Monthly Archives: November 2011

General

No Audio in Adobe Premiere when importing from a Sony Handycam

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Having just switched to a new PC I faced the same problem that bugged me for months with my laptop (before I found a fix and then lost it again) so, as much for me as for anyone else, here is the solution to not getting any audio tracks in Adobe Premiere CS3 when importing files from a Sony Handycam.

My particular model Handycam is a DCR-SR36 – although I believe the issue may affect other Sony Handycam models as well. The problem is that when you take video files from the camera into Premiere, you’re left with video only – and no audio track. The fix, as it happens, is quite a simple one and requires you to download this dll file (right click and save target) and copy it into the root folder of your Adobe Premiere.

Before you do, I take no responsibility for anything that goes wrong – but it worked fine for me on both computers for which I’ve tried it.

If you restart Premiere, you should find your video files now have sound.

On a related issue you may find that Adobe Premiere isn’t playing any sound at all through your speakers, even though you now have an audio track in the timeline. This can be fixed by navigating to: Edit –> Preferences –> Audio Hardware –> ASIO Settings

Then ensure that each device is checked (as they’re not all checked by default, so you may end up with no sound).

This is the double headed problem I just faced today (and again last year, but didn’t make a note of the solution) so the next time I get stuck on it, I’ll know where to go. Hopefully it’ll help someone else too.

Internet, SEO

Cheshire SEO company ‘You Media’ using spam link building tactics

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In another exposé of companies using black hat link building tactics, it is with some relish that I can now offer up a supposed SEO company based in Cheshire using spam comments to build links for their own website.

On the network of blogs that I run I get hundreds of comments each day, and companies that employ spam link builders to post nonsense, badly written comments in an effort to build links to their website are like a red rag to me. This latest company is a Cheshire based firm offering web design and ‘white hat’ SEO services. Obviously their SEO services aren’t quite as white hat as they claim, if the following blog comment is anything to go by:

Name: cheshire web design
Website: you-media.co.uk
Email: nicoleglass99@yahoo.co.uk
IP Addfress: 112.202.13.122
Date: Submitted on 2011/11/16 at 8:31 am

I differ with a lot of individuals right here; I ran across this web site submit We couldn’t leave right up until I completed, though it wasn’t precisely what I had been searching for, had been a great go through however. Let me instantaneously get the weblog supply to remain in effect of the improvements.

The name for the comment was ‘cheshire web design’, the keyword for which they’re trying to rank, and the email address used is a disposable Yahoo email (probably created by a foreign ‘link builder’). The comment itself is gibberish, and has probably been run through spinning software, translation software or just crafted by someone with a passing knowledge of English. Indeed, if you simply Google the first line of the comment you’ll see a number of examples where this dross has been published, linking to other websites that have also used the same link building company.

Rather that create quality back links for them, this gibberish has merely served to expose the black hat SEO tactics they employ, and the fact that they evidently use foreign suppliers for their link building (or they employ link builders who really cannot write intelligibly).

Good work You Media, your ‘white hat’ SEO skills are indeed impressive.

Direct Line Insurance, General, Royal & SunAlliance, Stolen Car

Time to replace my car?

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If you’ve been reading this blog for some time, or if you’re unlucky enough to know me, you’ll be familiar with the fiasco concerning my car. I won’t go into detail (because it’s all on this website in various blogs over the years) but in short I bought my car in 2004 and, in that time, it has broken down a few times, been crashed by me a few more times, had its roof slashed, been crashed into, been stolen, been falsely claimed on the insurance by someone else and has been the subject of a dispute between me and not just one, but two insurance companies (use the category tags below for details).

Anyhow, as I mentioned I bought this convertible back in 2004 and, as has become apparent over the years, it’s not the best car for the UK (or for me, really). The pictures below will show just one of the many problems associated with this very low down, two seater, real wheel drive convertible with low profile tyres.

The last few years have seen some pretty heavy snowfall in the UK over Christmas (probably something to do with polar bears and ice caps) and it’s made my car practically unusable for the duration. I’d have been better off with something like a 4×4 (such as the Toyota Landcruiser I once had) or even a small quad bike or ATV snow plough, which I have been looking at online!

Quad bikes aside (because they would be somewhat chilly) I have been looking at a new car in all seriousness. My BMW is about to tick over the 100,000 miles and, having owned it for 7 years, it’s probably due to be replaced. Of course, it may have 100,000 miles on the clock but the engine has actually only done about 45,000, because it was replaced after some idiot stole it while it was in for repairs and completely knackered it, so it has a new engine. Also, I may have owned it for 7 years, but for 18 months the car was in hiding because Direct Line insurance wanted to repossess it.

For the sake of argument though, it’s a 100,000 mile car that I’ve had for 7 years and it’s nearly time to swap it. So what should I get next? Something practical? Something economical? Something that just makes sense?

What do you reckon?

Complaints, Internet, Rants

Jonathan Howson at Evolution Recruitment

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Over the years I have dealt with a number of different recruitment agencies with differing results (I don’t think BD Recruitment will forget their mistake a few years ago) but one thing that has consistently annoyed me is the way recruitment consultants with whom you have had no dealings persist in contacting you, even after you have asked them not to.

