Asp bites

The world is a changing place. Things develop, and times change. Some of these things are personal changes.

This is the 645th blog post I've made. Over the past 3 years, it's obvious how my posting has developed. What started off as a personal blog that could only be read by a few people; is now readable by all, and deals with a wider range of issues. I frequently find those 'silly' news stories, as well as looking at some more serious headlines and passing judgement. Recently, I've particularly been looking at the legal aspect of issues.

I've still been looking at those personal events in my life, and what I'm getting up to - but there's certainly a great deal more "general interest" than previously.

Sadly, Windows Live can't really cope with all of this. It's got a lot better, I was strongly contemplating moving away last year. But it's still limiting - what 'widgets' I can offer, how far I can design the page, who can comment (and how they do so). Certain people have been pressurising me to move for a while.

So, now that I'm actively promoting the blog a bit more by placing it on various listing sites (such as getting it ranked as a blogflux topsite), I've relented to the pressure. Everyone can comment, read, and enjoy. If enjoying is possible.

So, Asp Bites is dead. Long live Asp Bites.

The new blog is now ready to go properly live. I'll probably tweak a few things over the next period - and if you have any comments, please e-mail me.

In the interim though, please update your bookmarks to http://asp-bites.blogspot.com; your RSS feed to http://asp-bites.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default; and please keep reading! :)

Thanks to Thunderdragon for the new logo.

Today was the day. 3 months of training (some official days, some general pottering about, some reading) to become an Ambulance crew at a professional level (even if I won't get paid for any of it, so it can't be strictly 'professional').

Whilst technically a lot of what taught I already knew, and as an advancement of my 'skill set' the jump wasn't huge, the assessment was at a higher level. Transporting patients is a professional job, completely different from a first aid role, and the assessment has to reflect this.

We started with a written paper. I'm used to all St John exams being vague, ambiguous, and with a number of different possible answers. But today's, even by St John standards, was poor. What made it worse is that it is "key word" marked. You could explain exactly how to do something - but unless you use the exact word, you won't get the mark for it.

The pass mark was 70%, I got 74%. Most people were in the same "just pass" range as myself. Some didn't get to that level, including someone who I know is a highly competent St John member. He was 18% short first time round, but was allowed to resit it (on exactly the same paper - I've never understood the logic of that) and managed (unsurprisingly I suppose as he knew what was coming) 92%. I'm sure that his first paper was right on the whole. I'm also sure that if someone has asked him to perform the operation he had to write about, he'd have done it near perfectly first time round. But it's different writing it down.

Then was the practical side of things. Quite simple criteria - it's a Patient Transport job, so you have to pick up patient from X, put them into the ambulance, 'drive' to Y, and put them where they want to go. There also had to be an assessment on resuscitation - something that every operational member of St John is assessed on yearly, now they can combine it in assessments.

I made silly mistakes - school boy errors. Things that will come with practice. However, I think my most serious error was constantly referring to my crewmate as "Andrew", when I know he hates being called that and is "Andy". I'm very surprised I didn't end up as a patient. Therefore, I'm pleased to say I passed.

Still, I'm pleased to report that humour and smut in St John is still present in assessments. Enquiring about the patient's mobility, he told me he couldn't straighten his knee. Fair enough, except that it was already straight. So that was one moment of laughter. The other was more traditional St John. The conversation, whilst waiting just inside the building whilst Andy went and prepped the vehicle, went something like this.

Asp bites Tunes of the Week 2008 - Week 5

Due to various reasons, I've not been sat at my desk with the radio on as much as normal. Particularly, I've not been able to listen to 6music at all as my computer is presently working about as well as a chocolate teapot.

As a result, there's not been a huge number of tunes that have implanted themselves into that thick skull of mine.

Thankfully, one is a tune that came to my attention at the end of 2007:

Out on the same date as The Feeling is the latest single from Goldfrapp, A&E. Very interesting video - if slightly disconcerting, and it puts a whole new twist on the song. It's a very slow, well sung, well written melancholy song. Perhaps though, a bit too much for me today.

Feist is best known, nowadays, for being "that song on the ipod Nano advert". Incidentally, I mentioned 1234 before I saw one of the aforementioned adverts, it's a good song.

This has certainly brought her too wider attention and, potentially, may ensure that her latest single gets a bit of recognition.

January's Last Chance

I realised not long ago that my criteria for considering a song for the ultimate accolade [sic] that is "Asp's Tune of the Year" is potentially a bit harsh. Some weeks, there have been some outstanding songs shortlisted that are potentially better than a different week's TOTW. However, to limit my shortlist somewhat and make my decision easier, I wouldn't have considered them.

