Update on the white bikes

Thank you @markallred + @vacuumcleaner for explaining the white bikes to me.

It seems like I'm the only person that didn't know why they're there, but in case there is anyone left in the dark, the white bikes are 'ghost bikes'. Positioned in spots where cyclists have died as quiet statements in support of cyclists' right to safe travel. Next to each bike is a plaque with the person's name.

Some have missing parts, others have heartfelt memorials + unbelievably, some have been vandalised.

Photographer Katherine Rose travelled around London + Brighton in search of the ghost bikes + posted them here.

As a cyclist myself + one who's had more than a couple of near misses, I agree that everyone; pedestrians, motorists, taxi drivers + motorcyclists need to be much more aware of cyclists on the road. Cycling, especially in cities can be extremely perilous. You really need to have your wits about you + full concentration at all times. And even when you do, you're kind of at the mercy of those around you. Too often cyclists are knocked off by people opening their doors into the road, vehicles turning left, pedestrians appearing from no where.

And believe me I know that cyclists can be stupid too + I do think that something should be done to promote safe riding. But, it's true that we are certainly the most vulnerable on the road, so while this is a pretty morbid demonstration, maybe it needed to be.

Hey! What's with all the white bikes?

White bikes have been appearing all across London. Look..

Me, Tachy + Jamie spotted one on the junction of Farringdon Road + Goswell Road at lunchtime today.

Then, just now, as my bus pulled in at the bus garage at Streatham Hill I spotted one chained to the railings there (pic above).

Why they are here is a mystery.

There is one clue though. And I had to walk the opposite way to home to discover this. On the bike are these words 'Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away'.

Hmm. Any ideas?

Bebo has a friend feed

Bebo is introducing what it calls a 'lifestream platform' which, like Friendfeed, aggregates users' various social networking updates in that one place. So while at Bebo, users will be able to see what their friends are doing + saying on Flickr, Facebook, Myspace, Delicious etc. And it seems you don't even need to be registered with Bebo to benefit from it.

It's a clever but obvious move to increase dwell time at the site + is surely the way all the social networks will end up going.

Full report from the Guardian here.

Stats on mobile social media usage

Just found this blog which has loads of yummy, juicy stats on youth + marketing.

Here's a nice chart I found there showing how people are using social networks on their phones across the globe + the year-on-year change from '07 - '08. V.exciting. And interestingly, they say here that mobile makes up half of Universal Music's digital revenue, wow!
Ooh + then I had a little look at the source, IT Facts which has even more scrumptious, mouth-watering stats. It says here that 36% of those who currently use social media on a regular basis say they’d like to access their networks on the TV screen. And here it reports on the top mobile + top PC sites.

So much information, so many numbers, mmm I like it.

Have you seen this dog?

Hee hee. Found this here.


And what's even funnier is the number of people commenting that they 'don't get it'. This comment is particularly hilarious (I hope they're kidding!) 'I’m sorry. But I do not get it, I have looked at it for ages, and I cannot see anything. Is it an optical illusion — can someome please email me with the answer'. Eh??!

But I shouldn't really take the piss 'cos I don't get this cartoon that one of the commenters then shared - can anyone enlighten me peez?

Now that's what we're talkin' about

Here's a great example of how social media can be used to influence opinion.

Blogger + Chef, Niall Harbison made a throw-away comment about Seesmic in a post. The magic of google alerts meant it was then picked up by Loic de Meur who runs Seesmic. He left a comment on Niall's post complimenting him on his work, pointing out that Seesmic is approaching 1 million videos + asks 'I wonder why you have to be so aggressive?' then signs off by wishing him success in the future. How nice! How can anyone, having received such a lovely comment from the very guy that runs Seesmic, not investigate further to prove themselves wrong? Niall finds that Seesmic has vastly improved since he last visited + even goes so far as to film a post in which he positively advocates the site + Loic's approach at challenging his view. Seesmic was now approaching 1,000,001 videos + everybody lived happily ever after.

Anvil performs live at Secret Cinema..

Now I don't normally talk online about Secret Cinema 'cos the naughty, selfish side of me wants to keep it to myself so that I can always easily get a ticket, but I can't not talk about yesterday's Secret Cinema. It was easily the best yet (that I've been to anyway).

Not only did we get to enjoy eating yummy free popcorn, watching SC's fantastic actors in the roles of shady promoters, hardcore fans + 80's kids, followed by a performance from a live metal band, and all this before that hilarious drug dealer guy from Withnail + I announced that we weren't to see Spinal Tap (as we'd assumed), but in fact, the to-be-released-next-week, Anvil: The Story of Anvil. It was, he said, to be the UK premiere of the film, which in itself is amazing. But that wasn't it..the big, exciting thing I'm trying to tell you. No.

