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Wednesday Jun 02, 2010

The IT crowd

What do you think of when someone mentions Information Technology? Computers, games, gadgets and geeks? What about Pioneers of IT? Do you know who came up with the World Wide Web? Or who brought computers outside the lab and into our homes?

Information Pioneers is a campaign launched by BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT which seeks to answer these exact questions and do away with stereotyped notions of the industry being dull or geeky. To showcase this campaign, five films have been made to highlight the lives and accomplishments of five Information Pioneers.

Who would have ever thought that Hollywood actress Hedy Lamar would come up with the first idea for frequency hopping which is the basis for the Wi-Fi, GPS and mobile! Or that a creation as wonderful as the World Wide Web could have been created by a Brit, Sir Tim Berners-Lee?  Whilst Ada Lovelace, daughter of Lord Byron was the first computer programmer, Sir Clive Sinclair saw the potential of home computers at a time when they were thought to belong only in labs and code breaker Alan Turing first came up with the idea of a thinking computer - what we now know as artificial intelligence.

Each pioneering story is brought to life in the film by a celebrity advocate, these include Ortis Deley from the Gadget Show, Match Point actress Miranda Raison, an ex-cricketer turned TV personality Phil Tufnell, BBC Click Reporter Kate Russell and comedian, actor and author Dom Joly.

A report by BCS called 'Why we should love IT?' demonstrates that actually, young people do not find the IT profession to be dull or boring with 54% of 16-30 year olds asked believing IT to be a challenging and exciting career path.   In addition to this, 49% see IT as a level playing field, with no factors of discrimination whatsoever.  So why aren't more people studying IT?  and specifically, why not more girls?

By first changing people's outlooks on IT, the campaign aims to get more people (and hopefully more girls!) excited about going into the world of I.T and to also realise that anyone can have the vision to do something great. Who says you can't be an actress and a techie? Or that you have to go to University in order to be a Pioneer? Sir Clive Sinclair certainly didn't, yet still achieved enormous amounts.

Get involved, discuss and vote for your information pioneer of all time at http://pioneers.bcs.org. Perhaps, one day you'll be up in the leader board!

 

Posted by Helen ( 1:09 PM ) Link to this post  |  Comments[2]

Wednesday Aug 26, 2009

Radiorama

Listening to the radio is a more intimate experience than watching TV, surfing online or reading a magazine. The voices and the music are right there in the room with you. But have you ever wondered what it’s like being one of those voices? Or perhaps you’ve wondered how all these sounds reach you in the first place?

The UK has lots of schemes which allow young people to get involved in radio. One of these is Fresh FM, run entirely by 13 – 19 year-olds in the south east London borough of Greenwich. Fresh start a three-day FM broadcast across London on 106.8 FM from tomorrow (August 27^th) and you can listen online too.

Remember Fresh was created by people just like you, so if you like what you hear, why not look for a similar project in your area?

Posted by Anna ( 3:36 PM ) Link to this post  |  Comments[0]

Friday Aug 21, 2009

Some A Grade experiences

Posted by me on behalf of Seyi Soleye:

It can't believe I'm almost half way through my two week work experience placement here at TheSite. It only feels like five minutes ago when I waddled into the YouthNet offices, nervous about what was to come.  Miraculously I've been entrusted with the task of updating the poll every day and I've been introduced to the technical ins-and-outs of the back end of TheSite. Computer tech isn't exactly my forte, so if the website suddenly dies for some reason over the next week, you know who to blame! Since I have journalistic interests (you don't say?), spending some time in the morning doing press watch hasn't exactly seemed like work. Funnily enough, the work part of work experience hasn't reared its head!

Of course, during press watch I would have been blind if I didn't notice that many of this week's headlines have concerned A-Level results. Having managed to suppress most of my apprehension this week, I ventured to college to get my AS grades, with pointless erratic fears whirring in my head.  Why? Goodness knows. I couldn't change anything. The mind's a funny thing.

I continued up into the building and passed a girl crying into her mum's shoulders. Were those tears of joy or tears of misery? Please be tears of joy I kept on thinking, fishing for a scrap of an illogical reason to feel more confident. Once grades were in hand I still wasn't totally sure of my overall grades. I had to add up the unit marks to see what grade my overall score came out as. I simply couldn't trust my overheated mind so I whipped out my phone to use the calculator facility. After double checking, then triple checking, then quad...checking a fourth time, just to make sure I wasn't getting delusional I finally realised that the result was actually AAA. Maybe not so much need for pointless panic after all!

