August 23, 2011 · 10:21 pm

Are you on the train?

J. Kary talks with the CEO of software company Sibilant about their new mobile phone app for commuters.

A new mobile phone application has solved the problem of letting your fellow passengers know that you are “on the train”.

Simon C. Seatoller, CEO and founder of software company Sibilant, created the app after observing commuter behaviour. He noticed the frequency with which train commuters informed other passengers of their location while ostensibly talking to friends and family on their mobile phones. Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under That's absurd

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

July 27, 2011 · 11:50 pm

The Times reports that The Times reports …

The Times is taking the phone hacking scandal seriously. J. Kary looks at how the paper is handling its inner conflicts on the issue.

The News of the World phone hacking scandal presents a unique challenge to The Times: how will it report on the scandal given that News International also owns The Times?

Editor James Harding said: “Given that News International owns the News of the World – or did own – as well as The Times, we at The Times need to appear impartial in reporting the phone hacking scandal.” Continue reading →

Leave a Comment

Filed under That's absurd

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

July 12, 2011 · 10:52 pm

Parents struggle with son who has no tattoo

J. Kary reports how one couple is dealing with a son who refuses to get a tattoo.

Life in the Grisedale household has descended into screaming matches.

Eric and Nancy Grisedale have been battling with their son, Nick, who does not have a tattoo. They have spent the past year encouraging Nick to get one, to no avail.

Mr Grisedale, 54, an accountant, says that all of Nick’s friends have tattoos, so he wonders at Nick’s choice. Continue reading →

Leave a Comment

Filed under That's absurd

Tagged as , , , , , ,

June 6, 2011 · 8:27 am

How the internet is galvanising support for social justice documentaries

For the Guardian on 6 June 2011 in association with the Sheffield Doc/Fest

Films that form part of a campaign for social justice are regularly appearing online – greatly increasing their reach and impact

Documentaries that have a campaign at their core have traditionally had strong points of view, but in the past few years the rise of the internet and social media has opened up the conversation and helped galvanise campaigns around these kinds of films … Read the whole article on the Guardian website.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Journalism

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

June 3, 2011 · 12:46 am

Hampstead Parish Churchyard tells stories of those who matter

For the Ham & High on 17 March 2011.

Justin Kary
Thursday, March 17, 2011
2.49 PM

A restoration project on the churchyard reveals an interesting history

Tombstones mark a life lived; they show birth and death dates, professions, loved ones. In old graveyards the tombstone may provide the only record of a person’s life. The various slabs, chest tombs and plaques are stone. But they are still fragile. Wind, rain, pollution – even bird droppings – all take their toll. Lose them, and you may lose a life.

Camden Council and Hampstead Parish Church are working to restore and conserve the churchyard of St John-at-Hampstead. The Heritage Lottery Fund granted £324,500 in July 2009 for the project, called Life and Death in Hampstead. Continue reading →

Leave a Comment

Filed under Journalism

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

June 2, 2011 · 1:43 am

Pepys loses his pad

The iPad has rendered the Pepys Library obsolete. J. Kary reports how modern technology is replacing the old-fashioned book.

Cambridge University’s Magdalene College has given away the priceless 3,000-volume library of Samuel Pepys, including Pepys’ diary, the most famous diary in the English language.

Pepys bequeathed his library to Magdalene, his alma mater, when he died in 1703. University officials said the books were no longer needed as they have all been transferred to iPads. They said discarding the books in favour of iPads would provide significant savings for the college. Continue reading →

2 Comments

Filed under That's absurd

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,