tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10506595246442023452024-03-13T13:16:55.717-07:00icommajamesAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10140742811791247274noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050659524644202345.post-8478579990029800892012-09-15T08:25:00.001-07:002012-09-15T08:26:33.382-07:00Ten Hours in an Avensis<div dir="ltr">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have posted my thoughts on certain cars here before, so regular readers will know I am somewhat critical of things automotive. Recently, I had the pleasure of a meeting in Dumbarton, Scotland. This meant getting there and back in a day, a journey that would take 10 hours driving. Not including stops. On top of the two-hour meeting. Needless to say I was hoping for a decent car. [spoiler alert] My hopes were dashed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I had thought about this drive when out strolling, and came up with a few things that would make the trip manageable, without expecting miracles:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A diesel engine. On a motorway in-gear grunt is king. Not needing fuel every 300 miles is also plus.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Supportive seats. I'd rather not add a visit to an Osteopath to my expenses.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Decent connectivity with the stereo. Auxiliary input in particular; listening to podcasts makes the motorway less brain-numbing</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Steering wheel controls. It's 2012, not asking too much. Plus, outstretching arms is an inconvenience for the lazy</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Reasonable isolation from road/tire noise. Something that often goes unnoticed by people who drive the same car all the time.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Air conditioning. An added bonus; but it was summer, albeit in the temperate climate of the UK.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To my dismay, the car turned out to be a 2011 Toyata Avensis. With a petrol engine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I shall not rant, but try my best to present my opinions objectively. It is worth noting that the car was well-specced; all conceivable extras seem to have been chose (reversing camera, satellite navigation, 6 CD changer, air conditioning) with the exception of leather upholstery. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'll get straight to the bad points seeing as these frustrated me the most. But, being ever the geek, I will group them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Driving experience. The obvious one was the serious lack in power. At motorway speeds the accelerator pedal did little more than cause more noise, although, slowly, the vehicles velocity did change. For any spirited lane changes, one needed to increase the engines leverage on the wheels. By two gears. The gearchange was a big let-down as well, giving the driver little real feedback, instead a feeling of "afterthought engineering" resistance, but in the wrong places.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Infotainment. Having seen the high spec of this particular car, I was pleasantly surprised, imagining a blissful trip. That pleasantness soon began a transition to its antonym. The infotainment system was unfathomable, with a display that looked like something from a Japanese luxobarge from the mid 90's. I couldn't figure out how to turn off the navigation without ejecting the SD card containing the mapping (that's coming from a self-confessed tech geek). On a smaller, slightly more confusing note, there was no AM tuner on the radio - a pretty small thing to omit, preventing the occupants from BBC Radio 5 Live.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Interior ergonomics. For something with inherently few options for their placement, the steering wheel controls managed to seem very awkward to reach. Not so much that a hand had to be removed from the wheel to use it, but sufficiently awkward that hands had to be strained to use them. The plastics and switchgear gave an feeling of cheapness, but while trying to give the impression of high quality to compete with the top German makers (BMW, Opel, VW). I can't help but be saddened somewhat by this pretence - the car is no longer an honest machine. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Engine power aside, the Avensis performed well on the motorway, offering good isolation from road noise and cruising comfort. Interestingly, given the modest and often frustrating power deficit, its natural gait hovered around the 85 mph mark. The door "thunk" was also satisfying, strange, given that the interior was so low rent. Another pleasant surprise came in the form of the seats. On initial seating, they seemed to lack the physical and visual features one would normally associate with supportive seats, but after a 16 hour day - including 10 hours behind the wheel - I was rather fresh.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My impression of the Avensis changed quite a bit between collecting it and returning it. On seeing it I was impressed - still thinking it had a diesel engine. That went down steeply when I got inside, and plummeted further in the first 5 minutes driving it. It began redeeming itself the following day, and continued to do so during the trip. However, it's journey to redemption didn't claw back enough to make up for the dismal impression it made in my first half hour with it.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwYLZow4j9Re7BPgZhBSUm1GwISPuZHGRjfPSKdoCDo6Xwx9TY1Vz0-UQ7fRLm7Fc7ndBxfmJOAuQB4joTUzuvl1AB_ApDMk3qk_fMY29IWmMBuvYjinl-wcZpdAXuWWJdyEt7xHy4OoU/s1600/IMG_20120822_205121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwYLZow4j9Re7BPgZhBSUm1GwISPuZHGRjfPSKdoCDo6Xwx9TY1Vz0-UQ7fRLm7Fc7ndBxfmJOAuQB4joTUzuvl1AB_ApDMk3qk_fMY29IWmMBuvYjinl-wcZpdAXuWWJdyEt7xHy4OoU/s400/IMG_20120822_205121.