, Apple's much sought after mobile phone may lack the HSDPA or 3G, broadband support, but it will apparently allow free access to 'the cloud' and not just in McDonalds either. So bloggers, techno-geeks or even just the curious will soon be able to enjoy the internet on the go, without paying the exorbitant prices that cripple everyday usage in the same way that telephone charges used to, before the introduction of flat-rate and broadband services.

I look forward to seeing more of this kind of thing on the menu in the future.

Tony says "hold the mushrooms"

2007-09-17T17:01:00.000Z

Most Modays are boring but not this one! Tony Smith decided to dine 'al fresco' last night but got a bit more than he bargained for. As someone who's allergic to mushrooms once said "surely I can have the chicken and cashew nuts?"... Wrong!

***You can actually see him barfing in this vid so you have been warned!***

Touched by Apple

2007-09-05T18:20:00.000Z

Weeks of speculation have come to an end with Apple's announcement that the entire range of it's iconic iPod are to be revamped.

More interestingly, the Apple CEO also unveiled a completely new model which will be called the 'iPod touch'. Essentially the brand new model looks and operates identically to the new iPhone which has proved to be a phenomenal success since its launch a few months ago. The new iPod features many of the same functions and is operated in an identical fashion.

Apples latest 'must have' gadget also features an inbuilt web browser and WiFi connection which will allow users to access the internet on their iPod and also make purchases from iTunes.

The device looks very promising indeed and the huge display and battery life improvements will also make video playback both practical and realistic, something which had previously eluded the 5th generation players.

The new 'iPod touch' will be available by the end of the month and will come in 8gb and 16gb sizes.

To date, Apple have sold in excess of 110,000,000 iPods and iTunes has been downloaded over 600,000,000 times. Todays announcement will only go to increase the rate at which Apple is taking over the music distribution industry.

Top twenty UK photographs... and mines in!

2007-08-27T18:50:00.000Z

One of my photographs has made it into the top-twenty photographs which will form an exhibition at the National Museum of Media and Photography in Bradford.

The photograph was taken on the road to Buxton in Derbyshire and was taken after two previous visits to the same location.

The twenty images which will be exhibited were originally uploaded to flickr and then included in a 'britain in pictures' group. The exhibition itself runs at the museum until January 2008.

It goes without saying that I'm honoured that my picture has been chosen, especially given the quality of some of the other photographs in the group.

'Jollies'

2007-08-10T17:59:00.000Z

Well, it's that time of year and this year its of to Cornwall for nine days of sun (?), sand and surfing!

I'll be having a break from the blog too but I will be maintaining my photoblog so you can still see what I'm up to.

The link for my photoblog is here.

New golf clubs

2007-08-08T17:05:00.000Z

Ok with a slight improvement in the weather, I finally got hold of some new golf clubs.

Its amazing how much 'tat' you come across on the internet too. I was doing my research but aside from some excellent instructional videos on videojug, I was amazed how difficult is was to find useful information that wasn't trying to sell me something.

I couldn't finish my post here without including the best example. Basically US presenter, Kenny Mayne decided to tackle the issue of 'wuss golf'. Men not playing as 'men' on the golf course. Any golfer is used to it, half hearted club selection and blokes playing from ladies tees.

Anyway take a look at this video . It may not have been useful, but it was funny!

Bomb scare in Biddulph?

2007-08-01T18:14:00.001Z

A local Staffordshire town has been disrupted with road closures and police cordons after a bomb disposal unit was called in to take a closer look at one or possibly two suspect items.

The team were called in to Biddulph near Congleton at around 5pm today and although details are still sketchy, the authorities were clearly not taking any chances as they blocked off roads and and called in army experts to take a closer look.

In this day and age, this obviously goes to show how city-wide fears of bomb attacks have now moved into the suburbs. Nothing can be left to chance, no matter how trivial an incident may seem.

Fortunately occurrences like this are rare and although the exact details are not known by myself at this time, it is still reassuring to see that there is obviously a high degree of vigilance here in the UK at the moment.

As some people may know, I don't live in Biddulph but as soon as my girlfriend notified me of the police cordon and rumours of two suspect devices in a loft, I was quick to advise her to take pictures of the scene and also video footage too.

The photographs and video footage where taken by Emma Barlow who lives in Biddulph and via this blog, they have also been passed onto the BBC local news teams for Staffordshire.

Not often that this blog is first for breaking news, however as more and more people become 'citizen journalists', the headlines will increasingly hit the RSS feeds before they hit the more traditional forms of broadcast media.

Bomb scare in Biddulph? from pthurst and Vimeo.

Got an N95? Want free sat nav?

2007-07-22T09:04:00.000Z

One of the hottest phones of the year is about to get even hotter. One of the hottest features of the phone can now be used for free.

Nokia's groundbreaking handset features GPS 'sat nav' although this feature has been 'crippled' until the end user signs up to a subscription service. Now there is a viable alternative.

offers free sat nav for any handset with either an internal sat nav receiver or one attached via bluetooth. Users can search for addresses in a few countries and although the software is still in developlment, it is quite usable.
http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif
One note of caution, if you leave your handset to display sat photos for the landscape, the handset will download the data over your connection which may incur a charge so read the setup documents properly.

Here's a flash demo of the app in action.

From flickr to BBC One

2007-07-17T18:48:00.000Z

It's a well known fact within media circles that the age of user generated content is well and truly upon us. I experienced this first hand today thanks to a digital camera and flickr.

As part of my work with the BBC, I have taken a number of photographs from central Manchester and today I saw one of them, in widescreen, on BBC One, after the national news.

In itself, that's not surprising. The picture was taken for the BBC in the first place however what is great to see is how web 2.0 apps are helping people like myself, share information via web services and get it out to a wider audience. In this case a much wider audience...

From flickr to BBC One... from pthurst and Vimeo.

Oh no!... Not AGAIN!

2007-07-12T13:05:00.000Z

Just when you thought it was safe to go back onto the internet. Paul Hurst strikes with yet ANOTHER blog!

Mediawatchblog.tv is my latest pet project which is pretty self explanatory. For those who may need a bit more info, its a blog dedicated to cataloguing and commenting stories from the media perspective.

The blog may sit uncomfortably close to mediawatchblog.com however I thing that I'm offering something quite different than my fellow bloggers and hope they don't mind their new Tuvaluan neighbour too much!

You can check out the new blog at www.mediawatchblog.tv and please let me know what you think and throw me the odd-link or two if your a fellow blogger. I'd be very grateful.

Blogging in schools

2007-07-06T12:57:00.000Z

Today has seen the official launch of a school blog after six weeks of training with sixteen students.

Pupils from St Peter's High School in Orrell have been finding out all about blogs as part of their english coursework and ICT across the curriculum. They have had lessons in Creative writing, journalism skills and of course web safety and security.

You can have a look at their school blog and their write-up of the course here and as the team continues to create more content, I'll be back in the school to work with more students and staff in this exciting area of creative education.

As most of you may know already, a lot of my work centres around the use of podcasting, blogging and photojournalsm in education and I set up the Rock FM bus blog as part of my vision for journalistic skills such as research and presentation to be featured more prominently within our schools.

Students love the challenge of creating podcasts and school blogs, especially when they can work alongside creative professionals and broadcast partners such as Rock FM so if you're connected with a school in the North-West of England and you'd like more information or maybe like to meet for advice then feel free to email me.

pthurst@gmail.com

Photo Portfolio from Paul Hurst

2007-07-03T15:22:00.000Z

Here's a shot presentation with some of my photographs in it. Hope you like them!

My Photo Portfolio from pthurst and Vimeo.

Want to see what the future holds for Your pictures?

2007-07-02T01:20:00.000Z

This video, which demonstrates Microsoft's new technology called 'Photosynth' shows that with a bit of lateral thinking, some amazing things are still possible with computers. Things that haven't been thought of before.

The video shows how sites like flickr, which host millions of pictures online, can be used to join millions of photos from millions of photographers together to create a 'seamless' 3D photo, where users can navigate around a space and examine the scene in minute detail.

The principal works on the basis that millions of pictures may be taken of one object, some on purpose, but also some by chance. These pictures can be analysed and then 'mapped' together to create a navigable environment. This is because each photo may capture the same building or scene but from a slightly different angle. By overlapping these pictures and by skewing or distorting them to include distance information, it's possible to create a navigable virtual world which is overlayed with real-world photographs. Even though The pictures may have been taken on all kinds of different cameras and for all kinds of different reasons.

The technology is new and slightly 'gimmicky' at the moment but in the future, it could offer invaluable evidence at crime scene locations where members of the public have recorded material on their mobiles which when joined together spatially, could offer a new insight into events as they actually occurred. The basis being that although one picture may lie, tens, hundreds or even thousands will not. If only this technology had been around in 1963 with the Kennedy Assassination?

The technology video is included in its entirety below although the 'Photosyth' section starts from about 2-3 mins in.

Under attack?

2007-06-30T15:28:00.001Z

This screengrab from BBC News 24 could possibly show the moment when the UK came under terrorist attack for the second time in 24 hours.

Taken at Glasgow Airport at around 3.15pm, the picture shows the moment that a 4x4 vehicle appears to have been driven into the terminal building.
Now obviously I'm not here to report on matters of fact, however I am writing to express my fear that once again, innocent civilians are being targeted by terrorist groups who seem intent to bring violence and evil into the streets and homes of everyday people.

As I watch these pictures I am both saddened and frustrated. Saddened that anyone would try to kill and injure members of the public. Frustrated that I cannot see the situation changing any time soon.

Blogging in the classroom

2007-06-21T16:33:00.000Z

How about taking the concept of blogging and citizen journalism and teaching it in the classroom? Well that's exactly what I've done in one of the local high schools near to where I live.

Most of you will already be well aware of my interest in blogging and its uses and I am very interested indeed in looking at new ways in which blogging can be used by everyday people to promote or produce their work or interests. Fortunately with my own work as a media producer within education, I have been able to draw up a six-week series of lessons which introduces the concept and technology behind blogging into a classroom setting.

The result so far has been excellent. The school in question, has decided to replace the good ol' term newspaper with a new blog and they also identified sixteen students from across the yeargroups who will produce and edit the content.

