There is a post on this blog that really caught my eye. it is about how John Battelle, a blog owner on the topics of "Thoughts on the intersection of search, media, technology, and more" is the first John that appears on Google when you type "john" into the search bar. This is crazy! Think of how many important Johns there have been!!! John Lennon, JFK, The Pope and even the legendary John Candy (pure legend because of cool runnings!).
But this made me think that if this can happen then Google can be manipulated by multinational companies very easily. All it takes is enough clicks from people and boom you’re the first person up there. In our class we are trying to do this by using the word VQUZESHUF, which was unknown to Google and seeing how we can spread this word around the internet. In 2 weeks we are up to 111 results. Not bad for a class of 25. But this brings me back to my point of that multinational companies could employ someone to simply work Google so that their company is the first one to pop up. Who knows if this is what happens or not! Anyway thought it was a pretty cool post to read.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
John Battelle's Blog - WTF!
Max Kalehoff - the greatest mullet in the world!
Paris Daily Photo!
Social Netowrking not just for the kids!!
This post is for all of you out there who thought social networking was just something the younger generation of today does. Well you’re wrong! Social networking has exploded and the whole population is reaping the benefits. Saga Zone site was developed by the Saga Group, based in Folkestone, Kent, which specializes in products and services for the over-50s. vquzeshuf. Some 13,000 people signed up to the site, which includes forums on subjects from gardening tips to relationship advice, in a trial four months ago. The oldest member is said to be 87 years old! People retire in different parts of the country and they don't live near their extended family," he said. "Saga Zone is good because it will engage older people with another technology” says Psychology professor Cary Cooper, from the University of Lancaster. One thing that many people are concerned with is the fact that social networking is starting to hinder on eyeball to eyeball contact. However I feel that it only improves this. I feel it gives us ways to meet people and once we have formed a relationship then we can then utilize the eyeball to eyeball aspect of communication. Click here to read more.Should empolyers ban social networking sites?
I found this article online which concerns workers at Kent Country Council, England. KCC have opted to ban its employees from using the website. KCC employs 32,000 employees. This decision has received mixed reviews since management opted to block the website. Many employees feel it is good as it stops time wasting and the misuse of company time. Management has also made it public that the decision to block the website was purely because they feel they “have a responsibility to keep our IT systems secure”. They feel that valuable information may be released on the site which could cause the organization future problems. However Professor Frank Furedi, from the University of Kent, said the site could be "a very valuable asset for creating communities between employees". He said: "It's a way that employees can share experiences, and it's a way that employers can learn about problems that exist in the workplace."
I personally feel that in modern times social networking has become a huge part of society and it is a way of making connections. This could be especially useful in the business world as half of business is about forming relationships. To read more of the story click here or just vquzeshuf
Hike takes a trip to the Seaside
This post concerns Hike, an adventurous Border Collie from Connah's Quay, Flintshire. Hike’s owner Emma Ward let Hike out in the back garden as usual on for her to disappear last Thursday. After hours of frantic searching for her beloved dog, consisting of missing posters and several calls to local dog wardens, Emma received the news she was praying for. Hike had turned up 23 miles away at the beach! Hike had jumped onto the number 11 bus to Rhyl, the closest beach. Apparently Hike had decided to take a little trip so he jumped on the bus and rode the whole way there under a seat. When he arrived at the beach he jumped off and started to play with the driver. vquzeshuf. So you never know what your pets are doing while you’re not home. Who knows what they could get up to!
Monday, April 21, 2008
Big News for All You Ladies!
The big news from the UK this weekend is that there is now only one single Jones boy left in the UK. this follows big brother Jones getting married this weekend. the service was at Goldenhill Church and then the reception was at Hayden House Hotel. it was a great day and it didn't even rain which is a miracle! so unlucky all you ladies! Martyn Jones is now a married man! three cheers for Martyn VQUZESHUF, Horrah! VQUZESHUF, Horrah! VQUZESHUF Horrah!wow that was awful!
Thursday, April 10, 2008
How Much Would You Pay For A Cup of POOP?!!!
