It’s easy to moan about business and how it affects the environment, isn’t it? And to some extent it makes you feel included, since it’s something most people have something to say about. But how many of us actually understand what it means to run a business? I didn’t until yesterday. I met up with a friend of mine who owns his own business and fired a few questions at him: what I heard made me realize just how ignorant it’s possible to be, even when most of these answers are obvious things which you really should have known. Click on eniginpartner and scroll down to see Enigin’s take on all this. The company produce a wide-range of energy-saving gadgets and solutions, and although all these things are focused on businesses, you could do a lot worse than mine this for information.

So this is what my friend said to me at the end which struck me: he’d cut down on flights, but couldn’t cut down completely; that was impossible, of course, and he was already fighting a loosing battle having to explain to people that he wasn’t going to take a flight to Scotland when he could drive instead. And there it is people: it isn’t only about the whole energy-saving thing. It’s about doing it without antagonizing all your colleagues. And not just colleagues–potential customers who are the life blood of a business. Alienate them and you have a big problem on your hands. Which is why, I suppose, so many people in business are struggling with these thorny issues.

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In England there are advertisements between programs and in the middle of programs, which is infuriating, especially if you are watching some gripping drama (’Lost’ comes to mind here). However, we also have the BBC, which is devoid of adverts, something I gladly pay TV tax for. In fact, I would pay a lot more to make sure I never have to see another advert again.

Most adverts are rubbish and I don’t know how these people get their jobs. I suppose that is why they direct adverts and not movies. Some adverts are funny from time to time and some are thought provoking, but these are too few and far between.

As I said earlier, once I got to Canada and the daily routine started to kick in, I did what I do back at home and flicked the TV on for an hour or so to relax. What I found was that instead of relaxing I was getting more and more annoyed. Adverts are on before programs, then again after the opening scene or opening credits, then again in the middle of the show, then again before the end scene or end credits and then again before the next show starts. That is, in my opinion, utterly ridiculous and those responsible should be punished.

I cannot stress enough just how annoyed I get watching the TV. However, there are some decent shows on. The ’Lost’ final season starts very soon and I can’t miss that, ’Mantracker’ provides great entertainment and the classics like ’The Simpsons’ and ’Family Guy’ are also a staple in my TV diet.

I’m not one to sit in front of the box for hours on end, however, I still find the constant stream of adverts too much and I may give TV up altogether after ’Lost’ finishes. I don’t know how people who love TV feel, but I can’t imagine they are entirely happy. Something must be done, maybe the BBC should get themselves over here.

Excellent news from over here though, Basil just got a internship with a company that sells that new beach bag towel, I expect free stuff!

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When this weeks news story broke—with the infamous author standing up for those too terminally ill to be able to take their own lives as he believes should be their basic human right—nobody was at all surprised; only days before, Kay Gilderdale, mother of long-term M.E. suffer Lynn, had been cleared of attempted murder, even after admitting assisting her daughter’s death.

And what about the papers? Suddenly every person in the world has an opinion about a subject which up until several years ago barely seemed to carry such gravity with those very people; having looked at a variety of evidence, I have come to the conclusion that these opinions are not based on only the case of Lynn Gilderdale. This is merely a good example with which to argue a certain kind of P.C. philosophy. What seems to be happening is that campaigners are overlooking the personal trauma that these poor sufferers have to endure, in favor of supporting the case that if one woman is allowed to do this, then many more may soon follow suit.

An example, if you will.

But isn’t that missing the point somehow? And can we really argue fairly without knowing all the evidence and without having to live with illnesses which we have no idea about? After all, sickness is depressing by nature. Something which people shy away from thinking about, and something which becomes skewed by the notion of what will come after.

Surely the unnecessary suffering of people is just as important as any trend which may follow, especially a trend which may prove to be utterly unfounded in years to come.

Good news guys, I just got the copywriting job for that Jobs in secondary education site! How exciting is that? Apparently if I do it well they will hire me as a moderator for a forum!

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Since I started watching Lost in late 2009 (that’s right, I had not seen one episode before then) I have become hooked. Never one for sitting down to watch television shows, it wasn’t that Lost didn’t look interesting to me before, it was just that I am not a fan of routinely sitting down just to watch TV.

However, a visit to a friends house and some beers led to a conversation developing over Lost. I noticed that she had four seasons on DVD and she berated me for having never seen it and believed that I should. I, in my drunken state, agreed to watch the show, unaware of what I was getting myself into.

I was informed after watching the pilot episode, that season five would be out at Christmas 2009 with the final season airing on television this coming February. I suddenly wondered if I would be able to get through five whole seasons of Lost in time for the sixth season. I didn’t think I could do it, so I abandoned the idea, for about two days.

On that fateful third day I found myself at a loose end and decided to watch episode two, which led to episodes three and four. I was hooked. The story, the mysteriousness, the beauty of the set and the brilliant characters, particularly Sawyer, Hurley and Charlie, had drawn me in and I decided to set myself the task of watching and catching up on all that I had missed.

