David in Spain

A little bit of everything

Solar Electric

I have had an interest in solar electric power generation for some time and I am quite keen to actually do something about it. I had looked before and it seemed that you had to buy big expensive batteries to be able to store the power for use later on. Now that is a great thing if you are then disconnect from the grid totally. But it looks so much easier to use a grid tie system.
With a grid tie system you can feed the power back into the system that you generate over capacity and it is possible to get a contract to sell it to the power company.It looks like we use about 16 kWh of electric per day and I wonder how much I could generate with a couple of panels.

Little by little
What would be nice is to able to start with a couple of panels and add to them as time goes by using the savings off the electric bill to buy new panels. I wonder how long it would take to pay back the initial investment. I wonder if it could be a money making scheme in the long run. Super idea to have the sun working for us, and being here in Spain there is no shortage of sun for much of the year.

Time for me to break out the calculator and look for some prices for some panels and a Grid tie unit. More on the subject when I have some numbers worked out. The Electric bill is between 80 and 90 Euro per month so that is the maximum that a solar electric system can save until you get to the point where the output is more than the input. It is unlikely that the first system in place could do much more than save 30-40% off the bill. If it saved a 3rd off thats only about 30 euro going towards paying back the investment. If 900 was spent initially it would take 30 months to recoup the outlay. It really is a long term project.

There is a solar power farm near here, it is on the road to the Girona Airport, there are hundreds of solar panels. It must have cost a fortune to set it all up.

Back to to the number crunching….


Belgian Chocolates or A Mac20Q Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

I love eating chocolate but unfortunately it is a poison to me and the next day I have a migraine. But that is not the case when I talk to a man from Belgian, especially when it is the great guy that uses a Mac called Peter Boodts. Last week we hooked up on Skype and had a chat for Mac20Q podcast and now it available for you to listen to as a podcast.
Peter tells me that for a hobby he like the Samba drums, which was excellent seeing as I filmed that bloody marvellous group of drummers from Girona that were taking part in a contest in the big venue in Platja d’Aro last Thursday. I want some drums to play with myself now.


Bento Database Video Turorial

PlayPlay

Podcast: Play in new window | Download


Bento

Setting up a database with Bento and using the information stored in record that you have already in Address Book and getting access in the same place to iCal events and Apple Mail.Using data that is stored in one place and one place only is a nirvana for databases. That way you can’t have different versions of the same data and lose your database integrity. That’s what I want to have this work so that I can collect the data in Address book and so long as I put in a keyword in the Note fired then the information will also propagate into Bento also. So I don’t have to have Bento open all the time but when I do open the application I will have all at my finger tips.Why I think Bento is so useful is because it is easy to set up extra fields for information that you want to track and even though it isn’t a relational database like Filemaker is it so much better that keeping your data in a spreadsheet table.

Setting up a database with Bento and using the information stored in record that you have already in Address Book and getting access in the same place to iCal events and Apple Mail.

Using data that is stored in one place and one place only is a nirvana for databases. That way you can’t have different versions of the same data and lose your database integrity. That’s what I want to have this work so that I can collect the data in Address book and so long as I put in a keyword in the Note fired then the information will also propagate into Bento also.

So I don’t have to have Bento open all the time but when I do open the application I will have all at my finger tips.

Why I think Bento is so useful is because it is easy to set up extra fields for information that you want to track and even though it isn’t a relational database like Filemaker is it so much better that keeping your data in a spreadsheet table.


Drummers at the Carnaval

PlayPlay

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

In the previous years here in Spain I have got dressed up and gone to see the Carnaval procession and then gone out for a meal followed by a visit to a disco. Never enjoyed the disco because people were smoking in there and it is always difficult to breathe and it is so smelly. More fun while outside on the street seeing everyone walking around looking ridiculous and loving it. Some very good costumes there.
This year for the night of the dancing I ended up babysitting nephews and we survived! Two boys roaming the house dressed as pirates, so we were constantly being stabbed with plastic swords.
The best of this years’ Carnaval was the Talent competition on Thursday evening. Magicians, singers, performers and the most excellent group of drummers. Here is the video of the drummers doing there show.


The Sound Sleeper – Film of the week by Kingisafink

I wonder who was making the foley effects for the movie? So far no one has owned up?? Seriously though here are a couple of film makers that are going to go one to bigger projects, This one goes for funny but they like to make social comment in their movies shorts.

Posted via email from David’s posterous

Am I going to buy an iPad?

I like the look of it, I want one but don’t really need one. My wife will be getting one of these beauties though. She is a teacher and has been on the look out for something exactly like this for using with her work. She wanted a MacBook Air for the lightness of it and this is lighter. The iPad has a super looking version of Keynote on there for $10 and she can do all her information management that teachers have to do easily on this device.

Best of all – She may let me touch it from time to time, perhaps even use it?

