I have owned the domain AdamWelch.Co.Uk since 2002, and once it became available I bought AdamWelch.Com in 2004. Unfortunately over the last year or so, I have been getting increasing amounts of email clearly meant for other Adam Welch's. I have been offered a job as a fine art packer, and gallery curator. Asked to photograph someone's wedding. Thanked for attending a democrat rally in Jefferson County. But most recently if I wouldn't mind moving dorm rooms so that two friends can bunk up together.

Now I understand that people sometimes get address' wrong, and so I answer their email in a polite and helpful way (and with a bit of luck, some wit too). Unfortunately, these people never seem to reply back. Just a little 'sorry' or 'thanks for letting' me know would be nice.

Adam of AdamWelch.Net did get back to me when my email address was used on a website he was trying to drum up some business on. However when I contacted him again, commenting on his email, the correspondence halted.

Perhaps I should start messing with these people, take their job offers, swap their rooms and perhaps even vote on their behalf, it might be more fun!

I spent the weekend in the wilderness learning to survive with just a knife and a tarpaulin. My mate Richard is getting wed, and rather than a boozy night in Blackpool he wanted to spend the last weekend in February in a wood.

Mike our guide asked us to meet near a canal, and walk to the wood where we found a basic camp, with parachute shelters and three men who looked what they were doing. Over the weekend we learned how to use a sheath knife correctly, clean water from a stream, build a basha shelter and make fire from a spark. We ate squirrel too!

I really enjoyed myself, and nearly everyone else did too. Some just aren't up to the harsh outside Bear Grylls type lifestyle like me!

Anyone who fancies doing the same sort of thing could do a lot worse than contact Mike from BushTruck, but don't let the Web 0.5 site put you off.

Pictures of our adventures can be found in the galleries.

I never wake up once I have got to sleep, The only thing to stir me is the radio alarm I have had for about 15 years.

However, last night at about one, I awoke. The bed was shaking and so was I. After about ten seconds the shaking stopped, I turn over and almost instantly went back to sleep. If no one had mentioned it, I would have thought it was a dream.

The radio got me up this morning, and after a moment on Mika or something, the news said there had been an earth quake. I was quite excited to find out I hadn't missed this one (anyone else noticed they always seem to happen at night in this country?). This excitement however was instantly replaced with fear that my house or property had been damaged. Which in turn was replaced with hope that no one is seriously hurt. Luckily it seems there were very few injuries.

Watching peoples reactions on Youtube has been keeping me amused today... I haven't decided which is my favourite, it's either;
"...that's global warming for you." Be warned though, the young mancunian likes to swear.
or;
"Look after your selves, and remember, in an earthquake don't get hit on the head by a wooden seagull"

I can't believe I haven't come across this before now. Or in fact that anyone hasn't been in touch to tell me about it. This afternoon I found an image on google images, which is now to be found just over there to the right.

Women For Welch is a campaign to get Peter Welch into congress in the states, representing Vermont. A group of women hope he will fight for their rights, and get women's issues more exposure. Quite right too.

The best bit is... they will send a button (or a badge if like me, you were born on the east side of the pond) to anyone that requests it. So obviously I had to apply.

The campaign is clearly over as Peter Welch now has a seat in Congress. So it could well be that 'Women For Welch' badges are sadly no longer being sent out. However for the sake of an email...

Good Afternoon.

I was really encouraged by your campaign when I found the website http://welchforcongress.com/womenforwelch

I too believe that women's voices should be heard at all levels of politics. Although I am not a woman myself, my mother is.

I would be truly honoured to wear a Women For Welch badge on my lapel if you would be kind enough to send me one.

Many, many, thanks.

Adam Welch
address etc.

If the email bears no fruit in the next few days, I might fill out the contact form on his official congress site. He must have one or two in a draw somewhere, and I am sure he must have some spare time to pop one in an envelope. I'll let you know if anything turns up.

A few months ago, I subscribed to Sky mainly for the three Rugby League games every week. One of the channels I frequently tune into is UKTVG2, a channel aimed at the mid twenties male. That'll be me then.

