unfortunate names

Definition for non-Spanish speakers:

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pajero

Forbes best and worst car names: http://www.forbes.com/2004/07/09/cx_dl_0712featslide_20.html?thisSpeed=20000

a word about whistling

I was standing in the gentleman's toilets the other day when a question popped into my head. Why do men whistle more than women? (according to research, there are only 2 women in the world that whistle, and they both live in Eastern Russia) I find that the most common time to hear examples of whistling is in the toilet. I suppose that I must have heard someone whistling to put the thought in my head. When one thinks of whistling in terms of a carefully executed exhalation of air, and positioning of the lips to provide "tunefullness", much like singing, it poses another question: most people (let alone men) would be too shy to sing in public, so why, therefore, should whistling be any different? It is, in fact, very expressive. Should men really be happy with this?

What I can say is that I think i've identified two main types of whistling, which are defined by the situation in which they are used. There is the "fake" whistle, presumably to mask an uncomfortable situation, and often heard in the toilet (or perhaps after an embarrassing slip of some sort), which is often simple and repetitive in style (after all it's only a decoy), and there is the "whistle of contentment", often heard used by old men while looking at house plants (but not exclusively so), which can be extremely intricate in style and is, I think, a genuine expression of happiness with the world.

Ok, so I may have identified different types of whistling but this doesn't answer my initial question: Why do men whistle more than women? Is it a vent for stress? something used instead of talking through feelings? Or it could be a way of expressing excitement - how often do you hear a man expressing his excitment about something in words? Or perhaps it goes back to the dawn of man - something to do with mating, attracting attention, or hunting for food... an instinct which can't be shaken off? Who knows. I would love to know the reason. Yet another of life's little mysteries... suggestions are welcome.

happy 40th birthday, 2001: A Space Odyssey

Music: 'Disorder' by Joy Division (1979).

conducir y hablar por el móvil

Un articulo para los que hablan español o los que quieren aprenderlo.

Cada día, veo mucha gente conduciendo y hablando por el móvil al mismo tiempo. Me continúa sorprendiendo, porque aquí en Inglaterra es ilegal y al menos se pagaría una multa de £60 (y lo peor - se podría matar a alguien). En mi opinión es muy peligroso e ignorante, y el continuar haciéndolo, solo puede ser descripto como arrogante. Estoy seguro de que muchos de los que lo hacen ya saben que es muy peligroso pero continúan haciéndolo y creo que si hubiera alguien que les preguntara por qué lo hacen, muchos contestarían: "porque todo el mundo lo hace" o peor - contestarían con algo ofensivo. Mucha gente mete excusas, pero no existe excusa alguna.

En mi experiencia, no es posible conducir y hacer otra cosa al mismo tiempo sin distraerse. Creo que las consecuencias deberían ser más que solo una multa (o puntos). ¿Por qué la gente cree que es algo sin suma importancia? Me parece que es puesto en una categoria de menos importancia de la que tiene. Puede costar vidas.

Visita estos sitios para más información

http://www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk/advice/mobilephones.htm (Inglés)

http://es.engadget.com/2008/03/08/hablar-por-telefono-al-volante-conducir-borracho-y-ii/

Mar Del Plata, Argentina

One of our scheduled stops. You may want to turn the sound off.

Enjoy

you all everybody!

Was thinking about Lost, and how I'm missing it, and decided to make a small tribute to the best character, the late Charlie Pace (and that's not just because he was the only English character, but clearly it helps). Think i've captured most of the best moments of his time in the show. And after I will give myself a slap, tell myself to stop acting like a teenage girl, and to never make such a girly collage again (click image to enlarge).

missing Barcelona...

Just thought i'd say that on this wet and miserable day, I'm missing Barcelona...

musical journeys

I was looking through my music collection recently and realised that a large part of it (apart from what i've stolen from a certain person - you know how you are - you're finally getting some recognition for it =P) was discovered by chance. Either by watching something on youtube, or another site, and clicking on a related video link, or by being in a shop, or sitting in a restaurant or cafe and hearing something that interested me. Even by having heard something years before, with the name of the song or the artist lying dormant in the back of my mind until something reminded me of it again. Basically, by not actively searching or trying to find it. It has all come down to being in the right place at the right time. And that is what I love about discovering music because it is like a journey (no matter how much of a cliche that seems) and it is amazing to see where you end up, and where you went through to get there. I've neither believed in, nor ever been interested in actively searching for new groups in magazines or on websites. I've always found that a bit strange. At the same time, however, I can understand that through the law of averages, if I were to bother to actively seek out new music, I would probably come across something that I would like. But new music isn't interesting me much at the moment. It seems very empty and devoid of much substance. Or... perhaps I haven't been in the right places.

