I saw the V+A exhibition on British Ballgowns when I was in London in December. It was shit. I’d probably skip it if I were you. This Valentino exhibition that’s in Somerset House until March 2013 however might be the business. I saw an Yves Saint Laurent exhibition by accident in Paris a few years ago and it was spectacular. And inspiring. I wanted to own a lot of tuxes for one. A gigantic movie-set style staircase displaying some of his dresses and a huge wall of his tuxes were just some of the beautiful pieces.
Actually, on that, the Hollywood costume exhibition also in the V+A was very disappointing too. The whole thing was frustratingly laid out and can’t handle the crowds it seems. Some great costumes not spaced out together and the last room seemed totally rushed with great costumes that deserved more breathing room. First time in the V+A and two exhibitions that disappointed. Also! Snotty staff in their restaurant/cafe.
This could be an X-Files episode. or Scooby Do. Or X-Scooby Do thing. Someone is going around the world vandalising/destroying cave paintings/sketchings. The clues that are contained in them about our future and our past are being kept from us. It’s obviously a secret plot by aliens already living amongst us that don’t want us to look at certain stars and gain inter-stellar knowledge. Yeah…
Think it, and the iPhone probably can do it. Using the gyro in an iPhone to make the phone turn by itself when standing. Video and below that the video of what it sees:
2013 is going to be the year of the younger person. Well, this list is certainly suggesting this. Oh yes, the new phrase is “younger person” as marketing people have redefined youth to be anyone 35 and younger. Technology has enabled ubiquitous communications, we’ve heard this for a decade now but in 2012 we really saw/heard the voice of younger people push the older (mostly male) grey haired “authorities” to the side. 2012 saw dealmaking in music for Soak, a wee teenager from Derry and a deal for The Strypes, the youngfellas from Cavan and they have a good few years before school ends. Another Irish “Stripe” is the Collison-fueled payments startup in San Francisco that already seems to be David to Paypal’s Goliath.
Technology has made geography easier, we can work from home when home can be a boat on a different continent. So many people not at home for Christmas checked into home with Skype and Facetime video calls. Technology allows time-shifting so we can watch TV and consume media whenever we want. While I watched The Late Late Toy Show live from a laptop in Cardigan, Wales, many in America just watched it on Saturday morning (their time) thanks to RTÉ player. Technology can break down class barriers and allow anyone to play with the big boys if they have talent.
Technology now is making age less of an issue, whether it’s older people logging on to Facebook encouraging their grandkids to give cheek to parents and playing good cop to their bad cop, or younger people taking part in events and building companies. Online has broken down the ringfences around demographics. Now 70 year olds can talk about crocheting with 18 year olds on the other side of the planet or turn up to tweet ups. I’m biased and bearish on this of course but the inter-democratic and inter-generational data that’s being exchanged enriches our society. 20 year olds are hanging with 50 year olds and they’re learning from each other. I love how Zuckerberg has absolute control of his public company thanks to older experienced people (and not yes-men) giving his advice. More of this.
Yet 2012 saw vulnerable people, many of them teens not have their voice heard or have someone let them know it’s ok to tell people if they’re feeling vulnerable. In this world of inter-connectedness and oversharing (personally think this is bullshit), people still meet barriers to check in with those that could be of help. There are still obstacles but things are getting better, the more we communicate. Anyway, shutting up and getting to the list:
Vincent Lyons and Ian Connolly
Them and Enda Crowley (who appeared before in this area) have been running Dubstarts in Dublin bringing tech people and tech companies together. Vincent is around 23 and Ian is 20 (awww). Networking events are crucial for any startup ecosystem to grow and flourish. Agenda fueled networking events won’t get the fun people, the creative people, the people who can make an impact. Dubstarts meets these criteria and helps companies hire in Dublin which for tech is a very aggressive hiring location.
Lyra Mckee Lyra is 22 and properly causing a fuss in Northern Ireland with her tenacious, dogged, investigative journalism. When your supporters are pressured to shun you, you’re winning. Lyra is winning. What I like too is Lyra is blogging and tweeting as she goes, warts and all about her experiences. Won’t get that on a journalism course…
Conor Clinch Conor has a lovely eye for detail. Thus why his photography skills are sought by many agencies and why he is now flying all over the shop to attend fashion shows. He built on his reputation in 2012 and I have a feeling that 2013 is going to be more of the same, except more. Impressive as it stands, even more so for the guy that’s only 17 a few days.
James Eggers
Sure didn’t James win a Web Award and before that a few Young Scientist Awards? James builds things and builds them well. BetterExaminations.ie is a lovely site that makes it much easier for students to find exam papers and the marking schemes for them. James likes to work with tech around big data, the current over-abused tech term by Government, like cloud before it but the actual applications for this are vastly important and it’s good to see people working on it. James and real-coders of his kind that can code at a professional level from a young age will impact on Ireland, whether the education system supports them or not. The Collisons below are such an example.
