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John Prescott & Stephen Fry: Authenticity is all that Counts

John Prescott & Stephen Fry: Authenticity is all that Counts

John Prescott and Stephen Fry are not cut from the same cloth. One a Labour politician, former Deputy Prime Minister and trade unionist. The other a bipolar homosexual with a criminal record and a fondness for Oscar Wilde. One known for mangling the English language and the other a sesquipedalian ... Read more »
To Derek Draper re: LabourList.org

To Derek Draper re: LabourList.org

LabourList is warming up in advance of a full launch. Some Tory voices have been pretty disparaging (maybe they're a bit scared?) but I can see it gathering momentum. One thing that needs a bit of work is the 'community management'. So here's my advice to Derek Draper, who's leading the ... Read more »
Bush's Letter to Obama

Bush’s Letter to Obama

It is traditional for the outgoing President of the United States to leave a letter on the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office for his successor. As the great and the good gather at the Capitol in Washington D.C., this picture has been smuggled out of the White House showing George Bush's letter to ... Read more »
British Retail Consortium doesn't like good news

British Retail Consortium doesn’t like good news

Stephen Robertson Director-General of the British Retail Consortium was the Eeyore of business yesterday as he spread doom and gloom across the media. Offered a chance by interviewers to say something positive, Robertson would effortlessly bridge and make a point even more dire than the one before. ... Read more »
Tom Watson: MP 2.0

Tom Watson: MP 2.0

Tom Watson, the member for West Bromwich East and Civil Service Minister, is a rare politician: he gets the web. And I don't mean just as a campaign broadcast tool (viz Obama). He gets it as a utility and a potential agent of change and engagement. In recent weeks, this has become more important. ... Read more »
eBay in 2009: Boom or Bust?

eBay in 2009: Boom or Bust?

Shouldn't eBay be recession-proof? eBay in Germany has been a phenomenal success over the past decade and for much of that time DE was in actual recession or not enjoying growth like the US and UK. (It's a shame the team that made that happen have been let go because I'm sure there were lessons to ... Read more »
Social Media 2008: That Was The Year That Was

Social Media 2008: That Was The Year That Was

2008 has been a busy year and a good one for social media and in the maelstrom of a million stories, memorable tittle-tattle, memes, mini-memes and just plain nonsense here are a handful of stories that I'll remember. They might even be 'significant.' The Faceparty Hissy Fit A sense of humour ... Read more »
What has eBay UK ever done for us?

What has eBay UK ever done for us?

When Tamebay broke the story with details of eBay European streamlining and, specifically, the abolition of a UK-based team in the UK solely focussing on eBay.co.uk, I certainly didn't expect weeping and mourning. Customers shouldn't really, quite rightly, care about the staff of a ... Read more »
Things I love about the London Underground*

Things I love about the London Underground*

For my money, there are few British institutions as marvellous as the London Undergound. From humble beginnings as a cut-and-cover route between Paddington and Farringdon as the world's first underground railway, to the major engineering feats of the deep tunnels of the Northern line and the ... Read more »
eBay Europe vs eBay.co.uk

eBay Europe vs eBay.co.uk

TameBay have confirmed what's been rumoured for some time: eBay offices across Europe will close, teams are merging, jobs will be lost and operations are being streamlined and centralised in London and Switzerland. eBay Inc. announced in October that circa 10% of jobs would be cut from a ... Read more »
The X-Factor: Hallelujah.

The X-Factor: Hallelujah.

When it comes to showbiz, I like schmaltz. I've liked schmaltz even more since I learnt it was a jewish/yiddish term for goose, chicken or pork fat. That's what you need to add a bit of fun, luxury, shine and excitement to a dish. Showbiz is the same. I like schmaltz. So, I've been enjoying the ... Read more »
Community hosts set the tone

Community hosts set the tone

The Telegraph provided a great example last weekend of how a community host, whilst never really in charge, does have a critical role in setting the tone of the discussion. It's fair to point out that The Telegraph (surprisingly to some) is doing a good job of managing 'the conversation'. In ... Read more »
The Chatroom of Commons

The Chatroom of Commons

The House of Commons has turned into the highest internet chatroom in the land. The economy is in real trouble, there are numerous national and international issues that our elected representatives should be turning their collective wisdom to and what are they obsessing about? Moderation. Look ... Read more »
eBay: Can 'diamonds' be forever?

eBay: Can ‘diamonds’ be forever?

eBay's level-playing field was one of the features that marked it aside from the competition and set it on course for phenomenal success. The level-playing field promised equality of opportunity rather than equality of outcome and the same fees and rules for all. If there were benefits or ... Read more »