New issue of 'Balance'

[Northerner]

Just got my new issue. A little disappointing, for me, but then I'm probably not part of the bulk of their intended audience. I do enjoy reading Arthur Smith's article though, and this time he has a go at The Nurse', with a response pretty similar to my own Disgusted nurse gets just desserts

There's also a letter complaining about the Flora Heart Age calculator, which some of you may remember I wrote about some time ago, how it automatically condemns you if you admit you have diabetes without taking into account your levels of control etc. The response from the editor, to look at the article 'The Magic Numbers', does not respond to the complaint in the letter at all, so I am writing to tell them what my findings were.

Apart from that,there's another boring poem and they don't mention the forum address (although they do mention that they 'support' a forum). They seem much more interested in pushing their Facebook group. I've nothing against Facebook, but I don't really like it and often find it difficult and unintuitive to use - I tried to update my status on it the other day, and every time I pressed 'Update' it came up with another box telling me about some new feature. I gave up in the end.

There's some general stuff about 'Back to Basics', but a lot of it reads like filler to me. Apart form Arthur, not impressed.
Bi-monthly rant over!

 

[SacredHeart]

Argh, well, I suppose that will be waiting for me tomorrow when I get back to my flat.

No mention of us AGAIN? Seriously, what do we have to do to get a plug? I really can't stand the facebook group. I'm a fan of DUK (only in the facebook sense most of the time these days!) and the discussions on there really depress me, for the most part.

It'll be good to read Arthur Smith having a go at She-who-must-not-be-named (probably for legal reasons 😉) I do enjoy his column, I must say.

 

[Northerner]

Since I've joined Twitter I've noticed that they are very active on there. Maybe it's because the forum doesn't really give them much option of promoting their own web pages and fundraising efforts. They used to supply us with news updates for the 'In the News' section, but stopped when Kati Admin went on maternity, so maybe the DUK contact has forgotten about us. A forum isn't as sexy as FB and twitter though, is it? Might investigate the FB group though, I'm intrigued about the representation, particulary the age demographic.

There's a lot to be said for DUK mainly leaving us alone to get on with things, but it would be nice if they just offered us a bit more promotion - this place changes people's lives🙂

The only thing they could do worse is replace Arthur with Ronnie Corbett or Bruce Forsythe!

 

[SacredHeart]

The only thing they could do worse is replace Arthur with Ronnie Corbett or Bruce Forsythe!

😱No....please.....no! 😱

 

[Einstein]

My Rant....

My copy arrived before my double visit to my diabetic consultant and my GP's diabetic nurse, well, I don't think she's diabetic... Checked my feet, asked my weight (had just been told it seeing the consultant), took my blood pressure and failed on two accounts to take blood having realised my liver and kidney functions hadn't been checked for a year.

Overall it was good morning, Bruce really enjoyed himself, but doesn't like it when they get the needle out to take blood, even though he knows it's from me!

Balance and DUK

What a jumbled mess this magazine is. If they're getting back to basics, why not present it in a clear, concise manner, rather than the over the top style it is 'delivered' in.

Isn't it about time there is one design theme that flows through the magazine, making it easier on the eye to read? Perhaps they could do the same to the content as well? All the boxes of different styles on a single page is just a distraction, nevermind the background/border graphics in parts of the magazine, making a serious topic look like the scrapbook of a six year old.

Seemingly they still aren't listening to their members, oops, subscribers 🙄
about content or anything else.

The magazine contradicts itself on the numbers in one article a type 2 adult 2 hours after eating should be sub 8mmol and in another article it's 8.5mmol - that's just one that jumped out, BUT the whole point of this issue is about the numbers and back to basics.

It seems to be a good track record this editor is building in doing nothing of any use for diabetics or the publication, yet again the letters page is raising objections and complaints about previous letters, I must have missed the last copy, or did I? Clearly it made a profound impact on me if I did read it.

On seeing the 'Research Notes' I almost got excited for a fraction of a second, thinking DUK was actually going to tell me where the countless millions of pounds they pump into research goes to over the years and more importantly what comes out of that research. No such luck, it was research from around the world, nothing at all to do with DUK.

Facebook is an easy way for them to hook into people to join their campaigns, erm, raising money to pay their salaries, what they should be using these numbers for is to join serious campaigns such as ensuring all type 2's have test strips, meters and know how to use them, DAFNE/carb counting courses are made available to all applicable diabetics, the list can go on. We're just the ones with the condition and who live with it daily.

My personal perspective of Facebook is people will join anything just to look busy or popular - is that a tad harsh? Oh well... NEXT!

But no, there are other things of far greater importance, only I don't know what they are as DUK doesn't seem to tell to whole world, only pockets they see fit.

