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The Amazon Echo

by 7 Comments

Does anyone have any experience with an Amazon Echo? It looks like an intriguing piece of kit and the reviews are pretty positive. I’m tempted as it seems to be great to listen to podcasts, audiobooks and radio whilst having a large potential for other things as well.

Is anyone else tempted by it? Or is it just an incomplete gadget?

Help – My email address is sending out spoof emails

by 10 Comments

This is an appeal to the knowledgeable people of Afterword Towers.

I have a web domain that I use for our families email addresses. Mine seems to have been hijacked and people in my contacts list are getting spoof/spam emails with dodgy links.

I did think I fixed it by changing the password but it still seems to be happening. Short of turning off the email address, is there anything that I can do to stop this happening? I have the domain hosted on 1&1 but there doesn’t seem to be any thing in the FAQs to help me.

Thanks (and apologies to anyone who may have received spam emails about my new hairstyle).

Mysoginist Films

by 57 Comments

As a balance to the Lurker thread, I thought we should have a thread where we replace a single word from a film title with the word “Mysoginist”.

I’ll start with Women on the Verge of a Nervous Mysoginist.

What instruments ruin a song?

by 179 Comments

I went to see Paul Carrack last Monday. He reminded me of two rules that I have about music and songs as he managed to break both of them in one gig.

The first relates to flutes. I cannot think of a single song that has been improved by the addition of a flute. Before Twang retorts with a Jethro Tull rock a flute very nicely, I have to say that I haven’t heard anything by Jethro Tull that I like.

The second rule is whistling. It always strikes me as a sort of filler – one up from la la la lyrics (Into The Valley by The Skids is the biggest sinner here). It always feels so lazy.

Does anyone actually like whistling or flutes in their rock? Or does anyone have any other rational dislikes?

Paul Carrack

by 8 Comments

Venue:

Guildford Civic Hall

Date: 15/02/2016

I’ve always rather liked Paul Carrack – especially his singing. He has an effortlessly great voice. Mrs LB knows this and so bought me tickets to see him and his band at the Guildford Civic Hall (Well, its the Civic Hall according to my satnav, G Live to ‘ver kids and marketing professionals).

First, a word for the support act. Robert Vincent, a scouse singer songwriter in need of a haircut. Armed with a great voice, some immediately great, downbeat songs, he was excellent.

Then on the main show. Carrack, looking like Bono would if he aged gracefully, and his band launched into a Mike & The Mechanics number. I knew this much because it a) had two synths being played and b) had no showy off guitar solos. It was a good start – the man can sing and the band can play. The next song was jaunty enough – mid paced polished blues. The song was stretched to breaking point by a sax solo, bass solo (I’ve genuinely not seen one of these before) and then guitar solo followed by some piano solo. I got a little bit bored.

This set » Continue Reading.

Assange

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I don’t profess to be totally clued up on the Julian Assange situation and I think that, by and large, there appears to be little public opinion on the case – maybe because nearly 4 years of staying indoors doesn’t make for particularly exciting news.

However, today’s ruling by the UN panel has got him on the front pages again and I’m bemused as to how the UN can come to the ruling they did. As I see it, Assange is wanted in Sweden to answer allegations of a rape. The normal extradition paperwork has been done so he will be arrested by the UK police and extradited to Sweden. The wrinkle (albeit a pretty smart move by Assange) is that he is not technically in the UK whilst in the Ecuadorian embassy so if he stays there, he can’t be extradited.

This is the bit I don’t understand – how can hiding in a building on what is, in effect, Ecuadorian territory be considered as arbitrary imprisonment? If he was stuck in Brazil (a la Ronnie Biggs) would the same UN law apply?

Can any of the smart people on The Afterword explain the finer points to me? » Continue Reading.

Nashville

by 16 Comments

Is anyone else watching Nashville? The country music industry provides a great frame for what is basically a high quality soap. Established stars coping in the new industry, young stars coping with fame, talent looking for a break and, the heart and soul of the series, an alcoholic singer songwriter who struggles with his place in the business whilst loving the music perhaps more than anyone else in the show.

So far, so formula. But the thing that makes Nashville rise above the normal TV drama is that the music is done so well. T Bone Burnett is the musical director and it shows with the songs being a key part of the show.

And it really makes you want to go to Nashville and visit the Bluebird Cafe and take in show.

Anyone else watching it?

ATM – VPN App for iPad

by 7 Comments

I’m slightly bewildered by the sheer number of VPN apps available and reviews all seem to be very mixed for most of them. I mainly want to be able to view Netflix, Sky Go and iPlayer when abroad either on my iPad or using airplay to an apple tv device.

Is anyone using a VPN app on an iPad that can give some advice on how well it works, how easy is it to set up and whether the free ones are any good (or really free?).

Thanks.

Bluetooth Noise Cancelling Headphones

by 14 Comments

Does anybody have any experience good or bad with these? They may well be the way forward for my commuting. I do have a fear of looking a bit of a dick though (a bit more of a dick perhaps) so have a preference for the more subtle designs.

And can anyone remember the ones that Burt Kocain fellow raved about? Were they noise cancelling?

Thanks.