My Kitchen Rules Australia 2014

I would never have heard about this programme if I hadn't taken out a trial for a film/TV etc streaming web site. However, I have heard about it now and I watched about a third of the episodes of the 2014 series and enjoyed them. It's a typical cookery programme in which people talk really big about their cooking skills and then when it comes down to it, they often serve rubbish. I don't say that in a superior way because I do the same at home and have never put myself in the position that these men and women have. Good luck to them that they tried. I liked most of the contestants most of the time: the stars were the Greek twins I think although they didn't win. The couple I came to despise did make it to the final but the good news is they didn't win: Chloe and Kelly, two awful, vindictive, spiteful women who talked big about everything but mostly themselves. They rubbished everybody else and everything else. How they got to the final is a mystery although I have to say in the final they did alright. What really got to me was Kelly's massively artificial, forced smile. In the end, every time she was on the screen I covered her face, I just couldn't bear to see it any more. Well done to Bree May and Jessica Liebich who did win it and they won it in style: with an excellent menu, excellent coordination and excellent technical skills. Good to see. I liked this programme but it is such a big commitment that I am not sure I would watch so many episodes again. I understand they are producing MKR in the UK now or soon and I am sure they will find some of the worst people on the planet to compete in it. Just like they did with Storage Hunters (the UK equivalent of the US programme of a similar name). The people they found for that were squirmingly and stereotypically naff beyond all telling. You can now see what kind of things are on offer on expat TV, can't you. Stuff I would never normally watch in a million years. I have now found much better fare to settle down to, however! DW

New Book: Finance for the Non Financial Manager

I have submitted my manuscript to my publisher now for my latest book: Finance for the Non Financial Manager. This will be book available online at www.bookboon.com and I will post the direct URL once I know what it is: shouldn't be too long. The business model for www.bookboon.com is that some books are free of charge and others have to be paid for: I have no idea which is which as I type this but it will be obvious once it's uploaded. In any case, the books are not expensive. There are special offers too which means that sometimes a premu, paid for book, is suddenly free of charge for a while ... worth watching out for. Remember, my 3 volume set Excel solutions for Accountants has already been on sale at www.bookboon.com since the end of June 2015 and not only is it selling well but the reviews are fantastic! My page on ww.bookboon.com is here: Duncan Williamson Author Happy reading: there are many exercises and Excel files in the package too ... it really is good value! DW

Happy New Year

I know the weather has been bad in lots of places but the Christmas holidays have been and gone now for most people. So as you settle back in at work or college or even at home, here's wishing you a happy new year 2016.

DW

Weather Forecast? Far From it

Before Christmas I called my old friend Malcolm in Halifax for a chat and we talked about this and that,  as usual.

Since he has no real idea of where I am living and what it's like, he asks me questions about all sorts of things, including the weather.

I told him it was winter now, the dry season: it probably won't rain again until April next year, possibly, I said. Oh! He said.

Of course, within two hours of ending the call, we had at least an hour of solid rain here!!!

DW

New Video! -

Turkmenistan

I have arrived in Ashkhabad,  Turkmenistan and first impressions are favourable.

A lot of white marble buildings: new and modern looking. Good roads with lots of nice looking cars.

My trip from the airport to the hotel showed that most cars are Toyota,  BMW, Lexus with a smattering of Lady and Niva.

It's already dark so I will see the lie of the land in more detail in the morning.

DW

New Video! -

three dice

My Queuing Experience

I need someone to study me and my queues. I really am the man in the post office whose queue grinds to a halt while all others move swiftly.

For example, I am at passport control now and just after I joined my queue the woman at the desk in my queue had a problem. The next person had a five minute problem. In the meantime the next queue along that I had intended to join has moved so quickly that the couple who started queuing there at the same time as me are long gone.

I could bore you with more but you really wouldn't believe me!

DW

When is it Time to Apologise to a Fish?

I am sorry my piscatorial friends because I have failed you! We have a 1,300 litre fish tank in the front garden and although it is the rainy season, the water was at about half the level it could be. Last night I decided to top up the tank a little to get some fresh, oxygenated water in there. I forgot I had done that and left the water running. At 2 am the mother in law, who lives next door, heard our water pump going on and on and got out of bed and stopped the water. In the meantime at least two fish died: probably because of the cold. One or two went over the overflow as is their wont when the tank is full. So it is time to apologise to those fish that didn't make it through my inadequacy. I don't know how we wandered around the garden last night, as we did, how we didn't hear the pump because it is just outside our bedroom ... So, really sorry for that! DW

Oil Tanker Problem

Introduction

Last night I was finishing off some work when I came across a problem on a help site: the problem had been posted in December 2014 and hadn't been answered. I realise that 9 months is a long time but I wanted to understand the problem and see if I could provide a solution: I did both!