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Conclusion? I couldn't recommend one to anyone of my friends or family. For the cost, a much better car (of the same age and type) could be had. But it wasn't all bad, it did have good qualities, just not good enough. These were also countered by a lot of bad features, as well as a pretty dismal first impression. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">P.S. I can be positive about hire cars. I had 2012 Vauxhaul Astra diesel two weeks ago: fantastic car. Well specced, borderline unbelievable power and refinement. I also had a 2011 Nissan Micra a few months back: until the Astra, this was head and shoulders above any other hire car I had. Simple, buts honestly simple, no pretence.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">P.P.S I wrote this in WriteMonkey a distraction-free text editor. Check out their awesomely bloat-free application <a href="http://writemonkey.com/" target="_blank">here</a>. Hence the break in tradition; I wasn't listening to music while writing this, forgive me.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10140742811791247274noreply@blogger.com0Kelham Island, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S3, UK53.3890975 -1.471619453.38673 -1.4765549 53.391465 -1.4666839tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050659524644202345.post-85913515884298929322012-07-17T00:09:00.000-07:002012-07-17T00:09:18.072-07:00What a Difference a Table Makes<div>
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If you asked me<span style="background-color: white;"> two years ago about the significance of a kitchen table I would have been intrigued by such a strange question, but only after staring blankly in confusion for a few seconds.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Recently, I found myself in a position to answer that very question. Having spent the first 5 months in the castle without a kitchen table, we eventually put aside enough of Queen Elizabeths finest tender to purchase one. Nothing special, just an Argos plain-and-simple table with four chairs. The surprise in all of this was the degree of difference it made to the apartment relative to the financial outlay. One cannot quantify such things, but you can take my (subjective) word on it that the former far out-weighed the latter. Shock, horror! But is it a shock?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Yes, the obvious benefits are that we no longer eat our meals from our lap on the couch, and I can use the computer on it too. But, there are a lot of </span><i>symbolic</i><span style="background-color: white;"> reasons in the mix as well. I think these are the ones that caught me by surprise - even if I didn't know it at the time. </span><br />
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Having thought about my table with pride, I subconsciously teased out some of these reasons. Firstly - and most obvious - is that it represents the pride the working man feels when something of relatively significant financial outlay is saved up for and eventually purchased. More subtly, it's a symbol of growing up. Before I moved to Sheffield, the majority of those in my friendly circles lived with their parents: they never owned a table. Being able to say I own a table is a big deal for me then, a sign of growing up, making my own way. I like that. To point out the already inferred, it's a first for me, possessing a table. It's something I never needed to do before because there was always one at home, a possession that was almost exclusive to adults. I have been legally an adult for some time now, but owning a table of my own makes me feel more than that: now I feel like a <i>real</i> one. </div>
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10140742811791247274noreply@blogger.com0Bruntingthorpe Airfield and Proving Ground, Lutterworth, Leicestershire LE17, UK52.4929732 -1.125081252.473637700000005 -1.1645632 52.5123087 -1.0855991999999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050659524644202345.post-29481967966112365782012-06-12T16:37:00.001-07:002012-06-12T17:08:57.843-07:00Wallpaper Fetish<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every now and then I feel like a change of wallpaper on my computer. Mostly the new desktop livery comes from a rather vast collection I already have. More about that later.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My taste in wallpaper manages to be both specific and unspecific simultaneously. It must be minimalistic: as simple as possible, yet incorporate some form of humour or quip. Here are some or my favourites.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When he hunger strikes, it's usually more akin to a desire for a biscuit. It quickly turns to a ravishing hunger, however. It may start with a thought chain that results in a desire to have a wallpaper containing/referencing the result of said chain. More often than not, however, the search comes from no more than a desire to have a new wallpaper, one which cannot be satisfied from the existing collection. Once the seed of thought has been sown, it cannot be suppressed. Add theatrical "dun, dun, dun" at your own discretion.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the former case it inevitably begins with Google, and the wallpaper-hunter must go with the proverbial in search of satisfaction. In the latter case, my first port of call is the wallpaper subreddit (or r/wallpapers). Here the wonderfully tasteful folk of the internet post their creations and discoveries, often even their collections. