Dave Williams

Geoff asked me why I bought my Mackie 1202 mixer, as he's in the market. I figured I hadn't blogged anything substantial for a while, I'd kill two birds with one stone.

Well I did shop around a little, but there was a little bit of the impulse buy about my getting the Mackie. Before I make any significant purchase I usually try to do two or three things.

First, try and find some reviews of the product I intend buying, and some reviews of similar products. I did look very seriously at mixers from Behringer and Soundcraft, especially the Spirit Folio Notepad. Sites like www.soundonsound.com have a wondrous archive of reviews of audio hardware and I spent many an hour loosing myself on sites like this one.

Second visit the manufacturer website and learn a little about the company and whether I can get documentation in a format I could access. I was able to get a PDF of the 1202 manual before I spent a penny and, and save for a couple of inaccessible diagrams (to be expected in mixer documentation) I found it to be very well written.

Dig around on Usenet and the web to see if the product has a user community. Users will tell you how it really is without the marketing, and the extent to which people are bitching about the product you are interested in buying can be very telling.

And finally compare prices from at least 3 outlets. I can't remember if I did this with the Mackie. But there are usually lots of deals out there and now more than ever it's worth shopping around if you're on a budget. In the event I actually spent over the odds paying around £300GBP and didn't spend enough time shopping around. Some sites are now showing the 1202 for around $300US.

In an ideal world I also try to get to see the product I'm going to buy. I'm always worried about things like build quality, design and accessibility, so it's a good idea to try to spend as much time as possible making sure you're getting exactly what you want. It is the worst feeling in the world to lay out a load of cash on something which you realise a month down the line isn't what you really wanted. I had 3 pretty lengthy sessions playing with a Mackie 1202 in Alabama last year, and the Mackie really sold itself to me. That's not to say another mixer wouldn't have made an impression, but this one felt right and met pretty much all my criteria:

1. It has the best mic preamps in a mixer of it's class. See: www.musiciansnews.com/recording/46/1202vlz_pro.shtml

2. It's very rugged. I think my having dragged it all the way to South Africa and back has proved that.

3. It has a small footprint making it pretty portable. I took it in my hand luggage when I went to Cape Town.

4. It can do mix minus, ideal for use with a telephone hybrid. although I haven't spent time figuring this out yet.

Good luck with your purchase Geoff and let us know how you get on.

Ah well there's a shocker. Not. Someone's going to make a few quid for sure.

For the sake of it.

I'll take two thank you very much!

The mind boggles!

Well it's not the complete 7 series run including some 178 episodes, but this will do to be going on with as it includes many of the highlights. And at time of purchase I got it for £26.97 which is pretty good for 18 hours of classic Trek.

Disability Policy from the three main parties contesting the 2005 UK election shapes up as follows.

Conservative Party
The only section of the Conservative manifesto to mention disability is a paragraph on Social Services.

"As we live longer and expect more treatment and care to be available at home and in the community, social services willinevitably face greater demands. We will give people more control over their social care and introduce a partnership scheme so that no one is compelled to sell their home to pay for long-term care.Carers who look after elderly or disabled relatives, including those suffering from long-term conditions, deserve more support. We will boost respite for carers and give them more choice andinformation about the support available."

Labour Party:
Three references to disability appear in the Labour manifesto. These fall under: equality at work, Sport in the community, and A voice for all.

Promoting equality at work
"A strong economy draws on the talents of all.We have extended legislation to protectpeople from discrimination at work to cover not only gender, disability, race and ethnicity but also religion and sexual orientation and– from 2006 – age. Labour has transformed legal rights for disabled people.We will empower disabled people further by joining-up services and expanding personalised budgets."

Sport in the community
"Government will ensure that children who have had little access to play facilities and those with a disability have much better access to safe, modern playgrounds."

A voice for all
"We will continue to promote civil rights for disabled people, ensuring full implementation of the new positive duty on the public sector to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people."


