Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Green Cars?
He is really pushing electric cars as the saviour of the planet?
Now an electric car needs charging, to charge this car, you need to go to the national grid, which means power stations burning millions of tons of coal (fossil fuel) everyday to feed the grid, and this obviously sends millions of tons of carbons and other poisons into the environment just like petrol, being that they are both fossil fuels. Now there is an argument that this would happen anyway as they need to produce the electricity for the country to run...well they need to produce petrol anyway as cars need to move, it will get produced anyway as the petro-chemical industry produce Petrol and LPG, Propane, Oil, Diesel and other refined oils and various other bi-products anyway.
I am not against electric cars or even hydrogen powered cars as there is a 100% clean exhaust, but it burns loads of fuel getting the hydrogen too separate from oxygen to get at that fuel. Are there any other forms of alternative fuelled cars apart from Bio-Diesel? Don't say LPG that is just another bi-product of petrol.
I am against being told electric cars are the answer to all of our problems, they are not, they may be one small solution, but as making the electricity to charge them up is still causing massive pollution, how can it be the solution? it is just moving the pollution from the car to the power station it is not removing it. Wind farms don't supply enough electricity into the grid and everyone seems to be against having a wind farm near them...and no one seems to want nuclear power stations... there doesn't seem to be an answer...or does there? Am I being too blinkered to see it?
We live in a world that we are killing by pollution and greed...the alternative clean fuels like wind power, solar and wave power never seem to get above a small taster without locals saying we don't want that in our back yard it looks awful.......so what can we do?
Is there a clean answer to car fuel? I really don't know? kinetic energy seems to be one answer but how that would work? I don't know? You can't shake a car like you can a wrist watch..or can you?
Also what happens to all of the batteries from electric cars when they are no longer useful? a 2 - 3 maybe even a 5 year life span on the batteries seems to be the going life span...that is a heck of a lot of batteries to recycle...can you recycle the old new super batteries?
As I said I am confused about electric cars being the answer...maybe I can't see the wood for trees, I am open to being sold on them, I really am... but all I can see is moving one problem and creating yet another.
Labels: Ramblings
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Websites and Photos
We have been to The Robber Button most weekends and had some fun with friends tootling up the canal. I have been enjoying Easter, the most special time in the Christian Calender, we have been to a wedding and Mrs EB has been working megga hard. I have had a few meetings but nothing I can really write about as stuff is in the air.
I found this on You Tube the late great Johnny Cash
That is about it really.
Wednesday, April 08, 2009
Weekend away with Church
I ordered Mrs EB's and my new phones after a deal was struck with O2 and they were to be delivered to me here Friday AM. 10:30ish my DHL delivery driver arrives and gives me just 1 box? I said there should be 2 parcels? he went and checked nope just the one? He said maybe another driver will have it. I waited until after 12 and phoned O2 to check both had been sent, they said yes and gave me the delivery number of the 2nd parcel. I phoned DHL I then had to phone the local branch... The wonderful lady there did a load of checking, it would seem the local guy who delivered my parcel wasn't telling the whole truth, he had had two parcels the other didn't have my house number on it, so he sent it back!!!
I was looking after the sound and when I got too The Pioneer Centre, time just vanished and I was busy doing various sound and I.T things. We had Phil Collins as speaker for the weekend, he has spoken at our Church as is a great person who always challenges you and makes you really belly laugh. Saturday afternoon was set aside for activities, Mrs EB did the rope slide and other daredevil things and I did archery. I have to say after some coaching I really enjoyed it and I got to be OK. The weather was wonderful and we had a wonderful time of fun friendship and fellowship.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Blacking a Bottom
Labels: Narrow Boat, Ramblings
Saturday, March 21, 2009
People come People go
I received an email from someone this week who I made contact with again via facebook, we have been friends or over 20 years, he and his lovely family are in another country and work in the mission field, he is leading a hard but rewarding life, I was really blessed to read what he is up to and it is a privilege to pray for them. They have moved to a knew town in a different part of the country, they have new jobs teaching in a seminary and their daughter is in a new school. I'm looking forward to keeping in touch via blogs and emails and one never knows....