 

Posted by Anna ( 4:19 PM ) Link to this post  |  Comments[0]

Tuesday Jun 09, 2009

Move over Jamie Oliver...

Did anyone else catch the first episode of I'm Running Sainsbury's on Channel 4? The four-part series focuses on shop floor workers who come up with ideas to help improve the store's performance and in the first episode (that I only got round to watching last night) it was the turn of 21-year-old Becky Craze from Watford.

Becky's idea was incredibly simple, the Feed a Family for a Fiver promotion that Sainsbury's has been running was missing a crucial trick. Rather than expect families to take the reciepe cards and find the food around the store, why not simply bag up the ingredients and sell them together? It's a no-brainer, right?

Well, Becky had to jump through various levels of corporate hoops before her idea was trialled in her own store. Bizarrely, and it wasn't really explained in the programme, she had to create a new reciepe for the product (err, isn't that why Jamie Oliver exists?) and the final product was thrown together when they discovered a supplier couldn't meet the quantity required for the correct meat to be included in the promotion.

Despite the various setbacks, and the eventual outcome (spoiler alert, but let's just say Becky is still working in Watford), Becky did an amazing job for a 21-year-old thrown into dealing with a large corporate machine.

If you want to see the programme, it's on the 4OD catch-up serivce, and there is also a great follow-up interview with Becky.

Posted by Olly ( 10:30 AM ) Link to this post  |  Comments[0]

Thursday Feb 05, 2009

Five years of facebook

You're probably aware that Facebook has celebrated its fifth birthday this week. I joined the popular social network  two years ago when I wrote this blog entry about online identity. I'd say everything I wrote there is still relevant to this day, and reading comments about why people never joined facebook on the BBC http://bit.ly/zLLM (some very funny) - I'd say lots of the reasons could easily be overcome by my tips!

I'm well aware there are lots of dodgy things about social networking, but there are some awesome things too. So to celebrate those, here's a list of my top five favourite facebook moments...

1. Getting in touch with two of the most wonderful housemates I could ever wish for.
2. My dad finding cousins we haven't had contact with for 15 years.
3. My sister meeting her future husband.
4. Getting invited to some amazing gigs I wouldn't otherwise have known about.
5. Reading some excellent articles written by friends of mine that they've posted on facebook.

Oh, and while we're on the topic, why not become a fan of TheSite.org through facebook, it's a great way to stay up to date with this blog and other activity. And if you're not in the mood for celebrating this love to hate phenomenon, then you can indulge in some ranting along with Sara - http://bit.ly/4bzu7z

Finally if you're worried about getting addicted, then check out this great video.

Posted by Helen ( 4:12 PM ) Link to this post  |  Comments[1]

Friday Aug 01, 2008

I'm getting old...

I've realised I'm getting old. Yesterday I got home and discovered my new mobile has been delivered. I'm not a technology-geek who has to have the latest gear; the reason I was getting this phone was I'd had the other one for 18 months and it was looking tatty and I could get a new phone for nowt.

So yesterday should have been a relatively exciting day: open the box, put the sim card and battery in, plug it into the charger and off we go. But no. Despite the fact it's exactly the same make as my existing phone (and as the last five or six phones I've had), it appears I am unable to use it.  I don't mean it doesn't work: I mean I just can't get it to do what I want it to do.

Firstly it wouldn't copy my contacts from my old phone (and when it did it's re ordered them so now everyone has individual entries for each number they possess).  Then I couldn't get it not to keep going online when I thought I'd pressed cancel.  And I still haven't managed to work out how to easily lock the keypad.

Maybe this is what happens when you reach a certain age, or maybe it's just that in order to justify bringing out new phones, they need to get more and more complicated.  Lukcily, it appears I'm not the only one who thinks phones are becoming more difficult to use.

Posted by Olly ( 8:14 AM ) Link to this post  |  Comments[0]

Thursday Jul 17, 2008

What songs can't you get out of your head?

A few months ago, I went to see the Sugababes at the Royal Albert Hall (I have a longstanding thing for the Sugababes, and it was a Christmas present from a good friend).  The support act was Gabriella Cilmi, and she was so terrible that we left the hall and waited in the corridor for the main act to appear.

But now, I can't stop singing her single Sweet About Me.  It is the most horribly addictive tune I know, and despite my best intentions, I love it.

It's not my favourite song of the mo at the mo: that goes to the equally addictive Jason Mraz's I'm Yours.  Except Jason Mraz is one of my favourite performers, especially live. Anyone who can get his whole audience to sing along in the manner of four-year-olds wins in my book.

I'm also really liking the current Madonna song Give It 2 Me.