It is usually showing Top Gear, QI or Ray Mears in some survival situation. It keeps me amused for half an hour at a time.

The BBC own the UKTV stations and have decided to launch UKTVG2 on freeview in less than a month. However for the launch, the people in UKTV towers have decided to re brand the channel. Dave will launch on most digital platforms on the 15th of October.

I think the name is genius... 'Later on Dave', 'Coming up on Dave' and 'Live on Dave' will be announcers links I think will never get boring. I also hope Dave will get a +1.

The name is based on the fact that 'everyone knows a bloke called Dave'. Funny because it's true.

As you know, I'm a big fan of adverts. I believed I proved this in the past with my Cillit Bang experiment.

There is a great advert currently running on British TV, which has nothing at all to do with the product. Cadbury have created a fantastic animatronic gorilla with amazing facial expressions. It works brilliantly with the Phil Collins track. Part of me expected him to pop out of the costume at the end!


I expect there could be a whole series of these to come. I hope the next is as good.

Challenge plus one, UKTVG2 plus one, even Discovery plus 1.5! These are all channels which are simulcast an hour (or 90 minutes) after their parent channel. I friend of mine a number of months ago, pointed out they are of little use, however BBC one plus one, would actually be quite handy.

Last week after a large advertising campaign, Channel 4 plus one was launched on Sky, Cable and Freeview services. Last night, due to a clash in programs I wanted to watch, I decided to not record something on c4, and just watch it an hour later on c4+1. Unfortunately, when tuning in on my Sky+ box, I found a garbled picture and sound. I tested loads of other channels, but only c4+1 was effected.

This morning I have done a little search on the web, and found this is a problem being suffered by many viewers, and has been for many years. The frequencies c4+1 is using once converted by the LNB (device on the end of the dish arm) are exactly the same as those used by digital phones. Guess what I have next to my sky box?

Previous to c4+1s launch, these particular frequencies were being used by silly dating / shopping channels that nobody watched and therefore didn't cause the same level of viewer annoyance.

So currently, most people using Sky and Dect phones can not view c4+1. Bit of a blunder from Channel 4's point of view.

I have raised a complaint with channel 4 and expect a reply within seven days.

---

17th Sept 2007

A viewer relations rep by the name of Jamie has been entertaining my emails, however he doesn't seem to understand the problem.

I am aware of the issue, and know if I am desperate to watch c4+1 I can turn my phone base station off. However the average Sky viewer will not know this. I can see one of two things happening... those viewers forget about c4+1 and not watch it (reducing viewing figures and therefore {I assume} advertising revenue) or they call sky and pay for an engineer to come out, who might not even know what the problem is, and probably wont be able to fix it.

I have looked at other satellite companies, and most avoid the dreaded 12480Mhz frequency, I suspect because of this very issue. Astra seem to be selling a transponder not fit for purpose.

---

20th Sept 2007

Unfortunately I think Jamie has got fed up with my emails. I received a reply today which was blank. I guess this clears the complaint out of the system. All I can do is ask if this problem also effects you... contact channel 4.

Whats your Myspace? Are you on Facebook?

Blumming social networking sites; I can't stand them. Why would I want to have a pre-made website that looks like everyone else's, just so that someone can poke me? Why do I have to sign up, just so that I can automatically turn off the music that people think I want to hear?

Celebrities use these sites as cheap promotion. Rosanne Barr (of Rosanne fame) only a couple of days ago had to issue a statement on her website after one of her myspace administrators started blogging offensive statements. She goes on to say that she only writes at RosanneWorld, so why have a myspace apart from the shameless self promotion? Anyone who has her as a 'friend' clearly is deluded.

If anyone wants to find out about me, they can come here. I have a 'Poke' button, it's just called 'Contact Me'. I have a 'Friends Comments' section, I just call it a forum.

Whats even better. You don't have to register to use any of my facilities.

Just to clear up any confusion. I WILL NOT be joining facebook, myspace, bebo, or any of the other crappy websites that will become fashionable next week.