The 3rd and final ones are a few new people in my life I guess, I have 3 blogs, this one, one about the mission I took part in Mozambique and one about our Narrow Boat. The narrow boat community is a lively one and a lot of narrow boaters have blogs, I really enjoy reading about other peoples lives on the waterways. Their blogs range from the very informative, the technical to the musing of every day life. Life on the waterways is usually a friendly and helpful place and boaters in general enjoy the community and social life (usually involving pubs and grub) I feel after 18 months of owning a narrow boat we have been excepted into the life of our marina and that of narrow boat blogging world and community. Our biggest problem is we don't get enough time to enjoy our narrow boat.
Labels: Church, Mission Trip, Musings, Narrow Boat, Prayer, Ramblings
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Passion
Easter is the most important festival in the Christian calendar. It is the commemoration of Jesus's death and his rising from the dead, also known as the resurrection. It comes at the end of Lent. The week leading up to it is called Holy Week.
Palm Sunday is the first day of Holy Week and celebrates Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem riding on a donkey. Crowds of people came out of the city to greet him, throwing down palm branches on the road. Many churches give out small crosses made from palm leaves, as a reminder of Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem and his death on the cross.
On Good Friday Christians remember when Jesus ate the Passover meal with his disciples, breaking bread and drinking wine, which is now known as the Last Supper. Since then this meal has been symbolically re-enacted by many Christians as a way of drawing closer to God. This is called the Eucharist or Holy Communion, which means 'thanksgiving'. It is a reminder that Jesus sacrificed his life for mankind and is also a part of many services throughout out the year.
The Bible tells us that, later that night, Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot. After his arrest, Jesus was brought before the Jewish high priests who found him guilty of blasphemy because he called himself the Son of God. They handed him over to the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate.
As was the custom at the time of the Feast of Passover, Pilate gave the crowds the choice as to which of the two prisoners should be freed: Jesus, or Barrabas, a notorious criminal. Ironically, the the same crowd who had welcomed Jesus with palm branches a few days earlier now chose Barrabas to be released, and Pilate condemned Jesus to death by crucifixion.
On Good Friday, many churches hold services meditating on the events leading up to Christ's death: his interrogation, flogging, the mocking by the Roman soldiers, and his journey with the cross to Golgotha, the place of his death. Finally he was stripped naked and nailed to the cross, where he hung in agony for three hours, jeered at by the crowds, before he died. This is the day when people traditionally eat hot cross buns, because the cross on the bun is a reminder of the cross Jesus died on, and a reminder of the Christian belief that Jesus died to save us all.
Jesus was taken down from the Cross and laid in a Tomb to be made ready for death, this couldn't be done as The Sabbath had started and it would be another dau before Christ could be made ready for a burial.
Easter Sunday marks Jesus' resurrection. The Bible tells us that Mary Magdalene went to the tomb to make Jesus ready, followed later by some of Jesus' disciples. They discovered Jesus' body had gone and that the tomb was empty. Jesus then appeared to Mary and many of his disciples, speaking with them on separate occasions during the following forty days. As he left them for the last time, Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit so the disciples would know God would never leave them. He then ascended into heaven. The Church celebrates this on Ascension day.
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Barcelona Update
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Lent and Music

So my tried and tested test is an Album called "Original Sin" by Pandora's Box an album that is just not available anywhere and is Jim Steinman's first ever work on Album , I believe it was aa demo of some tracks that have appeared on many other albums. over the past 30 years. It has it!!!! I was very impressed until I looked up Mike Oldfield...... only a couple of his works...there again it was only launched last week here in the UK.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
an update
I have been a little busy so no blogs sorry.
Yesterday I went to the Heart of the Black Country an amazing part of the West Midlands where they speak in their own dialect and it is often mimicked as a thick Brummie, it is wonderful and not dull and thick. Sorry...mini rant over. I went to give some I.T Support for a Christian Organisation, setting up a notebook and laptop and making sure that they were working and all the software was OK. I then went to sort the phones and two other PC's at the office, a very long but very rewarding day. and that is about it really.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
A prayer from Celtic oral tradition
You are the peace of all things calm
You are the place to hide from harm
You are the light that shines in dark
You are the heart’s eternal spark
You are the door that’s open wide
You are the guest who waits inside
You are the stranger at the door
You are the calling of the poor
You are my Lord and with me still
You are my Love, keep me from ill
You are the light, the truth, the way
You are my Saviour this very day.
