29 Jul 2025

Nearly half a bicycle

The atomic theory in Kilburn — This place (on Kilburn High Road) has been morphing steadily from dry cleaner’s to bike shop over the last few years. I remember being surprised one morning to see a few kids’ bikes lined up for sale outside but I’d say the shop is now approaching 50% bike shop. […]

13 Jan 2025

Where is my patriotism?

Come, love of country, fill my heart… — I do love Britain. I guess I love England more. London most of all. I hope that in my life I’ve honoured the place I live and not disgraced it or undermined it (I support England and GB in sporting events – I fly a little flag […]

6 Sep 2024

Some bullet-points about regulation

In case you’d got the wrong idea about how the ’regulatory state‘ is supposed to work — UPDATED 23 May 2025. I could update this thing daily. Regulation is always a news story in the UK (Search any news service for ‘regulation‘ right now and you’ll get a long list of current news stories about […]


  • Stock markets booming. Stock exchanges failing

    Stock exchanges evolved from informal institutions – places where blokes in top-hats swapped cash and promises. Since those early days they’ve acquired some respectability – although they’re still stuffed with…

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  • These men could make it all better for the music business

    At yesterday’s Beyond The Soundbytes music biz conference I ran into Paul Sanders, a major blast from the past (like it says on his web site: “since 1994”) and the…

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  • A small masterpiece from La La Land

    My favourite comment for ages. Not spam, just completely mad…

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  • From acceptance to accommodation

    So I went down to Carlton House Terrace for a MusicTank conference called Beyond the Soundbytes. Fascinating. There’s a sort of melancholy thrill to be had from watching an industry…

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  • More information about that eBay widget

    Like I said the other day we’re looking for someone to develop a clean, usable web widget for eBay. We’ve had a number of promising responses to our request but…

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  • Reaching for my gun

    I’m writing some think pieces for a new web site from the DCMS’s Culture Online. I started with one about the future of radio and the second one is about…

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  • The evolution of the API

    I don’t pretend to understand how it works but I do like the look of Mashery. If APIs are going to transform business, if they’re going to become a feature…

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  • Comedy characters

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  • Wow

    Supernaturally vivid photo-real illustrations from Japan. Link courtesy Things (I think).

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  • Widgets are hot

    Ivan’s in California engaged in hand-to-hand combat with the competition at Widgets Live. Here in London Jay’s been judging the BBC Backstage widget competition. Entries had to make use of…

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  • Lots of good politics this week

    Climate change – some kind of watershed. Iraq – another watershed?. Immigration – the numbers confirm Britain is a net consumer of migrants and has become a kind of ‘interchange’…

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  • George Monbiot is annoying

    Look. I know. You’re going to think this is petty (or just stupid… or hateful) but the annoying thing about Britain’s overnight conversion to the need for action on climate…

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