Today is another Monday

So I have been out of the Hostpital for a while. I am very happy to have escaped with my sanity, thanks to that dude who could not keep his alarm from going off every ten minutes.

I am working on a Radio show with several friends. The Triple L Show is it's name and it is on www.Unregularradio.com on Saturdays from 1-3 PM. I just love it. I am picking all of the music running the board and taking the calls. I occasionally chime in with the "BIG" Voice as so many people have comented. I feel like I am high during the show and crash after but immediately Monday morning I am ready to go. Jones'n for that next fix. I have been out and about went to San Diego/Tijuana and decided to change my life. Going back in two weeks to really seal the deal. But Big Things are happening for the Big Guy.

See you guys @ like a donut.

Blood Clots

Hey there, hi there, ho there.

Haven't been here in a while. Need to visit once in a while to put thoughts down because it is very good for the soul. But here it is June 13,2010 and I am sitting in a hospital room at Boston Medical with multiple blood clots in my lungs. Don't know why but now I will be on blood thinners for life. It's better than being dead but I would prefer not adding another drug. But anyway, the semi private room thing sucks. The person in the room with me sets off his IV alarm every 10 minutes so I am getting no sleep without going to headphones and loud music. Mom is visiting because that's what she does and I AM SO THANKFUL FOR HER. I have received a great deal of prayers and well wishes from my friends and family without whom life would not be worth living. So I thank you all. Much Love from B to U.

A new chapter in life is just about to be pulled off the shelf. More to come and I will fill everyone in when it is solid.

Love B

1-25 Update

Very Short workout. I must get a new road wheel for the bike so that I can use the trainer to get in my cardio time at home when the gym is too crowded.

Vid 1_22_10

Daily update.

Why

We made this happen.

We made me now dislike hearing Tavares- I will break the DJ in half if he plays your song.

We made me hurt whenever I see a car like yours.

We made me want to step in front of a truck.

We made me not want to go out.

We made the darkness fall.

We made the pain come and we made the end happen.

For all of the lack of teamwork we did an awful lot.

New Posting for a New Year

Today is just another day like the day before. Somethings always get lost in translation somethings just get lost. Look around and see what surrounds you, see what exactly you can afford to lose and just lose it.

No Big New Years Resolutions for me this year. I started 3 weeks ago. I have to find out where I belong. Has it all been an illusion? I have to get out and it starts with everyday leaving the house before dark. I have to find a center. I have to find an outlet. I have to see the truth. Three things needed. Something to Hope for. Something to Care about and Something to Love. All are targets to achieve.

Greetings, It has been awhile.

Malawian boy uses wind to power hope, electrify village.http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/10/05/malawi.wind.boy/index.html

Read that article today on CNN.com. It is impressive but the real sticking point is the last two lines at the bottom.
"Kamkwamba is part of a generation of Africans who are not waiting for their governments or aid groups to come to their rescue, according to the author.
"They are seizing opportunities and technology, and finding solutions to their own problems," Mealer said. "One of the keys of his success is ... he's never wanted to rest on his laurels."

That simple excerpt is something that everyone around the world should be doing. It should not just come from a generation of Africans. It should be something that all people should be doing to make things better for themselves and the rest of the world.

If you want to make things better get out and do something don't wait for others to do it for you.
Peace
B

Gas and Electric

So from the desk of the Big, Bald, Beautiful, Brother I ponder this question.
Will the Chevy Volt, which does not go into production until November of next year, be the start of real Mass produced electric cars? So for the next year to two years we will continue to spew carbon monoxide into the air with our combustion engines. Are the car makers going about this electric thing the wrong way? In my opinion, yes they are. There are several manufacturers that have hybrids that are available and there are a couple that have full electric cars. But the problem with them is that they are expensive especially if you have a mortgage, car payment and other bills to pay. The best you can do in this case is maybe add to your bill every moth by trading in your car for one of these. That helps the economy but it really does not help the Earth or you very much. I think that companies like Tesla need to license their powertrain out to specialty shops that can convert cars that people already own. I would like to see.....a Toyota Scion xB converted to electric. Yes the boxy shape probably will not help in its mileage but.... there is now room for a few more batteries. By reusing vehicles that are already on the road we should not be adding more junk to landfills. What do you think?