The film was outstanding. It's a real life 'rockumentary' that follows the members of Anvil - a metal band that has been together for over 30 years with the two main guys, Lips + Robbo having met at school in their teens. Sadly they never made it when they were young, despite touring with some of the biggest metal bands in history. I'm not going to ruin the story, but please go watch it. Lips + Robbo love + hate each other as if they were brothers which makes for some hilarious + often touching scenes. Lips is incredibly endearing + demonstrates amazing determination. By the end, I had tears in my eyes + I wanted more than anything else in this world for them to succeed. I wanted to buy their new album, go to their gigs, buy the t-shirt, that kind of thing.

And then..that's exactly what happened! There he was. Lips. Up in one of the boxes of the Shepherd's Bush Empire. Pulling his strange faces (he pulls strange faces) + strumming his guitar. We look to the stage and there's the rest of the band. There they are! At that very moment in time, having watched their struggles + frustrations, there was no one in this world who I'd rather have seen. Not even the White Stripes would have brought me more joy in that very minute. It was amazing. I forgot that I don't even like metal + stood on my chair + did that thing you have to do with your fingers to show appreciation.

After much jumping + singing along to songs we don't know, there was another announcement. Scott Ian from Anthrax was to perform Anvil's biggest hit, Metal on Metal on stage with them, right there. How exciting. But who the bleep is Scott Ian..and Anthrax? Oh well, who cares, let's jump around a bit more. And let's now go outside + buy Anvil's CD + oh, a t-shirt, amazing!

Anyway, you get the idea. It was amazing. Secret Cinema is always exceptional, unique, full of surprises etc etc, but this was like no cinema experience I've ever had before.

So go, please. Take my ticket. Secret Cinema is great. Oh and the guys that run Secret Cinema - Future Cinema are going to be showing Watchmen under London Bridge at SE1 Club - before it's screened anywhere else in the world. Damn it's all coming out.

Flash mob silent disco tonight at Trafalgar Sq

They're all at it! Tonight's flash mob will take place at 7pm at Trafalgar Square. People are asked to bring their own iPods + dance to their own music in the aim to create the biggest ever flash mob silent disco. Join the Facebook group for more info + to invite friends.

Be there or be square (their words, not mine)

Where it's safe to go out this weekend..

Scratch'n'Sniff Cinema

To escape the yuckiness of valentines this weekend here are a few fun places to go to where you can safely avoid fluff, flowers, set menus + soppy couples.

One of my absolute favourites, the Bethnal Green Working Man's Club has a whole weekend of anti-valentines mischief. On Friday you'll find the Love Massacre-ade which they say will take you on 'a magical mystery tour of the heart and into the deep dark corners of your thoughts, where you will find magicians, smitten kittens, phantom pianists and black widows on this twisted take on Valentine's' - in short, burlesque, magicians, music + meta-physical powers. I wish I could go myself.
Fri @ 9pm-2am, tickets = £8

Then on the Saturday Oh My God I Miss You! is hosting 'Dumb Valentines' at the BGWMC. I went to a night run by these guys for my birthday + it was like the craziest of dreams - bizarre but the best thing ever. Complete with a love + hate messageboard, the chance to star in your own romance comic cover, see 'how low you can go' in the love limbo..all while dressed as your favourite couple?! Entertainment comes in the form of burlesque, a performance of the love dance (?) + DJs playing love ballads, love sick songs, kitsch classics, Exotica, Crooners, Rock'n'Roll & novelty songs.
Sat @ 9pm-2am, tickets = £8

On the same night, Cut a Shine will be at the Finsbury Town Hall in Islington hosting a Valentines Barn Dating Ball. While I think this one may be a little more sickly than the others, it does sound like a whole lot of fun, so it's made it in. There'll be an 11 piece jive jump band + they say the best barn dance band ever to jump around to..and accidentally on top of potential love interests?! As well as Folkaoke - like, karaoke to folk music yea? I've always wanted to go to one of these nights but haven't quite managed to drag a friend along..yet.
Sat @ 8pm, tickets £14

Guilty Pleasures is hitting the lanes again for their 'I'm not in love' anti-valentines party (they oversold tickets last time + I couldn't get in, grr), this time at the new All Star Lanes on Brick Lane. The idea is to celebrate singledom + while they'll have all sorts of cheeky dating games, it's not all about that + there's lots of non-romantic fun to be had with bowling (of course) + the usual GP DJs playing pure pop + soft rock complete with 'erection section'.
Sat @ 8pm-2am, tickets £10

