YOU know Spring is beginning when The Apprentice comes back to our TV screens for a new series.
Today (Wednesday) sees Sir Alan Sugar return to BBC 1 in his attempt to find a new recruit.
A total of 16 new candidates will be whittled down to the chosen one, and the lucky candidate will be told by 'Sralan' "your hired".
I have to admit I hardly watched the first series, but over the past two years I have been addicted to the programme.
The programme provides something to look forward to on a Wednesday evening. You can almost feel the tension as the candidates are brought into the boardroom at the end of the programme. It is part of the fun trying to guess who Sir Alan is going to fire.
Last year's winner was Simon Ambrose, although more memorable characters - in my opinion - were Tre Azam and Katie Hopkins. Who can forget Katie trying to manipulate other contestants by back stabbing and being underhand.
The year before there was an interesting battle between Michelle Dewberry and Ruth Badger, with Michelle winning in the end.
This year sees eight unknown males and eight females battle it out, and they come from a mix of business backgrounds.
The tasks will include, selling fresh fish and selling up an overnight laundrette business.
It is always enjoyable seeing how the people react to these situations, and it is this part of the programme I enjoy the most.
Wednesday, 26 March 2008
Thursday, 20 March 2008
Hooked on skiing
SKI boots may be impossible to put on and take off, but many people in the UK are hooked on skiing and head for the pistes in the winter.
I was one of them this year, and have just returned from a skiing holiday in the French Alps.
France is most visited country by skiers from the UK, because it is so close to England. Austria is the next popular country with UK skiers.
Skiing holidays are popular because they offer people the chance to have a go at a sport, while giving them the opportunity to relax as well with the various après-ski (French for after ski) activities, such as having drinks.
One aspect you are almost guaranteed on such a holiday is clean alpine air, even if the sun is not always shinning.
Professional skiers may make the sport look easy on television, but I think skiing is a very technically taxing sport. However despite its difficulty it is addictive and it can be rewarding.
Although the pistes can be busy and potentially dangerous places because skiers and especially snowboarders can reach high speeds.
You have to be extra careful while on the slopes to stay in control, and not to bang into anyone. Hundreds of skiers and snowboarders can be on one slope at the same time, each vying for their own territory.
I remember going skiing with school, and a friend went down the mountain without stopping and broke his leg on the first day.
I was one of them this year, and have just returned from a skiing holiday in the French Alps.
France is most visited country by skiers from the UK, because it is so close to England. Austria is the next popular country with UK skiers.
Skiing holidays are popular because they offer people the chance to have a go at a sport, while giving them the opportunity to relax as well with the various après-ski (French for after ski) activities, such as having drinks.
One aspect you are almost guaranteed on such a holiday is clean alpine air, even if the sun is not always shinning.
Professional skiers may make the sport look easy on television, but I think skiing is a very technically taxing sport. However despite its difficulty it is addictive and it can be rewarding.
Although the pistes can be busy and potentially dangerous places because skiers and especially snowboarders can reach high speeds.
You have to be extra careful while on the slopes to stay in control, and not to bang into anyone. Hundreds of skiers and snowboarders can be on one slope at the same time, each vying for their own territory.
I remember going skiing with school, and a friend went down the mountain without stopping and broke his leg on the first day.
Tuesday, 11 March 2008
Tiger's grand slam challenge
BOOKIES are giving 12-1 odds that Tiger Woods is to win a grand slam of golfing majors in 2008.
This year may be his best opportunity of achieving that goal, and Woods has admitted himself the slam is “easily within reach”.
It would be a remarkable achievement for the golfing great who has held all four titles at once, but not in the same season and over two calendar years (2000 and 2001).
The first major of the year – The Masters - will be held at Augusta National in April as it is every year. Woods has won four times at Augusta, and it was here he captured his first major at the age of 21 by 12 strokes in 1997.
Golf’s next big tournament will be the US Open at Torrey Pines, which is also the home of the Buick Invitational. This is a competition that Woods has dominated and he has picked up wins here in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
Southport will host The Open this year for the first time in 10 years. The last time golf’s oldest major was in the north west of England, Woods was one stroke off the play off contested by Brian Watts and Mark O’Meara. O’Meara won in 2008, but Woods must fancy his chances this year.
The fourth and final major of the year – The USPGA – will this year be played at Oakland Hills in Michigan. Woods hasn’t won here, although he has claimed four USPGA titles, and that includes the last two.
