OLLIE PEART

Writer and presenter. Because Internet.

[digitaldisruptor-blog]

Buzzfeed News posted a live video of them pouring hot water over some Skittles to create "rainbows" and it’s the best thing in the world.

Today at 1730ish Buzzfeed News posted a live feed of them pouring boiling hot water onto some Skittles to form a rainbow. Yes, seriously.

First off let me start by saying there is nothing wrong with watching Skittles forming rainbows on a plate on the internet. Actually, yes there is. Everything is wrong with it. Countless genius minds, mathematicians, engineers, workman, designers, couriers, cleaners, cooks, scientists, entrepreneurs, accountants, receptionists [insert almost any profession you can think of here] have been involved in someway to ensuring that the technological marvel that enables us to broadcast live from the palm of our hand to the entire planet is a reality. And we decide to use it to watch fucking Skittles make rainbows. I mean WTF.

When I "tuned in" there were over two thousand people watching and nothing was happening, there were just some Skittles on a plate. Literally nothing else. Skittles on a plate, doing nothing, surrounded by nothing, being watched by over two thousand people. LIVE! If we had the technology to bring historical figures to the future and show them what we are up to, they would be well within their right to give us a damn good slapping.

What’s worse is that Buzzfeed decided to post the video on Buzzfeed News. NEWS?! Like actual fucking news? You know that thing that reports on global and local matters that affect real people? Yeah, that fucking news...THIS IS NEWS?

I sound like I’m getting angry. I’m not, I’m just disappointed. I got that phrase from my mum and it worked wonders on me. Listen, it’s ok to broadcast silly little videos every once in awhile. I’m no kill joy. Sure, enjoy yourself. But ask yourself whether it’s important right now, especially on the 11th biggest news site in the country when kids are being blown up in Syria, refugees are being moved on in Calais, one of the two worst presidential candidates in history are about to enter the Whitehouse and Russia have turned up their aggression dial to “Pretty”. Is it important? No. No it isn’t, and that’s what makes it so flipping brilliant.

Watching Skittles making rainbows is the “news” that we all need. Visual prozac that numbs us to the reality that everything else is going to shit. Come on, who doesn’t want to know that you can do that Skittles and some boiling water? The news isn’t the Skittles, the news is that the news thinks it’s news. And oh my, wouldn’t the world be a better place if the news was what you could do with a plate of Skittles.

[digitaldisruptor-blog]

Why are we leaving Europe again? Since the vote on Brexit plopped out the most surprising outcome since Mrs Brown’s Boys won a BAFTA for best scripted comedy, the pound has plummeted, inflation is on the up, hate crime is rampant and we are going to rectify the whole thing with tea, jam and biscuits. Sorry what? Yeah, that’s exactly what Andrea Leadsom actually flipping said in a real place, in front of real people.

To make things worse for those of us who embrace the circle of stars, a poll of Brexiters has shown that there is enough of them who have regretted their vote to sway the vote towards remain and I am not in the slightest bit surprised.

Brexit is like that extra pint. It seemed like a good idea at the time, a bit of a laugh maybe. You get caught up in the moment don’t you? You think “It’ll be fine. One more pint. I’m with my mates and we’re all having a good time, this will be great” only to wake up the morning after with sick on your pillow, a pencil up your arse and a cock drawn on your forehead. You fucked up, and you fucked up bad.

There are still those who of course are sticking their guns in the most clear display of stubborn twatism i’ve ever seen. “That’s the vote so that’s that. Shut your faces” they’ll say. Well, yes it was the outcome, but let’s not forget we were all lied to. £350 million for the NHS anyone? Fuck off. Just admit it, Brexit is a mistake. Go on, swallow your pride, take a deep breath, look in a mirror and tell yourself “We made a mistake”. We all make mistakes, don’t worry. Sure, it’s mistake that not only affects the 64.1 million people who live here but will have a ripple that will become tidal in power and sweep, indiscriminately into almost every corner of the globe.

Don’t believe me? Britain’s exit from Europe has set a precedent for right wing politicians across the western world. It’s given them the green light, as they see it, to preach hate and fear into the very veins of their populace that will in turn wreak havoc for those who want to come here for refuge and asylum, creating further disillusionment and segregation, a byproduct of which is hatred and anger.

Brexit has left an whiff of conflict and uncertainty in the air. No one is really sure what the hell is going on and worse, how to fix it. I’m not suggesting that if you voted to leave you did it for the wrong reasons, far from it. What I am saying is that you were wrong. The country will recover, but just like a landfill site that’s dubbed a “nature reserve” after it’s done with, things will never quite be the same.

Brexit is a tragedy. Nothing less. As a result, I consider myself more than ever a citizen of the globe, not that of Britain. Let’s just hope May see’s sense and puts the vote to the commons. Trouble is, now is not the time for hope, it’s time for action. Ideas anyone?

