For my mind, I think a more appropriate question would be - "What the fuck does everyone see in Toothpaste For Dinner?" No, to be fair, I kind of get it sometimes but it's more in an 'Ah yes' knowing nod of the head kind of way, not in a haha that's funny kind of way. By and large, it's just got that 'I'm so smart I'm eating my own arse' quality that people just seem to love. It's not that i begrudge them or even dislike them (to any great degree) but it does surprise me just how successful things like Toothpaste For Dinner, White Ninja and A Softer World actually are? I guess it's a bit like modern art, there's a certain smug superiority when you get it and other people don't. It's like the pseudo-intellectuals way of flexing their muscles.
They're still looking for submissions as well. You can paint, draw, write, doodle, cut, stick, sculpt or whatever you want. Just as long as you do it on a beer mat. If you can't get your hands on a beer mat, then contact James Marr and he'll try help you out.
The address to send submissions to is: James Marr Calle Primavera 18, 2ºA Benidorm 03501 Alicante Spain
Do try to include your name, country and website address if you have one. Accepted works will be shown online and at future exhibitions i.e. hung up in the bar.
So Sony Pictures Entertainment has bought video-sharing siteGrouper.com. Paris Hilton has signed up to have her own dedicated channel on YouTube, where I assume she'll be promoting her Pergo Flooring business. Internet downloading has boosted declining music sales, giving the industry a much needed lifeline. Maybe this whole internet thing is going to work out after all? I wonder though, was there a plan there all along? Did the folks behind YouTube sit down and decide that if they pile massive amounts of cash into the site until they become hugely popular, they would eventually be able to sell advertising space? As business plans go, it sounds a bit vague - though I'm sure they padded it out with lots of exciting buzzwords and zingy-phrases. Still it seems to be working, though whether it's going to pan out for everyone else is another question altogether. What I really want to know though, is what bright-spark decided that the best way to promote Paris Hilton's music career was through a site that counted this as one of it's most viewed? Are we just watching a really cynical attempt to make a few bob out of the car-crash that Hilton's music career is destined to become? And are people who watch Prison Break really the same people who will buy Paris Hilton records? Is there even such a beast as a Paris Hilton music fan? Maybe the apocalypse is actually on it's way after all?
I'm just very, very, very pleased with the work Frank did on this weeks Irish Election cartoon. I was quite fond of some of theothers but I'm really chuffed with this one. It was a strange thing adjusting to doing political toons at first but it's kind of fun now. Luckily enough Irish politicians seem to be, by and large, pathologically inept - though I guess I shouldn't really consider that a good thing. For those not in the know, Irish Election is a group-blog, with bloggers from a diverse range of political backgrounds, aiming to blog the next Irish general election. They also have a podcast, which I haven't listened to yet but probably will soon, maybe. Either way, I expect once the election date has been set the site will attract loads more attention, both good and derisory, which is a good thing.
I have no real idea what Pergo Flooring is but, apparently, Paris Hilton is very keen that I should have some. The industrious little minx is also selling replica rolex watches through her already thriving dressing gown business. It's a wonder she has time for all that partying and whatever else it is she actually does.
Italy have offered to send troops to police the ceasefire in South Lebanon - but only if Israel promises not to break it. I hereby voluteer for the Garda Reserve, so long as I get a guarantee that no one will actually break the law while I'm on duty.
Liam Kelly, the Fianna Fail councillor apparently photographed snorting cocaine, is refusing to step down from his post. Sources within the party have suggested he should resign but he doesn't care, he'll take them all on. The bastards are all out to get him. He's been set-up. They don't know who they're messing with. Say hello to his little friend.
The US Ambassador to Ireland has warned Ireland that any attempts to rip-off tourists visiting for the Ryder Cup could seriously damage the Irish tourism industry. But it won't matter because everyone involved will be rich and able to retire, surely. And anyway, it's not like we're detaining people without trial and torturing them, is it?
The Internet has done so many things to improve our lives. We can find that album we used to listen to incessantly when we were moved into our first flat. We can stay in touch with people we haven't seen in years. We find out info about anything at the stroke of a key. Wonderful. Magnificent. But what does the Internet do for us in the afterlife? Up to now, probably not alot. However, now for the princely sum of €29 a year, you can annoy the fuck out of all your friends and family long after you've passed off this mortal coil. Or at least, I think that's what it's for. That might just be me though.
Blogger have announced a beta update. The update is by invite only and seems to have the knock on affect of telling all the rest of us we can go fuck ourselves until the update goes into full release. I could be wrong about that - they might have been telling us to go fuck ourselves for ages. They don't seem that interested in informing their users of developments.
Could someone tell me why my Firefox has decided to check for a software update every time I open a new window. It's just a little unneccesary.
Just like mobile phones, in time everyone is going to be carrying around a flash drive. School kids will no longer have to store up years of future back problems carrying bags full of text books every day. Files will all be transported to and from work attached to your keychain. So it's inevitable that people will start to view them with one eye on the aesthetic. Which is where someone like Mimoco steps in. Mimobots are designer USB Flash pen drives. With a variety of ranges available, from some very talented artists, I can imagine them becoming a must-have accessory in the very near future. Of course, that being said, they could already be the must-have accessory and I'd be completely oblivious to it. I wouldn't mind seeing Bob Byrne come up with a few designs for them - Clambots has a bit of a ring to it.
