All entries in this category: Manchester Blogs
Week ending - 18 January 2008
- 18 Jan 08, 10:46 AM
鈥淭onight, Coronation Street will be a four-hanky episode, the first of the newly scheduled Friday double episodes.鈥 So says . It鈥檚 the night we share our tears with Jack as Vera's lifeless body is taken from The Street. 鈥淚t's an episode none of us really wants to see鈥, says , but just like driving past a motorway crash we鈥檒l slow down a little and gawp before heading off to Channel 4 to cook along with . Talking of which, I did have a double take checking up on their website for the ingredients. On the it says 鈥淐ookalong guinea pig鈥, but I think that refers to someone giving advice on how to cook steak.
Nigel in Newton-le-Willows is approaching a mid-life moment when it comes to music. 鈥淢aybe it鈥檚 the prospect of my 40th birthday (next year, not this) looming in the distance, but my music tastes have become decidedly middle of the road recently.
"The other day I compiled a CD of what I can only describe as DadRock,鈥 he says before going on to list the likes of Kate Bush, Genesis, Peter Gabriel and Eva Cassidy.
I was only musing on this week about the signs of getting older. Mine are less to do with taste and more to do with how your body begins to rebel.
Meanwhile at the other end of the age scale are on a steep learning curve when it comes to raising a child. 鈥淣ine weeks in, what have we learned?鈥 they ask. Amongst the gems are:
鈥淏abies aren鈥檛 very bright sometimes.
Parents aren鈥檛 very bright sometimes, either: it took Mummy and Daddy a while to realise that you should never change a nappy in a room with carpet.
If Mummy forgets to wash behind baby鈥檚 ears, baby starts to smell of cheese.
If Mummy isn鈥檛 鈥榓llowed鈥 to shower, put the washing on, get dressed, iron clothes or brush her teeth, then Mummy starts to smell of cheese, too.鈥
Suddenly I don鈥檛 feel like eating my steak anymore.
Week ending -11 January 2008
- 11 Jan 08, 10:52 AM
The working week started off with the sound of the Beetham Tower moaning in the early morning wind and will end with doing pretty much the same thing with chickens. Let鈥檚 hope it doesn鈥檛 get too windy 鈥 which leads us into:
Quote of the week
Local butcher John Mettrick, speaking on 大象传媒 Radio Manchester, said, 鈥淢y farm is on the edge of the Pennines and with the winds we鈥檝e had this week they (the chickens) would have ended up in Sheffield.鈥
Website of the week
Perhaps I鈥檓 being a little previous by including . There are only a couple of posts on there, but if Geoff鈥檚 previous form is anything to go by, , then we can expect a high standard of writing and interest. Welcome back Geoff.
Also a quick nod to who鈥檚 blatantly lifted a great idea from . Basically the idea is to swap short stories for useful objects. Every Day鈥檚 top three wanted item is washing up liquid, while Moustaches will settle for a massive wide screen TV.
This could kick-start a whole new trend in bartering.
The next blog post will appear after a delivery of doughnuts.
That was the week...
- 4 Jan 08, 11:31 AM
Here鈥檚 the first of our weekly round-ups of what the Manchester bloggers are up to.
It seems that majority of bloggers are still getting over the festivities as blogs are still fairly quiet
Picture of the week
Ickle Web has kept us all up to date with his travels over the holiday period. But this has got to be the best picture of the week - Paul in a cow hat in Edinburgh. I presume he was there for Hogmoooooonay.
So what have we learnt this week?
The old British Council building at Grand Island is now just a shell - see '. I remember reporting from there on the day it opened. They鈥檇 spent a million pounds on a carpet. Wonder where that is now.
Tom has a new camera - see . And like the good little boy he told Santa he was, he's been letting others use it too to take photographs of the sky - see
Almost Witty doesn鈥檛 understand Girls Aloud 鈥 see
And Corrie鈥檚 Gail鈥檚 eldest was originally going to be called David Daniel Tilsley, till Gail realised his initials would be DDT - see
Let us know what you're up to via the e-mail address and we'll feature the best of the blogs here. Look out too for some guest bloggers starting next week on subjects ranging from blogging to not blogging.
