New Blog
Posted by: Simon on: 05/19/2009
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I have a new web site Audio Guy: http://www.audioguy.co.uk
The five minute chocolate cake
Posted by: Simon on: 03/02/2009
So, today I endeavoured to make what is quoted to be the “most dangerous cake recipe in the world”. It’s a chocolate cake made in a cup that should take no more than 5 minutes.
You can find the recipe at the Birmingham cake blog.
I used a 3/4 pint mug, seemed to be the right size.
Meet Cookie Bear, he decided to come and watch.
He said he wanted to watch it cook, but I had to tell him to get out the microwave,
Yummy, it’s cooking!
All cooked. I had half to eat, now I feel sick!
Very deadly chocolate cake, a little tough and dry, perhaps a little less than three minutes in my microwave next time.
BBC promoting U2’s new album
Posted by: Simon on: 03/01/2009
- In: Thoughts
- 2 Comments
This is really getting to me. It seems the BBC are advertising U2’s new album, for U2’s own gains.
Nothing wrong with them appearing on the Chris Evans radio show to plug their new album, but it goes too far when they do a gig on top of Broadcasting House, which is then played 24/7 on BBCi, and then give them their own microsite in the BBC web site.
Is this for charity, umm no, it is to promote their new album using license fee payers money.
Why not spend the money on some national or local creative project and show that, or anything in general which isn’t advertising for commercial purposes.
Job Centres really do treat you like rubbish.
Posted by: Simon on: 02/03/2009
- In: General
- 2 Comments
I have to go to a fortnightly meeting/interview at my local Job Centre to sign my agreement to claim Job Seekers Allowance. I have to take proof I have been actively seeking and applying for work. However, my last meeting clashed with my graduation and award. So, the fortnight meeting before I rearranged the date for a one off Friday morning meeting instead of the usual Thursday.
I attend on the Friday, get chatting in the meeting with the kind lady (first Job Centre staff I have ever met who had a smile), and then she came out with (paraphrasing):
I’m afraid to tell you that your pay has been suspended because the date of the meeting has been changed. You have to attend ALL meetings on the dates we give you. I do have logs to state that you requested a change of date, however this must not happen again and I have to issue you with the first written warning as it is classed as a “no show for interview”. If this happens a second time you will loose all your benefits. This matter has to go to a tribunal which will be on Wednesday of next week, where a decision will be made to whether you should continue receiving Job Seekers Allowance. Can you explain to me why you had to rearrange your meeting…
Bloody hell. The letter she gave made me feel I had done something awfully wrong. I have an honest reason to why I had to rearrange, a good one too!
This is where it bugs me. I’m lucky and have a fair amount of money, so loosing £48 a week is not big deal for me, I’m just doing it to get my stamps paid. But what about those who have very little money and no savings? Could they live with two weeks with no money coming in? I think not.
The rules for JSA as so shoddy they need a serious revision. Time to contact my local MP Ian Austin, and maybe get some other MPs to look into it also.
iMac has died, again!
Posted by: Simon on: 02/03/2009
My out of warranty iMac G5 failed before Christmas, took it to Solihull Apple store, it needed a new power supply, logic board an a few other parts as it set on fire while the Genius look at it at the Genius Bar. £520 it cost to fix, but they waived the costs as it was three weeks out of its three year warranty.
My freshly repaired iMac has now done something very similar, a bang sound while it was in use, it switched off and now wont switch back on. I’m guessing the new power supply may be faulty. The new parts have a 90 day guarantee, popping into Birmingham Apple Store this Wednesday morning to get it sorted.
They were nice to be before, and had it fixed within four days, so no complaints here.
My Graduation and Award
Posted by: Simon on: 01/30/2009
- In: General
- 3 Comments
I had my graduation yesterday. Too sleepy now to write much, so here are the photos.
In the afternoon I was awarded the Sir Henry Royce Award, the IET also have a list of case studies of previous winners. I had a very nice 5 minute citation from Dr Andrew Bourbon, followed by the award being given to me by John Lowe from the Sir Henry Royce Foundation. Included a certificate, medal and £500.
Created in the Black Country?
Posted by: Simon on: 01/15/2009
- In: Thoughts
- 6 Comments
Hi all. It was lovely to see old and new faces at the January ‘09 Brum blog meet. *waves*
I managed to get into conversation with Benjaminbrum and Podnosh to drum up ideas for a new blog. As some of you know, I’m not actually from Birmingham, but from Dudley (I’m originally from Nottingham and see Dudley as a suburb of Birmingham, but I’ll leave this argument for another day). So, I’d be interested to get something started around my home area.
