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The BBC reports that the “Ban on MP3 transmitters is lifted” in the UK.
What with that and record companies saying they won't sue us for taking a (single) copy of a CD we've paid for, so we can listen to it on our own iPod, is the UK actually edging towards the 20th century?
This isn't 'good news'. It's a disgrace that it's taken until almost the end of 2006.
Annoyed at Schiphol Airport.
In yet another post from a member of Talis staff in an aeroplane, I'm currently 12,192m above Ungava Bay in the very north of Canada, inbound to Chicago en route to Charleston and the eponymous conference at which I speak tomorrow. I'm not long returned from Monterey, Ian and Sam have reached San Francisco in their grand tour, and Richard is now in the office deleting the mountain of email I sent him during his successful trip to South Africa last week.
I'm flying with bmi today, and have the good fortune to be sat in the middle of the plane, in 'Premium Economy.' In this particular case, my seat proved cheaper than one further to the back where I usually lurk, in that space (a loose use of the word) I am sure some sick and twisted individual invented after reading a little too much Dante. Anyone who thinks travel is 'glamorous', 'exciting' or a 'perk' should try going any significant distance in an Economy class seat. I used to do it a lot. I don't miss it, and neither do the legs that were perpetually jammed against the chair in front of me, nor the laptop that couldn't get its lid open when the seat in front reclined.
Here, though, things are considerably more civilised. Leg room. A wider seat. At-seat power. My noise cancelling headphones. Staff rendered friendly and accommodating (the drinks circulate regularly which is welcome, even though I'm currently on the water) by not having to serve hundreds. There is something surprisingly powerful about being identified - correctly - by name before being handed your lunch. The experience is further enhanced by something I've not experienced for years; an empty seat next to mine for my iPod.
bmi also earn kudos for the start of the journey, as it did not require me to go anywhere near Heathrow. They fly from Manchester.
So if you have to fly far, I wholeheartedly recommend both the airline and the class, and this is the second or third time that some judicious digging by those more adept with flight booking systems than I has turned up a Premium Economy seat for less than an Economy one... so it's always worth probing a little even if you work for an organisation like mine that (rightly) doesn't want to pour more than it has to into airline travel.
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