You can keep your eye on their blog by clicking here and if you'd like to see a short video (shot and edited on the N95 mobile) then check out this post on my moblog.

If you work in a school and would like more information about setting up and teaching blogging skills to your students, please get in touch.

YouTube launch a dedicated UK site

2007-06-19T10:03:00.000Z

Used by millions and responsible for all kinds of questionable content videos, YouTube today announced the launch of dedicated sites for a wide range of countries. The UK was included and although the service does not change, the speed of the servers and the relevance of the featured content should improve for international visitors.

One of the famous 'YouTubers' here in the UK has recorded his comments. Geriatric1927 Has been featured by the BBC and other news organisations as being a blogger with a difference... He's over 60...

Have a look at the clip below and listen to his words of wisdom.

Could this send your blog rank through the roof?

2007-06-19T06:09:00.001Z

Every blogger wants the hits to be high and there's quite a few ways of making sure that your content ranks highly in Google too. A good post can see a massive spike in passing traffic but also repeat visits as well so imagine my interest when I came across this post.

The blog claims that by adding a few lines of text to your blog, the traffic and linkbacks will increase thanks to the laws of mathematics.

I couldn't resist giving it a go although I wonder firstly if it will work or not, and secondly, whats the pont in having artificially high figures if it does work?

I ended up justifying it by arguing that if your blog is more popular, then your material can be seen by a wider audience. In fact, you're doing everyone a favour!

Anyway here's the bit that's needed and if you'd like to include this on your blog, then simply copy the text below and paste it into your blog. Needless to say I will keep you posted.

Below is a matrix of 120 stars, I have already added a link to my blog onto one of the stars, all you need to do is copy and paste the grid into your blog and add your own link to one of the other spare stars, and tell others to do the same!

Viralink

********************
********************
********************
********************
********************

When I receive a ping back once you have added the Viralink to your site I will add your link to this grid, and each person who copies the grid from here will also link to your site!

Rules
Only 1 link per person (i.e don't hog the viralink!)
Please don't tamper with other peoples url's
Enjoy!

*****EDIT****

I have been reliably informed that this isn't working on my site so please DON'T try to use it from here, you will be wasting your time.

Instead, Here's a site with all you need to know about this post, hopefully you will have more luck with it than I did :-)

Slow GPS sat lock on the N95?

2007-06-12T20:06:00.001Z

Now the N95 may be the best mobile on the market at the moment, but many people are struggling with sluggish GPS fixes. It seems that the phone doesn't lock onto the sats as quick as people would like and although I experienced a slightly different problem related to the GPS setup, I did come across an interesting post which seems to offer some advice as to speeding up acquisition time on the handset.

If you'd like to check it out, you may do so on Ed Parson's blog which is here. Good luck and by disabling the network lock option under GPS settings, my phone does seem a little quicker...

Has the Apple gone sour?

2007-06-11T20:26:00.000Z

Today has been one of the busiest days for techno-geeks the world over. The initials WWDC may not mean much to most, but to Apple aficionados, it one of the most important days in the diary.

If Apple corp were to release an 'on this day in history' The World Wide Developers Conference keynote speech from CEO Steve Jobs would include such delights as the original iMac (WWDC 1998), the PowerMac G5 (WWDC 2003) and of course the various versions of Apple's crowning glory, the iPod.

It based on this kind of hype and cult-brand-status that anyone who is remotely interested in Apple products can be forgiven for holding out high hopes for the day as far as gadgets and gizmo's go. In previous years, Steve's near-evangelical keynote has hit my credit card hard and I was expecting the same this year. Maybe an update to the iLife software and the aging iMac desktop? As the lights dimmed, I pulled up my laptop and prepared to want...

As it turns out, I was left wanting. Steve's keynote didn't lack enthusiasm or even the odd 'boom' here and there (I counted over 40 back in '03), what it did lack though was err... products. In fact I basically counted 2, the iPhone which isn't out here in the UK for ages (and isn't HSDPA compliant) and the upcoming operating system 'Leopard' which looks OK but doesn't flick my switches like laptops and desktop computers.

And that was about it... I was shocked and saddened (now there's two words you don't see together often!) with the lack of any 'real' products or upgrades. No iMac upgrades, no iPod upgrades, instead news that the beta software development is going ahead as planned and that the iPhone will also launch in the US in two weeks, where it will undoubtedly do well.

It also looks like I wasn't the only one to find this keynote 'lacking', as Steve bowed out, Apple's share price also seemed to be exiting-stage-left, with a 3.45% drop in value. It seems that the markets were also hoping that Steve would have more than a mobile phone and a CD up his sleeve. Alas! He didn't!

So as the dust settles, my hopes that the last poor keynote from Jobs was a one off were dashed and to add insult to injury, he even used his "one more thing" section to announce that apple are now coding software for PC'! What is the world coming to?

My life thru the lens of a mobile phone

2007-05-31T21:18:00.000Z

***Click the title to go to http://paulhurst.vox.xom***

As past of a blogging experiment into both methods and equipment used for the modern day bloggers, I have just started a new moblog.

rather than another place to write about things, this new blog concentrates on the world through the lens of my mobile phone. There's little to read but lots of pictures and videos to watch instead.

I suppose its a reflection on blogging technology and practice itself. As it stands, there are blogs out there that read like a personal journal and other that read more like a newspaper column and they are both largely centred around text. This is because visual media generally requires more effort to produce and upload.

As in my last post though, thats all about to change. the new handsets from Nokia at least, allow blogging integration straight from the camera app which means with an extra button press, your content is uploaded to your blog or flickr account. Couple this with more flexible data tariffs on mobiles and an ever widening internet 'hotspot' in our towns and cities and the result is a much more integrated lifestyle between people and their online blogs or second lifes, or whatever.

Its this kind of thing which has driven me to experiment. I wonder how my life will change if I am able to maintain a moblog without carrying a laptop round to coffee shops. I wonder what impact this record will have on my own understanding of who I am and what I do and even how I interpret events and emotions around me.

If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many must a constantly developing and evolving online journal be worth? I'm about to find out.

Web ' n' Walk - True internet on the go from T-Mobile

2007-05-30T18:58:00.000Z

This post may look no different to you than any other but the way in which it has been written is a first for me.

I am writing this on my laptop while connected to a high speed 3.5g T-Mobile line via my mobile phone. This offers near-broadband speeds over the same network that carries mobile phone calls.

In turn, the phone is then 'bluetoothed' to my laptop and 'hey-presto' full internet access anywhere where there is a mobile phone signal.

Now this technology isn't really that new but what is new is the way in which mobile companies are opening their networks to flat-rate data pricing rather than per-megabyte pricing. This means that for a flat rate, you can use the internet sevices on your phone handset (or laptop computer), as much as you like.

This is all very similar to the dial up revolution when the cost became fixed rather than per minute pricing. Some analysts cite this as the 'tipping point' for internet uptake, even above broadband introduction.

In any case, this type of service will become more and more popular and it won't be long before all of the mobile providers have a similar flat-rate scheme. At the moment its T-Mobile and 3 that are leading the way with this here in the UK, in fact an Orange rep freely admitted to me yesterday that no-one could touch these networks for data price plans at the moment.

It stands to reason when you think about it, that as the handsets become more and more capable, then the cost for fast,reliable internet via mobile platforms must contine to improve and become cheaper too. My new Nokia N95 handset takes full advantage of internet access by offering a sophisticated browser, media service and even GPS map download service, all of which is done automatically via the mobile network.

And for bloggers such as myself, all this is very good news indeed. Not only is it getting easier and cheaper to blog on the move, the technology is getting more sophisticated too. Take Flickr for example, When I take a pic on my phone handset now, I can instantly upload it to flickr for inclusion on this blog, I don't even need to bluetooth files anymore.

To be fair, We shouldn't be surprised when things like this improve on a consistent basis and I don't usually bat an eyelid myself. Occasionally though, something comes along which radically alters the way in which we work and operate though and for me, This flat rate service from T-Mobile is quite a defining moment.

Ps. for any users who use mac laptops, you'll be pleased to hear that its fairly easy to get everything working with the N95. Even though the mac isn't officially supported,you'll find everything here that you need to get up and running. My thanks to the blog author for writing such a great set of instructions.

Happy birthday to you...

2007-05-27T16:37:00.000Z

it was around this time, some 1975 years ago that a smallish group of people, around 120, were gathered together and the Christian Church was born.

On the very first Pentecost day, the followers of Jesus were gathered together, upstairs. Meeting to consider the recent events surrounding their teacher and saviour, when they were inspired, even anointed by the Spirit of God himself. The story goes that the building in which they were meeting was shook and the Spirit of God rushed through like a mighty wind. Whatever happened, in that one moment a spark turned into a flame and this group of people would go on to change the religious tapestry of the whole world, Forever.

Fast forward to today. As the Church celebrates its 'birthday' I will shortly be leaving to meet with the 'faithful' myself. To sum up, I am wondering what the Church needs to do to survive another hundred years here in the UK. Its only ever one generation away from extinction and as fewer and fewer young people connect with the organised churches, which themselves seem determined to resist change, I find myself wondering what happened to the worldwind church that changed peoples lives all over the planet? How much longer will it live for?

I know that there are exceptions to the rule, but here in the UK at least. The church may be celebrating another birthday but it looks terminally ill to me.

Image: The Pentecost by Alexander Sadoyan.

'Blogging' an exhibition

2007-05-22T16:24:00.000Z

What do you do when you want to arrange an exhibition which includes work from all over a city? Well, why not arrange it via a blog app?

That's Exactly whats going on over on Flickr at the moment. This group of people are gearing up towards a public exhibition which will be based at a Manchester venue, yet to be decided. I came across the idea while placating my flickr addiction and I'm sensing that this brilliant idea is something which could really work well.

Readers to this blog may remember that I arranged a photography exhibition in nearby Wythenshawe after teaching photography basics to around 100 locals. I think that its when 'local' people get a chance to exhibit their handywork, we see art operate on a slightly different level than when its a 'traditional' artist whos work we are seeing. Its almost like we are glimpsing at life and our world through common eyes, not necessarily those of someone who represents their ideas in a different way. I suppose its everyday art, by everyday people.