Manchester Blog Awards - 2007
- 11 Oct 07, 01:18 PM
I can now put a big fat tick next to 鈥溾 on my To Do list. Actually perhaps I鈥檒l just make it a little one as although I did go to Matt and Phreds I didn鈥檛 hear any jazz. Or eat pizza.
I was there for the second Manchester Blog Awards. The standard of writing this year was excellent and I feel sorry for those poor guys who had to judge it 鈥 hang on, I was one of those poor guys who had to judge it. Seriously, there is something going on in the Manchester Blogesphere and that something is writing talent.
I was chatting after the awards to Chris from . He was saying the same sort of thing (although he would as he won one of the awards). 鈥淓veryone seems to have a background (in writing) 鈥 a writer looking to publish a novel or a journalist looking for another outlet.鈥
As you would imagine Chris is well pleased with his award, 鈥淚鈥檝e never won anything before鈥, apparently not even the egg and spoon race at school, despite those long legs. 鈥(The Blog) is basically about what I read about Manchester that isn鈥檛 covered elsewhere in the media or on websites, so I just post them up myself so people know about them.鈥 Chris鈥 Blog 鈥 won the Best Arts and Culture Blog.
Before any of the awards were announced another Chis, Chris Killen, read some extracts from his Blog 鈥 . In the break I could hear people discussing Chris鈥 reading and I knew we鈥檇 made the right decision in awarding him Best Writing On A Blog. Afterwards Chris was obviously made up, 鈥淚鈥檓 quite chuffed. I wasn鈥檛 expecting it.鈥
Chris admits that the is just a publicity tool where he posted a chapter a day of a story called 鈥溾. For Chris that was just a bit of fun, but it did get him noticed by who specialise in finding new writers through Blogs. Chris has just signed a writing deal with them for a new novel.
So the bar has certainly been raised for next year鈥檚 Blog Awards and if I know the Manchester Bloggers they鈥檒l be up for the challenge.
Full list of Manchester Blog Awards Winners:
Best Personal Blog:
Best New Blog:
Best Arts and Culture Blog:
Best Political Blog:
Best Writing on a Blog:
Manchester Blog Awards Tonight
- 10 Oct 07, 03:10 PM
Just a quick post to remind everyone that the Manchester Blog Awards take place tonight at Matt & Phreds Jazz Club, 64 Tib Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester M4 1LW (). There's more information on booking a ticket for this on the Manchester Literature Festival site.
You'll find the over on Manchizzle. Good luck!
The Air-Raid Shelters Beneath Our Feet
- 2 Oct 07, 01:43 PM
Like many other large cities in the UK, there are a series of air-raid shelters beneath the streets of Manchester. They're usually sealed off (and we wouldn't recommend gaining entrance yourself as that would probably be illegal and dangerous) and long ago forgotten.
Thankfully, doesn't tend to forget so I came across an old post I'd originally missed that points to a forum post where you can find of some of the shelters under our feet.
My favourite has to be showing a Manchester City Police poster with a list of rules for those using shelter.
Manchester Blog Stories & Blog Awards 2007
- 26 Sep 07, 02:37 PM
is a project where readers can help determine the twists of plot in a work of blog based fiction or, as they explain:
"a fictional blog you can help to shape, set in real time Manchester. Each week readers can vote on future plot direction, choosing between three possible developments in the story's next chapter. The final instalment will be performed live at the on Wednesday 10th October."
The project is part of the , which takes place from the 4th to the 14th of October, and is written by author and produced by one of our favourite Manchester bloggers, (Manchizzle).
Speaking of Manchizzle... she's recently posted for this year's Manchester Blog Awards which take place on the 10th of October. Some are familar names from last year's awards but many are new.
I had a great time at last year's awards - meeting bloggers, talking blogs over a few pints and doing some interviews for 5 Live's Pods and Blogs - and am in no doubt that this year's event will be even better.
Sadly, I can't attend this year because I'll be on a business trip to a Networked Journalism in New York but 大象传媒 Manchester's Richard Fair is one of the judges and lots of people have already confirmed their attendance via Do try to make it if you can - it should be a lot of fun and is a great opportunity to meet some fellow bloggers.
Manchester Blog Awards 2007
- 24 Jul 07, 05:01 PM
How on earth can someone forget how to use a potato peeler? Stupid or what. Next I鈥檒l be telling you that someone once tried to open a tin of corned beef with their bare hands after the 鈥榢ey鈥 broke, only just managing to avoid severing a glove full of fingers. Or what about the guy who stuck a sink plunger to his fat skull pretending to be a Dalek and ended up wandering round with a massive love-bite on his forehead. I mean really, some people should never be left alone. But I get bored.