sticky-back plastic

This morning, while reading a car magazine, I couldn't help but notice this small article placed at the bottom of a page about Volvo's latest innovation (or perhaps it is more of a development of an existing idea). A protective film that one can have fitted to his or her 'C30', which protects against stone chips and various other things (bird poo?). But it is not just any protective film. It is available in different designs (see below). I'm led to believe that these are just 4 of many varieties which will become available. But for now, only in Sweden. Sometimes those Swedes do something which takes us all by surprise! Next they'll be driving without gloves! Let just hope that this film isn't prone to the same problem that we all experienced as children when covering our school books! (click image for full-size version)

a change of behaviour: the opinion of a mere mortal

Well... until recently I was quite enthusiastic about the car industry. It started as a typical boy's childhood obsession of cars (I spent much of my youth absolutely certain that I would end up working in it) until it gradually faded into nothing but indifference. Leading up to this feeling of indifference came a feeling of being somehow let down by the industry as a whole. There have been so many wasted opportunities by manufacturers to take on and to be the pioneers of new environmentally sound technologies and measures. They just haven't been taken up with the enthusiasm or the attitude required. I want to know the reason for this. It just seems like things are happening much too slowly. And it's unlikely that people are going to stop buying cars anytime soon (due to lack of any serious alternatives) and now it's getting to become a really serious issue. Some say that we are, in fact, too late.

Perhaps my disappointment at the car industry as a whole is slightly misdirected as I am sure that every sector plays a varying part in this, and indeed, some manufacturers more than others, but somehow I doubt that there is a lack of money to research and develop these technologies further, or to even just provide some kind of support, by some of the leading car manufacturers. They should be doing more about this. Instead they seem to be taking a step back into the past where no one cared as much, burying their heads in the sand, and introducing cars with even more powerful engines which do emit more pollutants than the average car in real terms, no matter how you want to dress it up (just less than an engine of the same capacity say 20 years back). How can some of these super-powerful cars really be justified? and in reality, is one going to drive faster than 70 or 80mph on normal roads? It just seems to me that as long as their is a market for these vehicles, they will continue to offer them, no matter how immoral that might be. As well as that, cars seem to be getting bigger and heavier, which means the consumption of more natural resources and the release of more Co2 in the manufacturing process and the consumption of more fuel to drive the extra weight (although I accept that some new models do have a very good fuel consumption but these tend to be smaller vehicles). Just compare the dimensions of the 1970s Mk1 Volkswagen Golf with those of the outgoing model. You'd be shocked. I am, however, impressed with companies such as Honda who appear to be regulating, or even shrinking the size of their models. Take the latest Honda Civic as an example. Well done Honda.

And what of the government? Governments have the final say, so why are they not doing more? I'm sure that some of it is to do with economic performance. It is in a government's interest to keep the automotive industry healthy and to keep it as free of things which might keep it from developing as possible. At the cost of the environment? So maybe part of my disappointment, or even anger, should be directed towards the government. Why are these issues thrown about about in Parliament by people who are clearly completely out of touch with this kind of issue (after all it's fashionable to have some environmental policy) yet, in reality, never seem to be as high up the agenda as they are made out to be? It all seems like a lot of hot air to me (nothing new). Members of parliament are supposed to be our representatives, but I don't feel like my view is particularly well-represented. Lets be honest, to whom in Parliament does it really matter? Naturally, this brings me onto the point of taxation, and the London congestion charge, Ken Livingstone's pet. His answer to everything is to tax everyone to the eyeballs. In my opinion, taxation does not change behaviour. Especially for smaller businesses (like the one that I work for). It just means that they lose out, and lose out very badly. The most. It just seems like a massive squeeze, which is actually to the detriment of the economy, but which doesn't seem to do a lot for the environment. It's crazy. Why should it be possible that a car can pass it's MOT in the rest of England, but in London, one has to pay another charge depending on the emmissions that his vehicle produces? London is our capital city, not another country. The same rules should apply. We should be advised and helped to change our behaviour. Not taxed and penalised. Soon, no one will want to come here, and I wouldn't blame them. It's not surprising that in London the weapon of choice for the 'better off'/minicab drivers is the hybrid Toyota Prius -a £17,000 (minimum price) city runabout, and almost always a second car (used when the 4x4 is in it's garage, or when it is off out polluting another part of the country) to beat the congestion charge. That's it, simply to beat the congestion charge. Isn't that wrong? I think so. So a car which runs on petrol and electricity can go for free. It's not surprising that people behave in this way because they are not educated properly, and not made to realise that there are actually consequences for what they do. Let me reiterate, the Toyota Prius does not solve climate change, and it is not reducing the size of the hole in the ozone layer. Sorry. And I am not speaking as an expert (can you tell?) but purely as a normal person, who observes what is around him, who does drive (mainly for work), is aware that he is causing irrepairable damage to the environment, but wishes that he were actually given accessible ways to drive (and live his life in general) in a more environmentally-friendly way. It seems to me that the normal person on the street can shout about this as much as he wants but nothing is actually done. A real solution to the problem would be nice, and not one of these half-baked 'solutions' that we seem to be inundated with. People should be taught that things have consequences and not just slapped with a charge.

