Download my new single for free

23 December 2008


Artwork for 'We work to earn our sleep'Okay, so calling it a single is perhaps a little bit of a stretch. But I've uploaded a piece of music I've written for the first time today, and I'd be delighted if you downloaded it and let me know what you think. It's called 'We work to earn our sleep' (a title which will be familiar to you if you've read 'University of Death'), and it's about two minutes long. The download includes an Easter Egg, too. I've created this track using a sample-based music tool, so it's different to the music I usually write using a guitar and piano.

Feel free to leave any comments in this thread. I'd like to release more of my music in 2009 (which is highly unlikely to sound like this track, incidentally), so this is partly an experiment to see whether this is a good way to share music and get feedback on work in progress.

(This download has been removed now, but you can contact me if you'd like a copy).

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AC/DC excels at web promotion

22 December 2008


AC/DC has released an ASCII art video of "Rock N Roll Train" to promote the band's new album.

The video runs as a macro in an Excel spreadsheet. It has been created using ASCII art stored in cells starting at Q100 and working their way down the sheet (the Q column is hidden), and Visual Basic to show the frames in turn. It's an impressive effect.

Unfortunately, the video is incomplete, presumably so that they don't have to give everyone the song for free (the Excel chart references a WAV file stored externally on your hard drive, which you download with the Excel file).

Even established bands can get lost in the amount of free music online today, so this video is a neat way to stimulate word of mouth and encourage fans to spread the word about the new album.

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The true value of art

18 December 2008


snail sculpture shown blocking the gallery doors

This sculpture of a snail by Salvador Dali is an extremely limited edition, worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. Most of the time, it is shown in the hallway of the museum, with a small plaque on the wall above it.

When the gallery owner goes to lunch, it's used to block the shop doors.

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How to train to be a journalist

15 December 2008


Over the years, I've received quite a few queries from website visitors asking me about whether a journalism course they're considering is any good or not. I've usually declined to comment because it's not fair to judge courses I haven't been on, but I've now uploaded some guidelines to help people pick the right educational path for their journalism career.

The article answers the following questions from readers:
  • I'm 14 years old and I'm picking my exam subjects. What will be useful in my chosen career as a journalist? Should I pick history or geography?
  • Should I take a course in journalism?
  • Should I study for a degree in journalism?
  • I'm thinking about quitting my degree studies to work as a journalist now. Is this a good idea?
  • What about correspondence courses in journalism?
  • Can you tell me if this [named] course is any good please?
  • What else do I need to do while I'm training?
The answers are just my own opinion, but I hope you'll find them useful. This journalism training article is part of my journalism resources section, which includes tips on novel writing, self-publishing, web writing and freelancing; and some exclusive proofreading and editing exercises.

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Philosophical bridge in Lincoln

02 December 2008


Bridge with the words 'where are you going?' carved in its design

Bridge with the words 'where have you been?' carved in its design

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This book, now fully updated for Scratch 3, will take you from the basics of the Scratch language into the depths of its more advanced features. A great way to start programming.

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