Tuesday, September 20, 2011

I'm meeting Angel Investor tonight. Lotus plan to use Hethel Engineering Centre as Research Centre

I'm off to St Albans (outside London,UK) today. They are having a talk by Angel investors. The founder of Angelsden.co.uk. has asked me to meet him afterwards.
I'm not sure I'm ready for funding yet. I look forward to chatting to him and another Angel Mandy who have asked to meet me outside of the actual talk.
I see that Group Lotus are hopeful of getting more government (UK) money.
EDP24 have written the following.

The Hethel Engineering Centre would also be at the heart of the vision, becoming the firm’s centre of applied research.


This fits in with my plan.

I have a contact in a business school. Apparently there are lecturers who want to put their names to my proposal. Have to see how that pans out.

Apparently, Johor Circuit is not for sale. I can work around that. Singapore might be better equipped for what I want to do. The Campus could be in the edu hub in Johor with working arrangements with the local circuits.

One step at a time...

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Linkedin

Today I checked out Linkedin. My brochure was a subject of most discussed on Linkedin a few weeks ago.
I looked up some old names.
I see Doug Chester is at Lotus. Doug last saw me outside a gym in KL and said "Hello you fat bastard." Previously I was supposed to meet him in a bar after work. I arrived at about 5pm and waited till 10pm. Apparently he turned up at 10.30pm. No apology. A pretty important person.
Another person I saw was Dave Fryatt. Dave was a pretty young detailer in Trafford house. He works for Doug I assume.
My old boss at QED is still there I would think. He emailed me daily and phoned me weekly when I was in Lotus. He was desperate to get a job. QED went bankrupt. I put in several recs to employ him, but Kevin (General Manager) was not in need of his services.
John (my direct boss for a time at Lotus) hired him after I had been laid off. John appears to be his hero. They have similar lives outside of work. Each to his own.
I stayed with Mick (in KL) for a couple of weeks at his request, and couldn't wait to get away.
There is another expat who I had a constant problem with. Again he was close friends with John. He could just go to John, and he could do whatever he liked. I don't miss him at all!
So I have to say, I have no-one in Lotus Malaysia who I would call a close personal friend. They are corporate relationships. Each man for himself.
I will return shortly. Of that I'm sure.
This project is bigger than any individual. It will be a success. It will make a positive difference to peoples lives, and will be a financial success. Thats enough for me.

Friday, September 16, 2011

Today I googled Motorsport University Malaysia

Today, I google Motorsport University Malaysia, My site came up fourth on the list when I got to Uni... so that is good.
Above my site when I clicked Motorsport University was this site!
http://motorsport.smcuniversity.com/

It appears to be a Swiss Uni. I am not sure of it's accreditation. It offers online learning.

When I first mooted this idea in 2001 only Cranfield offered specific Motorsport courses at Masters level.

Dave Taitt and Glyn Owen were working in parallel to me. Dave Taitt now chairs the Hethel Engineering Centre.
My immediate management in Malaysia showed no interest in persuing this. In fact just before I left a rather rotund and egotistical member of the management team berated me for about half an hour in front of a local member of staff.
To this day, I have not succeeded in convincing Group Lotus that this is a good idea. Shame!
Once again, I read Joe Saward today.
Here is a portion of his article on McLaren.

McLaren powers ahead of new technical centre
September 16, 2011 by joesaward

It will also accommodate spaces for teaching and training, which will enable McLaren to play a significant role in developing new and advanced technical engineering skills in partnership with local schools and colleges.

I have to think that one day soon (It's been a decade!) the people at Group will forget their ego's and embrace a very sensible and financially viable idea. (Even if it is a little outside the box.)

As a CSR project I have written a Childrens book, it is presently being graphically enhanced. The royalties will go to a local (Basildon, Essex) charity.

The Title will be:
Innocence lost in the Ice Cream Forest.


It will be available on Kindle.
Buy a copy it is going to a very good cause...
More on that when it is completed.
Enjoy the weekend

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Green Technology. Online Learning. Sport...

Today, I read a Joe Saward blog on green technolgy in F1.

Why F1 is heading hybrid
August 31, 2011 by joesaward

There are already some hybrid technology in F1, with Williams’s relationships with Porsche and Jaguar and the new link between Team Lotus and General Electric seems to be heading down the same path. And even Ferrari, which is not in favour of electric cars, is putting KERS into its latest models.

The times are changing – and F1 needs to keep up.

Green technology is a growing field (sorry about that). Enviromentmental agency's abound. Lawyers specialise in environmental law.

The site I have identified in the USA has permission to be turned into a solar farm, obviously the site has the potential for track and academic studies as well.

http://www.cbre.com/USA/US/CA/South+Bay+LA/Property/hondatesttrack.htm?pageid=2

http://motorsportuniversitymalaysia.com/index.php?id=29

Honda Proving Grounds | For Sale
What a lovely synergy!


CB Ellis still have the site for sale.

I have had some interesting feedback in recent weeks. The UK has a free research centre I have utilised!

Mark my researcher recently sent me this site to check.

http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm

Statistically since year 2000, internet usage has grown 480.4 %

30.2 % of the worlds population has internet access.

360,985,492 people had internet access in year 2000 today that figure is 2,095,006,005

This why I feel that online study is so important. It crosses borders. It makes the revenue stream potentially huge.

My dad spends about £ 55 on Sky TV, a subscription service that delivers programming over the internet and Satellite.

Why does he pay so much? He has two tv's... loves sports... and likes the Gold channel that shows old programming. Fortuneately he can afford it!

Thats about £600 per year for a subscription.

Interestingly, you can study online for £3000 and get a degree. So over three years, this is only £400 per year more than my dad spends on SKY!
http://www.rdi.co.uk/about-us-%7C-distance-learning.html

I would expect the on Campus portion of the learning experience to be far more expensive.

I must say that Phoenix University in the states charge far more than this for full online degrees.

Sadly, we aren't opening for business next week! Maybe next year...