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is the point - the search - at which the strangeness begins. I am unsure what happens, maybe it's a sort or modern take on primeval instincts taking over. I don't know. All I do know is that it happens to me. Much time can pass, many links are opened in new tabs for further inspection, a considerable portion of those are closed without their content being downloaded. The criteria that must be met is very specific and covers many subtle bases, yet the mental computation to their suitability takes about the same amount of time as it takes for my fingers to stroke Ctrl + W for those deemed unfit. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is a sort of trance, I think, and like most trances coming out of it is not straightforward. It is arguably strange in both scenarios: the case when the trance simply comes to a blurry end, and the human-provoked version. In the former case, the preceding time spent acquiring new desktop adornments is unclear, the main evidence of the events within that period is the new directory stocked with 16:9 goodness, and a sort of sleepiness - very bizarre. The latter is pretty much the same, with the exception of it beginning with a severe shock, and this is orders of magnitude worse when the provocation is a question. Most - if not all - of the question is delivered while the questionee is under, making the process of answering all the more difficult while still trying to figure out what way is up, and disguise the fact that you were in wallpaper auto-pilot for a considerable period of time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am keen to hear of any other folks who suffer from this, or those who are similarly evolved. I am also keen to simply hear from folk who feel that having a simple, classy, and subtly humorous wallpaper makes the time spent at the computer seem a whole lot easier and more pleasant. I genuinely feel a little sad for the folks who have default wallpapers, so little desire for individuality; do they care!? Replies welcomed, regardless which team in the desktop garnish-league you may play for.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For those interested, searches of this severity have happened 6 times to date; recorded by the number of separate directories of wallpapers, each from a different event. I may even post my collection if enough interest is generated.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Written while listening to a combination of Kerbdog - On The Turn; P.O.D - Greatest Hits, The Atlantic Years; Pearl Jam - Rearview Mirror (Disc 2)) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10140742811791247274noreply@blogger.com0Dumbarton, at St Patricks Church Hall on Strathleven Place, Dumbarton, West Dunbartonshire G82, UK55.945287 -4.56455455.8741065 -4.7224825 56.0164675 -4.4066255000000005tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050659524644202345.post-83247837256761289452012-05-22T15:13:00.001-07:002012-05-22T15:13:43.465-07:00Popolo: a haven for gastronomists<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am a gastronome. Not the posh kind, I just love good food. On Saturday night I was treated to dinner by my lovely girlfriend, she chose <a href="http://www.viewsheffield.co.uk/restaurants/popolo-restaurant-info-53800.html" target="_blank">Popolo restaurant, Sheffield</a>. By happy coincidence, it was an Italian (my favourite).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I feel compelled to share my experience so that others can enjoy Popolos food, environment, and staff. I love places that make good food for the "normal" food-lovers, not food for snobs; Popolo is like that. My order exemplifies that: mozzarella and Parma ham Bruschetta to start, and a pasta/pizza combo (for indecisive folk). The combo main course is exactly what I love about this type of place, you get the best of both worlds (pasta and pizza). It's not just humdrum of each though, you get a half pizza (12") and a half-size portion of a pasta dish on the menu. To adopt a wise saying by a great man: it's food for the eater, not food for the chef.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The staff were excellent also, managing to balance on that fine line between harassment and obliviousness. The cherry on top was that downstairs in the same establishment was a cocktail bar, so no beverage was too much hassle (a great selection of Italian and German beers were also available).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Written while listening to no music, but the fridge was humming its usual tune in the background)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">P.S. I went for <b>Helvetica</b> instead of my usual </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Verdana</b></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> today, I am interested to hear your comments. An post in typography may follow...</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10140742811791247274noreply@blogger.com0Kelham Island, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S3, UK53.3890975 -1.471619453.38673 -1.4765549 53.391465 -1.4666839tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050659524644202345.post-7483120386882623682012-05-18T17:45:00.000-07:002012-05-22T14:59:09.657-07:00Toyota Prius<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As part of the New Job, I do quite a lot of travelling. The majority of which is abroad, but some is domestic. The nature of the job requires a car, so we hire them. It's great as I get to sample a nice range of cars (as a passenger or a driver), but these are rather far removed from anything that could be branded as exotic - in fact, they are mostly in the cheapest/smallest group.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Last Wednesday, I was booked into a training course in Newcastle (St. James' Park, got a tour too - it was great!). The hire car? A gen 3 Toyota Prius. At 4:30 am before a three-hour drive it was not what I wanted to be greeted with.