'Newspaper writers, especially over 50, often talk about how the internet is killing their industry.' @Webster007 begs to differ: March mag

— The Oldie (@OldieMagazine) February 25, 2014

A new industrial revolution

A new industrial revolution is underway and we are in the thick of it, but most people haven’t noticed; what’s more, it shows some remarkable similarities to the last one. One of the founders of Google claims that the amount of data we record every two days in 2013 is equal to all of the data that was recorded from the beginning of time to 2003. I think that’s exaggerating, but you get the picture.

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Google marches on...

I've just come across this extraodinary chart, courtesy of Business Insider.

It shows that Google alone is now a bigger recipient of advertising spend than either newspapers and magazines in the USA.  As the article points out, presumably it won't be long before Google not only eclipses magazines but also becomes bigger than magazines ever were — even when there was no Internet to compete with.

As he says, staggering.

Something from the internet

Too true, too true...

Knopfler & Green vs Hank Marvin

Every man of my generation who owned a guitar (we pretty much all did) at some stage sat in his bedroom trying to play like Hank Marvin.

So here's my dilemma - is it disloyal to prefer a newer version of the great Hank's oeuvre?

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Oldie hits 300...

Issue number 300 of The Oldie is out - and it includes column 168 from Webster. My first column was published in April 2000; it seems a very long time ago.

These are the sites I recommended in that first column; rather to my surprise, all but one still exist:

www.bibliofind.com
Second hand books - now part of Amazon
www.reliefweb.int
United Nations site, still there, with information about global crises.
www.imdb.com
Information about films - still the market leader.
www.ofsted.gov.uk
The school inspectors - still inspecting
www.answers.com & www.allexperts.com
Both still around, bigger than ever.

The secret of TV news reports

The truth hurts...

Webster's latest article in The Oldie - July 2013

Rupert Murdoch has, once again, threatened a self-important bunch of vested interests and stirred up an overcharging industry. Whatever you think of him, you can’t but admire his appetite for a fight, especially as he undoubtedly qualifies as a genuine oldie these days.

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The most useless machine in the world.

This machine exists only to switch itself off.  That's what I call a machine.

One of my readers offers this excellent idea:

"Many of those hyperactive kids need something that they want to beat and most ly do so, destroying whatever it is in the process. Now put one kid infront of this machine and ask him to try to beat the machine. My best bet is he will eventually give up and be so tired he will fall into bed.
Get two machines and two kids, offering them a competition to see who can beat the machines . If nothing else a lot of hilarity should ensue."

Great plan - I hope the machine is strong enough.

President Obama's dog inspects the decorations...