I think that, with the help of governments, the car industry could take on this challenge with so much more enthusiasm, and it could be a fascinating and rewarding challenge. It is so frustrating for me because my interest and faith in the car industry might be restored if I knew that more were being done. Indeed, I'd love to be involved. Just realised that I wrote an essay, sorry!

the daily grind

Welcome to my place of work...



My desk...where it all happens (note: the bars on the window to prevent my escape) and our van (look how we painted it just to match the windows...)

you and me are electricity

Over the past couple of months I've been experiencing a curious problem. Static electricty. I find that I'm getting shocked at least once a day, sometimes several times. For example, I cannot open the door of a car without getting a really aggressive shock, which produces an awful "crack" sound (followed by my scream of pain). I've come to the point where I tense up before opening the door of the car because I'm already anticipating the pain. Even if I close the door of the car with my elbow, I can still feel a slight shock. The same applies to shop doors, escalators, and anything else which requires my physical contact (and where public outbursts are sometimes unsuitable). Of course, it's really funny for everyone else (until I serve them a cold dish of static pain) but for me it's getting quite painful.

I ask... are there any potential health issues related to repeated static shocks? Is there something I can do? Some king of weird therapy? I don't want to be condemned to a life of static! (and making Michael Jackson noises)

thinking forward to Argentina

Well, it's just under 5 months until I embark on my 2.5 month adventure to Argentina. It will be the first time that I will have left this lovely continent (after 2 failed escape attempts). But because Europe is such a diverse place it can give one the sensation that he has, in fact, crossed many continents. I have traveled to the eastern and western extremes (Cyprus and Porto Santo respectively) which must be getting on to match the distance from NY to LA. Because of this diversity, I think that one could live quite contently without even leaving Europe. It's a great place, there's no doubting that.

With Argentina... I still can't say that I know quite what to expect. But I didn't choose to take time out of my life for 3 months to know exactly what to expect. Even after numerous conversations with my girlfriend, where I have tried to extract every single piece of information from the poor girl, I still can't quite get the flavour of it - part European, part Latin American (whatever that means?), part something unique? Who knows. I think that much of the answer to that depends upon the area in question. The country is vast beyond my imagination and because of that there are huge differences between the regions and their associated climate, landscape, people and even their customs. As an English person who comes from comparitively tiny country, this is one of the strangest and most fascinating aspects for me. I have seen a fair amount of diversity traveling across different countries in Europe, but to see it all in one country will be amazing. I find it hard to conceive the idea of a country which comprises desert, huge mountains, an area of almost English-like grassland and an antarctic region of glaciers and barren land (and many more regions between). Of course, I hope to travel to as many places as possible, in both the north and south, but this will take a lot of time, much of which will be spent traveling.

I'm raring to go. And at the same time I'm terrified. I suppose that I'm terrified because I am going to have to speak Spanish with my girlfriend's family who do not speak English and who will have nothing else on which to base their first impressions of me apart from how I come across speaking in a language which does not come entirely naturally to me. Add nerves to the equation and I'll be well on the way to speaking complete double-jibberish. And I have under 5 months left to perfect my Spanish. Oh well. I like to think of it as a character building exercise. Wish me luck then!

¡Saludos a todos!

a concise introduction

Expressing my opinions, thoughts and observations to others, especially to a group of people (through whichever medium), has never come particularly easily to me. I always have felt that I am somehow subjecting the person to something which is somehow not worth their time and because of that I try to be as concise as possible. I tend to lose out to more opinionated people too. This is made worse by my complete inability to be direct, or to keep to the point - something to whom a confident, media-orientated individual usually comes naturally. In short, I just can't spit it out. Let see if I can correct this.

I suppose that my aim would be to provide you with a steady flow of "interesting" and "diversionary" material (and if that fails, just completely stupid), but whether or not I will be capable of maintaing that remains to be seen. One thing is for sure, however, and that is that there will never be a shortage of post-worthy material cropping up in my life. Anyway, if do start to become a little lackadaisical (check out that word), I should remind myself that writing is theraputic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Writing_therapy) - Wikipedia explains, and oh boy do you need it when living in London town. But that is for another time...

Happy/confused reading...