🚀 go-pugleaf

JAF jafnilspam@ntlworld.com wrote:
> On Tue, 6 Jan 2004 10:29:42 +0000 (UTC), Ian G Batten
> <I.G.Batten@batten.eu.org> wrote:
> 
> >Is there any local council project in the country in the area of
> >museums which hasn't been an unmitigated disaster?
> 
> The Visual Arts (20-21) centre in Scunthorpe is doing very well.
> 

Scunthorpe Museum always used to strike me as unusually sensibly 
run...they oversaw a dig in our village when I was a kid and managed to 
get just about everyone feeling involved in it

the crucial thing is the word "prestige"...attach that to any major 
project and you can be certain that what is going to happen is that those 
responsible will shortly be seeing the remnants of their prestige 
disappearing through the floor

-- 
eric
www.ericjarvis.co.uk
"live fast, die only if strictly necessary"

Ian G Batten wrote:
>  Is there any project in the country with the word
> ``Millennium'' in its name which hasn't been an unmitigated disaster?

The Wobbly Bridge is pretty kewl, IMO.
But perhaps it would be less so without the wobble induced unofficial 
name change.

"Ian G Batten" <I.G.Batten@batten.eu.org> wrote in message
news:bte2mm$400$1@news-out.ftel.co.uk...
>
> So, I see from the Birmingham Post this morning that, hardly
> surprisingly, the Millennium Point development in Birmingham is losing
> money and failing to attract vistors, with the IMAX cinema having gone
> bust last week.  Is there any project in the country with the word
> ``Millennium'' in its name which hasn't been an unmitigated disaster?
> Is there any local council project in the country in the area of
> museums which hasn't been an unmitigated disaster?
>
> ian
>

'Spinnaker Tower' at Portsmouth has not been completed yet. It's either over
4 years late or will be 995/4 years early. The cost was sky high, which is
about the only thing applicable, and they did think of cancelling it, BUT,
the clauses built into the contract made it more expensive to cancel than to
build :-((

Now standing like a carbunkle just inside the entrance to Portsmouth
Harbour, we are not sure if and when it will be finished.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/southampton/webcams/spinnaker_tower.shtml

if you have a head for heights.

Mike
who lives on the Isle of Wight and seen the 'thing' grow

"Ian G Batten" <I.G.Batten@batten.eu.org> wrote in message
news:bte2mm$400$1@news-out.ftel.co.uk...
>
> So, I see from the Birmingham Post this morning that, hardly
> surprisingly, the Millennium Point development in Birmingham is losing
> money and failing to attract vistors, with the IMAX cinema having gone
> bust last week.  Is there any project in the country with the word
> ``Millennium'' in its name which hasn't been an unmitigated disaster?
> Is there any local council project in the country in the area of
> museums which hasn't been an unmitigated disaster?
>
> ian
>
With Wembley out of commission, the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff seems to
be doing pretty well.

"Mike" <not@this.com> wrote in message
news:bte6v7$l6a$1@titan.btinternet.com...
> "Ian G Batten" <I.G.Batten@batten.eu.org> wrote in message
> news:bte2mm$400$1@news-out.ftel.co.uk...
> >
> > So, I see from the Birmingham Post this morning that, hardly
> > surprisingly, the Millennium Point development in Birmingham is losing
> > money and failing to attract vistors, with the IMAX cinema having gone
> > bust last week.  Is there any project in the country with the word
> > ``Millennium'' in its name which hasn't been an unmitigated disaster?
> > Is there any local council project in the country in the area of
> > museums which hasn't been an unmitigated disaster?
> >
> > ian
> >
>
> 'Spinnaker Tower' at Portsmouth has not been completed yet. It's either
over
> 4 years late or will be 995/4 years early. The cost was sky high, which is
> about the only thing applicable, and they did think of cancelling it, BUT,
> the clauses built into the contract made it more expensive to cancel than
to
> build :-((
>
> Now standing like a carbunkle just inside the entrance to Portsmouth
> Harbour, we are not sure if and when it will be finished.