Frank started up a bit of an argument over Heath Ledger's suitability to play The Joker. I can't and will not ever accept that he can pull off the role but there you go. If you're that interested in the movie, you might want to check out Batman On Film for all the latest gossip. Rumour has it that John Cusack could be lined up for the role of Harvey Dent and while I know it's the generally held consensus that Cusack is a gift from God, I wouldn't be particularly fond of that piece of casting either. Other candidates include Josh Lucas, Liev Schreiber or Ryan Phillippe. I could imagine Liev Schreiber alright, but Ryan Phillippe? And, forgive my ignorance, but who the hell is Josh Lucas?
Welcome to the wonderful and charming world of World Domination Toys. Meet the Rabies Babies or Psycho Sally - with motorised stabbing action no less. Maybe the Roller Wrong Shimmy 'n' Shake Dolly is more your thing. Actually I haven't a clue what that is but it promises to spontaneously move about the house late at night. Which is exactly what you'd want from a toy. All of a sudden I'm really excited about my niece's upcoming birthday.
Dilbert creator Scott Adams helps himself to sleep by imagining a secret cabal of puppetmasters are handling all the important decisions and not the actual elected officials who are supposed to be. "Otherwise my survival depends on hordes of clueless goobers electing competent leaders," he says. "ThatÂs about as likely as a dog pissing the Mona Lisa into a snow bank." And you've got to admit, he's kind of got a point. Take a look at the people who are supposed to be running your country. Wouldn't it be reassuring to know someone even remotely competent was working behind-the-scenes to keep things running smoothly? It'd be nice if they weren't inherently evil but, you know, you can't have everything. There's a great chapter in Jon Ronson'sThem, where he infiltrates a gathering of the supposed Global Elite and finds he actually quite likes them. Maybe it's time to cast off the shackles of democracy and embrace shadowy global conspiracies.
Pictures of a marijuana growing factory - complete with an escape tunnel that comes out under a fake rock. No mention of whether anyone actually got away.
Could come in handy, I suppose - How To Fake Being A Geek. And if that doesn't work, why not apply a big red stamp clarifying your abject crapness by availing of The Poularity Dialer. If you eventually end up marrying your date, you might find you have to keep this up for the rest of your life. Or at least until she realises you're a cretin and lives you wallowing in your tears and piss with only an imaginary phone-friend for company.
Just to taking the time to reitierate that blogger is the biggest piece of shit going. It's become completely random hit-and-miss whether it will post or not. If you're thinking of starting a blog - stay the fuck away from blogger. There are so many alternatives. You could go with a hosting company with a good blog offering or try the wordpress free hosting or get a typepad account. There are plenty of others and they all have pros and cons but for fucks sake, save yourself the heartache and avoid blogger like the plague.
We have been running this site for over two years now. I have put a considerable amount of my own money into it's development - not to mention the man-hours both myself and Frank have dedicated to it. Now it's got it's limitations but one of it's primary benefits to both Frank and myself has been the boost it has given us in both reputation and profile. If I'm putting together a proposal for a project or putting myself forward for work, this site is one of my aces in the hole. In it's little way it's been very successful. A lot of my plans for the future are, in some way or other, tied into this. So while I try not take it too seriously, I do protect the reputation that has grown out of it very jealously - it's one of the concessions I make to living in an adult world with adult responsibilities. If I think someone is unintentionally doing something to damage it, I'll let them know - whilst still trying to take it in the spirit it was intended.
Some people, however, have no idea and they seem oblivious to where to draw the line. Some time ago we had a spate of comments, over-the-top complaints and offensive remarks, that all turned out to be the work of one person. This person we know well and once we managed to call him on it, we took it as it was intended - a ballhop. Grand. When the chance arose, I explained to the person what caused us problems at the time and why I'd be a little less light-hearted about it than I could have been. He seemed to get it but apparently not. He started again and, knowing who he was, I gave him a bit of leeway - thinking he knows where the line is now. Unfortunately I was wrong - he's entirely oblivious to it. Not only were a number of his comments completely inappropriate but, after pretending to comment under other peoples names, he has taken to setting up blogs using my name - just to deride me. [edit]This could be viewed as a malicious and vindictive way to potentially damage the reputation and profile that I have built up through BifSniff but, no doubt, in his spoilt-child-like egotism (or enthusiasm as he insists) he doesn't see it that way.[edit] In his mind he believes this all just a laugh and I'm just taking it too seriously.
Maybe you agree but consider it like this. Working as a freelance designer, or whatever, and you tender for a job. You've put a lot of work into your portfolio and have built a reputation for quality work. However someone, as a joke, decides to go to masquerade as you. He does up cards and starts hanging around where he knows he'll meet your potential employers or co-workers or their clients. Then he starts making inappropriate remarks and saying things that are designed to make you seem small or petty. Imagine how you'd feel. Now add to that situation the anonymity of the web. [edit]For clarity, and his peace of mind, I'm not suggesting he was deliberatly trying to destroy my reputation. He wasn't. It was a joke and a miscalculation on his part. For my part, I overreacted initially but, for fucks sake, he was using my identity.[edit]
[edit-text removed]
I have no desire to be portrayed as a saint but I sure-as-fuck have a right to dictate how and where my own name is used.
For obvious reasons I'm not accepting comments on this post. This situation has been resolved so to speak. On the face of things some of what I said was harsh but I still stand by it in principle. We have reasons for drawing a line in the sand and if someone, in spite of constant of friendly suggestions to the contrary, seems unable to stick to that - we have to do something about it. And hang the context - you don't go around using my fucking name, ever.
