The Inside Guide to London Blog

Pinterest: The Link Becomes Pretty

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(2 votes, average 5.00 out of 5)

There are roughly three Pinterest camps: "Funny pictures of dogs? I'm in!" Or, "Funny pictures of dogs are beneath me, and besides, intellectual property theft is no laughing matter." The third camp are those who would gladly give Pinterest a whirl, but is it worth investing the time in yet another social media channel? Will it even stick around? Quick answer: yes.

The bulk of this article is not about IP law, as frankly, it's been done to death. This is about the growing trend for spam accounts. So far, some action has been taken at Pinterest Central, but it helps if someone explains what a spam account looks like, what spam-tactics are being used and how they benefit from duping other users. If you're already on Pinterest, it's likely you're unknowingly following several spam accounts. Hiding is easier on Pinterest, and consequently they're multiplying. So skip to the 'Spam' heading if you know how Pinterest works.

Pinterest? Tell Me More

Pinterest resembles the progeny from an unholy coupling of Flickr, Twitter and StumbleUpon. Stumble provides the 'best bits of the Web' curation, Flickr is the photo aspect, with Like-ing/Favourite-ing and comments. Twitter is reflected in the Follower/Following format, with your efforts published to a stream of people following you.

End of the Line - Underground Adventures

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(3 votes, average 4.67 out of 5)

Part I - Amersham/Chesham and Heathrow Terminal 5

The London Tube map is a recognised worldwide icon of simplicity. Using cues from electrical wiring diagrams: destination and not distance becomes the important feature. For almost all visiting London, the central zone (zones 1 and at a push, 2) will be the only area under consideration. Reassuring guide-book names such as Oxford Street, Bond Street, St Paul's and Westminster are tightly clustered, meaning exposure to the entire network will be limited on short stays. However, if you plan to live in London you must pick somewhere according to both transport links and affordability, which inevitably translates to further out. If flat-hunters are pushed to the end of the line, it's usually simpler to avoid the Tube and get a fast train in. One day however, there may be a spontaneous temptation to head out, rather than in, and observe first-hand what dragons lurk at the end of these Underground lines.

Amersham/Chesham (Zone 9) - Metropolitan Line

Since Ongar closed, Chesham and Amersham are the furthest two stations from London and well outside the M25 (London orbital motorway). Chesham is the more distant, on a spur from the main line and is noted for almost nothing. Recently it's experienced some of the UK's coldest temperatures and revelled in a column centimetre or two (hot off the press, Chesham was the coldest place in the UK 'again' last night -11C).

Shopping on the High Street is possible, but Chesham is also noteworthy for the number of closing shops during the UK's bottomless recession. Pop-ups and pound-shops patch over the main thoroughfare, like temporary caps in a row of broken teeth. There's an excellent pub in 'Old Chesham' (The Queen's Head) but that's a 15 minute walk away, hidden beyond the wit of all but the most intrepid. Nope, just stay on the Tube and it will slide majestically away in the direction it came. Give it around 5 minutes.