Five very talkative young people on the train with a young girl from what sounded like the US in the lead. I still find it odd how easy it is to be irritated by other people's conversations: why don't I just listen in and enjoy? As it was, all very tiresome, but I decided not to move.
First stage, Grant Road East to Millbank then Smith Square to St. Martin's Street and so to Stanford's for a map of the Adirondacks. Rand McNally had updated their map covers but still not quite the thing. The The US Geological Survey turned out to do new-to-me topographical maps not that far from our own (excellent) OS Landranger maps (a free download sample being illustrated), but I would have needed three or four to cover the area in question and none of them were in stock, so I settled for a more holiday maker style of map of the whole of the Adirondacks from Jimapco (http://www.jimapco.com/). That will be quite good enough for now and we can always go further on the spot should need arise. All these people jostling for position in what must be a very rapidly changing market place for maps.
Interesting black and white print dress on a tourist, so patterned that it shimmered when the occupant moved. Very nifty.
Second stage, William IV Street to Aldersgate Street, which served to demonstrate that while I could get to Old Street OK, I did not really know where the Barbican was. Walked down the Beech Street tunnel to check in for the Wikimania conference and generally get my bearings before the off. The young lady at reception thought I deserved two tee-shirts, after which I took a light but expensive lunch in a pleasantly airy restaurant next to the main ponds. The place has worn quite well but it must be a long time since I went to a concert there. 20 years maybe? I find it rather too far to go in the evening now, seeming much further than the Wigmore Hall for some reason. Plus they mainly do orchestral.
At this opening stage my concern with the wiki people was that the scope of their endeavour seemed to be pushing out. Was it under control? Were pushing out too far, too fast? As it turned out, looking ahead, one of the talks did focus on one aspect of this very point. That is to say, à propos of the activities of one Greek Diu, was it appropriate to publish something about a politician which was clearly true, but which offended and provoked litigation? My feeling, not shared by many wiki folk, was that this was all a bit political and that the wiki movement with its very democratic and somewhat anarchic style (which has served well hitherto) should maybe try and steer clear of politics; that this was not what it should be about. But maybe I am being unrealistic: maybe wikipedia is so successful that it cannot help but be political in an age when information is all - at least unless it restricts itself to dandelions and leopard seals. Further thoughts in due course.
As it happened the politician shot himself in the foot. By protesting in the way that he did, he advertised the whole business so successfully that ten of thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, of people now know about his dirty deeds who would not have known otherwise.
A further snippet was that plenty of wikipedia editors who edit articles about live people under their own names attract very unpleasant mail, mail which is easier to take when hiding under a pseudonym.
Third stage, Barbican Centre to the Hop Exchange to replenish the cheese dish. Stuck to the very reliable Comté from the Borough Cheese Company, but topped up with a cheeky little piece of Tomme, some rather splendid Turkish Delight (so I am told, don't eat the stuff myself) and a visit to Vinopolis to talk to their helpful spirit people.
And so to the fourth and last stage, New Globe Walk to Waterloo Roundabout. Total charge £2, no excess.
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