The Apprentice 2012 – Third Episode Today – Week Three

Today, the third episode of The Apprentice 2012 will be aired on BBC One at 9pm.  In the last week episodes, which you can read about here, here and here, we saw the fall of two apprentices:

Week One said good bye to – Bilyana Apostolova – Bulgarian block of flats – Watch her audition here

Week Two said good bye to – Sleepy Maria O’Conner – Watch her audition here

The last episode (week two) was a good challenge.  The Boy’s team Phoenix and the Girl’s team Sterling went head to head to design a new house hold gadget.  Team Phoenix won the challenge by creating an echo bin for the kitchen or a compost bin.  Team Sterling, as usual, were pretty much all over the place.  Their invention was something called Splish Splosh for the bathroom when given kids a bath – it was simply a screen to protect the water from splashing everywhere.  It failed and so did the tem.  In the end, sleepy Maria lacked ambition and enthusiasm which made her lazy and sleepy (if you watched this episode you’ll know what I mean) and Lord Alan Sugar fired her.

Team Sterling were lucky to have one out of three fired, as it seemed at the time that Lord Alan Sugar was prepared to fire two people or even the three of them – that’s how poor their performance was.

Team Phoenix had their fair share of problems too.  Project Manager Azhar made a good decision to keep with their idea of echo kitchen bin, despite growing opposition from their sub group – who had other ideas.  In the end, the boys decided to praise Duane who came up with the idea as opposed to the Project Manager Azhar who managed the team and produced a win.  This was indeed an embarrassing moment for Azhar who was laughed at when he decided to correct the boys and make them aware that the win came about not just with the product but with this management.

Today’s episode will see, both team mix for the first time.  The task is for both teams to ‘create’ and ‘market’ a new condiment brand.  This will be time when both teams will need to put their creative culinary skills to the test in the kitchen.

Having the benefit of watching the last two episodes, I’ve got a pretty good idea of what to expect.  Considering this task is more natural to the girl’s team – as it includes cooking.  I strongly believe the girl’s team (or whichever team has majority girls) will come through this and win.

What do you think?

Anyway, I’d like to leave you with a video below of some funny bits on the last episode.  See you all tonight at 9pm on BBC One.

The Apprentice 2012 – Second Episode Today – Week Two

Today, the second episode of The Apprentice 2012 will be aired on BBC One at 9pm.  In the Last week episode, which you can read about here and here, we saw the rise of many apprentices and the fall of one Bilyana Apostolova.

Although looking back at her performance compared to her ‘Sterling’ team mates, she didn’t do that bad, but she made the fatal mistake of opening her mouth when Lord Alan Sugar told the three remaining contestants in the boardroom to ‘shat-it’.

When the man says “it’s my time to talk, shut it and I don’t want to hear anything from anyone” he means it and at that point ‘silence’ is the key.  For Bilyana silence was a weakness and she rose to challenge Lord Alan Sugar in speaking at him while he tried to utter some words.  In the end, Bilyana – the Bulgarian block of flats came tumbling down – and she was fired.

Today’s episode is a slightly tricky one, at least compared to last episode.   Lord Alan Sugar will address the candidates in Victoria and Albert Museum, where he will ask both teams, Phoenix and Sterling, to ‘invent’ a new household gadget.  Their invention will then need to be pitched in front of the country’s biggest retailers.

In today’s task, the key is to find a ‘gap’ in the market, as the task is to ‘invent’ a ‘new household gadget’.  Re-inventing the wheel (so to speak) will simply not do.

Going by my gut-instinct I think Sterling, the Girl’s team will do well in inventing a new gadget, since in the last episode they did have some creative people amongst them.  That said, the key to this task as well as inventing a new gadget is the sales pitch and Phoenix, the Boy’s team seemed to have strong candidates in sales such as ‘reflection of perfection’ and ‘Master puppeteer’.

What do you think?

Anyway, I’d like to leave you with a video below of some funny bits on the last episode.  See you all tonight at 9pm on BBC One.

The Apprentice 2012 – First Episode Today

Today, the first episode of the much awaited ‘The Apprentice 2012’ will be aired on BBC One at 9pm.  I use the words ‘much awaited’ as this is a unscripted TV series which I have waited for since the last 2011 series.