One such recruitment consultant is Jonathan Howson at Evolution Recruitment. I have never spoken to Jonathan, nor have I had any dealings with Evolution Recruitment, yet, for some reason, I cannot stop this man from trying to contact me offering me various jobs around the country.

I have been bombarded by emails, as is normal, from Jonathan Howson and have deleted each one without giving a second thought. However, he hasn’t stopped there; Jonathan is also bombarding me with text messages about random jobs, even though I have replied and asked him to stop.

I have also tweeted at Jonathan and Evolution Recruitment asking them to stop, but still I keep getting these texts and emails. It is annoying, it is unsolicited and it has been requested that he stops… but still he continues. He’s like the Terminator in the sense that he cannot be reasoned with but, unlike the Terminator, he’s just trying to earn some commission for sending candidates to job interviews and, in my case, job interviews I’m really not interested in at all.

So, if either Jonathan Howson or Evolution Recruitment are reading this (as I’m sure you will be) please stop emailing and texting me. It’s seriously getting on my nerves… and getting on my nerves, while quite easy, isn’t a good idea.

If anyone is interested, the number used for these unsolicited spam texts is 07515 522 056 and the email is jonathan.howson@evolutionjobs.co.uk.

Complaints, Rants

Chill Factore Complaint

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The following complaint about the Chill Factore in Manchester was emailed in by an avid reader. They have sent the same complaint to Chill Factore themselves, but as yet haven’t received a reply. As I always say, there’s nothing quite like complaining publically (it does tend to get better results, especially when those ‘results’ are influenced by search results in Google).

Anhow, here is the complaint about Chill Factore in Manchester

——–

To whom it may concern,

Sorry this email took a week or so to send to you but after seeing it’s length, and taking into account my hectic work schedule, I had to write it in bits as and when I had a minute spare.

I write this email of complaint in the hope that you can ensure that this level of unacceptable service does not recur.

My friend Jenny and her mother, Betty, came to Chill Factore for a Ski Taster Session for Betty and my friend and I to Ski, as we are both members.

Before I explain my complaint, Firstly, please let me give you a little background information.

My friend and I came to Chill factor in November of last year for a Taster Session on Skiing for my 30th birthday. It was on the small beginner slope. We liked it so much we then booked a full days lesson with an excellent instructor named Noel. We loved it that much we then booked and went on a holiday skiing in Bulgaria. We are now members and come skiing with you most weeks and are planning to go back to Bulgaria this coming February.

Betty has only been skiing once before and was very wary of the sport due to an unfortunate incident when on holiday. She was told by someone, an ‘instructor’, would teach her how to ski. She was strapped to some skis, then placed at the top of a slope on a mountain and then, for lack of a better description, pushed down the mountain without even most the rudimentary instruction on what to do, it was a sink or swim type of scenario.

As you can imagine Betty’s appetite for skiing somewhat diminished. The problem was, Betty actually WANTS to like skiing but thought that it was just not right for her. It was only with excellent raving reviews about chill factor and much cajoling by me and my friend that she agreed to give it another try. My friend and I are going skiing in Bulgaria again in February and would very much like her to come.

So, with that in mind we booked the Taster Session at 7pm on Wednesday with, according to your system, an instructor named Chris.

My complaint has 2 main issues. Firstly, the conditions. Secondly the instructor.

The Conditions
The Taster session was not on the beginner slope, but on an unreasonably small section of the main slope, that was hosting 2 skiing classes, 2 snowboarding classes and , I believe, a number of other lessons. While I understand that you are a business and you need to make money, you should also have an obligation to give ALL your customer the same level of experience. After all, they are all paying customers.

The Instructor
My grievance with the instructor is the largest part of this complaint. I believe that if the instructor had carried out his role with at least the basic level of aptitude then the above concern would not have manifested into an email of complaint. He showed, contrary to what one would have expected, very little, if any, instruction. Little to no enthusiasm about taking the class, and seemed more interested in his mobile phone and the delights that it held, than taking any vague interest in the class. The resulting quality (the word quality is used very loosely) is detailed below.

Please correct me if I’m wrong, but one of the most basic and possibly important bits of information that a new person would like to know when trying to learn to ski is how to go slow or stop. The instructor did not tell her, or the group how to stop, or did, but advised that in order to stop they should use the barrier and/or pile of snow at the bottom. I will leave you to draw your own conclusions from this as I am sure you don’t need me to tell you how scary this can be to a new person with a bad or scary previous experience of skiing.

After side stepping up the slope, and then getting ready to slide down, Betty advised the instructor that she did not feel comfortable as her skis were not pointing in the direction in order for her to go down the slope but rather diagonal across the slope and across the path of the many, many, people on the ridiculously small section of main slope. The instructor just told Betty that it was fine and to just go. She would then ski diagonally across the slope, across everyone else’s path and colliding and/or near colliding with other people.

