In April’s capricious clime, travel North from Cambridge along the river Cam, to Bottisham Lock. There, from the Waterbeach bank, you catch a glimpse of gaily flowering rows and perhaps the scent of The National Hyacinth Collection.
The collection has been established, maintained and grown by Alan Shipp*. His efforts are funded through bulb sales and visitors coming to wander amongst the rainbowed rows of blooms for a few short weeks when the hyacinths are in flower.
According to Homer’s Iliad (8th to 10th Century BC), hyacinths formed the couch of Hera, queen of heaven and earth. As with much of our culture and science, the love of hyacinths and their cultivation migrated to the Romans, were a key element in Arabic culture and came to renaissance Europe in the early 17th Century. Alan’s collections includes the variety Grand Blanche Imperial, which originates from two centuries century after hyacinths were introduced into the Netherlands (see the “Hyacinth History” http://www.oldhousegardens.com/hyacinthhistory.asp).
From a genetic perspective, hyacinths exhibit a wide range of chromosome numbers, from 2n=16 through to 2n=32, with a wide range of odd numbers inbetween. With a twinkle in his eye, Alan revealed that it was possible to cross varieties with different chromosome numbers and still obtain viable seed – sometimes with an expected new number!
Hyacinth collection is a passion shared across borders and so it is, that Alan Shipps’ collection is in regular communication with collections in the Netherlands and Russia. Together they strive to find lost old varieties and discover new ones. Indeed, as we wandered through the rows arranged by variety, there was one pink sport amongst a row of blue.
My visit opened my eyes to this plant, hitherto seen as a fleeting flower in our (jungle) garden’s seasons.
For others it is a deep passion, best described by the poem found at the bottom of Alan Shipps’ list of varieties in his collection:
If, of thy mortal goods thou art bereft
And from thy slender store
Two loaves alone to thee are left
Sell one and with the dole
Buy Hyacinths to feed the soul
(Muslihuddin Sadi, Persian poet, c1258)
*Alan K. Shipp, Holder of the National Hyacinth Collection,
We don’t need to look far to see the health impacts the weather can have and how important it is to build in climate change resilience:
Hurricane Sandy claimed 121 lives, cut power to over 8 million homes and rendered the water supply for many unsafe to drink
The 2003 heat wave on the continent caused 35,000 extra deaths
The flooding in Gloucestershire in 2007 caught us out, when all four access roads to the town became impassable and, for the first time in its 100-year history, the Mythe Water Treatment Works flooded, resulting in the loss of tap water for 140,000 homes over a period of two weeks.
I have always had an interest in climate change and sustainability, so on Wednesday I went along to a very well attended meeting of the East of England Climate Change Adaptation Network, representing Milton Contact Ltd.
The focus of the meeting was health and well-being, with contributions from the NHS sustainability team, NHS Bedfordshire, Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service, Essex County Council, The Environment Agency and Defra.
These organisations have a responsibility to reduce their own impact on the climate in terms of carbon and energy use and to make plans to help keep us safe in extreme weather conditions.
They are also keen to encourage us all to share that responsibility: We can make changes to the way we go about our daily lives; we can make changes at work which not only save money, but can improve the health and perhaps the safety of the staff; or we can make plans to help us get through severe weather events unharmed and with minimal disruption to business continuity.
When we buy a house or set up a business here in the UK, we generally ensure that the roof is watertight and the windows exclude drafts when it’s cold, but open to allow the house to cool off when it’s hot. We fit heating to keep us warm and a clean, safe supply of drinking water is taken as given. We even take out a variety of insurance policies to help us out financially when things go wrong.
But are we ready for the changes that our weather may throw at us?
Some may think this is for future generations to worry about, but recent events indicate that we should be prepared.
We can all take steps now to be prepared and help protect ourselves, our homes and our businesses. It needn’t cost the earth and might even save us money.
We should not be complacent and believe this is for others to worry about. We can save energy – we can take the bus, walk or cycle occasionally – we can buy locally produced foods – and we can adapt to reduce the impact of extreme weather.
What will you do today to reduce the impacts on you and yours?
As a first step, I would encourage you to check the Environment Agency’s flood risk map to find out whether your home or business are at risk of flooding.
A review paper in Nature estimated that in 2000 a global death toll of 150,000 was attributable to global warming.
Jonathan A. Patz, D. Campbell-Lendrum, T. Holloway, et al., “Impact of regional climate change on human health,” Nature, 2005, vol. 438, pp. 310-317.
Follow Jane on Twitter @sustainmi
With a title like "The role of sex in success", my biological curiosity and and intellect battled it out about whether to attend this event, part of Ann Hawkins' series of events by The Inspired Group. Naturally, my intellect won by rationalising that it would be beneficial to learn more about the subject.
The talk was presented by Susan Quilliam, Relationship Psychologist, who recently updated the iconic "The Joy of Sex" for the 21st Millenium. As Susan said, her aim was to bring a 70's book written by a man mostly for men to an era where it could be about a subject equally for men and women.
For those of you hoping for a more salacious article, I do have to disappoint you in advance, though you may find the section on the calorific value of ejaculate interesting at the end. For Susan was looking at three elements relating to sex, rather than the acts themselves, namely:
How sex can support success
How sex can sabotage success
And how the choice rests with us
Susan, a composed competent speaker with a twinkle of humour in her eye, took us through the points individually. She then gave us the opportunity to discuss and come up with insights. These were either our own experiences or the very public ones by the great and not so good ingrained into the consciousness of our society, or at least the red top papers.
Supporting Success
Apparently there are at least 237 reasons or benefits of sex with some of the key elements being improved health, a better emotional balance in life and, when redirected, additional drive and enthusiasm in achieving other tasks and objectives.
Sabotaging Success
However, sexual dynamics and relationships in the workplace can have a destructive effect. This is not just on the individuals involved, but due the disintegration or just lowered efficiency of the teams in which they take place. Sexual desire can seriously affect decision making, resulting in business errors bitterly regretted later.
Making the right choices for us
So it came down to us to accept that sexual dynamics, tensions, attractions existed. There is a wide spectrum of cultural backgrounds and socially accepted behaviours, from dealing with strangers to the apple of one's eye. It is up to us to make a choice which ones will be positive and to know when we reach boundaries we should perhaps not cross over.
I must admit that in the open discussions, we were a very cerebral, rational and demure lot. The word that raised the most frisson, was the use of the word" frisson" in relation to a married relationship. However, with a drink and food at the table after the formal part of the talk, conversation became a lot more animated. Laughter, innuendo and some intriguing stories emerged.
One common theme at our table was the relationships we had with our children and the cross-generational inhibitions there seemed to be in accepting that either side could actually talk about and understand - sex.
But perhaps the biggest surprise was the gender/sexual inequality that was revealed when we took a closer look at the avowed fact that the sexual act used a full 85 calories. For it seems that one party in the final consummation dispenses a further 5 calories as ejaculate, therefore using 90 calories, whilst the recipient therefore could suffer a deficit by receiving those 5 calories and therefore only using 80 in total.