I always make an effort to ‘check out’ the the apprentices before the programme is aired, just spend a few minutes reading their statements of how perfect they are.  Doing this, just gives you an idea of the type of person you will see on TV.  Some will be smart, some over the top, some totally clueless and some who simply rub you and everyone else up the wrong way.

So, to save you the hassle of digging up about the apprentices, I have done all the hard work and put together some information, so you too can get to know the bright future of UK business entrepreneurs.

As I said in my first post in this space, that I hope to share my views, opinions and comments following each episode that is aired, so find this as an introduction to the apprentices and how they sell themselves – with a talk of a ‘blond assassin’ to ‘..roar my way to the top’ to personalities stating ‘I’m quite good-looking’, it’s a mixture of all elements in the same grinder and definitely in for explosive moments:

The Girls:

Name: Bilyana Apostolova
Age: 25
Job: Risk analyst
Lives: London
Interests: Dancing, baking and travelling
About her: She started her career as an entrepreneur selling snails on her grandparents’ farm in Bulgaria.
She says: ‘I got myself from a Communist block of flats in Bulgaria to the top of a skyscraper in the heart of the City of London.’

Name: Gabrielle Omar
Age: 29
Job: Architect
Lives: London
Interests: Travelling – she once visited 13 different countries in a year.
About her: Her first job was working in her parents’ fish and chip shop when she was 14.
She says: ‘When it comes to business I can be like an animal and I will roar my way to the top.’

Name: Jade Nash
Age: 29
Job: Business development manager
Lives: Bedfordshire
Interests: Going to the gym and watching drag racing
About her: She is a former 18-30 rep and worked at her parents’ caravan park while she was growing up.
She says: ‘What I want is to be able to retire when I’m 45, but I’m such a workaholic that I’ll probably carry on until I’m 80.’

Name: Maria O’Connor
Age: 20
Job: Restaurateur
Lives: Kent
Interests: Shopping and socialising
About her: She opened her own Greek restaurant when she was 19.
She says: ‘If you chuck me in the deep end I’ll swim, I won’t sink.’

Name: Jenna Whittingham
Age: 25
Job: Beauty salon owner
Lives: Lancashire
Interests: Showjumping – she competed at the Wembley 1998 Horse of the Year Show.
About her: She has never been away from home for longer than a week and cannot cook or clean.
She says: ‘My personality and character is once seen, never forgotten.’

Name: Katie Wright
Age: 26
Job: Editorial and research director
Lives: London
Interests: She is a devoted fan of Fulham Football Club.
About her: Her first job was as a pot-washer in a French restaurant when she was 13.
She says: ‘I would call myself The Blonde Assassin. I let people under-estimate me just so I can blow them out of the water.’

Name: Laura Hogg
Age: 28
Job: Bridal shop owner
Lives: Glasgow
Interests: Winter sports.
About her: She once skated with Torvill and Dean.
She says: ‘I am going to be one of Scotland’s next big exports.’

Name: Jane McEvoy
Age: 28
Job: Co-founder of food manufacturing company
Lives: Kilkenny, Ireland
Interests: Animals
About her: She played hockey and camogie – an all-female version of hurling – for her province and county respectively.
She says: ‘Anything is achievable if you have drive, determination, and a seriously good work ethic.’

The Boys:

Name: Adam Corbally
Age: 32
Job: Market trader
Lives: Derbyshire
Interests: Swimming, football and cycling
About him: He started stacking shelves and now runs a wholesale fruit and veg business.
He says: ‘I get too excited, but that shows my passion, it shows my drive and it shows my ability.’

Name: Azhar Siddique
Age: 33
Job: Founder and managing director of catering and refrigeration company
Lives: Manchester
Interests: His two pet sharks
About him: He says he is inspired by Ikea and its founder, Invgar Kamprad.
He says: ‘It’s not who shouts the loudest, it’s who has the ability to control the conversation.’

Name: Duane Bryan
Age: 29
Job: Founder/director of drinks distribution company
Lives: Manchester
Interests: Going to bars and clubbing
About him: He is a have-a-go hero after he chased and caught a hit-and-run driver trying to flee the scene of a crash.
He says: ‘I am a winner and I am a fighter. In order to be the best you’ve got to beat the best.’

Name: Michael Copp
Age: 31
Job: Managing director of kitchen and bedroom furniture retailer
Lives: London
Interests: Fishing, walking and boxing
About him: He left school at 15 but now wishes he had stayed in education.
He says: ‘I’m better than unique; I’m naturally gifted in business.’