I have just visited DUKs website and on their home page in RED is the word CAMPAIGNING. So I went hunting for what campaigns DUK were currently fighting and expecting us to join in and support them on.

Take a look at the huge list they've got on this link http://www.diabetes.org.uk/Get_involved/Campaigning/Current-campaigns/ or perhaps there is a problem with my browser and it's not showing the invisible ones?... Surely there must be something they can campaign for, or are they so top secret we're not allowed to know?

Will somebody please put the coffee on, so at least they can smell it?

Someone needs to take control of this whole event; I think I've only got two copies left to receive before my membership expires. To be honest, I can't wait.

 

[Northerner]

Good rant David🙂 Following the link you gave I once again found myself hopping hither and thither to disparate and chanced-upon links, with little info gleaned from each link. I read a good book a while ago called 'Don't Make Me Think', all about website design and how to make it an accessible, intuitive and enjoyable experience - i.e. not one that makes yo have to pause and consider each click and then wonder where you are, how you got there and how can you get back to that vaguely interesting thing you saw earlier without a thousand moremouse clicks. It only cost me a few pounds for the book and the examples given show that it is not that difficult to achieve. They could have bought two copies for the cost of one person's DUK membership for a year...

Although, that's DUK - getting back to Balance, I agree about the layout - it's like the early days of WP when people when crazy with fonts and clipart just because they could. Perhaps they should skin through a couple of copies of Sweet?

 

[am64]

Good rant David🙂 Following the link you gave I once again found myself hopping hither and thither to disparate and chanced-upon links, with little info gleaned from each link. I read a good book a while ago called 'Don't Make Me Think', all about website design and how to make it an accessible, intuitive and enjoyable experience - i.e. not one that makes yo have to pause and consider each click and then wonder where you are, how you got there and how can you get back to that vaguely interesting thing you saw earlier without a thousand moremouse clicks. It only cost me a few pounds for the book and the examples given show that it is not that difficult to achieve. They could have bought two copies for the cost of one person's DUK membership for a year...

Although, that's DUK - getting back to Balance, I agree about the layout - it's like the early days of WP when people when crazy with fonts and clipart just because they could. Perhaps they should skin through a couple of copies of Sweet?

whats WP northe?

 

[Northerner]

whats WP northe?

Word Processing. Gah! Now you've made me write it in full, I knew I should have done it the first time!😉

 

[Einstein]

Although, that's DUK - getting back to Balance, I agree about the layout - it's like the early days of WP when people when crazy with fonts and clipart just because they could. Perhaps they should skin through a couple of copies of Sweet?

Sweet is beginning to grow on me, not entirely sure, the articles seem to taste of commercialisation, I don't think they are, but things feel 'paid for' rather than being of genuine educational value/purpose.

That said, it is evolving nicely, clearly they seem to listen and adapt.

I did nearly say the Balance looked like some of the early DTP attempts from PageMaker or the likes in the 80's/90's there is a design rule I was always told about '2 fonts maximum on a page' Otherwise the term was it looked like the 'Liverpool Echo' (with oodles of fonts per page).

The DUK website doesn't flow - the front page as I said had 'Campains' in BOLD RED type but it wasn't an active link, I had to put my miners helmet on and go diving into the depths of the DUK website to find anything - no point using the search button, it searches on someone elses website, perhaps in Hungarian 🙄

Anyway, what do we know? Perhaps they could take a look at what my dog can do in terms of web design, he might get a job 😱 www.debrucie.co.uk
Hehe

 

[Einstein]

Word Processing. Gah! Now you've made me write it in full, I knew I should have done it the first time!😉

Not wishing to split hairs Northerner Sir Admin jr. but it was really DTP (DeskTop Publishing) that put design and layout of pages on the computer in anything like a professional setup

Clearly DUK only have the free version of whatever it is, no manual and obviously no training or... ok. I'll stop there 😎

 

[Northerner]

DTP! That's what I meant to say instead of WP, but memories of early experiences obviously expunged it from my conscious mind...😱

Nice website Bruce!🙂

 

[am64]

Word Processing. Gah! Now you've made me write it in full, I knew I should have done it the first time!😉

ohhh soz i thought it was and early version of SWP (socialst workers party)What?????

 

[aymes]

No mention of us AGAIN? Seriously, what do we have to do to get a plug? I really can't stand the facebook group. I'm a fan of DUK (only in the facebook sense most of the time these days!) and the discussions on there really depress me, for the most part.

I find myself fetting frustrated with the duk facebook group. Can't quite put my finger on exactly what it is that irritates me though, I think maybe it's just that the facebook format just isn't particularly well suited for that sort of thing. It is a shame they're promoting that site far more than this one. When I do go on there I usually find myself replying to people suggesting they visit here!

