kierenmccarthy.co.uk

Just received this from my Mum of all people. A good British gag:
“I live on the edge of the county of Berkshire in England.
“There is a huge council house in our street. The extended family is run by a grumpy old woman with a pack of fierce dogs. Her car isn’t taxed or insured and [...]

I forgot to add that I also found two fantastic video clips that demonstrate the sheer madness of the TV news in the United States.
One shows the mindless self-absorption the media has with itself in such an extraordinary way that it could easily be mistaken for genius satire.
[youtube]KBRUalssp0Q[/youtube]
And the other is John Stewart doing [...]

Forgot to say last week that the “US news: utter utter rubbish” rant I wrote a fortnight earlier appeared in a slightly more professional format on the Guardian’s Comment is Free site on Wednesday under the headline: Why TV news in the US is utter rubbish.
The title I sent them was: “Why TV news in [...]

The organic food-market is an extraordinary thing. Supermarkets always claim to be providing what their customers want, and so since a large number of people are growing increasingly concerned about the chemicals shoved willy-nilly into our food, supermarkets provide organic food.
But you know their hearts aren’t in it. All the mass-produced, completely supply-reliable, unrottable, choose-your-shade-of-green [...]

Friday, 17 Aug: Bar, Fonteverde Spa, Tuscany
So, I’m in the bar at the Fonteverde Spa having had a lovely dinner next door. As usual, there is only one or two other people in here, plus the long-suffering pianist and the barman who, knowing I’m going to having one of the remaining single malts, has already [...]

I’ve just accidentally caught the first episode of what I’ve just found out (thanks to the Net) is the second series of a space comedy. It’s called Hyperdrive, is on BBC2 and stars most of the new generation of British TV comedy stars, including Nick Frost of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz fame.
So [...]

You know, there are times when I just cannot fathom what on earth is going on in the world and I have just had one of the moments. Fortunately I have been out the country for a month so I completely missed the fact there was a “Concert for Diana” at the new Wembley stadium [...]

This is going to be an interesting one. The logo for the London Olympics in 2012 was unveiled on Monday and it has met almost universal disdain. And for good reason – look at it – it’s hideous. Or perhaps grotesque is a better word. Anyway, the BBC has a poll on it where at [...]

I haven’t posted anything on this blog for over a week. Why? Because I’ve been at my first ICANN meeting on the other side – working as ICANN staff – and I simply didn’t have time to get around a post. Maybe I should have made the time. But when posting is something you would [...]

People who work in and around the pharmaceutical industry.
Imagine having all that spam appear at first glance to be legitimate email.
How about Pfizer executives? Every mention of Viagra draws your attention.
I am at the IETF meeting in the Hilton in Prague. But much as I would like to stick my head in, it is [...]