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As an avid reader/watcher of automotive media, I had my preconceptions of what it was going to be like (read "I already disliked it"). Was I surprised? Yes. In a good way? Nope.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I accepted that it was awful compared to what a car should be, but I never thought it could be as bad as the hacks made it out to be. I was wrong. So very wrong.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let's leave the hybrid aspect aside for now and concentrate solely on the experience for the occupant. Every single tactile surface felt like it was made of material that was on it's third life via the wonders of recycling. The dashboard surface was particularly appalling, it's nastiness will not be forgotten for some time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">PST. Power Sharing Transmission. It's effectively a Continually Variable Transmission (CVT), but with two inputs (in this case an electric motor and IC engine). I won't get into the details (for more see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuously_variable_transmission" target="_blank">here</a>), but suffice to say that it eerie. To cut a long story short, it allows a continuous range of gear ratios (unlike traditional ones which offer discrete rations: 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc). This is of interest to the boys and girls who developed the Prius because it allows the engine to operate at a RPM which is of optimal fuel efficiency, or where peak power is produced. This means that when you go to overtake on the motorway, you mash the accelerator pedal into the footwell carpet and the engine zips to it's peak power zone straight away (which is alarmingly high, and doesn't sound pleasant at all).... and stays their for the duration of the accelerator pedals stay in the carpet. All the while the car is speeding up!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few other things that are worth a mention:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Steering. It's like those old steering wheels for Playstations from 7 or 8 years ago: total feeling of disconnection; in terms of steering feel, and that it simply feels like there is no mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the front wheels you are supposed to be controlling. Deeply unnerving.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cabin noise. It's loud, even by my standards (I own a 20-year-old Golf GTI, and have owned a straight-piped Corolla). For a new car (with such a hefty price tag) it's just not good enough</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ride comfort. There is no need for it to be that harsh. The excuse of the extra battery weight is invalid, F10 BMW 5-series is minimum 1700kg and rides much better (price differential doesn't excuse the Prius either, it has a mass of just over 1300 kg)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Drive train couldn't make up it's mind. It was constantly switching between combinations of electric and petrol power: surely that's inefficient (not to mention jerky and irritating)</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On a good note, it masked the sensation of speed remarkably well: a motorway cruise, although noisy, didn't seem to stress it out overly. Also, the dashboard, nasty as it may be, was a great companion for KFC-feasting.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It has been widely commentated in the media that the Prius has become a fashion statement. I disagree whole-heartily: it has become a lifestyle statement, and said lifestyle has become fashionable. I fear that the shortcomings that upset me will be glossed over as quirks that arise from its goodness to the environment, but they are not. The Prius (now in it's third generation, remember) has put "greenness" above fundamental vehicle development. For example, earlier today I had another hire car, a 2012 Nissan Micra 1.2. That was a surprisingly pleasant place to be and an involving drive. But best of all, it's three-pot power-plant sounded genuinely terrific! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My point is that the majority of buyers purchase a Prius as a lifestyle vehicle, to be trendy and keep with the times. That is OK, but I fear they are being ripped of; it has so many flaws for what it's supposed to be that it is just a bad car, not a car that is not-as-bad for the environment as others. It's a shame, because I really want to see a good alternative fuel car. The best so far is the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_FCX_Clarity" target="_blank">Honda FCX Clarity</a>, that's the way forward (imho).</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Written while listening to Damnation by Opeth)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10140742811791247274noreply@blogger.com0Kelham Island, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S3, UK53.3890975 -1.471619453.384363 -1.4814899 53.393831999999996 -1.4617489000000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050659524644202345.post-34912254218729966802012-04-30T14:05:00.000-07:002012-05-18T17:45:27.108-07:00Golden Age<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is just a quick one to share my happiness at the current crop of automotive super- and hyper-cars. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pagani are on the cusp of unleashing their Huayra, but some are unwilling to forget the Zonda. The 760 RS is the very latest in an even more limited series of run-out Zondas. This one came from a series of requests from Zonda R owners who wanted one for the road. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pagani cannot seem to put the Zonda to rest, with demand for more and more limited-run specials - it's not so bad seeing at the cars are delicious! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beutB6R0Zqg" target="_blank">Here</a> is a video by my favourite road-tester-for-things-I-cannot-afford, EVO's Harry Metcalfe - a road test for <i>real </i>enthusiasts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Written while listening to Mainstream Media podcast by DJ Brian Greene)</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10140742811791247274noreply@blogger.com0Rue Basslé 4-30, 6000 Charleroi, Belgium50.4108095 4.44464350.329928 4.2867145 50.491690999999996 4.6025715tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050659524644202345.post-69104620888077859552012-04-30T13:49:00.001-07:002012-05-18T17:45:39.712-07:00The significance of J<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.evo.co.uk/images/front_picture_library_UK/dir_1010/car_photo_505051_25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://www.evo.co.uk/images/front_picture_library_UK/dir_1010/car_photo_505051_25.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Amazing. Astonishing. Epic. Gob-smacking. Magnificent. Shocking. Stunning. Wonderful. These are some of the words used by motoring journalists to describe the one-of-a-kind Lamborghini Aventador J. None such words were uttered in my head. When presented with something so pure and special, something that is the epitome of "hypercar", my mind whispered "wow" accompanied by a longing to see it in the carbon fibre. The only thing which eclipsed this was my desire to drive it, heightened by the imaginary journey conjured up in my head.I had seen rumours online, but didn't dare hope that something so wild would be actually built! But, if anyone would do such a thing, the boys and girls in Sant'Agata would.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />So, what is the significance of the letter J? That single-letter appendage means rather a lot. From every angle the J oozes an aggression that is orders of magnitude above any other car. This is the new top dog in hypercar royalty.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />The "normal" Aventador is not a subtle car, but alongside the J it looks positively Amish. Anyone would recognise they are related, but every aspect of the J is more aggressive, more intimidating, more beautiful. I love it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Based on the Aventador chassis, it has the same mechanical bits, which means the J is the perfect compliment to the Lamborghinis wild new V12. No roof, no windscreen, lots of noise.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The letter J (or "Jota" when pronounced in Spanish) is a appendage borne by only a single other Lamborghini in history, the Miura P400 Jota - a reference to Appendix J of the FIA handbook with which it aimed to comply.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The J is like an object created purely to thrill and turn-on. From the rear-view mirror that rakishly rises from where the windscreen would start, to the divided cockpit (the aero reference more at home here than anywhere else I think) split by a continuity from front-to-rear, forged composite details (seats, and show number plate for the eagle-eyed among you), to the exposed carbon fibre lattice over the engine.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I could rattle on for some time, but to fully feel the longing I harbour, you need to indulge in the pictures. I am an avid fan of EVO magazine, so <a href="http://www.evo.co.uk/news/evonews/280045/geneva_2012_lamborghini_aventador_j_detailed_gallery.html" target="_blank">here</a> is their <a href="http://www.evo.co.uk/news/evonews/280045/geneva_2012_lamborghini_aventador_j_detailed_gallery.html" target="_blank">picture gallery</a>. I strongly urge that you make a tea/coffee, have a beer/glass of wine and soak in the details.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Written while listening to Mainstream Media podcast by DJ Brian Greene)</span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10140742811791247274noreply@blogger.com0Rue Basslé 4-30, 6000 Charleroi, Belgium50.4108095 4.44464350.329857499999996 4.2867145 50.4917615 4.6025715tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050659524644202345.post-82036591844515069192012-04-17T06:40:00.000-07:002012-05-18T17:45:48.529-07:00In Our Time: Conductivity and Superconductivity<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In Our Time is a podcast series with Melvyn Bragg on BBC Radio 4. It is a series which is aimed at the inquisitive individual, and features topics ranging from physics to philosophy, literature to the living world. I highly recommend it, especially those on the subject of maths/physics.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today, I was catching up on my podcasts and came across this gem: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01c7sml/In_Our_Time_Conductors_and_Semiconductors/" target="_blank">Conductivity and Superconductivity</a>. This is a very nice walk-through of the topic from the early discoveries of the property right up to today's cutting edge devices. This is absolutely perfect for students studying the topic, especially how it follows the technology's progression in terms of time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Written while listening to IOT Podcast, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01c7sml/In_Our_Time_Conductors_and_Semiconductors/" target="_blank">Conductivity and Superconductivity</a>)</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10140742811791247274noreply@blogger.com1Advanced Manufacturing Park, Brunel Way, Catcliffe, Rotherham, South Yorkshire S60 5WG, UK53.3873332 -1.378139253.3849657 -1.3830746999999999 53.3897007 -1.3732037tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050659524644202345.post-70806264669809321722012-04-12T01:10:00.001-07:002012-05-18T17:46:00.060-07:00Making a Bit of Noise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-V_mgMqkBT8WHMTxI6945fglFWTizQ54Mo4zM5r8MAFuZQDcoKXpYink9by94w6h78DnCF6b4mTuulqLy-I9tMogYNdLknfVfz1IQEEbIwmwVEQp_NolhhhzYSAnbb6HWQZahypIIoU/s1600/IMG_20120407_213324.