Still at my mums house from Christmas so it looks like I'll have balance to greet me when I return tomorrow then, hmmm, can hardly wait.

 

[Einstein]

I find myself fetting frustrated with the duk facebook group. Can't quite put my finger on exactly what it is that irritates me though, I think maybe it's just that the facebook format just isn't particularly well suited for that sort of thing. It is a shame they're promoting that site far more than this one. When I do go on there I usually find myself replying to people suggesting they visit here!

I think follow like sheep is perhaps applicable with Facebook?

 

[Vanessa]

I am glad you all have beaten me to it in terms of a good rant! If the issue is supposed to cover basics then as Einstein points out they can't even be consistent within the magazine about 2-hour post meal targets for Type 2s. I found the whole thing confused and confusing - a really poor advert for the organisation.

 

[SacredHeart]

I think follow like sheep is perhaps applicable with Facebook?

I don't think that's necessarily fair or true. On the whole, I love Facebook. I think it's great for a lot of things. I'm just not sure what it is that's so infuriating about that particular page.

 

[Einstein]

I don't think that's necessarily fair or true. On the whole, I love Facebook. I think it's great for a lot of things. I'm just not sure what it is that's so infuriating about that particular page.

I made my comment in general about facebook, I'm not the greatest fan as I think it exposes too much about people unless they are really on the ball with how to protect themselves. And when that person may not even know they are on there it's unreasonable. But then there is nothing new about Facebooks lack of privacy. And it's been something I've watched for a long time from a professional angle.

My comment was that the word seems to be spread quickly by facebook users, even though they may not directly support the cause, there appears [in many cases] to be a contest between friends as to who is involved with the most people/organisations.

People with whom I'm a contact having other contacts attempting to contact/become friends with me also annoys me on these sites.

I can't comment on Twitter or other 'social networking' sites as they were coming onboard as I was moving on from needing to be concerned about all of this.

Hope that explains/expands some of my comments.

The point Northerner made earlier about application installations is another area that concerns me and I agree entirely with him on, a seemingly harmless 'look at this' ends up you're opening or launching something else - what, why, who, when?? It can get very baffling.

Perhaps there is too much smoke and mirrors for us older'ish ones 🙄

Surely social is a little more than sitting in front of our laptops in the evening? What happened to a pint with your mates down the local? That's social and you get a far better picture of people when you're face to face. You can't socialise with a keyboard or a webcam 🙄

Grumpy old man signing out

 

[PhilT]

I got my copy of Balance today but haven't looked at it yet.

 

[Einstein]

I got my copy of Balance today but haven't looked at it yet.

I wouldn't rush 🙄

 

[SacredHeart]

I made my comment in general about facebook, I'm not the greatest fan as I think it exposes too much about people unless they are really on the ball with how to protect themselves. And when that person may not even know they are on there it's unreasonable. But then there is nothing new about Facebooks lack of privacy. And it's been something I've watched for a long time from a professional angle.

My comment was that the word seems to be spread quickly by facebook users, even though they may not directly support the cause, there appears [in many cases] to be a contest between friends as to who is involved with the most people/organisations.

People with whom I'm a contact having other contacts attempting to contact/become friends with me also annoys me on these sites.

I can't comment on Twitter or other 'social networking' sites as they were coming onboard as I was moving on from needing to be concerned about all of this.

Hope that explains/expands some of my comments.

The point Northerner made earlier about application installations is another area that concerns me and I agree entirely with him on, a seemingly harmless 'look at this' ends up you're opening or launching something else - what, why, who, when?? It can get very baffling.

Perhaps there is too much smoke and mirrors for us older'ish ones 🙄

Surely social is a little more than sitting in front of our laptops in the evening? What happened to a pint with your mates down the local? That's social and you get a far better picture of people when you're face to face. You can't socialise with a keyboard or a webcam

🙂 Different strokes as they say. I love facebook for a lot of things. I've lived in a whole bunch of places, and it helps me keep in touch with people I would struggle to otherwise, time wise, financially, etc. I guess I'm not your average user in a lot of ways though. I don't add people unless I really WANT to be in touch with them. I don't play a lot of the games. I only support causes that I actually care about and might be able to get involved with.

I also think it's a good way of organising events and what have you. Plus we have FB groups for shows that work is doing, and we use it for networking.

On the flip side though, I do get annoyed with a lot of groups, idiocy and poor grammar/spelling (although that annoys me everywhere, not just on FB!) 🙄

I guess it's like any other form of techology, and it's all well and good as long as you use it in a way that is beneficial to you! 🙂