So, I've decided that every month I will take one of the nominated tracks that hasn't been a TOTW, and through it into the bundle for the annual selection process. A 'Last Chance' for each nominated track to make it through to the next round.

January has been, surprisingly given the usual post-Christmas quietness, a very strong month musically. Elvis Ain't Dead has come on particularly strong - and SFG are now doing particularly well on the album chart. However, as it was a December release and a TOTW last year, I didn't want to give it another chance.

So, instead, I'm going for the single that's surprised me most of the month. It's a great song, from a band who (as I explained at the time) I didn't think I liked:

When you're at a restaurant, how much do you tip your waiter?

I find it very interesting to compare the British and Continental approaches to this. Over in the main part of Europe, unless you find a tourist restaurant explicitly stating Service Included, you expected to add on anything between 10% and 15% (depending on where you are) to - in many situations - pay the waiter who's served on you that evening.

In England however, we expect that the waiter will be getting a wage. So, I feel the general approach of most people is that you'll tip what you feel appropriate. It certainly is an optional thing. I can see very few people who feel that one should be obliged to tip that little bit extra to your server.

And if, as last night at our class meal, the service consists of 1 missed starter, 1 wrong main course, an enorminate amount of time waiting for the meals (Italian meals don't take that long to cook - so I presume they were out back killing the Chicken), having to go up and ask for them to take our dessert order: you might be minded to tip little, or none.

Personally, your chances of getting a tip are lowered even more if there is a little bit on the credit card receipt saying "Gratuity", and a blank amount. If I wanted to tip you on my credit card, I would have asked you to add a bit to the bill. Don't present me with a piece of paper with a blank that begs to be filled in. Because it won't be. I might, however, leave some change in the bowl in which you brought me the mints.

Even worse, as happened last night, it where the restaurant helpfully calculate your gratuity for you, by adding a 10% "Service Charge" on the bottom of the bill. As none of us felt we got service last night, we paid the sub-total only. As they were serving a table of law student, I don't think they saw fit to argue...

A couple of vital statistics:

What do they relate to?

They're what I did today. Pacing around Oulton Park.

Circuit owners MSV very kindly, at the start of the season, open up their gates for volunteer marshals like myself to have a trackday on them.

Being the sort of person who never says no if it's free, as I was in the area this year with my own car, it would have been wrong not to attend.

I was naturally wary about the experience - I hadn't bought track day insurance, and couldn't afford any repair bills after - be they mechanical after munching the engine for instance; or physical after backing the car into a tyre wall.

Still after the requisite briefing ("These are the flags, but I'm sure you know what you mean"), noise test, finding of towing eye to stick on the front of the car, and 'sighting laps' (they're included in the above statistics, which probably explains why the mpg figure isn't much worse than normal) - I headed out for a few laps.

I was, for the above reasons, still very cautious, especially considering that the track was still damp. Certain people were spinning at one particularly greasy corner doing only 45mph - and in the morning I was still doing 50 without any thought about losing the back end.

My stints were also kept to about 15 minutes, just to keep the car safe. I was slightly concerned as the brakes started knocking at the end of the first stint - but I'm guessing that was just rust, and a bit of heavy braking at the second stint got rid of the knocking without the brake pedal getting any longer - so that didn't pose much of a problem.

I did 5 stints in total with between 3 and 5 'fast' laps (out lap was slow to warm the car up, in lap likewise to cool the car down - they also probably helped the mpg figure). As the day went on, with the track drying, and my confidence building I was able to go faster and faster. More committed through the corners, carrying more speed onto the straights - and really enjoying myself.

Things weren't particularly fast - top speed on one of the straights was probably just under 90, but the big difference is how you can work the corners. On the public highway, you've only got a narrow strip of tarmac that is 'yours'. On a race track, you can use all of it, and thus carry a huge amount of speed through them.

Once or twice I did carry a bit too much speed - front wheel drive cars do understeer a fair amount. See realising that I do need to do more than slightly ease off into Island bend; and hear tyre squealing through Lodge. However, I'm pleased to report that at no point did the car leave the 'black stuff', nor end up pointing in any direction other than the way of the track.

I was planning on having one last stint just before 3pm - however, as I came round Druids on my out lap I saw hail stones on the track, and a few wet patches on my windscreen. I aborted into the pits just in time, as the heavens opened with a huge hail shower, followed by near blizzard conditions with snow, and the session was red flagged.

I took this as a hint and called it a day myself, although things did get going again as things brightened up (British weather eh?). But, it was after a thoroughly good time.

I'd like to publically thanks MSV & all their staff for their efforts today and letting us have a good time. I doubt I'll turn into a trackday regular. But having the opportunity to see how the Corsa could really perform was one that really enjoyed.