tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66857506340149799942024-02-08T10:07:12.361-08:00A blog about anything & everythingTerry Callisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11808732302832034676noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6685750634014979994.post-70792797523583285902011-06-01T22:37:00.000-07:002011-06-01T22:39:18.613-07:00TarmacAfter 10 years of waiting the mountain track we live on was finally tarmaced yesterday. YES!!!!!!Terry Callisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11808732302832034676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6685750634014979994.post-64998149566691464042011-05-31T22:57:00.000-07:002011-05-31T23:04:05.758-07:00BooksandnovelstoreadThe new website has passed a landmark, more than one thousand self published books have now been uploaded to the site. If you enjoy reading have a look. There are a lot of talented writers out there with many good stories to tell.<br /><br />I've also started carrying out interviews with notables from the self publishing world. Alex Shaw a Thriller writer whose book Hetman was No 1 on Amazon Kindle. Alain Braux an award winning French Chef whose books are full of healthy eating recipes and a scoop for Books and Novels to Read an interview with Mark Coker CEO of Smashwords, probably the world's largest online retailer of self published books.Terry Callisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11808732302832034676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6685750634014979994.post-43002806554258209602011-05-22T22:39:00.000-07:002011-05-22T22:43:28.109-07:00NEWBOOKHello<br /><br />I've just published a new FREE eBook on smashwords:-<br /><br />http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/61424<br /><br />It is called "Most New Authors get a raw deal from the Traditional Publishing Industry" and is in praise of the companies that allow authors to self publish their books in print or by eBook. Have a look, it is FREE to download.Terry Callisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11808732302832034676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6685750634014979994.post-71956261405652736672011-05-06T10:57:00.000-07:002011-05-06T11:03:29.761-07:00DNAdatabaseThe Spanish Authorities set up a DNS database just three years ago. Since then 7,500 crimes have been solved including581 rapes, 454 murders and 51 acts of terrorism. So what is wrong with a DNA database, the only people that have anything to fear are the criminals. Every new born baby should be DNA tested at birth, every adult and child should be tested. Why are the authorities in the UK so fearful of such a scheme, could it be that they can't control with any security the databases they already have, or is it really about civil liberties. What about the civil liberties and yes the human rights of all the victims who seem to be way down the list when it comes to human rights.Terry Callisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11808732302832034676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6685750634014979994.post-55049012493408438302011-05-03T08:10:00.000-07:002011-05-03T08:11:32.116-07:00PostingIf you don't want to receive an email notification when I post, just let me know and I will remove you from my mailing list.Terry Callisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11808732302832034676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6685750634014979994.post-2212097765490138382011-05-03T08:06:00.000-07:002011-05-03T08:10:26.501-07:00NewwebsiteI've been working on a new website to promote and advertise the books and novels of self published authors. There are hundreds and thousands of good books out there that the public never get to see because the publishing industry wants as close as it can get to a sure thing, either established authors or so called celebrities. I'm trying to address the balance. The website is:-<br /><br />www.booksandnovelstoread.com<br /><br />If you will, please pass this onto all your friends, relatives and enemies, do all us self-published authors a good turn.Terry Callisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11808732302832034676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6685750634014979994.post-31026934858578739062011-05-03T07:50:00.000-07:002011-05-03T07:53:00.619-07:00OsamaBinLadenSo Osama Bin Laden is dead and buried. Justice has been done.<br /><br />Now I think there will be a period of in the old saying "It will get worse before it gets better."Terry Callisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11808732302832034676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6685750634014979994.post-70060986806092062852011-05-01T05:34:00.000-07:002011-05-01T05:37:12.441-07:00SandrasfirstnovelSandra has just published the first novel as an ebook in her Moorcroft Trilogy. It is available at:-<br /><br />https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/56770<br /><br />It is called Moorcroft - The Possession and it is an excellent romantic ghost story. You cen evwen try before you buy. Price $4.99Terry Callisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11808732302832034676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6685750634014979994.post-50159967655116891932011-04-29T03:22:00.002-07:002011-04-29T03:23:43.923-07:00TheWholeTruth<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2260637.The_Whole_Truth" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="The Whole Truth (Shaw, #1)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266679615m/2260637.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2260637.The_Whole_Truth">The Whole Truth</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9291.David_Baldacci">David Baldacci</a><br/><br />My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/160708534">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /><br />One of the best books I have read in ages. A wonderful super rich megalomaniac as the bad guy and a rough, tough hero as his opponent with a lot of action, intrigue and mystery in between. If this is your type of story I recommend giving it a go.<br /><br/><br/><br /><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5134332-terry-callister">View all my reviews</a>Terry Callisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11808732302832034676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6685750634014979994.post-62389545646183508082011-04-29T03:22:00.001-07:002011-04-29T03:22:47.924-07:00TheRunawayJury<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24192.The_Runaway_Jury" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="The Runaway Jury" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167520554m/24192.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24192.The_Runaway_Jury">The Runaway Jury</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/721.John_Grisham">John Grisham</a><br/><br />My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/164368557">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /><br />Classic Grisham, in the court. If you like courtroom dramas you will love this.