Admittedly I was still in middle school when I did the latter two, but the potato peeler incident happened on Monday. The youngest member of the family begged me to serve up 鈥榩roper food鈥 for a change and so I decided to invest in a bag of Maris Piper. Perhaps I was holding the potato at the wrong angle or upside down but the blasted peeler seemed more interested in my skin rather than anything else. I just wanted to smash it all to bits.
Fortunately I鈥檝e not been asked to comment on potato peelers, but I have been asked to judge this year鈥檚 Manchester Blog Awards. Nominations are now open so get along to for details. It鈥檚 not in my nature to take bribes, well perhaps just that once but I didn鈥檛 inhale, so don鈥檛 even think about it. It鈥檚 amazing to see how Manchester Bloggers have developed over the past twelve months so I鈥檓 expecting a much harder job this year.
Now, does anyone know how to use a coat hanger?
Road comedy
- 18 Jul 07, 08:53 PM
What鈥檚 the point of those little signs people stick in the back window of their car? 鈥楳y other car is a Porsche鈥 鈥 yeah right, like my other wife is Bridget Fonda. 鈥楩ree sex lessons. See driver for details鈥 鈥 is that after you鈥檝e rejoined the human race? Am I supposed to laugh at these while stuck in seven miles of standing traffic on the M60?
Actually I have laughed twice this week at signs on vans. The first one was written in the dirt on the back of a white van 鈥楾here are only two tools in this van鈥. I kept in the driver鈥檚 blind spot in case he and his mate saw the tears on my cheeks.
Then this morning on my way to the Tatton Flower Show I saw another van that made me laugh. This time the message was painted on. It said 鈥楾his vehicle was supplied after a non-fault accident鈥. What in blazes is a non-fault accident? In the eyes of every insurance company none of their drivers are at fault, it鈥檚 always the other guy to blame even though he was on holiday in Poland at the time you drove into his 2CV. Or am I wrong. Perhaps they have a whole fleet of vans all painted up ready for every occasion. 鈥楾his vehicle was supplied after an accident caused by the driver reversing into a tree while painting their toenails.鈥
Blogs
Staying with cars and things like that, they don't come very often, but when they do it's well worth the wait. I'm talking of course about postings on the . His latest offering reveals the . Enjoy and perhaps consider public transport in the future.
Can I say thanks to for posting a picture of Homer Simpson next to the Cerne Abbas giant. I heard about it on the radio but missed it in the papers.
Oh la la!
- 16 Jul 07, 09:42 AM
Bonjour mesdames et messieurs et bienvenue 脿 ce petit p芒t茅 en cro没te de meringue de citron qui a 茅t茅 couvert en peinture verte. I dropped French when I was eleven, but it鈥檚 strange how much you can remember when you need to.
You see, Saturday was Bastille Day and it comes as no surprise that popped along to the to soak up the Manchester take on how to do things French. 鈥淢any French people who have made Manchester their adopted home rolled out the picnic blanket and uncorked the wine bottles.鈥
The picture shows a couple of traditionally dressed French ladies explaining the finer points of French Cuisine. Picture by .
The final drops of the Manchester International Festival have now been squeezed out. popped along to The Lowry for Final Fantasy, but not before sampling Heston Blumenthal鈥檚 Chilled Summer Treats. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a shame I didn鈥檛 have time for the mushy pea sorbet.鈥
Meanwhile found his way to Salford Quays to see New Young Pony Club.
So that was last week and this is this and I鈥檓 heading off to the until Sunday. Expect appeals for warm clothing, blankets and Red Cross parcels come Wednesday.
If you鈥檝e got green fingers and are at Tatton during the week pop in and say hello. I鈥檒l be the guy hanging around the 大象传媒 Manchester Garden cramming information about all things horticultural as I鈥檝e been invited to sit on a Gardener鈥檚 Question Time-type question and answer session and at the moment the only thing I鈥檓 really capable of doing in the garden is throwing the snails over the wall into next door.
