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Friday, January 10, 2003
We Scots have always been hardy creatures, but I think even my well-insulated body would struggle through a vacation spent in the amazing Ice Hotel in Quebec.
The architecture of the building and the novelty knick-knacks have to be seen to be believed. It looks like they've thought of everything and created a regular 'home-from-home'. It's humbling to note that the hotel is broken down when the climate becomes too hot, but is rebuilt every year. I just wouldn't like to be a visitor at the 'end of season discount' period.
Drew Buddie 5:45 AM
Further to the news of Alastair Wells' accolade, I forgot to say that one of the reasons - and there are many - why I feel his award is so important, is the fact that he is still teaching ICT to students by using ACORN computers.
This bears out what I have said for years: Acorn macines are/were perfectly capable of delivering ICT skills to students in a way that the use PCs and their non-pupil-friendly style can not.
I hope that people sit up and take notice of the significance of Alastair's achievement which should not be underestimated.
Drew Buddie 3:24 AM
No posting yesterday as I paid my yearly pilgrimage to the BETT Show at Olympia. As ever I found it a mind-blowing experience, but with someone (Tony Evans) to share a pint or three with at the end of an exhausing visit ended the afternoon nicely
Top prize for the best stand in the show, in my humble opinion - and not flavoured by the fact that they gave away free glasses of malt whisky - was the SCRAN stand. I've never heard so many Scottish accents in one place in England since my local pub said they were cutting a penny off the cost of a pint!
I was extremely pleased too, to see that a friend and BPRS colleague
Alastair Wells has been awarded the prestigious BECTA ICT in Practice Award for 2003. It is an honour to say I know the man. I was also chuffed-to-bits for
Sean O'Sullivan who won the prize for inclusion. I also met two people I had not seen for seven years, and who remembered me well, which just made the day even more enjoyable.
Drew Buddie 2:05 AM
Wednesday, January 08, 2003
Those lovely, lovely people at Serif have written me a letter to tell me that as a prior customer, I am entitled to a FREE mouse, FREE software upgrades and a FREE house. Just joking about the last of those. Phil phoning me from the BETT show, told me he'd just been to the Serif stand and upon seeing the school name on his badge the person at the stand asked if he knew me. Yet again an example of people never forgetting my name.
I got this news on the same day that I found out that Apple are giving all teachers FREE copies of OSX, otherwise known as 'Jaguar'. They say this initiative is intended 'to provide every primary and secondary school teacher in Europe with a copy of Mac OS X version 10.2. This programme is designed to show teachers the stability and manageability of Mac OS X and how it gives them a powerful foundation for integrating technology into the classroom'. I won't argue with that!
Now why can't other companies take that benevolent approach? Personally, I hope it pays off for Apple.
Drew Buddie 12:07 PM
I've been listening to the Red Hot Chili Peppers album 'By the Way' over the past couple of days. I have to confess that I have never been a fan of their's, mainly because I didn't like their infamous sock-wearing antics on stage - it seemed to me it wasn't big and it wasn't clever. However this album's got me hooked. I particularly like the infectiousness of 'Cabron' which has the sort of tune that goes buzzing around your head and will not disappear. I just can't square this 'sound' with the 'tattooed screechers' that I once thought they were. A superb jaunty rhythm and drum beat accompanies some lyrics that we all could learn from "I am small but I am strong, you see I'm just like you". It sounds like it belongs on a Cuban 'Roots' album. A real summery, singalong, cracker that's bound to be a favourite in our car.
Another great song is the best song Bad Manners never recorded 'On Mercury'. An incredible catchy Ska-punk tune.
Incidentally while searching for 'Cabron' via Altavista, I stumbled across a gem of a page devoted to my local football team, Watford FC. The site has lovingly presented, for our delectation, the words to 'If I had the wings of a sparrow' in many different languages, including ALI G, Icelandic and PASCAL! Sad geek I may be, but I found it very funny. Warning though, it does contain a wee bit of bad language.
Drew Buddie 10:47 AM
I watched Knight Moves with Christopher Lambert last night. I stumbled on it by accident, as wee Shona wouldn't go to sleep, so I randomly chose a film to watch on SKY. In the film, a chess player (Lambert) is being taunted by a nasty, always-hidden-because-he's-someone-you've-met, baddie. It also starred a Baldwin brother I didn't know even existed, yet he looks so like one, it's obvious what clan he belongs to, and Tom Skerrit - usually a film's mediocrity is ensured when that guy's in it! Anyway, it had all the makings of being a disaster, yet, it was strangely hypnotic in the way it kept me glued to the box until well past midnight. The twists and turns in the plot made the Applecross Road ("normally impassable in wintry conditions. This road rises to a height of 2,053 feet with gradients of 1 in 5 and hairpin bends. Not advised for learner drivers, very large vehicles or caravans after first mile.") look almost straight. Although I actually guessed who the baddie was, it was pure luck. There are enough plot twists to really throw you off the scent. Well, I enjoyed it and it's far better than many more 'highly regarded' thrillers I've seen recently.
Drew Buddie 7:14 AM
Eek, wow and dearie me. Of all things to happen the day our Network manager is out, we have a power cut which has affected the whole school. Of particular concern has been the Year 11 Girls doing their GCSE mock Maths paper! The examinations hall has been freezing and is as black as a very black black thing from the the Black Forest, as there are no lights either. It's a pity the Maths Dept didn't listen to me when I suggested they wrote the papers in luminous ink when I predicted this would happen!
Drew Buddie 6:50 AM
I don't know if it's good luck, or a bad omen, but after typing my first entry into this Blog, a dead ladybird (ladybug for those of a US persuasion) landed on the back of my hand. The poor little insect probably died as a result of our freezing weather .
What bothers me in this country where I live (ie. England) is the fact that a wee bit o' snaw and the whole transport system, nay the country, grinds to a halt. Whereas in my homeland, Scotland, we are hardier beasts and it takes a lot more than a drappy o' the white stuff to make us moan and groan about the weather.
Drew Buddie 2:22 AM
My goodness, this is so easy. I can see that I am going to have fun with this in the weeks and months to come.
Drew Buddie 2:18 AM
This is my very first posting to my new web presence. This is just to see what a posting looks like.
Drew Buddie 2:17 AM
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