Humour aside, it was an informative and thought provoking evening which I was thoroughly justified in talking myself into attending. If you want to know more, contact Susan Quilliam or read her books, covering topics from body language, through relationship management and coping with crises.
A flat-lining EU economy, the construction industry in crisis. This is not a good time for an architect's visit to the UK, you might think. So why did Sandra & Leif Tollé come to Cambridge seeking meetings and with plans for a UK architectural practice (Tollé Green Architecture)? Add to this, their underlying ethos of social responsibility. Surely this was a no-brainer in the free-market UK economy currently led by a right-leaning government!
The answer as to why the visit was successful has four parts:
1. German green retrofitting and new-build expertise
Britain has international obligations regarding global warming. Domestic fuel prices are increasing. And greener building regulations by the present and past governments have been implemented. These factors are slowly seeping into the consciousness of the UK construction sector. Our usual British reaction is to put off any changes until they are unavoidable. It is only in the past few years that green construction ideas and technologies have begun to be taken seriously.
This contrasts with a much stronger and longer green tradition in Germany and Scandinavia. Experts reckon that these countries have a lead in green construction of between 10 and 25 years.
The Green Deal is expected to accelerate green practices in the UK.
In all our appointments with UK partners, expertise was seen as the key advantage provided by Tollé Green Architecture. This comes from a German parent practice with decades of experience in dealing in major industrial construction. There is also considerable retrofitting expertise, not only in single houses but also in multiapartment blocks (see: Practical examples of retrofitting in Verden, Germany http://miltoncontact.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/practical-examples-of-retrofitting-in.html).
2. Taking an international perspective
Leif & Sandra Tollé see Tollé Green Architecture not just as a local UK company. The intention is to establish practical regional links at several levels, e.g. between North-Rhine Westphalia and the East of England. One level includes the exchange of craftsmen and women, training or retraining in the skills of the green construction sector. Another looks at collaboration in research.
Tollé Green Architecture is looking for UK partners and locations to work with. They came with a clear proposal, including potential German institutions as partners. Preliminary contacts were made through Milton Contact Ltd, the British Consulate and UKTI.
The East of England is an ideal location for forging such links. This is due to the combination of universities (Cambridge, ARU, UEA) and green networks (Cleantech, UKCEED, Enterprise Europe East). There is a training centre with existing European connections (Smartlife Low Carbon). Furthermore, in this region, companies like HSA Accountants have a familiarity and competence in assisting companies with EU connections.
3. Social perspectives
Sandra & Leif Tollé of Tollé Green Architecture take the role of the architect within society seriously. They have made it a core part of their ethos. As Sandra reiterated at each meeting, the architect does not simply raise a building. They also create an environment which impacts on the people who work, rest and play within it for decades.
The social element of the company was the one that received a mixed response. It was irrelevant in some meetings and struck a strong chord in others. With Triodos Bank, it was essential, as they are an ethical and social bank.
A social philosophy is not incompatible with good business in construction, as shown by Scansca's successful Seven Acres development in South Cambridge (Trumpington http://homes.skanska.co.uk/Projects/Seven-Acres/).
The current economic climate is also changing the social fabric within the UK. The private housing market has seen a shift towards staying put and improving existing properties. Prices and circumstances are pushing more people to rent rather than house buying. The rise in fuel prices has exacerbated fuel poverty. The National Housing Federation quotes 4.5 million people in housing need in the UK with 1 million children in overcrowded accommodation. Many housing associations are experiencing increasing financial pressures.
Conversations with Peterborough based UKCEED and Cambridge's Eclipse Research revealed that UK policy makers and cities are therefore looking for solutions. They wish to achieve improvements in the environmental-, social- and economic aspects of an area.
4. Constructive partners
Above all, the UK visit by Sandra & Leif Tollé of Tollé Green Architecture was successful because of the individuals and organisations we met. They were willing to listen, to provide constructive feedback and to give us insights into their respective areas of expertise. We were also directed to useful future contacts and events.
The world and its economies may seem to be globalised. However each country and region has its cultural, social, economic and construction related customs and regulations. Armed with their expanded knowledge, Sandra & Leif Tollé will find UK partners for their European collaboration in the short term. In the longer term they will establish Tollé Green Architecture as part of the UK's green construction expertise.
Talking with Pamela Mungroo (Freelance producer, presenter, podcaster) earlier this week, our conversation turned to the Paralympics. Not only were we both looking forward to the events, we thought these games would be a major turning point in public perception and attitudes to …
And there we already hit a problem. Our very use of language reflects the centuries of prevalent attitudes towards “the disabled”. Most of the descriptive terms have a negative, diminishing or even derogatory connotation.
Pamela had in fact written an interesting Master's thesis (“How the historical attitudes, both artistic and cultural, continue to influence today’s visual imagery of the deformed body” ) which I read later that evening. It illustrated how a separation into “them” and “us” had existed through the ages and been reflected and reinterpreted in the current philosophies of the day, using the visual media as an example. It was quite an eye opener to see how imagery was used to portray a certain message, even by organisations looking for funding to improve or prevent the plight of “the disabled”.
It prompted me to see if there was an underlying biological basis to the creation of these attitudes in scientific publications – perhaps in terms of visual appearance and even mate selection. Yes, there seemed to be a trend for the preference for facial symmetry, for example (Rhodes et al 1998, “Facial symmetry and the perception of beauty” http://www.springerlink.com/content/eq4178xr00474432/).
However, when you looked at body perception, there was a clear cultural bias, with people's attitudes shifting to those of the culture they were moving into. More telling was the prevalence of research into perceptions of female beauty in results of searches – cultural bias was even affecting the nature of certain types of research and answers sought.
In Britain, attitudes towards women, race and sexuality have gradually shifted over the past century alone. These elements of our society have been absorbed within the current accepted norm. Pamela and I thought that with the Paralympics in London, we were seeing a broadening of the perception of what the norm of our population actually was – to include “the disabled”, rather than see them as “other”.
You can already see the shift in attitude by the way the media are portraying paralympians and the upcoming Paralympics. Photography and filming alone are done in a much more sympathetic way, looking to convey more about the person themselves or the ideals they stand for. Trawling through Channel 4's website, the official Paralympics TV channel, the articles were also remarkably free of phrases or terms with hidden negative connotations.
For me, the best article reflecting the change in attitudes was the tongue-in-cheek and racy blog “How many condoms will be used in the athlete's village at the Paralympics” http://www.springerlink.com/content/eq4178xr00474432/. Fun, controversial and talking about people with a unique set of opportunities and physical challenges in the Athletes Village.
But look at the photos of the Channel 4 presenters for the games and you see that the harsh competitive nature of advertising prevails; no obvious “disability” on view here. This will require more time.
I'm looking forward to a great series of sporting events. I am excited about going to see the athletics in the Olympic Stadium in person. Where Beijing had brought paralympics to the wider consciousness, I hope London will bring a lasting change towards inclusion and respect for a previously neglected part of our society.