A prayer from Celtic oral tradition (1st millennium)
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
a quick update
Saturday I spent at Church I was there from 10am until about 11:20pm. Geraldine Latty was performing a gospel evening (fantastic evening) and someone from Church needed to be there all day really. I offered as a member of the sound team, it sort of seemed obvious really. I knew a couple of the band and had a good time catching up. Church Administrator sorted out the Vineyards small lighting rig, which I put up, I also dug out the follow spot from another lighting rig that we borrow. All in all a great day and evening.
Sunday I was on sound...I needed a very strong coffee to get going in the morning...
Monday and Tuesday I have been doing a few bits for Cube...
Thursday, January 22, 2009
An update
We wont be going to the boat this weekend as it's our good friend Skip's birthday and he is having a birthday Balti on Friday and on Saturday I have to be at Church for 10:30am for a concert that is happening that night, and I am on sound Sunday.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Monday update.
I have now set up a separate blog about my trip to Mozambique, I had received a couple of emails saying that people couldn't find the posts about the mission, as they have archived into last years postings. So I thought it best to just have a blog about the mission trip. This is now up and all working. Feel free to pass on the link to anyone you think would like to read it.
Labels: Mission Trip, Musings, Ramblings
Friday, January 02, 2009
New Starts for a New year
The New Year was celebrated with a few friends round at their house, it was a great night with a lot of laughter and just being relaxed and enjoying each others company. It was one of those nights where you just chat and have fun and the next thing you know it's 3:30 am..... So yesterday was just a day of resting for me. Mrs EB went to the cinema in the evening I just enjoyed watching TV and a new Jonathan Creek....worked out the bath thing as soon as they showed you the room!!! It was the only thing it could be. A great programme never the less. I also watch my favourite programme The Bill, a slow episode but a good one.
Mrs EB is off for four days after today and she is taking me to London on Monday to give me my Christmas present on Monday, which I am really looking forward too. Though she heard a track on her IPod the other day and it had a swear word in it!!! So it did shock her! I did say it was an adult show... LOL. Apart from that the world stays the same in my life at the moment. Health is still naff, I am still worried about my hospital appointment at the end of the month...I guess that's about it really.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
A nice post for the end of the year
I loved Sunday afternoons, it was lazy time, as a family we would all watch TV if we weren't out with friends playing or things. We always had a nice tea of toast, jam, pate, crumpets, Jamaica ginger cake, blue ribbon biscuits and big mugs of hot sweet milky tea.(I think I would be sick if I tried to drink that now) But by far the best thing was, what was on TV, it was a programme that was made only a few miles away from our house, and I think became one of the worlds biggest TV programmes of the 1970's. The Muppet Show. Mrs EB and I have been fortunate enough to visit the mock up theatre at the MGM Studio's Florida and it is wonderful. I defy anyone to go and not laugh. The TV programme was actually made at the ATV Studio's at Aston Cross, Aston, Birmingham.
Anyhoo I was just looking on You Tube today and found what I think was one of the best sketches ever.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did then and now.
Happy New Year
English Blogger
Sunday, December 28, 2008
That Was The Year That Was
The year started off well I was employed and I was sort of enjoying teaching in a Prison, I was using my knowledge of Radio and production and I was helping some guys who had made a few mistakes. Though it wasn't to last and in May I was made unemployed...
My health has been up and down this year, the worst thing about being diabetic is you are always aware that you have to look after your blood sugar, I don't make a martyr of my food intake I eat virtually everything. But this year I have learnt Chocolate gives me migraine, if I have too much sugar my body goes into a sort of sugar shock and it exits everything inside of me PDQ. I have also learnt to read how I feel, I don't really drink alcohol any more, the odd beer on a Sunday and the occasional glass of red wine at home and the odd brandy. I have found I get very tired quickly and I also get aching legs. Also health wise I have had a horrid blocked nose and sinus's for over a year, my Doctor has taken this seriously and I am now under a consultant and I am going into hospital in late January for the consultant to have a good look whilst I am under anaesthetic, not something I am looking forward to I have to say, but I am also tired of not being able to breathe.
