Day Five: Half Time.

I was lucky this morning. Just as we pulled into the car park I was able to 'run' and get my lift to the other end of the site. If I'd have been literally ten seconds later I would have had the brisk ten minute walk. Things weren't good though. Last night after I'd left the amplifier again blew. So it looked like I wouldn't have anything much to do in the morning.

Well that soon changed after I was informed that someone from my school was coming to check on me. Someone called 'Telly', which I assumed was going to be Kelly. Well there are two ways of looking at this. I could get her to go into the chamber, suddenly close the door and put my knowledge from yesterday to turn it on and fry her. Alternatively I could use the 100 ton crane and dangle her from the ceiling.

Half an hour later the customer told me that the teacher had arrived and was looking in the chamber. So I popped my head around and, well Kelly has certainly 'shrunk'. Ok, it wasn't Kelly but Bunting. Well she was shown around, then had to interview me. She had this annoying form to fill out with stupid questions like, 'Are they treating you like an adult?' I felt like saying, 'No. Every time I get something wrong they beat me with sticks!'

Unfortunately/fortunately (depending on how you look at it) Bunting talked me into considering Electronics A Level. So much that I could do it as a 'fifth subject'. Well I need to give this careful consideration. I'm really enjoying my placement, and do like Electronics (rephrase: do sometimes like...) so it would seem logical to continue with it. I dunno, I'll have to think hard about it.

NOOOOOOOOOO!!! All the sandwiches had sold out in the canteen, so I faced the daunting prospect of eating something which they had cooked in the canteen. Following comments such as, "They give you salmonella," "Lambs' testicles" and, "Tastes absolute carp," I was pleasantly surprised. It was decent, but everyone else said it was unusual to taste ok. In a way it did taste like 'carp', it was fish.

After lunch I did two things. Firstly I had to make some strange A3/A2 sheets A4 sized. This wouldn't seem so bad, except that I had to use a photocopier. This meant copying the large sheets onto two smaller sheets, then sticking them together perfectly (as it was a ma-hous-sive graph) scanning them smaller, then enlarging them to A4 size. Well it took me ages to do the whole thing about fifteen times. Then I got to model the antenna I'm making next week on the computer to predict some of the results and I went home early. WOOOOOOOO...

Day Four: At The Controls.

Damn. I just missed my lift this morning, so had a brisk ten minute stroll through the site wearing my 'Escort Required' pass. The morning was spent doing nothing. The amplifier again had broken, and after an hour of fixing it was connected to the equipment and caught fire. This was really funny because they hadn't even turned the computer on and it burst into flames. Well it could have been worse, then is an awful lot of flammable foam in that chamber.

Lunch was a sandwich, which again was a good choice. I was reliably informed that the hot stuff was 'minging'. The afternoon was better. The chamber was fixed and I got to operate the computer and the turntable. It was really difficult because it has to be run in MS DOS on a 100 MHz, 32 MB RAM PC which is painfully bad, which means typing in rubbish and having to wait an age to see if it likes what you have just typed. But it is seriously cool flipping all the switches and pressing the buttons and then seeing all the stuff moving about. Yeah, I know. I'm easily pleased...

Day Three: Problems On The Horizon.

Before I begin can I just say two things:

1. I am not changing the format of this blog for a while, because it has taken ages to get the current format 'right'. I probably will change it, but not for a few months.
2. Cook asked what do the people I am 'working with' actually do. Well, in a nutshell they test antennas. They need to make sure that the stuff will work as it's meant to, and if necessary will fiddle about with it.

Well when I got there this morning I arrived at the reception, got my pass and then was taken to the building. It makes no sense. The building is possibly as far away as possible from the entrance to the site. Why? Well I began by finishing reading the antenna stuff I was given yesterday. Then there was a lot of waiting for the 'customer' who was watching the tests and then doing the 'fiddling'.

Soon it was lunchtime and down to the canteen. I (again) chose a sandwich, after being informed that it was probably lamb's testicles that were being served. Tasty. After lunch there was the (long) walk back. I was 'given' a laptop to do some modelling on. I had to follow a guide which was rubbish. It was impossible to follow, and no surprise then I messed up. The thing I had drawn was as far away from what I was meant to do as anything. I stopped following the guide, and actually managed to do it. So, based on the wasted hour: screw guides.

