Archives for November 2010

You can watch Driving Time Lapse on YouTube.

On YouTube there is a video filmed from the back of a soft top car with Rise by Eddie Vedder playing in the background.

The video takes the viewer on a whistle stop tour of Jersey's roads and coast.

The time lapse video goes from coast to coast, through countries roads and even stops for a tractor in just over two and a half minutes.

It was filmed and edited by Jersey resident Sean Kinsella who wanted to show off the island.

Sean said: "I went down to Corbiere, down the back roads and got a nicer view of the island."

The video was made in just over two hours, the life battery life of the camera he used, and took two or three days to edit.

Sean had wanted to make the film for a while, after seeing other similar projects on YouTube.

"I make a lot of videos in general, I saw something like this before with someone driving across America.

"When I eventually got my hands on a soft top car I set the camera in the back and set off."

This isn't the end of Sean's time lapsed Jersey tours though, he has other ideas up his sleeve.

"I'd love to get similar stuff but from different angles then edit different angles into the video I already have."

There are other areas of the island he wants to get to as well.

He said: "I want to get up to Greve de Lecq, or park in St Ouen to catch surfers.

"I also want to show the things the island is famous for, catch a Jersey cow."

Simon is 10 days into Movember

Well, progress isn't exactly thick and fast, as you can see from the photo, but there isn't 'something there'.

Although Simon doesn't seem to be overly thrilled at some of the comparisons we've been making between him and famous characters of television.

Here is his update:

Day 10 - Well, after 10 days I'm now the proud (?) owner of a moustache.

I've never let my facial hair grow to this extent and quite frankly wasn't sure I'd be able to grow anything impressive but it seems I can. Deep joy.

So far my dear colleagues at BBC Jersey office have told me I look like Walker from Dads Army and Manuel from Fawlty Towers. Our political reporter Christie Tucker asked if I'd fallen into a cactus. Charming, I'm sure you'll agree.

Thank you for your donations so far. Despite constantly itching my face I'm glad I'm raising money for this worthy cause.

You can see my progress by visiting BBC Jersey's Facebook and keeping an eye on this blog.

The Minden Place car park could be demolished

There are the new waterfront buildings and the preserved Liberty Wharf.

Throw in the controversial old Odeon building and the car parks and you have debates that can fill hours of 'drinking time' at the pub.

But, and in full knowledge of the difference of opinion architecture brings with it, what is the 'ugliest building' in the islands capital?

In his comments on the most recent North of Town Masterplan amendment, Planning Minister, Senator Freddie Cohen, announced his least favourite building in the parish.

In the document he said: "The Minden Place Car Park is one of the ugliest buildings in St Helier, and the proposals are designed to improve the quality of this part of town."

Ouch!

But, a friend's instant reaction to the story on Facebook was: "Surely Sand Street is an uglier car park."

And that is the problem when trying to come up with something like 'the ugliest building in...' beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

The Odeon building is a prime example of this, to some it is an "ugly block" of a building, but for others it is an "icon of an era".

Constable of St Helier

For the Constable of St Helier the ugliest building is one most might not notice, it certainly isn't a high profile building, but it is one he feels sticks out.

Constable Crowcroft's 'ugliest building' is the café next to the toilets in Conway street.

The old ODEON building always sparks debate

He said that Conway Street has benefited from the work by the States of Jersey and the Parish of St Helier.

The work has seen more open spaces at either end of the road and the pavement widening.

I asked people on Facebook and twitter for their views and the first two responses basically suggested the whole waterfront complex.

And Julie asked why the Planning Minister had such a problem with the Minden Place car park.

She said: "At least Minden Place has an original design when it was built, is useful and still busy and not in view to arriving tourists."

Jersey architect, Mike Waddington, said that the thing that best defines the difference between a good building and an ugly building is in the eye of the beholder.

But he did say that an ugly building was one that lacked a number of things.

"Lack of delight"

He said it was a: "Lack of a lot of things, probably a lack of a combination of things, lack of effort, lack of ambition, laziness and a lack of proportion."

But that most importantly it was a: "Lack of delight", he said the "defining thing between a good building a great piece of architecture is delight".

Mike also said there was "something awful about committee based buildings", and that a prime example of this was the waterfront, he said it suffered "from opposing regulations".

He praised the current Planning Minister, Senator Freddie Cohen, for sticking his neck out and giving permission for more challenging works.

He said you: "Get good buildings when people take a risk and that in particular includes the planners.

"There is a chance it could go wrong but that is part of the gamble when you have high ambitions, otherwise you do get bland buildings."

So, if beauty and ugliness are equal in that they are in the eye of the beholder - what is St Helier's ugliest building to your eyes?

And, as always, Jersey has jumped on board with nearly 200 islanders signed up to grow a moustache for Movember.

I had the pleasure of wearing a strip of hair across my top lip for a month in 2008 and now I'm handing the baton over to BBC Jersey's own Simon Jupp.

But he isn't sure what direction his growth will take.

Here is what he has to say:

After much harassment from dear colleagues I've decided to ditch my clean shaven squeaky clean image and grow a moustache for charity.

In all honesty I've never grown one before and the image it presents terrifies me (and possibly any children I meet in the next month) but I'm keen to raise money for such a worthy cause.

Movember raises vital funds and awareness for men's health, specifically prostate cancer and sees men across the UK grow moustaches in all different shapes and sizes.

I've decided to avoid the Poirot and Super Mario but welcome suggestions for designs.

You can follow Simon's progress on his Movember page.