[digitaldisruptor-blog]

You’ll have to read carefully, but this is what we’ve written into history.

[digitaldisruptor-blog]

FRANK BRITTON ON THE EU REFERENDUM

Frank Britton takes to the streets of London to find out what the Country what their Country back from. SUBSCRIBE: https://goo.gl/Z3Oodq TWITTER: https://twi...

Frank Britton takes to the streets of London to tell you more about the EU referendum

[digitaldisruptor-blog]

What's Wrong With The World And How To Fix It

[transcript] I'm sorry, but I don't want to be an emperor. That's not my business. I don't want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone, if...

As Tim Peake prepares to return to earth tomorrow morning, he is probably questioning whether or not to stay up there, opting for dehydrated stroganoff over anything our world has to offer.

In the last week football fans have punched each other to near death, harassed and bullied refugee children.

An MP has been shot and stabbed to death while serving her constituents by a man linked to a hard-right anti EU group.

The LGBT community were targeted in a mass shooting in Orlando where 49 people were killed, it was the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S history. There were five more mass shootings in the U.S on that weekend alone.

Two women have drowned while attempting to cross the Mediterranean with 109 others to escape war, torture and rape. It was estimated 800 refugees died making that crossing in the last week of May 2016.

Nigel Farage rode an open topped bus over Westminster Bridge while playing “The Great Escape” from a loudspeaker, before which he got shouted at by Bob Geldof for not doing his duty as an elected MEP.

Donald Trump, same-sex marriage opposer, claimed “I’m far better for the gay community than she is” when referring to Hillary Clinton.

And in less than one week, we take a vote on whether or not to leave the European Union, a union which despite it’s imperfections, is a union that with time, can be shaped by us to eradicate hate, intolerance and divisiveness all of which is caused the above. By leaving, we will be signalling to the world our reluctance to work together, a nationalist agenda that is toxic and poisoned by tyrants guising as men of the people.

It takes a speech written in 1940 from the film The Great Dictator, to embody all that is wrong with the world in the 21st century. Despite this, I’m confident. I feel that this is the last rise of greed, intolerance and hatred the likes of which we are witnessing today. Like a dying beast, it’s final breath will be a groaning, powerful roar. A toupeed frog-faced roar perhaps. But it will die. That’s one thing you can be sure of. It will never, ever win.

[digitaldisruptor-blog]

Hey everyone. Here is a little “Vlogterval” I have done for my vlogs. Go and watch them, you might like them. Subscribe here. https://www.youtube.com/user/MrOllieep/?sub_confirmation=1

[digitaldisruptor-blog]

HOW TO BE A TRAVEL WRITER, WITH PROOF!

IGNORE THAT BULLSHIT IMAGE, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE TAPPING AWAY AT THE KEYBOARD WITH YOUR FEET IN THE SEA. I've spent most of my life wondering how on earth people get paid to travel the world and write about things. It's a lot of peoples dream, isn't it. The idea of someone handing over a whacking great cheque and asking you to sod of to the Galapagos for a few weeks and come back with 1000 words and a picture or two. There's no question, it's a good deal. The trouble is that everyone wants to be a travel writer. Any aspiring writer I have ever met has always said that travel writing is the way they want to go. I'm not quite sure why. Maybe they like the idea of looking wistfully from a window of a train that's gently trundling along a far away mountain pass, while they make notes in their slightly tatty Moleskin about how the locals are just so lovely and that the rice mixed with some other shit, wrapped in a leaf is simply divine. Which does sound nice of course. In reality however, this isn't the case. In the most part you will be struggling for money if you decide to be a travel writer. Actually, you'll be struggling for money if you decide to be a writer of any kind. Just look at this, a shocking reminder that even at the top of your game, you're unlikely to be earning enough to keep you beans. A good way to make sure you can get by is to specialise and be great at your specialism. I know a sex writer, something not too many people write about, but that she does exceptionally well. As a result she has commissions coming out of her bumble. Travel writing however, is bursting at the seams with billions of aspiring writers all fighting to "make" it. It's not the best thing to specialise in, as you're unlikely to ever be the best at it. That all may sound all very apocalyptic and negative, but just to add on to that I would say even so, do it. If you want to be a travel writer, go for it. But this is how it will work. No one will pay for you to travel the world, unless you have rich parents who are up for it, so forget that. You need to finance your trips. As you travel, write as much as you can and pitch your articles to as many publications that you can muster up. Hassle them, harass them even and eventually, you might, you just might, get published. Or even better, paid. When it comes to getting paid, also expect this...fuck all. Here is an article I wrote for a travel site Roads and Kingdoms (which didn't actually involve travelling, it's near my mums house) and they paid me $25 for it. Not even enough to pay for the meal. But that's beside the point, if you want to do it, do it.