Scratch 'n' sniff cinema is the first of it's kind - taking place this Saturday as part of the Jotta Craft Fair, a fortnight of interactive activity. As you'd expect you're there to watch a film - Peter Greenway's 'The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover' (1989) + guests receive scratch 'n' sniff cards to be used at key points in the film. Aromas include rotting meat + dusty books! The evening includes a romantic presentation about the film and a Valentine-themed menu. So not entirely love-free, but ya know.
Sat @ 5.30pm + 9pm, tickets = £10

The Notting Hill Arts Club has a special anti-valentines afternoon goin' on. And it's freeeee! They have some very special guests coming along to perform their reworkings of classic love songs, in true Drowned in Sound style.
Sat @ 4-8pm, FREE

And I'm not sure if I should be talking about this, what with it being a secret and all. So if anyone asks I didn't tell you, right? But this Sunday, Secret Cinema takes place + they have two screenings - a matinee + an evening showing. Obviously I don't know where it is (yet) or what film they'll be showing, but it sounds like it's something to do with rock stars, hmm? I've been to the last 3 secret cinema events + they're amazing. The location is revealed a few days beforehand + the venues, which tend to have a relevance to the film are always pretty interesting + sometimes mean you get to see places not open to the public. You can dress up if you choose, there's always lots of additional entertainment going on too + there's normally a bar + sweeties, yum.
Sun @ 3.30pm + 7.30pm, tickets £13.50-£17.50

..that'll do for now, my fingers are sleepy.

Happy anti-valentines x

That TMobile ad

I can't work out how I feel about the TMobile flash-mob / ad / act of genuine kindness (ahem)- whatever you wanna call it.

When I first saw it I was really impressed, a smile appeared on my face + I thought, wow, a brand has created a genuinely exciting, positive experience for all those commuters at Liverpool Street stn, bringing some fun into their otherwise dull, uneventful journey into work.

I first heard about it through Twitter, where everyone seemed terribly excited. I later found out that it had been aired as a 'special ad' during the Big Brother ad break + thought 'cool', well targeted, relevant, that'll put a few goosebumps on a few people around the country + give out a nice, warm, fuzzy feeling. I also love the 'life's for sharing' line - it's lovely. And it makes sense - this great piece of content brought people together in the real-world + extended that sentiment in the virtual world + on tellyboxes everywhere - it's a lovely way of demonstrating the emotional benefit of the functions of TMobile's android phone. So why do I have a bit of a niggle with it?

Hmm. I think it's that they just wouldn't let it go! Having voluntarily viewed it following a tweet from a friend on Twitter I'd been excited, had a little look-around the TMobile channel to see the behind the scenes video, the public reaction etc, shared it with some friends then got back to my life. I didn't expect to then be bombarded with it everywhere I went! It was on the digital panels on the tube, on the radio, on the TV (again) + who knows where else. For me this took a lot of the magic away.

Having worked on these kind of campaigns myself, I believe that TMobile ('s agency) should have had more confidence in the idea. It was a great idea that would have spread across the UK (and beyond) fuelled by word-of-mouth alone. It would've become the property of the people, who would certainly have still learnt the dance + created their own content in response to it, but TMobile would've maintained an amount of credibility. I can't help feel that by getting Kelly Brook + Peter Crouch to 'do the dance' (cringe) + use every form of media available to ensure it's sufficiently rammed down all of our throats, they've lost some of that + the magic + to be honest, reminded everyone of what this actually is - a marketing campaign. Just read the comments below the YouTube videos - it's really quite amusing. I don't know if I should be saying this, working in marketing and all. But I just think that they should have let it go + seen where the real people took it, instead of applying a traditional, broadcast media-type campaign to what (I think) should have been an entirely word-of-mouth, genuinely 'sharing' type campaign.

But what do I know? I can't really argue with the numbers (see below). And the fact that the 'fans' recreated the dance in Liverpool Street shortly after means that it was clearly loved by many. And it's also benefiting charity with Plush Presents recreating the dance for Comic Relief in Leeds on 13th March. Who can argue with that?

The numbers (as of 12th Feb)

- The Facebook fan page 'The TMobile train station advert is the best advert ever made' has 4,313 members
- The full ad has been viewed 3.5m times
- The 'making of' video has been viewed 235k times
- The 'public reaction' video has been viewed 268k times
- The 'rehearsal' video has been viewed 255k times
- The 'do the dance' videos have been viewed a combined 163k times
- Peter Crouch's attempt has been viewed 72k times
- And Kelly Brook's 65k times

Now I'm scared about the comments that might appear below. Eek.

10,000 high fives!

Love it!



Created by Improv everywhere - same guys that did the Grand Central Freeze.