The Dawn of a New Day

In a few hours from now a it will be the dawn of a New Day. Today we will see the old administration out and the new one in.  With that many hopes are rising.  President Elect Obama will have some very tough days ahead. I hope that many give him the necessary room to do what must be done.  Do not think that his taking office will mean that people will immediately get jobs or that the economy will suddenly turn around.  For that it will take time, patience and a little less greed.  

In my opinion the economic downturn in the US, which sparked the rest of the world, was largely a symptom of greed.  This did not happen overnight nor did it just suddenly start in 2008.  I think that this started much earlier.  It started with jobs being outsourced to foreign countries, creating a trade deficit that continued to grow.  The US at one point in history, that spanned many years, actually manufactured goods.  These goods were used by everyone here in the US, now almost everything is imported and look at where that has gotten us.  Chinese toys made with lead.....

Outsourcing to Mexico because of the cheaper labor and signing NAFTA only made real sense to Mexico in the long run because it created jobs there.  When the cost of doing business in Mexico came up to close to US costs the next new outsource location was found......China.  China with its HUGE workforce of cheap labor and methods of manufacturing facility layouts.  Well look at where they are now, #3 on the largest economy and #1 and #2 are struggling.

Oil......I once heard the outgoing president of a major oil company say "I really don't care if the people are upset about the high price of gas. It could go to $5 a gallon for all I care."  That same president was retiring at the time when the Oil companies had profits in the Billions range in one year.  The Government of Saudi Arabia, who are our allies when it suits them, along with the rest of OPEC were raking in the cash with gas at $130-$140 a barrel.  These countries were building economies on those numbers, did they think that American's or anyone else would not slowdown the consumption?  We did and their prices fell.  Now the US automakers are getting bailed out but why?  Because of the only real manufacturing of large goods in the US is in the Auto business and those companies put all of their money into SUVs.  So if we bailed out GM....can I stop making my car payments now.... cause to me it seems like they are double dipping in my pocket.

The world economy is like a complex ecosystem.  You can not damage one part without affecting the entire system.

So President Elect Obama will try to return balance to the ecosystem and he will not be able to do it alone.  It will take everyone.

Good Luck and Good Day.

11 Days after our new President has been elected.

I am very proud of President Elect Obama.  He and his team along with a numbers of supporters of American's in our country have helped break the glass barrier.  It shows not just African Americans but all Americans that there is nothing that you can not do.  I am very sad to hear about the racial attacks and malicious acts of vandalism because some people who are not ready to deal with the world moving on. 

There are people who think that their entire way of life is going to change because the new President is not White.  The way of life that their forefathers, who built this country, started.  To them I will remind them of just a few items of history and then a little bit of Civics.

1.  The ForeFather's that they so hold up so high.  Committed a form of treason against the government.

2. Those ForeFather's families are all from somewhere else.

3. They did not so much as build rather than supervise the work of African's brought to this country against their will.

4. The President is not a Dictator, the Government is build on checks and balances. So the  President needs to get full support of the Congress, the Congress can't make a law that is unconstitutional thanks to the Supreme Court.

So get over it.  The new President is not going to send the Army to your house to take your Guns.  Your children are not going to suddenly be held back because of the color of their skin. 

All this means is everyone Black, White, Yellow, and Purple are going to have to do better. You are going to have to work harder because there is no BLAMING anyone else.

So leave the children alone. Stop burning churches and making the rest of the world see us as not as advanced as we think we are.  Remember there is the fact that we are ALL Human.  We are all one.

20 minutes on

Today was 20 minutes. Slowly but surely the saddle will be less painful.  But I worked up a sweat and now it is time for a little body work.  Wish I had a heavy bag here in the garage, maybe I will find one and a stand on Craigslist. Anyway until next time which will probably be Saturday unless I can get up and ride before work on Friday.

Later.