<br /><br/><br/><br /><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5134332-terry-callister">View all my reviews</a>Terry Callisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11808732302832034676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6685750634014979994.post-49870858198647360892011-04-29T03:20:00.000-07:002011-04-29T03:21:50.889-07:00WhentheBoughBreaks<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/185911.When_The_Bough_Breaks" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="When The Bough Breaks (Alex Delaware, #1)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172528545m/185911.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/185911.When_The_Bough_Breaks">When The Bough Breaks</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/43626.Jonathan_Kellerman">Jonathan Kellerman</a><br/><br />My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/164368373">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /><br />It is a long time ago that I read this book, all I can remember about it was that I enjoyed it and intend to read more books by Jonathan Kellerman.<br /><br/><br/><br /><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5134332-terry-callister">View all my reviews</a>Terry Callisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11808732302832034676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6685750634014979994.post-89807505108322335672011-04-12T22:56:00.000-07:002011-04-12T23:00:22.867-07:00AVDid you see the broadcast for the Vote No to AV campaign the other night? What a brilliant bit of television for this type of broadcast. Hopefully it will convince 100% of the population to vote No and stop this farce of an idea. The programme showed AV to be very confusing and will cost the tax payer even more than the current first past the post system.<br /><br />VOTE NO, YOU KNOW IT MAKES SENSE.Terry Callisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11808732302832034676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6685750634014979994.post-55235577924811790452011-04-12T22:55:00.000-07:002011-04-12T22:56:36.527-07:00Reading<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2260637.The_Whole_Truth" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="The Whole Truth (Shaw, #1)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266679615m/2260637.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2260637.The_Whole_Truth">The Whole Truth</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9291.David_Baldacci">David Baldacci</a><br/><br />My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/160708534">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /><br />One of the best books I have read in ages. A wonderful super rich megalomaniac as the bad guy and a rough, tough hero as his opponent with a lot of action, intrigue and mystery in between. If this is your type of story I recommend giving it a go.<br /><br/><br/><br /><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5134332-terry-callister">View all my reviews</a>Terry Callisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11808732302832034676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6685750634014979994.post-26206404656828786632011-04-04T23:23:00.000-07:002011-04-04T23:30:00.273-07:00Blood2So I went to the medical centre last night to give my blood, the ninth time in Spain. I was signed in, he asked me where I was from and I explained I was from the Isle of Man then lay on the bed and a guy pricked my finger as they do when the admin guy comes running out of the office. Apparantly people from the IOM like the UK cannot give blood in Spain because of CJD (mad cows disease). I have explained that all meat sold on the ION is Manx and there was no CJD on the IOM but to no avail.<br /><br />I wouldn't mind but this was my ninth pint of blood (half a litre to be exact) over two years. As far as I know nobody in Spain has contracted CJD from my blood.<br /><br />There you go!!!!!!!Terry Callisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11808732302832034676noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6685750634014979994.post-14750192759097506762011-04-03T23:33:00.000-07:002011-04-03T23:36:43.586-07:00BloodMonday 4th April blood donation day. I give blood every three months here in Spain. I do it because I can and I think it is very worthwhile. Who knows I might contribute to saving somebody's life. I believe every adult capable of giving blood should. Same goes for organ donations, remember this when I die and if my organs are OK then the medics can take what they like, Sandra knows this.Terry Callisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11808732302832034676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6685750634014979994.post-23917279464960547532011-04-02T08:26:00.000-07:002011-04-02T08:27:14.951-07:00DayofConfession<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/87617.Day_of_Confession" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Day of Confession" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171104443m/87617.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/87617.Day_of_Confession">Day of Confession</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/37608.Allan_Folsom">Allan Folsom</a><br/><br />My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/158305335">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /><br />An interesting story, well written with a difficult plot to believe in, but I enjoyed it all the same.<br /><br/><br/><br /><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5134332-terry-callister">View all my reviews</a>Terry Callisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11808732302832034676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6685750634014979994.post-89239024486130866052011-04-01T23:40:00.001-07:002011-04-01T23:44:10.762-07:00PrescriptionsSo on the day that prescription charges in England go up by 20p to £7.40 an item, Scotland ends all charges leaving Englsnd the only country in the UK to have prescription charges. Why does England not have a devolved assembly like every other part of the UK to look after its citizens, not that I actually agree with another expensive layer of government, but somebody needs to stand up for England.<br /><br />This day April 1st, April Fools Day is well named because all of England is being taken for fools.Terry Callisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11808732302832034676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6685750634014979994.post-58631287613639543482011-03-31T23:42:00.000-07:002011-03-31T23:50:00.774-07:00LibyaSo we have started giving sanctuary to high ups from the Libyan regime. First the Foreign Secretary, former head of Libyan Intelligence and there are rumours that more are to follow. David Cameron pledges on television that there will be no immunity. We all know about pledges from politicians. You must wonder what dirty little deals are being made in out name.<br /><br />Remember Al Magrahi the only one ever convicted for the Lockerbie bombing and the dirty little deal done there. He was supposed to be weeks away from death and released on compassionate grounds, yea right, he's still alive 18 months later. Hopefully a coalition bomd will land right on his head.<br /><br />The British public are treated like idiots, it is about time we changed politics and voted for a different party other than the big three, but who else is there? You would have thought that with disaffection with the coaltion government and the country still sore with Labour that UKIP would be coming to the fore, where are they?Terry Callisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11808732302832034676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6685750634014979994.post-57808538952339306982011-03-31T00:15:00.000-07:002011-03-31T00:16:21.575-07:00WebsiteMy website www.terry-callister.com is changing everyday. I've now included a page for other writers to advertise their books, and it's free. So have a look.Terry Callisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11808732302832034676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6685750634014979994.post-73847273756738336552011-03-31T00:10:00.000-07:002011-03-31T00:14:44.366-07:00LIbyaThe conflict in Libya is getting messier by the day. The rebel forces advance and then have to retreat as Gaddafi forces get the upper hand. Without the coaltion air strikes the rebels I believe would have been defeated already.<br /><br />The consequences for the West if Gaddafi stays in power could be disasterous. He'll happily sell his oil to the East, China, India etc and cut off supplies to Europe. WHAT PRICE PETROL THEN?Terry Callisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11808732302832034676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6685750634014979994.post-14490400363202059432011-03-28T08:50:00.000-07:002011-03-28T08:51:20.269-07:00IanFleming<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/177194.Thunderball" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Thunderball" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172446692m/177194.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/177194.Thunderball">Thunderball</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2565.Ian_Fleming">Ian Fleming</a><br/><br />My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/157243470">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /><br />I read this years ago and it has always stuck in my mind. One of the best James Bond novels ever written and even the film basically followed the story. The action in the books is pretty realistic, not that can be said of most of the films.I watched The Quantum of Solace last night, what a load of twaddle. Anybody who has not read Ian Fleming's James Bond doesn't know what they are msiing.<br /><br/><br/><br /><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5134332-terry-callister">View all my reviews</a>Terry Callisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11808732302832034676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6685750634014979994.post-35365901558189098252011-03-27T23:46:00.000-07:002011-03-27T23:52:04.079-07:00F1So it looks like 2011 is going to be a continuation of 2010. Vetel first in the Red Bull, Lewis Hamilton second and congratulations Vitaly Petrov in the Renault for his first podium in third. (Makes you wonder what Robert Kubitza would have done in the Renault). The two lads in the Saubers must be sick being disqualified from points scoring positions but them's the rules.<br /><br />Not the most exciting race but at least Formula 1 is back. Roll on the Malaysion GP on April 10th.Terry Callisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11808732302832034676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6685750634014979994.post-81163898176163258522011-03-24T12:02:00.000-07:002011-03-24T12:14:01.838-07:00Budget2This morning the Daily Mail published a pie chart showing how the UK Government spends OUR money that we pay in taxes and National Insurance. One of the figures that struck me was the £40 billion spent on defence, drastically being reduced by the Strategic Defence Review (more on that in another post). Foreign Aid was not a specific part of the pie chart, it was included in the £77 billion under other things. The Foreign Aid budget is to rise to £32 billion a year of our money being given away to the likes of Zimbabwe, that's right Zimbabwe. Yemen, that's right Yemen and the likes of India, with their space programme and nuclear weopons. You really couldn't make it up could you.<br /><br />I'd guess that if the British public were given a vote on Foreign Aid I would suspect a good majority would be against the British Government borrowing to give it away to people who don't even like us. But the British people did vote for this, it was after all in all the manifestos of the big three parties. They are as one on this (as with so many things).<br /><br />Perhaps it is time to look at alternatives to Conservatives, Labour and the Lib Cons, oops sorry Dems. UKIP are an alternative and they are not a one policy party as many people think. Take the time to look at their manifesto and you will be surprised. One nugget from their manifesto, pensions to rise to £156.00 a week now wouldn't that be a good way to treat our senior citizens who've paid into the system all their working lives and are thought so little of by the big three.Terry Callisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11808732302832034676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6685750634014979994.post-19096342741845934442011-03-24T00:04:00.000-07:002011-03-24T00:11:11.836-07:00TheBudgetSo the UK Budget was pretty much as expected considering the circumstances, but this morning there have been very few if any comments about alcahol and tobacco, rises of 2.5% above inflation and you can bet your life the government will uses the higher RPI and not the CPI to calculate the rises, the reverse is true of any benefits or pensions.<br /><br />Once again the easy targets of smokers and drinkers are helping to fund the means to get the UK out of the mess created by the bankers while they get off relatively unscathed.<br /><br />Labour of course derided The Budget conveniently forgetting it was them that contributed largely to the state of the economy and if they have come up with any alternative, never mind a viable one I've not heard it.Terry Callisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11808732302832034676noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6685750634014979994.post-59312901042346398882011-03-21T12:03:00.000-07:002011-03-21T12:05:42.200-07:00ITVInspeccion Technico de Vehiclos or the Spanish equivalent to the MOT. Our ten year old Ford Focus passed it's ITV today much to my relief, no expensive repair bills for another year at least.Terry Callisterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11808732302832034676noreply@blogger.com0