It is possible to
succeed and grow, even in the current harsh economic climate, as I
discovered in conversation with Justin Burtenshaw, Director of 3
Dimensions Ltd, interior refurbishment specialists. His 3 Dimensions
of success in the recession are Quality, Care and Cambridge.
Justin set up 3
Dimensions Ltd in 2002, specialising in interior refurbishment and
initially most of his work was for other companies in the trade. Now
3 Dimensions Ltd also helps business clients directly. The work
ranges from transforming tired old office spaces into modern, bright
working environments to fitting out new space or business premises.
It includes the effective use of glass, more efficient lighting and
acoustic ceilings and walls. The 3 Dimensions of his company's
success emerged as:
Quality
Right from the start,
Justin preferred to implement quality in 3 Dimensions' work and the
materials used. After all, the interiors that he produced were and
still are living and working spaces for companies and staff that
would last for a number of years. Quality and high standards in his
work in turn reflects on his client's business presence and the pride
of the people working there.
Care
Care for the customer's
needs when planning and then implementing a refurbishment is also
something that is part of Justin's ethos. Customer care ensures that
the final refurbished space is actually fit for the client's purpose.
Cambridge
The City of Cambridge
has many faces. The tradition rich University is intertwined with the
commercial part of the town centre. Surrounding the city, we have
modern science and technology parks that cater for home grown Hi-Tech
businesses right through to multinationals seeking a place at this
prestigious location. 3 Dimensions is familiar with the peculiarities
of the Town and Gown with its constrained spaces and often restricted
access on the one hand and the needs of international corporations on
the other.
Through the
understanding to the 3 dimensions of Quality, Care and Cambridge, the
company, 3 Dimensions Ltd, has grown. It is now recognised in its own
right, both as a company that can provide good services to trade
colleagues and also as an interior refurbishment specialist company
in its own right for its business clients.
At 2:30pm, the anglophile Heker family from Germany was happily doing last minute shopping in the Morrisons, Bridge Street, Dover. A last minute stocking up on traditional British food and drink. By 2:46, Friday 10th August they were embroiled in a kafkaesque scene at the tills that lost their good will – and more importantly, their business to a neighbouring store.
Service at the till was going well till Mrs Heker made a crucial mistake, she deferred to her daughter to deal with the payment. The woman at the till queried the age of the daughter as the purchase included beers. As the daughter was under 18, the cashier had to refuse to accept payment for the alcoholic drinks.
Morrisons also has a record of refusing alcohol sales to adults where there is the faintest doubt that purchased alcohol may be given to people under 18.
Like many Britons, the Hekers could not understand why the parents could now not purchase the beers as part of their shop. The queue was building. Those in the queue were having similar difficulties in understanding.
Unable to deal with the situation, the cashier did the right thing – she called for her supervisor.
At this point we should note that this year Morrisons was the proud winner of “The Grocer Gold Award 2012 for Employer of the Year” and “The Grocer 2012 Grocer 33 Award” – for best customer service in mystery shop survey and for more times that any other supermarket over the last year.
Britain was also basking in a general atmosphere of good nature and will with the successful Olympics.
With such an excellent service record, one would have high hopes of a well trained Morrisons supervisor coming in to explain a policy; in a way that would calm the customer down, gain at least acceptance if not understanding, from the customer and permit a shop – without the alcoholic item. The customer would leave with the non-contentious goods, the company would be true to its policy with only a partial sacrifice.
Instead, Mr Heker described the arrival of (loosely paraphased in translation as) “A battleship under a full head of steam”.
The result was the total refusal of any purchase from the store, anger by the Heker's for a very public “show trial” at the till and a very sour taste at the end of their family holiday in Britain. What is more, they immediately went to a neighbouring store to conduct their purchases without difficulty or hostility.
This was a Pyrrhic victory for the Dover Morrisons store. It had made a point that will reverberate with other customers in the store at the time as well as future visitors to the UK who ask the Hekers about their experience of these isles. People could adjust their shopping habits accordingly. It has made me, a resident of the UK, think twice about my store choices.
The main other loser from this incident, the person also most likely to be equally bitter about having been placed in this situation and the poor outcome, is the supervisor.
From a business perspective, there is a lesson to be learnt. Stores need to support their staff more with comprehensive staff training in dealing with potential flare-ups. How to keep your head in a possible conflict, cool down and defuse situations before they go critical, these are skills that can be taught.
There was a palpable charge in the air at today's meeting of the Huntingdonshire Business Network! A clash of two cultures – science and complementary medicine threatened to arise when the validity of one was queried by the other.
As a professional scientist now active in a totally unrelated business world, this reminded me of my rapid adaptation from talking to non-scientists before and after the transition.
Hence my personal seven tips for scientists talking to a wider audience.
Before that, I would like to describe the realities of the world beyond the safety of a science or technical environment
The majority of the population do not understand science & technology.
In the UK have the proportion of our workforce working in science and engineering is about 35% according to figures in 2010. Gender bias and self selection at an early age sadly mean that only 5% of the science and engineering workforce are women (“Statistics: Women and men in science, engineering and technology. The UK statistics guide 2010” ). So two thirds of your audience is likely to have only a very limited knowledge of your area of expertise from the start. The remainder are likely to equally ignorant of your specialism.
Most people do not think like a scientist.
Science uses evidence based research with a unique twist: You (and your competition) use reproducible experiments to test any hypothesis in your field of interest. In my experience, this has two consequences. 1. If someone makes a statement – I immediately look for a counterargument to test its validity and 2. If sufficient evidence against my hypotheses is presented, I will accept that a change of ideas is needed – even if grudgingly!
The rest of the world does not necessarily think the same way. Ideas are sometimes readily accepted if they fit within a world view and facts might be ignored if they do not suit. This is the main stumbling block for scientists trying to communicate outside of their field. Presenting ideas or evidence in a scientific way does not necessarily result in people accepting them.
Science is seen as just one of many world views
The practical aspects of science and technology mean that people trust their car's engineering and their conventional medicine of their GPs and hospitals. They might also have a belief in one or more gods, astrology, The Only Way is Essex, personality tests and business management systems. They will be influenced by culture and preconceptions about gender and race. What's more, they can even hold several totally contradictory views simultaneously.
Even scientists are not immune from this. The mathematical giant Newton's other interest was alchemy. Conan Doyle believed in the incisive rationality that lead to Sherlock Holmes and forensic science – and in fairies. Whilst non-religion and atheism are especially prevalent amongst scientists, estimates suggest between 30% to 50% believe in God or gods.
So, faced with a potential audience that does not understand science, has its own often contradictory world views and may not be predisposed to change them. How DO you address them in a way that will be heard?
Seven tips for scientists talking to wider audiences:
Accept that people may have different world views. You do not have to agree or condone their views. In most instances you can just respect that they have them.
Make clear that your views are expressed within a science or technical framework. “This is my background and the way I approach the subject” is a good way to make it easier for an audience to listen more receptively.