B

Whoa. Mountain bike tires are loud.

Loud enough that I had to turn up the speakers on my little movie set up. I am sure that people are wondering what mayhem I am creating in the garage. Explosions screams and gunshots..... almost like a spin class on Red Bull. Anyway another 15 minutes in, stuck in gear 4 but making progress. Legs are burning as well as the core it is harder to stay balanced on a bike that is not really moving. Will put up a picture of the set up later.

Hi Yesterday was the first day

Of Biking on a trainer. If you don't know what a bike trainer is just look it up. It is pretty cool. I got the idea from a friend who watches TV while on a trainer. Of course SHE is able to go much farther and longer on the trainer than I can. She has lots of practice on bikes being a triathelete and all. But for me riding a bike is difficult and painfull, and the thought of riding outside or in the gym is daunting. It's daunting mostly because well have you ever seen the bear at the circus riding the little bike. Well that's sort of the image that I think of when I throw a leg over and start pedaling. I am also very concerned about hitting a bump and losing the seat of the bike. That is not an emergency room visit that I would like to make.
But yesterday I got on and rode for 15 minutes. Today I will go for another 15 minutes. Tomorrow I will strive for 20 minutes. And so on. I will let you, my great fans know how it goes.
Peace
B

I Know it has been awhile

Sorry I have been away for a while. I have been managing Ambercampbellthrows.blogspot.com if you did not know now you do. SHE MADE THE OLYMPIC TEAM!!!! SHE WENT TO BEIJING!!!! SHE NOW HOLDS A MAJOR RECORD FOR US WOMEN!!!!

Anyway today on Facebook I posted.  "What happened to the end of the innocence? And what does Don Henley have to do with it?"  That is a question about a lot of things.  My own state of mind and the world.  McCaine has a VP candidate that does not know what the Vice President does everyday.  Now her 17 year old daughter is pregnant.... whoa!!!  Boy I hope that the father is not over 18 that could be trouble.

Anyway.  Things are things and it is tough to communicate with some of the people that you love.  Some times it is frustrating.

Olympic committee bans 'professional' cameras for visitors

Are you serious. This would piss me off. If I was traveling all the way to China to see my sister (www.ambercampbellthrows.blogspot.com) compete and I was turned away at the security checkpoint because I was carrying a digital SLR. This is from Cnet.com's CRAVE site.
If you're heading to Beijing (or are already there) for the Olympics, take note that the Beijing Organizing Committee has imposed bans on several items, one of which is "professional camera equipment." Unless you have official press credentials, we suggest you just bring your point-and-shoot to the games.
So what constitutes "professional camera equipment"? Are there any measurements or benchmarks to compare with? Although the definition wasn't detailed on the official Olympics Web site, some netizens are speculating that the ban refers to SLRs with big lenses that could block other spectators' views. But what about Fujifilm's FinePix S100fs, which is physically bigger than some entry-level dSLRs? Or the Olympus E-420 fitted with the 25mm pancake lens, a combination small enough to look like a bulky point-and-shoot?
If not properly stated, this vague description may trigger some arguments at the security checkpoint, and I don't think spectators will be happy to be rejected at the door just because of the equipment they are carrying. The best way to steer clear of all the trouble and get your seat? Leave your SLR at home.

Beijing smog fazes Olympic cameras

Yes once again I step up and say something. What is wrong with the IOC (International Olympic Committee)? I will sue them and the Goverment of China if my Sister returns to the US with respiratory issues. The air quality has not gotten better. It is bad enough that there are considerations of cancelation of endurance events. The government in China has made it illegal to bring in independant air quality test systems.
Journalists access to the internet are being restricted. Why does the government over there wish to control the truth?
THEY HAVE ISSUES!!!!!