To end the day the chamber suddenly stopped working, which was accompanied by a profanity being shouted out. It was pretty funny, the computer just sat there bleeping. Hmmmm. A bit like that till? They must be related. Well after this I left. Another thing that wasn't working was the phones. You can't call to anyone out of the site, and people outside can only contact people on the site through 'Marion who connects them manually'. What does this mean? She runs around with a phone on a long cable every time someone calls?

I've got to say that the work experience isn't that bad, I thought it'd be terrible, but it isn't really...

Day Two Of The Work Experience, Experience.

Today was a bit different to yesterday. The huge radar antenna was just being tested. There wasn't much to do while this was going on. The entire thing is run by computers, which if you are interested (which you probably aren't) run Windows 95. I know! Pretty much twelve years old and still being used for testing. There are Win XP computers, but they don't seem to use them for testing.

Again I had a sandwich for lunch, after someone commented that, "The only thing you'll get free from the canteen is salmonella." No one seems to approve of the canteen, which is really funny because they all eat there.

After lunch there was more testing. I was given what looked like three trees worth of stuff to read, because I will (hopefully) be building my own 'ickle antenna' and testing it in the little anechoic chamber. Well after almost tow hours of solid reading in my office I gave up. I can't read that much in one go, although some of it is stuff which I already have done in (dare I say it?) Electronics. Well you cannot really concentrate when just across from you is a massive three hundred foot radar tower. I'm sure earlier I heard it swaying about pretty violently...

Work Experience: Day One.

Well my two weeks of Work Experience began today. I went to the reception, filled in the form to get my visitor pass and had to wait to be 'escorted' to the building I would be working in. Instead I had to wait for the health and safety woman to bring me to a room with a television to watch the 'Staff Induction Video'. I didn't watch it because I was joining them, but because it had some safety stuff. It seemed a bit of a waste really, the man was blabbering on about the 'Official Secrets Act', and only spent a small amount of time talking about actual safety.

I finally was allowed to go and start and was shown around by the person who I am 'shadowing'. I was shown around the actual building I'd be working in, and was told all the dangers. I hate this part. They only have to do it because people sue each other when something goes wrong. Well after this I was given my own office. Yes, I know. My OWN office. Well to be honest it leaves a lot to be desired, but it is mine for the next two weeks.

After this I actually began doing something. The antenna in the anechoic chamber had to be taken out and replaced with a truly massive radar thing. Well this involved taking a large part of the chamber apart, wheeling in a huge trailer, bolting the antenna to the trailer, wheeling the trailer back out, taking the antenna apart and then taking the trailer apart. This all seems pretty easy, but it took all morning to do. Also it required the use of the massive crane in the room outside the chamber. The crane runs along the ceiling and the hook comes down and picks the heavy stuff up. I say heavy, and mean heavy. It can pick up 100 tons, and there was this small metal bracket which looked really light to me - but on the side it have 300kg!

Well it was time for lunch in the canteen. My Dad told me the food was dodgy and so did the people who I was working with, so I chose to be safe and have a sandwich. I was lucky to chose this, as I was told the food was in fact dodgy. After lunch we had to assemble the ma-hooousss-ive radar dish thing, using more of the 100 ton crane. It's pretty funny because the radar thing is so large that it has to go into the chamber sideways - or else it will take the doors off. Well it finally got in there, and the trailer was taken back out and the chamber was 'rebuilt'. Interestingly the radar antenna that was being tested is actually going to go on the top of a Swedish battleship, so if someone mucks up with the testing Sweden could fall.

Then they did some tests on the radar thing, which involved sealing the chamber off, swearing every time the computer bleeped and a lot of waiting about. They let me go early, and I walked back to the reception to hand in my pass - alone. This is 'strange' because it clearly says on my pass 'To be escorted'. Well, another nine days of this to go...

Till Duty It Is Then.

Well another exciting charity shop stint beckons. What will happen today? Well nothing much really. Someone had left some Action Man stuff ('Action MAN!!!' said in an 'action' voice), which I had to sort out. This took forever to do, because they had about ten different sets all thrown together. In the end I gave up, I admit defeat. I could never see the appeal of Action Man, and decided not to spend a moment longer trying to sort it out. I just separated the figures, and bunged the rest in a bag labelled 'Assorted Action Man Stuff'.