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-V_mgMqkBT8WHMTxI6945fglFWTizQ54Mo4zM5r8MAFuZQDcoKXpYink9by94w6h78DnCF6b4mTuulqLy-I9tMogYNdLknfVfz1IQEEbIwmwVEQp_NolhhhzYSAnbb6HWQZahypIIoU/s320/IMG_20120407_213324.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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It's been too long since I sat on the business side of a drum kit. But I am glad to report that last Saturday, I went to a friends practice room to see if I could still cut the mustard.<br />
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Before my move to Sheffield, I played drums quite often. I even taught a cool little dude how to play! Final year in college conspired against my drumming, and the move to Sheffield put a stop to it altogether. One call to accept a previous offer from a colleague, and we were away!<br />
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I am gonna keep it short: you don't forget, you just lose the edge. Looking forward to sharpening up though...<br />
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(Written while listening to Incubus - Make Yourself)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10140742811791247274noreply@blogger.com0Calle Molina Lario, 14, 29015 Malaga, Spain36.7196484 -4.420016336.5157764 -4.7358733000000006 36.923520399999994 -4.1041593tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050659524644202345.post-11243352455192827932012-03-28T02:18:00.001-07:002012-05-18T17:46:11.218-07:00A Mothers Gift<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfd13foC7mXQ-8ehhHblJd37h9h6zmXSTysvDhMOsQsyZ5S5LFUIsmyPv_knZvAy_cjww_Lwe7DdALMqG-FOwNcWXwrDJs2WUl-Z6rYpE-BQ2VLn0512rv57OjecgyBsJhETnuvkKMm8/s320/C360_2012-03-27-11-44-42.jpg" width="320" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Inheritance is a curious thing. According to most folk who know my family, I am a younger version of my father. I have been fighting this all my life, disagreeing with the masses. I have recently realised, however, that there might be some element of truth in it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">People say we have the same mannerisms, the same need to think everything through, to fix things, and our desire to prevent rather than cure. To expand on the latter, I find myself prone to this now that I am king of the castle. It pains me to say this by the way. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My mother often semi-joked that she had little influence on my traits. I beg to differ, mother. You see, my mother has worn glasses all her life. On her last eye exam, she was declared worse off than before. So much so that the optometrist said there was no point forking out for fancy lenses for both eyes. Why? Because she was too blind in one eye for two to be of any use. True story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I recently had an eye exam. I was overdue by about 6 months, noticed an increased dependence on my existing glasses, and had been getting dull headaches for about 3 weeks. My mother will be glad to know</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> that I did get something from my her. My new glasses are stronger than before, so much stronger that the first few days saw me stumbling around the city.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, thanks Mam, I did get something: your eyesight.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Written while listening to Hypnotic Brass Ensemble - The Heritage EP)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10140742811791247274noreply@blogger.com0Kelham Square, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S3 8SD, UK53.3891499 -1.470453553.3867824 -1.475389 53.3915174 -1.465518tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050659524644202345.post-67208517036291022122012-03-13T06:08:00.002-07:002012-05-18T17:46:26.002-07:00King of the Castle<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In January, I moved to Sheffield, England with my girlfriend to start the New Job. This brought about a vast amount of changes to what I knew as my life: new job (all but one of the employees were new to me; new technical area); new country; cohabitating with my girlfriend; not living in my parents house anymore; leaving my friends, family and dog behind.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, what's it like being the king of the castle? It's great! But, there are two sides to every coin. This is probably the freshest start I will have in my life, the one where most things change in one fell swoop.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I can come and go as I please (well, kind of!), know for a fact that if I leave my shoes in the middle of the sitting room floor there they shall remain until I find a more suitable location for them, I can use the toilet with the door open, the apartment is filled with food I like, the bed need not be dressed, and the dishes need not be washed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The thing is, the above that involve not doing something (dishes, washing-up) are always done. It is strange, when I lived with my parents, I rarely had a desire to do either; cleaning and tidying was something done to save someone else doing it, or, more often than not, to avoid an ear-bashing or being frowned upon.