Believe it or not this is how much customers are paying for a cup of “poop” in departments stores around London. OK it’s not exactly a full cup of poop but rather a specialist cup of coffee made from the Kopi Luwak bean. This bean is eaten, then passed, by the cat-like Asian palm civet, and sell for £324 a kilogram. So however you describe the bean it is actually pooped out by cat sized mammal. Asian palm civets live in the forestry surrounding bean plantations across South-East Asia and are rumored to only eat the ripest and purest coffee beans around. The bean in then broken down by the mammals digestive system with just the pure bean being passed once digested. Workers then collect the “poop” which is washed away. The bean is then roasted and sold for $650 a kilogram. The Beans are then used to make a cup of Caffe Raro which sells at around$100 per cup. This is thought to be the most expensive cup of coffee in the world. However profit is not been sought out by the London department store Peter Jones in Sloane Square as all profits during April will go to Macmillan Cancer Support. To read more on the article the click VQUZESHUF!!!
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Always Wear Your Thongs The Right Way Round!!!!
This is just a little warning to any tourists wanting to visit the UK anytime soon….Always wear your thongs the correct way round! If you fail to this you may get a $300 fine just like David Bachelor. Yep you heard right DAVID Bachelor. This crazy cat decided he would go outside wearing nothing but a skimpy thong the wrong way round. Why would anyone do this you may ask? Well David did it because he “didn’t know. I was just feeding the birds.” The heavily intoxicated Scotsman insisted there was nothing more in it but neighbors immediately called the police due to the large number of school children passing his house at the time and Bachelor’s genitals being partial exposed. Bachelor claimed he had not seen anyone around, but then confessed he looked at everyone as they went past and the "schoolgirls were bonnie (Scottish term for very nice)." Police rushed to the Perth address and took Bachelor into custody.
Bachelor’s lawyer blamed the incident on the high levels of alcohol the accused had consumed. Perth was fined $300 and given a stern warning. So as previously mentioned don’t go wearing your thongs the wrong way round in the UK or you could be in trouble!
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Why not wear you pets?
A couple in Newcastle, England have found a unique way of keeping their beloved dead pets close to their hearts. You may think this would be to maybe have pictures of them around the house or to buy porcelain statues that resemble them. However for Beth and Brian Willis, this wasn’t enough. So what they decided to do was to have a jumper made out of their fur!!! Yup this is true.The couple lost their white Samoyed, called Kara, 12 years ago and Swedish Lapphund, Penny, in 2002. So what better way to keep their spirits alive than to wear them to the grocery store or to IKEA?! Mr. Willis, 73-years-old said: "They are extremely warm and pretty much waterproof. I've always got a sweat on by the time I get from the bus to the shops." Mrs. Willis describes the Fur Jumpers as "the most amazing stuff. It's like mohair but more lightweight and more soft, and the more you wash it, the more soft and fluffy it gets."
So there you have it! Save your dogs hair and you too could be walking around in your very own dog jumper!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
How much would you pay for a life?
This story comes from Australia but I came across it whilst reading an English newspaper online. The headline dragged me into the story as it is bizarre! Ian Usher (right), 44 from Perth, Australia has decided that he has had enough of his old life after his marriage broke down. What he is willing to do is to auction off his old life as a package on eBay. The package will include his house in Perth valued at around $400,000. On top of this Usher said his life auction, which starts on June 22, included not only his house but his car, a motorbike, a jet ski and a spa, an introduction to "great friends" and a job at a rug shop in Perth for a trial two-week period. This is pretty much his whole life!!! 
Ian describes his life before the break up as incredibly happy. He says “I met and married the best girl in the world (Wife, Laura, Left). I loved her with all my heart, and she loved me back too. However, after over twelve years together and five years of fantastic married happiness, I was hit with a bolt from the blue. “After this “bolt from the blue” which Ian refuses to go into detail about Ian decided enough was enough and has decided to start again from fresh. So as of June 22nd, Ian intends to “walk out of my front door with my wallet in one pocket and my passport in the other, nothing else at all, and get on the train, with no idea where I am going or what the future holds for me.”