To my surprise I was shown how to work the till, and was left to serve people. Well it beats sorting out damn Action Man dolls. It seemed really hard at first, but soon I was punching out receipts in no time at all. It was all going swimmingly until someone came in just as we were closing and bought some videos. The videos were 'BOGOF' (Buy One Get...) which I momentarily forgot, and the till couldn't handle me trying to cancel half the stuff I'd entered and just sat there bleeping. Stupid till...

These Are The Hands, That Built America.

I actually did something today, worthwhile. I decided to 'try' and remove the rust from the gate and repaint it. Well I managed to do a small part of that, as it took way, way longer than I imagined. Rust is surprisingly stubborn, and even with a power drill and a metal brush it wouldn't budge easily. In fact I quickly used all three of the batteries, and gave up on the cordless drill. Well I may be doing it tomorrow, the day after and the day after that. I can't leave it half painted/rusty and the other half bare metal.

Well a bit earlier I was at school, for Art. I cannot seem to get away from that! It was the Art exhibition. I found that all the art fell into three distinct categories: the good, the bad and the down right disturbing. Honestly, some of the stuff was really, really disturbing. Some of it was also really good, especially the sixth form stuff. I sort of want to do A Level Art, but it just seems like loads of work, and after two years of Art already...

The Longest Day.

Today happens to be the longest day of the year. So let us all bask in the sunlight, after all from tomorrow the days are getting shorter. Yes, I know it's hard to believe but apparently they do. There must be some monkeys somewhere with stopwatches timing how long the sun is up or something? Well anyway loads of people were crowding around Stonehenge this morning watching the sun rise.

Today I did pretty much nothing. It's pretty good not having to do anything, like Art h/w or damn Tech c/w. Thinking about that do we ever get our Tech c/w back, I might try to make it work or just put it somewhere dark and never look at it again.

Well I was just thinking, it's almost two months to my birthday. So I better start thinking about what I want. I might need to rephrase that to 'what I want, within reason'. If I was asked about two days ago what I wanted it would be pretty simple, a MacBook (although unlike my current laptop, I would pay for most of it...). But since then Creative have a new mp3 player out and I saw something about a strange device called the Slingbox. This can stream stuff from your digibox over the internet, letting you watch tv anywhere with an internet connection. I'd prob use this more to watch tv anywhere in the house. Oh decisions, decisions. I do have two months though...

Work Experience Interview.

So straight away after finishing the exam into work experience. I had my interview today with the person who I am 'shadowing'. I'm not working in Britvic as I had thought earlier, because Trident contacted me last week saying that I had another one which I could do. I chose it because it was better, and because it is like next door to where my dad works.

So after lunch I went to the 'Advanced Test Centre' in deepest, darkest Great Baddow. After waiting a bit in reception someone came to take me, on what I would assume to just be a short trip to another room, but instead I was taken for a long stroll to a building as far away as it could be from reception. I'm glad I chose this one over the Britvic one, because I'll be working in an anechoic chamber. No, didn't expect you to understand what that is. Well nor did I before today. It's one of those rooms with funny sponge triangles everywhere, so there are no echoes and the like.


Well I start next week. It should be fun...

School's Out For Summer!!!

Well I had my final exam today, Drama. Ok, maybe not not final ever exam, but my last GCSE exam. It wasn't that bad. The first question was a bit 'meaty' asking us to say how we would play Audrey or Peter over five scenes. I chose to do Peter. The second question which I did was the 'outstanding performance' question, which wanted you to talk about an actor which was (yes, you guessed it!) outstanding. I did this on Alun Armstrong in 'The Royal Hunt of the Sun'. So this is it, the end. Now one looong summer holiday ahead, apart from work experience. Bah! I don't want to do it...

What Are Those Blue Remembered Hills?

Today was spent preparing for the final exam, Drama. I decided instead of doing two pages of notes per play, I would instead just do three detailed sets of notes, and each a page long. Saying that, I will almost certainly write about 'The Royal Hunt of the Sun' because it was awesome. I've also got to revise 'Blue Remembered Hills' which is actually quite a violent play. A group of kids jump on a squirrel until it dies and then prevent Donald from getting out of a barn which is on fire, which kills him. Yeah ok, there is more to the story than that. Hopefully it won't be too bad, I mean it is the last one (out of about I dunno, 15-20ish exams).

Into my heart, an air that kills,

From yon far country blows,

What are those blue remembered hills?