I also think its great to see creative uses for new web apps such as flickr too. Ideas such as this take something from the virtual world and place it very much in the physical one. I know there are other social documentary projects underway on groups such as flickr and its common knowledge that groups such as the BBC are being encouraged to interact and engage through web platforms of their own and those from other providers too. Its encouraging and creating a network through services such as flickr and youtube where people can express themselves creatively and seamlessly, not just with others online, but those in their communities too.

And to cap it all off, I think flickr espeially can be quite inspirational. Even as it is, I see it very much like an online photography exhibition which centers around any topic of your choosing. You can find pictures from all around the world and from all levels of photographers, bloggers and artists. Again raw work from experts and everyday people, all in one place.

I will be paying close attention to the planned exhibition and if your reading this and you think you could help with a potential location, why not check out the group over on flickr.

These photographs (excluding the first) are currently being voted on for inclusion in the final exhibition. Please see the flickr group for further information.

Photo Credits in order of apperance:
B-of-the-Bang: Paul Hurst
Salford: 'Frannk'
CJC angle: 'Jonwild'

Prince Harry not to serve in Iraq

2007-05-16T15:44:00.000Z

The BBC News website is reporting that Prince Harry will not be serving in Iraq after all. The website claims that sources close to the BBC have indicated that the British General Sir Richard Dannatt has confirmed the decision not to send the prince into battle.

According to Paul Adams, who is one of the BBC's defence correspondents, the decision will have been made in light of the reports that insurgents had planned to target the Prince.

Now is it only me or does this not state the obvious? Of course the Prince would be targeted! Just like every other soldier who wears the British uniform.

If this story turns out to be true then, like the Prince probably would be himself, I would be disgusted. How can we send our soldiers into harms way then not afford the same 'privilege' to the Prince, who is a serving soldier?

This level of duplicity once again shows that when it comes to decisions such as these, our country's leadership seems to lack backbone. We dither and lack the common sense to follow through the actions which are needed as consequence of earlier decisions.

One in, all in. One out, all out. Thats what I would say and what kind of message does this send to families of those who have been killed in Iraq. For that matter, what kind of message does this send to families of those who are yet to be killed in Iraq also?

Why don't we send Tony Blair instead? I believe he's free after June the 27th.

A kick in the Balkans

2007-05-15T18:04:00.000Z

It would seem from Saturdays result that either the UK is consistently bad at making good music or that for some reason, we have become a pariah state in Europe.

Scooch's 'noble' effort only garnered accolades from two nations, namely Ireland and surprise surprise, Malta. Now I wouldn't mind if I genuinely thought that we were only ever capable of making cheesy 90's digital tunes with slightly sexual undertones but its only when I considered our entry in comparison to some of the others that I found myself asking: Why bother?

Why bother taking part in a competition that's outcome can largely be predicted by Sir Terry who, quite frankly, still manages to mess up the selection night even when the results are dictated to him by the producer. Isn't it just a bit shocking that long before the hostesses have declared the results, we can fairly accurately ascertain where the points will, and will not be going. Are we Europeans that predictable?

Apparently not, yes you've guessed it, the nation which bucks the trend and plays by the rules is little ol' us. We may not be able to arrange most TV phone in competitions but we certainly know a good song when we hear one.

I was dismayed and disappointed that in this 'new-labour' age where everyone's pro-europe, someone forgot to tell our neighbours who despite what's on the officcial script, seem to hate us with a passion or hate our music anyway.

I decided that from here on in, there will be no eurovision parties with outlandish costumes, neither will their be obscenities hurled at the telly. Instead of Eurovision, I'll stick to singstar on the playstation, which just has the edge.

McHacked off?

2007-05-09T17:35:00.000Z

They may sell millions of burgers every hour and they may even believe their food can be healthy as part of a balanced diet but it seems that someone has been busy programming an online game which won't be flavour of the month in the McDonalds boardroom.

The tutorial section of this new online game seems to include some rather unusual dialogue which probably isn't quite what the fast food chain would like to see on their menu.

Here's some of the text which will be making the marketing boys sick:

Agricultural sector:
If we had to rear all the cattle we need in our part of the world, our cities would drown in an ocean of cow shit. Pastures and soy culture need a lot of land and South America is one of the best places for it. Obviously you have to conquer your land as our forefathers did. Remember the old saying: \under every forest there is a lawn".

Soy culture:
You can increase terrain productivity using genetically modified plants. GMOs allow us to use more aggressive pesticides to minimize insect damage.

Feed lot:
Every good American wants a fat and greasy burger. Unfortunately, the cows coming from the pastures are slim and won't yield fat meat. So we must keep them here for some months and overindulge them with hyperchaloric soy-based fodder. Make sure there is sufficient fodder for all the cows and avoid the epidemics.

Hormones:
You can fill the cows with hormones to make them fatten more quickly. This could have some risks to consumer health, but make no mistake: in love and war everything is licit.

Fast Food:
People live fast and want to eat quickly. Fast food restaurants are the cathedrals of our age and everything must be efficient and optimized. Avoid customer queues by supplying hamburger for the kitchen and making human resources prompt and motivated.
Managing the crew is an art: to keep your employees motivated you can reward them with an "employee of the week" badge or reproach them. For the most ungrateful the best solution is firing. Eliminate the weak links!

The website closely mirrors the McDonalds style on their worldwide site and the McDonalds logo also seems to make an appearance, unlicensed I suspect?

I can't imagine this website will be around for too long as it stands, not without the McLawyers getting involved so be sure to check it out while you can!

I'm Lovin' it!

UK elections, 2007

2007-05-03T19:21:00.000Z

Your vote counts blah blah blah... Todays the day when most people fail to exercise their democratic right to choose who runs their local councils. Tomorrow will be the day when those same people will complain about 'people in suits' who have no connection with everyday folk like themselves....

Well I voted today, I always do and I always will. I think that its really important for anyone who has the vote to use it, even if like me, your vote won't really alter much in your area.

For me, its not the power behind my vote that makes it so important. We all know that its only when public vote 'en masse' that people get elected. Rather I think, in some bizarre way its the same principle behind voting as singing in church.

I have an awful voice but imagine if everyone decided, just like I do, not to sing but to mime instead, after all their voice won't count or be heard so why not leave it to someone else? The fact is that church singing is a corporate activity. It only really works when lots of the attendees take part (take it froom me!). And it only gets better and better when more people join in. Isn't it the same with the vote?

No my vote won't change anything in and of itself but as part of a much larger number of people who can be bothered to take part, it contributes in some minuscule way to keep democracy alive and well.

Did the earth move for you?

2007-04-28T08:29:00.000Z

There's a 1 in 10 chance of an earthquake hitting the UK, and thats only once in 50 years but today was the day.

Residents in Folkstone, Kent reported the shake at around about 8.20am this morning and the Earthquake 'people' have just confirmed that a quake measuring about 5.0 on the Richter Scale has been recorded 6 miles underground off the south eastern tip off the UK.

The tremor lasted around ten seconds and although damage has been reported and the BBC and Sky are reporting this as a 'major event', there seems to be little more to say on the issue as earthquakes go.

Earthquakes in the UK aren't rare but ones of this magnitude are. If you'd like more information about quakes in the UK then check here.

***Did you experience the 'quake'? feel free to post your experiences here***

Will the real Paul Hurst please, stand up!

2007-04-24T16:16:00.000Z

Imagine my shock, no horror! When I realised that in this world of 6,000,000,000 people, I am not the only, Paul Hurst.

We treat our names as our unique identifier and in most cases, they are sufficient for this purpose, although there was also another 'Paul Hurst' in my year at school. So how does the internet change our awareness of who we are?

The current buzzword may be social networking through sites like myspace and even blogs like mine. Each offer individuals a small slice of the web which we can call home, but have you ever done an image search in Google for your own name?

Here's what happens with 'Paul Hurst'

Aside from not being dead (which is always a relief!), It would appear as though I may be some kind of 'yokel' on the run...

And wait for it... How about Paul Hurst the world famous harp player...

And not just nimble with the fingers, but feet too! Lets not forget 'Paul Hurst' the full-back for Rotherham United Football club.

Go on, have a go yourself and please let me know if you can find other pictures of your namesakes from around the world, a bit like my mate George Bush.

Oh and if you'd like the official word on other people who share your name then pay a visit to 'how many of me.com'

High res pics from Rome

2007-04-23T23:19:00.000Z

I have started to post a few high res pics from my trip to Rome over here.

Forgive me for posting about my trip twice however I had a great time and got chance to grab some pictures that I wanted to take after my first visit last year.

More pictures from Rome

2007-04-21T18:20:00.000Z

Had a great time this week in sunny Rome. I also 'just happened' to have a camera with me so feel free to take a look at the slideshow below.

Not the ten o'clock news...

2007-04-10T00:40:00.000Z

I was out and about today, making the most of the holiday and so I visited the National Museum of Photography and Media in Bradford.

The museum is one of the most popular in the country, probably due to the popularity of TV, film and photography and I had a great time having a good look around.

The museum includes lots of original 'props' and equipment from TV and film sets with some lovely exhibitions of Childrens TV memorabilia, some of which brought a tear to my eye and made me feel very old indeed (Chorlton and the Wheelies anyone?).

Aside from the exhibitions and a superb IMAX theatre, there are also a few 'hands-on' areas too and me being me, I just had to have a fiddle at editing an episode of Emmerdale and then breaking a live report into the ten o'clock news from the BBC.

Now just before you all head for the hills H.G Wells style, this report certainly wasn't true although with an autocue failure at the end of my report, conspiracy theorists my just have a few things to say about whats really going on...

Anyway, if you have a spare day and this kind of thing flicks your switch then you'd do well to pay the museum a visit.

...From my Blog, to the world

2007-04-08T10:19:00.000Z

Its that time of year where the Pope stands on his balcony to address the worlds catholics with his 'Urbi et Orbi' message. From the city, to the world. Here's mine...

At this time where Christians consider new life and a fresh start, based upon the belief that Christ Jesus conquered death, maybe we should all look forward to a positive future rather than a troublesome past. Change for better has to start somewhere and with someone. Maybe at this time of year, everyone of any faith and none can at least draw some kind of inspiration from the easter story.

