So I was watching the US version of Idol on cable tonight. Let me tell you this - it is the most boring looking show in the world. bland bland blannnd.
At least the Australian version has some depth and layers to the lighting design. The US version has no leds or big effects lights like the local one with the High End Shotguns they had last season. They did however have some flashing neon.
For a country of so many people you would thing they could find someone with enough imagination to make it look good.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Modern communication
I work in an office and use all kinds of technologies to keep in touch - mobile, sms, skype and email.
Sometimes I'll ping people in the office a quick Skype message to ask how they are going or for a quick clarification on something.
Sometimes I use it to have a conversation that might be too awkward to have face to face. I did that this morning when I noticed a collegue who seemed a bit down, but I knew if I asked him face to face in an office he would probably just go - 'yeah I'm ok'. So I sent the message and got nothing back. So now how do I talk to him without mentioning it ?
Do we both ignore it and pretent it didn't happen, or do I wait till he goes somewhere and ambush him ? Hmmm, not really confortable with that.
Maybe I should just mind my own buisness, but as a friend I want to know if I could do anything to help. Sometimes I thing how great it would be to work in an office in the 60s where there were no faxes or emails or even phones. I could spent my day writing letters and reading mail people sent. Life must have been so much slower and more controlled instead of the constant blast of data and communications we are under now.
There was a promo on TV recently that stated that a child by the age of 8 had been exposed to more information that our great grandparents were exposed to in their entire lives. Thats a scary thought.
Sometimes I'll ping people in the office a quick Skype message to ask how they are going or for a quick clarification on something.
Sometimes I use it to have a conversation that might be too awkward to have face to face. I did that this morning when I noticed a collegue who seemed a bit down, but I knew if I asked him face to face in an office he would probably just go - 'yeah I'm ok'. So I sent the message and got nothing back. So now how do I talk to him without mentioning it ?
Do we both ignore it and pretent it didn't happen, or do I wait till he goes somewhere and ambush him ? Hmmm, not really confortable with that.
Maybe I should just mind my own buisness, but as a friend I want to know if I could do anything to help. Sometimes I thing how great it would be to work in an office in the 60s where there were no faxes or emails or even phones. I could spent my day writing letters and reading mail people sent. Life must have been so much slower and more controlled instead of the constant blast of data and communications we are under now.
There was a promo on TV recently that stated that a child by the age of 8 had been exposed to more information that our great grandparents were exposed to in their entire lives. Thats a scary thought.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Starbucks on the decline
I was reading the paper the other day (well the online version) when I noticed an article about the declining fortunes of Starbucks.
In the US you can sit in a Starbucks branch and look out the windows and see another branch. Seems they have over saturated the market and are now paying the price. and the coffee is crap and over priced.
I was discussing this with a coffee conisour friend and he was telling me they roast the crap out of the beans so that even the 12 year old 'barista' behind the counter can pour a 'good' coffee.
I hate to name drop, but it reminds me of a story Britney Spears sound engineer once told me. In the US he would drink Starbucks coffee, not because it was good, but because it was consistent.
One of the things the article brought up was that places like MacDonalds are now raising their game in the coffee market and people no longer need to go to starbucks and pay a fortune for a decent cup of coffee.
I was in the airport this morning for a little domestic jaunt and noticed the massive queue at Maccas. Most of these people were getting coffees even though there are perfectly good and not to expensive coffee outlets all around them.
Its interesting to see what we consider to be the big fast food joints branching out in to other directions such as the McCafe concept or the Gloria Jeans of the world who basically copied the Starbucks model but customised it to fit with the Australian cafe culture.
I guess if nothing else Startbucks made everyone lift their game and raised the standard of cofffee in these more traditional outlets where it was only ever an add on and was mostly a drip-o-lator that had sat for too long and boiled itself into a bitter mud.
In the US you can sit in a Starbucks branch and look out the windows and see another branch. Seems they have over saturated the market and are now paying the price. and the coffee is crap and over priced.
I was discussing this with a coffee conisour friend and he was telling me they roast the crap out of the beans so that even the 12 year old 'barista' behind the counter can pour a 'good' coffee.
I hate to name drop, but it reminds me of a story Britney Spears sound engineer once told me. In the US he would drink Starbucks coffee, not because it was good, but because it was consistent.
One of the things the article brought up was that places like MacDonalds are now raising their game in the coffee market and people no longer need to go to starbucks and pay a fortune for a decent cup of coffee.
I was in the airport this morning for a little domestic jaunt and noticed the massive queue at Maccas. Most of these people were getting coffees even though there are perfectly good and not to expensive coffee outlets all around them.
Its interesting to see what we consider to be the big fast food joints branching out in to other directions such as the McCafe concept or the Gloria Jeans of the world who basically copied the Starbucks model but customised it to fit with the Australian cafe culture.
I guess if nothing else Startbucks made everyone lift their game and raised the standard of cofffee in these more traditional outlets where it was only ever an add on and was mostly a drip-o-lator that had sat for too long and boiled itself into a bitter mud.
Energy Saving Part 2
Just logged in to do another post and read what I have written about that hotael room before.
Forgot to add that it also turned off the outside light in front of the room, so if you came home after a few beers it was relativly difficult to get your key into the slot.
Forgot to add that it also turned off the outside light in front of the room, so if you came home after a few beers it was relativly difficult to get your key into the slot.
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