Do not aim to prove the other party wrong. This is the fastest way to put up barriers. Avoid words such as “but”, “however”, “nevertheless”. They immediately raise resistance. You can disagree or agree to disagree. Phrases like “my personal view” or “the view of … is” allow you to reiterate what your position is without being confrontational.
KISS (Keep it simple, stupid). Try to have a clear simple, message or point. Assume no prior knowledge by the audience right from the start. The ideal is where your audience can leave with a clear memory of your key message.
Use positive language where possible. True passion and excitement will keep your audience engaged. Remember that whenever you talk as a scientist to non-scientists, you are an ambassador for science.
Make sure you know your facts and know your limits. Both generally earn respect from an audience.
Be true to your values. Points 1 to 6 are all about accommodating and adapting to your audience. This does not mean that you cannot draw a line where there is an obvious conflict with your own values.
Returning to the frisson at the Huntingdonshire Business Meeting – how did the situation pan out there today?
It immediately became apparent that we had as many different world views as people in the room – with all joining in the lively conversation. Some were more sympathetic to the alternative healing cause, others leant towards science. God and spirituality were thrown in the mix as well as pragmatism - “how you get there is less important than that it produces the desired result”.
The overall tenor of the meeting was however to find a conciliatory solution. In the end we acknowledged that we all had different views. Situation defused, we went on to a gentler, more entertaining second half of the meeting, with more insight about our friends and business colleagues.
The very simple introduction to creating your website is particularly suitable if you are:
Someone who has not yet used the internet and now needs to have a website
A basic internet user who wants to have your own website
A member of an organisation without a website who needs to explain the basic concepts to others
Whilst 85% of the UK's accessed the internet last year (2011), the level of skill varies from very basic user to highly competent. Eight million adults in the UK have still never used the internet. If you feel unsettled or unsure of your use of the internet – you are not alone :-)
A website is a collection of linked pages on the web. For example the BBC has a website, www.bbc.co.uk that contains individual pages on the programs, news and sport covered by the BBC.
You need five things to create your own website:
Access to the internet
An address – called a “domain name”
A place to hold your website – known as “hosting”
A way to build your website
Information to put on your website
I will assume you can access the internet and consider the other four points in a bit more detail.
The analogy is of you finding a suitable address (domain name), with a nice plot of land (your hosting) on which to build your house (website) to move your personal effects into (your web content).
Domain Name – your address on the internet
Just as the place where you live or work or meet has its own unique address, a website on the internet must have a unique address – your domain name. Examples are www.bbc.co.uk or www.google.com. Domain names are available for sale on the internet. A mysite.co.uk domain will typically cost about £3 to £5 a year. A mysite.com site may cost about £20 a year. My own website is www.miltoncontact.co.uk and I also own www.miltoncontact.com.
Hosting – your plot of internet space
At your address, you need to have space to build your website. This is provided by companies that “host” your site, like landlords or owners of a plot of land. Some hosting companies provide a minimum of space free. In this case, you may have to accept their advertising on your site in return or their giving you a domain name that they own and that is linked to them. This article, for example, is on my free blog hosted by Google's Blogger, it has “blogspot” in its address. Most companies provide you with paid for hosting which you can link to your own domain name.
Building your website
Now that you have your address and plot on the internet, the domain name and hosting, you can begin to build your website. At one end of the scale hosting companies offer simple free website templates that you can use. At the other end of the scale you can employ a website designer to make a large and flexible website for you for thousands of pounds.
You can learn to build your own from scratch. A good alternative is to use the free Wordpress program to build your site. Wordpress is open-source and maintained by a community of selfless individuals. Designing and building your own site requires time and commitment but is not as hard as it may sound.
Adding content to your site
This is the most important part, filling the space of your new website with words, pictures, videos and sound. Surprisingly, this is the part that many companies find difficult to do.
However, if you have a passion, an interest, a cause, a desire to communicate with others – then this is the part which you will find the easiest. You need to add new content on a regular basis to your website so that it looks alive.
Conclusion
So, I hope that I have shown that creating your own website is a bit like building your own house; you find a suitable address (domain name) with a plot of land (your hosting) on which to build your house (the website). You then move in and gradually fill it with your personal items (your website content).
This article gives you the big picture. Of course there is the nitty-gritty of how to do these things. Hopefully you will feel more confident about finding out – or finding a key individual who can help you with building your site. Good Luck! :-)
If you are a small charitable or social or interest organisation in Cambridgeshire who would like some help along the way, please get in touch with me, chris@miltoncontact.com.
A volunteer run picture archive preserves a vital part of Ely's heritage and history. Browsing through the collection, there are reminders of people, their lives and buildings, I was particularly struck by the unusual double chapel in Ely Cemetery, completed by local builder Richard Freeman in 1856 and the absolutely breathtaking photograph of the rood screen, one of Sir Ninian Comper's early works, at St. Peter's Church Broad St. Ely.
The Ely group of CCAN (the Cambridge Community Archive Network) has worked hard to archive the pictures collated online. Today, I was invited to their meeting as part of their look to the future work of the group.
We discussed a whole range of issues. The overriding message that emerged was the need for a new level of engagement with the wider community. How do you attract the interest of the young people to the history around them? How can you become an even better source that people will increasingly look to for news and information on the hidden or newly discovered heritage around them?
Recording the voice of local residents, shop owners and people associated with the City of Ely is already underway. Living on the crest of today, even living memory shines a light on a dramatically different world decades ago and beyond. Being able to hear the direct testimony in local voices will be a great step forward.
In our digital age, adding written words to the existing and new images in the form of testimony, records and memories in one resource is still the most powerful tool online. People search for information using text and still mainly find their information in the written word.
Help is needed with the digging for information and writing about the great and small people and events around the City of Ely – and with preserving the information.
I found a stark example of the fact that history still has relevance to today when wandering around Ely Museum, after the meeting had taken place in one of the rooms there. The museum is located in the old gaol and had a frozen display of prisoners awaiting trial, deportation and execution upstairs. The shocking treatment of one prisoner in the late 1800s caused visiting magistrates to raise the question of inhumane treatment – a topic that is current today with the debate swirling around the legality of deporting Abu Qatada to a country where he might be tortured.
Members of the Ely group of CCAN at Ely Museum
The Ely group of CCAN pictured above is a dedicated team that would welcome help and involvement from others in Ely in preserving the city's history; whether young or old, whether making a small or major contribution in interest and time.
Why wait until YOU are history? Get involved now! Contact Chairman Peter Kerswell, Tel: 01353 666655, Email: elyarchive@hotmail.com
Walk across the mediaeval bridge from the aptly named Bridge Street in St Ives, Cambridgeshire and you come to a lesser known but equally important monument, the New Bridges, London Road, Hemingford Grey.
I was on my way to the A14 coffee morning in the Taproom at St Ives today (http://www.nutcrackerdigitalproductions.co.uk/a14-coffee-morning/). Considering the torrential rain overnight, it was with some apprehension that I left the car in the Dolphin Hotel car park, after all, it does flood very nicely. However, I was reassured by the workmen repairing the brickwork of some of the 55 arches that make up the New Bridges. Naturally curious, I went over for a chat and was prompted to do a bit more internet research back home.
