Birmingham Metblogs » Uncategorized http://birmingham.metblogs.com Sun, 27 Jul 2008 20:08:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 en hourly 1 A Message To All Of Birmingham’s Trick-or-Treaters http://birmingham.metblogs.com/2007/10/30/a-message-to-all-of-birminghams-trick-or-treaters/ http://birmingham.metblogs.com/2007/10/30/a-message-to-all-of-birminghams-trick-or-treaters/#comments Tue, 30 Oct 2007 20:48:51 +0000 GaZ http://birmingham.metblogs.com/2007/10/30/a-message-to-all-of-birminghams-trick-or-treaters/ Halloween is TOMORROW (the 31st), not tonight! For ringing my doorbell 24 hours early I’m putting arsenic in any sweets on my doorstep tomorrow. Mwahahahahaaaaaaaaa!

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Factoid of the day: apparently Witton Cemetery, just around the corner from my house, is the largest cemetery in Birmingham. I guess you could say everyone’s dying to get in… hah! Wikipedia also claims that the 2-mile long surrounding walls are the longest brick walls in the West Midlands.

I’d better keep my chainsaw handy in case the corpses get a little restless, coz that’s a lot of bodies!

]]> http://birmingham.metblogs.com/2007/09/08/the-dead-centre-of-town/feed/ 0 I Canali della Birmingham http://birmingham.metblogs.com/2007/08/28/i-canali-della-birmingham/ http://birmingham.metblogs.com/2007/08/28/i-canali-della-birmingham/#comments Tue, 28 Aug 2007 23:38:01 +0000 bir_jeevan http://birmingham.metblogs.com/2007/08/28/i-canali-della-birmingham/ Everyone boasts about Birmingham’s canals but does anybody actually use them? Beyond Brindley place and the Mailbox I mean. I used to commute to Birmingham every day from DUDLEY and it was the best Bike Riding I ever did. Ironically I never physically felt any change, except exhaustion, but you can learn a lot about Birmingham if you take a walk (you’d be better off Biking it) into Birmingham you’d save yourself a lot of time travelling. Biking was actually faster than taking a Bus, or a train (especially from Dudley) and it’s so calm and serene.

Please start using the canals! It’s essential to their survival, and the greater the demand the greater the possibilities…

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We can’t get to the beaches, so they’ve finally come to us. Unfortunately, BiNS isn’t too impressed. I haven’t had time to make it down there yet myself, but having seen this picture of a giant sand-Ozzy I’ll have to make the time to see it in person!

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Since Spring has sprung a little earlier than usual around here, how about some free Ben & Jerry’s ice cream to go with that sunshine?? Tomorrow B&J is giving a way a free cone to anyone who wants one! Just head on over to the nearest participating store (that’ll be the one in the Bullring for most brummies). Mmmm… free!

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Apparently Brindleyplace is the official entertainment zone. The fun kicks off tonight with a City Mascot race held in Central Square from 5.30pm. This will involve the mascots from the Blues, Villa, Baggies, Walsall, Warwickshire Cricket, Sea Life Turtle and several others. The Sports Cafe on Broad Street is even taking bets, for you gambling types. Read on for a breakdown of all the events taking place over this weekend!

Today

A special mascot race is taking place in Brindleyplace to kick start the weekend of activities in the Official Entertainment Zone. Charlie Jordan, from Heart FM, will be the compere for the evening.

Central Square
5.30pm Birmingham Pussycats, who are the University of Birmingham’s nationally recognised competitive cheerleading squad, will open the proceedings

6.00pm Bannatyne’s Health Club are going to lead a warm-up for the mascots.

6.30pm The race will commence, come and watch mascots from around the region, including Baggy Bird from West Bromwich Albion Football Club and Beau Brummy from Birmingham City Football Club battle it out to win the trophy.