Manchester International Festival: Day 13
- 10 Jul 07, 08:57 AM
Apparently the quietest thing you can eat in a cinema is a prawn sandwich. This reliable piece of cinema etiquette comes to me from and she should know as she spends a lot of time eating prawn sandwiches or in the cinema, or both.
was just one of over twenty Manchester Bloggers who came to the 大象传媒 Manchester Blog Meet in the International Festival Pavilion. All huddled round various laptops like striking workers around braziers, we were somewhat conspicuous with only a couple of late comers asking if we were the bloggers. I'm not really sure who they thought we may have been sat there with more gadgets than Curry鈥檚 on the table.
It鈥檚 not the first meet-up we've had so it was nice to see so many new faces. 鈥淚 like to put a face to a blog鈥, as Stephen Newton put it just before a myriad of camera flashes went off as bloggers took pictures of bloggers while other bloggers took pictures of bloggers taking pictures. And then they do that thing that people with digital cameras do. They come and show you the picture they just took.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 you鈥. 鈥淚s it? Me? Gosh, I look just like I do in the mirror, only you managed to capture by bad side and my mouth looks like I鈥檓 hiding a gerbil in it. And this is going on Flickr? Oh, it鈥檚 already there. How fantastic is that鈥. But that鈥檚 technology for you. Gone are the days of grabbing the camera off them, opening the back and exposing all the film.
People blog for different reasons. You get those hardened bloggers - the ones that turned up with their laptops and passed free WiFi passwords round like Russian spies (sorry ) - the 鈥業f it moves, blog it鈥 type. Some don鈥檛 actually know why it is they blog - and some don鈥檛 admit to blogging as though it鈥檚 some kind of social disease 鈥 鈥淚 don鈥檛 blog myself, but I blog for others鈥. For some it鈥檚 a hobby, for some it鈥檚 a diary, for some it鈥檚 their work, for some it鈥檚 a way of networking, for some it鈥檚 a way of making money, for some it鈥檚 exhibitionism, for some it鈥檚 none of the above. They just do it because.
Thanks to all those that turned up. I must admit at being slightly worried about the picture of the cup that was left behind (see below). Nuts and bolts? Perhaps there鈥檚 a need for a blog about things people leave behind after blog meets.
Festival Pavilion
I had the offer of tasting some of Heston Blumenthal鈥檚 Chilled Summer Treats last night, but I decided to stay with the Bloggers and instead sampled the slightly warmer Mushroom Stroganoff in the Festival Pavilion. A good portion of mushrooms in a creamy sauce on a bed of rice with extra vegetables and salad served on a stylish plastic plate. All that and change from a tenner.
Under the canvas of the Pavilion with the rain outside I felt like I was on holiday in North Wales, the only difference being that Mum and Dad never had a live band playing folk music from around the world. The band was called 鈥淢uhumphamum鈥 I think, or it could have been 鈥淢edhomemonth鈥. I made a proper effort to listen to their name when they were thanked at the end, 鈥淢phftplumb鈥, I think the MC said but I may have been wrong.
Tonight
I鈥檓 off to see The Pianist. It鈥檚 had rave reviews so I can鈥檛 wait. I may even take a prawn sandwich with me for company.
Blogs
Those that blogged about last night鈥檚 meet are as follows (I will update this as more appear):
Rain, Sweat, Days Out in Liverpool, Linking and France - It Must Be Summer
- 25 Jun 07, 01:16 PM
The past days have brought many reminders that summer is now well and truly upon us: the summer solstice, the mud scenes from Glastonbury, the rain delayed start of Wimbledon... oh, and did we forget to mention the rain?
You might think that going on holiday might bring some respite from it. But The Airport Diaries reminds us that travel isn't always as pleasant as it sounds by at Manchester Airport:
"The sweat of a thousand strangers hovers in the air, your own stink mixed in. Sweat pools under your belt, under your arms and under your hair... The more water you take on, the more you sweat. The air is foul and thick with moisture; the walls drip, expanding and pulsing with the density of summer."
Yuck.
IckleWeb, unfazed by the weather nor, apparently, by fears of airport induced sweating, in south Liverpool. Outside he photographed an old DeHavilland DH89 Dragon Rapide.
Speaking of Liverpool, The Marple Leaf says that "The ongoing debate about Liverpool v Manchester takes an intellectual leap forward" with an from a lengthy NewStatesman feature. See, reading blogs can save you the time it would have taken to read entire articles. Which would seem a good idea if it weren't for that rain...
