Little city, big plans

I like quiet.
The stillness of the early morning, the silence of snow in winter, no noise is good noise as far as I’m concerned.
But I am annoyed at myself for the quietness on this blog.
There are reasons (excuses?) aplenty. But, still, I should know better.
The main reason has been my new job - my new 9-5, [...]

This is local news for local people

I admit I’m struggling with the debate surrounding the BBC’s £68m plans to dramatically increase its online coverage of local news.
The proposal has, inevitably, met with criticism from regional newspaper groups who are unimpressed that the Beeb would use licence payers money to fund the significant expansion to a network of 65 local sites.
Ofcom has [...]

Sour golf grapes, a Tory blog-fest, multicultural mistakes and bad dogs

A weekend round-up taking you into the heady worlds of sport, politics, religion and crime:
One of The Birmingham Post’s sports writers appears to have stirred things up on both sides of the Atlantic with a blog criticising the behaviour of US players and fans at the recent Ryder Cup.
He’s not very complimentary about the winning US team or [...]

Foot-in-mouth chef, a summer’s lament, censorship and real men wear pink

A start of the working week round-up:
Fat-tongued saviour of school meals and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver (I’m not a fan) has bitten the hand that has fed him very well over the years.
In an interview with Paris Match, the cook has lambasted the UK’s booze culture and inability to recognise good cuisine.
“England is one of [...]

Its not all work, work, work, you know

I’m not entirely sure the dust has actually settled on this week’s announcement of a radical shake-up of TrinityMirror’s newspaper publishing operation in the Midlands.
Such is the scale of the changes being proposed, the fall-out will be swirling around for some time to come.
For one thing there’s the 90-day consultation process involving all 300-odd editorial staff, [...]

Writers’ block, the business of sport and telling stories

I didn’t really miss too much on my 10-day break – apart from war in the Caucuses, the fastest jogger on Earth and the tale of two Birminghams.
So a short catch up.
Fellow WMBN member DJ Francis gives his views on the future of journalism, suggesting the confusion and turmoil the industry is finding itself wrapped [...]

The old, the new and the different

There’s appears to have been a flurry of blogging activity in recent weeks regarding the collision of three apparently different worlds – blogging, journalism and PR.
As I’m trying to inhabit all three worlds at the same time, it has proved an interesting and illuminating time.
I’ll admit my head has been sent spinning by some of [...]

Take your marks for Olympic overkill

The 2008 Olympic Games all set to start with the usual mixture of daft opening ceremonies and navel-gazing about British hopes, particularly in athletics, to look forward to again.
However, the Beijing Games are likely to throw up a genuinely interesting first.
Even in such a short space of time since the last Olympics were held in [...]

Hedgehog or fox, Wispas, lad mags and the filthy rich

Start the week with a round-up.
Le Craic asks an interesting question about your blog – is it a hedgehog or a fox?
I’ve always seen myself as a badger.
Cadbury has announced it will relaunch the Wispa bar for good after 20 million were sold in seven weeks during a trial run last year.
The decision follows online campaigns, [...]

Self-portraits, dolls, cannibalism and writing blogs

It is shameless plug time again.
The wife has created a book from the 366-day self-portrait photography project she completed in May.
It was never Rachel’s original intention, but the project chronicles her struggle to cope with her illness and all its implications over the course of the year.
I’m obviously completely and utterly biased when I say it is an amazing [...]