While Brum has a vibrant social media scene, the Black Country (to outsiders this is an area made up of Dudley, West Bromwich, Wolverhampton and Walsall, which equates to over one million in population) on the other hand has an incredibly poor blogging, twitter, new media scene.
Our thoughts, we need a central hub, like Created in Birmingham, or Birmingham it’s not shit.
Perhaps “Created in the Black Country” which follows on from the hot topical CiB but with a little more grit, or “The Black Country is shit”.
Please comment with your own thoughts.
Oh, and I wish Kate Spragg all the best with taking on the reigns of CiB. Wouldn’t you know, she is a Black Country girl.
BBC Job Application – Questions 5 and 6
Posted by: Simon on: 01/04/2009
A follow on from questions 1 and 2, 3 and 4.
Question 5,
Creativity and innovation is at the heart of what we do. Tell us about when you have faced a technical problem to solve. What was that problem? What was difficult about it and how did you solve it? What was creative and innovative about your solution?
Question 6,
With reference to the job description please use this section to fully demonstrate the extent to which your skills, abilities and experience meet the specific requirements of the role.
BBC Job Application – Questions 3 and 4
Posted by: Simon on: 01/03/2009
A follow on from the last blog post.
Question 3,
We’re looking for people with a very real fascination for developing new technology, especially technology relevant to the broadcasting or new media industries. To show your commitment to a career in this area, please demonstrate that you have an understanding of the underlying principles used in some relevant technology. Examples might be practical or theoretical in IT and online distribution, broadcast engineering, current standards and practices, or other techniques associated with broadcasting such as coding theory and modulation, image processing or audio compression. Please provide examples of how you have applied this interest in your studies or in other areas of your life.
Question 4,
Team Work is a key requirement. Describe an effective team you have been involved with and the part you played. This could include things as diverse as a university project, participating in a sports team, organising a show, a party or an expedition. What problems did the team solve and what made this an effective team? What was important about your contribution and how did you work with others?
BBC Job Application – Question 1 and 2
Posted by: Simon on: 01/02/2009
I have been busy applying for the job of ‘trainee technologists’ with the BBC. The application was rushed as I only found the job on the 31st December and the deadline was the 1st January.
Oh anyway, next application is for the position of ‘industrial trainee’. This entails 6-12 months on the job training in whatever field of interest you like, sound for me obviously.
The application has a number of questions, I’ll post some between now and the deadline of the 6th January. Please post comments with some ideas on what I could write.
Question 1,
For this role we would expect you to be studying for (or have studied) a degree in Electrical or Electronic Engineering, Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, Broadcast Technology or demonstrable equivalent knowledge and experience. Tell us about the relevance of your educational qualifications to this role. What skills and knowledge have you gained and what experiences have you had that match the role? Please provide evidence of these based on work and/or practical projects undertaken at university, as part of other work placements or vacation jobs, or the application of your technical skills and experience outside of your studies. Remember, we are not looking for an overview of your course syllabus.
This next question should be right up peoples street to those who I know from around the Birmingham area…
Question 2,
We’re looking for people with a very real fascination for developing new technology, especially technology relevant to the broadcasting or new media industries. To show your commitment to a career in this area, please demonstrate that you have an understanding of the underlying principles used in some relevant technology. Examples might be practical or theoretical in IT and online distribution, broadcast engineering, current standards and practices, or other techniques associated with broadcasting such as coding theory and modulation, image processing or audio compression. Please provide examples of how you have applied this interest in your studies or in other areas of your life.
My Freindfeed
- @beckycharles Night :) 11/09/2009
- @richard_baker I had my PAYG iPhone unlocked when I bought it in March. £15, had to re-sync with iTunes when I got home. 11/09/2009
- @richard_baker I just saw your previous tweet, 10th November? O2 have always done this as far as I know. 11/09/2009
- I have 30 Google Wave invites. DM me with your email address if you want one. 11/09/2009
- @amyljessop Halifax bank = turd. They used to be good, now they are a piece of trash of a bank. :( 11/09/2009
- @amyljessop I asked them for a statement the other week "oh we can't do that here with Visa Debit accounts, they are a different company." 11/09/2009
- @tobynutter I've let the producer know. I'll keep you in mind for other shoots. 11/09/2009
- I hate VISA secure payment system is a joke! Doesn't recognise passwd, create new passwd, error saying I can't change the same as old one. 11/09/2009
- @tobynutter I have you a camera trainee job on a shoot Thursday to Sunday if you want it. Shooting S16. 11/09/2009
- @tobynutter I'd let you sit on my lap if the train was full. :D 11/09/2009