Liberal Democrats

Of the three manifestos the Lib Dems have the most references to disability. Although like the other parties, disability is usually mentioned along side other minority interests as part of a more general statement on equality. A good example of this is a paragraph entitled "Strengthen the fight against discrimination".

"We will introduce a Single Equality Act to outlaw all unfair discrimination, (including on the grounds of race, gender, religion or belief, sexual
orientation, disability, age or gender identity), thus giving equal protection for all."

In a section entitled Trust freedom and fareness the Lib Dems have the following to say on disability:

".. ill-health, disability, poverty, environmental pollution and the fear of crime curtail freedom, just as much as discriminatory laws or arrest without trial. So we want government
to provide the essential requirements that everyone needs to make real choices in their lives."

Under the Lib Dems spending plans, they promis to introduce:
"free personal care for elderly and disabled people" they say that this would cost £1.7 billion per year paid for from a new rate of tax for those earning over £100,000 per year. What is meant by "personal care" is not clearly defined.

In a letter from Steve Webb Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Webb claims to have received:

"Letters from people with severe disabilities who are at their wits’ end because of the bureaucracy and complexity of the benefits system.
We are all growing older. Anyone can be suddenly disabled."

Having identified these issues, Webb's letter continues:

"Before entering Parliament, I was Professor of Social Policy at Bath University, studying the
mistakes governments kept making. Since being elected, I have sought to use my professional skills
to develop alternatives that will work – plans that will guarantee everyone a decent old age, help
when they are disabled ..."

Steve WebbLiberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions"

Finally on disability the Lib Dems make the following pledges:

"We will help severely disabled people of working age with their
fuel bills by giving them the same £200 a year Winter Fuel Payment that pensioners receive."

"Free off-peak local bus travel for all pensioners and disabled people."

"in addition provide all pensioners, disabled people, families and young people with their rail discount cards free."

It is worth noting that the promis of "free off-peak local bus travel" was also announced by the Labour Party in their spring budget, although not included in their manifesto.

These are the highlights, and complete copies of the party manifestos can be downloaded from the respective web sites:

Conservative Party: http://www.conservatives.com
Labour Party: http://www.labour.org.uk
Liberal Democrats: http://www.libdems.org.uk

Well amongst trying to do some work stuff over the weekend, I had Martin as a houseguest. I'd blog all about it, but he's beaten me to it. So read all about it at his blog.

"swamps are making a comeback as well."

A day or two ago I blogged about Murdoch's comments that he believed the Fox News Channel to be balanced. The Media Matters for America have responded in an open letter and their database provides examples.

Ah well at least Prescott's not clobbered anyone during this campaign yet. Stay tuned. The media do blow Prescott's outbursts out of all proportion. But they do keep the day-to-day of the election campaign vaguely amusing.

Tell me about it.

Some of the comments following the piece are pretty interesting. I'll leave you to decide on which side of this debate I fall.

This is a visual test apparently which can determine if someone is racist. So by that rationale if you are blind you can be racist. Or at the very least you can't take this test.

Hahahahahaha, yeh right. This is funny, has he tried watching it?

Ho hum, this isn't quite as damning as some, but it doesn't inspire me. Ah well, bring on next week and I can make up my own mind.

This is an interview with the president of the World Blind Union.

Hmm, I wonder how likely this really is?

This seems like a pretty big deal and I'm amazed this isn't getting more coverage in the tech press.

Hmm, I have mixed feelings about this. You can't improve on perfection. Although at least it's not some dodgey Hollywood remake.

Makes one wonder where technology will be in 40 years from now.