This happened every time she went down the slope, she then, before the official end of the session, understandably gave up and left the ‘class’.

Ordinarily when putting someone on the slope, instructors would stand in front of the person to make sure they are set right before setting them off the slope, as they did with my friend and i when we started, and as i have since seen them do with numerous others.

After the session, we spoke to Betty, I went to a gentleman on your reception and advised him of the situation and my views upon it and he kindly gave her another free Taster Session.

This was a nice gesture; however, Betty has decided that she, again understandably, does not want to go through the ordeal of another Taster session. My friend and I have eventually persuaded her to give it another try, but to do a lesson level 1, only after may assurances that the experience at chill factor is not like the one she experienced this time, and also next time she is taking her husband along for moral support.

We are going to book this in for next Saturday morning but I would like to ensure that the lessons on that day are not going to be held on the main slope?

If you would like to contact me about this matter please feel free to do so using my number below.

Many Thanks

Complaints, Internet, SEO

Dave’s Scooter Shop using spam links

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Since writing this post about spam comments being used to create backlinks, I seem to have been inundated with the crap. I’ve literally had it up to here (for the benefit of readers, my hand is around my forehead right now) with badly written garbled spam comments being added by black hat link builders ‘attempting’ to benefit their clueless clients… therefore I’ll be exposing the muppets regularly.

This latest shit awful comment written by some pigeon English brandishing halfwit is for a website selling scooters. So, Dave’s Scooters, whoever you’ve hired to do your link building I’d suggest you sack them, it hasn’t really worked.

Author : scooters (IP: 84.241.194.168 , 84.241.194.168) E-mail : ObermanQuispe434@hotmail.com
URL    : http://www.davesscootershop.nl
Whois  : http://whois.arin.net/rest/ip/84.241.194.168
Comment:
Great post, very informative. I’m wondering why the other experts of this sector don’t notice this. You should proceed your writing. I’m sure, you have a huge readers’ base already!|What’s Going down i’m new to this, I stumbled upon this I have found It absolutely helpful and it has aided me out loads. I hope to contribute & help different users like its helped me. Great job.

General

My Pool Table

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This week I found some old photos that were taken during my student days, back when I was young and carefree (and had hair, no gut and had just discovered vodka). These pictures reminded me of my one time pride and joy, my coin operated pool table – the source of many happy nights and one or two arguments.

I’d always wanted a pool table since I first played the game at the age of 9. I thought I was brilliant at it (naturally) and wanted my own table. It wasn’t until I moved into student accommodation in Newport in my third year that I actually realised I could get one. We had a shared house with 5 bedrooms, and there were four of us… so the additional room was just redundant. I checked many pool table companies in the Yellow Pages (because Google wasn’t particularly big back then, it was 1997) only to find that pool tables cost over £500 each.

Now, I had a student grant (yes, back in the days when students got grants rather than loans) so I could have afforded that, but then I wouldn’t have been able to afford anything else (such as vodka and beer, you know, essentials). So I checked the free press, and found a pool table for sale in Pontypool for £150.

Being in with the guys at the university, we were able to ‘hire’ a college van for free to pick up the table, and bought it from a guy who was ‘forced’ to sell it by his wife – a concept to which I was alien, at the time!

As you can see from the photos, the pool table was a central part to our university days and was involved in most pre-night out drinking sessions, or warm-ups.

Eddie, one of our housemates, didn’t like the guttural element that the pool table attracted, with mates of mates often coming round to play on it, and it did result in people staying up to all ours playing when other, more academically interested, students wanted to sleep – but it was an excellent purchase, and one that I want to make again one day.

So what happened to the pool table? Well, when I left the house I didn’t want to sell it (much to my dad’s dismay) so needed to store it. I convinced my sister to let me store it in her garage, but she neglected to mention that her garage leaked… leaked like a bloody waterfall. The table was ruined, and ended up being collected for scrap.

I was heartbroken. So many great nights, so many memories (or rather photographs to tell of nights for which we should have memories) and the pool table ended up scrapped.

One day I’ll get one again.

Internet, SEO

Do you do web design in Ellesmere Port?

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Time for some blatant plugging; there has to be some benefit to running this website.

At Engage Web, based in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire (just round the corner from Cheshire Oaks) we’re looking for a web designer to join our team. We’re an SEO agency, but we also do a lot of website design. You can see our web design portfolio here for the sorts of sites we’ve built and the types of industries in which we work.

We’re looking for someone creative, although you don’t necessarily need to have worked professionally as a web designer, or have any formal qualifications in web design. We just want someone who has a genuine passion for web design and is in the Ellesmere Port/Liverpool area.

So, if you’re a keen web designer, or even someone with an interest in getting into website design, and you live in Ellesmere Port, or somewhere near (such as Liverpool, Chester or on the Wirral) then we’d like to hear from you at Engage Web.

Have a look at the job spec here and, if you’re interested in applying, fill in the contact form and send us your CV, together with some examples of your URLs. We’re looking to interview our first candidates next week, so you’ll need to act fast if you want to apply for this web design position.