Merry (White) Christmas, The Royal Podcast and some thanks for 2006

This morning I was woken by a hailstorm and a semi-white Christmas morning. The hail didn’t sit long on the ground, but it’s the closest to a White Christmas I’ve ever had here in Australia (coldest Australian Christmas day in history today folks).

It’s official, podcasting is mainstream. The Queen is podcasting the Christmas message on The Royal Podcast, and it made the mainstream news.

Last but not least, some thanks for some of my favourite content producers, all of you are Time Magazine’s Person of the Year:

Adrian F – Hey, you’re always asking me where I find stuff, Bonetable, Flickr photostream – Great photos on Flickr, great blog, Bonetable is climbing the charts.
Anousheh Ansari – Space Blog – Thanks for blogging your trip to the space station.
Ben Barren – Gnoos.com.au & RSSing Down Under – Fantastic search engine, great blog.
BJ – BJ’s Show – BJ is Australia’s youngest podcaster. I love the show BJ, thanks for making it.
Cameron Reilly – G’Day World & The Podcast Network – Thanks for all the G’Day Worlds, coffee, chats & inspiration.
Chris Saad – Touchstone Blog – A great tool, a great blog and Unfinished Revolutionary.
Darren Rowse – Problogger.net – A great site and for still being one of the nicest guys on the internet.
Dave Gray – Global Geek Podcast & Rooster’s Rail – Great podcasts and a great blog.
Dave Winer – Scripting News, Share Your OPML – Thanks for the great tools, podcasts and a great blog.
Des Paroz – The Productivity Show – Thanks for all the podcasts, I love the show.
Frank Arrigo – An Aussie Microsoft Blogger – Great blog and an interesting insight into the evolution at Microsoft.
Merlin Mann – 43folders.com – A great site and a great podcast, thanks for introducing me to David Allen’s Getting Things Done, I love it and it’s changed my life.
Richard Giles – The Gadget Show, Scouta.com & Scouta Blog – Thanks for all the G’day Worlds, the Flickr Mastr photos, gadgety goodness and new toy, Scouta!
Shawn Callahan – Anecdote – A hidden gem on the web, thanks for such fascinating posts.
Todd Cochrane – Geek News Central podcast – One of my favourites, a great podcast for your daily commute.
Todd Defran – PR Squared – for the most honest corporate post I have ever seen online.
Wayne Turmel – The Cranky Middle Manager Show – A very funny man, great podcast.

Favourite tools for 2006:
Akismet – has caught 1,097 spam for me since I first installed it.
Moleskine
Netvibes
Scouta
WordPress

James Brown is dead – those LA Style lyrics are now creepy

James Brown – Godfather of Soul, died today, at age 73 in Atlanta. So many memories. My all time favourite, hands down is I Got You (I Feel Good). Most of his music was made before I was born, but he is still popular with the kids today.

I would like to pass on the want to do something. The need is there. Good lyrics are good things, but I would like to pass on that drive, that invigorous undying determination. – James Brown (1933-2006)