At first I thought this guy was crazy and was just out to get some media attention. But after some consideration I have a lot of respect for the guy. It takes guts to do what he is doing. Also what an adventure it will be. He will have a decent amount of money behind him if the auction goes well so he will have options. He will be free to do what he wants and to start his life from fresh. Some people may look at this and think the guy is crazy to give up the stability of his existing life and just leave on a whim. Some people may think the guy is in the middle of a midlife crisis. However I hold my hands up and say good luck to the guy. It takes guts to do it and if you’re not happy then why plod along in an unhappy life. I have a lot of respect for him and wish him good luck.
If you would like to see the guys website then click here or log onto www.alife4sale.com. Here you can read his full story, his reasoning and his intended plans.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Build a house for $7500!!!
So with house prices in the UK just as ridiculous as in the US one engineer from Galloway has built a complete house for 4000 pounds which is roughly between $7500-8000. I couldn't believe it when i read this! The average house in the UK probably costs around 158,000 pound so thats around$300,000. This is just for a simple 2 bedroom, semi detached house in Scotland without the frills. This is just a basic house which means the cost of a bigger house is unthinkable. So what a great idea to just build your own! And the best thing about it is most of it was built by donated goods. The full costs were;
The house took about 10 months to complete even with the added problem of the British weather. The house is fully livable and has appliances such as a cooker, fire place and clean running water. The walls are made of straw, the roof out of turf and much of the rest of the building from items other people threw away. The end product is a warm and watertight cottage.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
The aliens have arrived....in London!!!!!
OK I normally read most of these stories and think what a load of rubbish. But when I saw this one it is actually a bit crazy. All of these stories have to be taken with a pinch of salt as with photographic technology these days it’s pretty easy to modify and enhance photos. But this photo taken by a student in London shows what clearly looks like a flying saucer over the River Thames. The photograph was taken by Karolina-Slavka Mueller, a student at the University of Exeter at 3.50am on the 19th January. Karolina didn’t notice the photo until she later looked back at the photos taken of that night. Chris Martin, a UFO research expert examined the photos and said, "I was looking for evidence that these have been fabricated.”I couldn't find any evidence. It's unprecedented because she produced three pictures, which seems to show its flying. "My own evaluation is that these photographs are genuine and have not been digitally manipulated or hoaxed."
So people seem to be feeling that this may have been a genuine sighting. Even the Ministry of Defense has refused to comment on the incident which makes me wonder that there may be something behind this. Normally when claimed sightings occur the British government is quick to quash the stories. However a Ministry of Defense spoke person refused to comment on the incident but said, "The MoD examines reports solely to establish whether UK airspace may have been compromised by hostile or unauthorized military activity. "Unless there is evidence of a potential threat, there is no attempt to identify the nature of each sighting reported."
Believe in this how you will but the photographs are pretty striking. However as previously said with current photographic technology or lighting developments then the authenticity of this story is up to individual belief. How know’s the aliens could have just been doing a bit of sighting seeing. They maybe in New York right now counting the steps of the Empire State Building.
Th read more about the story and view the other pictures then click here
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Has Madeline been spotted?
This post is an update for the search on the search for Madeleine McCann. I don’t no if many people in the US have been following this story but it is worldwide news. If you don’t then I will give you a brief history of the case.
Madeleine McCann disappeared on the evening of Thursday, 3 May 2007 in the resort of Praia da Luz in the Algarve, Portugal, just days short of her fourth birthday. The British girl was on holiday with h
er parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, and siblings when she disappeared from an apartment in the central area of the resort. Madeleine's parents have said that they left her unsupervised in a ground floor bedroom with her two-year-old twin siblings while they ate at a restaurant about 120 meters away. Since this tragic event occurred there has been an ongoing case in the search for the missing 4 year old. There have been many "false" sightings of the little girl but nothing has come of them. Also the case has had many twists and turn along the way with several suspects being arrest, no more so prolific than Kate and Gerry McCann....the girl’s parents. None of these arrests stuck and the Portuguese police continue to investigate the case. If you want to read more about the case, which I suggest you do as it is a truly touching story, then click here.This story has touched the hearts of millions and millions of people around the world. All you have to do is look at her picture and you can feel the pain at which her family must be suffering. I decided to post now as there have been some recent developments in the case. Friday 15th February and the French police received news that little Madeleine had been sighting in Montpellier, France. A Dutch student spotted a blonde girl bearing a resemblance to the missing four-year-old near Montpellier last Friday. Melissa Fiering, 18, claims she saw Madeleine with a man at the L'Arche motorway service station restaurant. The girl had Madeleine's distinctive 'cat-like' iris in her eye, she said. When she called out the girl's name, the man wrapped the child in her coat and hat, bundled her out of the restaurant and drove away before police could arrive, she claimed.
