A View From Childhood
This was the view from our back garden in Dollar, around 1987 - September or October, I'd guess. I can't claim any credit for the photo, as it was Mum's work.
I could have shared a photo of my brother in a very mid-80s Miami Vice-style outfit.
But any jury in the country would acquit him of my murder if I did so…
80s Brothers
I'm spending some time scanning my way through a big bag of negatives, and this morning I was working on a film from the early to mis-80s. This is my brother, on holiday, in very 80s mirror shades - with me very clearly reflected in them.
I'd have been pleased to have taken this shot today, let alone 25 years ago.
Why Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Caucasian blondes are usually slightly higher in oestrogen than brunettes and are likely to exhibit other infantile sexually selected traits (indicating low levels of testosterone) that are considered desirable by males, for example finer facial features, smaller nose, smaller jaw, pointed chin, narrow shoulders, smooth skin and less body hair, and infantile behaviour such as higher energy levels and playfulness
Science doesn't do political correctness very well. ;-)
That said, I married a redhead...
The Very Last of the Summer Wine
Long-running BBC comedy Last of the Summer Wine is to be axed after 37 years, the BBC has announced.
via news.bbc.co.uk
I've 'fessed up to my deeply unfashionable love of Last of the Summer Wine before.
This news makes me sad - but I can't help but think that 37 years is a pretty good innings for a TV show...
London's Hidden Theatre Treasure
The building itself is tucked behind high security fencing around the back of Olympia and looks like it was once a rambling Victorian mental hospital.Access is through full-height turn-styles which are electronically operated once your name has been verified on the intercom. I kid you not. They must have some valuable stuff in there somewhere.
Reception is access by fire-escape-style external metal steps and once you've signed in and been given a security pass you are escorted to the reading room through a card activated turn style, and two card activated doors down a long, silent corridor. Once at the equally quiet reading room you have to deposit your bag in a locker and only pencils are allowed.
Rev Stan passes through the endless security of the V&A's little-known theatrical archive.
How many people outside academia even know that this exists?
London's Photographic Density (a nerdy ramble)
via londonist.com
The picture above represents the most photographed areas of London, based on the geotagging data found on images in Flickr and Picasa. (More here.)
Now, we have to introduce some caveats here. This image is shaped by the combination of people who have cameras that automatically geotag photos, and those who can be bothered to do it later. But, given the density and distribution, I think it's pretty accurate.
And this is something the archiving nerd in me finds interesting. Here, a whole agglomeration of data (or photos, if you like) has been used to create something else simply through analysis of the metadata associated with them.
We geeks get excited about tagging the things we create - but my experience suggests that explicit tagging (where people choose to apply the metadata) is a minority support at best. Automated tagging, where metadata is applied at the moment of creation (like geotagging) or as the image passes through software (face recognition)opens up far more opportunity for us to analyse and understand the world, through our join creative endeavours.
Isn't that cool? :)
Fashionably Recessional
There was a small debate on Twitter this morning, possibly triggered by Glynn, about the relationship between hemlines and the economic conditions. He found this reference:
Almost anything can be an economic indicator. Back in the 1920s, the economist George Taylor conceived the hemline index, finding that skirts got longer as the economy slowed. These days, there's been talk of a haircut index, with short locks signaling a market drop.Now, this season seems to be all about maxi dresses. And this story about stars shearing their locks short just popped up on a fashion blog.
Double dip recession anyone?
Kids and social networking – at what age is it acceptable to let kids get online with friends? And what are your rules for keeping tabs on it?
Never. Darn kids should stay off my virtual lawn.
When I was a kid we had to network using a 28.8k baud modem… (etc, etc, etc)
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Never. Darn kids should stay off my virtual lawn.<br />
When I was a kid we had to network using a 28.8k baud modem... (etc, etc, etc)