New Bridges, London Road, St Ives to Hemingford showing arches prior to repair work in June 2012
Constructed in 1822 within 23 weeks using 250000 bricks, even Thomas Telford considered the New Bridges an important structure when he visited in 1826 during his review of the turnpike trusts (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turnpike_trust) of Britain. At 700 feet/213m it is “a unique causeway in the UK in that it is the longest road causeway with the greatest number of continuous brick arches” (English Heritage. More information at http://goo.gl/AUPlO).
New Bridges is a Grade II listed monument, yet the repairs are surprisingly superficial and decorative as the underlying arches are still relatively sound. The original brick was local yellow gault brick and it is being replaced with new yellow bricks. As they are as unweathered, they do contrast quite strongly with the old at the moment.
New Bridges, London Road, St Ives to Hemingford showing arches after repair work in June 2012
Apparently, according to the builders on site, the foundations of the causeway are built on wood. This reminded me of the old Aberystwyth – Lampeter Railway which was built on a whole year's supply of wool fleeces where it traversed Tregaron Bog (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Davies_(industrialist)).
The greater hazard to the bridge is probably the bumper to bumper car parking along almost its entire length along the East side. The practically constant asymmetrical load of 30+ tons appears to be visibly causing the bridge to sink more on the east side than the West (http://goo.gl/XWhjx – looking South).
If you look more closely along the length of the bridge, closer to the far end of the Dolphin Hotel car park, you can see that the arches there are different (http://www.stives-town.info/album/detail.asp?GetAPicID=154). This is where the St Ives to Huntingdon stretch of the Railway used to cross the bridge after 1847 – with a level crossing!
A chance conversation and you discover another facet of our regions history!
Like help with writing your article? Contact Chris
An event equally momentous to the Queens Diamond Jubilee, the transit of Venus grabbed my attention.
Britain’s location and the threat of clouds meant that I was unlikely to see the last few minutes of the transit of venus at 5am or so on the 6th of June. However, having a long standing interest in solar activity via the SOHO and SDO solar observation satellites, I thought these would present a good opportunity to watch the transit from space.
Surprisingly, the older SOHO satellite, although placed at the L1 Lagrange point directly between the Sun and Earth, would not see Venus transit across the sun. The reason being that the SOHO satellite is placed about 1.5 million kilometres closer to the sun and the angle of view is sufficiently different.
Fortunately, the SDO satellite is in a geosynchronous orbit around the Earth, a mere 36,000 kilometers above the Pacific Ocean just off the coasts of Peru and Mexico. It was expected to see the transit much as we would from Earth. The SDO also had a special Venus transit page at http://venustransit.gsfc.nasa.gov/data and therefore was worth watching.
There were two other opportunities to view the event live over the internet. NASA Edge promised to bring a live stream from the telescopes on the peaks of Mona Loa in Hawaii at http://www.ustream.tv/nasaedge. Across the Pacific, the University of Quennsland was also coordinating live coverage from Australian telescopes – at http://www.uq.edu.au/transit-of-venus/.
The transit was supposed to start with first contact with the disc of the sun (as seen from Earth) at 23:16 BST from Australia and about 23:09 from Mona Loa in Hawaii.
I had all three sites up and by 22:25 BST. Venus could be seen approaching the sun via through the SDO when viewed using very short ultraviolet light. These wavelengths shows the corona or outer atmosphere of the sun and are not as bright as the photosphere - the bright yellow sun surface we usually see. Flicking between channels, the Mona Loa broadcast started at 10:45 and the Australians also went live.
Just before first contact, when Venus just appears to touch the edge of the sun, the Hawaiian telescope went off line briefly! Having access to several different observation sites paid off. I observed first contact via the SDO at about 23:07:45 BST, followed later by the Australian telescopes. Eventually, the Americans did come back online.
You can see the images I downloaded at the time from the SDO page, every couple of minutes or so.
They show Venus and the sun's edge highly magnified as the planet approaches and then begins to move across the sun. These are followed by pictures of the entire sun about halfway through the transit.
I deliberately downloaded images on the 6th (the following day) to show Venus against the sun as seen at different wavelengths.Each successive image looks deeper into the sun. We start at the Corona, where flares are visible and move into the chromosphere, where you can see convection cells. Then we reach the low temperature, quiet zone of the sun. Finally, we arrive at the final layer which is the one we usually see with our naked (but protected!) eyes, the photosphere.
A particular lovely feature is that Venus crosses the sun close to a region of sunspots and high solar activity. We are currently in the peak period of the sun's activity in its 11 year cycle and sunspots are a regular feature on the sun's surface.
The next transit of Venus across the sun is expected on the 10th December, 2117 so I was very happy to have lived at the right time in our history to see this momentous event.
Viewing the transit of Venus would not have been possible in this way if information from NASA, the SDO, the University of Queensland and access to the internet were not made publicly available. This event demonstrated to me, why open access to technology and information is important.
If you would like help with writing your news, get in touch with Chris at chris@miltoncontact.com
Would you like your brochure or banner to come alive like the animated newspapers, paintings and posters in the Harry Potter films? It is a prospect that has generated a flurry of interest at the Huntingdonshire Business Network, ever since Mervyn Foster demonstrated the effect first to networkers using a £10 note and the Aurasma Lite app on his mobile phone.
Since then, I have delved deeper and begun to successfully create not only my own “Auras” as these animations are called, but several for HBNers. As with any new idea, more questions are generated than answered at first, so I organised the HBN outing to visit Aurasma’s offices in London. Our delegation comprised:
Dr Chris Thomas (Milton Contact Ltd) - creative visual applications & international business support
Gareth Howell (Business Continuity) – Strategic Company & Project Planning
Mervyn Foster (HBN Chairperson, Nordic Walking Cambridgeshire) – Business networking
Richard Wishart (Delivery Management) – International postal and logistic tracking technologies
Our host at Aurasma was Jake Grave, Sales & Marketing. The genteel surroundings of the offices in St James’ Square provided a counterpoint to the deceptively simple, visual technology of Aurasma’s Auras.
The technology is deceptively simple in principle, requiring four things:
A trigger image that will be present in print form
An overlay. This is a video is designed fit over part or all of the trigger image
A smart phone. Currently i-phones and Android based phones can be used, though the latter appear to have more limited functionality.
The Aurasma Lite app, available from www.aurasma.com, iphone and play store
The designer uses Aurasma hosted software to link the trigger image with the overlay video to create an Aura. Auras are managed in “channels”.
The user downloads the Aurasma Lite app onto their smartphone. Once the app is opened, the user can immediately use the smartphone to view so-called “Super Auras”. Super Auras are demonstration projects, often with large organisations – such as Top Gear magazine and several bank notes. You can test the Aurasma Lite using images at http://www.aurasma.com/auras
Note: some of these will only work in certain countries – so look out for your country’s flag in the corner of each image. This is what happens on my phone – see video at top of page.