Google map of Australian bush fires

Google has created a map to show the status of the bush fires which have claimed many lives in Victoria, Southern Australia. Google has taken data directly from the Victoria Country Fire Authority feed to create this useful, real-time mash-up.

As The Guardian's Digital Content Blog reports, this is not the first time Google maps has been used for practical purpose. Great stuff.

Appreciation for the teapot bracelet

Not only am I sporting a new haircut today which I'm very happy with thanks, but in the post this morning arrived a lovely new teapot bracelet just for me - could Friday get any better?

Anyone that knows me proper will know of my love of anything to do with tea + of my ultimate dream of owning my very own teashop. Well this will have to do for now + it does very nicely in fact. Isn't it, like, the best thing you've ever seen, ever?

And in case the pic above doesn't quite do it justice, here's a pic from designer, Bethan Lloyd's online shop. To see all her other lovely tea-related loveliness, you can visit her shop here.

Oh, + I just remembered that I read about Bethan's jewellry at this blog belonging to Anna Worthington and Tom Hyde - so thanks guys for your part in bringing such happiness into my life!

..am I going a bit over the top here?

What I learnt today 04//02//09

That the Little Bay around the corner from our office in Farringdon has taken the prices off their menu + is asking customers to pay whatever they think the food + service is worth - ultimate credit crunch lunch, yum! That our snowmen are famous all across London, with appearances on BBC Breakfast yesterday as well as on The Londonist, in The London Paper itself + on their site. And going back to restaurants, Horton Jupiter from band They Came From the Stars (I saw them) has opened one of his own called The Secret Ingredient..in his very own living room. I'm booked in for next week, so I'll report back then. That Twitter was the 102nd most visited website yesterday WOW. That I can't rely on the train service in my new area (not gonna mention any names First Capital Connect) - unable to run at all due to snow that happened two days(!) ago. That according to Marketing Week, Motorola reported a 51% drop in sales for the final quarter of 2008 compared to the same period last year..ouch. How Facebook needs to follow Twitter's example + open up or f*ck up. That I like Google Latitude. Who the top 10 celebrities on Twitter are. All about Bobbie Johnson's social media fatigue. I'm with you there Bobbie. That I should've blended half of my corn chowder to give it a thicker, more satisfying texture. That this amazing week of fun, silly, crafty events is happening at the Battersea Arts Centre next week - I love this goddamn city + I'm gonna be a busy girl next week I think. Good day.

Home restaurant from the stars

Moon Song by They Came From The Stars I Saw Them from horton jupiter on Vimeo.

This is brrrr-illiant. Horton Jupiter of eccentric band, They Came From the Stars (I saw them) has opened a paladares-style home restaurant in his very own dining room called 'The Secret Ingredient'. It sounds like Horton does most of the cooking himself (which is apparently rather impressive) while his gf waits on the tables. You can see the current sample menu here on their fb page.

Vegetarian, Japanese food served in a cosy, homely environment..it's as if the whole thing was thought up just for me! The only thing that could make it all even better is employing grannys as waitresses. I just hope it's around long enough for me to investigate myself - I'm a little worried that there may be laws + regulations preventing it from being a permanent thing?

Oh + above is TCFTS new single, Moon Song which comes out next week. I like..

When our snowmen went all charitable

As yesterday progressed, we noticed that not only did our homeless snowfamily attract a constant stream of people stopping to take photos, but many were actually leaving money in Snowdaddy's coffee cup too!

That's when we realised that what started out as a bit of fun could actually be used to get people thinking. We added another sign encouraging passers-by to consider the homeless in London during the cold snap - to whom the snow wouldn't be nearly as much fun as it is to us. The sign featured a url to use to make a donation to Shelter, the homeless charity.

At the end of the day our coffee cup contained almost a tenner in donations too, which we'll be passing on to Shelter.

Sadly our snowfamily had disappeared by the time we came into work this morning. But they certainly brought us a huge amount of joy yesterday + hopefully helped some other Londoners too.

If you would like to donate click here.

London's biggest snowball fight TODAY

..at 6.20pm at Trafalgar Square. Follow @snowballfight on Twitter for updates. I can hardly contain my excitement, this snow is making me crazy.

The Snowmen of St John's Square

Hmm, so we've been busy at work this morning! But I reckon the few of us that actually made it in through the snowstorm deserve to have a little fun, right? (ok, I got a cab, but anyway). A whole gallery of photos can be found here.



Tom + Jamie's combined effort.

Tach's snowbaby.

My slightly confused snowteenager.

The whole family.

The making of.


Passers-by + even those in vans + taxis have been stopping to take their pics..and some have even donated money to help the family survive the cold patch!