Mat Bowles

OK, so you're in the main train station, waiting for a train. Then a bloke starts beating a drum. And a flute joins in. And there's a bloke waving a stick, and more people just start turning up. Isn't this cool:

The Copenhagen Philharmonic Orchestra decided to flashmob the local station.

I am having difficulty figuring out words for describing how cool this is:

My quote of the day is from the description:

Keep in mind the scanner and floppy drive are not musical instruments. These are mechancial devices whose frequencies tend to drift and can cause some notes to be out of tune.

Seriously, how cool is that? (via)

Also, I'm testing the DW crossposter, apparently there are issues with post edits and embedded videos that we need to iron out. So comments off on LJ and on on DW, I don't plan on making a habit of this until it's way out of closed beta, but you all know me and plans...

This is a pretty good description of my friends list and feed reader this morning:

How about you? Taking Jennie to work for an eight hour shift in abit, then back here—got a bit of a grotty cold so don't want to sit in the pub given we're doing that tomorrow for her birthday anyway. So, come on people, post stuff, amuse me!

OK, how about a meme. Um, Most expensive Xmas present? Most annoying? Most useful? Why?

For me, all three are one. We got a Wii. Well, when I say we, what I mean is Jennie got one and I grudgingly said OK. Obviously most expensive, and obviously, it's a Wii, it's annoying. But most useful?

Can we say babysitting service? Shrub's got the idea I'm completely useless at it already, so accepts that I don't want to play it lots. So as long as I make sure she takes regular breaks and go down to talk to her a bit, I can keep my sanity when she's off school. Yay!

Also? Worms: Space Oddity is cool, even if I can't aim for toffee, and it makes Jennie smile. Making Jennie smile is always fun.

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I think the The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy answered this best back in 1992:

Although it's not exactly new. And possibly it's being replaced by t'internet. Which, y'know, given the events of this week, is probably a good thing. On that subject...

URL of the week:

http://change.gov/ (via)

I have a brief comment on the Obama election. It's a story about a man who captured the hopes of the nation, made an appeal for change, won an election by mobilising a massive coalition of disparate influence groups, uniting them for a common purpose who went on to win seats all over the country, including in places that were previously thought unwinnable for his party. A lawyer, he and his young family were a refreshing alternative to the tired right wing Govt that they voted out.

Mr President Elect Obama sir? If you turn into another fucking Tony Blair, the entire world will be very disappointed in you. I voted for that git, I supported that git. He broke his promises and let me down. Don't be a git sir, we're depending on you.

Domestic bliss?

This morning, miss_s_b did take young shrublette to school, then went into town and did some shopping in Tesco. She bought a loaf of bread, more classic Doctor Who poseable action figure (we're very close to getting the whole Robot now, yay!) and a big bag of five custard doughnuts. I then took her to work. At lunch today, I did eat one of the doughnuts and felt a bit guilty about it. This evening, I picked her up from work, we went to former Cllr Yates's house to get his name at the top of our petition, then I dropped her home so I could go back to her work to pick up her Dad and give him a lift home.

When I got home, I offered to make tea. Quoth she:

I'm not hungry actually. I've eaten all the doughnuts

She has as well, the greedy pig.

Next time she complains about putting on weight? Suggest she might like to stop eating all the doughnuts...

Love you darlin'

Right, Richard posted a poll (go vote) about the CDs on his desk, and said we should do the same. Well, this isn't exactly the CDs on my desk, it's the stack I just moved from the base of the stairs as I'm vacuuming^[1]. It's basically the stuff Jennie's taken to work over the last few weeks and not put back into the CD shelves yet. So, which of them would you choose to listen to?
[Poll #1195103]
Bonus special points—6 of them are my CDs, want to guess which?

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[1]You can tell I'm vacuuming, right? Definitely cleaning the house, not at all distracted and sat back at the computer again. Why she thinks I love the thing is beyond me, we got it to clear up after her filthy dogs...

My daily digest of texts, tweets and status updates.
( Sent by text from wherever I was at the time )

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Microblogging by SMS, using LoudTwitter and Twitter.

John Peel Gravestone

Steve points us at The Guardian's gravestone meme inspired by the news that John Peel's grave has a line from an Undertones song on it. The mind boggles as to why the Telegraph had a picture of the actual stone but none of the other media sources did, I assume stupidity? Anyway, the questions:

1) Which lyric would you have on your tombstone?
2) Which song has been the soundtrack to your life?
3) Do you have any suggestions for the pop-music epitaphs of world figures?

I answered on his post but, y'know, I was going to link the picture anyway because, well: Dude! John Peel!

And it is a most excellent gravestone. So I guess you want my answers, right?
( Tribute to John Peel meme )

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Ah well, any more takers?

Seriously. Open this link in a new window, DO NOT open it in a tab.

There now follows a poll.
[Poll #1070622]
See, I'm nice. I followed the link with no warning at all.

I have had a hectic weekend. I'll try to writ it up in parts but, well, exhausted but happy. Appears that davidnm and friends crossed over with myself and fracindy in visiting the Tate Modern Saturday evening by a matter of minutes, weird. Anyway...

linkfrenzy has a Doctor Who special,and the link drjon justifiably hasn't hyperlinked is well worth a visit.

This has been a few places already, but this is a bloody good Rammstein translation. On the subject of weirdness, Leeds University has guidelines on how to cite YouTube in an academic paper. Last up? Prettyness. I don't know much about the whole SteamPunk movement, but if the girls looks like this I might want to know more.

Edit: Extra bonus link—Victorian sex cry generator!

EMI dumps DRM on iTunes. Is the glacier moving?

Only on iTunes, but DRM free is good regardless.

ETA: Not just on iTunes. EMI Press Release:

From today, EMI's retailers will be offered downloads of tracks and albums in the DRM-free audio format of their choice in a variety of bit rates up to CD quality. EMI is releasing the premium downloads in response to consumer demand for high fidelity digital music for use on home music systems, mobile phones and digital music players. EMI's new DRM-free products will enable full interoperability of digital music across all devices and platforms.