Our world is full of trouble which supposedly finds its source in religion. Maybe everyone who refuses to compromise their beliefs will look to what they have in common with other faith groups rather than what divides them. There's enough division in the world without religion adding to the issue.

The easter story finds its clmax in the moment when Christ's lifeless, crucified body was raised from the dead and glorified in an instant, life sprang forward from death, hope from despair.

My prayer this easter is that we will all work together to make this kind of hope, a reality in our suffering world.

Blessings to you all this easter, and may everyone have an excellent holiday!

Paul

My first article for 18 Doughty Street

2007-04-01T10:54:00.000Z

I recently joined the 18 Doughty Street panel of 100 citizen journalists from all over the UK. 18 Doughty Street is a politically based blog which also features television programmes, filmed on the premises exclusively for the website. Although the site is not 100% affiliated to any political party, it leans heavily towards the Conservatives. Largley due to the fact that its founders are members of the Conservative party.

The house is located in London and is a few hundred yards from the home of Charles Dickens. It was also the house where his daugher was born.

The property has been refitted internally to become a state-of-the art television studio, with seven cameras and a full-staff of journalists, technicians and even... bloggers.

you can see my first report for the website here: It concerns the popularity of politics in the North West of England.

What a way to go...

2007-03-29T22:33:00.000Z

Based on stats from the World Health Organisation, this makes fairly interesting, if not grim reading.

Death Counter stats live

The videos continue...

2007-03-29T19:33:00.000Z

Hot on the heels of Gordon Brown's 'selective green policy' comes yet another golden moment of uncaptured politics.

Some may question our 'special relationship' between the UK and the USA but the proof is in...

Picking the next government?

2007-03-28T22:36:00.000Z

It would appear that Gordon Brown might just be greener than we all thought.

Recently spotted 'dipping' into the twilight zone that is the ministerial hooter, our future PM didn't appear to be picking his cabinet ministers. Rather he seemed to be tackling some, apparently more stubborn, green issues.

This very topic was mentioned on tonights 'Newsnight' on BBC 2 where Jeremy Paxman seemed to criticise bloggers for not really being the 'citizen journalists' that we are sometimes labelled as. Paxo seemed to prefer the 'stiff upper lip' of traditional newsgathering and reporting as opposed to the bloggers who do, admittedly seem more content to focus on what may be resting at the top of the lips instead.

I think the answer, as always, does lie somewhat in the middle. Both journalist and blogger do fulfill similar roles in that both 'mirror' events or culture. We just do it in different ways and, on this occasion, I am more grateful to the bloggers. They remind us to think twice before shaking hands with Mr Brown, especially if he's just leaving the commons.

You can read guido fawkes blog post here.
Here's the BBC's Nick Robinson's take on the issue of Blogger v Journalist and finally, you can check out the BBC's newsnight blog post here, The BBC's site also includes Guido's interesting film on this topic too.

Coffee, duck pancakes and politics...

2007-03-23T09:02:00.000Z

Last night saw me take my first tentative steps into politics. I attended my first ever local Conservative party meeting where my eyes were opened to a whole new world of politics.

Most of us grow somewhat weary of spin and manipulation from any of the 'big three' but down on the front line, there are some real issues which are being fought over.

Local politics centres around local issues and as I saw yesterday, there's no shortage of things to discuss, debate and hopefully change.

In my hometown of Wigan, a certain species of duck has sought sojurn. The 'Ruddy' duck (yes, thats its real name, not the wigan version!) has flown in and has ruffled a few feathers at local council level to say the least.

It seems that this poor, unassuming bird has a soft spot for any other female ducks in the vicinity and as such, some have requested the birds to be culled. Now you may think this sounds qwackers (sorry!) but according to some, this poor lowly bird is linked directly to the conflict in Iraq.

Yes, some claim that the Spanish government have requested this cull to take place as it was part of the deal which would see them support the Iraqi invasion. It would seem that the 'Ruddies' stop off here before flying on to Spain. They really do have a 'bird' in every port and the Spanish authorities looked over to us here for help.

Now personally I don't think this would be a deal breaker for me, I'm not sure that I'd support mass troop deployment at the ducks expense but I have also heard that this issue has also dragged in our very own MI5 and MI6 (James Pond maybe? License to Bill?)

A discussion about all of this took up most of a recent council meeting as it would appear that the councillors have to sign an order to allow the DEFRA sharpsooters onto the Wigan land in order to take out the 'randy Ruddies', restore balance in European politics and bring peace to the middle east. If only life was THAT simple eh!

Apparently DEFRA can deploy their WMD in a mere 45 minutes. Oh and that's Weapons of Mallard Destruction... What a start to my political journey! At the end of the meeting, I was asked would I be back... With tales like this... You bet!

Skywalk?

2007-03-21T08:21:00.000Z

Its a 400ft drop underneath the glass floor so whatever you do, don't look down!

There are three layers of toughened glass around three inches thick which separate you from a fate worse than the Coyote from road runner. It really is a long way down.

My own opinion though is one of confusion... I simply ask why?

Why is this eyesore needed? Doesn't it spoil one of the most picturesque areas on the face of the planet? and doesn't it look suspiciously like a toilet seat?

... Over on guestblogger.net

2007-03-14T14:47:00.000Z

Its been a while since I posted last on the guestblogger site but there's extra material on there now.

Please head over to here to read the newest article and keep visiting as the frequency with which people post will be increasing.

On that note, why not email me pthurst@gmail.com if you'd like to post something based on your professional work or experience. I am especially looking to post articles written by people who may not necessarily have their own blogs but if you'd just like to write an article for guestblogger then please do get in touch.

I am hoping that the community will grow into an interesting and useful resource for visitors to read about all kinds of different things.

Looks like I'm not the only one...

2007-03-01T00:17:00.000Z

It would appear I'm not alone. My last post outlined some of my 'worries' regarding the supposed discovery of Christ's Tomb and an associated documentary by James Cameron. Take a look at this from the Jerusalem post.

Film on 'Jesus Family Burial Site' Is Just PR, Says Archeology Expert

New York, Feb 26, 2007 / 07:13 am (CNA).- An Israeli archeologist says a new documentary film, which claims that a burial cave uncovered 27 years ago in Talpiot, Jerusalem, is the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth and his family, is just hype.

Professor Amos Kloner, the internationally renowned archeologist who revealed the findings of the dig 10 years ago, criticized the filmmakers' marketing strategy and said it is not based on proof, reported the Jerusalem Post.

Kloner said a similar film was released 11 years ago, and the new film, The Lost Tomb of Jesus, is simply a renewed effort to create controversy in order to make a profit.

Kloner found 10 ossuaries in a cave in 1980 but only released his findings 10 years ago. Nine of the tombs remain. Six bear inscriptions identifying them as those of Jesus, his mother Mary, a second Mary, and relatives Matthew, Josa and Judah.

The names inscribed on the coffins were very common in the Second Temple era and are not sufficient proof that the cave was the burial site of Jesus' family, Kloner reportedly said. He added that "Jesus son of Joseph" inscriptions had been found on several other ossuaries over the years.

"There is no likelihood that Jesus and his relatives had a family tomb," Kloner told the Jerusalem Post. "They were a Galilee family with no ties in Jerusalem. The Talpiot tomb belonged to a middle-class family from the 1st century CE [AD]."

The film took three years to make and it is expected to premiere at a New York press conference today. The filmmaker is Israeli-born, Canadian-based filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici. Award-winning director James Cameron is the project’s executive producer.

The Israel Antiquities Authority has loaned out two of the ossuaries, the ones the filmmakers claim belonged to Jesus and Mary Magdalene, for display at Monday's press conference. Kloner reportedly said the IAA was "very foolish" to agree to the loan.

“This has been a three-year journey that seems more incredible than fiction," said Jacobovici in a press release. "The idea of possibly finding the tomb of Jesus and several members of his family, with compelling scientific evidence, is beyond anything I could have imagined."

"It doesn't get bigger than this," said Cameron in the press statement. "We've done our homework; we've made the case; and now it's time for the debate to begin."

The film will be broadcast on the international Discovery Channel on March 4, as well as on Britain's Channel 4, Canada’s VisionTV and Israel’s Channel 8.

Jesus' tomb discovered?

2007-02-26T22:59:00.000Z

Brace yourself for a titanic struggle between film director James Cameron and 2,000 years of Church tradition.

The famous film director has set a course to sail some stormy waters which he thinks could sink the Christian faith once and for all and he's striking below the waterline by attacking the central belief of Christians: The resurrection.

Its been the staple diet of the Church since it began. The belief that three days after death, Jesus came back to life in order to prove that his message was true and that God could offer eternal life to mankind and its this account of resurrection which has proved to be surprisingly robust against 2,000 years worth of criticism.

We've had the 'swoon theory', the 'substitution theory' the 'theft theory' and even the 'alien abduction' theory but according to Cameron, these are all wrong, Jesus and his family were buried in a tomb before their bones were placed in a stone box, waiting for the Terminator (Cameron) to find them. Waiting for their judgement day.

Well it would appear that time is now as Cameron has made these claims (conveniently) just before his new documentary gets shown around the world.

I will watch with interest but incredibly I find the resurrection claim more credible than this inconclusive and massively presumptive claim, and even more incredibly, I'm not alone either.

Looking into the future for schools

2007-02-22T10:57:00.000Z

It's been on the cards for some time. With new technology on the rise in the classroom, I've been demonstrating how powerful it can be.

Helping students to embrace new technology such as blogging and podcastiong isn't difficult, in fact the concepts behind the technology don't bring anything new to the table at all, instead it changes the way in which young people engage in learning.

This post may have taken seconds to write but it does help demonstrate how technology is becoming easier and easier not only to use but also use in the classroom.

Anyone wanting more information, may be interested in this site which compiles some work from various schools around the north west of England.

Can media make a difference?

2007-02-08T13:09:00.002Z

It seems like the national curriculum us set to be re-shuffled for students here in the UK. There will be a re-emphasis on personal learning and the expressive arts are also on the ascendancy.

