Mike Lynch talks at The Royal Society and Rothko's back at The Tate Modern

I should admit that one of the reasons that I accepted the invitation for the joint  Royal Television Society and IET lecture by Michael Lynch was the venue in what is one of the true  the prime areas of London.

I don't think I've been to the Royal Society before if I have it is some time ago, looking at the portraits before listening to the Lecture I realised what an impressive institution it is with pictures that included those of Locke and Hobbes and artists that included Hogarth there was quite a tradition for  Mike Lynch OBE to live up to.

The talk was called  “Prediction is very difficult, particularly about the future”

Mike wasn't sure about the true ownership of the phrase (was it really Mark Twain?) but this did not stop him taking us on a 'journey' around the phrase of course highlighting how technology was driving forward change in so many things-  there's quite a good blog that went with the presentation.

Lovely London's Carlton terrace area

As part of the experience Google Glass was demonstrated as well as a Samsung watch and Apple App showing how the real time processing can be leveraged into a real time experience - the hope was that this might be of interest to some of the TV practitioners there from the RTS - quite something and definitely some monetizing opportunities to come (sad to say). 

Mike Lynch  is the founder of Autonomy (controversy remains over the HP deal  that's the purchase by Hewlett Packard)  and he  remains a  visionary figure within the technology world-  as well as having a formidable intellect, he's a very good speaker and also exhibited the virtue of not being a politician and was thus happy to give an honest view on the proposed AstraZeneca  takeover  of  Pfizer.

Tim Davie of BBC Worldwide (he also acted as BBC DG between the removal of George Entwistle and the arrival of Tony Hall) acted as a good host and was a more than capable Master of Ceremonies.

As well as a great speech I managed to catch up with a couple of people including one  of ITN's greats of the field -Cameraman  Peter West.

Rothko's Black on Maroon is back at Tate Modern

On Sunday I mentioned that the Tate Modern was not showing the Mark Rothko 'Seagrams'  at present the reason has become clear as Rosemary Lynch (no relation of the above I guess) told me (and others) by e-mail that following an attack on one of the paintings   (Black on Maroon)  by a troubled young man,   Wlodzimierz Umaniec   the work is now back after the 18 months it took  to restore it so that it can again be displayed.. here's what Rosemary said

 I’m delighted to announce that the conservation work is complete. From today this beautiful piece is back on display at Tate Modern. I hope you enjoy visiting the collection at Tate Modern and seeing this work back in it's rightful place, alongside Rothko's other works.

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Black on Maroon