One of the difficulties with the problem as stated was that the questioner asked for a nested IF solution, He insisted. Other people tried to help him and he duly provided a mock up of his worksheet for us all. Again he talked about a nested IF statement solution and even provided one ... that he freely admitted didn't work.

The problem is this:

• there are two oil storage tanks and oil is first measured by means of a dip stick which is then used to estimate the amount of oil in the tanks


• the oil is stored for days at a time and each day new oil is added


• every now and again, though, the tanks are drained

He said that by taking the differences between opening and closing stocks for each day he can estimate the amount of oil added; and by adding together the results for the two tanks he gets overall additions for a day.

Good!

Then he says the problem comes when the tanks are drained ... his calculation shows a negative result for dranage day!

I translated his graphic into a worksheet and here it is.

The question is: can you solve his problem?



This table starts in B7 and in L11 there is a formula: =E11-E10+H11-H10

That formula is then filled down to the end of the table, day 31 in cell L41

You can see the problem clearly in the second part of the table, day 27 , where they have drained the first tank overnight:



That's it: I solved this problem ... can you? Let me know and I will share my solution. If you ask, you must tell me what you did to try to solve it. No try, no get! ;)

Duncan Williamson

A Hawk for Breakfast in Muscat

I was sitting at my computer at 7:15 this morning when I heard a rap on the window. Since I am on the 7th floor I was intrigued so I got up to take a look and look at what was there. I have never seen a bird like this in the wild before and here it was sitting on my window sill. I was really keen not to worry it so I carefully moved around and made a short video and took some photos with my phone. Then I got my big camera on the job and took the photos you see here. The problem is that between me and the bird was a dirty window which has made the photos a bit grainy. Never mind, one of them looks pretty good in spite of that. The bird saw me, by the way, but it was confident enough to stay with me and it was still there after 20 - 25 minutes as I went for breakfast. By the time I got back to the room it was eating the bird it had caught and that was firmly held in its left claw. Notice the feathers sticking to its beak: from breakfast! DW

VW Beetles

Take a look at these photos: a very smart looking VW Beetle parked in the centre of Bangkok this afternoon. It looks as if the car has been fully restored to its original condition. Just look at the wheels, however. I'm not an expert so cannot comment on the rest. DW

Another Top Tip

It'a long time since I offered a top tip but you might need this one: Before you go try to through the glass French windows onto your patio or balcony make sure they are open first. DW

Free Pizza ... OK, free page that talks about a Pizza!

I have managed to create another page on my revamped web site. It's about the wonders that can unfurl any management accountant who ventures into a kitchen ... Take a look ... http://www.duncanwil.co.uk/manacc_kitch.html DW

Some as big as yer 'ead!

I am in Brunei again and this afternoon I went for a walk. I saw some interesting buildings but didn't take any photos.

I saw some interesting tree/vegetation combinations but didn't take any photos.

I saw the body of a young dead cat and didn't take any photos.

But I had to take photos of the biggest fungi I have ever seen. Take a look. See my size 47 foot to get some idea of how big these fungi are!

DW

It's Back ... www.duncanwil.co.uk

What do I mean it's back? It's been there since July 2001! That was true until about two weeks ago when I deleted the entire site. I decided that it was too hotch potch. I was locked out of it by my site host who couldn't or wouldn't give me the password to let me back in ... so I got rid of all of the old stuff and decided to start again. The home page is there and there is one technical page so far: a page in the Excel section on Sparklines: http://www.duncanwil.co.uk/sparklines.html At this stage I am not sure I've got a grand plan for the site but I am concentrating on getting it to look right first. I want to create a look that is timeless and that if I do change, it will be easy to change site wide. I am using Adobe Muse as my site developer and it's a cracking bit of software I have to say. There are just a couple of niggles with it but generally I like it. One of the key things for me and my site was the navigation panel. That sometimes took as long to update as updating the pages. In Muse that's done automatically. The sitemap is automatic. Organising files and photos is automatic. That's a real bonus for me. Well, there you are. Up to date again! DW

Goodness, it's August Already

Just came back from a trip and my sponsor paid my taxi fare from airport to hotel.

Well, I gave them the receipt for airport to hotel and they doubled it to cover that and the return journey.

Just my luck that this morning's return taxi was a metred car. So, budget was smashed and instead of breaking even, I ended up paying one third of the fares myself.

DW

New Video! -

Schedule for August - November 2015

If you are in the market to be trained in financial modelling and/or International Financial Reporting Standards, take a look at my schedule of public courses for the next few months. I might be coming to a town near you! Just write to me here, comment/respond; and I will refer you to the sponsoring company for details and to get you signed up. Looking forward to seeing you soon! DW