Thursday 18 February 2010

Podcasts

One of the great advances of the digital age is the ability to consume the broadcast at any time. Whilst I have yet to upgrade to the Sky+ system Iplayer is great and podcasting through ITunes means that you can listen to most radio programs at any time and with my Ipod it is also portable. I listen to 9 different podcasts so sometimes fitting them all in is tricky.
I listen to

Americana - a politics based BBC show covering everything from the Civil Rights Movement to the life of a minor league baseball player touring the Mid-West. It also takes a wry British look at the USA

History - a BBC show looking at different topics from the magazine of the same name. Was Richard III too highly regarded as a battle commander?

Fighting Talk - 4 panelists argue and joke over the sporting issues of the day

From Our Own Correspondent - BBC reporters tell unusual tales from their corner of the globe that the are in from pirates in Somalia to drug running in Mexico

Great Lives - a famous alive person tells the tale of a famous dead person and argues with the presenter about any controversy.

Mark Kermode's film review - just the best reviewer of films available. For instance he says things like a film was "a gross infantalisation of the dark hearted 'serious' sci-fi" and does rubbish impressions.

Ask Elvis - Mitch Benn answers questions sent it by the questions as an Elvis impersonator. Currently in limbo

Thought for the Day -a three minute thought about the world from a religious leader posing questions about the morality of events

Friday Night Comedy -one of two satirical comedies the New Quiz or the Now Show.

All these are from the BBC and the point is that there is probably something for you there.

Monday 15 February 2010

Snow

Loving this winter - the cold seems to have gone on for ever and there is a hint and a tease of snow. This evening there were snow flakes falling and glistening in the street lights. It makes a chance from the three days of snow and 90 days of drizzle.

New design

Maybe I am getting old but the contrast on this on seems to be easier to read.

Minibus Test

Well I passed but only just.

It was icy and the roads he takes you down were narrow. It starter well as you have to read a number plate and answer a few questions on the highway code. Getting two wrong did not seem to matter! Around the first corner came the first corner where three learners, 2 parked cars, a parked van, a skip and a blind corner caused almighty chaos. Need to look further down the road was his comment as I found myself backing up (not sure I can see through vans and around corners) but it is all about taking advice and acting on it. I should have started the downhill start in second, did not roll backwards on the hill start but needed two attempts to go forward and need to use my mirrors more. Eventually we get to Brundall and park in the quiet back street ready for a reverse around the corner - only it turns into the M25 and there are about twenty cars trying to get round me during the turn - well it was not close to the apex and frequent stops but we got there. In real life you usually do it fast to avoid annoyance not close to the curb and slowly. Back to school heading west straight into the sun so I could not see anything when the lights on the dash started flicking on and off - are the lights on the outside doing the same is this a hazard? Turning them from Auto to Off seemed to sort it. Back at school and I find I have passed. 5 more years before the next one.

Rugby

England - more dynamic at the breakdown with if you have to kick hit land not hand and take your chances especially you Monye.

Wales - Andy Powell gets laughed at for heading to the M4 in a golf buggy whilst under the influence.

Scotland - get well soon Thom Evans

Ireland - Flannery - enjoy your ban

Milton Jones

Fuuny and everywhere

Norwich City 3 drew with UEA 2 9:9

The thing with UEA is that as students they are young, pretty fit and very physical. The problem with our team is that we aren't. However we have experience but they learn quickly. We had a lead for most of the game but never more than two goals and usually one. The referee was awarding a lot of penalties for contact ( we had seven -1 at our end which I scored 6 at the other end with Phil scoring three). We also used up all our tricks early on with my most favourite move netting me a goal but sadly they adapted so it only worked once. My second favourite move almost got me a goal but it rolled around the rim. The only contentious issue was when leading by one goal we were awarded a free pass. We used our secret non-standard move and it worked a treat but the referee dis-allowed it as the opponents were too close and he seemed not to play any advantage. In conclusion a fair result. Ache a lot now though.

Monday 8 February 2010

Norwich City 4 beat Norwich City 3 by 5 goals to 3

This tema usually beat us by quite a lot so it was nice to win however it was more their inability to score than our over powering performance. We usually score about 5 goals and concede 10 but they had a lot of shots but just not dropping. It can happen someitmes and is very annoying but that is the beauty of sport. I was able to score early in our opening burst of three goals. We defender was marking me tightly but we were a long way from the basic. A kick nod to a team mate, a feint forward followed by a sprint towards the basket kept hime off balance. Cutting across his trail meant that he was unlikely to get round me and I was bale to take the over the head pass and slot the goal away. The only unsavoury momnet was when we were defending and I was calling out to my team the defensive formation without realising that the ball was at the other end of the pitch. it is considered good manners for your opponent to tell you if the ball has gone and you don't see it. To laugh at them was uncalled for but balanced by the fact we won and I outplayed him.

Monday 1 February 2010

Minibus Test

Next week I have to re-take my minibus test. It is seven years since I did it originally and it needs to be renewed. This is not a DVLA thing but a Norfolk County Council thing and I am a bit nervous. We use the minibuses a lot for trips and I might do 10 days of driving in a year including Duke of Edinburgh. It is not a strict test with major and minor faults but a 90 minute overall assessment of my driving and if I fail I have to do another 90 mins with the instructor. Despite this I am still very nervous as I have a number of bad habits to try and cure in the next 10 days, I hope that the different vehicle will help, and have to do the manoeuvres in a much larger vehicle. Tricky times!

Up in the AIr

The latest offering from George Clooney starting a man who travels the US firing people. In his life he spends as much time on the road(in the air) as possible and has no attachments back in his home town of Omaha, Nebraska. All of his flights and hotels are paid for on expenses and in a time of financial meltdown this has to stop so he has to take the new whizzkid on the road so that they can streamline the operation and do it via video conference. As an experienced traveller he has all the nous and all the loyalty cards to make life easier. This is the film that shows what can happen on the road.
Why I liked this film
1. The aerial shots of cities and landscapes
2. The scenes going through airports - after some of my epic trips I recognised some of the sequences such as choosing the correct lane in security. Children and OAP's always take ages.
3. George Clooney's performance - he was playing himself -as a smooth operator but it is fun to watch
4. The scene where the new girl has to try to fire George.
5. The party scenes
What jarred
1. Te character ark that George went through - for a man so emotional detached he sure changed fast.
2. Product Placement - lots of it
3. The end - I would have loved it if the new girl had had to fire George as the final scene - via video.