This year may be his best opportunity of achieving that goal, and Woods has admitted himself the slam is “easily within reach”.
It would be a remarkable achievement for the golfing great who has held all four titles at once, but not in the same season and over two calendar years (2000 and 2001).
The first major of the year – The Masters - will be held at Augusta National in April as it is every year. Woods has won four times at Augusta, and it was here he captured his first major at the age of 21 by 12 strokes in 1997.
Golf’s next big tournament will be the US Open at Torrey Pines, which is also the home of the Buick Invitational. This is a competition that Woods has dominated and he has picked up wins here in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
Southport will host The Open this year for the first time in 10 years. The last time golf’s oldest major was in the north west of England, Woods was one stroke off the play off contested by Brian Watts and Mark O’Meara. O’Meara won in 2008, but Woods must fancy his chances this year.
The fourth and final major of the year – The USPGA – will this year be played at Oakland Hills in Michigan. Woods hasn’t won here, although he has claimed four USPGA titles, and that includes the last two.
Monday, 3 March 2008
Is Facebook on the wane?
IT was interesting to see the numbers using Facebook declined in January by 400,000.
Last year almost everyone I knew was talking about Facebook and across the country there were 8.9 million users.
Through the site you can make touch with friends you had lost touch with. You can also tell friends of your current thoughts and activities, although I have never done that.
I have to admit that a friend helped me sign up to the site, and I was glad I had been introduced to it. When I first signed up I would briefly log on every other day, and check my emails for new notifications from Facebook. Now I still log onto to it, but maybe not as often.
As more people signed up to the site we were warned of the security risks of putting too much personal information on Facebook. The media carried stories of people who had been the victims of fraud.
Apparently the other popular networking site - MySpace has also seen a drop in its numbers by 5%.
Will these two networking sites go the same way as Friends Reunited? Five or ten years ago that was the latest craze, and that site saw a huge increase in its numbers. However now I don’t know anyone who uses this site, although the site is still in operation.
Experts have said the recent decline in numbers does not spell the end of Facebook.
I think Facebook is here to stay and whoever thought of the idea must be very wealthy.
Last year almost everyone I knew was talking about Facebook and across the country there were 8.9 million users.
Through the site you can make touch with friends you had lost touch with. You can also tell friends of your current thoughts and activities, although I have never done that.
I have to admit that a friend helped me sign up to the site, and I was glad I had been introduced to it. When I first signed up I would briefly log on every other day, and check my emails for new notifications from Facebook. Now I still log onto to it, but maybe not as often.
As more people signed up to the site we were warned of the security risks of putting too much personal information on Facebook. The media carried stories of people who had been the victims of fraud.
Apparently the other popular networking site - MySpace has also seen a drop in its numbers by 5%.
Will these two networking sites go the same way as Friends Reunited? Five or ten years ago that was the latest craze, and that site saw a huge increase in its numbers. However now I don’t know anyone who uses this site, although the site is still in operation.
Experts have said the recent decline in numbers does not spell the end of Facebook.
I think Facebook is here to stay and whoever thought of the idea must be very wealthy.
Friday, 22 February 2008
Noisy workmen
How come some smells remind you of an experience you have had?
It is something about the scent that triggers a memory, or an emotion you have felt.
If it is a sunny day in England, and I put suncream on my face, then I am often reminded of beaches and summer holidays. I may have been thinking about something else at the time, but the smell triggers a recollection into my thoughts from my subconscious.
Some detergents will also remind me of a visit to hospital.
I don’t why this should happen, it must be the smell that stimulates the memory.
Meanwhile, how is it that workmen always start doing noisy digging or building jobs at 8am, while I am trying to have a sleep in during my holidays. It must be bad luck.
Either it is someone digging up the road, or someone taking down scaffolding nearby.
Finally, which clever people do the scheduling for BBC and ITV.
Most nights the programmes on the box are pedestrian, but on Thursday night at 9pm there is Ashes to Ashes on BBC 1, while on ITV there is Trial and Retribution.
Shouldn’t these two good programmes be put on at different days, so we can have something good to watch on Wednesday night, for example as well as Thursday.
I know most people have videos, but whenever I record something on video I never end up watching it, either I can’t find the video, or I can’t find the right spot on the tape.
It is something about the scent that triggers a memory, or an emotion you have felt.