Currently Aurasma decides which Auras will be Super Auras.
For most other Auras, the user will need to search for and subscribe to (free) a channel containing Auras from a particular source. For example, I created the channels Milton Contact, HBN Huntingdonshire Business Network and Delivery Management. You can try out some of the images here (stop the slideshow at a convenient image:
Smartphone users can themselves generate Auras on their phones. These can be shared by sending friends a link. Mervyn was the first to generate an Aura in this way at HBN.
We had wide ranging discussions with Jake, about Aurasma’s strategy, what sort of marketing models and applications that we could envisage and how HBN and Aurasma could help each other. The ability to generate your own app incorporating Aurasma function and/or skinning the app (branding it as your own) gave us moe food for thought.
We left Aurasma brimming with ideas. To round off the day, three of us continued to the Natural History Museum to visit the “Animal Inside Out” exhibition.
Perhaps ironic that we had gone from looking at taking static images and bringing them to life – to go to an exhibition where formerly living organisms had been transformed into static (but equally wonderful) exhibits. We should state that no creature was deliberately harmed for the process.
If you want to know more about HBN and how we are looking at taking Auras further, come and join us. If you would like help in the creation of your own company or personal Aura – get in touch with me, Chris.
A visit to an active group of East Anglian dentists who meet regularly to ensure their own continued professional development. Member Martin Sulo gave a presentation to Norwich Dentists Study Group, with case studies and a lively member discussion on the uses of telescopic crowns. German dental technician and German crown expert Ulrich Heker attended in support.
Telescopic attachments were originally invented in the late 1800s in the USA but have become known as German or double crowns, due to the expertise developed and routinely applied in the latter country. They are still relatively unknown and underutilised in the UK. One of the reasons being the need for a good partnership between dentist and dental technician.
Telescopic attachments provide dental replacement solutions where implants are contra-indicated. This can not only be due to the patients physical and health situation, the patients preferences and the current economic climate are equally important. Telescopic attachments fall midway between conventional prostheses and implants in cost whilst providing good aesthetics, and functionality. Telescopic attachments are prostheses that attach to a few existing teeth that are capped with a primary crown. The secure attachment is achieved via secondary crowns in the prosthesis.
Dentist Martin Sulo, Botesdale Dental Practice in Diss, had been collaborating with my business colleague, Ulrich Heker, owner manager of the dental technical laboratory Teeth'R'Us from Essen, Germany. Martin gave a seminar on his experience of using telescopic attachments as part of the continuing CPD of fellow members of the Norwich Dentists Study Group. Ulrich came over from Germany to be there and support Martin with any questions relating to the dental technician half of the work. Ulrich is very modest about his English skills, so I tagged along as facilitator if needed. The meeting was held in the impressive Georgian Assembly Rooms in Norwich.
The teamwork worked well. Martin Sulo was a calm and measured presenter, apparently unfazed by questions with which he was peppered during the talk; Ulrich Helker was able to jump in with technical detail. The Norwich Dentists Study Group came across as a relaxed yet highly informed affair. Martin had initially expressed concern that his well illustrated talk would only last half an hour at the most, he needn't have worried. The active questions and discussions of both dental and technical aspects of the case studies and the science behind the use of telescopic attachments, filled two hours that appeared to pass in a flash.
The new aspects that I really picked up from Martin's talk and the discussions were first, the importance of friction. Precise control of friction is required so that on the one had the prosthesis is retained firmly in the mouth whilst still being able to be removed by the patient. The second point was the balance between using precious alloys or non precious alloys. This was a matter that bounced around the discussion as the respective pros and cons in different situations were considered.
Two hours of technical discussion, no matter how interesting, generates a need for liquid refreshment. We gladly accepted the invitation to visit the group's post-meeting pub and spent the remainder of the evening in pleasant company before Ulrich and I took the late night drive back to Cambridge along now empty roads.
The relaxed teamwork between dentist Martin Sulo and dental technician Ulrich Heker was a winning combination and I thoroughly recommend them to other dental groups. If you are based within a couple of hours of Norwich, take a look at the Norwich Dentists Study Group program for the coming year.
The 30th of November promised to be the largest Public Sector strike action for a considerable period in Britain and a direct reaction to austerity measures and revised pension plans in this sector. In the current economic crisis, it could be pivotal – either in being the start of a future change in British economic policy or as the swansong of resistance to the reduction of the public sector.
At this moment in time, I had an opportunity to see and record such an event in the shape of the local marches planned in Cambridge. Not having done this before, it was a new photographic challenge and learning experience. Consequently, I did not sleep very well the night before! I learnt and applied nine principles to improve my chances of success.
I had checked out the potential Cambridge events online and decided to start with the feeder march starting at Shire Hall, Castle Hill, apparently starting at 10am. The route to Parker's Piece was not given.
I arrived early (9:30am) and introduced myself to the police, making clear that I was participating as a photo exercise. No problem. The police also gave me information on the planned route and were approachable throughout the event.
I then introduced myself to the union stewards marshalling the event, again removing any concerns on my part re being able to participate as a photographer and getting some additional information.
Protesters started arriving in dribs and drabs initially. They represented a range of unions, from the NUT to Unite, Unison, ATL, UCU and AWS. Again they too were open and friendly as conversations began. The overall atmosphere was a positive festival air. I was surprised at the diversity of unions present. This was due to the revival of the Trades Council Cambridge over the past year, which organised and coordinated the days event with all the different public sector unions.
I had brought along both my SLR and an SDR camcorder, with the aim of taking both stills and video if possible. When the march got under way shortly before 11am, this proved to be a good choice as the video could capture the movement of the procession and the sound. The stills photos could be to pick out details, faces, features etcetera in-between.
The atmosphere of the march and the conversations that I had during it with police and protesters were very positive in tone through-out. This meant that I was comfortable with photographing and recording from both within the march and without. As a PC had stated, the pace of the march was quite leisurely, so I could get ahead, take pictures or video, wait for the march to engulf me and then go to the side for more recording, join in walking and talking with members of the crowd afterwards. I did not express opinions and remained impartial, but interested.
It was in this way that I also learnt of the real diversity of people there – of course primarily from all parts of the public sector. But there were also ex patients, families or others who felt a strong affinity with the objectives of the marchers. Children had been brought along too, from those in push chairs, to 6 to 12 yr olds, to one or two politically aware teens.
When the feeder march reached Parker’s Piece, there were speeches and the wait for the Addenbrookes feeder march to arrive. Then the combined mass that had swollen to several thousand set out to march through the centre of Cambridge and then back to Parker’s Piece for the last set of political speeches. This meant that I was constantly either recording or looking for photo opportunities during the full 5 hours, with little opportunity to check what I had taken.
