Richard Lennox
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Archive for the ‘Edinburgh’ Category
Virgin Media Broadband Speed Testing
I am convinced I am not getting my money’s worth from Virgin Media‘s broadband service! For those who don’t know, Virgin Media is a Cable provider (the only one?) in the UK. They have the adverts with Samuel L. Jackson hinting at the 50 mbps service provided using their fibre optic network! I pay for the full XL package which provides me with TV, phone and Broadband at a reasonable price for the bundle. This is their most expensive package that gets me:
- up to 20mbps braodband
- their full (non-HD) TV package and
- Unlimited anytime calls to UK landlines.
20 mbps, No way!
Ok it says up to, but what would you say is fair? 18 mbps? 15 mbps? At least over the 10 mbps on the next package down, right? Well I am certain I don’t get more than 5 mbps!
So I am going to test this an post my speed test results here for prosperity!
The setup form my test is my standard home setup for my desktop, but removing all other network traffic:
- Computer: Windows Vista Ultimate, Intel Core2Duo 6600 (2×2.40GHz) processor, 4 GB of RAM (32bit Windows only uses and recognises 3.5 the rest is utilised by the hardware!).
- Router: Netgear 54 Mbps Wirelss Router – WGR614 v6 with fully up to date firmware.
- Cable Modem: Motorola – S85100 Surfboard Cable Modem
As many Windows processes as possible have been killed without killing Windows iteself, including for this test the Firewall and Virus Protection. The wireless has been switched off and the only connections are wired and between the computer and the router and the router and the modem (which is obviously plugged into the outside world!).
Day 1 results (21:45):
www.speedtest.net – download: 4508 kbps (4.5 mbps); upload: 678 kbps.
http://www.broadbandspeedchecker.co.uk/ – download: 4912 kbps (4.9 mbps); upload: 577 kbps
This isn’t very scientific but I will continue to post my results as and when I test the broadband speed. Let me know your thoughts.
Browser Wars
Web browsers have moved on a long way over the years. Here is a nice visualisation of the runners and fallers.
See the original: Pixellabs
Fringe madness
It is the time of year, for the Edinburgh Fringe festival. The city is buzzing with tourists and there is far too much to see and far too little time (and money) to see it all.
I have been on holiday since finishing up work on Friday evening and Susan's sister was staying with us up until yesterday. So it has been a bit of a mad weekend and first half of the week. I for the most part let the women go ahead and book what they wanted to see, and tagged along. This worked really well and I was able to have my input when I wanted to. It also meant I saw a few shows that I would quite happily have given a miss if I had had the time to look at what they were when asked if I wanted to go. This turned into a bit of a triumph as I thoroughly enjoyed everything I saw. Obviously some more than others, but that is the way it is!!
With ticket prices rising though I think gone are the times of running around fitting in 3-4 shows a day. Although it is quite manic just getting along to 2, with places like the spiegelgarden to hang around in between.
The Filthy Six at The Lot
The Filthy Six are a Soul Jazz Funk sextet from London. Having read reasonably good things about them, I decided to go along to the Lot and check them out.
An interesting mix of players, as with many fringe music events they were using session players to cover for those with real jobs!! However the core seemed to be there. It was an unusual makeup with the down on their luck Russian Mafia Groovy Head Nodders on guitar and base, the "too cool for my jeans and flip-flops" band leader and trumpeter and the jiving Duracell bunny on Speed leading the way with some admittedly fabulous organ riffs.
Festival Recommendations Anyone?
So, I am looking for something to do this weekend, more specifically I am looking for inspiration for a Fringe show that is so good. Ideally it would be funny, [I don't enjoy much of the childish humour that can be found on today's TV, so need a comedy fix somewhere!] but I am not averse to something cultural or serious.
If anyone comes across this and has seen something of interest that they can recommend or even tell me what to avoid, please leave a comment. If you manage or are part of a particular show, tell me about it, tell me what it is about, how good you all are and where you are at and I might just come along and see your show!
I look forward to your recommendations!
Bill Bailey’s ***** Steampunk
I cannot recommend this Edinburgh Festival show highly enough! Not usually one for this behaviour but I must have guffawed my way through at least half of it! Absolutely hysterical in places!
Bailey puts on a dramatic twist to the genre of Stand-Up comedy. His act of slick jokes, musical interludes and the use of the big screen was hilarious. He had a new toy, a keyboard like instrument that distorted the images on the big screen!
His content sails a little close to the wind and using similar material (with the US the butt of his jokes) to the mainstream can seem a little old news but his new slant more than makes up for it. And don;t forget his musical prowess, a comic musician of the highest order. If you get the chance to see it, look out in particular for his superb Friends theme renditions and of course his legendary Hokey-Kokey in German!
Certainly one of the highlights of the Edinburgh Festival.
Festival Time Again
The Edinburgh Festival is almost upon us again. One of the better sides of living in Edinburgh is that once a year, everything by way of entertainment comes to you. Whether it be opera, jazz, blues or any other sort of music you can think of; theatre; musical theatre; dance or comedy, the Fringe has it all and right on my door stop. There are a few things that sound really good to me this year.
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