Festival Previews Video Blog

Life is an endless cycle of change. Nothing remains the same. Important alone is the fact that when it comes to buying a new PC – where do you start? Okay, rather than give you a long winded tome I thought I would just give you the short cut thinking route instead:

1. What is my present PC usage? I use my PC daily and more than daily for both personal and business needs. I would say I am a heavy user of the PC. Running the Festival Previews website, I need say no more.

2. What are my requirements? I need a PC which is very fast, wide screen, mat screen finish (less glare on the eyes), video/DVD functionality, inbuilt video cam.

3. Where do I look? It is worth scanning PC magazines and checking out forum/fora websites with reviews to familiarise yourself with what’s out there. However, my top tip is to go to Dell’s Outlet site. There you can pick up “cancelled orders” – Dell machines at bargain prices.

4. What did I buy? I purchased a new Dell Inspiron 1720 costing £661.77 with VAT bumping it up to £777.52, including 3 years business warranty, saving me over £400 on the same machine from the regular Dell website – this is a bargain for a quality machine that will cope with my present level of usage for years to come and it only had a small scratch on the white casing!

The wide screen is wonderful with one drawback; I could not get a mat finish screen and so bought a shiny one instead – not great because my eyes will suffer but, hey, you sometimes have to bend to fashion. I can now have my mail box open on one side of the screen, work on a blog post or document on the other and take an occasional break and listen to and watch a performer’s virtual flyer playing away at the top of the screen – just brilliant!

5. Do I take out a 3 Year Warranty? Even though these are cancelled orders, they are new/unused and you can still purchase a 3 Year Warranty. Normally I don’t take our Warranties as they tend to be another way to drag more money out of your pockets. But Dell with its “superior service” and my considered heavy usage of the PC I felt it worthwhile. Total price £777.52 (with tax) saving me a massive £400!

Hope this helps - Happy PC hunting!

Grateful thanks to David Dong for this beautiful photograph

Harbin lies to the North East of China and is well known as the Ice City for its long cold arctic winters. The annual Harbin Ice Lantern Festival dates back to the Quing Dynasty (1644-1911). A candle was placed inside a frozen bucket shaped ice block with a hole chipped out in the middle to support the candle, thus becoming the perfect windproof lantern for your doorstep. Thereafter ice lanterns were made during some of the traditional festivals and even today the ice lanterns are a particular favourite of all the architecturally sculpted pieces on display.

Now known as The Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, it was re-established 1985 as an annual festival well after the end of the Cultural Revolution. The festival officially starts around the 5th January each year and lasts for approximately one month. However this all depends upon the weather; the exhibition may open earlier and may even last past the official festive month. Lying just across from the Russian Siberian border, winter temperatures can go as low as -16 degrees Celsius and can even go as low as a perishing -38 degrees Celsius.

I happened upon David Dong’s photographs and asked if I could use one of his beautiful photos to front this blog post which he happily agreed to. Do check out his other photographs which are quite breathtaking with the coloured illuminations showing a fairy tale land of coloured ice.

Many thanks David!

Thanks to Ali Taylor Photography

New Year celebrations in Edinburgh last for FOUR grueling days and nights: a Torchlight Procession and a walk up Calton Hill for the ceremonial burning of a wicker effigy on the 29th; a ‘Night Afore’ Ceilidh (Scottish dancing) on the 30th; the Hogmanay Street Party and fireworks display on the 31st bringing in the New Year; and the New Year’s Day of athletic events for children and adults (if anyone is still standing)! Only in Scotland will you get a 4 day New Year’s party! Check out Edinburgh’s Hogmanay it’s quite a marathon!

Now it’s back to work after all the festivities!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!