Marie Duffy
Now I’m biased as I’m on the board of Spunout and Marie was previously on the board and now works there. She’s a great communicator, has done wonders since she took over as Editor for Spunout and is creating a valued resource on all things young people related for Spunout. She was also in the States later in 2011 representing Irish people and hearing Bill Clinton and Kofi Annan talk away. Marie has always has strong interests in mental health issues for younger people and as Spunout comes out of their shell again after being in a cocoon for so long, her influence and work will make a great impact. Marie is 28.
The Collisons, all of them.
Again. Sure it’s not a list without them. All three this time. Patrick and John are about to flip the world of online payments upside down and deservedly featured on that Forbes under 30 list. What they do in Stripe is very real and is impacting on the world daily. Now we have Tommy (also mentioned before) finishing school and maybe heading to the States for college next year. Oh and at 18 has already self-published two books. They’re not over-achievers in my view, they’re just expanding out to use 100% of their talents.
Stephanie Francis
Actually Steph already announced she was leaving X Communications earlier in December. This post was in draft since November and she was on the list, I swear! Steph organises Crafthouse, worked in the talented X-Comms and did trojan work on the Book of Kells app. I expect her influence will be a very positive one for the Engine Yard team in 2013.
Token older person: Sean Blanchfield
He’s not old or really that older but compared to the quite young people on the list, he possibly could be classed as that. Seán has been supporting people and events including Dubstarts in the background for the past few years, being a very positive influence without seeking the attention and glory for it. There are lots of reasons why Dublin very much is a tech startup hub now and Seán is one.
Token older person and annual listee: Pat Phelan
See what I said for SB above. Pat is up to something, I can feel it in my bones. Plus he always makes this list and not adding him is bad luck. So what will Pat bring us in 2013?
Not a list of things as such. Random tab closing for the year.
All of Suzy Byrne’s posts of 2012 were worth reading. Low volume, top content. Like this.
In Digital, I think Kieran Flanagan had the most influence on what I read in digital. Rabbit holes were dived down into from his own content and links to others.
Broadsheet was a multi-visited place for me daily in 2012. I really expected them to do well at the Web Awards but hey, I only run them and (badly at that according to the accounts).
Jim Carroll had his hand in many pies in 2012 and again sent me on wondrous journeys from his links and the music he played on Phantom.
General Assembly was my favourite new learning model for 2012. Handy stuff that you pay for and respect.
Internationally Daring Fireball and Kottke were about the only feeds I subscribed to. But worth it.
Music. I went back to radio. Maybe it was because I wasn’t at any main computer but many but streaming 2FM, Lyric and Phantom was my 2012 music. With Jim and Pearl gone from Phantom, I stopped listening to them though. And the breakfast show turned into some kind of smashy and nicey post-ironic mess too.
Twitter has become the front and back channel. While media didn’t want to cover stories for monetary (fear of being sued to death) or editorial reasons, Twitter became a distributor of “alternative” content and even when there was self censorship, the DM backchannel was used well to distribute news. Like that of the over-the-top cease and desists from … oh you know who 🙂
Ones to watch every year really, any others to consider?
Die Hard
Die Hard 2
Home Alone
Elf
Santa Claus The Movie
Where Eagles Dare
Bad Santa
Love Actually
Willy Wonka (Original not Charlie)
Edit:
Wizard of Oz
Miracle on 34th
Further Edit:
Trading Places,
Scrooged,
Gremlins,
James Bond,
A Charlie Brown Christmas,
Hook, The Snowman,
Citizen Kane,
Wonderful Life
More edits:
The Champ
The Apartment
Great Escape
Big, The Goonies, Swiss Family Robinson, Son of Paleface, You’ve Got Mail
Star Wars
Indiana Jones
Dr. Zhivago
Tokyo Godfathers
Jason and the Argonots
Princess Bride
Sound of Music
When Harry Met Sally
Surviving Christmas
Treasa is trying to document all those “Eire” markings on coastal areas around Ireland during World War II.
Smile Exchange. Not sure was it Hooley or someone else but one of them used to collect all the tar from factories for free and then came up with an idea on how to use it.
The premise behind the SMILE network is that one businesses waste or unused resource could become another businesses raw material resulting in a mutually beneficial relationship which saves both operating or disposal costs and procurement costs.
Beaumont Hospital Foundation has launched “Silver Bells”. People can buy a silver bell on their website, leave a message with it and the bell and the message are shipped to the address you designate.
The Improvised Panto in the Cork Opera House is fantastic. Jaw-achingly funny.
After watching a few episodes of Mind of a Chef, have to say I found it particularly boring. Chang is a crazy, creative guy, this show seems to be him tasting food and doing product placements.
We’re unloading the beast of the Money Grabbing Machine that we used in the Web Awards over on DoneDeal.ie, these things retail for something like 5k. (Cost about 2k but we ain’t got the space for it)
Salt Hotel. Yeah, actually made out of salt. Would probably prefer the Ice Hotel though.