Patrick Moore RIP

Really sad news about Patrick Moore today, I watched this months Sky at Night a programme I have watched since around 2004 when I got my first PVR.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-10525469

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/science-obituaries/9732840/Sir-Patrick-Moore.html

A truly inspirational and dedicated man. I can remember him judging a model contest when I was growing up, and he loved my brothers Airfix model of Apollo 11!

For people who watch the show, they've gradually seen him become more frail over the last few years - still a shock to hear the news though.

Peer to Peer lending set to be regulated

Interesting article on peer to peer lending which is due to have some regulation in the UK.

http://www.lovemoney.com/blogs/the-economy-politics-and-your-job/politics-and-finance/18741/peertopeer-lending-set-to-be-regulated?source=1000564

Probably most importantly from a compensation perspective should a firm fail - that would be an important backup for any investor. Of course it is something everyone thinks about since the near fall of Halifax/RBS and the run on Northern Rock.

These sort of businesses are exactly the type of competition the mainstream banks need - cut out the middle man, who has for too long made too much money and offered poor loan deals.

Keeping the lights on

Christopher Booker always writes very good articles on the folly of UK energy policy, and this is a good example:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/energy/9715919/Well-slash-your-bills-but-it-will-cost-you-more-says-Ed-Davey.html

Reading it gave me an idea, let's fast track the House of Commons onto the energy mix they are talking about - mainly wind power. The lights would go out at regular intervals, and maybe this would galvanize them into a more reliable policy!

HP v Autonomy

HP's sad demise continues, claiming dirty tricks in the Autonomy buy out. I only know a little about Autonomy - but it always felt like a company over selling a dubious capability. Oracle famously turned up their noses, with Ellison seeing the business was not worth what was claimed.

That left HP to wade in and lose their money. In some ways this is what UK companies of old (think Ferranti) fell foul of, buying an American concern that simply was not worth the money!

Cringely has a good article:

http://www.cringely.com/2012/11/28/hear-that-sound-its-hp-founders-bill-and-dave-spinning-in-their-graves/

Film: Skyfall directed by Sam Mendes

I saw Skyfall at the cinema, and it was pretty good. It did feel a little like a series of set piece stunts linked up by a background plot - but that does not detract too much.

As always the stunt scenes are really well done. A lot was made of us hearing a little more of Bond's background - but that was quite weak really.

The product placement was not too bad - I missed the Heineken bit which they paid so much for. Also they found a good balance of showing iconic representations of text messages rather than using it as an opportunity to product place a mobile phone handset (which date so quickly as to age a film prematurely).

I feel they played a bit too much on Bond "getting old", a bit absurd that - also leaving them less room to manoeuvre on subsequent films.

Film: Quantum of Solace directed by Marc Foster

Before going to see the new Bond I rewatched this for the first time since seeing it in the cinema.

I still found it to be a good film, the critics say it was a bit weak because it was Bond trying to be Bourne. There is some truth in that, but I think there is no harm in that.

As always the car chase scenes are really well done, and the plot is not too bad.

Film: A Woman Under the Influence Directed by John Cassavetes

A film that feels more like a extended play or drama detailing a very vivid picture of someone's mental illness and a working class families' attempt at dealing with it.

Peter Falk stars as the husband of his wife Mabel, and struggles to deal with the whole deterioration until she is sectioned by a doctor.

There is no coverage of her 6 month treatment, although some references make it sound like it was very crude. Given this film was made in the 1970s it is ahead of it's time in covering a difficult topic, something that even today is considered difficult to admit or talk about.