I awoke fully clothed at 4AM, still with my shoes and jacket on. I was on my couch. Every light in the flat was switched on and there was a tap running in my kitchen and a message on my answer phone from an indian chap wanting to know why no one had answered my door to recieve a curry ordered several hours earlier.
Apparently I had spent the latter part of the afternoon and all of Saturday evening submerging my sorrows in oceans of beer after breaking up with my girlfriend. I had got home somehow, ordered food, and then fallen asleep.
I am not going to post about the reasons for the breakup here. Simply to say that it was great for a time, we both must celebrate the six months we spent together. She could fix it, but I know she will not. And that is why we have to both go our separate ways. Cliche alert! I sincerely hope we will be friends.

In other news, the wife of the former president of the American Council of the Blind sadly died over the weekend. My thoughts are with Paul and his family at this time.

Digital Spy is reporting Christopher Eccleston could be joining the cast of the film adaptation of Dan Brown's best seller The Da Vinci Code! Christopher Eccleston has been fantastic as the Doctor and it seems anything the actor touches turns to gold.

'Could the "can't be bothered with it" party win another huge advance?'

In contrast with a damning review, about which I blogged on Sunday, The Guide reckon the HHG2G film is going to be ok. Jury still out me thinks. Have to wait until next week to find out.

After just 10 days of asking, Jamahl Epsicokhan aka Jammer managed to raise the $556 needed to buy him the Star Trek Next Generation DVDs. Ah that's where I've been going wrong, I should have become a reviewer. Well if you want to buy me some DVDs just click that Paypal button down on the right of the page.

It'll be interesting to compare Jammer's TNG reviews which those written by the one and only Tim Linch back in the 90s.

Nothing I didn't expect here, but it's worth being sure.
See if your results tally with your expectations. Mine did.

Certainly some food for thought here. Nothing really new in this piece, but it's a good round-up of the various doomsday scenarios on offer. If you could choose, which one would you go for and why?

Yeh and so does wanking. Get the hell out of here.

Occasionally, for reasons known best only to themselves, people choose to send me money. Sometimes this is for services rendered, sometimes it's because people want me to go away, and once in a while it's because people just want to show how much they love me by dropping me a few quid. It's good for the soul. Maybe it'll be good for your soul? Well give it a try and feel much better about yourself in the knowledge that you just brightened up my day. Just click the Paypal button down on the right.

Oh dear dear dear. and there I was looking forward to this coming out on 29 April. Will prob give it a miss now.

I've been enjoying this guy's reviews for 10 years so putting my hand in my pocket and sending him a few quid didn't seem like such a big deal. Maybe I'm just easily taken in?

Rob has finally done something with his web space and posted all his pics of his recent trip to: Tokyo and Bangkok.

I'm sure this guy is being ironic. But joking aside is this the thin end of thin end of the wedge.?

Can't help feeling this isn't the last we're going to hear about this.

I don't know whether to laugh or cry at this.

I still don't understand why we use DST. If people want extra light, just get upearlier?

This is in my constituency which is generally a safe seat for the Conservitives.

After months of speculation, the campaign for the general election,
will be officially under way very shortly.

Well apparently he's back from the far East. Although I've not heard anything from Rob as yet. Although I expect he's in need of some sleep.

Oh, btw, while I'm on, apparently my gf likes my new couch. See the archives if you're confused.

Note to self, apparently "Del" is threatening to come and stay this week. I don't think my overdraft can stand it.

Amazing what those blind folks get upto.

Just as long was the quality doesn't take a nosedive I doubt most of us users out here in ThinkPad land really give an RS232 Port what they call it. I did the best part of 25000 miles with mine last year and it's still going strong.

Good question. The BBC apparently have the answers. I was always under the impression that the trouble with golf was that it is a perfectly good way to ruin a perfectly good walk. :)

What they don't tell you is that at £300 entrance fee, the vast majority of blind people will not be able to attend Vision 2005 this week.

Some good stuff here, although the researcher for this piece clearly doesn't know what a modern screen reader does.

Who gives a blog anyway?

Well Rob's alive and kicking which is good. Apparently he was nowhere near Monday's quake. As he revisits Japan on his way home, apparently this is where he's staying tonight.