Name: Nick Holzherr
Age: 25
Job: Technology entrepreneur
Lives: Birmingham
Interests: Playing squash, snowboarding and cooking.
About him: He earned money as a nine-year-old by selling golf balls back to golfers.
He says: ‘I’ve got lots of ideas, I know how to whittle them down into ideas that will work and I’ve got what it takes to make them actually happen.’

Name: Ricky Martin
Age: 26
Job: Recruitment team leader
Lives: Hampshire
Interests: Bodybuilding and wrestling
About him: He moonlights as a professional wrestler at nights and at the weekend.
He says: ‘I truly am the reflection of perfection.’

Name: Stephen Brady
Age: 33
Job: National sales manager
Lives: Vienna, Austria
Interests: Learning languages
About him: He once played in the FA Cup as a semi-professional footballer.
He says: ‘Enthusiasm is a huge asset of mine and I believe it’s caught and not taught.’

Name: Tom Gearing
Age: 23
Job: Director of a fine wine investment company
Lives: London
Interests: Watching West Ham and going to gigs.
About him: He says he can be over-confident and does not like early mornings.
He says: ‘I’m confident, charismatic and some people say I’m quite good-looking, so that adds to the bill.’

Fuel Prices fiasco

An e-petition signed by 110,000 people (including me) was debated in the house of commons today.  I have been following this news all day today in the hope that some good and in the interest of the general public may well be the result.  I am afraid to say I am more disappointed now than I was before.

I’m left totally confused and baffled with the outcome of this debate.  Robert Halfon said the government must show it is one “that cuts taxes for millions of British people and not just for millionaires”.  The government approved it BUT without a vote meaning it’s not binding on ministers.  I then beg the question “why was it even debated if the outcome was going to be nothing?”

Families, commuters, small and medium size businesses who depend on their vehicles daily are struggling to survive as it is.  To make matters worse an extra 3p a litre fuel duty is expected in January 2012 – resulting an extra £1.50 to fill an average car.  It’s a credit crunch, the economy has shrunk and there is no sign of economic growth and with the closure of so many public and private sector unemployment is at record level yet we are expected to pay more at the pumps.  Is it me or has the government lost the plot all together.

See the breakdown and cost of petrol and diesel below:

There is talk for ministers to consider whether the UK tax rates are economically competitive, the impact they are having on economic growth and unemployment and to device a “fair fuel stabiliser” mechanism for the future – as we all well know that before anything is really done about this (if anything at all) the UK business, families and all others who depend on their vehicles would be at the brink of collapse.

Overall – the day started positively but ended disastrously for both the UK economy and  millions of British people, I was expecting the government and ministers to really help us out here and to really understand our situation(s).  But unfortunately like everything else we have been left to fight for ourselves and ahead lies more trouble and turbulent times.

I guess it’s now time to downgrade and exchange my Range Rover for a Nissan Micra.

 

The governments don’t rule the world. Goldman Sachs rules the world – Alessio Rastani

The governments don’t rule the world. Goldman Sachs rules the world – Alessio Rastani:  By The British Asian Blog.

Alessio Rastani dropped a bombshell on BBC New Live.  The Jaws dropped of those in the studio and who were watching live feed.  His frank assessment of who’s really in charge of the global economy.  He further states 12 months from now everything will collapse and especially the Euro Market and that they are moving their money to safer assets – what hit me the most was this claim “This economic crisis is like a cancer … what I’d say to everybody is: get prepared … this is not a time right now [for] wishful thinking that government is gonna sort things out. The governments don’t rule the world. Goldman Sachs rules the world. Goldman Sachs does not care about this rescue package, neither [do] the big funds.” I feel as if I am watching the movie ‘Wall Street – Money never sleeps’ all over again.

If that wasn’t bad he further admits “If I see an opportunity to make money, I go with that … Personally, I’ve been dreaming of this moment for three years. I have a confession, which is, I go to bed every night and I dream of another recession, I dream of another moment like this.”

You need to watch this youtube footage of this.

So here we have it, an early warning from someone well connected, if after watching this video you are like me disorientated, nervous, livid and amused then consider this:  What ‘if’ he is right or partially right can we sit back and ignore the storm ahead of us?  No doubt the environment around us and especially in Europe seems to be heading for another double-dip recession, and to be fair I think worrying times lay ahead.