All the fun of the fair! We go on nearly every ride that they can go on, and some that they shouldn't. One particular is the funny house with all the trick stairs, and stuff. Bradley really, really wants to go on, he's a taste for these, but I have to go on with him. Luckily he's light enough for me to hold one hand and pick him up out of trouble. Other small children aren't so lucky, this trick house is particularly dangerous, but we survive, and take the early exit out. Must have blown £50+ on this night! Fairs are really expensive when there's two kids who want to go on everything.

On the way back home, there's the last spurt of fireworks, quite a nice display, I think, but the kids aren't into it at all. Bradley starts acting up first. He hides behind Amanda. Then when she turns around to expose him to the display...

He hides behind Esme, and then behind Amanda when Esme turns, and on it goes, Bradley looking for shelter from the vision of exploding rockets and whatever next.

Esme isn't very well, a cold we think, and the loud bangs and roars don't go down well with any body else either. But this is getting serious. We decide that they're going too nuts and begin to head off home, there's no consoling them. Esme on my shoulders, Bradley walking holding Amanda's hands. But I want to see the show, hell we've paid £12 just to see it, so I look back, but Esme turns my head, I look again and I am turned, just like an errant pony. This I do not like and Esme and I get into an argument, about who's in charge and so on...

1388 Also posted to: personal . At: 11:24:21 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Bonfire extravaganza

We go car booting on Saturdays. This one was in Bridgenorth, it's huge and a lot of fun, haggling with the natives. Of course it's even better for Bradley, he gets to ride on my 'shouldiers,' demand candy floss, and play on the strangest bouncy castle I've yet seen. Later we go into the centre of Bridgenorth, and spy a poor old stag's head. I say, "say cheese," to Bradley and he pulls the strange pose below. He gets this from Esme, who also pulls strange faces or poses when I pull out the camera.

1387 Also posted to: personal . At: 10:53:01 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Car booting with Bradley

November 02, 2003

Wallop being beta tested: Microsoft looking at 2nd Qtr 2004 release

Despite our recent speculation that Microsoft had missed the boat on blogging, we have been amazed to learn following our article yesterday that Wallop, the Microsoft Blogging tool, is already in beta testing from the site mywallop.com and is slated for release 2nd Qtr 2004 as a stand alone tool, and not part of the next version of Windows.

1386 Also posted to: cyberSaps . At: 4:44:37 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: The Blog Herald: Wallop being beta tested: Microsoft looking at 2nd Qtr 2004 release Archives

"The officials from Santa Clara also have a few words of advice for their UK counterparts, suggesting a culture change in government might be needed.

"You need a strategy for e-democracy," said Mr Ajmani. "You need to get the public involved in decision-making. This takes a very long time for elected people to be comfortable with.""

Involving people? Sounds like a job for blogs :-)

1385 Also posted to: cyberSaps , GOWM . At: 12:31:16 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: BBC: sexing up e-government

"Un be-known to pink-stripy top lady, she was being photographed in the same shot as her bluejacker. What an experience! As I began to wonder how many more bluejacking opportunities I would get in the day ahead of me, I was politely reminded by my dad that we didn't come to London to spend a whole day at Waterloo station bluejacking. Maybe one day though, just maybe." And another experience, "'Simon' was obviously the name of one of the N-Gages, so I turned (as casually as my bright yellow jumper allowed for) to face these two guys, now huddled around the N-Gage on the right. Upon receiving a picture of themselves in the same spot as they were still in, the immediate reaction of one of the men was to walk out of the shop. Wondering if the remaining guy would stay in the shop or join his friend, I made my way closer to the stand. I think it must have been my laughter that drew his attention to me. I tried looking away but I simply couldn't; the looks on his puzzled face were addictive." Or how about this one, "After they'd left Starbucks, we followed the couple all over town for about 30mins. He couldn't understand what was happening to him and was looking around all over the place for his bluejacker! We went up and down, around in circles, dodging his stare; quite literally, up in lifts, down on escalators!"

Via the BBC's site, and by the sound of it many, many other sites by the end of today.

1384 Also posted to: cyberSaps . At: 12:13:32 PM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: bluejackingQ: an incident described

To a roomful of people mostly unfamiliar with blogging, I stressed that it's a way to communicate passion and energy in a direct and authentic way. I think that message resonated pretty well. The room was full of passionate entrepeneurs, and they're excited about issues.

1382 Also posted to: cyberSaps . At: 11:14:14 AM  . .
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Other title(s) for this story: Jon Udell: The Forbes forum on dynamic mid-sized companies