Ummm - the special coating to withstand sea air and wind, guaranteed for
years and years, has started to peel off - before they've finished putting
it on!!!


But Portsmouths Millenium Illuminations are breathtaking - there's a picture
in today's Daily Mail!!
>

Ian G Batten wrote:

> So, I see from the Birmingham Post this morning that, hardly
> surprisingly, the Millennium Point development in Birmingham is
> losing money and failing to attract vistors, with the IMAX cinema
> having gone bust last week.

Reading a review of the museum:
http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/cityguide_travel/city_guide/thinktank/_review/3
57703/
or http://tinyurl.com/2mmrv
it seems that everything I was afraid would happen when they closed the 
most excellent science museum in the city centre, has happened.  And it 
seems like it costs *much* more for admission than the old museum.

Do they still have the extensive collection of music boxes and other 
mechanical music instruments, which they used to demo regularly at the 
old museum? It sounds like many of the old displays have been 
discarded, or dumped into storage to decay away.

Quote from the review:

"There are three major problems with Thinktank. Firstly, the reduction 
in space from the old Museum of Science and Industry means that there 
are only specimen exhibits of some items - there is nothing like the 
old building's Aircraft Hall or the display of gramophones through the 
ages. Second, far too many displays were broken or wearing out - 
inexcusable in such a new museum. This alone downgrades my rating from 
4 to 3 stars. And third, and to me the most disappointing aspect, we've 
lost all those wonderful old wooden-cased computers from the 1950s and 
60s - they might have only consisted of a few circuits and an eight-
segment LED, but I loved them. The same goes for the spectroscope 
cabinet with its rotating fork. I do hope they're being stored 
somewhere safely, as destroying them would be a disgraceful act of 
technological vandalism."

-- 
Bill Burns, Long Island, NY, USA
mailto:billb@ftldesign.com
History of Technology Websites:
http://ftldesign.com

"Bill Burns" <billb@ftldesign.com> wrote in message
news:Xns946CE1C71750Fbillbftld@130.133.1.4...
> Ian G Batten wrote:
>
> > So, I see from the Birmingham Post this morning that, hardly
> > surprisingly, the Millennium Point development in Birmingham is
> > losing money and failing to attract vistors, with the IMAX cinema
> > having gone bust last week.
>
> Reading a review of the museum:
> http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/cityguide_travel/city_guide/thinktank/_review/3
> 57703/
> or http://tinyurl.com/2mmrv
> it seems that everything I was afraid would happen when they closed the
> most excellent science museum in the city centre, has happened.  And it
> seems like it costs *much* more for admission than the old museum.

Well the old Science Museum was *free*, so ANYTHING other that the courtesy
of asking for a donation is a rip off if the exhibits in the new set-up are
sub-standard.


> Do they still have the extensive collection of music boxes and other
> mechanical music instruments, which they used to demo regularly at the
> old museum? It sounds like many of the old displays have been
> discarded, or dumped into storage to decay away.
>
> Quote from the review:
>
> "There are three major problems with Thinktank. Firstly, the reduction
> in space from the old Museum of Science and Industry means that there
> are only specimen exhibits of some items - there is nothing like the
> old building's Aircraft Hall or the display of gramophones through the
> ages. Second, far too many displays were broken or wearing out -
> inexcusable in such a new museum. This alone downgrades my rating from
> 4 to 3 stars. And third, and to me the most disappointing aspect, we've
> lost all those wonderful old wooden-cased computers from the 1950s and
> 60s - they might have only consisted of a few circuits and an eight-
> segment LED, but I loved them. The same goes for the spectroscope
> cabinet with its rotating fork. I do hope they're being stored
> somewhere safely, as destroying them would be a disgraceful act of
> technological vandalism."

I must admit that I have NOT visited the new Millenium Point, purely because
so many people have commented that they feel totally ripped off after
visiting.

When will Birmingham City Council listen to what the people really want?
Christ knows!
More to the point, when are they going to fix my poxy damp so my Daughter
doesn't have a waterfall in her bedroom?  Don't get me wrong, its quite
mesmerising but its a little harsh on her asthma.