What spires, what farms are those?

That is the land of lost content,

I see it shining plain.

The happy highways where I went,

And cannot come again...

Art, An Encore.

Ok. So I may have been lying a little bit about saying that I will never do 'Art' again. I had to completely rebuild my box this afternoon cos it well, died. So this involved ripping everything out, spray painting again, glueing everything back in, weaving wire around everything and then spray painting. Well, that was the idea. I'm now left with two burns, one on each hand, but at least my box is now finished.

Everything was going to plan until I had to glue in the video tape. I had been using the glue gun for ages and it was dripping. (I think you can see where this is going...) So I just put lots of glue on the bottom of the tape and was taking it to the box to be pressed in place when. AHHHHH!!! Pain + heat!!! I don't want to go into details, but it weren't pretty. I never knew glue gun glue stuck so well to skin, which I only found out after I ripped a huge chunk of skin off. Well, at least it's done (fingers crossed)...

Q. What Is A Supernova?

A. A pimped up Vauxhall.

Oh!!! Boom boom! I thought it was funny. Well, that picture is. The owner obviously thinks that painting 'Turbo' on it will make it go faster. Well that was relevant to the first (and the third last) exam today - Physics. Before it, there was the usual crammin' and it was particularly funny when Sawood realised that his CGP revision book was rubbish. It didn't even show the proper life of a star. Everyone knows that a yellow dwarf --> red giant --> white dwarf --> black dwarf and blue giant --> red supergiant --> supernova (not a Vauxhall this time...) --> neutron star/black hole.

Well we didn't need that. It was a 'good' exam cos we didn't need any really complicated formulae, which was good. There were a couple of electricity questions, where I decided to use my Electronics 'knowledge' (singular) about diodes dropping 0.7v. I had learnt that specially and didn't need to use it! I might even stretch so far as to call the Physics exam 'bitchin!'.

After Physics Harris and I swapped the 'old' Power Mac which served us so well, with one of the new iMacs. I should have been revising for French reading, but you can't really revise for a reading exam and French?!?!? Well the new Mac is pretty cool, as it's a bit bigger than the old screen it doesn't fit far back so it's a bit strange having the screen so close.

Well French reading was well, ok. I seemed to be able to do some of it. Only one more exam left, Drama...

R.I.P. GCSE Electronic Products.

After watching Harris getting a kick out of ripping all of his Chemistry notes it was (surprise, surprise) the Chemistry exam. I originally thought it was good, cos I could do it, but then we got to some 'dodgy' questions which I simply didn't have a clue about. There was that ripple one. I don't remember doing rocks? I might have done it in Year 9, but not 10 and 11? After this point I think it went a bit downhill. I was, for some reason completely stumped by the Haber process liquid/gas condensing question (I have done that question loads of times before). After about ten minutes I finally did it. So apart from those two questions I hope I got most of it right.

After this I was what could be described as 'at the mercy of Mrs Gray' which is not something good. I decided (possibly foolishly) to revise in the library. This seemed like a good idea until two history classes came into the library, Mr Gray's reading class (I can't believe they still do that!) and finally Mr Ham who also poked fun at the fact that I had loads to revise. He didn't just stroll (aka. glide) in, he did actually have a purpose, a lesson.

The Electronics exam wasn't that bad. There was a question on soldering, one on Op Amps (bah!) and one on PICs. The dreaded 'domestic alarm system' question - which apparently didn't come up last time, I seemingly just imagined the smoke alarm question - was a bit poor. They asked what an 'anti scan' feature did. I blagged about it preventing picking up neighbours alarm systems and preventing interference. So that was it, two years and lots of sweat and blood THE END! Finally, no more Electronics. Physics next? Bring it on...

Mounting Up.

So, this morning I had to go into school to sort out my Art display. It took way longer than expected, I had to mount some stuff onto coloured paper so it would look nicer. Yeah...

Maths Better, Geography Worse.

Today was a bit like last Monday, but in reverse, if that makes sense? Maths first, then Geography. The Maths paper I thought was much, much better than last week. I could do every single question which is probably a first. The 'hardest question' was just a circle equation which I had revised the night before. I'm hoping that I get something about 85-90% because I think I made a big mess of last weeks test. Everyone was saying that constructions and the like wouldn't come up, but it did.