I didn't get any diving in this year, money is very tight, also with my nose and breathing and blocked sinus's I can't dive. We did get some great trips out on The Robber Button We had a slightly wet trip up the Caldon Canal, and a few great weekends away with and without friends. I need to do some work on the boat over the next few weeks and we will be ready for some more trips out and about.
I have spent a lot of time at Church, doing the sound and getting involved doing various things, like going for a baked spud on a Friday at Friday diner. I was involved with the mission on Falcon Lodge, I videoed it and made a short film, I also did a little running around. I was involved in both cabaret's and really enjoyed both. They are very stressful and very tiring, the acts are always amazing and we are now growing with the technical side of things and all in all the are nights that just blow me away. They are a wonderful way of getting people into church in a safe and none cringey way.
The big highlight of the year was the Mission Trip to Mozambique I do not think in my wildest dreams I would be going to Mozambique this time last year., with the help of my wonderful friends and an amazing Church behind me I was able to go. I have blogged about this fully and all of my Blogs are in December and are labelled 1 to 7.
That sort of sums my up my year in brief, health not brilliant, but I am OK.I have some of the most amazing friends any person could ever want. I have a wife who I love dearly and by far my best friend and I am very happy and content. Yes I want a Job and I need to actually earn some money again, and I would like to feel better. Yes I would love a nice holiday away with Mrs EB, but that is just the icing on a already great cake.
Happy New Year.
Labels: Church, God, Holidays, Mission Trip, Musings, Narrow Boat, Ramblings
Friday, December 26, 2008
Christmas Day
After Church we went to my parents for Christmas dinner, we got to their house at about 12:30 and my Dad took us to the Pub for a beer, we got home just about the right time, my Mum had made us a splendid dinner. In fact I think I ate a little too much!!! I know me? After dinner we settled into some chairs and watched a tiny bit of TV but I was getting a nasty headache, I didn't say anything, but we headed home. We got home and by the time we got home I felt awful and yes I had a fine old dose of Man Flu!!! urgh...I had some co-codamol, we got some drinks I lit coal fire and we settled down and opened our Presents, and what a wonderful lot of presents we had. We have the most generous friends. My big prezzie off Mrs EB is a trip to London to see Avenue Q, I am so looking forward to seeing this. It is a sort of adult Sesame Street for want of a better description. One of our friends bought us the Sound Track fr Christmas....as I write this blog in my Studio I am listening to it...it is brilliant.


So in early January we are off London for an over night stay a night at the theatre and a wonderful meal out.....Yay, woop, woop woop.
My good friend Baddog who has an amazing blog that I always enjoy reading posted an Amazing U2 Video and I have pinched that link to add to my Blog. One of my Favourite Christmas Songs is Greg Lake's "I believe in Father Christmas "(yes I know, how ironic). U2 have covered this in a way only U2 could.... please Enjoy this.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Father Santa Christmas
Christmas is about the birth of Christ, it isn't about consumerism and Santa (an anagram of Satan). Christmas is nothing to do with being good or bad and an old guy with a white beard keeping a list. Christmas is about Mankind's salvation and the birth of God Incarnate as Man. I buy gifts and I receive gifts for Christmas, in fact I love Christmas, it's a wonderful amazing time of the year. I really don't get why parents especially Christian parents keep up the awful pretence of Father Christmas.
Lets please keep Christ in Christmas.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Phewwww and now rest
That was a frantic few days...and boy am I tired.
Sunday morning the young children did their production, called "Stable Manners" it was just fantastic, I laughed and really enjoyed the kids being just kids and really going for it. They all coped really well and the main 5 characters coped so well with the headset mics. Sunday evening was the carol service, and that was so beautiful, Mrs EB's solo was just wonderful and AmyandAmiability's solo was a treat and sounded so fanatsic. But I do have to say I am spent, my brain is all fluffy and my ears are shot.