As some of my regular readers will know, I am currently helping to run a media bus project which basically allows students to have a go at using media skills to create curriculum based content. The aim is to encourage students to use research, preparation and presentation skills to look at any given topic.

I've been reminded today of just how effective something like this can be. Over at one of our schools, we have just finished our second project in which we have taken a look at the schools work towards arts status accreditation.

Some of the pupils have given us some feedback which helps us to tweak what we are delivering in the schools.

Technologies such as blogging and podcasting have massive potential for use within our 21st century schools, but I am reminded that the technology in itself is only useful if it is used to re-enforce and develop personal skills at the heart of the students who we work with.

Lung capacity test - Internet style!

2007-02-05T16:35:00.000Z

Need to see how healthy your lungs are? You can now check on the internet to find out!

Those good folks over at Lungster have devised an excellent web based test which will quite literally take your breath away.

Quite siply, this is viral advertising at its very best! I spotted it over at this top-blog site.

Too much information?

2007-01-31T21:09:00.000Z

What a hectic day! We've had a series of arrests in Birmingham which seem to be spurring wall-to-wall news coverage live from the scene (there really is 'nothing to see here' though). Why couldn't this report be presented from the TVC studios?

We've had DC calling for TB to chuck in the towel and take early retirement (or possibly exile?) and we've had the shocking news that this January, the UK has seen the hottest average temperatures since 1914 (didn't realise global warming was a problem then, did you?). So even the seasons seem to be moving along too fast.

In all honesty, this kind of pace is far too quick for my little brain. How am I supposed to take all this in, even if it is presented by the lovely Joanna Gosling?

I am going to politely request world leaders, political groups, militants, football transfer window officials and overpaid pop stars to SLOW DOWN!!! Oh and if its hard for people like me to ponder on events like these, how hard must it be to report on them?...

Blogging on WebCameron

2007-01-30T00:09:00.000Z

The leader of the Conservative party in the UK has today been talking about 'building a cohesive society' and racial integration. I thought I'd take a few minutes to write down my thoughts for his blog and this one too.

So just how do we build a cohesive society? How do we tackle prejudice and racism in a way that is both realistic and robust?

It seems that hardly a day goes by these days without the word 'racist' being thrown around by one group or another. If its not in the Big Brother House then its in the even bigger House of Commons, but as I sat and watched a debate on TV tonight, I felt compelled to share some of my feelings. I hope you don't mind.

Despite all of our best efforts, todays society seems far from cohesive to me. In fact I'd say its adhesive.

Cohesive means to 'join things together', it takes effort on both parts, but our society seems to be quite different. In our adhesive society, groups and communities have merely been 'stuck onto' a wider base. Thanks to this one-sided effort, we have communities within communities and the less we understand about each other, the more everyone feels threatened.

So how do we go about fixing this? Well firstly I think it starts with you and me. Kindness, compassion and respect for those around us makes a huge difference. As a Christian, I believe that this 'love' isn't just about being nice, meek and mild. I think that this forms the basis of a coherent society, no matter what faith we practice, if any at all.

I care about people, I want to see those around me to be happy and to reach their full potential. That isn't a religious principle or a political mandate (although it makes an excellent basis for both), no its the desire to see our society join together to combat crime, to share in the arts and to build a positive hard-working economy. To improve life for all.

Now to some people reading this, you may see it as 'pie in the sky' politics. Surely this kind of principle can't make a difference in our 'asbo ridden' society. Well I think it can.

As part of my work as a freelance journalist, I teach in secondary schools and due to the nature of my projects, I work with groups of pupils, some of whom who are on the brink of exclusion or segregation. Its amazing to see these young people respond to the opportunity to express themselves creatively and also, more importantly, to be heard.

When we take people seriously, when we listen to their views and opinions and when we welcome their contributions to our communities, we actively engage in cohesion. We bring two different groups together. Of course this is social cohesion with the disaffected but I think the principle is the same.

Lets take the challenge to build a cohesive society by taking the first step. Lets come together in our communities to deal with the challenges together and lets stop tryig to 'shoe horn' someone else into our mould. Lets expect the same from all the different groups within this Great Britain.

Lets make a difference. Lets lead the way.

*************************

Aside from these being my thoughts, I am seriously considering a career in political speech writing. I wonder how someone gets started in that type of thing?

The Rock Bus Blog is done...

2007-01-29T01:43:00.000Z

For anyone who's interested in seeing yet another blog based project that I've been working on. Take a look at www.rockbusblog.com

The aim of the blog is to highlight what's what for the Rock FM bus and to also showcase the work that we do in the schools and communities.

My involvement with the project has steadily increased over the last few months. I now work pretty much full time on media training and teaching across North West schools and communities.

If you'd like more info on the bus then drop me an email and I'll be happy to answer any questions.

Paul

Surely not ANOTHER blog!

2007-01-27T13:55:00.000Z

Just when you thought it was safe to go back on the internet... I'm blogging AGAIN!

Yup, ever the blogging evangelist (as well you may know), I am now in the process of designing and deploying a blog with Rock FM.

The blog will cover all the events that take place on the Rock FM bus and there will be pictures and audio in the mix too.

The Rock FM bus has been visiting schools all around the North west of England and will soon officially launch beyond its current 'pilot' status.

I will post a link to the new blog address when its all finished but in the meantime, if you need a blog and you think no-one else can help, and if you can find him, maybe you should call the B-Team!

The blue screen of... shopping

2007-01-22T23:54:00.000Z

Yes, I couldn't resist capturing this photograph as I wandered around Newcastle recently.

It seems that although M$ may power 90% of our IT infrastructure, there are quite a few examples of BSOD which are duly noted, and recorded by the public.

In fact, this flickr group is made up entirely of photographs of crashed computers in very public places. So if you catch a glimpse of a PC in distress, why not grab a quick pic and don't forget in a few days, we'll get to see what the Windows Vista one looks like too...

Fancy a go at blogging?

2007-01-22T17:29:00.000Z

I'm still on the lookout for posters over at www.guestblogger.net

I do have some posts on the way and things are starting to take off for the new site but I'm always on the lookout for interesting posts from interesting people.

If you'd like a go, why not email me (pthurst@gmail.com) and we can sort something out.

You don't have to register and I'm happy to post a biog at the end of each post so you can link to your own blog if you are an established blogger and if your new to all of this or just blogless then what better way to dip your toe in the water?

If you have any questions or are interested then give me a shout.

Paul

That stinks!

2007-01-19T19:07:00.000Z

Ever wondered why the price of perfumes is so high? It turns out that making something smell nice isn't quite as easy as you'd think.

You see, smells generally speaking don't hang around. They may last for a while but making them stick takes a bit of clever science. Don't worry, I'll keep it simple.

Basically the perfumes are made up of lots of smelly ingredients mixed with an oily base (sometimes taken from rare animal glands). The composition of the mix works out like this...

100% Parfum

EDP - Eau de parfum

EDT - Eau de toilette

Apres resage- Aftershave

The higher up the scale, the loger your smell will last.

And finally, your fragrance actually is designed to smell different as the time goes on. The ingredients are mixed to peak out at different times, three for the price of one.

Sharp edge- For the first 15 mins, your fragrance is at its fruitiest. Citrus smells pervade here.

The Heart- You fragrance carries this smell for about 2 hours (EDT or above) and the mid fragrances pervade. The smell loses its edge and becomes more refined.

Bass edge- Any stronger, smoky smells linger around and for the final hour-or-so, your perfume will bottle out with all the richness available.

The main fragrance lasts until the oily essence has evaporated and this mix also determines the price.

Any blokes out there, here's my recommendations...

DKNY EDT - citrus bite with a fresh easy going feel, much like CK One (EDT).

CK Euphoria EDT - a sophisticated smell to this one

JPG 'Le male' EDT - Very popular, this fragrance lasts the longest so if its value for money and a fine fragrance you need, you'll probably like this one.

Life in the city, web 2.0 style!

2007-01-18T21:29:00.000Z

Looking for some social software thats just a bit different than the rest? Citypixel will probably be right up your street.

The format is based around an 80's 'pixel art' isometric city. You sign up and create your virtual citizen which can wander round the 'sim-city-esque' streets and nip into the odd building here or there.

You'll pass lots of other mini citizens along the way, and if they have a green line underneath, they're online.

Now just before your mind conjers up thoughts of animated isometric characters smoothly walking around your web browser, I must point out that your journey is done via clicks and as such, contains no movement at all (the gridlocked cars are fully animated in that regard).

So the main reason this site exists, as far as I can tell, is to dress up the rather tired idea of social software into new clothes and as such, I did find myself wondering why I was clicking around a very poorly designed navigation section just to reach user generated biogs etc. That was until I stumbled across a really, really neat feature.

Anyone who's played the 'sims' will be familiar with the house design element of the game. Well its here on this website! The tedium of statically navigating around the clumsy city was broken immediately as soon as I realised that its possible to claim your own 'virtual apartment' and even a 'virtual office' too. Your little avatar moves in and can drag, drop and arrange your furniture to your hearts content. Not only that, you can even create your very own website to allow visitors to peek through your keyhole.

My 'apartment'

'The office'

This kind of customisation really breathes promise into the Citypixel idea. You can visit anyone's apartment and rate them and you can even watch their YouTube videos if they have installed the little 'plasma screens' on their walls, I was impressed by what I saw here.

I suppose you could sum up Citypixel as a web-browser version of Second Life it has a cut-down feel of this kind of persistent world social software. I'm really hoping that the day will come when these incredibly cute (and detailed) pixel art characters and buildings become animated but until then, the customisable nature of my Citypixel home, will keep me popping back. Even if its just a holiday home away from Myspace or Second Life itself.

The BBC college of Journalism

2007-01-17T19:04:00.000Z

Hot off the press, the BBC college of journalism (CoJo) has launched amid 'internal' fanfares today.

The reason why the launch didn't garner much attention to anyone outside of the BBC's 'Gateway' intranet site, is probably due to the fact that the college cannot be accessed by us mere mortals in the outside world. Its a bit like Hogwarts...

