Recycling and waste policy in the bin

Posted on September 22, 2009 by Brian

I honestly think we need to re-examine our waste policy and not leave it to local councils. Why, because they all come up with different solutions to the same problem and different solutions cost more and lose the benefits of economy of scale. Each council employs the same consultants who basically do the same work and come up with the same conclusions. Why not do this work once and pay once? We need a national policy that eveyone understands. Continue reading →

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T-Mobile impresses as I move on

Posted on September 15, 2009 by Brian

I am coming to the end of an 18 Month contract with T-Mobile and the whole Family is moving onto the 3 network. The free 3 to 3 calls are too good and the savings from those will almost make up the additional cost. I like my son to always be able to call me so it suits. However, I am going to be using my old E51. I looked at the E75 but just didn’t like it. The only thing wrong with the E51 is no GPS. I thought getting the phone unlocked would be a nause so I got a rebel SIM instead. Continue reading →

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Digital radio adverts annoy

Posted on September 11, 2009 by Brian

I know it takes a lot to annoy me but the latest radio adverts for digital radio take the biscuit. The implication is that you will never again suffer from missing part of your programme ever again and you will benefit from much better radio quality. Any one who has the smallest technical bent knows this to be lies and all those who have a digital radio know it too.

The reality is that a digital radio still needs a good signal to work and if the signal is poor you don’t get poor reception you get no reception. Also the quality is by definition going to be worse. Granted most people will not be able to tell the difference but that is not the point. Even at the highest bit rates (which most stations will not use) the sound quality (definition) is inferior to FM. At worst, stations like 5 Live are no better than their MW offering.

Agreed you can get more stations but please don’t try and sell it as a better quality offering when all the government wants to do is sell off the old frequencies.

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Teaching assistants’ role queried – The Emperor’s new clothes

Posted on September 4, 2009 by Brian

The BBC reports today that The Institute for Education has come to the conclusion that Teaching Assistants can cause pupils to make less progress not more.

As you would expect, a spokesman for the Department for Children, Schools and Families, which funded the study along with the Welsh Assembly, said: “It’s counter-intuitive to say that support staff do not effect pupil progress”. Of course this was not what they meant; what they meant is that “It’s counter-intuitive to say that support staff do not improve pupil progress”. The report says they effect progress, but in a negative way! Continue reading →

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Electric Cars

Posted on September 3, 2009 by Brian

I want one. No really I do. Ideal for commuting; who needs a long range for going the 10 miles to work. And if work provide charging points so much the better. I could save a bundle and help the environment at the same time.

Only problem is they need to be cheaper. So we need someone to build a very basic simple cheap electric car, designed for commuting then we can all have one.

Need to keep the petrol one as well but the electric car is a bit like a bike – only used when the occasion suits it.

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