iPod update

Now that I'm driving to work you're probably wondering what happened to my video iPod, which gave me so much pleasure on the metro to my old job. I'm still watching the odd video show (it's mostly G4 video clips that are still worth a look for video game previews), but the good news is that the handy audio-in connection to my car's stereo means I can listen to podcasts on the way to and from work. I used to have quite a bit of spare time at my old job, which gave me a chance to read sites like Slashdot, The Register and Engadget. Now I'm keeping up on the same news through audio versions like Slashdot Review (read by someone who sounds like a cowboy) and the Engadget review. Add to that the CNN news update, NewsHour (never seen it on TV, but it's a good Rep v Dem discussion on the big issue of the week) and the BBC 'news pod'... and I'm probably more aware of current events here and at home than ever!

On a related note, one of my designers (joys of the new job - managing a team of designers) came back from London recently and was bursting with enthusiasm for the design of everyday British things like newspapers. She brought back a copy of the Guardian to show everyone, with it's new format and modern graphic design. In contrast, US papers are designed like British papers from several years ago and really lack when it comes to design flair (I won't even start on the quality of journalism...). After my last visit home (for Mum's birhday) I realised that although it's good to catch up on UK news through websites, I was really missing the overall experience you get when you pick up a British newspaper, so I'm now subscribed to The Observer digital edition, which comes as a facsimile of the print edition. So much better than time spent with the tedious Washington Post...

Plane shadow

Here's an odd thing I saw the other day. I was flying from DC to a place a little north of NYC in a small US airways jet for work. Looking out the window as we started our landing, I noticed the shadow of the plane against the clouds. Then I realised that through some trick of the light there appeared to be a (dare I say it) halo around the plane. The time was around sunset so probably something to do with that... take a look at this pic I took: