This year so far, being in Galicia with friends and family, (!abrazos a mis primos!), finding a certain kind of freedom, barbecues in hot weather and music, lots of music. I recently created an "unplayed" playlist in iTunes and was horrified to discover that this contained 95 days worth of music. I've managed to reduce this to just 93 and a half days of unlistened to music but have been severely hampered in my task by that pesky French genius, Laurent Garnier.
If you listen to Chris Moyles on BBC Radio 1, as I do in the morning, you'll know the failing of most music radio stations is the DJ - if they're not playing their own bumpf to fill time and claim royalties (every time you hear an announcement with music, you can bet Mr Moyles is pocketing a few pennies), chances are the tunes will be dire. There is a solution - for get the British Broadcasting Corporation, pay a little visit to Pedro's Broadcasting Basement. Suggested for those with a mature taste in music and over the age of 16, few intermissions are longer than 10 seconds. There is no DJ, just a seemingly random selection of the best music ever recorded. What you hear is a digitised version of a very very large record collection. And because it's internet based, you'll see exactly what that tune is, what label it's on, and what classification Laurent's given it, whether it's Rock, Pop, Techno, House, Hip Hop, Reggae, Ragga, Dub, Soundtrack, Ambient, Hard House, Soul, Northern Soul, New Soul or unclassifiable.
This radio station is almost a tribute to John Peel, and follows his maxim of "playing things you've never heard" before very closely.
"POLICE MISTOOK MAN FOR MUGGER AT TUBE STATION
DESIGNER TO SUE MET FOR 'BEATING'
A young graphic designer has launched legal action against the police after he was sprayed with CS gas and allegedly roughed up by officers who wrongly believed he had mugged someone.
Leon Rowe claims he was unlawfully arrested by nine police officers who then used excessive force to detain him.
The 27-year-old, who was held in custody for 19 hours, has written to the Indpendent Police Complaints Commission demanding action.
His ordeal began at Farringdon Tube station at 11pm on Friday 10 August when an officer approached him and said he fitted the descriptioin of a man wanted for a street mugging. He says he was then surrounded by officers who shouted "get on the ground".
Rowe said: "The officers sprayed CS gas in the right side of my face. I was in complete shock, struggling to stand and wiping the fluid from my eyes and face. An officer brought my head down, taking his knee to me. Other officers used their batons and fists repeatedly on my legs and upper body"
Rowe admits he initially stood with his hands in his pockets when warned not to do so. But he added: "The wounds on my right hand are so serious, I have been unable to use it in my trade as a graphic designer." Rowe was fined £80 for a public order offence - which he is contesting - but was cleared of involvement in the street robbery.
Scotland Yard said a man had "refused to cooperate with police and became aggressive. CS gas was deployed and he was arrested for a public order offence"
Steve Hartley 20 August 2007 for the thelondonpaper
Facebook. MySpace. Microsoft's Messaging Services. IRC. I think the importance of the network has arrived at a critical point in certain people's lives recently. It has been heralded we easily forget where we were before so the importance, or, the effect the technology is having on our systems, is often ignored.
I am sure I am not the only one who is wary of using more technology, more tools, to keep in contact with people - I have a telephone, and an email address, so why not just use those? I also have an IRC client, but I don't tell new acquaintances to check me out on ircnet... Having used MySpace for around a year now, I must say that it is purely my experience with that website, and WAYN (Where Are You Now?), that is making me apprehensive of this form of communication.
Just this minute signed up with Facebook - and the pleasure I get in it's interface is a sure sign that I'm too old for MySpace. Or perhaps, that the majority of people aren't actually web designers, so spaces that allow you to put what you want where you want may not be suitable toys for many young people.
Cloud, with rain later, apparently.
This is the (valid!) web page of David Santorum and Nuisance Graphics in the year of 2007.