Diary Of An ADI

Archive for March, 2009

I might have mentioned this somewhere else, but a while back I went to see Graham Bonnet (formerly of Rainbow) with a mate of mine. Now, I was never a big fan of Rainbow and I always thought that Graham Bonnet seemed to be trying way too hard in more ways than one – those Wayfarer shades always spring to mind, along with the veins bursting out of his neck when he sang.

In all honesty, the gig was pants (my opinion, obviously, as there were people there who were clearly enjoying themselves). But the real revelation was the support band.

I’m not completely sure how Planet Of Women works. They appear to be a trio of girls, but they also rely heavily on a talented backing band – which seems that it might be composed of whoever is around at the time. This is not intended to take anything away from them at all, and I guess that all will become clear(er) in time. But the lead singer’s voice is nuclear-powered – she sounds a little like Tina Turner but far more powerful.

From what I can figure, the lead singer (Jade) has been unwell and that would explain why I can’t find any upcoming tour info (though annoyingly, I keep finding reviews of gigs I’ve missed). Their website suggested an album was in the offing. Nothing seemed to appear, but when I did a bit of scouting I managed to pick up an EP/single off eBay, and I also found a live set available for download from TuneTribe.

I’ve resampled a few tracks from the live set – have a listen.

1. I don’t Care

2. I’m A Woman

3. Waking Up The Neigbourhood

Well done JAK for passing with just 2 driver faults (DFs) yesterday. That’s three passes in two weeks, all with just 2 DFs.

Talk about shooting yourself in the foot! With a machine gun!

Just saw on the local news a story about how they’re using pink fluorescent lights in subways to deter gangs of hoodies congregating. Apparently – and according to the spokesman from the local Residents’ Association – the pink light highlights acne and the colour in particular is unattractive to teenage males, so they move on.

The story also indicates that all the evidence is suggesting that the ploy works and it is causing teenagers to move on.

It’s a great idea. But what happens now that the baby chimps who this is deterring realise they’ve been had? Why not just keep your mouths shut and bask in the glory of beating the offspring of the local Neanderthals – instead of boasting and gloating over it?

Just saw this on the lunchtime news – here’s the Guardian’s take on it.

The vandalism was carried out by a group promising further action against what it calls ‘criminal bank bosses’, whom it apparently blames for the recession. They’re obviously not affiliated with MENSA in any way.

There is an urban legend that during street riots against paedophiles a few years ago, a gang of thickos attacked the residence of a paediatrician somewhere in Portsmouth. The story has been refuted, but it does illustrate a valid point – and one that is very pertinent to these morons who have vandalised Sir Fred Goodwin’s property. Namely: they haven’t got a clue!

Those responsible for this criminal act manage – yet again – to make the division between humans and apes ever greyer. The fact that it happened in Scotland is circumstantial, of course.

Incidentally, this post is getting a lot of hits. I wonder if the lunatics responsible are checking up on their handiwork?

You’re probably aware that Michael Jackson is playing 50 concerts at the O2 Arena this summer. It’ll be his first tour since 1997 – and it’s sold out already.

I really hope it works – for him and his fans.

But being honest, can you see someone who is as fragile as Michael Jackson, both emotionally and physically, actually complete these 50 gigs? It would be an enormous task even for someone young and in practice with touring. Jacko has been a virtual hermit for the last 12 years, and on his rare trips back to Planet Earth he has knocked over a few tables every time.

Like I say, I hope it works out. But…

The last week has been a bit of a pain.

To start with I’ve had nearly 50 hours of lessons, which is great. But during this time my computer started to play up (separate thread about that) and I’ve been trying to fix it using what little time I have had available.

Anyway, last Tuesday (10/03/09) I had a nice pass (well done DL) – she has just been moved to Birmingham by her employer and needed to be able to commute.

Then yesterday there was another pass (well done VKC) with just 2 driver faults. This lad is my quickest pass ever in just 23 hours (no private practice, but his dad had shown him how to drive before he came to me).

There was one slight aberration – one lad failed this week for a silly lapse in concentration and was angry with himself. In his own words:

“It was my fault, and if I’d have remembered I’d be sitting here with a pass right now”.

All of them are great drivers and fully deserve to be out there on the roads (I add that because I know there will be one or two instructors out there who, when they read this, will automatically be looking for negatives by trying to read into what I have written. The industry is full of that sort, I’m afraid).

After my irritation at having to queue in Maplin the other night, I went back today and bought that cordless soldering iron I was after.

Iroda Solderpro 120 Cordless Soldering Iron

The Iroda Solderpro 120 runs on butane gas. I’ve installed an extension cable in my car so I can run an inverter, and the terminals I used to connect it to the battery were just too bulky (a lot of metal in them) for my normal soldering irons to be able to cope with – they just couldn’t heat the metal up enough for the solder to form a pool and stick. For the record, I couldn’t even crimp the damned things properly, they’re that big.

This little tool is well up to the job. It charges up with butane very quickly and easily, and you don’t need any of those daft attachments to lose in the bottom of the tool box. It ignites immediately, and is ready to use in seconds. You can adjust the temperature with a small slider, so the tool actually rates at between 30-125W depending on the setting of this.

It is extremely well-built. It has a nice solid feel to it – reassuring when you’re effectively holding a bomb in your hand! You can also get attachments which turn it into a cutting tool for plastics, a tool for repairing jewellery, and so on. It operates as a pinpoint blow-torch if you take the tip off.

It made short work of fixing those badly crimped cables. They’re now well and truly soldered to the terminal rings.

Maplin also stock lower power versions – the Solderpro 50 and Solderpro 70. I’m seriously thinking of getting one of each of these as the convenience of not having a cable trailing and being able to solder in more comfortable situations is very appealing. I do quite a bit of soldering on computers and other electronic/electrical equipment and having to be close to a power outlet has always been a bit of a nuisance.

Iroda Solderpro 70 and Solderpro 50

If you’re looking for a soldering iron and always thought – as I did – that cordless ones were pretty pathetic (some of them are), then this is really worth looking into.

Just watching Breakfast News on the BBC and I was taken aback to see “Grow Your Own Drugs” on the rear-screen displays behind the presenters and some guy they’re interviewing (big grin, looks like a Blue Peter presenter).

It’s a very unfortunate tagline for a new BBC programme about plants you can grow at home which have medicinal properties.

Listening to the last part of it, the show is likely to be a thinly disguised ‘alternative medicine’ love-in, because he’s going on about aromatherapy ingredients at the moment. And I can’t see the Beeb showing people how to make Aspirin from Willow Tree bark.

The BBC site confirms it will be extremely lightweight, and witters on about making ‘some pampering beauty treatments‘. But from the dumbing-down specialists, what would you expect?

EDIT 3/3/2009 – And so it was lightweight. Facepacks, the astounding news that Figs and Senna ‘make you regular’, the repeated comment that this berry or than root ‘is thought to be good for’ something or other, and so on.