The last time we heard from he wasn't in Preston at all, but was traveling around America tasting wine in Napa Valley (24 May 2007) and later hiring a bike in Yosemite National Park (25 May). Maybe I'm just overlooking something, but I can never figure out how to link directly to posts on AFMIP.
Craig McGinty, who often blogs useful tips on getting the most from your blog, points us towards of typepad - the ability to, with the change of a setting, include links allowing readers to easily add a post to del.icio.us or Digg [what?]. He explains:
"Basically it means site visitors can spread your work across the internet with just a click placing it in front of other people who will already be following the subject you cover, but who may have never crossed your site.
It all comes down to the power of the link and the fact that your article never moves from its spot on the internet, which means people can easily access it from wherever it is featured elsewhere."
Another one of Craig's blogs, , is also packed full of useful tips - in this instance, about relocating to France which, considering the summer we've had so far is beginning to sound like a pretty good idea...
Monday morning rain
- 25 Jun 07, 09:10 AM
Google has about , equivalent to the number of gallons of the stuff that鈥檚 soaked into my trousers. Some guy on the radio this morning said we were in the middle of a European monsoon (but I can鈥檛 find a reference to it on the internet, so you鈥檒l have to take my word for it.) Anyway, in case you hadn鈥檛 noticed, it鈥檚 raining. So will folk blog about it or is it old news in Manchester? I鈥檒l keep my eye open.
In the meantime, has made me chuckle all weekend with a story she鈥檚 got on her blog about a . It鈥檚 hilarious and a real pick-you-up on a wet Monday morning.
I need to dry off now.
Free food
- 21 Jun 07, 11:00 AM
I must admit that when I heard they were giving away free in Manchester, I started to plan what to do with all my spare dinner money.
But it鈥檚 a good job I didn鈥檛 splash out on that bright orange T-shirt I鈥檇 spotted in Primark as thanks to I discovered that the free Takeaway is in fact a garden and as such not edible (unless you鈥檙e one of the many slugs victimising me with their little smug slug faces as they chomp away on that plant that cost me a small fortune).
Initially I don鈥檛 think he was impressed with what he got in his little box, but having spent the night mulling it over it seems that .
Bernard Manning
- 19 Jun 07, 12:03 PM
I expected a flood of postings about Bernard Manning, but unless my eyes are as bad as the optician would like me to think, I can only find one reference.
"," says , "He dared you to laugh at him."
But will we see the likes of him again? Perhaps not, but makes this interesting observation, "Peter Kay is but a cleaned up version with tamer references to his Nana".
This stop please driver.
- 18 Jun 07, 01:49 PM
I still cry into my beer when I remember that the Blog is no more. And there鈥檚 nothing I hate more than watery beer with a hint of salt, well that and the theme tune to .
But wait, what鈥檚 this? Move aside because here comes complete with it鈥檚 own song and a bit of fashion advice thrown in for good luck, or taste, or not.
Sadly is just one posting on , but one lives in hope of there being a series of 53 related content.
Manchester Bloggers Facebook Group
- 11 Jun 07, 09:53 AM
Each day, join , a social networking site that allows you to keep track of and communicate with friends and colleagues. Or, at least, that's how I would have described it a few months ago, before facebook [NY Times Registration Req'd] users to do all sorts of customisations to their profiles, like pulling in RSS feeds from blogs and integrating services like .
Facebook was started by a student at Harvard University as a way to help new students meet one another. He then rolled it out across the American university system and, then, opened it up outside of academia. What once was just for students is now, some of those , being taken over by their parents.
Social networking services like linked in myspace, facebook, twitter and others aren't for everyone but I often find them a useful way to keep in touch with friends and contacts. If you're on facebook, or fancy giving it a go, why not join the that we just started. You never know, someone might poke you if you do.
(PS. Don't forget to think about your own personal safety when posting personal information online. See the 大象传媒's Chat Guidefor more information.)
Burnt To The Ground
- 5 Jun 07, 09:15 AM
The musical highlight of the year so far has got to be Arthur Brown's appearance at Burnt To The Ground on Sunday. So where was when the inimitable Mr Brown set his helmet on fire? Stuffing her face full of Dim Sum. I mean, really.
Despite that has posted a fine report and links to and who captured the event on their Flickr pages.