I was therefore grateful that I had pre-prepared my SLR such that it could either be used on automatic setting, or on fixed aperture pre-set at f8 or on fixed shutter speed at 1/400s. I left the ISO setting on automatic. I did not have to think much and could just point and shoot. Since it was a sunny day, light was not an issue for exposure, however there was a risk of glare or burning of highlights on faces at some points along the route.
It was only when back in the office that I could take time to look at the material and select what to keep, how to edit and what to discard.
Watching TV reports on other demonstrations in larger cities made me realise that following the Cambridge event was a good move. It was large enough to have an atmosphere but manageable enough that I could for example get close to the speakers on Parker's Piece.
The nine take home messages from this exercise were:
Check out the event in advance as best you can
Prepare your photographic equipment in advance for fast shooting
Arrive early at the event and talk to the police/marshalls/officials/participants about the event
Treat people with respect
Be impartial.
Be prepared to move away from trouble quickly, should it arise.
Take notes of names and participants if you can, to add value to your work..
Where possible, record views from both outside and from within the demonstration.
Take lots of pictures to optimise the chances of success.
The Armourers' Hall had survived the Great Fire of London and The Blitz and is a little gem. It has been the home of The Worshipful Company of Armourers and Brasiers since 1346. The Company is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. Originally, the Armourers were responsible for producing armour and have had a link with the Army right through to the present day. Nowadays,The Company is now one of the leading charities in the UK supporting metallurgy and materials science education from primary school to postgraduate levels.
The armourers were given their first Royal Charter in 1453 by King Henry VI. I was thrilled to see the document for the Grant of Arms in 1556 up on the wall in the Court Room, the door to which had a lovely decorated door knob with the mottos "We Are One" and "Make All Sure" that included the Brasiers, who had joined the company sometime in the sixteenth century. The same room contains the petition to Queen Anne in 1708 for a charter including the Brasiers. Another lovely illustrated document, though possible water damaged, is the grant of Bye-Laws under the Charter of Elizabeth I in 1570 in the hall.
Ultimately, I was drawn back to the Livery Hall with its gorgeous lights and the Arms of Aldermen on the walls. En masse, they provide a colourful adornment to the panelling, however, close up, individual arms are little works of art - and often humour. These are but a few of the collection of Arms of the Alderman of the Company from more than two centuries.
Downstairs, I particularly liked the conjunction of mediaeval armour with an example of more modern Bristol armour
The last minutes before leaving the building I was attracted by the Victorian tiling on the floor. I then tipped my forehead to the bicorne hat in the downstairs office and left, delighted to have had the privilege of visiting this Hall.
This is one of four articles relating to a visit to London on 23rd November 2011:
Allow me to explain how a talk on the future of the International Monetary System (IMS) left me with the insight that the IMS is to local crises like the climate is to weather. I had made the trip to London especially for the talk by Vítor Constâncio, Vice-President of the European Central Bank. His talk “The Future of the International Monetary System” was part of the OMFIF Golden Series on World Money. The venue was the gem that is the Armourers' Hall, residence of The Worshipful Company of Armourers and Brasiers since 1346.
The talk was set against the backdrop of a third governmental change in Europe, this time in Spain, as part of the Eurozone crisis contagion. News programs were still ringing with the automatic triggering of historic drastic financial cuts in US public spending. UK politics and public opinion were trending towards the more insular. Just a mile away, the tent city (well hamlet actually) of Occupy London was still firmly ensconced outside St Pauls and major industrial action by UK public sector unions was planned for the 30th November.
In these “interesting” financial times, how could I resist attending an event on the future of the IMS!
Understanding the broad principles
Initially, Vítor Constâncio's talk gave me an insight into the roles of the International Monetary System (IMS), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and international currencies.
As Vítor Constâncio explained, the origin and basis of the IMS was to establish an orderly system of payment that works with internal currencies, exchange, adjustment and liquidity. Liquidity and adjustment would enable external stability, with exchange rates and capital flow as core functions.
The system is not perfect - in good times, trade imbalances can arise and there used to be little incentive for market discipline.
International currencies
The future of the international monetary system fosters international currencies. The reality is that no single currency can support international finance. To date, the US dollar has been the dominant international currency. However, the Euro is now the second most important currency, though it is more regional. It has held up remarkably well despite the Eurozone crisis. The belief is that when stability returns, it has potential for more influence in the future.
The Chinese Renminbi (RMB) is a new contender. Liberalisation and internationalisation will assist its growth into an international currency.
A view of the future
So how can the IMF contribute towards the IMS goal during the current economic fluctuations? IMF resources have been trebled since 2008, though Vítor Constâncio felt more financing is required to get countries to lower reserves (to stimulate the economy?). The multilateral surveillance of the impact of IMF and International Committee actions needed to be strengthened and more research conducted into the impact of any measures.
Are IMF changes over the next 10 to 15 years sufficient? Vítor Constâncio thought so, though he expected a bumpy ride to a multi-polar international monetary system. Requirements are domestic growth & demand and the EU learning the lessons from the current crisis.
The IMS to crisis is as climate to weather?
Absorbing the tenets of the talk (however inaccurately), listening to the question and answer session and a brief talk with Vítor Constâncio immediately afterwards did give rise to two overall impressions.
There is the long term – and there is the short term.
The discussions and opinions expressed as part of the event largely represented the longer term. They looked towards continued gradual internationalisation and stability in finance, involving nation states, regional groupings and international currencies. The time-scales are in decades, the impact is global. The fluctuations are evened out – like the gradual change in climate.
The current environment of savage national economic readjustments is the short term. The dramatic political and social reactions, the “adjustments” and counter-reaction are occurring explosively within days, months or a year. The rapid fluctuations are similar to our experiences of apparently capricious weather events.
So, in my mind, the long term perspective of the International Monetary System is to the very current crises as the climate is to weather.
Final thoughts
As I return to the current reality of survival in an immediate unpredictable environment, can I be reassured by the promise of long term positive change?
Or should I be worried about a potential increasing irrelevance of national democracy, subservient to international finance, spikily summarised in the joke “Banker are no longer bankers, they are potential prime ministers!”.
Alternatively, will there be cataclysmic social upheaval from an angry populace, bearing the brunt of adjustments, who make the same link as the tent city placard “If criminals can't print money, why can banks?” and negate any chance of change.
I am more of an optimist. Like Vítor Constâncio, I believe that long term, things should improve, it will just be a bumpy ride.
This is one of four articles relating to a visit to London on 23rd November 2011:
I visited London today, primarily to attend an OMFIF talk on the future of the International Financial System. The talk was held in the Armourers Hall where I also spent some time photographing the interior details that interested me.
After the meeting, I thought I would walk to Holborn to catch the Piccadilly line back to Kings Cross.I love the way that, especially in the City, old buildings and new are juxtaposed or integrated, so photographed a few on the way.
The route went through the Ward of Cheap, which seemed amusing after attending a finance meeting. However, the real old meaning of Cheap was Market. Cheap is one of the 25 wards in the City of London, each electing an Alderman, to the Court of Aldermen and Commoners (the City equivalent of a Councillor) to the Court of Common Council of the City of London Corporation.
