BBC Creates Addictive Viewing
According to the BBC, the amount of viewers of the Olympic Torch Relay has exceeded all expectations. You could argue, that they would say that wouldn’t they. In fact Roger Mosey says it all here.
The coverage is not by satellite, but by mobile phone 3G technology, which gives the odd break in transmission.
Some are saying it’s addictive on Twitter and Facebook. He’s one from Scotland.
Frances Chisholm on Facebook says: ”Kind of addictive” is an understatement. I am enjoying it all so much. Almost late for work this morning! I’m an ordinary working British Citizen, but “torchcam” makes me feel I can be part of it (the olympics) keep up the wonderful work! Will be cheering the flame when it passes through SELKIRK, Scottish Borders.
And I thought the Scots weren’t in favour of the Games.
Pakistan Does Things Differently
If say a Hungarian, a Latvian or a Frenchman had helped the Americans find Osama Bin Laden, he would have probably been given a reward.
But not Pakistan, where the Doctor who may have helped the Americas locate Bin Laden, was given a thirty year jail sentence for treason. It’s reported here on the BBC. I should have thought they would have praised him, especially, as Al Qaida has been responsible for the deaths of a large number of Pakistani citizens. Eight Pakistanis actually died in the attacks of September 11th and they are detailed here.
So what could have been their real motive?
Booze Cruises Return
The Times is reporting today, that booze cruises are returning due to the low level of the Euro.
FaceBook Renames Itself
To celebrate the performance of its shares, Facebook has changed its name to Facebomb.
As I left the site some time ago and wouldn’t deal in the shares at all, I can’t say this all bothers me. To paraphrase Marx, it’s a club I wouldn’t join, just because they’d have me as a member.
Bus Adverts Must Work!
Or at least they must have done for Wonga after their series of adverts a couple of months ago. As they are now using a whole new set of adverts for their Wonga for Business product.
A Wonga for Business Advert
The adverts are everywhere on a bus route near you.
On the other hand, they have been criticised by the OFT according to this report.
Radio 5 Broadcasts in Evening Dress
Radio 5 is at an important golf dinner tonight and the reporters are broadcasting in evening dress.
Just like radio used to be before the Second World War.
The ARM Phillosophy
Tudor Brown has stepped down as president of ARM Holdings, the chip designer. This article on the BBC,explains the company and its philosophy.
It is a business model that should be copied. It’s certainly worked!
Let’s Stick It to the Obituary Writers
Nick Curtis in the Evening Standard has a go at obituary writers in his piece tonight. He argues that you can’t libel the dead so why not tell the truth. He liked the obituary of Michael Jackson in Private Eye, headlined Mad Paedophile Dead.
After all, when the true stories are published, the truth comes out anyway. So why not print it in the obituary!
Sex Trafficking, Forced Marriage and Honour Killings
Some of the news just gets worse. Take this story about Mexicans trafficking women to the United States and other places for the purpose of prostitution and sex slavery.
Some of the figures in the report are horrendous.
$32 billion – Annual turnover of human trafficking industry
9.8 million – Total involved in unpaid work or prostitution
800,000 – People trafficked across borders each year
79 % – Of those trafficked are women or girls
And then we have the Shafilea Ahmed case, where she was murdered because, she wouldn’t agree to a forced marriage to someone she’d never met in Pakistan.
To me there is little difference. In my view to use threats and violence to exploit women makes those that do it, the lowest of the low.
We probably can’t do much about the problems in Mexico and the United States, but we should put lots of teeth behind the views of Baroness Warsi, her father and everyone, who believe that women have the right to choose how they lead their life.
The Anonymous Widower 