Women!
- 4 Jun 07, 11:42 AM
What did you do on Saturday? I was out discovering the amazing in Wythenshawe Park in Wythenshawe of all places. Beautiful surroundings and glorious weather - not the kind of day you'd want to be dressed up in full Tudor dress, poor Ali.
Clive at spent part of his Saturday at the in Manchester. Not running, but supporting and finding time to ponder on how the sexes differ:
"Women get on, don't they. They can chat to other women whom they don't know, really easily. Men can't. Men are rubbish like that. It was great that it was an all women event; that union, that support was obvious." .
Well done to Amazed.
So have you blogged about your Saturday?
So been there
- 1 Jun 07, 08:41 AM
I can totally sympathise with poor old (perhaps not so old, you have to be so careful) who has undergone some serious in her mouth (like it can be done somewhere else). I once endured two one-hour sessions on my tooth only for it to turn out to be the tooth next to it that had caused all the trouble. Still, I didn't have to stump up the 拢200 Wennie Blog had to, which in itself must have felt like a kick in the teeth.
A blog post about a blog post about a blog post
posts about the Dale Street fire benefit event taking place this weekend. He was reminded of the event by and Mancubist has quoted Manchizzle's comments about the event called . So you can read the original post on or the subsequent post on or just re-read this posting.
All this cross-promoting of Blogs can get a little confusing as to who's posted what and when - but it is fun!
Never a dull moment
- 31 May 07, 02:54 PM
Die hard Manchester City fan must be wondering if he'll ever get a chance to have a break from his beloved club this summer. The season may be over, but fans are not being allowed to sleep as there seems to be a constant flow of uncertainty and speculation about the future ownership of the club.
Stick with it Danny! -
Meanwhile, never one to shy away from the attention, Clare Sudbery's signed up for an Internet version of Big Brother - . Expect strong language, community bathing and shameless attempts to influence the public vote.
I wish I鈥檇 gone to Chorlton
- 21 May 07, 03:07 PM
See that down there? That cavernous thing? It鈥檚 my naval and I鈥檝e be contemplating it for a couple of days now wondering how on earth to fill in the time between the next two really big events in my diary - a strategy meeting I have in Derby on Thursday and a PTA meeting at school a fortnight later.
reports that 鈥淭he Chorlton Arts Festival kicked off in style on Saturday with the fantastic Arts and Crafts Market - even the FA Cup Final didn鈥檛 keep the crowds away!鈥 Well after wasting an hour and a half of my life listening to John Motson saying the words 鈥榥ew Wembley鈥 two hundred and forty three times, I wish I鈥檇 gone to Chorlton.
So who鈥檚 blogging about the Chorlton Arts Festival then? There鈥檚 been a few advance postings 鈥 , and err, that鈥檚 about it. Even the Festival site itself doesn鈥檛 appear to have a Blog, which is a shame as legally I鈥檓 not allowed to link to them as this is only a blog about blogs. If I post about other stuff I'll get hauled up in front of the Head of 大象传媒 Blogs and forced to look after Motty over the summer.
Oh what the heck, I'll take him to Rhyl. There鈥檚 loads going on at the for the rest of this week and to be honest I鈥檓 sick of the sight of my belly so the looks like a great alternative. I was always led to believe that Chorlton was a hot bed of creative media types so can one of you blog about the Festival. Please.
Baby distraction
So I'm sat here trying to write while all around me women are talking about babies. Having them, about to have them, never having them. I politely suggested that they contact who is thinking about setting up a parenting blog. The looks. I'll get my coat.
I'll put a hex on you
- 6 May 07, 02:56 PM
Look, it鈥檚 the Sunday of a Bank Holiday weekend and I鈥檓 in work. Short straw? Upset the boss? No mates? Nope, none of those. It鈥檚 just that once every six weeks or so it comes round to being my go in the office and it just so happens that it鈥檚 my turn today, Bank Holiday or not.
So, I get a bit of extra time to gorge myself on Manchester Blogs (extra large latte to the right of me wine gums to the left 鈥 he I am stuck in the middle with you).
So what鈥檚 caught my eye? 鈥檚 . 鈥淢odern Life is a blog about the web - development, design, search engines and statistics.鈥
Right. So what鈥檚 up first?
