Oxford Street stopped at noon. Led by the buses, the traffic stopped; people came out of offices and shops to fill the pavements. Silence descended; no conversation, no roaring traffic noises. The only people moving were press, both photography and TV. And the odd tourist, wondering round looking slightly bewildered at why no-one was moving and everyone standing in their way.

Comparing last night’s get together with one that took place earlier, where Robert Scoble was the speaking guest, there were definitely differences. Last night had a far higher proportion of women, I’m guessing attracted to the Marketing label instead of the Geek one. I saw far fewer cameras and far more notebooks – a lot of people took notes throughout Seth’s speach. I’d even go as far as saying the dress sense was more ‘business’ like than previously. Rick Segal and I were discussing doing a straw poll about why people attended and how they heard about it – but we did not really get much further than just discussing and never took the poll.

One thing that was completely the same was the behaviour a the start of the evening, where everyone stayed on one half of the room and did not move past an invisible barrier provided by a couple of columns. So, everyone huddled, a little cramped at times and did not break the line until food was served.

Last night I was at a Marketing Soiree, organised by Hugh McLeod and with a good speech by Seth Godin. I wish I’d taken notes on it, but there were plenty of people who were and I think it was recorded by Lloyd as well, so there’ll be something around later.

Things that caught my eye this morning include the decision to go ahead with the .mobi TLD, which should be available in the first half of 2006. Immediate impact for me will be explainging why some of the areas I work with need yet another domain registered; then actually getting content for it.

The BBC are getting slated for providing all 9 Beethoven symphonies for download. Over 1 million files have been retrieved, but the record industry are (as expected) unhappy with this and complain that a publically funded orgnaisation should not be doing this as it devalues music recorded. Ok, so recordings of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra (funded by the the public) should not be made available on BBC online (funded by the public) because we’re not paying for them? I’ve paid my fees and the BBC are supposed to make it’s programming available – so I think the record industry should just shut up in this case..

An Arizona school has decided to ditch text books and go all online next year. They will provide laptops to 350 students for the year. They appear to have done their research…not. Calvin Baker, superintendent of Vail Unified School District:

It’s not clear how the change to laptops will work, he conceded. “I’m sure there are going to be some adjustments. But we visited other schools using laptops. And at the schools with laptops, students were just more engaged than at non-laptop schools,”

He’s obviously never attended a conference where everyone is typing on laptops and not focusing onthe speaker.

The UK Hacker charged with accessing NASA systems whislt searching for evidence of UFO activity, had this to say today about his findings:

“I found a list of officers’ names,” he claims, “under the heading ‘Non-Terrestrial Officers’… What I think it means is not earth-based. I found a list of ‘fleet-to-fleet transfers’ and a list of ship names. I looked them up. They weren’t US Navy ships. What I saw made me believe they have some kind of spaceship, off-planet.”
McKinnon, however, said he can’t remember much about the project as he had been “smoking a lot of dope at the time”.

mmmmmm…after that last line, don;t have much else to say really.

A tea pickers strike in West Bengal threatens the countries tea harvest and therefore the traditional British cuppa, without which no self-respecting English person could function (why can’t we have a gendernonspecific adjective like american?)

It’s actually a serious report about wages and conditions….although they could always outsource!

Marvelous scenes in the Mall yesterday, as 250000 people watched a celebration and commemoration of the end of WWII, 60 years ago. There’s a few photos around on Flickr, try here for MOD stuff.

The flypast by the period planes was something you don’t see everyday; the last plane, a Lancaster, had it’s bomb hold filled with one million red poppies, which were release to float down over the watching crowds.

Link

On the London News Review

When they try to intimidate us, we will not be intimidated, when they seek to change our country, our way of life by these methods, we will not be changed.

When they try to divide our people or weaken our resolve, we will not be divided and our resolve will hold firm.

We will show by our spirit and dignity and by a quiet and true strength that there is in the British people, that our values will long outlast theirs.

The purpose of terrorism is just that, it is to terrorise people and we will not be terrorised.

I know it’s Blair’s speech, but it reflects much of the attitude of the posts from Londoners I’ve been reading.

Technorati tags: London explosions

I took a bus home – and it was quicker than usual; got on and immediately regretted it, but stayed on, with everyone else who filled up all the seats. But I caught myself watching all who got on, all who looked different, just wondering if thwere were more bombs out there. The fact that I was worried about getting on buses, and suspicious of people today makes me angry.

The British are ‘used’ to this, in a way that we really should not be. I was not in London when the IRA were regularly bombing, but the situation then changed activities across the whole country. I grew up in a normality that affected me at a sub-conscious level. Even now, years since the last bomb, I go to train stations in other countries and know something is wrong – then the brain kicks in and I remember that stations are supposed to have left-luggage lockers and metal bins.

At work, there appeared to be panic, just anger and resignation. Everyone I know is safe – but that was luck I think. One person at work was in Russell Square/Tavistock Rd when that bomb went off…she spoke about her morning:

– A loud bang; not like in the movies but a bang that got louder and louder. Instinctively thinking it’s a bomb.

– Spinning round to see a car in the air, landing heavily. Then silence.

– Screams. Shouts. A white house stained with black and red.

– A step towards the noise; debris starts falling, batting it away. Then someone yells – ‘Run’. And people do, flight instinct kicking in – get away.

– Running to work. The surreal sight of people going about normal business, standing outside offices smoking. Starting their day with no idea what happened.

Now, I’m watching the news, with 37 confirmed dead, over 700 injured. Knowing there’s likely to be more fatalities as there are seriously injured people in hospital. Wondering how the hell only 2 people are confirmed dead in that bus, that looked like it had been peeled open. Thinking about all those people whose lives have utterly changed today.

Yesterday we celebrated; today, London mourns.

Technorati tags: London explosions

London traffic

Update:

7 blasts, across Tube and buses. Mobile phone not working as they are been restricted to to emergency services; also some news that mobiles may have been used as a trigger. Very few trains coming into the city, reports that road traffic restricteds. All the blinds now closed on the building to protect from bomb blasts; the Prime Minister states that it was definitely terrrorists (although that’s a blindingly obvious statement giving the pictures we’re seeing).

One weird thing is looking down onto Oxford street and seeing no buses at all, and very little other traffic. Normallly its chockablock with buses, all nose to tail.

We’ve been advised to stay in the building.

Technorati tags: London terrorism

After the jubilation yesterday, complete terror today. London closed down, buses and tubes blowing up and the army apparently called out. No one knows what is happening, mobile networks down. Evryone starting at the TV.