So, knowing that the best way of getting rid of a song you can't stop singing is to find another one; what is doing your ears in at the moment?

Olly

Posted by Olly ( 4:28 PM ) Link to this post  |  Comments[0]

Wednesday Jun 18, 2008

Teenage kicks...

I get a bit annoyed by  Fergal Sharkey. Yesterday he was in all the papers and stuff being quoted in relation to a survey by the University of Hertfordshire that suggested the average teenager's iPod/other mp3 player has 800 illegally downloaded tracks on it.

His quote was roughly that back in the day he was swapping tapes of stuff behind the bikesheds, but that was sort of OK, but look at the bad kids these days downloading stuff. Does he not remember the infamous Home Taping is Killing Music campaign, which pretty much said the same about home taping as the music industry is saying about downloading now?

What's that betting that had a young Mr Sharkey had the facility to quickly copy a track as an mp3 he would have been happily doing so?

The music industry does appear to be like a spoilt child who's had their toys taken away. Their cheese has moved, it's time they not only recognised that but actually acted on it rather than running around complaining. 

Posted by Olly ( 8:57 AM ) Link to this post  |  Comments[0]

Wednesday May 07, 2008

Young people aren't interested in politics?

They say rap about what you know... well, these two American teenagers appear to have decided to rap about their love of the political magazine The Economist.  Have a listen here.

It'll cheer up your Wednesday afternoon...

Olly

(Hat tip: The Guardian) 

Posted by Olly ( 10:59 AM ) Link to this post  |  Comments[0]

Friday Feb 29, 2008

What are you craving?

Is the question asked by new culinary website Cookthink. It landed in my inbox earlier this week and I can't stop telling people about it. One of the most common questions that turns up in TheSite.org's food forum is "Anyone got recipe ideas?" and this website is a great place to get help with finding some. Not only can you find recipes containing foods you're craving, but you can also find meals to use up those old ingredients you're not sure what to do with.

It might even help you identify your veg.

 

Posted by Helen ( 4:07 PM ) Link to this post  |  Comments[1]

Wednesday Jan 30, 2008

Turf War

My last online game addiction engulfed me during the last months of university. When I was supposed to be focusing on my dissertation and future career I was more interested in how far I could hit a penguin through the artic. As the uni deadlines loomed so did the leader boards on the game. Eventually I had a reality check and decided that I had to give up my beloved 'punch pingu' to concentrate on my studies. I passed my degree but I never got my name onto those damn leader boards, something I regret to this day.

TheSite.org has just launched a new game to test your finance skills involving rodents, dog shit, rotten eggs and used condoms. You may very well ask: "What the hell do rotten eggs and dog shit have to do with my financial wellbeing you handsome devil?" The answer is everything. 

                              

Find out what I mean by playing our new game Turf War and learn more about keeping your finances under control.

. . . and try not to get too hooked!!

 

 

 

 

Posted by Chris Denholm ( 3:48 PM ) Link to this post  |  Comments[40]

Wednesday Nov 14, 2007

Your online identity

Facebook, MySpace, Bebo - you name a social network, there's bound to be someone on TheSite.org using it. As well as being really good fun, these websites can bring up all kinds of problems. Here are my five hot tips for making the most of them .

1. Use profile restrictions
Whether it be to protect yourself from identity fraud or to stop nosey work mates looking at photos of your weekend antics, there are ways to keep certain information private. On a basic level, it's probably best to keep your profile accessible to friends and contacts only - you really never know who might be searching for you. Beyond that, you can usually restrict settings so that even people who you add as a 'friend' can only see specific areas. Most importantly, avoid having all your basic information available (especially if you add people you don't know very well) which includes your date of birth, email address and home address. Oh and don't feel obliged to add people you don't actually like .

2.  Lose the email notifications
The novelty of receving emails everytime anyone leaves you a message, sends you a virtual gift or 'pokes' you soon wears thin. Remeber that you can cancel email notifications on social networking sites which is bound to help prevent distraction from other (possibly more important) things.

3. Be aware of your status 
Facebook, MySpace and Twitter offer you the opportunity to update your friends, family aquaintances, the girl/guy you met once and want to impress (you know it's true) with your daily activity. So my tip to you is where possible, make it specific. Avoid the generic options like Joe is at work, Joe is at home, Joe is on the bus, Joe is at college, Joe is OK. Unless it's relevant and you want people to know they can reach you at home, then who cares? On the other hand, if you say Joe is in London for the evening, then who knows who might get in touch and say "Hey, you're in London? Come and meet me, I've got a spare ticket for a great gig tonight." Trust me, it does happen.

