Here's an odd one?

Do you remember numbers?  Well, some of us can, and some cannot.  Fine.  Do you notice how - a month after you've moved home (and changed 'phone number) - you can't remember the old one?  Good eh? - some sort of auto-delete function going on there.

Well, here's another one for you.  My students - UNFAILINGLY learn their log-in numbers at College (about 7 digits, I think) by the number's position on the keyboard, when they are sat directly in front of it - AND NO OTHER METHOD (they don't actually know the numbers).
If I move the keyboard (to sit next to them and type) they cannot log-in, and they most definately cannot recite their log-in numbers to me.
So, those who have grown-up using numbers on keypads more than anywhere else - predominantly learn a finger-placement, as opposed to (say) remembering first, and the repetition of the action coming later.
Does this mean the memory function is by-passed - or is this a different 'sort' of memory being used?

Landlines . . . . true disconnection in a Connected World?

You know, when I enrol a student at College - my heart always sinks if they cannot supply a landline number.

I just know - if 100% represents the perfect 'trouble free' student (for them, a successful & enjoyable year), then about 10% has already been deducted.

A shameful generalisation - I heartily agree - but I'm sticking to it!

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You see, to me, this family has over-subscribed to some kind of idea of 'throw-away'.  Of communication as 'choice' (oh god - that over-used word again).   
Let me explain - if a 16 or 17 year-old chooses, he or she can keep communications with them a total secret.  With a landline missing, you've lost the possibility of speaking to SOMEONE in the family, someone ELSE can be alerted to some problem, some difficulty - SOME FACT that the young adult has CHOSEN to keep hidden.

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 . . . . . . . and think on!  That mobile needs constantly recharging, needs to not be lost, and at anytime young TrayC (god help us) or Wayne can wander into MobsRuz and exit 5 minutes later with a new number - absolute total disconnection from those not chosen to sit in memory.

Take to the Pavements!

Cold as it may be – we’re probably only about 6-weeks away from a huge influx of cyclists on the street, and the letters will be back: ‘those pavement cycling maniacs’.

But where are they supposed to go?
Those excuses for lanes, those apologies for cycle-ways our councils lovingly paint – in their imitation of progress, just a little – but not too much.
After all, we have car-tax, fuel-duty, car-parking machine income to consider, don’t we?

It’s now almost impossible to stay in a cycle lane. With the new breed of commuter scooters (you know the ones – 200 decibels and 19mph) careering through the middle of traffic, most people’s default road position has moved 18 inches to the left – into the cycle lane. But that’s not all – that ‘class beating’ internal space so loved by car manufacturers ad-speak, only really means ‘Bigger’.
You average hatch-back today is wider and taller than any ‘family saloon’ of even 10 years ago – on the same roads.

And yes, it needs saying – the 4x4’s. Have you seen the SIZE of some of them now?
Get to any junction, in or on any vehicle, with a 4x4 on your outside and you’re stuffed – you simply have to wait until they’ve wafted (“look at me! I can burn 10-times as much fuel as you, you loser!”) their way off - until you can SEE enough – to move off yourself.

So the pavement wins every time. Yes, the painted lines can stay, but they need to be on a widened PAVEMENT – then you can also speed-restrict the traffic down to the 20mph we’re beginning to hear about.

People will hate me for this, but you know in your hearts – you know in your mirrors - too many mobile-phone wielding idiots, too many super-wide black-glass and steel tanks, too many wide-exhaust youths, so many bad tempers.

NOT using the pavement at times in the UK is utter nonsense.

S and N

I don't know who reads this - but I do know you can get here from weevie.net, and some followers of the defunct go-dorset have been tracked here . . . therefore, in a change to the published schedule - I wanted to explain my feelings about Social Networking.
From here I'll call it SN.

Things have got tricky. At work (FE) we are prompted to maintain a healthy attitude toward SN at all times - embracing change etc, postively immerse ourselves at other times - setting-up groups, using it for announcements etc, and then Not Touch The Bloody Sites With a Bargepole, at yet other times, dependant upon current management thinking, educational fashion, political will, (all the aforementioned changeable - indeed change pole-to-pole within a WEEK) and/or proximity of an OFSTED visit.

So I base this on me alone. With the forelorn suggestion that those of us who teach, who've been trained to daily work the mindsets and attitudes of Britain's yoof - might STILL be afforded the grace and professional margins to voice their personal beliefs.

I've heard it's useful. Offering a safe place to 'meet', exchange (whatever), away from the cruel streets of downtown Seagullsville. That responsible parenting, and educated surfers (I mean - they've seen a poster or powerpoint about online safety . . . . ) can gain emotional support and peer-group sustinance from SN.

And even I, YES even I, friendless hermit, shunned outcast from society - have and continue to receive countless Invitiations, Nudges, god-knows-what from an increasing band of both the teenage variety, and the Oh so professional variety of these websites. Online collaboration is one thing, by the way - these are not that.

I think it's all bloody weird. I really don't want to know my sons, daughters, nieces every waking mood or happening. And I'm not sure they WANT me to know?
I simply cannot see the advantage of publishing yourself to such a degree - without REALLY having something to say. Or, obviously t-y-p-i-n-g, when you might be chatting in a coffee shop or pub. In these time-shifted years I guess it is all a lot of us can manage, a quick few lines - somehow more immediate even than email (em, did I mention the 'phone?)

So, I really am sorry.

It simply isn't for me.

And if I've failed to answer SOMETHING somewhere - well, my email address has been around since email WAS FIRST generally available, and has never altered.

CRB checks - here's a silly idea?

It seems everyone needs a CRB check these days. Our milkman has one now as he nurses his milkfloat within 1000yds of some school gates at 5 a.m on weekday mornings.

'trouble is, this meant we didn't get any milk from him for a month, whilst Daddyio dairies awaited the results of his check. Now I don't know about you . . no, I really don't, but one of things I cannot stand is black coffee at 6am in the morning - it HAS to be steaming hot, strong, sweet, tea - and tea DEMANDS milk

Similarly, I really cannot stand watching my partner helplessly waiting for perhaps five or six simoultaneous CRB checks to be worked-through, all about her - all using the same info, all accessing the same data.
What a fantastic amount of duplicated effort, time-wasting and cost. Surely individuals can 'own' their CRBs, having them renewed automatically, FOR FREE, each year - and merely present these documents at interview?
My own CRB hasn't been re-checked for YEARS - and daily I'm thrust into the middle of groups of youngsters. Double Maddness!

A Million is NOT ENOUGH!

Yesterday it was suggested banks inform us how many of their employees are earning more than £1,000,000 per year. (This is the lower end of the high-earners scale - try 2.5 million, 5 million).

Let's just be clear about this - the tax payers, insurance companies, and pension companies (our pensions) own the majority share of these organisations.
So try knocking-off a nought. Any more than £100,000 p.a is more than enough - who NEEDS £2000 per week? Does that really equate to a reasonable life?

Find Duplicate Photos across your computer's drives.

If you have 49,587 image files spread across your computer (spookily, the same number that I have) then wouldn't it be nice to find a FREE program that finds any duplicates for you?

If you're not a complete GIBBON with a computer then try out VISIPICS.(http://download.cnet.com/VisiPics/3000-2193_4-10424234.html).

This one will take you a few minutes of concentration to get the hang of it, but what's the alternative, and hour of shuffling windows and files? Two hours?