The new online facility aims to ensure that the standards are kept high (for BBC staff only) and this is reinforced by a physical facility too, (for the 'muggles' perhaps?) apparently over an Italian deli in London.

On a serious note. I find it interesting that in this age of mass-media and rolling news, the BBC are still interested in not only keeping a presence in what's becoming a fairly busy marketplace, but the Corporation clearly intends to reinforce the strong journalistic principles on which the NCA department was built. As such, I think this is licence fee money relitively well spent (easy on the deli takeouts though please).

As part of my teaching in schools. I have been asking the media students "what makes a good news channel on TV?" It's amazing how many get caught up with the bells and whistles before even considering the framework from which the actual content is gathered.

I am worried that the new Al Jazeera news channel, may fall under this banner. Yup they may be gearing up for HD broadcasting. And its pretty impressive to see a wall of reporters and correspondents waiting to 'bring us up to date' immediately, but I'm slightly concerned that there's an anti-Israel bias that has already crept in. Maybe its not in how the news has been reported as much as the stories that they are missing out.

In this day and age. The media is playing an ever increasing role in how we perceive or world and indirectly how politicians deal with things on our behalf. I hope the BBC's college is quick to remind its students of the ethical responsibilities which accompany their reputation as one of the most trusted news providers on the planet.

(You may read a more detailed mandate on this blog post from the CoJo Editor. should you wish. Or check out biased BBC. Maybe they could assess some of the coursework?)

Here it is...

2007-01-15T15:45:00.000Z

In my last post, I mentioned that I'd been thinking about the future of this blog. I am unsure as to who reads it and why and I was thinking, do I blog for my own benefit or do I actually want people to read this?

I've decided that the answer lies somewhere in-between, and that got me thinking some more...

Here's the outcome. I've decided that this blog will not change. I will continue to write as I please, regardless as to who (if anyone reads...) my blog is primarily personal and its main reason for existing is merely to allow me an excuse to write. So nothing will change, well, almost nothing...

I can now reveal that I have set up a new blog over at www.guestblogger.net. This blog will not be written by myself (although I may post). Rather I will invite people to write posts for it. This way the content will vary and it may make an interesting read, something which personal blogs sometimes do not.

You can visit the site at www.guestblogger.net and although anyone may leave a comment. The posts are by invite only so you must forgive me for having a bare site at the moment.

In closing, I'd like to encourage you to keep reading this blog (should you so wish) and also to pop along to the new one and 'leave comments'!

***EDIT: If you'd be interested in posting then email invites@guestblogger.net***

Something BIG is on its way...

2007-01-10T18:06:00.000Z

Thanks for dropping by to my blog...

This blog has been around for a while now and I have been thinking recently about how it can be improved.

I have made a few decisions about where I want things to go in the future and I'm almost ready to come clean. I will be making an announcement shortly.

In the meantime, please feel free to 'nosey' around some of the content and keep popping back to catch up with the goss.

Paul
www.paulhurst.blogspot.com

Did Steve Jobs break the law?

2007-01-10T01:22:00.000Z

Yes its the iPhone, yes they will sell lots of them and yes, its aaages before they are released outside the USA but did Steve Jobs, just break the law in his keynote speech?

With usual gusto and 'boom', Steve was keen to show off his new toy and entice us away from our iPods to crave after his latest gadget but he may of gone just a little bit too far...

As I watched the Keynote, I noticed that Mr Jobs appeared to place a few calls on the new handset but according to Apple's own website, he might of fallen foul of telecommunication protocols.

According to the Apple website, the phone "has not been authorized as required by the rules of the Federal Communications Commission' The website then goes on to point out that, as a result of this lack of authorisation, the handset may not be sold or leased. The burning question must be does it carry the appropriate FCC certificate to be operated or are they waiting on that too?

I'm sure that Apple wouldn't drop such a clanger as to break the law, blatantly infront of 4000 spectators and then webcast the event further afield to pent up bloggers such as myself but who knows, maybe in all the fuss, something was overlooked? (conspiracy theorists awake!)

On a slightly more serious note, if Apple are to face court proceedings surrounding their new mobile, its more likely to be in the civil courts between Apple and Cisco who seem to already have an 'iPhone' on the market... hmmm the future may not be quite so bright for the Apple handset in the short term.

***EDIT: A few people who work in the mobile industry have commented that phones can be tested in this way and that FCC compliance seems only to be required once the device is intended to be sold so I suspect that if this is the case... No laws were broken at all. I also have it on good authority that Apple and Cisco are close to brokering a deal on the iPhone name too!***

Is this what we are made of?

2007-01-08T00:45:00.000Z

Scientists in the USA say that they have made 'significant progress' in solving some of the core questions which surround the formation of the universe.

According to a NASA spokesperson, the famous Hubble Space Telescope, has been able to map the whereabouts of invisible 'dark matter'.

Scientists think that this mysterious matter makes up over 70% of the universe, yet we don't really know where to find it, let alone what it 'looks' like. Until now.

We are told that this discovery will ultimately unlock many mysteries which still surround the 'creation' of the universe.

I am reminded that when push comes to shove, there's still so much that we simply don't understand about the universe. Nor about this place where we find ourselves cobbled together. The third rock from what is a relatively insignificant star (although to us it is the most important by far!).

I was speaking on this topic over the weekend with one of my friends. He has an upcoming college exam surrounding the whole 'hot potato' of proof of the divine.

Many people have tried to argue, that the sheer complexity of our universe must point to the existence of a God or transcendent designer. I'm not too sure though.

The world, no the universe may be magnificent! But that in itself doesn't point to the divine. If thats the only proof then I'm signing up for atheism tomorrow. No, the existence of a God must be based, for me, on something more substantial, more measurable, more personal (maybe like God becoming man and being born of a Virgin?)...

So the question remains, how can we, as mere mortals hope to comprehend an incomprehensible God? If God made this universe, what chance have we, as insignificant as we are, of understanding his existence? Surely we could know nothing of such a God unless He (assuming he's a personal God of course) reveals himself to us?

I will watch with interest as the scientists try to figure out what this latest discovery means for mere mortals such as myself. I'll also spare a thought for the theologians who are trying look for traces of God amongst the stars and despite what I have just written, I'm also thinking of something which Einstein once wrote.

"We are like a little child entering a huge library. The walls are covered to the ceilings with books in many different languages. The child knows that someone must have written these books. It does not know who or how. It does not even understand the languages in which they are written. But the child notes a definite plan in the arrangement of the books - a mysterious order which it does not comprehend, but only dimly suspects."

The most incomprehensible thing about the universe, as he once put it, is that it is comprehensible at all. Maybe thats the proof?

MyBlogLog - Web 2.0 essentials

2007-01-06T00:19:00.000Z

Web 2.0 is revolutionising the way in which we think about and use the internet and I'm always on the lookout for great 2.0 sites and services. Let me introduce you to MyBlogLog.

To sum up this site quickly, its a bit like a 'Myspace for Bloggers'. Its a site which allows you to make contact with other bloggers from all around the world, add them to your contacts portfolio and obviously view their blogs.

The service is free to use and so far, I have found it to be a great utility for finding new blogs about any given topic and also making some kind of meaningful contact with its author beyond firing off an email into the invisible 'ether', posibly never to be seen by human eyes again.

The blogging community is growing daily and with over 55 million blogs to choose from, anything which helps an audience to find their blog-based information promptly is a bonus. Couple this with the fact that it allows bloggers to attract a larger audience too and you really do have a recipe for success.

If your a blogger, register for the sake of your wider audience of fellow bloggers and if you are looking for some specific topic based blog, then you'll do far worse than to make this your first port of call.

Brainwashing?

2007-01-05T21:31:00.001Z

It may look just like water to you, but to your mind, its much more than that.

According to 'All in the Mind' from BBC Radio 4, your brain makes hundreds of sub-concious decisions every minute. And you won't believe what happens when you're thinking about water...

In her programme, Claudia Hammond says that our direct state of cleanliness, has a lot to do with how we act and what we decide to do.

For example, you may behave differently in situations where help is needed if you have just washed your hands. Yes apparently if you have clean hands, you are less likely to get stuck in and it can be a direct consequence of your cleanliness.

The programme is well worth a listen so tune in and let me know what you think.

Fancy a photoblog?

2007-01-04T00:09:00.000Z

When blogging doesn't quite hit the spot, how about a photoblog instead?

Most of us have mobile phones with camera's on them and providing that we are sensible in how we use them, there is no excuse for anyone not to have some kind of blog. In fact most young people I know, are already on myspace although most don't use the blog bit on there which is quite understandable.

Most people will know that for both business and pleasure, I take photographs and a good friend of mine has just started his own, dedicated photoblog. Over at www.marcelbooth.co.uk you can keep up to date with his pictures as he posts them and I can promise you that you'll see some absolute crackers as the days roll on by.

I think Marcel is aiming to post a new picture every day and as a photographer myself, I know that this is no mean feat. Its really tricky to capture a decent picture every single day but in a way, I started my post by encouraging you all to do just that...

Here's the deal... If you can't or don't want to write your blog then why not use your cameraphone instead? If your a pro/semi-pro photographer then why not try to post one top-quality photo as often as you can? One thing is for sure, everyone will benefit.

The BEST Indian restaurant in Wigan!

2007-01-03T14:30:00.001Z

Now this isn't an advert but I couldn't get too far into 2007 without sharing a little secret as to where I spend my days dining out.

The Buraq restaurant near Wigan does some mighty fine food and I've been eating there since it opened a number of years ago. In fact I started eating there when it was just a humble take-away.

I was there the other day and my friend took this pic so I thought I'd write a litle about some of my favorite Indian dishes, so here's how my menu looks, you may call it top of the popadoms if you like...

STARTER

Popadoms - I like the lime paste and the mint yoghurt

Tayeef Kebab

MAIN

At the moment, my fave is Beef Korai but also up there...

Chicken Makhani

Chicken Bahlti

Lamb bhoona

Aside from the grub, you can't beat a large bottle of Cobra to wash it all down wish and my good fried Talib (pictured) is usually on hand with some 'drinks on the house' to bring my dining to a close :-)

So as I start 2007, may I wish Talib and all the staff, a great new year and keep up the good work!

Duplicity?

