This got me thinking about which websites I would actually be willing to pay to access myself and the answer is not many. We already pay for the BBC in a round about way and the only other sites I would consider paying for are those which I have a particular affinity for such as nufc.com and aintitcool.com

Is this the begining of magazines shifting to a more dynamic creative media solution I wonder?

The ad take the form of an insert so opportunities are limited, plus the production must be eye wateringly expensive but in response to the right strategy for the right client it could be just the ticket.

I wonder which UK publication will be the first to give this a whirl?

This led me to think about our general fascination with celebrity and specifically what we find so appealing with it.  With this in mind I’d like to pose the following question:

If you could work with any one person or celebrity for the remainder of your life (living or dead, fictional or non-fictional) who would it be?

I’m sure some of you will disagree… But its got to be option2 for me. Education is so geared towards exam results that you can be pretty much told what the questions are going to be and, if your enterprising witha good memory, learn a response by heart to trot out in the exam. That’s all very well and good for nailing that a* but how practically useful is that type of learning in the real world and isn’t there some relevant skills that should be taught that would equip kids for the rest of their life?
E.g. In maths- why don’t they teach you about getting a mortgage and balancing debt rather than algebra?

I’m not belittling the hard work that goes into achieving good exam results, it just doesn’t seem the best way to advance the race.

Just a thought. Now where’s that gordon brown?

The act prohibits the sale of ‘adult’ material (eg. 18 rated films) to minors.

Apparently the Home Office in 1984 failed to notify the European Commission of the existence of the Act despite being required to do so under an EU directive. The mistake was not spotted on two subsequent occasions, in 1993 and 1994. As a consequence, effective immediately, police are being told to halt any existing, and to not bring any new, prosecutions for selling ‘adult’ material to minors until the Government passes emergency legislation to re-enact the 1984 Act.

Until then, retailers will be able to sell ‘adult’ material to under-18s without fear of prosecution.

Obviously the larger retailers, especially those in the Entertainment Retail Association (ERA), have vowed not to benefit from the news. Kim Bayley the director general of the ERA said “We are of course surprised that this news has come to light, but we are confident that all ERA members will act responsibly – and will continue to ensure inappropriate material does not get into the hands of children. However, I can’t speak on behalf of smaller video and video games retailers who aren’t ERA members.”

Kids must be having the best summer holidays ever…

Tip Top are hosting a microsite (www.nationalhugyourbossday.co.uk) to promote the day and are encouraging people to upload their affection filled photos to share with the nation. I hope that we can get some Maxus hugs up there - group hug Mercedes team?

What I am proposing is we can have all the ‘empty’ spaces bought up by one company (or rich person) and sold on the cheap to the public, Maybe £30-£50?  People can submit artwork, poems, thoughts, promotional events, model pictures, CVs, etc. (all approved beforehand).   These entries can then be allocated across stations and outdoor places.  I think as a parameter we should keep religion and politics out of this as people are unable to cope with the idea that people might have different ideas than them.

What would you put on a XTP, cross track, 6 sheet, or even the Colossus?

Sadly enough, I would put up a recruitment poster for my Rowing Club (Thames Rowing Club) for all those who are interests…and should join!

Not. With. Sky. Plus.

It allows you to always be prepared. From the comfort of my desk, I can use my Iphone to sky plus any cheap / tacky / wrong / weird / rude programme I want, it then tape it (in secret) and stores it ready for my alone time, therefore allowing me not to disclose any of my private viewing habits.

However, for the means of the blog, I will let you in (only partially) to my Sky Plus library and what my guilty pleasures are:

 - Behind Bars. Documentary of prison life. (this is on Bravo. Its amazing, they have a different theme every episode, so sometimes it discusses prison relationships, sometimes prison violence etc)
 - Total Wipout USA (on Watch and its a mix of a surreal gameshows like Takeshi’s Castle, Gladiators and Krypton Factor. I’m addicted to it. Americans running around a man made obstacle course, falling in mud and jumping on BIG rubber balls over water. I love this show.)
 - Women who Kill (this is factual and on the crime and punishment channel. Its usually the stories of three separate real life women killers. Worrying I sometimes put this on when I try and fall asleep)

Anyway - what are your TV guilty pleasures?

For anyone unfamiliar with this project, the Fourth Plinth is the name given to the empty plinth in the north-west corner of Trafalgar Square in London. Built in 1841 there were not enough funds available at the time to create a statue and so the space remained empty. This summer, sculptor Antony Gormley has invited the people of the UK to occupy the plinth - a different person every hour, 24 hours a day, for 100 days without a break.

When I went last night, the chap on the Plinth was dressed as Henry VIII, talking to the assembled crown about his life and times. As I type this, the current inhabitee is a girl whose objective on the plinth is to “invite people in the crowd to create statues or shapes with their bodies to translate abstract concepts into visual metaphors or mudras”. Hmm, not to everyones tastes then.

You can see this for yourself by visiting www.oneandother.co.uk and watching the live streaming. To date, the live online coverage has clocked up 2,900,000 page impressions, 658,000 visits and 407,000 unique users. The average time spent on the site is 10 minutes and 18 seconds.

To date, over 29,000 people have applied for one of just 2,400 place available - me included. If I get picked I’m taking bets/dares for what I should do. Any ideas?