DutchEnery

It is rather interesting to read, hear and see the hundreds of reports about the coronavirus outbreak. But I got the point, it is a media frenzy. As a matter of fact the annual flu (epidemics not reported) kill vastly more people. Or more so, make vastly more people sick. We are talking millions. But that doesn't sell newspapers. Of course nobody wants to be ill but unfortunately we live on a planet together with a vast number of viruses , microbes and bacteria. As I have said before, if we reduce the number of species on the planet, the remainder have no choice but to look for alternative hosts. The one most prolific happens to be us, humans. I think it would be fair to say that we can look forward to many such occurrences in the future. I am surprised that we have not heard the ultra-left loonies say it is the fault of those dastardly Tories and Boris in particular. Let’s not hold our breath they might just be a bit late. Probably drunk and couldn’t get up early enough. The...

Just bought myself a smart tablet like thingie called a solar panel! About 13 inches by 9 inches it charges up at 2.4 Amp and at 12 volts. It is basically a battery charger for vehicles, like my diesel car. Oh yes, I have a diesel but one with a host of filters. But in this inclement weather the battery goes down a bit too fast. So, looking at various websites I noticed solar chargers and wondered if there was one for cars. Yes, there are! 3 types at 3 different amps. I simply put the cable in the cigarette thingymajick (the cigarette lighter holder) and it charges the battery up for free. Even if there is no direct sunlight! When not driving I just put it on the dash and leave it all day. There is one proviso, the cigarette lighter will have to be ‘live’ even if the engine is switched off. If your car is not of that type the equipment comes with cables that clip to the battery. Or you can buy (about £10) a special cable. It made me think though if such a small thing can do that ...

We live in a very funny world, don’t we? At least a very funny Britain that is. For years we are moaning about immigration, the price of petrol and diesel. Of not having enough planes to take us to Spain and complain about the stinking railways. Do the railway carriage toilets still have outlets to outside onto the track? Might be true! Anyway, complaining for twenty years or more and now a lot of us are complaining that the government is FINALLY doing something! We are going to have a points system for immigration. Brilliant. Not before time. Africans are chomping at the bit to get to Britain as fast as possible. And not just Africans either, most of Asia wants to come as well. Companies have benefited greatly from low-quality immigration. Driving down wages and having scant regard for safety and accommodation for their cheap labour. It might halt the awful state of affairs when hundreds of immigrants are cooped up in stinking hovels all over London and the Eastern agricultural fie...

As you will know by now, I have a continental background. I know about the differences between this country, Wales in particular and Germany as well as Holland and Belgium. I forgot to mention France, I admire France, the country is one of the most beautiful. However, forget its idea about how to govern, it’s a complete disaster. But take the different systems, like rail for instance. In this country we have one of the most expensive, unreliable disasters called trains. From being a world leader in the past to a laughable half-baked service that barely deserves the name ‘service’. A ticket from Cardiff to London will cost an arm and a leg, a distance of barely 180 miles. A ticket from Amsterdam to Paris will be £70 or thereabouts, double the distance. You might have a look at the Bundesbahn (Germany) where everyone sits down and the trains get you there on time. Obviously outside influences could scupper that but in the main it works! This is why I voted Conservative, along with tho...

I have begun to wonder whether I am a royalist. Frankly, yes I am. I prefer the royal family as figurehead of what is still a great country. We have problems, who hasn't but at least we have a calming influence - the royals. Until recently. It is not so calming now, the waves are rolling in. I am not sure though why we are singling out Andrew, the Duke of Northern climes (York in the vernacular). There are thousands of people all over the world who do worse. Sure it doesn't make it right. But let's be very honest, how culpable were the various ladies who are now coming out of the woodwork? I don't know about you but I would be hesitant to throw accusations about. Let's be fair too, Hollywood was a sin bin. A cesspit where hundreds or even thousands flocked to and were used as bed fodder in the hope of getting a part in some fourth rate film. Directors as was reported in several papers had couches in their offices just in case they had a headache. I have a headache t...

It is quite something to be able to speak, write and understand other languages. Something the Dutch are good at. Oh yes, and possibly the Belgians. Well, they were Dutch once. I do receive a number of Dutch language websites and one is Quora. It comes in English as well but the subjects written about are completely different. So, the Dutch site had a question which was well answered including a graphic representation. The question asked - What will happen with the world if the temperature increases by 5 degrees? The answer gave the graphic representation from a temperature increase of 4 degrees Celsius. Well, you will not be surprised to know as I have said before, Africa will be uninhabitable except for workers who maintain the solar panels! Only if that is still a possibility. It gets worse, Spain, most of France, the whole region all the way the China, all of the USA and all but a very small part of the southern Patagonia of South America will be very difficult to live in, if a...

As mentioned before, it seems that young people no longer have an idea about history. At least long term history. They might know that there was a war or two and some bombs were thrown but that probably is as far as it goes. When you look at politician's influence in education generally, you will see a woeful picture. There is just an insistence on increasing results probably because that makes politicians look they are doing something but nothing else. It all is just talk. In Wales we have an august body called 'Estyn' only God knows how it operates but apparently they 'judge' performance. You might ask whose performance? Teachers, the good, the bad and the ugly, are in the forefront and yes some are not particularly good. As a father of a secondary Head of Science, from what I hear the performance of headmasters needs urgently looking at. You hear about heads who are mere cookery teachers, have a degree in home economics, or if you have a reasonable one, he or she...

Ah yes, I remembered I wrote a line about political ideas some time ago, you know the ones, a quick line in a newspaper about some important subject. A subject like ‘How to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere’. And lo and behold the Conservatives have come up with a beauty. The government has decided or intends to decide (You never know what is true and what is not, nowadays) to ban the sale of petrol and diesel powered cars. Great, we all agree. Or do we? Let’s think what it would entail. First of all the people employed in the manufacture of engines and their hundreds of parts. Secondly, the infrastructure needed to service electric vehicles. Battery capabilities. Even more, how to power up the batteries. I am living in an area of Wales where there are possibly no more than 10 charging stations. Ikea in Cardiff is the only one I know with two, yes TWO charging points. Possibly a few more at the motorway service stations, but I haven’t seen them. However, if we are all now r...

What a disappointment! So, yesterday 31 January 2020 I was waiting for the inevitable ‘aardbeving’ or in English ‘earthquake’ or even in Welsh ‘daeargryn’. I am still waiting. No flashes in the sky, in fact at 23.00 hrs it was pretty quiet in town. Nothing stirred. What am I talking about? I am talking about the UK having left the EU (European Union). Oh yes, we are cast adrift, the island that comprises three distinct groupings, England, Wales and Scotland will now float away at the mercy of the wild waves of the Atlantic Ocean. We are the new Atlantis. But will we sink under the ‘woelige baren’? The wild waves? No Siree, we will not! In fact, I believe this is the very beginning of the collapse of the idea to make a superstate like the US of A! It will not be long before other countries begin to look at how the situation now developing will ’pan’ out. France is on tenterhooks, it has plenty on social unrest, high unemployment, high prices for household commodities. It is a wonderf...