2007-01-02T23:46:00.001Z

It seems the Iraqi authorities are trying to find out who recorded the execution of Saddam Hussein on a mobile phone before posting it online. 'Amazingly' it appears that the actual footage of his execution is causing 'tension' in the country.

When the authorities released a muted version which fails to tell the whole story, they hoped it would make everyone think that Saddam's execution was somehow a dignified affair, maybe even graceful. The ex-President accepting his lot and finally bowing out while the USA look on with glee. Instead, the actuality of his execution shows that no matter how deplorable he was: nothing appears to have changed.

The death penalty is savage and inhumane and even if Saddam was 'hung by his own petard' (he built those gallows), no one should be fooled into thinking that there are not stll bloodthirsty individuals running Iraq.

Then, right on cue, to comment on this state-sanctioned-killing, steps the UK heavyweight, deputy PM 'two-jabs' Prescott, who (in between state sanctioned croquet) has this to say...

In a BBC interview, UK Deputy Prime Minister John
Prescott called it "deplorable" and "totally unacceptable" that video
clips of the execution had surfaced on the internet.

Mr Prescott is in charge while Prime Minister Tony Blair is on holiday.

"I think the manner was quite deplorable really," he
said. "I don't think one can endorse in any way that, whatever your
views about capital punishment.

"Frankly, to get the kind of recorded messages coming
out is totally unacceptable, and I think whoever was involved and
responsible for it should be ashamed of themselves."

Tut tut!!! it appears that Mr Prescott's concern does not center on the act itself, rather the recording of it! Am I the only person to feel slightly disgusted at this level of duplicity? How can we ever hope to encourage democracy around the world when really we are only operating superficially at best? We say one thing yet do another.

Sure I can write a blog and protest 'electronically' but my country and its leaders really do need to either keep quiet on this issue or be very careful what they are saying... How about this...

"I'm really disgusted with what this person has done. Its unacceptable that a state-sanctioned-murder was recorded and shown publicly.

We wanted Saddam dead (although officially we cant say that), and we hoped that the matter would disappear from the international conscience, once the tamed down version of Saddam's murder had been released. We had a suspicion that it may cause a few hundred deaths, but we thought it was a price worth paying. but now the truth is out?...

Its disgusting that someone recorded this event of brutality and then had the cheek to actually show everyday people what a shambolic, debased act it actually was... Shame on them! They will have blood on their hands!"

... My advice in this situation? Maybe Saddam should not have been killed in the first place?

New year greetings

2007-01-01T18:49:00.000Z

I just thought I'd take this opportunity to wish everyone all the very best for 2007.

Regular readers of this blog will know what to expect this coming year but if you are visiting for the first time today, you can expect comment on just about anything.

In the meantime, I will leave you with some video footage which was taken a few days ago when I went to watch the 'Blue Planet Live'.

The BBC filmed over 7000 hours worth of footage for the series, and during the performance, some of the highlights were shown on a 60ft screen whilst the musiical score was played in realtime by an orchestra and choir.

This was all lead by the composer, and it was a great evening of stunning images and music.

It was fantastic!

Best Wishes,

Paul

The BBC comment of their coverage of Saddam's execution

2006-12-31T17:26:00.000Z

The BBC have made public, the reasoning behind their recent broadcasts concerning the execution of Saddam Hussein.

This post by Kevin Backhurst who is the controller for BBC News 24, explains what the BBC decided to show and why.

The tightrope for any state broadcaster is very narrow to tread. The Corporation's mandate is to record and report events from around the world, but this must be done appropriately. Any BBC Journalist in NCA must follow editorial policy. It outlines how news events should be reported. In most cases the rules are easy to follow but in some cases, the lines become blurry. So what is appropriate or inappropriate?

This is a very complex issue with pro's and cons (see my last post regarding media coverage), censoring any news item for whatever reason can either damage accuracy or even misrepresent events or individuals.

Previously I pointed out that when governments or authorities censor news, we may be forgiven for being a little skeptical as to why but when the censoring is applied by the broadcaster and not faceless men in grey suits, it becomes a whole different issue.

What if the news wasn't 'sanitised' or cut? What if it was shown, warts and all? We may connect more powerfully with what's happening. For example, over 75% of Americans support capital punishment, but I wonder if the figure would quite as high if they were televised? Once we see events in full or once we see the uncut aftermath. It can be particularly powerful.

Now were back to that fine line. If we did show the real carnage of war or suicide bombings, we would upset many people. How would bereaved relatives feel? How would we feel?

I think a case could be made for a more 'hardcore' news but I'm not sure how it should be made or by whom. Millions of 'non-newsy' viewers will have tuned in to see the recent footage from Iraq, but the modus-operandi for news organisations should never be sensationalism or macabre-ism, even if these would pull in the most viewers.

____________________________________

Firstly, may I congratulate the BBC on providing tasteful, decent yet comprehensive coverage of Saddam's execution.

These are incredibly delicate days at the moment. The way in which the worldwide media cover this issue could set the public mood in the region for the coming days and months.

The BBC have reported accurately and appropriately and as such, the editorial decisions taken have upheld the corporations reputation for authoritative reporting.

I posted on this blog earlier. I commented then, that the single stories in themselves, point to much wider issues in general. It's this 'bigger picture' which must be considered by the news editors as I personally think that the real questions and issues have yet to be asked and examined.

Unofficial footage of Saddam's Execution

2006-12-31T13:09:00.000Z

***WARNING: This post contains video footage of a graphic nature***

Covertly shot footage which appears to have been taken on a mobile phone, shows the last moments of Saddam Hussein's life before he was executed yesterday.

Interestingly, the footage shows a different scene from the 'official' footage released to the worldwide media soon after the execution.

In what must be one of the most graphic examples of 'citizen journalism' to date, the grainy footage, including sound, shows Saddam's execution in full, and rather than a calm serene scene, it appears to be a noisy, highly charged event where insults are thrown around the room with Saddam answering back on more than one occasion towards his accusers. This in itself is not surprising as the official footage released yesterday did not include sound, nor did it actually show the execution.

The footage is included below however please do not watch if you are offended easily. It is uncut.

__________________________________

Here is a transcript of the audio taken from the footage and translated into English.

Translation of Arabic subtitles accompanying the latest execution footage when broadcast on al-Jazeera TV station:

[Saddam] Oh God.

[Voices] May God's blessings be upon Muhammad and his household.

[Voices] And may God hasten their appearance and curse their enemies.

[Voices] Moqtada [Al-Sadr]...Moqtada...Moqtada.

[Saddam] Do you consider this bravery?

[Voice] Long live Muhammad Baqir al-Sadr.

[Voice] To hell.

[Voice] Please do not. The man is being executed. Please no, I beg you to stop.

[Saddam] There is no God but Allah and I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God. There is no God but Allah and I testify that Muhammad... [At this point, Saddam is executed]

The footage then becomes blurred before finally showing Saddam's face, he is dead, his eyes remain open.

___________________________________

The fact that this footage has been recorded and propagated, shows how the media is being used unwittingly to create different accounts of the same incident. As such, the importance of citizen journalism is on the rise. It offers an undiluted and uncontaminated account of events, separate from comment or images released by official bodies or governments.

Some will argue that footage such as this, proves that the full details behind world events are often kept out of the public gaze. Why wasn't the full, unedited footage released by the official authorities and does the fact that the full footage has been covertly filmed and leaked online, harm the image of Iraq as a new democracy?

Dead...

2006-12-30T12:48:00.000Z

Saddam Hussein was executed around 3am this morning (GMT).

He was executed by Iraqi volunteers for 'crimes against humanity' and the process was filmed and then released to newsagencies around the world.

I don't think many people could argue Saddam's innocence. This was a man who carried out some pretty heinous acts but I still personally feel that his execution achieves nothing beyond recharging and refueling the circle of bloodshed.

Saddam's so-called 'trial' could only ever come to one conclusion and rather like a fox that 'plays' with its victims before killing them, the outcome was also inevitable.

How does killing repay killing? Who profits? What does his execution achieve? Why couldn't Saddam spend the rest of his days in jail?

The Iraqi people recently had a chance to write their 'constitution', something which they could not do under Saddam's rule. They had a chance to put an end to brutal law but it seems that as far as 'state-sanctioned-murder' goes, little has changed.

Islamic Martyr?

2006-12-27T21:22:00.000Z

Saddam Hussein has lost his 'appeal', he will be executed at some point during the next four weeks.

I am concerned that the Iraqi government (fully supported by the USA and the UK) will do nothing more than make things worse by taking the life of yet another human being in this so-called-war on terror.

Saddam may be guilty of war crime but how does anyone benefit from his death? How can anyone from these so-called 'civilised' countries, continue to bay for his blood?

Saddam will be murdered under the law, his execution will be fully condoned by the UK, a nation which supposedly objects to capital punishment and the fundamentalists will now have a new face for their battle of hatred. Thousands more will die under the name of Saddam, both in Iraq and probably the USA and the UK too.

I am sick of duplicitous governments talking justice and democracy whilst overthrowing regimes and executing their leaders. Its not good enough to claim the moral high-ground and then execute a man. They may try to say this is an Iraqi decision but they are fooling nobody.

Come on Tony... If we don't support the death penalty here in the UK then why don't you speak out about this and try to get the sentence commuted to life? I don't think this will happen but lets not be too surprised when the troubles in Iraq deepen. With Saddam's death, the Iraqi's, Americans and Brits have signed thousands of other death warrants too.

Pictures from the Vatican

2006-12-21T18:18:00.000Z

I have finally created and uploaded a picture slideshow containing some pictures from my trip to Rome.

I'm due back in the next year to work on a project for the BBC which will be broadcast nationally in the UK and featured online too.

In the meantime, I'll leave you with the slideshow...

Aidan of Lindisfarne's christmas message

2006-12-21T11:58:00.001Z

Hmmm, it seems as if the spirit of christmas cheer doesn't quite spread as far as it should, especially within the church itself.

My mate took this picture doing a trip out and I couldn't help notice the 'unsaintly' like gesture being offered up by this so-called-holy-man whilst wearing what appears to be the full Bishops garbs.