> I must admit that I have NOT visited the new Millenium Point, purely
because
> so many people have commented that they feel totally ripped off after
> visiting.
Yep
and as for wheelchair friendly Pah
i would never go ther again

the imax was ok but it was never pushed enough

> When will Birmingham City Council listen to what the people really want?
> Christ knows!
I don't think they ever will
they have their own ideas of what people want/need and then close their
minds/doors to everything else

it is a shame because Birmingham could become an excellent city.

Yoda

On Sun, 11 Jan 2004 14:19:00 +0000, usenet-um@malloc.co.uk (Steve
Firth) wrote:

:)Porstmouth is building the monstrous "Spinnaker tower" at present. It
:)can be seen for miles around already - so at least sailiors approaching
:)from the West are goinv to have an easy job homing in on Pompey.
:)
:)But that apart, it looks like a first class disaster. 

Was it here I read it's going to cost less to build it than to not
build it due to contractual clauses.
-- 
Comm again, Mike.

On 11 Jan 2004 03:11:42 GMT, Bill Burns <billb@ftldesign.com> wrote:

:)it seems that everything I was afraid would happen when they closed the 
:)most excellent science museum in the city centre, has happened.  And it 
:)seems like it costs *much* more for admission than the old museum.

I've got 4 free admissions for the place - and haven't even used them
! Compared to the old place, it's reasonably depressing for engineers.

:)
:)Do they still have the extensive collection of music boxes and other 
:)mechanical music instruments, which they used to demo regularly at the 
:)old museum? 

I agree, I miss those - and other stuff. They should be in storage
somewhere :(

:)And third, and to me the most disappointing aspect, we've 
:)lost all those wonderful old wooden-cased computers from the 1950s and 
:)60s - they might have only consisted of a few circuits and an eight-
:)segment LED, but I loved them. The same goes for the spectroscope 
:)cabinet with its rotating fork. I do hope they're being stored 
:)somewhere safely, as destroying them would be a disgraceful act of 
:)technological vandalism."

You've obviously seen more than I have in the old place !

:)History of Technology Websites:

There's a nice one somewhere which lists & shows computers from 1970 !
The more famous are of course listed: BBC model B, Commodore PET,
Sinclair QL as well as some "nice" oldies.
-- 
Comm again, Mike.

On Sun, 11 Jan 2004 03:34:40 GMT, "Lost Soul"
<meloveyoulongtimesoldierboyOBVIOUS-SPAMTRAP@hotmail.com> wrote:

:)
:)Well the old Science Museum was *free*, so ANYTHING other that the courtesy
:)of asking for a donation is a rip off if the exhibits in the new set-up are
:)sub-standard.
:)

Absolutely.

:)
:)
:)I must admit that I have NOT visited the new Millenium Point, purely because
:)so many people have commented that they feel totally ripped off after
:)visiting.

It wouldn't surprise me if a feng shui expert would refuse to go
beyond the entrance foyer.

:)
:)When will Birmingham City Council listen to what the people really want?
:)Christ knows!
:)More to the point, when are they going to fix my poxy damp so my Daughter
:)doesn't have a waterfall in her bedroom?  Don't get me wrong, its quite
:)mesmerising but its a little harsh on her asthma.

When you get through to them. Contact a councillor on the housing
scrutiny group. Don't pay your Council Tax ! Sue 'em - that usually
works.

My recommendation for a good museum in Brum, go to the Museum of the
Jewellery Quarter - the old Smith & Pepper works, it's been very
tastefully "modernised" - and was cheap, but is now free.

Then compare with the Soho House balls-up - a fine example of a
balls-up !
-- 
Comm again, Mike.

On Sun, 11 Jan 2004 10:49:22 -0000, "Yoda Of Borg"
<subspace@nospamblueyonder.co.uk> wrote:

:)
:)it is a shame because Birmingham could become an excellent city.
:)

Do you think we really want "Birmingham Gate" - a daft name for a
Millennium Eye copy !

If they want to do something with the City, a decent river would be a
good one to do ! The Rea's a pathetic stinking stream.
-- 
Comm again, Mike.