[digitaldisruptor-blog]

If Your Last Memory Is of a Bottle of Moonshine, You Probably Drank Some - Roads & Kingdoms

Toffee Vodka in Somerset We drove down a track with enough potholes in it to disable a tank. At one point, a misjudged bump scraped the bottom of the car so hard that it’s a small miracle it didn’t rip off, taking our legs with it. We were, to put it simply, in the middle …

A few weeks ago I went to this place. It’s called The Sheppey Inn and it is quite simply, the most sublime pub you could ever imagine. It’s bought the pub community spirit up to speed with the 21st century. If you’re ever in Somerset, you’ve got to go. @roadsandkingdoms

[digitaldisruptor-blog]

MEET THE DOLMIO MAN!

I met the actual Dolmio man (2002 - 2011) SUBSCRIBE: https://goo.gl/Z3Oodq TWITTER: https://twitter.com/Ollieep INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/ollie_peart/...

Yesterday I met the Dolmio Man. The voice is incredible! 

[digitaldisruptor-blog]

Check out my latest blog. I'd love it if you subscribed to my YouTube channel. Go on...it'll be fun! SUBSCRIBE: https://goo.gl/Z3Oodq

[digitaldisruptor-blog]

His Irish Accent Was...

SUBSCRIBE: https://goo.gl/Z3Oodq TWITTER: https://twitter.com/Ollieep INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/ollie_peart/ FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/olliep...

So today my buddy Joe Rackley of DriftTriking gave me a buzz and tried out his best Irish Accent. It was dreadful. That and more... oh, and if you fancy it, go and subscribe on YouTube. https://goo.gl/Z3Oodq 

[digitaldisruptor-blog]

£200 DRONE

Please subscribe and share!!! TWITTER: @Ollieep https://twitter.com/Ollieep Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/olliepeart/ INSTA: https://www.instagram.com/o...

In todays blog I show you my £200 drone complete with cheap gimbal. I mean, what’s not to like...

[digitaldisruptor-blog]

A Bat flew into our house last night. Trying to catch it was impossible. (via GIPHY)

[digitaldisruptor-blog]

Google Inbox creating a social network conversation between Tumblr and Ello. Sweet.  @staff

[digitaldisruptor-blog]

Drone Racing At Wembley Stadium

I got invited by the chaps at ERSA to watch a demonstration drone race at Wembley Stadium. When they first told me about it I thought they'd made a mistake. It can't be THE Wembley Stadium, not for silly little drone racing. They must mean Wembley Village Green or Wembley Church Hall or something. Whatever, I fancied going anyway. When I arrived I was staggered. Sure, this may have been a press demo, but there were some of the worlds leading tech publications there on hand to gobble down free food and observe this potentially huge spectator sport. I'm convinced I wasn't the only one who was surprised to see such an event put on. Yeah so a few weeks earlier the internet was astonished by the World Drone Prix in Dubai where a $1,000,000 collective prize pot was on offer, but to see this, after only last year watching a few blokes in a field in Austria tinker around with drones, was incredible. I love it. You need skill to be a drone racer, believe me, I've tried it. To fly at these speeds through obstacles around a 3 dimensional course is fucking impossible. But somehow they manage to do it. It has many qualities of F1. You need to know your shit. You can't just buy a drone and go race. You need to know how it works, how to build one and how to make your's faster. This is competitive stuff and it certainly put's it on par with F1 to potentially reach huge spectator crowds. But there are problems. It isn't a very good spectator sport, yet. You can spectate with FPV goggles that allow you to change channels between each racer, and that's great. As it happens, while at Wembley EE were showing off their action cams (part of the reason to event was being held) which can live stream via 4G. It meant that the FPV action could be displayed on the big screens at the venue, which definitely helps, but seriously, try and follow a tiny drone flying at 80mph around a stadium where the backdrop is crowd seating which only serves to distort your view more. The good news is that people like ERSA are very aware of this and are trying their best to make changes that could rectify this. Some of the things they mentioned sound very exciting. One thing I would like to see however, are bigger drones. Much bigger. I know this causes a whole heap of problems like flight times and speeds, but I think with the right money, time and development, it can happen and it would certainly make the live spectator experience considerably better. Anyway, watch the video and follow me on Twitter. Ta!

[digitaldisruptor-blog]

How To Be a TV Presenter

Being a TV Presenter is great. You tell people that you’re a presenter for a living and they look at you like you’re a cunt, and you are, that’s why you’re on TV

If you’ve ever wanted to be a TV presenter, have a read of my experience. You never know, it might help.

[digitaldisruptor-blog]

I love an unfortunate line break. This is from an article in Vulture and this is exactly how I read it. Sure, it says “Billion” on the next line, but this is far more interesting a read. You can read the whole thing here. http://www.vulture.com/2016/05/peak-tv-business-c-v-r.html#