Bandstand
6pm to 8pm The Elements, popular covers band

Slug & Lettuce
9pm to 11pm Heart FM Club Classics Night, hosted by Jim Davis

Saturday 3rd March

Central Square:

10.15am to 10.45am Birmingham Pussycats, cheerleading squad
11.00am to 11.15am Spirit Salsa, salsa dancers
11.30am to 12.00pm Shikidim, belly dancing
12.15pm to 12.45pm Transit Trix, break dancers
1.00pm to 2.45pm Del Camino, salsa band
3.00pm to 3.30pm Shikidim, belly dancing
3.30pm to 4.00pm Transit Trix, break dancers
4.15pm to 4.30pm Spirit Salsa, salsa dancers
4.30pm to 5.00pm Transit Trix, break dancers
5.00pm to 5.30pm Birmingham Pussycats, cheerleading squad
5.30pm to 6.00pm Reflex Youth Dance, contemporary dancing
All Day Athletics Quiz, this will be situated in Central Square throughout the whole weekend

Heart FM Alfresco Feelgood Zone
A place to listen to great tracks played from Heart’s Club Classic mix and luxurious deckchairs for people to relax under the bright red sun parasols. Parents can chill out while the kids are entertained with giant games such as Jenga and Connect Four

Bandstand:
3.00pm to 4.00pm Swing Theory, Jazz Band
5.00pm to 7.00pm Streetwise, popular covers band
7.15pm to 9.15pm Fat Lip, popular covers band

Slug and Lettuce
2.00pm to 4.00pm Heart FM Family Pub Quiz hosted by Warren Moore (register at heartfm.co.uk).

Sunday 4th March

The final day features the Children’s Atheletics, giving kids a chance to compete in several different events, including:
• Sprint Challenge
• Hi-Stepper
• Standing Long Jump
• Soft Javelin
• Speed Bounce

Central Square:
11.00am to 11.30am Birmingham Pussycats -Children can come and learn a routine with the Pussycats and then perform it with them afterwards
12noon to 12.30pm Hina & Co. Bollywood Dancing Group
1.00pm to 2.00pm Heart FM Hulaerobics
2.00pm to 2.30pm Hina & Co. Bollywood Dancing Group
3.00pm to 3.30pm Birmingham Pussycats (2nd routine)

And don’t forget to enter the Athletics Quiz in Central Square.

Bandstand:
19.00 to 21.00 The Ryder’s, popular music from the 1960’s to current day

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The Friendly Snowman

Originally uploaded by g4z.

Snow! And what a lot of it! My fears of major traffic went unwarranted. Driving to and from work today was easier than most normal days… I guess most people took the day off to enjoy this wintery goodness. I saw many a snowman lining the streets around my house, so I had to join in and put together this masterpiece. Anyone else got some snow sculptures to show off?

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Wind Damage 1

Originally uploaded by g4z.

It sure is windy around here lately! I woke up the other morning to find this scene of destruction out in the garden. Some of the fence posts were pulled clean out of the ground (they were embedded in at least a foot of earth)! Fortunately all the houses in the area don’t seem to have suffered any structural damage, unlike what happened in Kensel Rise with those “mini tornados” last month

]]> http://birmingham.metblogs.com/2007/01/21/wind-damage/feed/ 0 Quit Yer Lurking! http://birmingham.metblogs.com/2007/01/12/quit-yer-lurking/ http://birmingham.metblogs.com/2007/01/12/quit-yer-lurking/#comments Fri, 12 Jan 2007 23:07:02 +0000 GaZ http://birmingham.metblogs.com/2007/01/12/quit-yer-lurking/ delurk2_3.jpg

This week is de-lurking week!

To celebrate I’m asking you lot to share a bit about yourselves… it can be anything you want, but I have a couple of questions I’d like to know the answer to:

  • Do you live in Birmingham?
  • If yes, what area / district?
  • If no, where do you live?
  • Are you from Birmingham originally?
  • If not, what brought you to Birmingham?

I also encourage you to pose your own questions you’d like to know about each other!

]]> http://birmingham.metblogs.com/2007/01/12/quit-yer-lurking/feed/ 4 Brummie schools failing on the basics http://birmingham.metblogs.com/2007/01/12/brummie-schools-failing-on-the-basics/ http://birmingham.metblogs.com/2007/01/12/brummie-schools-failing-on-the-basics/#comments Fri, 12 Jan 2007 13:16:58 +0000 bir_stephen http://birmingham.metblogs.com/2007/01/12/brummie-schools-failing-on-the-basics/ Nearly 60% of Birmingham school leavers are failing to pass their English and Maths GCSEs. Overall 59% of school leavers achieve 5 or more passes at GCSE but approximately the same proportion have inadequate literacy and numeracy when they leave school. In one school, Kings Norton High, only 7% achieve 5 or more passes when English and maths are included. Frankley Community achieved only 13% whilst Hodge Hill managed 17%

A government minister has issued a call for action and a focus on these key areas. Response from Birmingham City Council came from Cabinet Member for Education Les Lawrence who deflected criticism with a claim that some other cities also have poorly performing schools.

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