鈥溾 - 鈥淔or a fortunate few, working with hexadecimal colours comes naturally - my experience stems from working with colour palettes whilst programming in BASIC some 15 years ago,鈥 says Stuart.
OK perhaps you have to be interested in this kind of stuff. What about another posting then?
鈥溾 鈥 鈥溾ere are five examples which raise my typographical hackles.鈥 Um. Actually, this is one of those subjects that does cause more trouble than it鈥檚 worth. I have been accused on more than one occasion of colluding with the Devil when using Comic Sans as my font of choice. (It鈥檚 OK, I鈥檓 a born-again Verdana now). And going by the amount of comments this particular posting has attracted, it would appear that it鈥檚 only a matter of time before talking fonts replaces discussions about the off-side rule in the drinking houses of Manchester.
Finally (I鈥檓 running out of latte here), one post on Modern Life that all Bloggers should read is Stuart鈥檚 鈥溾 - 鈥淐reating a blog is easy - but alas, building a readership is somewhat more difficult. So where do nascent bloggers most commonly go wrong?鈥 he asks. Some great content follows with more tips and comment from dozens of readers. Stuart says, 鈥淚f you have a decent amount of content in your archives, then new readers will be more inclined to stick around and subscribe to your feeds for future material.鈥
I鈥檓 going to top up the coffee now and have a dig around the archives.
When an ASBO is a good thing
- 3 May 07, 04:45 PM
The incredible spring weather we've enjoyed up norf this week has definitely been enjoyed by one group 鈥 the city鈥檚 skaters. There鈥檚 a very active skateboarding scene in Manchester, and the blog has it covered. Their latest post shows that skaters definitely have a sense of humour about their often persecuted and misunderstood sport:
鈥淭he final competition in ASBO (April Skate Bonanza Ohyeah) was a great success! Over 100 skaters came down to the Projekts Mancunian Way Skatepark to enjoy the weather, the skating and the competition鈥 Congratulations to the TWOmanchester shop team who walked away with the coveted ASBO Ashes Trophy after coming 1st in 3 of the 4 competitions throughout April.鈥
has been enjoying the wildlife in Whalley Range, and has written a vivid description of the surprising animals who seem to peacefully coexist in her urban 'hood. Here鈥檚 a bit:
鈥淚 was washing up and saw the fox from the kitchen window. It seemed very long and pointy, as if it had been squashed into the wrong aspect ratio and sharpened like a pencil. It prowled first toward and then away from the opposite neighbour's yard鈥︹
Enough already! is sick and tired of hearing about Manchester鈥檚 Sabi Rock guy:
鈥淗e鈥檚 been featured in an American tourist guide, there鈥檚 a Google map tracking his movements and a Flickr group for pics, but sadly no sign of that elusive recording contract. It鈥檚 been fun looking out for Sabi Rock Man in the rush hours, but maybe it鈥檚 time to call it a day.鈥
And fashion/design blogger Vic at is dismayed by the shopping scrum that surrounded the launch of the Kate Moss line this week at Topshop, and the sudden mania for designer plastic bags at Sainsbury鈥檚:
鈥淎ll of this fuss, the pushing and the sharp-elbowed shoving, makes me wonder if it鈥檚 really worth it. At the end of the day, they鈥檙e just clothes. In fact, they鈥檙e just cheaply made clothes that thousands of other women around the country will be wearing. Sure, they鈥檙e affordable clothes with the designer touch but I feel like all this hype does nothing but cheapen them.鈥
Indeed. It鈥檚 hard to believe that people would queue up outside a supermarket at dawn to buy a 鈥渟tatement-making鈥 plastic shopping bag. Is it something in the water?
The Little Picture
- 1 May 07, 05:06 PM
It's often the case that a big story hits the headlines, only to disappear a day or two later leaving all the little stories untold.
Take the big yesterday. Front page news online and in the papers. Then the morning after, as the smoke clears, and the real stories start to emerge, something else has captured the interest of the media.
's Kate has posted this: "The fire spread to two nearby buildings which between them house many of the small creative industries in Manchester, 20 Dale Street and 24 Lever Street. I've been working in 24 Lever for years, and if there's any Manchester building I feel a sense of ownership about, this one - with its knackered elevator, East German loos, odd smells and odder people hanging about - is it."
Read the for more details and let us know about any one else blogging about the fires.
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