The area is also rife with halls of the different livery companies.
A major stop was the church of St Lawrence Jewry where I photographed some of the modern stained glass.
I then diverted to St Pauls Cathedral as the last news had been that the protester's tent city that I had seen a couple of weeks back was to be cleared. However, when I arrived, the protest was still very visibly present! Asking a couple of bobbies, I learnt that the matter was back in the courts.
From there on it was a straight line walk to Holborn, taking one or two further pictures.
Returning from a networking meeting, I wanted to make a quick video. You can see the result below. What I found was that “quick” took a bit longer than I had blithely assumed – about an hours work for the 1 minute video. Here are the ten steps for successfully making a simple video yourself.
1. Planning your story
No matter how long or short, how impromptu or meticulously thought through, you need to plan the story your video is going to tell. This affects all other nine following points. If you are going to be the one recorded, plan it out briefly in paper.
Rehearse your story repeatedly, in your mind or out loud– it is amazing how blank your mind goes in front of a camera! Preparation helps
My planning was:
Key message: I should have included video in my networking introduction (subtitle: video is something that I can and do do on other occasions)
Overall story is reaction to a networking meeting I had just attended
Key point – being made aware that I should include video in my communication
Thanks for the insight
End
2. Choosing a video camera
Many cameras can now also record video at HD quality (720px or even 1080px wide), so this is less of an issue for first experiments. I recommend having a play with what you have at hand first. Then, if you want to make more demanding videos, you will have a better idea of what to look for in a more dedicated device.
My decision was actually made for me in that the resolution of my pocket camera's video is too low (320px), the battery on my hand held video-camera had run out - that only left the HD video-cam on the desktop!
3. Lighting
To give a good picture, a video camera needs lots of light, more so than a stills camera. Lighting also impacts on the appearance of you or your subject. Ironically bright sunlight on a face causes a lot of glare; if your subject has its back to the sun then it is likely to be in deep shade relative to a brightly lit background. So a bright day with your subject out of the direct sun and a not too brightly lit background is preferable.
I was fortunate in that there is a window high up behind my PC which let in enough light on my face for filming.
4. Microphone
I learnt very early on that the microphone and how it is used is critical for a video. Primarily, because it not only picks up the sound you want but all other background noise. Outside recordings really suffer from this. So, the closer you can get to your microphone to the sound you want to record the better. Even in a radio studio for example, I found the mike literally thrust right into my face during interviews. This means that the near sounds drown out those further away.
So if you can, have a separate microphone that either plugs into your video-camera or records sound independently so you can add it to the video later.
In this instance I used the video-cam microphone about a meter from me. A good sound system will pick out the noise of a loudly ticking clock and the fans of the computer in the video above.
5. Location
Because video is visual, where you film is important, even if it is a backdrop. Make sure that it is a relevant location to your film. My intention had been to record either as I was walking or standing in the nearby country park on the way back from the meeting I talk about.
The rationale was that if I recorded whilst taking the path through the village, I would have had noisy traffic drowning out my voice and anyway, the country park gave a pleasanter environment.
Not having a camera with me and then finding that the two outdoor cameras were unavailable put paid to that idea.
I therefore settled for an office recording.
6. Background
Once you have a generally suitable location in terms of atmosphere and low noise background, look at what is in the background of any scene you are going to record. I've used a Railway crossing, the River Cam, picturesque St Ives from the river to deliberately set up a particular atmosphere.
Try recording a few short clips of your scene before deciding on a final location and background and you will soon see how dramatically you can influence the look of your video. If you can control the background, say with a screen, by choosing a neutral wall etc., great!
Whilst my office background is OK when having a friendly Skype conversation, it is too distracting (code for untidy). I therefore used a large sheet of white paper to create a neutral background.
7. Recording
Once everything is in place, hit the record button and do a trial. If you are happy, go on to record the actual video, bearing the following things in mind.
Make sure there is a spare second on the video before the action starts and again that there is a bit of extra recording beyond the end of your story. This helps later with editing. Remember to save the clips in a format that your video editor (see editing below) can open,
Make several takes of the same video. I think I made 5 recordings before I had the one that I wanted.
For longer films, split the recording into several shorter recorded scenes. It makes life much easier as some parts of a story just seem to fall into place whilst others seem to need more work. By having several scenes, you can do work in stages. These are then stitched together later.
8. Editing
Basic video editors are available for free, with Windows Movie Maker being a good example. They allow you to upload your raw video recordings and tidy them up. You can determine where the real start and end of a video is. If you recorded several scenes, you can arrange them together the way you want. You can also add additional titles, effects and sounds.
This is where you turn your raw video into a proper little film.
Save your final video in a format that is acceptable for whatever video service you want to use.
9. Publishing
Most people set up an account with YouTube and upload their videos there, I do. It is an easy way to start and share.
Time – video files are large and take a while to upload, depending on how large they are and how fast your connection is.
Relevant information about your video, its title and how you would describe and categorise it.
The uploaded video is then processed further by YouTube. This again takes time. Be patient.
My short video uploaded in about 2 minutes and took a further 2 minutes to process by YouTube. With previous 10 minute videos it took up to an hour to upload and the same amount of time again to process by YouTube before it was live.
10. Publicising
Once your video is up on the web, copy the link to it and send it to all who you think might be interested. I used Twitter and e-mail to let people know about mine.
One of the most fascinating things is which of your videos generate traffic and which do not. For example, my English video “Five Memorable Key Steps to Ensure a Good Presentation” has 8000+ hits, yet the German version "Fünf Tipps zur Perfekten Rede" has now gone over 12000!
Conclusion
You can make your own videos quite simply. Using the ten points above, you can ensure that you make a video that you are happy with, whether it is a video-blog report on the fly or a finely crafted film production!
This is the second of two articles prompted by Prime Minister David Cameron's LinkedIn request for business input - on how Britain could become more successful at exporting (Part A here)
Part B. Encourage small businesses to partner and provide a more comprehensive service
A very effective route, especially for SMEs or microbusinesses, is to work in partnership on
projects.
If you wish to enter an overseas market with a particular product, look for partners who have
products or services that, together with yours, enhance the offer you can provide.
Example 1. Overseas assistance:
I provide assistance for overseas companies wishing to find contacts and markets in the UK.
My company's (Milton Contact Ltd) strengths are communication - helping companies adapt their
product information, accompanying on visits and acting as a Peer to Peer advisor on their behalf.
I partner with another business (Europartnerships) that has long established contacts abroad and is
effective at the project proposal and business generation side in a range of countries.
In turn, together we co-opt partners who can help with: client acquisition in the overseas location;
Market research; Finding contacts; Arranging appointments for our clients.
By working together, we provide a breadth of service and skills that can tackle larger projects.
Being modular also means that we can be as small or large as we wish.
Example 2. Web based English language tutoring site for professionals
I'm currently part of a UK collaboration that includes a web designer and Legal English Language
Experts - aiming to launch an internet based language tutoring site for international business
people in 2012.