After Maths it was time to do some Geo revision. Service had said earlier that we didn't need to learn case studies, but we had to have, "good knowledge." About what? Geography or case studies? Other people had claimed that a Geo teacher had said that farming and tourism were going to come up. So naturally I revised those topics more. Fat lot of good that was. The exam was on National Parks. It was the stupidest exam ever, there were a whole six marks on road planning. I'm hope I did well enough in last week's test...

Come On ENGLAND!

I was rather annoyed today. I had to help in the charity shop when England were playing Paraguay. There were two things which made the situation worse. No one actually came to buy anything, because everyone was watching the match. Also, close by, is a pub and you could hear the cheering and shouting. Fortunately it doesn't seem like I actually missed anything. We won 1-0, but only because of an own goal. Also we apparently played terribly. I'll probably miss the next game because I will be revising, or attempting to revise, actually I'll probably be watching it...

World Cup 2006!!!

Well, we've all been waiting four years for it... THE WORLD CUP IS HERE!!! Time for the country to stand still and hope that we can win it, and then everyone feels depressed when we don't. Well the annoying thing is that I'll miss England's first match tomorrow, damn Farleigh!

Well today I went in only for the morning for French writing. French is the only subject which I don't actually care about. I would like to do well in it, and will 'try' but I really don't like it. The writing exam was quite good. The questions which I did were:

• The visiting your grandmother question, I had revised stuff you do at home so 'passer l'aspirateur' came in handy.
• The school question, I couldn't think of anything to put for the pen pal question, but for some reason 'demode' was stuck in my mind.

Oh well, no World Cup watching for me due to charity shops and exams...

The Beggar.

I hope my 'lucky' streak continues. I really, really wanted 'The Beggar' to come up in the second English language exam and - it did! There was another begging related poem, called 'Decomposition' (which brought back memories of the Bio exam...). The writing task was writing to a newspaper about the problem of begging. I had a complete blank of what to put about beggars. I was tempted at one point to use an argument that they should be rounded up and shot, but fortunately didn't put that down. I just blabbered on about building shelters for them...

The End Of Biology.

I spent all morning revising for the pending Biology exam. I was rather annoyed though, I simply could not find my Yr 11 mock exam. I don't think I'd have thrown it away, I didn't get the best mark but it was still a 'high' 'A'. Well I found my Yr 10 paper and just checked that I could do it. I couldn't, so I specially revised the kidneys and the heart in the vain hope they would come up.

The exam was surprisingly do-able. I could actually do it, and I think/hope I got most of it correct. There were some dodgy questions, like the carbon question. I'm sure we haven't been taught that, and my answer about bacteria digesting them is probably wrong. There was also a funny question about lemmings. I dunno why, but for some reason I keep thinking that lemmings jump off cliffs? I almost put that as my answer for the why did their population decrease...

Domestic Alarm Systems.

Today was another of the 'two exam' days, English language (media texts) and Electronic Products (Paper 1). Again before school there was more frantic revision, though this time it was trying to remember the various media terms, like pugs (which 'interestingly' are the things in the corners of a page). Well the questions were along the lines of:

• Comparing the 'Boldly go in search of...' and 'Barren landscape reveals secret history' talking about the various things listed. I was surprised that we were asked to talk about the small cartoon, but it was only a paragraph and fortunately not a whole essay!!!
• Talk about a report on the moon landings, or more 'moon liftoffs' as it was a page about the risks when flying off from the moon.
• An argue/persuade/advise task which I actually 'predicted' before the exam. I was pretty certain that we would be asked to write something about whether money should be spent on some space mission. We had to write a speech for a 'local radio station' about spending money on a mission to Mars in 2009.

Well after the exam most people got to go home, but I had to stay and revise for the Techtronics exam. I wasn't the only one luckily, there were a couple of people also revising for the Graphics exam. Revising? All they have to do is like some doodles! After about two hours revision, including learning the 555 monostable it was the exam. Everyone seemed to say that the 'domestic alarm system' stuff wouldn't come up in this exam. Well I think it did.

The first question was about smoke alarms and there was another about a security light. Overall I was pleased with the exam. In the beginning I was happy with the questions because there was the usual stuff, like why do you not use a sticky label for safety stuff, but then the two things which I didn't want to come up did. Op Amps and Flip flops. Luckily despite the fact that I don't really understand any of them I didn't need to, it was just sorting out a breadboard and a PCB design. Well that was it for today. Tomorrow is Biology, which I am firmly not looking forward to...