It got me thinking on a serious note. Maybe we place too much importance on people who, are really just like us all when you get down to it.

There's another Bishop at the moment who's behavior is being challenged as less than picture perfect. He said he was mugged but some people think he was drunk. Either way, I cannot help but think that if only we didn't pretend that all these 'very right worshipful reverends' are 'Godlike' then we'd realise that according to the Bible at least, we are all sinners... Every single one of us, Bishops, bloggers 'et al'.

In fact, surely that's whats at the heart of the christmas message? According to the bible, thats why Jesus was born, he was born to deal with sin by dying on the cross.

Maybe if we can see past the tall hats, robes and all the other paraphernalia, not to mention all the over commecialised 'Santa Claus' xmas, we may catch a glimpse of Christ himself this time round.

Technorati Tags: christmas, bishop, aidan, lindisfarne, mugging, drunk

A week away...

2006-12-17T23:55:00.000Z

Can bloggers take time off? Do we deserve time off or should we be chained to the computer terminal to continuously churn out our rants, ramblings and observations?

Partly prompted by this BBC Manchester blog post and also by a slight pang of guilt for not updating for a whole seven days, I found myself wondering to what extent and for what purpose do we blog at all?

I suppose for me, its partly to express thoughts and feelings which we all have but we don't all share. We all have opinions on most things but there isn't often an outlet, unless your a blogger of course!

My break over in the Lakes was great, I feel quite relaxed now (almost able to face Christmas... Well almost) It rained continuously for five days and nights but aside from a trip to Newcastle, my Girlfriend and I spent most of the time in our cottage, by the wood burner.

Anyway I am back now and I've returned to 118 emails and a load of work but just time to include one of my pics... Hopefully it will help me keep a sense of 'holiday peace' beyond tomorrows rush hour.

Final touches for the Rock FM media bus

2006-12-07T20:48:00.000Z

After a complete internal refurb which includes state of the art plasma screens and computers. The Rock FM media bus will be ready to hit the roads by tomorrow as the finishing touches to the exterior design are finalised.

I got chance to take a look today and I must say its looking really good indeed. The bus will be used in schools and community projects across the North West region and to top it all off, we will also be hosting live broadcasts, music gigs and DJ workshops plus lots of other extra things which have yet to be thrown into the mix.

The Rock FM bus has already proved to be incredibly popular for a few lucky schools who were able to work on pilot projects over recent weeks but as the paint dries on the outside, the focus will once again shift to providing top-quality teaching and media training on the inside.

The bus is kitted out with a laptop zone and a separate couched area at the back where another group can work on planning or watch a dvd. Its also possible to broadcast onto the radio from the bus and over the coming weeks and months, some of the station presenters and guests will be popping on board for special visits.

***HAVE A LISTEN TO THE PILOT PROGRAMME BY CLICKING ON THE PICTURE BELOW***

If you'd like more information about the bus or if you'd like us to visit your school or community centre then drop me an email and we'll have a chat.

Photojournalism and Wigan Athletic

2006-12-06T21:42:00.000Z

I have recently been working and devising a photojournalism course for use within secondary schools and as the project draws to a close, I thought I'd blog about it a bit for any teachers who want to explore ways of looking at photography/art/media and communication outside of the classroom.

Pictured above is Tony Smith from Wigan Athletic who manages the community bus which allows the club to deliver ICT and media training in schools. Some of you may know that since the start of this academic year, I have been working as part of this team and I decided that this would be the ideal platform to build further on my ideas of how to use photography to engage people in community related issues.

For this project, we took a group of five students to the training ground where they had chance to have a go at sports photography as Wigan Athletic were training. The coaching staff and team were excellent and the Manager kindly allowed me to take an 'official photo' which will now be signed and presented to the school.

After the photoshoot, Tony showed the students round the JJB stadium and then held a mini press conference in the press room, all the time, reinforcing how the media work with the club on matchdays to get all the important info into the public domain as quickly as possible.

The project has proved to be incredibly successful and for me, it goes to show that within education, media can be used as a useful tool to engage pupils with curriculum topics and in this case, take a more detailed look at the world around them.

I'm really getting into my games...

2006-12-04T12:46:00.000Z

Anybody who's into their computer games will probably be well aware of just how powerful the next-gen consoles are, but some of the graphics in the latest xbox 360 shooter, do look more realistic than usual.

In Rainbow Six: Vegas, you get to sign up to the fictional Rainbow squad, devised by Tom Clancy. Its then time to run around Las Vegas and gamble with your virtual life as you tackle the nasty terrorists who have clearly been recruiting... There's thousands of them!

Gameplay aside, one really nice feature allows you to get right into the action by mapping your face right into the game. Users who own the xbox webcam can take a series of photos which are then digitally 'mapped' into the game, in 360 degree glory.

I found my virtual persona to be slightly flattering, but amazingly accurate! And as I went online, I noticed a few other familiar faces too.

Yes, in the game, I bumped into George Bush. I shot Homer Simpson (doh!) and JFK and even glimpsed one cheeky chappy who had tried to include a picture of their posterior (with mixed results).

With a slight degree of seriousness, I am amazed how the latest breed of games consoles are bringing a richer and more vivid world into the games which we are playing and I cannot help but wonder where this can go to next. Oh and to the 'bum' who was running around before... Get a shave mate...

Have you seen this man?

2006-11-30T23:18:00.000Z

He is of course the Cuban Leader, Fidel Castro, but although his hold on power hasn't faltered in fifty years, he hasn't been seen in public for quite some time either.

This coming Saturday sees the fiftieth anniversary of Castro's assumption of power but at the moment, its still unclear if the 80-year-old leader will make a public appearance. Castro Hasn't been seen in public since August.

Conspicuous by his absence, this has led many bloggers to ponder Mr Castro's current state of health or even if his status as that of a living individual is entirely accurate. In any case, its quite interesting to read some of the various blogs about what the future may hold for the Nation of Cuba.

Daniel Freedman writes that now is the time for democracy to strike while the nation exists in a rarely seen state of 'limbo'. While Parnell warns us not to bury Castro just yet as his death has been (incorrectly) reported on "more than one occasion". This seems quite logical to me as it is my understanding that generally speaking, we only get one shot at dying.

Whatever the state of the undoubtedly ailing leader is. I do find it interesting to see how different people are preparing for the future. Some want change, others do not. Some want to keep Castro's ideology alive and well, while others seem keener to assassinate it quickly, something that they failed to do 'in personam'.

Billie McCurrie Radio Interview

2006-11-30T01:20:00.004Z

A few people have requested this interview so I will post it on my blog once again.

I first met Billy at a YL (young life) meeting in Southport. I found his story to be incredibly moving so I decided to arrange for Billy to be given an opportunity to talk about his experiences on a radio programme that I was producing at the time.

Religion is often a motivating factor for violence and terrorism in today's society, but Billy's story shows that this doesn't always have to be the end of the matter, The Bible's message is still bringing people to repentance, a place where they seek forgiveness and a place where they turn their lives around.

Click here to listen to the interview

Manchester festive market

2006-11-29T20:42:00.000Z

Christmas is close and with the Manchester festive market being in town, Santa must be taking the cover of his sleigh as I speak.

As I walked round (mulled wine in hand), I was amazed as aver at the variety of the various European food, art and crafts that were on display. I could have spent a fortune but instead limited my buying to a single bottle of Sasparilla. I had never tasted it before so I thought I'd give it a go.

It reminded me that often, its the simple little things which make life great fun. I really enjoyed walking around, drinking my 'winter warmer' and taking in all the different sights and sounds (and foods of course!)

If you in the area, or is theres a festive market near to you then please take my advice. Pay it a visit and try some of the foods on offer while you're there!

Showing off your pics, web 2.0 style!

2006-11-27T13:10:00.000Z

Showing or sharing photographs via the internet certainly isn't new but a new web service is making it much easier to do, and sexier to look at as well.

'The big picture library' is a nifty web 2.0 app which allows you to dynamically upload your pictures (up to 25 at a time!) which are then displayed attractively for your viewers.

Yes, gone are the days of troublesome designing and programming. The service includes a good selection of templates for you to choose from and you can easily swap on a regular basis, no programming needed and completely hassle free.

This kind of service showcases the versatility of the latest breed of web 2.0 sites that are out there and more importantly, it helps us to glimpse how we will be using the internet in the not-too-distant future. Some websites are already toying with online organisers, web 2.0 video editing, and of course, the infamous 'wiki' which started the second generation of websites a few years ago.

The service is currently free for personal use but uptake has been swift so you may need to be patient with it until initial interest dies down or the servers are beefed up.

In any case, this is a wonderful website which will have photographers clicking away in order to create a free, high impact, readily available photographic portfolio.

If you'd like to see how I have used the service, click here.

Been out taking pics again on Sunday...

2006-11-27T00:06:00.000Z

I was out and about on Sunday, taking pictues on a special 'Talk photography' forum photoshoot. The venue was Bolton abbey in North Yorkshire and as the weather steadily improved throughout the day, I had a great time snapping away. In fact it was my first photography 'day' for a few months what with work being busy and all that.

I also enjoyed my Sunday lunch too. Emma and myself dropped in to some posh gaffe called the 'Devonshire' and although I had my suspicions that it may be pricey (2 helicopters on the lawn), I was still quite shocked to pay 40-odd quid for lunch, just for the two-of-us.

The food was great, although the prices did leave a bitter taste in my mouth.

You can see the piccies here.

More blogging evangelism from me!

2006-11-22T20:40:00.000Z

I've been at it again! Chris Gaskell, a mate, performer and x-factor STAR! (honestly!) is now blogging... And I'm to blame...

Feel free to check out his new blog or the website.

The great thing about blogs is that you don't have to be (too) geeky to be good at it and it could actually earn you some cash if people like what they see. It won't be long before Chris gets some bookings directly as a result of his new blog.

Another feature that I'm keen to push is web 2.0 integration. Web 1.0 was personal homepages but 2.0 is blogs with Youtube embedded movies. Its NEVER been easier for people to share their experiences online and reach out to a wider audience.

May I formally wish Chris all the best for his blog and his gigs and I couldn't finish this post without including a youtube interview with the man himself.