P.S Don't use status updates to insult people by name, or air dirty laundry - it's not pretty.

4. Be mindful of the comments or wall posts you leave for people
Friends of mine have disabled their walls to prevent people making comments about areas of their life they don't want made public. I have to say, this isn't such a bad idea. However, the main thing to remember is that it's best to use private messaging for anything serious or important and save the wall or comments section for fun stuff like  'Happy Birthday' greetings or "what are you up to these days?" You know the score.

5. Remember real contact
It's easy to let social networking become the main way for getting in contact with friends instead of an enhancement to your relationships. It's good to try and be aware of which friends of yours would much prefer a text or call from you than a message online. You might even be that person. It's common for people to  misunderstand things they read on people's profiles, or only have half the story and imagine the rest, so if you don't have contact with them in real life, or if you've no intention of giving them a call or meeting up with them to get clarification, then remember to take things with a pinch of salt.

So that's the end of my top five, I hope you find them useful. What are your top tips?

 

Posted by Helen ( 12:48 PM ) Link to this post  |  Comments[0]

Thursday Jul 12, 2007

Cottoning on to organic

I watched the Community Channel for the first time the other day (yes, shock horror, it's actually pretty good!) and there was a programme about the growing availability of organic cotton on the high street.

Interestingly, the programme featured a vox pop asking people if they knew what organic cotton was. Not one person asked was able to explain anything about it. One of the best explanations I've found so far is on the website for People Tree, a pioneer of Fair Trade and ecological fashion.

Now, TheSite.org is no stranger to eco fashion. Our Choose Action issues section has plenty of informative content on organic products, Fair Trade and all those buzz words we read in the papers nearly every day.

And now the word is finally spreading. You may already be aware that H&M launched a collection made with 100% organic cotton earlier this year. Furthermore, M&S has pledged that  5% of its cotton will be organic by 2012, TopShop has launched its own fairtrade T shirt line, and even Primark has introduced an organic range. What I'm wondering though, and I know I'm not the only one, is where can men find organic lines on the high street? Eco fashion has come on leaps and bounds, but there are still some massive strides to make. 

Posted by Helen ( 1:20 PM ) Link to this post  |  Comments[1]

Thursday May 03, 2007

Festival kick-off

Running around a field in a tutu and wellies, camping in knee-high rainwater (and enjoying it), living off cider and falafel... it can all mean only one thing. Yep, festival season's upon us once more.

As an avid Glastonbury-goer, this fills me with glee. There's nothing more liberating than completely leaving the real world behind for a few days in favour of open spaces, fresh air and lots of sillyness. Getting to see so many famous bands, and discovering acts I've never heard of before on the smaller stages is all part of the fun, but for me, it's more about the atmosphere. Where else do you get to bounce to your favourite song in time with thousands of other people? Name one other place where you'll find so many friendly folk who don't look at you like a nutter when you make conversation. And if you can give me one other example of Brits having fun and all getting on with it come rain, shine or thigh-deep muddy mingingness, I'll give you my Glastonbury ticket. OK that's a lie.

I can't be the only one that thinks like this because the festival has come a long way since good old Michael Eavis set up Glasters all those years ago. It's a massive industry now, with hundreds of festivals popping up in different sizes, guises and locations. Go rock-tastic at Download, bliss out at The Big Chill or dance till dawn at Gatecrasher. That's not to mention all the teeny festivals and events you'll find locally.

It's in celebration of festival fever we've resurrected our festivals microsite, My Tent Or Yours. Check it out if you're heading anywhere remotely festivally this summer - or if you can't decide which tickets to splash out on we've rounded up all the biggies in the What's on where section. Much as I love festivals, they do take a fair bit of planning and if you've never been to one before there's loads of shit-I-can't-find-my-tent traps you can fall into. Hopefully a visit to the site will help you sort out what to take and how to have a stress-free time so you can focus on soaking up the atmosphere. And the cider... 

Posted by Hannah ( 2:11 PM ) Link to this post  |  Comments[0]

Friday Apr 13, 2007

Quizerama

Do you know what Ozzy Osbourne once snorted when he ran out of cocaine? Would you know what to do if you found a washed-up whale on British shores? And is 'queening' a method of masturbation involving the royal wave?

Test your knowledge and fill your brain with facts by checking out TheSite.org's brand new quizzes:

Genital knowledge quiz

Is your grub good for you?

Drugs and rock 'n' roll quiz

Weird UK laws quiz

How tech-savvy are you?

Posted by Kim ( 11:57 AM ) Link to this post  |  Comments[0]