El Bloggo Flobo

Blog going down

2009-02-03T12:26:00.001Z

After 7 years of blogging, it's time to take a break...now that my ramblings are being published by the Big British Castle! :)

A walk in the park

2009-01-23T12:45:00.003Z

Amnesty's funny little vid about keeping it real with Obama.

Then I swallowed it

2008-12-10T17:23:00.008Z

While covering the sale of the Wittelsbach diamond at Christie's today, I got to manhandle the £16.4 million diamond a bit (no, this isn't my hand, but you might see it on CBC Newsworld tonight!)

Wow...that would pay off my student loans.

Obviously, that is irritating

2008-11-11T21:31:00.002Z

Oxford, which is allowed to be this pedantic, has compiled a list of the top ten most annoying phrases.

I completely agree with their number 1, which was a source of major mental abuse from an old flatmate. However they have missed out on my two top faves:
1. I'm not being funny
2. Obviously

For example, "Obviously, I'm not being funny, love, but you look like crap."

Also some new phrases that are battling with the below-mentioned Main St/High St and Fit for Purpose:
1. Ruin the party
2. Cock-a-hoop

Yeah, I know, weird stuff!

The Oxford top 10:

1 - At the end of the day

2 - Fairly unique

3 - I personally

4 - At this moment in time

5 - With all due respect

6 - Absolutely

7 - It's a nightmare

8 - Shouldn't of

9 - 24/7

10 - It's not rocket science

Separated at birth?

2008-11-05T21:16:00.004Z

I want Michelle Obama to do some Aliens-style butt kicking at the White House!

Have a little imagination

2008-10-16T11:43:00.002+01:00

"Wall Street versus Main Street" is the new shorthand running rampant across the news, and it's only taken about a month to go to the top of the clich� league tables.

eg. "Financial crisis: Juggling Wall Street and Main Street". Wall Street is the financial sphere, Main Street* is consumers and people and regular stuff.

See how bad it's gotten--Main Street as adjective: "The spreading financial gloom that envelops Wall Street has hit that most Main Street of American sports: NASCAR." (link) Barf!

I challenge you to find a mention of this foul phrase before about 18 September. It's the new "fit for purpose", which was new enough when John Reid said it about the Home Office in May 2006 to require lengthy deconstruction on the Today programme, but is now chucked out randomly about everything from A-levels to knitting.

* I'm not even going to go into the whole Main Street/High Street distinction in the UK, although it does add another layer of ickyness to the phrase when used in Britain.

Palin writes her own jokes

2008-10-10T18:50:00.001+01:00

I don't know how this is becoming some kind of Palin-themed video blog, really I don't. But I couldn't pass up this last little one.

Drunk history

2008-10-09T12:32:00.002+01:00

I am laughing crying.

HassleMe

2008-09-22T16:38:00.006+01:00

HassleMe is a little web app that acts like that nagging little voice in your head.

Tell us what to hassle you about, and we'll nag you via email at semi-unpredictable intervals.

When you set up a hassle, you can keep it private or make it public, and the public ones make very funny reading! Most of them involve the gym or fruit and veg, but:

Stop eating cheese. You're a vegan, God Damnit. Knock it off. roughly every 8 days

floss your teeth, smartass roughly every 5 days

Re-organize your damn room....get the close off your floor and get rid of the stagnant air! Dammit! DO IT! USE THAT FEBREEZE! roughly every 7 days

Target: Women does Palin

2008-09-18T16:02:00.003+01:00

I wanted to make a post just to knock Palin off the top of my blog, because everyone I respect is so creeped out by her that new I feel a bit awkward about being so happy that she was nominated.

I thought I would recommend Target: Women, which is a pee-your-pants funny segment on digital TV station CurrentTV where Sarah Haskins rips into the bizarre world of marketing to women. Which, in the US, goes to places that you would not believe. Like period management.

But it's time for Target: Women: Sarah Palin! So Palin's still on top, but at least she's funny and scary now, instead of just scary.

Hockey mom in charge

2008-08-29T17:12:00.003+01:00

I don't agree with Sarah Palin's politics--she's opposed to abortion rights; she supports offshore drilling in a nature reserve--but that's no big surprise; she is a Republican.

But I'm thrilled that she's been selected as McCain's running mate. It managed to poke a hole in my thick anti-US-election callus, grown after Bush got elected for the second time.

McCain may have picked Palin to woo the 'bitter Clinton woman' camp. And both tickets still have an old white guy. But still, both presidential tickets are making history.

And McCain is old. A heartbeat away from breaking the seal on a female prez (not that Kim Campbell did Canada much good).

My extremely expert opinion

2008-08-08T12:06:00.002+01:00

Thanks to the lovely Georgia, my opining is part of the Dept for Innovation, Universities & Skills consultation looking at the engagement of science with society.