The cat like eye that the girl describes has been a hope from her family as Madeleine is quite distinctive when seen up close. She has a slight attachment between her pupil and the color of her right eye which makes her very unique. This is something that the family have tried to get people to take not of as it could be the key to finding her if she is still alive. Her family has never given up hope of Madeleine being found but has time has gone on the chances have become slimmer and slimmer. However this latest sighting has given new hope that she might just still be out there.
The Mirror Newspaper released the story of the sighting yesterday. Melissa, from Nijmegan in Holland, told the Hart van Nederland newspaper: "When I saw the little girl, I recognized her immediately. At first I could not believe it. She was about six feet away from me. She had the same deformation in her eye. I had followed everything about the story on TV and I knew about the cat-eye. She looked just the same, though she was skinnier about the face and her hair was shorter. I was listening to music out loud on my mobile phone and the girl started dancing to it. Then I called out 'Madeleine' and she looked up. The man with her was about six feet tall, with black hair, a black leather jacket and several days’ growth of stubble. When I shouted out, he put on her coat and hat and bundled her away."
This sounds as if the story could have something behind it and so brings fresh hope to the world that Madeleine will be
returned safely without harm. I urge you to keep up to date with this story as it truly is an ongoing tragedy. Millions of people have aided the search for Madeleine including celebrities such as David Beckham and governments throughout the world. If you would like to help then please check out the website http://www.bringmadeleinehome.com/. Anything you can do to help will be appreciated by her family.Every day we hope that little Madeleine will be returned home safe and well. If this is not the case then we hope that the culprits for this tragic crime will be brought to justice and that her family can finally feel some sort of closure of this awful time. All we can do is hope for her return.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Social Networking on the Move!
I just wanted to share this article with you which shows some huge developments in the social networking scene. A social network site called Bliin is using advanced technology using GPS (global positioning satellite) and mobile social networking in order for users to be able to track friend’s whereabouts. The site uses Google maps to project your image onto them and so allows users to track the movements of a friend of colleague. This technology is crazy! If a person is using the social networking site via a mobile phone then the user will actually be able to track second by second the movements of the person they are talking to.
This obviously brings up ethical and moral issues. They have been questions raised by The UK's Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre. They are looking at the possibility of the technology being abused. they say "this has significant implications in terms of grooming via mobile social networking sites with offenders potentially able to locate their victims in this way." this is the obvious problem but the technology will work the same way as regular sites such as Facebook and MySpace. They will have settings which enable you to limit who can see your whereabouts as MySpace or Facebook have settings to limit who sees your profile.
The technology is in the testing faze right now but is being further developed by Trackut and Canadian-based Kakiloc. However MySpace and Facebook have released statements saying that they are not currently interested in adding this feature to their sites.
This shows huge developments in the way that social networking is moving on. Whether this is good or bad is down to an individual’s perspective but it shows that social networking has no boundaries and has not reached the limit of growth. It will be interesting to see how this story develops. I will keep you posted of any new news. If you want to check out the full article then click here .
Friday, February 8, 2008
"if you think anything online is private....your an idiot"
if you would like to read more about the article then click here
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Bring back the donkey!!!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Pensioner's Play Area
good times are coming to a park near you!
the full article is at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/7217074.stm
Intro
This post is just a little intro as to be what il be talking about. Im from Stoke-on-Trent, England and thought i would base my blog on the intresting things that happen from across the pond. They will range from the major events to the weird stuff that happens!
Hope you enjoy it!
Matt