Posted via email from Mac 20 Questions

Apple getting ready to premiere the iTablet

Later today Steve Jobs will be getting on stage to tell us about his new toy for us all. 

Time for all the rumours to be quashed and all the picking apart the bones of whatever Apple comes out with today. 10 inch form factor with an iPhone like interface. Will it be fast? Will it have Kindle like abilities? Will it be a game changing platform that will take the world by storm. Are you going to buy one as soon as it is in the store?

It is still all questions right now as I write this but in eight hours time there will be an explosion on the internet when every Mac fan has one topic to talk about. The iSlate, iTablet or the iPad. For sure some will be deleriously happy with the new toy and many will snipe at it, saying well it doesn’t do this or doesn’t do that. It will depend on whether the hype has been over done or not.

Posted via email from Mac 20 Questions

Adam Weiss talks to Mac20Q

Latest podcast from Mac20Q

Adam Weiss is a successful educational podcaster and podcast consultant, as well as a sought-after digital media strategist. An expert interviewer and communicator, he aims to show that digital communication is more about story, presentation, and technique than fancy gear and tech toys.

He is the creator of the award-winning Current Science & Technology Podcast for the Museum of Science in Boston, which he hosted for more than two years. He now hosts his critically-acclaimed Boston Behind the Scenes Podcast, and has profiled everyone from street vendors to senators and astronauts in his career.

Read more and listen to the podcast.

Posted via email from Mac 20 Questions

Backlooping on waves

My son has been in Australia for nearly two years now and here is a picture that shows what he went there for.

What about the iSlate or iTablet

So what do you think Apple have planned for 27th of January will it be the iTablet and will you want to buy one. Have you got money put aside to be able to get one as soon as Apple pulls the trigger?

I just saw a video on Metacafe which purported to show the new device from Apple.
Hmmmm I wonder is it real or is it a fake?

Watch this video http://metacafe.com/w/4034253/ on Metacafe – Youtube Apple Tablet Islate Video. Tell me what you think about it/

Posted via email from Mac 20 Questions

Video20Q talked to Tyler Weaver about movies

Movies and Macs with Tyler Weaver

Tyler Weaver Movie maker, was introduced to movies by his Grandad. He would go out and rent movies that he thought the young Tyler should see. Tyler has a music background and has gravitated more to the visual aspect of the film making art.

Tyler has been working for a non profit organisation and has produced some movies for them. There is ‘Il Mio Canto Libero’ in  which there is some totally enchanting music that just swept me away. Means something like ‘Its my song of freedom’ then there is Gather ‘Round the Mic’ which is broken up into parts and available on Vimeo.

Posted via email from David’s posterous

Danny Lacey Film talks to Mac20Q

Danny Lacey has set himself off on a course of learning how to make movies. Danny makes video for corporate customers anyway but making movies, either short films or feature length film is a whole different kettle of fish. As part of his learning regime he has mad a short movie for a horror competition called ‘Angel of the Night’. I watched the 3 minute version of the movie and was impressed. You have to have a twist in a movie to make it more interesting.

Posted via email from Mac 20 Questions

The @Kingisafink pair talk about making movies

I got talking to @Kingisafink about film and making movies for Video20Q. it was only natural to include them on the Mac20Q Podcast too. Same interview but for the listeners of Mac20Q to enjoy.

‘Libidoland’ is the title of their latest movie short and the trailer for it looks like fun. Jessica and Julie told me that they have a weird sense of humour and like to combine that with social comment in their movies. They ask,  why should movies follow the Hollywood trait of having to have a tidy ending or even a tidy story. Life is messy and there is no reason why movies can’t reflect some of that and still give a level of entertainment.

I would say that you would get a higher level of entertainment if the story makes you think a bit too. Get those brain cells working for a change, while it is good to have a suspension of disbelief while watching a movie it doesn’t mean that the thinking processes have to be dormant too.

Posted via email from David’s posterous

Twitter Podcast

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Really pleased to have found a tool that works so well. In the podcast I discuss two tools I have tried and you will understand why I prefer Tweetadder over Twitter Guru Elite. Both have pluses but Tweetadder has more features to its advantage.

The main thing though is that it really is important to have bigger Twitter numbers if you have something you need to get out there. I have a burning ambition to get my podcasts noticed and I think this is the way to go. You can’t rely on a small group of followers to re tweet for you generally be people are busy doing other stuff. You have to take matters into your own hands and find the followers yourself.

Have a listen and leave me a comment below the post if you have an opinion or would like to know more. Basically if you want or need more followers then it can be done with this software solution, a lot quicker.

Mac20Q podcast 77 is published ready for you to listen talking to Phil Holbrook

This interview started over at Video20Q blog and podcast and seeing as Phil is a Mac user it is only right that I publish here on Mac20 Q also. I have cut out some of the interview that was more specific to film making and if you would like to get the full skinny on Phil, then you can listen to the interview in full at Video20Q.

Posted via email from Mac 20 Questions