BEIJING -- After years of preparations for the Olympics, Beijing is ready for its close-up. But how clear a view the cameras will get is anyone's guess, given the local air quality.
Media in other countries carried shots of Beijing taken over the weekend, showing smog so thick that visibility was restricted to just a couple of hundred yards. Beijing has already spent $17.5 billion to deal with the pollution, to no avail. Authorities say the haze is normal for the city at this time of year and has nothing to do with pollution.
Some athletes are worried; world record holder Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia pulled out of the marathon because he suffers from asthma.
But Du Shaozhong, deputy director of Beijing's Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau, said, "The air quality in Beijing during the Olympic Games will not affect the health of athletes.
"A blue sky doesn't mean the air quality is good. If you take a shower, you can't see clearly because of the steam, but it doesn't mean it's pollution," he said, adding that photographs were not a good indication of air quality.
"The Intl. Olympic Committee and its medical commission have concluded that good air quality is fully guaranteed," said Du.
Jacques Rogge, head of the Intl. Olympic Committee, said poor air quality could result in the suspension of endurance races such as long-distance cycling and the marathon. It's not clear exactly how bad the air would have to be for an event to be canceled.
It's forbidden to bring in measuring equipment to independently verify air quality. But Beijing is taking no chances: Organizers are preparing emergency measures to clear the air before the Aug. 8 start of the Games. "We will implement an emergency plan 48 hours in advance if the air quality deteriorates," Li Xin, a senior engineer with the environmental bureau, told the China Daily newspaper.

It has been awhile

Since I posted but only because I have been busy over at www.ambercampbellthrows.blogspot.com It is tiring work keeping her site up. But here is the skinny. She made the Olympic Team as well did our family friend Lorree Smith. You Go LADIES!!! in any case I have been working on my own to try and get over there but it may be too prohibitive cost wise. In any case Amber will not be on her own. Dad and StepMom are going as well as D.C. Good deal.

Other thoughts.....
Jesse Jackson thanks but your time is up go home. I know your Mamma told you that if you don't have anything nice to say, keep your mouth shut.
Bush just stop now and end your presidency quietly. You and your Oil Buddies have made enough money. If you wish to open up Drilling near the US. The no one gets rich off of that gas all US citizens should get it for $1.35 a gallon.

China good job at shooting your self in the foot. Starting with making it hard to get Visa's. Making your Hotels so ridiculously expensive and then this from CNN.com

Musicians in Beijing have gone into hibernation this summer as live
performances have been stopped in bars, a music festival canceled and clubs
suddenly told they need a live performance license.
The South China
Morning
Post reported Friday that the crackdown on bars included police
forcing bar
managers in the popular Sanlitun district to sign agreements
pledging not to
allow black people into bars during the Olympic Games, as
well as other
"undesirable" elements.
But local authorities and bar
managers denied the
report.

Big Victory Parade

Today the Rolling Rally rolled thru Boston again.  The Sixth Championship in Boston in 7 years. Check out the pictures.

One More Championship In Beantown

Finally a return to Glory for the Boston Celtics.  A Championship returns 22 years later.  Fitting that the Celtics should beat the Lakers for their 17th Championship.  Since it was the Lakers that the Celtics lost to in the Finals in their last appearance.  Pictures will follow from the parade when it happens.

Fear Not Loathing in the USA

So today on CNN.com there is an article that says Americans Fear gas shortages more than the higher cost of gas.
http://money.cnn.com/2008/06/10/news/economy/poll/index.htm?postversion=2008061012
So I think we should look at why we are using so much more gas today than in the late 70's. All I can say is that most of our commutes have gotten much longer to get from where we live to home. In order to have nicer homes with more amenities we have had to move farther away from the major metropolitan areas. With that in most cities the mass transit organizations have not stayed in line with these moves. For instance in order to take mass transit from my home in Lowell to my office in Framingham I would need to take a bus to the trainstation in Lowell. Then I would need to get on the commuter rail into Boston's North Station. Get off of the train and catch the subway to Boston's South Station. Get on another Commuter Rail to Framingham. Get on a regional bus to the edge of the office park and walk to my office. While you think that that would be great and worth it. What it saves me in Gas would cost me dearly in time. I would have to leave my house before 5 AM to get to work at 9 AM. So that is 4 hours of travel time one way. So I would have to travel the same amount of time that I work everyday. And that would leave me only 8 hours to sleep.