Month: October 2011

Do we need still the BBC?

Watch Quality UK TV abroad from the BBC with Identity Cloaker

As a child the BBC was the voice of the nation to the nation. The TV License was not ideal but it gave us a window to the outside world in an era where media choice was minimal. It gave us quality entertainment, news and informative documentaries as well as much more.


But times have changed and we are now enriched and empowered with a wealth of media in many forms and in way inconceivable when I was a child. The role of the BBC in this new multimedia environment has shrunk in terms of a proportion and now in real shrinks as the organisation slowly slim downs.


It must be asked why should I be paying a compulsory tax to solely fund an organisation which is no longer a big player in the media world. I look at the audiences that the organisation is aiming at with its now safe mainstream and probably middle class programming and I question why it is considered public service broadcasting, is endless talents shows and antic shows really a matter of public interest?


I believe the TV License monies should be held in a fund where all broadcasters may bid for specific contracts like national and local news services, national sporting events, royal events, parliamentry events, developing a whole range of new talents, trying new media experiments and so on. I believe this may that every penny spent is in the public’s interest.


Public service broadcasting may still be needed but it certainly also needs to be modernised.









A Economic Mess


I have to be honest and say I do not really understand exactly how and why we have reached this position but it is clear to me that the economy in the UK and worldwide has reached a point of no return. 


By this I mean that while we have been in a recession in the belief the economy will simply recover like it has always done, I do not believe this is going to be the case. I have the feeling in the last 20 years there are going to be major changing in the fabric of society when as an international community we learn to live within our humble means. It does not mean necessarily the end of good times but different good times.


I think we need to simply put on our oilskins and lifejackets, and simply weather the storm until the situation has settled down.

A responsibility agenda


Many readers will know that I am a big fan of responsibility as the next step of the true and meaningful inclusion of disabled people as enabled and empowered active citizens. I argue control is not born out of a rights agenda but rather a responsibility one.


It frustrates me organisations who claim to represent disabled people are still fighting for rights 15 years after the Disability Discrimination Act became law rather than supporting disabled people to use the potential powers they already have in the hands. These organisation claim to work in the social model but actually depend on the medical/tragedy/charity model for their existence as human rights and hate crime are used as the modern tools of pity.


If anyone has a specific problem, the only person they can ever truly rely upon to solve it for them is themselves. While it is very easy to shout foul and blame others,  it does not solve the issue. It is better to take responsibility and just solve the problem and this includes knowing when you need to ask for some help.


Being responsible should be so easy but it has been made so complex as charities have used human rights to steal responsibilities from individuals. We are however facing an economic situation when everyone must be permitted to play their part however large or small.

New focus for Pathway

Pathway is a database of disability related organisations which I started over 20 years ago. It was created for a different  era where information was sparse as they was no internet and I believed information was the key to empowering disabled people. Things have moved on and with tools like Google, it is not possible to get a lot of information very quickly making things like Yellow Pages a thing of the past.


On this basis, I have decided to ‘retire’ the database for public consumption although I will continue to use myself for my own   contacts and for many of my business activities. However, I understand there is a need to support people and organisations to finding the right organisations and people they need for their specific requirements.


This is why I am refocusing the brand into a range of new ‘contact discovery’ services, which enables people to discover the contacts that are right for them. For more information please go to;


http://www.simonstevens.com/pathway
  

My ABC



The alphabet is a very useful tool and to make people remember by brands, I must sure each one begins with a different letter, making my own alphabet as shown below. Each logo links to more information on the brand. So here its goes;

A is for 



B is for






C is for 




D is for 



E is for 



G is for 



I is for 



L is for 



O is for





P is for  



R is for 



S is for 



T is for 



U is for 



V is for 



W is for 

Coventry



Coventry has been my home since I came to University in 1992 and I have been living here just over half my life and it is certainly somewhere I love and I feel at home with.


This compact city is at the centre of the country with excellent rail and road links in all directions, without the urban feel of Birmingham. It is easy to get to the countryside and there is some beautiful places to visit like Rugby, the home of the game, and Stratford upon Avon, the birthplace of Williams Shakespeare.


The only downside to the city is the lack of nightlife, the city centre is very quiet in the evenings, but that is not really an issue for me.


Not may not be in the top 10 places to visit, it certainly makes a good home.

A iPad is for life just for Chrismas



It is no secret that I am a big fan of the iPad. People who already have an iPad understand the benefits is this clever device while those who do not you can really comprehend why a tablet is an unique device.


iPad is a specific device in its own right which does not replace a computer, for those who really need the power of one. It is however a new option for people who just wanted access to email and internet although the iPad is clearly a whole lot more.


For myself, it provides me with many of the features of a smartphone, since I have 3G on my iPad, which was previously inaccessible for me. It is exactly like one of those magic bags which contains far more items than it can appear to hold.


The iPad has certainly enriched my life and the recent software update brings some nice new features to the tablet.





Rise of Wetsuits



It has been interesting watching the last 30 years the rise in the use of wetsuits. I remember as a child at the beach, even in the UK, it was common of children and adults to be in just speedos or costumes swimming or playing in the sea and on the beach. Nowadays it is rare on a British beach or on any beach that is not hot hot for anyone not to be wearing some kind of lycra or neoprene garment.


I think one reason for this is that the cost, comfortable and ease to buy wetsuits had radically improved to the point it is a normal beach accessory for children and adults alike. Better awareness of both skin cancer and hypothermia has also made being coverup the preferable option.


For me personally, the wetsuit makes me feel more comfortable and safer in the water as I know I am more prone to the cold and thats is really all that matters.





I’m all going on a Christmas Holiday

Last week I booked my Christmas holiday in Costa Tequise, Lanzarote. This is where I went for my last holiday and this best thing about it is clearly the weather. I have realised the weather is now the biggest factor for me as its can overcome much of the downsides of a cheaper holiday. The iPad will also play a key role in my entertainment and contact with others. I actually come back on Christmas Day but it is nice to be doing something rather stuck at home on my own.

I always go on my own for this kind of relaxing holiday because I think it is very important for me to have a week away from my support staff since everyone needs a rest from their work and my work includes managing my staff. I know some people wonder how I manage to go on holiday on my own if I need my own support, but I am confident that by understanding how I manage going away, it makes perfect sense.

As you can see from the photo above, last time I went snorkelling, as well as windsurfing, as it is indeed my intention to do some water sports again this year, I am taking a wetsuit! It is certainly going to be a great end of a great year.

How much?



Working out what to charge people for my time is not as easily as it seems. I must balance what I believe I am worth with what others are prepared to pay. 


Above rates of £400 per day or £75 per hour plus expenses are my current ideal rates. This mean the current rates I would like to charge people,  if I could for just a few days a month at these rates would make be big difference to my life!


The reality is I am not often in the driving seat when it comes to negotiated the deal and I often need to settle for a lesser rate, until my work is better appreciated. Money is not everything but it can certainly make life easier.


And how much do you charge? 


www.simonstevens.com/pricing