A complete overhaul of the way in which people navigate the internet has been given the go-ahead in Paris.
The net’s regulator, Icann, voted unanimously to relax the strict rules on so-called “top-level” domain names, such as .com or .uk.
The decision means that companies could turn brands into web addresses, while individuals could use their names. A second proposal, to introduce domain names written in Asian, Arabic or other scripts, was also approved.
To read the full story http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7475986.stm
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Ok ok so my morning might not have got off to the best start, I cried my eyes out over my book last night so when I woke up my eyes were so puffy I could barely see and to top things off shock horror my straighteners decided to break but I had just about regained my composure on the way to work.
But then I saw it. At first it only caught my eye because Sylvester Stallone looks approximately bizillion years old in the new Rambo and the promo poster doesn’t look any better. But then I saw the tag line…..
‘Heroes never die….they just reload’
I’m sorry….what? Can anybody else help me out with this? Am I just being horrendously slow or does that essentially give the message that not only should we walk around with guns but that we should kill as many things as possible in the process. Call me old fashioned but that’s not exactly the hero ethic that I would promote. Maybe Rambo 5 (heaven forbid) will go for ‘only pussy’s carry knives’ and see where we go from there…
Why did Nick not mention that it is his 33rd birthday on Thursday and instead sloped off into the wilderness? Is it:
(a) because he is the Ebeneezer Scrooge of birthdays and bah humbuged his way through the day
(b) because he didn’t want his age to be widely known so that certain staff members could abuse the ordinarily highly restricted information…. (oops 
or was it (c) He was too tight to bring the cakes in.
For those of you that believe it might have been a combination of all of the above CONGRATULATIONS you have won the priceless superiority over the majority of your peers and can give yourselves a pat on the back courtesy of ‘youknowitall enterprises’* This really is an unmissable treat…..and one that will remind you that although we are fantastical at what we do we really are human after all (aaaawwww)
*Please note that these are speculative observations only and the author takes no responsibility for the actual truth in any of the above and the fact that Mr Wright was actually at a sonogram and had told a certain someone not sitting so far from here that his birthday was in fact when stated is quite beside the point. Why would you let the truth get in the way of entertainment…
Manchester, 18th June 2008. Paparazzi scrapping for vantage points. OK & Hello magazine six figure sums laughed at by our image consultants. Make-up artists and hair stylists everywhere you look. There’s a real fashion buzz. It can only mean one thing, it’s staff photo day at Studio North. Cue laughter, little work, people disappearing to the toilets for half an hour at a time and coming back different colours, shapes and sizes….”Look natural” screams the Creative Director applying some anti-wrinkle cream and admiring his newly acquired tan. “Can’t be bothered, will rely on Photoshop”.
Anyway, everyone had their photo taken as well as pretty much anyone passing. And seeing as he was good enough to drop in and rustle up a bit of lunch we may as well plug his website…
http://www.ainsley-harriott.com
Come on, vogue.
Or the FFC as it is better known is the small but perfectly formed group of Studio Northians that (almost) without fail, when the Friday afternoon whistle blows and they have massaged their aching fingers back to life saunter down to the pub where they have a gossip, pint and congratulate themselves on another successful week….
Of course there are always those that don’t make it and a few weeks ago, fed up with boring excuses I decided to set them a challenge. For those that were not attending, their response had to be in the form of a poem. Not expecting much I was astounded by the hidden talent that was demonstrated by our ordinarily word shy office. So sit back, relax and prepare to be entertained.
There once was a fella named Chris,
Who wanted to go on the p**s,
His wallet was bare,
There was just nothing there,
So a top night out he would miss 
There once was a man called Dave
Who wanted to go out and misbehave
He’s just moved in to his flat
So he’s got to fix up that
But think of the money he’ll save.
Of the Steve’s one’s a miserable old fella,
with identity crisis thinks he’s Weller.
Appointment to tart-up his hair
means he can’t meet you there,
So it’s no Ball for this Cinderella.
Amazed and astounded?…..Thought so, what talented creatures we have frequenting the halls of Studio North 
Studio North’s head developer, Dave “Dangerous” Barnes yesterday made a special guest appearance on The Jeremy Kyle Show.
Upon hearing that the topic of the programme, “Who’s the daddy” would be a no holds barred debate on the merits of open source PHP web development over Microsoft’s proprietary ASP.Net technology, he was soon disappointed to become embroiled in a heated discussion over which chav had managed to impregnate his brother’s girlfriend in a drunken fumble behind the bike sheds last Tuesday week.
Reports that Mr Barnes was the only audience member that day currently holding down a full time job have so far been unproven, as a Granada spokesperson was last night unavailable for comment.