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Being the king changes things. I find it difficult to leave the kitchen in a mess after a meal, or the bed undressed, or the floors unclean. My shoes are nearly always put straight away, and the door of the toilet nearly always closed. My parents were like this, and I never understood why it was such an issue; I always thought that if it was done half as often it would still be fine. Now, I take more pleasure from seeing and knowing my castle is clean and tidy than I ever thought possible. It is more therapeutic than I could have imagined; lazing watching telly is something that is more enjoyable knowing in the back of your mind that the castle is as it should be. I didn't expect this to happen when I became king. I am becoming my Father. Oh dear.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are flies in this monarchical ointment though: you have to pay for everything. Electricty is not the wonderfully free resource it once was, nor is the right to stay in the castle. Chores must be done by me (or, mostly, by my girlfriend). The right to watch televeision is also an expense, as is the right to be hydrated and fed. Being king is expensive!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Do I like being king? Of course, the upsides out-weight the downs. It is a totally new experience for me (all of those listed above), an experience I enjoy. Unfortunetely - or fortunately - I travel quite a bit in the New Job (check out where using the location links at the bottom of each post), so I don't get to spend a whole heap of time there. But, that's for another post.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Written while sitting on the casing of a very large gearbox, in a factory near Chengzhou, China, listening to the machines whirr)</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10140742811791247274noreply@blogger.com0Kelham Island, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S3, UK53.3889651 -1.471103553.3865976 -1.4760389999999999 53.3913326 -1.466168tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050659524644202345.post-82583224679148460682012-03-06T06:43:00.001-08:002012-05-18T17:46:39.427-07:00Impossible Photography<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Impossible Photography</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have always appreciated the ability of artists to convey a message in a new way, or approaching a topic from a new perspective. I also love TED talks. The most recent one I have seen - Impossible Photography - explores a topic related to traditional photography, but which relies more heavily on the perception of realism. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Erik Johannson uses perceptive, psychological, and editing trickery to combine traditional photographs to produce images which we know are impossible, but which we can't help but think are not.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I would strongly advise watching this for anyone inclined toward photography (or art in general), psychology, creative approaches, or even the curious individual; <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/erik_johansson_impossible_photography.html" target="_blank">here is the link</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Written while listening to Hospital Podcast 166 with Chris Goss by London Elektricity).</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10140742811791247274noreply@blogger.com0Huanfu Rd, Wujin, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China31.701085 119.94243630.832793499999998 118.6790085 32.5693765 121.2058635tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050659524644202345.post-62118633795884644032012-02-28T08:52:00.002-08:002012-05-18T17:46:56.022-07:00China Syndrome<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The perfect phrase to describe the first two days of my first venture into the Land of Dragons and Emperors: China Syndrome.</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As part of the New Job, I have the pleasure of travelling to a variety to places around the world to do some really interesting tests, but my most recent excursion will reside clearly in my memory for the rest of my days.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why? I would like to consider myself reasonable well-read and culturally open-minded, and was aware of the existence of the term "culture shock". That term was redefined. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This trip was my first visit outside of Europe, and, as such, my first long-haul flight. On that aspect the trip went off to a slick start. My arrival into Pudong airport, Shanghai was equally impressive, due in no small part to the commotion created by hundreds of teens waiting excitedly for the arrival of their idol.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The shock began when I left the airport. On seeing the car in which we would spend the next three and a half hours, I laughed in disbelief: a 1998 Buick Regal. What an awful way to get from one place to another; it turned out the worst was yet to come. The interior smelled of old dinginess, one which cannot be masked by any number of the Chinese equivalent of Magic Trees (the driver tried in vain), every single piece of fabric and interior trim looked like it had been applied by an applicator practising their aim from 100 metres, and the 14 years of its dismal life had not done this master-class in How Not To Build A Car any favours. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Not a single safety belt was functional, which was alarming. My alarm was heightened on my discovery of the sheer chaos of motoring in China - the rumours are true, very true. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rules of the road are a rarely-used restriction to the drivers attempts at making geographical progress the way they desire, with little regard for the desire of others. Road markings, signs, and traffic lights are a very slight suggestion as to how a driver should conduct themselves, and are better served as ornaments for the vastly over-sized infrastructure of the area. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Vehicles. I like them, I take great pleasure in judging the driver based in the stereotypes. But, the vehicles here - or what should be written as "vehicles" - are absolutely shocking. A high percentage of the vehicles on the roads in this area are home-made, and look as though they could kill the people mounted on or in them with a summer breeze at a dodgy angle.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The biggest shock to me, though, was, by far, the event that occurred at midday, 25th of February 2012. We were invited for a meal by employees of the company who contracted us; being civil and sociable we accepted. I regretted that within seconds of arrival.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was feeling pretty awful up to this point by what I had seen, but this was the biggest amount of salt imaginable that could be added to my gaping wound that was culture shock. The place looked like it was derelict (we passed it while heading to the building we worked in that morning), I mean an industrial unit would be on-par with its cleanliness. The place was dingy and dirty, and had steel tables with chairs as part of it, all bolted to the floor with grossly oversized bolts. And then a tiny man </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">handed me a steel tray with "food" in it: rice, what I was later informed was supposed to be egg, chopped up pork fat (yes, fat), and cabbage that was boiled to bits and then boiled again just to be sure it was unrecognisable as a food. This was served with only chopsticks (which I have tried and failed to use - sadly, my failing) which has some sort of liquid on them, I didn't know what it was. I asked the Chinese guy employed by the New Company to be our interpreter, he shrugged his shoulders. I then asked where I could get a napkin to clean it, he asked on my behalf to be told there was none... in the whole place! In my horror, I asked for a glass of water, none of which was to be had. Not even a bottle of any liquid could be bought. I honestly felt like some sort of prisoner in a detention camp that you hear rumours of in remote places like Mongolia or Russia. It was awful. I did manage to eat some rice (a very minor plus in the otherwise horrid experience), and had some luck in the black magic of eating liquidy eggs with chopsticks. It was more tasty than my shockingly at-that-point-negative mind had me expect. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />I will conclude with the caveat that I have written this using notes I took over the two days. The above emotions are 100% true, but in hindsight, they were tainted by jet-lag, and severe helping of culture shock. I should also say that I am in no way anti-China - or anti-anything for that matter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope this has given you an insight into the adventures of how a young Irishman, raised in a small town in a small country, experiencing many new things, places, and cultures in a short space of time was unexpectedly affected by the above.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Written while listening to Chase & Status, No More Idols) </span><br />
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10140742811791247274noreply@blogger.com0Wujin, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China31.701085 119.94243631.4849325 119.626579 31.9172375 120.258293tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1050659524644202345.post-69489486756787823842012-02-25T07:52:00.001-08:002012-05-18T17:47:11.121-07:00A Bit About Me<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hi there!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am an Irishman who moved to Sheffield to a job in a sector I had never even thought of being in, but took the plunge anyway. I also moved away from my home house to live under my own steam for the first time, and moved in with my girlfriend in that same move.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I qualified in Physics from Waterford Institute of Technology in Ireland in 2011, and have been working ever since despite the recession (I was lucky).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have a wide variety of interests which I will write about here, most notably: music, cars and anything mechanical, Physics, technology, observing everyday life and the ordinary, cultures and customs, and the behaviour of people. I will also write about what it's like being an Irishman abroad (given Irelands reputation in the world economy), and - seeing as my new job means a lot of travelling - working in different countries with people of different backgrounds and work practices to which I am familiar.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I hope you enjoy reading my musings as much as I like writing them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All the best,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Written while listening to April Grooves Day by Dr. Herringbone Dread: </span><a href="http://www.mediafire.com/?wontdmjdnzz" rel="nofollow nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 14px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.mediafire.com/?wontdmjdnzz</a><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">)</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10140742811791247274noreply@blogger.com0Wujin, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China31.701085 119.94243631.4849325 119.626579 31.9172375 120.258293