I love science, I love engagement and I love society. So, I'm perfect for it.

They asked me, "How do we capture emerging issues effectively and feed into the communication and engagement process?"

Read my insight (?) here.

Radio days

2008-07-31T21:57:00.007+01:00

I'm at BBC Radio science unit this month, having a fantastic time. So listen out for me! And be sure to write in requesting more of the dulcet Canadian tones.

Old-skool TV clocks in Flash

2008-07-23T21:16:00.010+01:00

I never lived in Britain in the 80s, but these Flash versions of various TV clocks are so beautiful as to make me feel nostalgic, anyway.

Look at the lovely way that second hand bounces around. :)

Lots more available here.

New Joss Whedon Internet film

2008-07-17T16:51:00.006+01:00

ZMOG, (again), how exciting that Joss Whedon has created an Internets-only film.
He says:

It is time for us to change the face of Show Business as we know it. You know the old adage, "It's Show Business - not Show Friends"? Well now it's Show Friends. We did that. To Show Business. To show Show Business we mean business. (Also, there are now other businesses like it.)

ONE WEEK ONLY! AN INTERNET MINISERIES EVENT!

Whedon did my favourite show, like, evah: Firefly. Also Buffy the Vampire Slayer, etc.

I'll report back if it's any good.

Photos from Canada

2008-07-14T23:23:00.004+01:00

Here are a few snaps from my recent trip to Canada, eh!

Click here to see the maple-flavoured goodness.

The good ship...

2008-07-14T20:49:00.002+01:00

Be careful not to go out on the Thames when the waves are up...you may end up taking an express trip to Hurlingham.

Nerd hero

2008-07-07T22:47:00.002+01:00

I am right now in the same room as Tim Berners-Lee. Also I am at this moment on Radio 4. What a great day!

Last-minute visit!

2008-06-16T11:23:00.002+01:00

ZOMG, I'm coming home! Thanks to Kate and Eric's whirlwind ten-year romance, I have a great excuse to hop on a plane and jet over there for a week of chilaxing. Also I am self-proclaimed head bridesmaid, look out!

Drop me an email if you are around and would like to join in the Flo fun.

Those astronaut basards

2008-06-12T19:59:00.002+01:00

Of course I am applying for the Canadian astronaut spots! But I got this response from the Canadian Space Agency:

Dear Ms. Graham,

After looking at your application, we noticed that you have entered your science communication degree in the science section. We do not question the fact that science communication is a science or not. However, for the purposes of this recruitment campaign, the selection committee decided to place certain degrees in the "other field" section.

Heh, such a sweet way of dissing my degree! No matter, I will still win. :)

Kiva microlending is awesome

2008-06-12T18:55:00.003+01:00

Kiva is a website where you can get involved with microlending to entrepreneurs all over the majority world.

Here's a great comment from someone that I've leant money to via Kiva; Assa Gueye in Senegal:

Nous avons acheté d'abord un boeuf que nous avons vendu en entier. ensuite, nous avons commencé à vendre de la viande quand nous avons acheté un congélateur pour conserver la viande. Au début les clients hésitaient un peu, car ce n'est pas courant de voir des femmes vendre de la viande au détail. C'était un métier réservé aux hommes. mais grâce à Kiva; nous avons révolutionné le secteur qui est maintenant ouvert à tout la monde.

Yay, meat-selling feminism!

You don't get any interest on your loans, but you get a fantastic feeling. Try it!

GPS gadgets can reveal more than your location

2008-06-06T17:00:00.003+01:00

My latest story for New Scientist is another one for the conspiracy/privacy fans.

We know GPS gadgets can tell where you are. But researchers at Microsoft
are developing ways for them to know what you are doing too � even down to which
mode of transport you use to get to work.

Here's another, very very very similar story...without my byline...what's that about? I have my own conspiracy theory.

Style guides are funny

2008-06-03T10:40:00.006+01:00

Is it wrong that I like reading style guides? They're funny! Read this guide on how to write for BBC Radio news.

It's just so snarky. If TV comedy was written as snarkily, it might be funny.

Cliches
The persistent use of "angry clashes" to label carefully rehearsed exchanges of empty abuse inflicts a species of staleness on a story from which it is unlikely to recover....
And it is not compulsory, when reporting disagreements among drivers, or stories involving unsupervised children, to use the phrases "road rage" or "home alone".

Golden Rules
Read what you have written to yourself. The late Radio Four reader Laurie MacMillan was once presented with a story which contained the words "dismissed this as a myth". In characteristically forceful fashion, she pointed out that this was not fit to be broadcast.

Oh, hurRAH. Angry English-loving tweedy types, rise up, rise up!

FloJo Show: Jo is back!

2008-05-31T23:36:00.001+01:00

If you missed the FloJo show on Thursday, here it is!

Click here to listen.

The Rule

2008-05-30T20:05:00.001+01:00