Mt St Helens, 8.32AM, 18th May 1980.

Today was the beginning of the 'proper' exam period, with pretty much an exam everyday for the next two weeks and on some days two exams. Today was one of those days. Before school there was some really frantic revision when I realised that I hadn't really revised population at all. I gave up revising we (Cook, Harris, Worthy, Ambe and me!) just started testing each other on some really random stuff, like:

Q. How many car parking spaces does the Metro Centre have?
A. Ummm. 10,000?
Q. Shops?
A. 300?
Q. Restaurants?
A. 30?
Me: No! 40!

Yes, it was actually like that. I was pleasantly surprised by the exam. The stuff which I didn't want to come up, didn't. Where it did come up, the other question was really good. The questions which I did were:

• Iceland volcano question, mainly because of the Mt St Helens case study bit.
• Urban to rural migration, I couldn't remember the LEDC case study so instead I rambled on about Danbury.
• Industry question, because I revised about the Prolog distribution centre (at Annesley, Nottinghamshire in case you cared...) at about 6.30 this morning.
• Rainforest question. I said before that I wouldn't do a rainforest question, but the case study was about global warming which I really wanted to come up.

I was slightly worried though because I finished about half an hour early, and no one else had. So I actually went back and re read my answers and added something to every single one. Wow. I was impressed myself, for some reason useful facts started flooding back to me, such as the FAA closing the air space around MSH after the eruption. Why did I remember that?

Well afterwards I had to revise for the Maths non-calc paper. I found some of the paper really easy, but also some of it really hard, although listening to what other people have said, I think that I may have got some of the stuff which I sort of guessed right. Well I really should revise, I mean I've got two more again tomorrow. English language (the media text bit and some writing task) and Techtronics. I really should learn some Tech...

Desperado.

I am in the middle of what could be described as frantic Geography revision. There are just way too many case studies, technical terms and diagrams to learn/memorise/write on your body. I was joking about the last bit by the way, although it would be really funny to see someone searching up and down their arms during an exam trying to find the answer!

I seem to have found something which fits most answers, tourism.

Q. Why are volcanoes important/beneficial?
A. Tourism

I could go on and on, but I really should continue revising. Rolling on with the global warming bit - all the carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and CFCs...

The Chefs!!!

My Dad came back from America today, and naturally he had some stuff for me. Well I say "for me" but, well, technically it's not for me, but I will probably get to use it a lot. First up there was a new 'family' camera, a Canon Powershot A530. I've sort of given up on Kodak, they have good software but their cameras are really poorly built. The 'free' one which came with our computer is nearing death. My one is dead, which is why I have a Canon IXUS 40, although in all fairness it has taken a lot of pictures (Greece Trip - 500+, Geography Field Trip - 500+, America 2005 - 3000+). This one is pretty much the same as my current one, so it's not like I'm gaining anything new or losing anything.


I also got some more memory, in the form of a 1GB SD card (and yes this is my third one!!! But you can never have too much memory!). I also got some cool alarm clock, which I probably need. It seems like I need an explosion to get up these days.

I'm actually quite worried. Next week there is an exam everyday, and on some days there are two a day. I've got quite used to a couple of days between exams to revise for each one. On Monday there is Geo with all of the case studies, and Maths which you can sort of predict what will come up. Tomorrow will be full of revision.

This evening we went to Basildon, to the Outback Steakhouse. I tell you that place is really, really good. Almost as good as 'The Chefs' on X Factor. I say 'good', because they are so bad, they're good! I really want them to win...

The Blog: Reinvented.

Right, well I think that I've finished all the formatting and presentation of this blog. I much prefer it to the look of my old MSN Space, so I will definitely be staying put on this site this time. If you think that there are any ways that I can improve please tell me!

A New Era Dawns.

So, I've decided to continue with my blog on here. It's been a while since I last blogged here and in fact on my MSN Space, so instead of doing a post everyday, I will instead do a post every time something interesting happens.

So, onto today. My NEW DVD writer arrived today, it's a fancy one which does all of the current formats and also does Lightscribe. This means that I can literally burn writing or pictures onto the top of a disc, instead of having to faff around with labels. Now all I need to do is get an actually Lightscribe disc to try this out. Off to PC World then...