If it is a sunny day in England, and I put suncream on my face, then I am often reminded of beaches and summer holidays. I may have been thinking about something else at the time, but the smell triggers a recollection into my thoughts from my subconscious.
Some detergents will also remind me of a visit to hospital.
I don’t why this should happen, it must be the smell that stimulates the memory.
Meanwhile, how is it that workmen always start doing noisy digging or building jobs at 8am, while I am trying to have a sleep in during my holidays. It must be bad luck.
Either it is someone digging up the road, or someone taking down scaffolding nearby.
Finally, which clever people do the scheduling for BBC and ITV.
Most nights the programmes on the box are pedestrian, but on Thursday night at 9pm there is Ashes to Ashes on BBC 1, while on ITV there is Trial and Retribution.
Shouldn’t these two good programmes be put on at different days, so we can have something good to watch on Wednesday night, for example as well as Thursday.
I know most people have videos, but whenever I record something on video I never end up watching it, either I can’t find the video, or I can’t find the right spot on the tape.
Thursday, 14 February 2008
Having a laugh
I was in town last week looking for a birthday card for a relative.
How come no matter how hard you try, it always takes ages to find a suitable card for someone?
It normally takes me at least 5-10 minutes to choose a card, and I normally end up looking at about six before I find the right one.
I think it is very easy to offend someone by buying them the wrong card.
Anyway aren’t people who laugh out loud in shops at the jokes on cards annoying.
While I was deliberating on which card to buy, there were two people nearby in fits of laughter at some of the cards on offer.
Ok some cards are funny, but not so funny you are left in hysterics.
I could even hear their laughter when I was queuing to buy my card on the other side of the shop. I would have loved to see what card they were looking at.
Meanwhile, I had pancakes last Thursday, because I was out on Shrove Tuesday.
They are very simple to make, and a bit of sugar and lemon juice makes them very tasty. Last time I went to France I had crepes and they are even better, especially chocolate crepes.
Finally can Tiger Woods win all four majors this year? He is said to like the four courses where golf’s biggest tournaments are being held. The last time The Open was at Royal Birkdale, he was one shot off the winner, Mark O’Meara.
How come no matter how hard you try, it always takes ages to find a suitable card for someone?
It normally takes me at least 5-10 minutes to choose a card, and I normally end up looking at about six before I find the right one.
I think it is very easy to offend someone by buying them the wrong card.
Anyway aren’t people who laugh out loud in shops at the jokes on cards annoying.
While I was deliberating on which card to buy, there were two people nearby in fits of laughter at some of the cards on offer.
Ok some cards are funny, but not so funny you are left in hysterics.
I could even hear their laughter when I was queuing to buy my card on the other side of the shop. I would have loved to see what card they were looking at.
Meanwhile, I had pancakes last Thursday, because I was out on Shrove Tuesday.
They are very simple to make, and a bit of sugar and lemon juice makes them very tasty. Last time I went to France I had crepes and they are even better, especially chocolate crepes.
Finally can Tiger Woods win all four majors this year? He is said to like the four courses where golf’s biggest tournaments are being held. The last time The Open was at Royal Birkdale, he was one shot off the winner, Mark O’Meara.
Thursday, 7 February 2008
Grange Hill axed
WHAT a shame the BBC have axed Grange Hill after 30 years.
When I was at school, it was one of my favourite TV programmes.
Along with Blue Peter, John Craven’s Newsround and Neighbours, Grange Hill was a show that children would watch after returning from school.
I think it was on a Tuesday and Thursday, and your parents would let you watch it, but you knew they did not like it.
I can still remember the cartoon strip opening sequences, and theme music - even now.
The show had some great characters and gritty storylines. Among the ones that spring to mind was the storyline involving Zammo and Jackie, and Zammo’s heroin addiction.
Didn’t the cast release a single in the 1980s called Just Say No? And I am sure they got to meet American president, Ronald Reagan.
Another character I can remember was deputy head Mr Bronson, the disciplinarian teacher who was constantly telling pupils off. Wasn’t his most famous saying, “you boy,”? I am sure everyone had similar teachers at their school. I know I did.
Mrs McCluskey was headteacher when I watched Grange Hill. She was fair, although she would be strict on those pupils who did wrong.
When Neighbours started it might have been more popular, it offered pure escapism in sunny Australia. But Grange Hill seemed to be more realistic. The script writers were dealing with issues that were also hitting the news.
But as I got older, the programme did not seem as relevant, and I stopped watching it.
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