I told myself it would be ok, because there would be no advertisements during the show. I even put off work a few times to watch the show. I have never felt so annoyed at myself in a long time, but at the same time, I needed to find out what happened next.

I completed the fifth season of Lost in mid January 2010 and to be honest I am proud of that achievement. Sometimes it has been difficult, the third season in particular was a bit of a let down, but the talks of theories and predictions I have had with friends have been so much fun that they got me through that difficult third box set.

Roll on February I say, here is a convert who can’t wait to see how this fantastic story unfolds. Cue the eyeball.

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Just about everyone will have heard of ‘The Singing Detective’ and it still remains Potter’s most famous work, but he created many more stories than this. He had already dazzled television audiences with his serial, ‘Pennies from Heaven’ and his work in stage plays had given critics a great deal to talk about.

Dennis Potter courted controversy all the way through his career. His stories may often have had themes of nudity, rape, and sexual abuse, but they were not written merely to shock. Potter had demons in his past and he was keen to exorcise them through his work. A great many of his plays are semi-autobiographical and go some way to addressing his own skeletons in the closet.

His work was incredibly stylised and he will always be remembered for his use of lip-synching. Potter managed to take old wartime songs and turn them into a modern, highly effective form of expression. His blending of fantasy and reality has been hugely influential and his work has inspired a whole new generation of writers and film-makers.

The last two plays by Dennis Potter, ‘Karaoke’ and ‘Cold Lazarus’, were screened two years after his death. He had left specific instructions for them to be shown by both the BBC and Channel 4. This was his way of trying to break down the boundaries separating the two channels and to bring about a sense of compatibility. The broadcasts went ahead with no problems, but the subsequent release of the dramas on DVD soon ran into problems. Ironically, the two channels could not agree on who owned the copyright of the material.

Potter had managed to build a temporary bridge between the two broadcasting giants, but after that it was back to business as usual.

So, as you all should know, it is my birthday soon and in case you are curious as to what to buy me (that means you Alex) I have had my eye on that dvd set for Last Of The Summer Wine, just in case you couldn’t think of anything…

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I am a big fan of Science Fiction movies but not the ones that draw crowds. Things like, ‘Independence Day’ or the modern ‘War of The Worlds’ bore me to tears. The kind that I enjoy have a bit more substance about them. I don’t want to sound like a snob but when I watch a film I like it to make me think.

Last night I saw, ‘Solaris’ with George Clooney. I remember it coming out in 2002 but I never took a lot of notice at the time, so when it came on the TV I didn’t actually know anything about it. As things turned out, this was a very good thing.

I’m being a bit spoilt with films at the moment. The other week I stumbled across ‘Sunshine’. I had never even heard of that one! I thoroughly enjoyed it and, until last night, I would have said it was one of the best films I’d seen in ages… Unfortunately for Sunshine, Solaris has just blown it out of the water…

When I had finished watching Solaris I just sat and thought ‘Wow’; so much about it was so good. There was some absolutely stunning photography and the script was incredibly clever. Until watching this, I had never really seen George Clooney in anything very much. I was well aware of how infuriatingly handsome he was, but I didn’t realise just how good he was at his craft.

I am not even going to say what the movie was actually about because I don’t want to spoil it for anyone else. The only thing I will say is that if you enjoy intelligent Sci-Fi like ‘2001’, ‘Blade Runner’ or ‘Event Horizon’ then you will absolutely flip over this film.

What a lovely surprise to accidently come across something as amazing as this!

So really quickly, I have something to admit. I love Hiro (sorry Douglas). I was going through the most recent season of heroes on dvd well into the night and the acting was remarkable!

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It is strange how much of an effect the snow has on us all. I have just walked into town and everyone seems to be in such a good mood. It is only a few more days to Christmas and there are lots of people frantically looking around for last minute presents. Even the elderly, who have to be so careful on the ice, look like they are in a jolly mood.

The kids had made a five foot snowman (complete with hat, scarf and buttons) and a few of them were throwing snowballs at each other in a garden that I passed. A family were going home with their shopping and pulling their toddler along on a sleigh.

It is a wonderfully exciting time for children and it reminds us adults of what it was all like so many years ago. The magic of Christmas Eve and wondering what we were going to wake up to find the next day; relatives coming over to see us and lots of new toys to play with!

I suppose that it is a bit strange how a little bit of snow at the right time of the year can make such a difference to us all. So many people seem to be friendlier and more relaxed. The shopkeepers are all busy yet they have more time to laugh and joke with their customers.

It is a shame that we cannot all be like this more of the time. I suppose it is our awareness of what Christmas time is all about. Many of us suddenly feel more generous and it shows in the way that we behave. Instead of wondering why we cannot be like this all of the time it is better to be grateful that we can at least be like this at Christmas.

By the way if you are curious as to what to buy me (that means you Paula) I have been thinking a lot about that dvd set for Xena, just in case you couldn’t think of anything…

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I demand that everyone stop watching House now, this cannot be encouraged. What if it spreads into the mentalist or other TV shows this need sto be stopped.

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