June 27, 2009

Yes Man

I saw it in cinemas. Last night when I saw the DVD in the shop, I just HAD to watch it again!

There are some great scenes with Jim Carrey, and credit to a stellar performance by kiwi Rhys Darby. Definitely Jim's best flick since Fun with Dick & Jane. Here are some of his great faces in Yes Man...




and below, the scene from the above still...



June 26, 2009

Michael Jackson, dead at 50

I don't think there will be any Memorial Children's Kindergartens named after Michael Jackson, but the pop icon has rocked me less than I expected.

A remarkable news day - Farah Fawcett dies from her long cancer battle, then Michael Jackson of a heart failure. We know this, because a credible source confirmed it.

Twitter has a lot to answer for when it comes to "a source". 19 minutes after it happened, reports of his death was on the air thanks to word spreading through Twitter. Yes, even Tweets of disbelief or jokes about recycling him.

Then... TweetTabs exploded with unconfirmed reports of the death of Jeff Goldblum. Citing the New Zealand Police as a source, trying to access their website was impossible - as you'd expect people are trying to confirm with this "source". I eventually got this from NZ Police.

I found on Google News another opinion piece by a UK journalist about today's explosion of deaths - but trying to click on it, his server was down, which is likely due to the massive amount of traffic across the world trying to look for a source.


It's probably due to the fact that his article was riddled with these key words: michael jackson, jeff goulblum, twitter, and death.

June 20, 2009

Tweet Tabs

Okay, so I've been using Twitter for a few months now.

It hasn't been too difficult to use, or remember to update. Reason being, there has been one program I've used that's been easy (until now) for me to use Twitter.

It's a Firefox plugin called Twitterfox. Now, it's a great tool to have but the more you use Twitter, it makes the browser sluggish - coz it's constantly pulling tweets from Twitter. This means its downloading.. all... the... time...

So I removed it and went searching for another solution.

I could just go to my default Twitter homepage: twitter.com/richardphelps ...however its a slow process to find new people, and use Twitter effectively - such as follow them, re-tweet their messages, shorten URLs to send... that's why I use Hoot Suite!

Anyway, today - lucky I jumped online, coz one company I follow on Twitter (@killerstartups) informed me of Tweet Tabs.

The moment I saw it, I "got it". I'm not even going to explain how it works, coz its very simple. You only need to be a Twitter user, understand what a hashtag is (and pick a few to follow), and you're set.

All TV and Newspaper newsrooms, journalists, media commentators, talk format radio, and anyone who wants to follow hot hopics, but also watch trending topics - needs Tweet Tabs.

My Tweet about Tweet Tabs is top left in the pic. Click image for larger view :)

June 18, 2009

Gifts Dad will love, but no-one else will

Fathers Day is coming up, so I thought I'd give you a bit of help to think outside the square a bit, when considering a gift.

Guys like customisation. Especially when it comes to gadgets, but more broadly, anything that is funtional and slapped with a bit of humour that matches their personality will ALWAYS be a winner!

Click the image for more information... Have fun!

For the executive who has everything. Practice your drumming chops in those 'quiet' office moments with this groovy desktop mini drum kit.









If he cannot live without pizza, this crazy pizza cutter can become your favorite invention.

Titled Pizza Pro 3000, this pizza slicer looks like a circular saw is a new kitchen gadget for those who a kitchen tools obsession







What more can I say? If he has Rockband, then this is a must have to the collection.

Beatles Rockband might cost a pretty penny, but there's set to be a lot of fun with these creaky old hits!




This BBQ device promises to end all of those portable nightmares that you can think of! First is portability.

The folding design minimizes space and folding the BBQ creates a chimney effect that blast heats the coal ready for cooking in just 7-10 minutes.




It’s a full-size pool table which uses a Sixties camper as its base. The shortened and narrowed car has had all of its mechanicals removed, while lifting the engine cover reveals storage for the balls.

However, the lights still work, and it’s classed as a trailer, so is actually road legal!



Hang his favourite suit, or shirt on one of these Superman Coathangers, designed by a young Slovakian company!

He'll feel pretty special everytime he wears these clothes, knowing he possesses secret powers that only you and he knows about.

A simple and effective gift - but not an 'only' gift!





And the winner is...


Why settle for a robotic voice offering you turn by turn directions when you can have a well known American father figure.

He may not be the world’s best dad, but you have to love his antics and who could resist some of his fatherly advise in the from of “Take the third right. We might find an ice cream truck! Mmm…ice cream.”